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Hadrian, a defense manufacturing startup focused on machine parts, has closed a $260 million Series C funding round. Led by Peter Thiel's Founders Fund and Lux Capital, the capital will go towards building a 270,000 square foot factory in Arizona and expanding its California footprint. CEO Chris Power joins to discuss the raise, reviving American manufacturing and where defense tech goes from here.
We dive into Nucleus Genomics, a startup backed by the Founders Fund, that wants to help you evaluate, rank, and name your embryos in a pre-IVF dashboard designed for “genetic optimization.” We talk about the junk science and wild ideologies that drive these desires to treat your genes and children like assets to be managed – with the ultimate goal of creating and enforcing a society ordered by genetic hierarchies. We then wrap up by tying these biotech visions to their AI counterparts in the “Gentle Singularity.” ••• This 25-Year-Old Biotech Founder Says His Startup Can ‘Optimize' Embryos for Intelligence https://www.inc.com/ben-sherry/kian-sadeghi-says-nucleus-genomics-can-optimize-embryos-for-intelligence/91198815 ••• Controversial genetics testing startup Nucleus Genomics raises $14M Series A https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/30/controversial-genetics-testing-startup-nucleus-genomics-raises-14m-series-a/ ••• Genetics testing startup Nucleus Genomics criticized for its embryo product: ‘Makes me so nauseous' https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/06/genetics-testing-startup-nucleus-genomics-criticized-for-its-embryo-product-makes-me-so-nauseous/ ••• OpenAI wins $200m contract with US military for ‘warfighting' https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jun/17/openai-military-contract-warfighting ••• This is the gentle singularity? https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/this-is-the-gentle-singularity ••• China shuts down AI tools during nationwide college exams https://www.theverge.com/news/682737/china-shuts-down-ai-chatbots-exam-season Standing Plugs: ••• Order Jathan's new book: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520398078/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite ••• Subscribe to Ed's substack: https://substack.com/@thetechbubble ••• Subscribe to TMK on patreon for premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/thismachinekills Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (bsky.app/profile/jathansadowski.com) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.x.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (bsky.app/profile/jebr.bsky.social)
Itai Turbahn is Co-Founder and CEO of Dynamic (https://www.dynamic.xyz), a Web3 authentication platform that simplifies wallet-based login and onboarding through a flexible SDK, combining authentication, smart wallets, and secure key management. Itai shares his journey from product management leadership roles and consulting at the Boston Consulting Group to co-founding Dynamic, a company backed by a16z crypto, Founders Fund, and others. He discusses how Dynamic's growth, milestones, including sponsoring six major hackathons, supporting 400 teams, and powering millions of monthly user logins, has advanced Web3 adoption. Itai dives into the platform's role in simplifying developer workflows, enhancing user onboarding with features like social logins and Global Identities, and his vision for a more intuitive crypto future where wallet infrastructure empowers seamless cross-chain interactions.
Scott Nolan is the CEO of General Matter, enriching uranium in America to reshore domestic nuclear fuel capacity and power the American energy production needed to lead in AI, manufacturing, and other critical industries. General Matter is backed by Founders Fund, the first institutional investor in SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril.Scott is also a partner at Founders Fund, where for the past 13 years he led hardtech investments across energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, aerospace, and defense. Companies Scott has worked with include SpaceX, Neuralink, Crusoe Energy, Planet Labs, The Boring Company, Nubank, Impulse Space, and Radiant Nuclear. Previously, Scott was an early engineer at SpaceX, where he helped develop the Merlin engine systems and Dragon capsule. He earned his Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Cornell University, and his MBA from Stanford University. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://www.americanfinancing.net/srs nmls 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org https://www.tryarmra.com/srs https://www.betterhelp.com/srs This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp — give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self. https://www.shawnlikesgold.com https://www.drinkhoist.com - USE CODE SRS https://www.patriotmobile.com/srs https://www.rocketmoney.com/srs Scott Nolan Links: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottpnolan X - https://x.com/ScottNolan General Matter - https://www.generalmatter.com X - https://x.com/generalmatter Founders Fund - https://foundersfund.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Twenty Minute VC: Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
Agenda: 00:03 – Circle's IPO: Investors Just Left $BNs on the Table 00:06 – CoreWeave & Circle: Are We Back to Meme Stock Madness? 00:11 – Should Stripe and Databricks Finally Go Public? 00:17 – US Stock Markets: How They DOMINATE the Global Game 00:21 – 50% of Unicorns Are DOOMED. What Happens Now? 00:25 – Founders Fund Just Dropped $1B on Anduril. Why?! 00:29 – What Would You Do If LPs Let You Go Wild? 00:36 – What Missing Out on Millions for Docusign Taught Rory 00:44 – Cursor is 20% of SaaS Spend: The Shocking Data Behind the SaaS Slowdown 00:47 – AI vs. SaaS: The Great Budget War Begins 00:48 – Can AI Take Budget from the Talent Budget or Will It Remain in Software Budgets? 00:56 – SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink: Elon's Empire After the Firestorm Please read the offering circular and related risks at invest.modemobile.com. This is a paid advertisement for Mode Mobile's Regulation A+ Offering. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investing in private company securities is not suitable for all investors because it is highly speculative and involves a high degree of risk. It should only be considered a long-term investment. You must be prepared to withstand a total loss of your investment. Private company securities are also highly illiquid, and there is no guarantee that a market will develop for such securities. DealMaker Securities LLC, a registered broker-dealer, and member of FINRA | SIPC, located at 105 Maxess Road, Suite 124, Melville, NY 11747, is the Intermediary for this offering and is not an affiliate of or connected with the Issuer. Please check our background on FINRA's BrokerCheck.
Erik Torenberg is joined by Dan Barto and Reuben Torenberg to discuss the Knicks-Pacers and Thunder-Timberwolves playoff series. They talk about the impact of injuries on this year's playoffs, and debate potential trades including where Giannis Antetokounmpo might end up. --
This week planet Earth is seeing two re-entries of man-made objects: first the uncontrolled, possibly life-threatening, Soviet-era Kosmos 482; and second, the W-3 - an example of the very controlled, defense and in some cases possibly life-extending, business case that is Varda Space Industries. Laura Winter speaks with Delian Asparouhov, Varda Space Industries' co-Founder and President, and Partner at Peter Thiel's Founders Fund; and Muk Pandian, Varda's Director of Strategic Partnerships and Advanced Concepts.
Welcome to this classic episode. Classics are my favorite episodes from the past 10 years, published once a month. These are N of 1 conversations with N of 1 people. There aren't many people like Cyan Banister. Her life story is remarkable. She was homeless at a young age, dropped out of high school, and five years ago she suffered an extremely rare stroke. Yet, in spite of everything, she is one of the most optimistic and curious people you can hope to meet. Cyan is also one of the great angel investors of this era, having invested early in SpaceX, Uber, Postmates, and Deepmind to name a few winners. She became the first female investing partner at Peter Thiel's Founders Fund and now invests at Long Journey Ventures. Our conversation is as much about investing as it is about the essence of life and how connecting with that will help us in our professional pursuits. It is also full of awesome stories about people and companies like SpaceX and Bill Murray. Please enjoy this great conversation with Cyan Banister. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here. ----- Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. Past guests include Tobi Lutke, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, John Collison, Kat Cole, Marc Andreessen, Matthew Ball, Bill Gurley, Anu Hariharan, Ben Thompson, and many more. Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Show Notes: [00:00:00] Welcome to Invest Like the Best [00:04:06] Contrarian Thinking in Investing [00:05:30] Joining Founders Fund and Learning from Peter Thiel [00:11:15] Investing in Companies that Change Lives [00:14:00] The Importance of Overcoming Adversity for Founders [00:16:02] Personal Journey and Choosing Hope [00:20:56] Embracing Curiosity and Wonder in the Face of Adversity [00:21:20] Reconnecting with Our Inner Child [00:24:46] The Interruption and Resumption of the Conversation [00:27:20] The Power of Intuition in Business Decisions [00:32:28] The Story Behind the Investment in Uber [00:38:46] Conclusion: Following the White Rabbit of Curiosity [00:39:08] Investing in Uber: The Beginning [00:41:50] The Impact of Success: Personal Wealth and Privacy [00:50:22] The Intersection of Spirituality and Investing [00:59:34] The Bill Murray Experience: A Lesson in Presence [01:09:54] The Violin Kid: A Tale of Curiosity and Generosity [01:12:43] The Evolution of Investing: A Personal Journey [01:16:34] The Philosophy of Giving: The Universe's Return [01:17:36] The Spirit of a Venture Firm: Founders Fund [01:23:09] The Power of Integral Family Systems [01:28:41] The Trillion Dollar Question: Disrupting Hollywood [01:36:05] The Future of Artistry: AI and Creativity [01:41:39] The Power of Kindness
We're back to opining on the state of tech media! A16z has aqui-hired Erik Torenberg and his newsletter Turpentine, while the Technology Brothers with ties to Founders Fund have created a podcasting empire. Eric and Tom reminisce about the original wave of “going direct,” why it failed, and what's different this time around. Later on, Madeline shares that crypto VCs are growing frustrated with President Trump's meme coin grifts, and how hosting a private dinner for top coin holders doesn't help legitimize the industry.
Harsehaj Singh is the CEO and co-founder of Avantis, an on-chain exchange for trading and market-making cryptocurrencies, forex, and commodities. Why you should listen Built on Coinbase's Layer 2 chain, Base, Avantis is designed to offer traders permissionless access to crypto, forex, metals, and real-world commodities—all directly from their wallet. It's backed by serious players like Pantera Capital, Founders Fund, and Galaxy Digital. Unlike typical decentralized exchanges that just handle crypto, Avantis allows you to trade a wide array of assets with leverage—up to 100x on forex and commodities, and 50x on crypto—making it an ambitious bridge between traditional finance and DeFi. The trading experience itself is designed to be more user-friendly and risk-aware. Avantis has baked in features like loss rebates, which can return up to 20% of a trader's losses under specific conditions, and incentives for positive slippage that make getting in and out of trades potentially smoother and more profitable. For liquidity providers, the platform offers USDC vaults with junior and senior tranches, giving LPs control over their risk exposure and rewards. LPs can also time-lock their deposits to earn additional yield and XP rewards. It's a system that balances the need for deep liquidity with the safety of the capital involved, which is crucial in high-leverage environments. What makes Avantis stand out is its focus on engagement through gamified incentives. Their XP rewards program gives users points for trading, providing liquidity, and referring others. These XP points can lead to future perks, governance rights, and seasonal leaderboard rewards, making it feel more like participating in a game or social network than using a traditional exchange. Between the wide range of tradable markets, its advanced risk tooling, and this immersive rewards system, Avantis is building something that feels like the future of trading—accessible, global, and defi-native. Supporting links Stabull Finance $Stabull IEO Avantis Andy on Twitter Brave New Coin on Twitter Brave New Coin If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.
Trae Stephens is a partner at Founders Fund and co-founder and current executive chairman at Anduril, a defense technology company that produces software-defined, hardware-enabled major weapons programs.In this episode of World of DaaS, Trae and Auren discuss:Revolutionizing defense technology manufacturingBillionaire founders in defense techSupply chain resilience for military hardwareTechnology's impact on modern relationshipsLooking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Trae Stephens on X at @TraeStephens.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
In this episode of NBA Talk, Erik Torenberg is joined by Dan Barto and Reuben Torenberg as they reflect on NBA disappointments (76ers, Suns) and surprises (Thunder, Rockets) while delivering playoff predictions. They debate player valuations and strategic approaches across both conferences, and analyze coaching decisions, systematic team-building philosophies, and injury concerns with bold claims including potential Lakers-Celtics and Knicks-Warriors finals matchups.
The Twenty Minute VC: Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
Jason Lemkin is one of the leading SaaS investors of the last decade with a portfolio including the likes of Algolia, Talkdesk, Owner, RevenueCat, Saleloft and more. Rory O'Driscoll is a General Partner @ Scale where he has led investments in category leaders such as Bill.com (BILL), Box (BOX), DocuSign (DOCU), and WalkMe (WKME), among others. In Today's Episode We Discuss: 04:23 What is Wrong with Billionaires on Twitter: Are They Depressed? 08:49 Why Does product Market Fit Mean Less Than Ever 11:50 Why is Venture Capital More Risky Than Ever and No One is Discussing It 16:17 Will Private Equity Save a Generation of SaaS Companies and VCs 23:53 a16z's $20BN Fund: Seriously? 31:29 Why Josh Kushner and Thrive Capital are Masters of the World 38:21 Why is Seed Investing for Suckers 45:49 Why Are $50 Million Seed Funds Useless 46:21 Founders Fund Raises $4.6BN: Analysis 52:00 How WIll LPs Change Their Approach to Venture in the Next Five Years 59:53 When Will IPOs Comeback? 01:09:15 Why Does it Not Make Sense for the Best Companies to IPO 01:09:51 Lost Ethics and Morals in Founder Secondaries and Term Sheets 01:22:58 Quickfire: OpenAI, Cursor, Deel vs Rippling
Esta semana, Karla y René platican sobre la última ronda de inversión de Kavak, la compra de Rappi Card por parte de Banorte, el mejor lugar para una mujer trabajadora en el 2025, electrodomésticos, Founders Fund . Para el deep dive hablan sobre el negocio de los podcasts en Méxiconotas del episodio:01:52 - Kavak14:53 - Rappi Card 20:03 - mejor lugar para una mujer trabajadora24:50 - electrodomésticos31:33 - Founders Fund35:42 - deep diverecomendacionesAmerica Is Learning the Wrong Lesson From Elon Musk's SuccessPrueba Whitepaper 30 días gratis
Join us for an insightful conversation with Aly Madhavji, Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund, as we explore the significance of transparency in venture capital and its impact on Web3 ecosystems. Aly, recognized globally as a leader in blockchain innovation, shares his approach to investment, venture building, and go-to-market strategies across the USA, APAC, MENA, and EU regions. Discover how Blockchain Founders Fund nurtures digital assets and emerging technologies, fostering a culture of transparency and sustainable growth. Aly's extensive background, including roles with INSEAD, UN initiatives, and NASDAQ-listed Soluna Holdings, offers a unique perspective on navigating the evolving landscape of digital finance and venture funding. This episode is essential for founders, investors, and anyone passionate about ethical innovation and Web3's transformative potential.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alymadhavjiWebsite: https://www.blockchainff.com/
Flexport was a breakout success—reimagining global trade with tech at its core. But when the freight market cooled and efficiency overtook service, things started to unravel. Founder Ryan Petersen stepped aside, handing the CEO role to former Amazon exec Dave Clark. Months later, he was back at the helm.In this episode, Ryan explains what went wrong, how he's rebuilding Flexport—cutting $300M in costs, restoring customer focus—and why promoting from within beats chasing outside stars. He also weighs in on Trump's proposed tariffs and what they could mean for the future of global trade.Chapters: 00:00 Trailer00:31 Introduction02:07 Meeting smart people, seeing the world03:40 Eroded margins09:52 Charismatic and overconfident15:32 Not an overnight decision20:08 The founder has returned23:10 Redoing the hiring26:38 No substitute for passion31:00 Working for and with my brother37:28 Working with forwarders42:14 Being a founder can be lonely47:49 Life's work54:06 The right person for the job1:00:55 19 countries1:04:57 Blowing people up1:07:24 Work and being a good dad1:08:34 Not doing it for money and loving money1:17:52 Import and export tariffs1:22:57 De minimis1:25:54 Panama and the Suez Canal1:36:50 Going public1:42:24 Who Flexport is Hiring 1:42:42 What "grit" means to Ryan1:43:06 OutroMentioned in this episode: Founders Fund, Amazon, Toyota Motor Corporation, Slack, Brex, Pedro Franceschi, Henrique Dubugras, United States Customs and Border Protection, ImportGenius, Michael Kanko, Y Combinator, Paul Graham, Intel Corporation, Shopify, Geely Holding (Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd.), The Volvo Group, Intuit TurboTax, David Petersen, BuildZoom, TechCrunch, Google, Figma, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Jimmy Carter, Panama Canal Authority, United States Navy, Coinbase, Uber, AirbnbLinks:Connect with RyanXLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins
Veteran and entrepreneur Chad Grills of National Capital League discusses his experience with Big Tech and how building anything meaningful and lasting will likely not come out of Silicon Valley or places like California. He explains how Silicon Valley was seeded by DOD, the Intelligence Community, and DARPA. The culture of Silicon Valley and most major cities will not allow anything original or good for humanity to emerge. He argues we have neither communism nor capitalism, but a monopolistic system that keeps the little guy out. He stresses a need for better governance, creating good culture, maintaining personal integrity, and is optimistic about the ability of America to reinvent itself. Watch on BitChute / Brighteon / Rumble / Substack / YouTube Geopolitics & Empire · Chad Grills: Is a 'Golden Age' Possible for America? #537 *Support Geopolitics & Empire! Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.substack.com Donate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donations Consult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation **Visit Our Affiliates & Sponsors! Above Phone https://abovephone.com/?above=geopolitics easyDNS (15% off with GEOPOLITICS) https://easydns.com Escape Technocracy course (15% off with GEOPOLITICS) https://escapethetechnocracy.com/geopolitics PassVult https://passvult.com Sociatates Civis (CitizenHR, CitizenIT, CitizenPL) https://societates-civis.com Wise Wolf Gold https://www.wolfpack.gold/?ref=geopolitics Websites National Capital League https://www.nclhq.com X https://x.com/ChadJGrills Short Stories: Veterans after War https://www.amazon.com/Short-Stories-Veterans-after-War-ebook/dp/B0127DN39M Dustin Chambers: DOGE & America's Chance to Cut the Government Down to Size https://geopoliticsandempire.com/2025/01/02/dustin-chambers-doge-americas-chance-to-cut-the-government-down-to-size About Chad Grills Chad is the former founder and CEO of a company backed by Founders Fund and Sequoia. His previous clients include companies like: Salesforce (6x business units), Dell, Splunk, Twilio, and Government entities like Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He was selected “Best of Year” by Apple for two podcasts he hosted. He has spoken at places like the Defense Foreign Language Institute, Coast Guard Academy, Salesforce World Tour, and the Spartan Up Podcast. He's a U.S. Army veteran with deployments to Iraq, Egypt, and has provided security for the 56th Presidential Inauguration. He's the author of three books. His upcoming book is on the Texas Miracle and the economic destiny of Texas. He founded the National Capital League as a studios and labs to build media and technology products. *Podcast intro music is from the song "The Queens Jig" by "Musicke & Mirth" from their album "Music for Two Lyra Viols": http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)
As DeFi continues to evolve, the challenge of finding a balance between decentralization and protection from all manner of exploits persists. The founder of Infinex, Kain Warwick, joined the show to talk about: How crypto market makers have at times veered into “all-out crime” What market making looks like today Playing chart games with token allocations What Kain looks at when evaluating tokens Why Binance kicked a MOVE market maker off its platform The $JELLY attack on Hyperliquid and the problem of centralization in DeFi What problems in crypto Kain is attempting to solve with Infinex Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! Bitwise Guest: Kain Warwick, founder of Infinex App and Synthetix Previous appearances on Unchained: 2025 Will Be a Year of Crypto Competition. Can Ethereum Make a Comeback? Links: Crypto Market Making Kain Warwick: Discussion about market makers Binance: What happened with MOVE on Binance Coindesk: Binance Offboards Market Maker That It Said Made $38M Profit on MOVE Listing Bloomberg: Citadel Securities Plots Jump Into Crypto Trading After Trump's Embrace Hyperliquid Unchained: Hyperliquid Saved Itself a $15 Million Loss, but Sparked Criticism Infinex The Block: Synthetix founder Kain Warwick launches Infinex The Block: Peter Thiel's Founders Fund invests in Infinex's Patron NFT sale as total amount raised hits $67.7 million Timestamps:
Ryan Delk of Primer joins Nick to discuss Fixing Education with a Startup Mentality: The Innovative Micro Schools-Model Backed by Founders Fund, Khosla, and Sam Altman. In this episode we cover: Challenges in the American Education System Comparative Analysis of American Education Measuring Success in Education Broken Incentive Structures in Education Primer's Educational Model Teacher Selection and Empowerment Future of Education and Policy Changes Guest Links: Guest's LinkedIn Company's LinkedIn Company's Website Ryan's Twitter/X The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.
Join us in this insightful episode of the Edge of Show as Richard Carthon interviews Aly Madhavji , the Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund. Discover how Ali and his team are pioneering investments in high-growth blockchain and Web3 startups, focusing on building a more transparent and equitable future through innovative technology.In this episode, we dive deep into:The philosophy behind elevating businesses in the blockchain spaceKey qualities and common pitfalls in blockchain startupsReal-world applications of blockchain technology across various sectors, including finance and supply chain managementThe exciting convergence of AI and blockchain, and its potential to create novel opportunitiesThe evolving regulatory landscape of Web3 and its implications for startupsTrends to watch in 2025 and the importance of responsible innovationWhether you're a seasoned investor, a startup founder, or just curious about the future of blockchain technology, this episode is packed with valuable insights and expert advice.Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more episodes exploring the cutting edge of Web3 tech and culture!Check the following links to learn more about this project: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blockchainfoundersfund/Twitter/X: https://x.com/BlockchainFF Connect with Aly Madhavj Website: https://blockchainff.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alymadhavji/?originalSubdomain=sg Twitter: https://x.com/aly_madhavji?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alymadhavji/?hl=en Support us through our Sponsors! ☕
Podcast Show Notes: Solana Weekly with Aly from Blockchain Founders FundHost: Thomas BahamasGuest: Aly Madhavji, Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders FundDate: March 19, 2025Overview: In this episode of Solana Weekly, Thomas sits down with Aly Madhavji, a seasoned investor and managing partner at Blockchain Founders Fund, to explore the investment landscape of crypto, with a deep dive into Solana's ecosystem. Aly shares insights from his eight years of experience, discussing market cycles, investment strategies, and emerging trends in Web3, including tooling, real-world assets (RWAs), fintech, and the intersection of AI and blockchain.Key Discussion Points:* The Crypto Market Rollercoaster* Aly reflects on the volatility of crypto markets, referencing recent events like Trump's announcements causing 25% surges followed by sharp declines.* “There are no days off in crypto,” Aly notes, highlighting the fast-paced nature of the industry.* Investment Philosophy: Founders First, Themes Second* Aly emphasizes investing in exceptional founders who bring world-class practices to crypto, even if their focus isn't his top thematic priority.* Key investment themes:* Infrastructure: Early bets like Solana at 18 cents showcase the potential of Layer 1s, though Aly sees diminishing returns for new L1s. Innovations like Bearchain's proof of liquidity still intrigue him.* Tooling: A critical gap in Web3, with inefficiencies plaguing developers. Companies like Uniblock (API aggregation) and Validation Cloud (node infrastructure) are solving real problems.* Real-World Assets (RWAs): From advising Polymath eight years ago to seeing BlackRock's Larry Fink push tokenization, Aly sees RWAs gaining traction, with startups like Zoth (on-chain yields) and Asterism (RWA infra) leading the charge.* Fintech & Payments: This cycle features profitable companies, a shift from past bull runs. Stablecoin payments and remittances are ripe for growth, with examples like Mastercard settling a third of transactions on a private blockchain.* The State of Solana* Aly praises Solana's rise, noting its speed and user base make it a focal point for builders. Every company now considers a “Solana strategy.”* The recent U.S. strategic reserve announcement including Solana underscores its growing prominence.* Challenges in Crypto Investing* Value Extraction vs. Value Creation: Aly critiques short-term “cash grab” token launches and meme coin hype, advocating for sustainable businesses that grow the pie for everyone.* The Death Spiral: Poorly executed token launches can tank even great companies, a phenomenon Aly calls the “death spiral.”* Retail Fairness: Aly pushes for retail investors to access deals at VC prices, citing platforms like Echo and CoinList as steps toward democratization.* VC Process Unveiled* Blockchain Founders Fund reviews 300–500 companies monthly, sourced from events, online submissions, and a network of 410 funds.* Quick filtering (deck reviews in minutes) narrows the pool, followed by calls and a rating system assessing traction, team, and value-for-money.* Aly's tip for founders: Nail your pitch in 11 seconds, 30 seconds, and 90 seconds—anything longer risks losing interest.* Emerging Trends & Innovations* AI & Blockchain: Hype around AI agents is overstated, but legitimate projects like Virtuals show promise.* Decentralized Systems: Aly highlights Unit Network, which tokenizes business ownership with transparent treasuries, and DEAN, a decentralized insurance network—both vital for a hyper-decentralized future.* Meme Coins with Substance: Could real businesses disguise themselves as meme coins for fun and fundamentals? Aly sees potential in this hybrid model.* Long-Term Vision* Aly's 10-year fund horizon reflects a belief in building enduring companies, not quick flips. He contrasts this with short-term token funds and founders vesting in a year.* “Great things take time,” Aly says, urging focus on consistent progress over flashy launches.* U.S. Crypto Renaissance* Dropped lawsuits and lighter regulations are revitalizing the U.S. crypto scene, keeping talent stateside and reversing the exodus seen in places like Canada (Ethereum's origin).Guest Contact:* Twitter/X: @Aly_Madhavji* Website: Blockchain Founders Fund* Aly welcomes startup pitches—submit via the website or reach out directly!Closing Thoughts:Thomas wraps up with gratitude to Aly for shedding light on crypto investing and a call to listeners to subscribe, review, and shill their bags. “This isn't financial advice, but let's accelerate and get this bag!” Get full access to The Dramas of Thomas Bahamas at thomasbahamas.substack.com/subscribe
This week on Turpentine VC, we're re-releasing Erik Torenberg's interview with Logan Bartlett, partner at Redpoint and host of The Logan Bartlett Show. They discuss Redpoint's approach to venture, patterns in the VC ecosystem, and the strategies of venture's most consequential firms. —
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Synopsis: Venture capital is evolving, and so is biotech. In this episode of Biotech 2050, host Alok Tayi, CEO and co-founder of VibeBio, sits down with Alex Bangash, Founder of Transpose, an investment firm backing both startups and funds. With over 20 years of experience in venture investing, Alex shares his unconventional journey from engineering to investing and how his unique perspective has shaped his approach to funding. He breaks down the shifting startup landscape, the critical role of LPs in biotech, and why AI is a game-changer for both tech and life sciences. Alex also offers sharp insights into what it takes to build a successful venture fund today and the structural shifts that are redefining the industry. Whether you're a founder, investor, or biotech enthusiast, this episode is packed with valuable lessons on navigating the future of venture capital. Biography: Alex Bangash is the Founder of Transpose Platform, an anchor fund for the most disruptive venture funds of this decade. He is also the co-founder and former CEO of Trusted Insight, a machine learning–driven platform that hosts the world's largest network of institutional investors. Prior to TI Platform, Alex managed capital for clients at premier endowments, foundations, family offices, insurance firms, sovereign wealth funds, and pension funds since 2003. He has helped invest over $2 billion in 50 funds with a track record of investing over $1 billion in 50+ funds for institutional investors with an IRR of 30%+ and a 2x NAV. He advised the first checks in Accel, First Round Capital, Founders Fund, Emergence, Y Combinator, Khosla, SaaStr, Initialized, Crystal Towers, and Baseline. Earlier in his career, Alex was an engineer and executive at AT&T, Lucent Technologies, Bell Labs, and GE. Alex holds an MBA from the Wharton School (where he is a frequent guest lecturer); an M.Eng. in Operations Research from Cornell, and a BS in Computer Science, English, and Economics from Cornell.
"History 102" with WhatifAltHist's Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg: Read the notes at at podcastnotes.org. Don't forget to subscribe for free to our newsletter, the top 10 ideas of the week, every Monday --------- In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett discuss how the adoption of iron weapons and tools democratized warfare, disrupted Bronze Age aristocracies, and facilitated new social structures and philosophical movements. They analyze parallel developments in Greece, Persia, India, and China, examining how iron technology catalyzed cultural changes, religious innovations, and new forms of governance between roughly 1200-200 BCE. --
In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett examine science's historical development, challenging conventional narratives by tracing its roots in Christian philosophy and ancient traditions. The hosts analyze how empirical methodology transformed into modern "scientism," arguing that contemporary society has abandoned true scientific inquiry for ideology-driven selectivity, placing these intellectual shifts within broader historical patterns of knowledge systems. --
Link to Black Forest Supplements and Turkestrone: https://blackforestsupplements.com/?s... More information here: https://blackforestsupplements.com/bl... Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: / @history102-qg5oj Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod Bibliography: The True Believer by Eric Hoffer 1984 by George Orwell On Grand Strategy by John Lewis Gaddis Why Nations Fail by Acemoglu Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell The Dictator's Handbook by Mesquita Woke Racism by John McWhorter Leviathan and Its Enemies by Sam Francis Origins of Woke by Richard Hananai The Unabomber's Manifesto The Total State by Auron Macintyre A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell Seeing Like a State by James Scott Gulag Archipelago by Solzhenitsyn Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quiggley On Power by Bertrand de Jouvenal On Politics by Aristotle The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu The Origins of Ideology by Todd Immanuel Sex and Power in History by Amaury de riencourt Rise of the West by William McNeill
In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett discuss how the adoption of iron weapons and tools democratized warfare, disrupted Bronze Age aristocracies, and facilitated new social structures and philosophical movements. They analyze parallel developments in Greece, Persia, India, and China, examining how iron technology catalyzed cultural changes, religious innovations, and new forms of governance between roughly 1200-200 BCE. --
Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: / @history102-qg5oj Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod Bibliography: The Lonely Crowd by David Riesman Thus Spake Zarathustra by Nietzche Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler The Gulag Archipelago by Solzenitsyn Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker Humanity's Ascent by Charles Eisenstein The Unabomber's Manifesto Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung Das Kapital by Karl Marx Universe 65 by Calhoun Sex and Power in History by Amaury de Riencourt Nihilism by Seraphim Rose The Passion of the Western Mind by Tarnas A Secular Age by Charles Taylor Seeing like a State by James Scott The Leviathan and Its Enemies by Sam Francis The Managerial Revolution by James Burnham The Master and His Emissary by Ian McGhilchrist Atrocities by Matthew White The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler The History of Philosophy by Will Durant The History of Philosophy by Bertrand Rusell The Web of Meaning by Jeremy Lent Envy by Helmut Schoeck The Happiness Hypothesis by John Haidt
Greg Castle, founder of Anorak Ventures, discusses the evolution and future of spatial computing, particularly in AR, VR, and technology's impact on human interaction and learning. This conversation took place in February 2023. —
In episode 188, we're excited to welcome Aly Madhavji, Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund and a celebrated "Blockchain 100" Global Leader. Aly has been instrumental in supporting high-growth crypto startups worldwide, and has collaborated with institutions like the United Nations and INSEAD to leverage emerging technologies for global challenges.We explore:Some of the common traits shared by the most successful Web3 founders and how they overcome challenges in scaling and navigating market uncertainty,The biggest pitfalls for early-stage Web3 startups and actionable advice for avoiding them, andInsights into blockchain's real-world impact from groundbreaking projects supported by Blockchain Founders Fund, and how you could become their next success story.--Key Takeaways--Agility and Iteration Are Key to Success in Web3: In a fast-moving space like Web3, staying agile and open to iteration is crucial. Build real feedback loops with your community, iterate quickly, and embrace adaptability to move forward in a competitive environment.Building Community Requires Authenticity and Engagement: There are no shortcuts to creating a strong community. The foundation is a great project, but active communication and including your community in the journey fosters trust and buy-in. Value their feedback and include them as true stakeholders.Focus on Milestones and Control What You Can: Set clear, achievable milestones without getting lost in unnecessary details. Recognize what you can control—like your innovation and execution—and what you can't, such as regulations or market conditions. Bear markets are a golden opportunity to build with less distraction.Exciting Trends to Watch in Web3 for 2025: Aly highlights Web3 tooling, DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks), and crypto entertainment apps as key areas of growth.--Full shownotes with links available at--https://www.cryptoaltruism.org/blog/crypto-altruists-episode-188-blockchain-founders-fund-building-in-web3-lessons-from-supporting-180-crypto-startupsThank you to PIPE gDAO for sponsoring the Crypto Altruism podcast!PIPE gDAO is leveraging blockchain for their University Real World Asset IP Launchpad that helps bring groundbreaking ideas from lab to market. By joining the Pipe Associate Network (aka PAN), associates can create a profile highlighting their skills, be notified of opportunities, and then contribute fractional work to pre-IPO companies in return for equity and tokens.--Support us with a Fiat or Crypto contribution--Learn more at cryptoaltruism.org/supportus--DISCLAIMER--While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity, before making an investment. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it's important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More info at cryptoaltruis
In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett explore how an interconnected world of chariot-riding elites, complex trade networks, and temple bureaucracies imploded within a single generation. From mysterious Sea Peoples to the rise of iron weapons, they unpack how this collapse birthed a new heroic age that gave us the Greeks, Jews, and Persians. --
In this episode of BioTalk, Bill Tompkins, President and CEO of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), discusses the strategies driving Montgomery County's position as a leading bioscience hub. Bill highlights MCEDC's role in reinforcing the region's standing as the third-largest bioscience cluster in the U.S. and shares insights into the new Institute for Health Computing. He also introduces two new venture funds—the Technology Innovation Fund and the Founders Fund—designed to accelerate innovation and support local entrepreneurs. Bill outlines MCEDC's priorities for the upcoming year, emphasizing economic growth, investment opportunities, and fostering collaborations that make Montgomery County a thriving ecosystem for business and life sciences. Bill Tompkins is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), based in Rockville MD. He leads a team of twenty-five diverse professionals who work to fulfill the mission of making Montgomery County one of the best, most diverse and equitable places to be in business in the country. Bill was previously Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and has been with MCEDC since January of 2019. Bill has a seasoned background in marketing, business operations, strategic planning, and nonprofit management, with most of his career serving as a senior executive in the media and entertainment industries with Fortune 500 companies. Bill also ran a consulting practice which advised companies on strategic business opportunities and brand transformation strategies. From May 2014 until August 2015, Bill was Vice President, Advertising and Marketing at The Philadelphia Tribune. He made a strategic investment in The Tribune to help ensure the long-term sustainability of Black media in the US. In July 2012, he was named President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, a Washington based organization, which represents over two hundred Black owned and operated newspapers across the nation. Bill joined the Eastman Kodak Company in 2000 as Chief Marketing Officer for the Entertainment Imaging Business unit and became Vice President and General Manager of the Motion Picture Film Group while also serving as a corporate vice president. Prior to Kodak, Bill spent nineteen years from 1982 until 2000 at The Washington Post Newspaper in a variety of executive positions. His most recent position there was Vice President of Marketing with most of his career spent in the Advertising and Circulation Departments. Bill has been in active leadership positions on several nonprofit Boards including the Mosaic Theater Company of DC where he is Treasurer and the former Chair of the Board, Rockville Economic Development (REDI), Worksource Montgomery and the Advisory Boards of the Universities at Shady Grove and Montgomery Moving Forward. He was previously Chairman, National Kidney Foundation, National Capital Area, member, Board of Directors, California Chamber of Commerce, the Advertising Council, the Studio Theatre, The Washington Convention and Visitors Association, The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, the American Black Film Festival Advisory Board, and The Helen Hayes Awards Committee. He is also a member of the Executive Leadership Council, and a graduate of Leadership Washington. Bill is a member of the Economic Club of Washington, the Executive Leadership Council, and a graduate of Leadership Washington. Bill received his MBA from the Harvard Business School where he was a General Motors Fellow and received his BA in Economics, magna cum laude from Tufts University. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
From Elon's immigration takes to Silicon Valley's clash with MAGA nationalists, this conversation between Erik Torenberg and Indian Bronson, a pseudonymous writer, dives deep into tech's newest culture war. Indian Bronson breaks down why Trumps's coalition has split over this issue and why America's elite and working class can't see eye to eye. This is part 2 to Bronson's earlier Moment of Zen episode, Debating Immigration Policy. —
This week, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss Silicon Valley's cultural influence, Marc Andreessen's predictions, what comes after wokeness, tariffs on China, Reaganomics, the 'polycrisis,' the future of industrial policy, and political dynamics involving Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Paul Krugman. --
Varda Space founder Delian Asparouhov and writer Nadia Asparouhova get surprisingly candid about what makes their relationship work - from their chaotic first date to how they've built a life together while pursuing ambitious work. Turns out: sometimes talking less, not more, is the key to lasting partnership. This is the first episode of Turpentine's newest podcast Modern Relationships, which will feature insights from tech power couples and leading thinkers like Rob Henderson about building strong relationships. Subscribe below: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod —
Marc Andreessen, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) returns to Moment of Zen to discuss Trump's new administration, the political vibe shift for Silicon Valley, why San Francisco may be the cultural center of the universe, and what comes after wokeness. —
In today's episode, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg answer listeners' questions and discuss global economic issues such as China's demographic challenges, currency crises, GDP vs. GDP per capita, the efficacy of long prison sentences, and the risks and benefits of economic stimulus, currency depreciation, and trade imbalances. --
Samo and Erik explore Twitter's evolution, digital politics, and Europe's societal constraints. The conversation weaves through topics of online influence, cultural shifts, and the future of political discourse in the digital age. —
This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you're ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups PrizePicks - Run your game. THE BEST place to get real money action while watching your favorite sports! Download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Todays show:Jason & Alex chat with Varun Mohan, founder & CEO of Codeium, the revolutionary AI-powered coding platform backed by Kleiner Perkins & Founders Fund. Varun shares insights on pivoting to greatness, scaling enterprise solutions, and launching Codeium's new IDE, Windsurf. Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (0:30) Failure examples and Star Wars character confusion (1:38) Introduction to the episode, guests, and Perplexity AI (4:36) Varun Mohan and Codium's journey in AI and IDE development (11:01) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (12:29) The challenge of moderate success and building 10x better experiences (19:48) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (21:21) Alex Wilhelm's Cascade demo and Codium's capabilities (24:49) Codium's pricing and the future of no code development (31:45) PrizePicks - Run your game. Download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! (33:31) Satya Nadella on SaaS's future and AI replacing agents (36:00) AI's impact on developer jobs, salaries, and remote work (41:27) Elite developers, hiring strategies, and in-person vs. remote work (46:03) Twist 500, upcoming events, and what VCs seek in startups (53:02) Hyper competition in AI services and niche market strategies (58:26) Audience Q&A and closing remarks Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp Follow Varun: X: https://x.com/_mohansolo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varunkmohan Check out: https://codeium.com Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis Thank you to our partners: (11:01) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (19:48) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (31:45) PrizePicks - Run your game. Download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Peter Thiel is an entrepreneur and investor. He is the co-founder and former CEO of PayPal, started in 1998, redefining the world of secure and fast e-commerce. Shortly thereafter, Thiel was the first outside investor in Facebook in 2004. Additionally, he co-founded Founders Fund, which has backed transformative companies like SpaceX and Airbnb, With a background in law and finance, Thiel has consistently championed innovation, whether through his venture capital firm, Thiel Capital, or the Thiel Fellowship, which provides $100,000 grants to young entrepreneurs who have a vision for a new product. Known for his contrarian thinking, Thiel is also the author of #1 New York Times bestselling book, Zero to One, which challenges conventional ideas about innovation and offers optimistic insight into future progress. ------ Thank you to the sponsors that fuel our podcast and our team: Vivo Barefoot http://vivobarefoot.com/tetra Use code 'TETRA25' ------ LMNT Electrolytes https://drinklmnt.com/tetra Use code 'TETRA' ------ Athletic Nicotine https://www.athleticnicotine.com/tetra Use code 'TETRA' ------ Squarespace https://squarespace.com/tetra Use code 'TETRA' ------ Sign up to receive Tetragrammaton Transmissions https://www.tetragrammaton.com/join-newsletter
(0:00) The Besties welcome Keith Rabois! (4:01) Keith explains why he returned to Khosla Ventures, the differences between Founders Fund and Khosla, and his husband Jacob Helberg's role in Trump Admin (13:09) Business acumen of Trump's cabinet and appointees, diversity of opinion (25:59) Google's new quantum chip: potential impact on encryption, cryptography, and more (43:50) Apple developing new server chip for AI inference, iOS flop, why its product culture is failing (54:30) TikTok panics after appeals court upholds the "divest-or-ban" law, with a January 19th deadline (1:03:55) State of Venture Capital, why Stripe is still private, thoughts on crypto Follow the besties: https://x.com/chamath https://x.com/Jason https://x.com/DavidSacks https://x.com/friedberg Follow Keith: https://x.com/rabois Follow on X: https://x.com/theallinpod Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theallinpod Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theallinpod Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allinpod Intro Music Credit: https://rb.gy/tppkzl https://x.com/yung_spielburg Intro Video Credit: https://x.com/TheZachEffect Referenced in the show: https://www.tiktok.com/@frankielapenna/video/7010077215576575238 https://www.axios.com/2024/12/06/trump-billionaires-cabinet-elon-musk https://blog.google/technology/research/google-willow-quantum-chip https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08449-y https://research.google/blog/suppressing-quantum-errors-by-scaling-a-surface-code-logical-qubit https://quantumai.google/roadmap https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartmut_Neven https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit_experiment https://www.discovery.com/science/Double-Slit-Experiment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger%27s_cat https://www.theinformation.com/articles/apple-is-working-on-ai-chip-with-broadcom?rc=pxkrxo https://x.com/rabois/status/870673635375104000 https://www.amazon.com/Company-Giants-Conversations-Visionaries-Digital/dp/0070329656 https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/09/tech/bytedance-tiktok-halt-us-ban-intl/index.html https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-us-ban-sale-china-congress-de12b4d22aa8095e62cb0982a6e62235 https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-congress-bill-1c48466df82f3684bd6eb21e61ebcb8d https://pitchbook.com/news/reports/q3-2024-pitchbook-nvca-venture-monitor https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/12/servicetitan-starts-trading-on-nasdaq-after-ipo.html https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/11/business/dealbook/ftc-trump-ferguson-khan.html https://www.ben-evans.com/benedictevans/2021/6/15/antitrust https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-05/convertible-bond-arbs-are-making-microstrategy-wall-street-s-hottest-trade
Hyperscalers are coming to Bitcoin mining. Actually, it's the other way around!Welcome back to The Mining Pod! In today's show were ripping on Hut 8's $12 billion build out in Louisiana for a full hyperscaler facility. Yes, that's nearly 6x the marketcap of Hut 8 currently! We also go into Crusoe's $600M raise from Founders Fund, our scoop on DCG spinning out Foundry's self-mining assets, Riot joining the HODL gang with Microstrategy and MARA and some final thoughts on Coinbase listing random tokens for ‘just the funsies.' Oh, also Texas is going to do a Bitcoin Reserve!Timestamps:00:00 Start01:54 Difficulty update04:29 Hut 8 plans 1,000 MW in Louisiana10:19 Crusoe Closes $600M Raise13:35 DCG creates new company18:56 Riot Offering of 0.75% Convertible Senior Notes27:52 Coinbase lists Peanut the Squirrel (PNUT) memcoin33:20 Texas Bitcoin ReservePublished twice weekly, "The Mining Pod" interviews the best builders and operators in the Bitcoin and Bitcoin mining landscape. Subscribe to get notifications when we publish interviews on Tuesday and a news show on Friday!
This Week in Startups is brought to you by… OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at https://www.CLAconnect.com/tech * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the reporting that Tiger Global's 2021-era fund is not only posting poor results, it's lagging peers from the same timeframe. Then, the pair also interview Suvir Wadhwa, founder and CEO of Flite, a former Launch accelerator company, and dug into the Cruise-GM news along with a peek at the next head of the FTC. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (2:19) Tiger Global's investment strategy and performance (5:49) Challenges of quick capital deployment and market timing (10:13) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (11:15) Impact of losing key investors or advisors on startups (12:24) Public market trends affecting private investments (16:09) Market downturns' effects on startups and investors (20:05) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (21:16) Political influences on market and technology sectors (29:32) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (31:10) Trump administration's business policies and immigration (38:20) Changes in the FTC leadership and impacts on startups (41:40) Finix's addition to the TWiST500 (44:53) GM's scale-back on Cruise and future implications (51:25) Self-driving technology's impact on car ownership (52:39) Flite's Suvir Wadhwa joins the show (54:18) Flite's business model, AI benefits, and market reach * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Check out Flite: https://www.flite.city/ Check out the TWiST500: https://www.twist500.com/ Check out Tiger Global: https://www.tigerglobal.com/ Check out E1207: How Tiger Global is outpacing VC with fast, cheap capital ft. Founders Fund's Everett Randle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koDKxjHe_Kk * Follow Suvir: X: https://x.com/suvirwadhwa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suvirwadhwa/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:13) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (20:05) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (29:32) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
AI agent startup /dev/agents announced a massive $56M seed round, putting the company's valuation at a whopping $500 million. The amount is impressive given the company won't have a first version of its product available until at least early next year. The reason behind investors' trust, however, becomes a bit clearer when you consider the founders' pedigree: /dev/agents' co-founders were both on Google's Android team during the early days of the smartphone era. The round, as well as whether or not to include “slash” when pronouncing the company's name, was the first of many deals discussed on today's episode of TechCrunch's Equity podcast. Listen to the full episode to hear hosts Margaux MacColl, Devin Coldewey and Anthony Ha dig into: How Yurts plans to become the DoD's go-to AI integration platform and compete with AI chatbot the Pentagon is developing itself. Why ServiceTitan's IPO keeps getting weirder and if it's a sign of IPOs to come. The latest wave of VC turnover, including Brian Singerman's choice to step back from Founders Fund and Sriram Krishnan's departure from a16z, and where they're going next. The crew was left wondering if we'll see other investors following in Krishnan's footsteps. Strange AI. Who is David Mayer? And why does ChatGPT hate him so much? Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned! Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. Check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.
Cyan Banister (@cyantist) is a general partner at Long Journey Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on early and new investments. Cyan was an early investor in Uber, SpaceX, DeepMind, Flexport, and Affirm and has invested in more than 100 companies. Prior to that, she was at Founders Fund, a top-tier fund in San Francisco. Subscribe to Cyan's Substack at uglyduckling.substack.com.Sponsors:Eight Sleep's Pod 4 Ultra sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: https://eightsleep.com/tim (save between $400 and $600 on the Pod 4 Ultra)AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://DrinkAG1.com/Tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase.)Wealthfront high-yield cash account: https://Wealthfront.com/Tim (Start earning 4.25% APY on your short-term cash until you're ready to invest. And when new clients open an account today, you can get an extra fifty-dollar bonus with a deposit of five hundred dollars or more.) Terms apply. Tim Ferriss receives cash compensation from Wealthfront Brokerage, LLC for advertising and holds a non-controlling equity interest in the corporate parent of Wealthfront Brokerage. See full disclosures here.Timestamps:[00:00] Start [06:16] Early life and education as a white minority on a Navajo reservation.[11:18] Strained family dynamics and a cycle of neglect.[18:20] The intervention of Officer Pratt and becoming a ward of the state at 15.[22:46] Crusty punk survival strategies and life on the streets.[32:02] The positive influence of Cyan's "second" mother.[34:17] Crass, Chris Collins, and computers.[38:03] An unorthodox path to angel investment beginning with Uber.[48:13] Niantic/Pokemon GO.[56:27] How stalking Garrett Langley led to a Flock Security investment.[01:00:07] GameCrush, activist investors, and lessons learned.[01:07:00] Sales lessons from the street.[01:10:08] A mindful approach to questioning narratives.[01:15:35] The pre-OnlyFans story of Zivity.[01:24:44] Views on sex and relationships.[01:28:47] Magic glasses, esoteric rabbit holes, and rolling the dice.[01:44:02] How Aleister Crowley and Bill Murray paved a path to ex-atheism.[02:02:21] Cyan's billboard.[02:04:41] Enduring a stroke and its aftermath.[02:08:31] Meditation, throat-singing, and philosophy.[02:17:50] The Boston spiritual experience and duck boat baptism.[02:40:53] A book in the works, the Ugly Duckling Substack, and parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim's email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim's books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 648: Shaan Puri ( https://x.com/ShaanVP ) talks to Flexport founder Ryan Petersen ( https://x.com/typesfast ) about playing both games: bootstrapping a startup to millions and raising venture capital to build a multi-billion dollar company. — Show Notes: (0:00) Import Genius (5:36) Paul Graham's superpower (9:34) Data-as-a-service framework (13:51) Charlie Munger's worldly wisdom (19:45) Prioritizing adventure (24:09) The paradox of wealth (28:51) Charlie Munger's student experiment (31:00) Negotiation masterclass (37:23) Inside Founders Fund (43:16) Being in a crowd v following a crowd (46:29) Highs and lows (48:52) "You can just do things" (50:16) Unseen arbitrages (53:00) $50M Phone booths — Links: • Flexport - https://www.flexport.com/ • ImportGenius - https://www.importgenius.com/ • Schlep Blindness - https://paulgraham.com/schlep.html • Poor Charlie's Almanack - https://www.stripe.press/poor-charlies-almanack • Founders Fund - https://foundersfund.com/ — Check Out Shaan's Stuff: Need to hire? You should use the same service Shaan uses to hire developers, designers, & Virtual Assistants → it's called Shepherd (tell ‘em Shaan sent you): https://bit.ly/SupportShepherd — Check Out Sam's Stuff: • Hampton - https://www.joinhampton.com/ • Ideation Bootcamp - https://www.ideationbootcamp.co/ • Copy That - https://copythat.com • Hampton Wealth Survey - https://joinhampton.com/wealth • Sam's List - http://samslist.co/ My First Million is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by The HubSpot Podcast Network // Production by Arie Desormeaux // Editing by Ezra Bakker Trupiano
In this episode with Dr. Cameron Sepah, you'll get to dive into critical topics like the alarming drop in testosterone and sperm counts, the dangers of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and why testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) could harm fertility. You'll explore the difference between primary and secondary hypogonadism, alternative therapies like Clomid or enclomiphene that boost natural testosterone production, and the challenges of maintaining fertility during TRT. You'll also hear about the risks of high estrogen levels, the impact of testosterone on libido, the importance of personalized dosing, and cutting-edge innovations like at-home devices that measure key hormones with clinical accuracy. Dr. Cameron Sepah is the CEO of Maximus, an online medical clinic specializing in health and hormone optimization, backed by top venture capitalists including Founders Fund, 8VC, and angel investors such as Dave Asprey of Bulletproof, Ryan Holiday of the Daily Stoic, and the executives behind The Honest Company, Coinbase, Tinder, and Shopify. Cameron is a serial health tech entrepreneur, as a founding team member of Omada Health, a billion-dollar startup that pioneered the field of digital therapeutics. He is a licensed clinical psychologist by training, specializing in behavioral medicine, and a clinical professor of psychiatry, where he trains doctors in evidence-based health care. Tune in to get all the insights you need to make informed decisions about optimizing your testosterone, fertility, and overall health! Full Show notes: https://bengreenfieldlife.com/maximuspodcast SiPhox: Visit siphoxhealth.com/ben with code BEN to get 20% off your health kit! Pendulum: Get 20% off your first month of any Pendulum probiotic with code GREENFIELD at PendulumLife.com/Greenfield. BEAM Minerals: Up your mineral game. Go to beamminerals.com and use code BEN at checkout for 20% off your order. Organifi: Go to Organifi.com/Ben for 20% off your order. ProLon: Right now, you can save 15% on your 5-day nutrition program when you go to ProLonLife.com/GREENFIELD.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Peter Thiel is an entrepreneur and investor. He co-founded PayPal, made the first outside investment in Facebook, and co-founded Palantir Technologies, where he serves as chairman. Thiel is a partner at Founders Fund and leads the Thiel Foundation, which funds technological progress and long-term thinking. He is also the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Zero to One. https://foundersfund.com https://palantir.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices