Podcasts about general partners

Public crypto treasury companies are in the news right now. Just this week, Sharplink Gaming announced a $425 million raise to create an Ethereum treasury vehicle, backed by Consensys. Meanwhile, Trump Media said it will buy $2.5 billion worth of bitcoin. And in a headline grab, GameStop revealed a $500 million Bitcoin purchase. There's even a newly launched XRP treasury company backed by Saudi royal capital. But why are these vehicles suddenly the structure of choice for accessing crypto exposure? What kinds of assets are best suited for them? And are they safe or a ticking time bomb? Pantera Capital's Cosmo Jiang joins Unchained to unpack: The structures and strategies behind these companies Why Solana is appearing more than Ethereum (and what that says) How XRP's brand power could matter more than its adoption The risks these vehicles pose to investors and to markets Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! Bitkey: Use code UNCHAINED for 20% off Focal by FalconX Guest Cosmo Jiang, General Partner and Portfolio Manager for Liquid Strategies at Pantera Capital Links Previous coverage of Unchained on bitcoin treasury companies: Why Twenty One Capital Is More About Volatility Than Bitcoin Twenty One Aims to Buy as Much Bitcoin as Possible. Can It Succeed? Unchained:  Trump Media Confirms $2.5B Capital Raise to Buy Bitcoin Consensys Leads $425M Raise for SharpLink Gaming's ETH Treasury Plans The Block: GameStop buys 4,710 bitcoin for corporate treasury: filing CoinDesk: VivoPower Raises $121M to Launch XRP Treasury Strategy With Saudi Royal Backing Bloomberg:  Cantor's $2 Billion Bitcoin-Backed Lending Arm Makes First Deals The Stock Market Loves Bitcoin Timestamps:

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. In this episode, the gang reunites to confront a troubling pattern: we're making the same mistakes all over again. From the $223 million Sui hack and validator-led censorship to Coinbase's insider data breach and the Trump token dinner spectacle, this week feels like a remix of the industry's most painful lessons. The crew reflects on how decentralization is being quietly redefined, why newer chains ignore crypto's origin story, and what it means when memecoins are the new access pass to political influence. Also: James Wynn's billion-dollar trades, fading cypherpunk values, and a creeping sense that the crypto future looks a lot like its past. Show highlights

For episode 264, Soren Gordhamer returns to the Metta Hour for our ongoing Anxiety Series. In this series, Sharon is speaking with Mental Health experts, providers and different researchers for tools to work with anxiety in increasingly challenging times. This is the fifth episode in the series. Soren Gordhamer is the founder and host of Wisdom 2.0, the premier conference exploring living with greater mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion in the modern age. He is also a Co-Founder and General Partner of Wisdom Ventures, along with Jack Kornfield and Yung Pueblo, which invests in companies creating a more just and compassionate world. Soren is also the founder of the Lineage Project in NYC, and also spent a year on the Global Walk for a Livable World, a three-and-a-half world walk. He and Jon Kabat-Zinn also co-hosted the Mitigation Retreat, which was a free 3-month course held every weekday offering meditations and teachings during Covid. Soren is the author of numerous books. His latest, The Essential: Discovering What Really Matters in an Age of Distraction, was released in May of 2025. In this episode, Sharon and Soren speak about:The context for cultural anxiety The development of social mediaBecoming aware of our storiesDo we need a new narrative?Redefining our worthRevamping our North StarHarnessing all our energiesDismantling our armorHow shame drives mental healthThe point of vulnerability Dalai Lama meeting formerly incarceratedLiving from a place of lackRam Dass' somebody-nessSoren walking the worldThe role information plays in anxietySoren closes the conversation with a guided meditation. To get a copy of Soren's new book, The Essential, visit his website right here.Listen to Soren's first appearance on the Metta House from 2020 right here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Venture Model Broke. But Startups Are Still Building.In this episode, Arjun is joined by Devin Kohli, General Partner at Outward VC, for a candid conversation on what's next for venture capital.They unpack:- Shifting VC trends in Europe, MENA, and the USA- Outward's bets on Curve, Vauban, Bud & more- AI hype vs. real vertical value- Tokenisation, digital assets & future financial infrastructure- Emerging tech hubs across Japan, MENA, Southeast AsiaPlus, Devin shares what conviction really looks like in a post-hype market — and why MENA founders are ones to watch.No pitch decks. No jargon. Just a candid chat about cycles, conviction, and building through uncertainty.

Sze Wong is the Co-founder and General Partner of Zenith Venture Studio, which focuses on building AI startups.

What's hot in the auto market? Steve Greenfield, General Partner at Automotive Ventures dives into trends, tariffs, and tech on this episode of VADA Live. Get Steve's pulse check on consumer caution, potential sales headwinds, and the impact of affordability challenges facing the industry today.

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ Want to join us in San Antonio, TX on June 11th & 12th? Visit: https://www.10xvets.com/events ____ Rob Pekarek is an Operations Research Analyst at Air Combat Command and a General Partner in multifamily real estate. On active duty, he serves on the staff of the four-star General commanding ACC, where he leads teams that solve operational challenges across the Air Force using tools like Python, Excel, and PowerPoint automation. His work has improved aircraft scheduling, streamlined data systems, and delivered practical solutions to commanders on base. Rob previously completed a fully funded research fellowship at Purdue University, where he modeled climate adaptation strategies and infrastructure investment. His work informed a $5 billion coastal protection plan for Louisiana and supported the Naval Academy's Sea Level Rise action plan. Now active in real estate investing, Rob helped acquire a 24-unit apartment complex in 2024 and led investor outreach, raising over $500,000. He continues to manage investor communications and is passionate about building long-term value through data, real estate, and veteran collaboration. In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Rob about:   Real Estate at Full Speed: While on active duty, Rob became a general partner in two multifamily deals totaling over 50 units. Helping First Pays Off: He earned his first GP role by offering free support and adding value to the team. Lead Gen That Works: Rob uses content and clear qualifiers to attract the right investors. His Three Pillars: He focuses on fitness, wealth building, and creating purpose through community. Mindset for Growth: Rob believes in taking action, learning through failure, and building real relationships.   Timestamps: 01:02 Guest Background and Early Career 03:05 Real Estate Ventures and Side Hustles 10:25 Lead Generation Strategies 20:45 Three Pillars of a Successful Life   Connect with Rob: LinkedIn LinkTree | Rob Pekarek If you found value in today's episode, don't keep it to yourself—share it with a colleague or friend who could benefit. And if you're a Service Academy graduate ready to elevate your business, we'd love for you to join our community and get started today.   Make sure you never miss an episode—subscribe now and help support the show: Apple Podcasts Spotify Leave us a 5-star review! A special thank you to Rob for joining me this week. Until next time! -Scott Mackes, USNA '01  

The venture capital landscape is evolving fast, and founders who don't adapt will be left behind. Roy Luo, General Partner at ICONIQ Growth, shares insights on the shifting dynamics of startup funding and what it takes to scale in 2025. With investments in companies like Figma, Canva and Ramp, Roy breaks down key trends in fintech, AI-driven business models and the future of venture capital.Specifically, Roy discusses: (06:46) TCV provided key lessons in investing, founder relations and tech disruption.(11:25) How AI is transforming startups and the VC landscape.(17:00) How to evaluate product-market fit beyond just revenue metrics.(24:45) The importance of strong investor-founder alignment in building long-term partnerships.(37:44) Buyer pain points and trends guide investment decisions.(41:03) Lessons from high-growth investments like Ramp and FloQwcast.(53:04) The characteristics of successful startups and the importance of founder-market fit.(57:06) How identity and anti-fraud solutions are shaping the next wave of fintech.Resources Mentioned:Roy Luohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/roybluo/ICONIQ Growth | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/iconiq-capital-llc/ICONIQ Growth | Websitehttps://www.iconiqcapital.com/growthThis episode is brought to you by:Leverage community-led growth to skyrocket your business. “From Grassroots to Greatness” by author Lloyed Lobo will help you master 13 game-changing rules from some of the most iconic brands in the world — like Apple, Atlassian, CrossFit, Harley-Davidson, HubSpot, Red Bull and many more — to attract superfans of your own that will propel you to new heights. Grab your copy today at FromGrassrootsToGreatness.com.Each year the US and Canadian governments provide more than $20 billion in R&D tax credits and innovation incentives to fund businesses. But the application process is cumbersome, prone to costly audits, and receiving the money can take as long as 16 months. Boast automates this process, enabling companies to get more money faster without the paperwork and audit risk. We don't get paid until you do! Find out if you qualify today at https://Boast.AI.Launch Academy is one of the top global tech hubs for international entrepreneurs and a designated organization for Canada's Startup Visa. Since 2012, Launch has worked with more than 6,000 entrepreneurs from over 100 countries, of which 300 have grown their startups to seed and Series A stage and raised over $2 billion in funding. To learn more about Launch's programs or the Canadian Startup Visa, visit https://LaunchAcademy.ca.Content Allies helps B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. We recommend them to any B2B company that is looking to launch or streamline its podcast production. Learn more at https://contentallies.com.#VentureCapital #StartupFunding #Fintech #Product #Marketing #Innovation #StartUp #GenerativeAI #AI

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Robert Leshner, and Tarun Chitra break down the biggest stories in crypto. This week, we're joined by one of the most iconic anons on Crypto Twitter: Mosi, aka @vanacharma. Known for calling out sketchy tokenomics and vaporware valuations, Mosi joins the crew for a ruthless teardown of market maker games, OTC dumps, and the “hallucination yield” driving this cycle's worst bets. From the $60M Movement Labs fiasco to OTC pump schemes and the collapse of community trust, the gang goes deep on why crypto's market structure is broken—and what it'll take to fix it. If you've ever wondered how the sausage gets made in crypto token launches, this one's for you. Show highlights

Send us a textMiguel Armaza sits down in NYC with Anré Williams, Senior Executive Advisor at American Express. Anré has spent over 35 years at Amex, rising from summer intern to, most recently, CEO of American Express National Bank (which represents ~60% of the company's revenues). Under his leadership, Amex transformed its banking business into a top 25 US bank by assets.Amex is one of the oldest financial services companies in the world. The company is 150 years old and in 2024, they reported record revenues of $66 billion dollars.We discuss:The Amex playbook for maintaining industry-leading low loss rates even through major economic crisesBuilding the AmEx digital bank from a small operation into a powerhouse with over $100 billion in assetsHow hyper-targeted data analytics revolutionized Amex's global expansion strategyLessons from pioneering fintech partnerships with disruptors like Square, insights on effective mentorship... and lots more!Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today's global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join 75,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4ZMiguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBcFintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Many founders have a killer product, a passionate team, and traction, but they don't realize that investors are really betting on THEM. The truth is, your projections don't need to be perfect, your deck doesn't need to be perfect. But you need to do the things that most people won't do to stand out. You need to show that you are strategic, thoughtful, and aligned with your growth narrative. In this episode, we dive into what actually matters to investors and how early-stage companies can use financial storytelling to build trust and get funded. I'm joined by Mike Sherbakov, former Marine, serial entrepreneur, and General Partner at The Veteran Fund, an early-stage venture firm investing in founders from the military community. We talk about how founders should approach pitching investors at the seed stage, how different industries require different metrics, and why, at the end of the day, investors are betting on the founder, not just the numbers. Topics Covered: Why veterans make great founders   How The Veteran Fund evaluates early-stage opportunities How to project your financials without a finance background Why entrepreneurship isn't for everyone (and how to know it's for you) Top tools and resources for startup benchmarks   Guest Bio Mike Sherbakov is the CEO of Greatness Ventures, supporting impact-driven leaders and brands. He has led the business accelerator to thousands of investor members and hundreds of companies in their impact portfolio. Their venture philanthropy arm has built homes in underdeveloped communities since 2014 and continues to lead impact trips open for the community to join. He serves as General Partner at The Veteran Fund, a pre-seed venture capital fund in Silicon Valley, and Director of San Diego's Founder Institute, the largest early-stage startup accelerator in the world. Mike has previously founded three startups (HMS Fitness, Karuna Towels, Greatness Media), helped grow two companies from 0 to $ 20 M+ valuations (Wildfire and NurishMe), and consulted with large companies including Fitbit, lululemon athletica, Equinox, and Qualcomm. He served on active duty as a United States Marine, graduated Magna Cum Laude from San Diego State University, has traveled to 58 countries and counting, and believes that our greatness is not what we have but what we give. To learn more, visit https://veteran.fund/.  Resources  fi.co/benchmarks  https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterjameswalker/   About Your Host Jayla Siciliano, Shark Tank entrepreneur turned real estate investor, excels in building brands, teams, and products. CEO of a bi-coastal luxury short-term rental company, she also hosts the Seed Money Podcast where she's on a mission to help early-stage entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality!    Connect: Website: https://seedmoneypodcast.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaylasiciliano/ Subscribe and watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@seedmoneypodcast/    Please rate, follow, and review the podcast on https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seed-money/id1740815877 and https://open.spotify.com/show/0VkQECosb1spTFsUhu6uFY?si=5417351fb73a4ea1/! Hearing your comments and questions helps me come up with the best topics for the show!   The information in this podcast is educational and general in nature and does not take into consideration the listener's personal circumstances. Therefore, it is not intended to be a substitute for specific, individualized financial, legal, or tax advice.  

In Episode #113 of Geeks of the Valley, we sat down with Rob Hadick, General Partner at Dragonfly, a leading $2.5bn crypto-focused global investment firm. We explore the seismic shifts in the VC ecosystem, from the rise of trade-sale exits to the resilience of certain sub-sectors like Layer 2 protocols and real-world-asset platforms. A focal point of our discussion is Ripple's landmark $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, where Rob dissects its implications for bridging institutional finance with native-crypto infrastructure. Along the way, Rob shares lessons he's learned underwriting tokenized assets, supporting portfolio companies through volatility, and spotting early signals of talent migration in an increasingly global industry. Whether you're an institutional investor seeking to understand new exit dynamics or a founder navigating the crypto VC landscape, this conversation offers a comprehensive roadmap to the future of digital-asset investing.Since 2017, Dragonfly has been at the forefront of blockchain and crypto innovation with a long-term oriented, technical, and research-driven approach, having been early backers of some of the most influential protocols and companies in the industry, including 1inch, Avalanche, Bitget, Bybit, Compound, DyDx, Ethena, Hidden Road, Matter Labs, Monad, Near, Optimism, Polygon, Ribbon and ZK Sync. Rob focuses on companies and protocols that are innovating at the bleeding edge of centralized and decentralized finance, payments, money, and digital asset infrastructure.Previously, Rob led multi-stage public and private investing into crypto protocols and companies at GoldenTree Asset Management ("GTAM"), a ~$50bn multi-strategy hedge fund. Prior to GTAM, Rob invested in and advised fintech, technology, and crypto companies while at Heritage Partners, Goldman Sachs, and PJT Partners. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, where he was co-founder of the Columbia Blockchain Club, and a Bachelor's in Economics and Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hadickWebsite: https://www.dragonfly.xyz

In this episode of the AIA podcast, host Alex Perny welcomes Mark Flickinger, General Partner and COO of BIP Capital, to discuss the private credit market and its opportunities for entrepreneurs who need capital to keep their businesses going.Subscribe to our YouTube channel and join our growing community for new videos every week.If you are interested in being a podcast guest speaker or have questions, contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast@AdvantaIRA.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more about our guest, Mark Flickinger:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-flickinger-24295538/Learn more about Advanta IRA: https://www.AdvantaIRA.com/ The Alternative Investing Advantage is brought to you by Advanta IRA.Advanta IRA does not offer investment, tax, or legal advice, nor do we endorse any products, investments, or companies that provide such advice and/or investments. This includes any investments promoted or discussed during the podcast as neither Advanta IRA nor its employees, have reviewed or vetted any investments, persons, or companies that may discuss their services during this podcast.  All parties are strongly encouraged to perform their own due diligence and consult with the appropriate professional(s) before entering into any type of investment.

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Robert Leshner, and special guest Evgeny Gaevoy of Wintermute break down the biggest stories in crypto. This week: the $38M Move token dump exposes the shady side of market making, with shocking incentives that blurred the line between liquidity support and pure exit liquidity. We dig into what really happened, why major VCs looked the other way, and how the entire token launch playbook might be broken. Evgeny joins to give the market maker's perspective — and to answer the question: how many more of these sh*t shows are still lurking beneath the surface? Show highlights

Radio, and in particular AM radio, is a critical part of America's emergency communication infrastructure. It's a resource we use to inform the public about states of emergency and other vital information. The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act was introduced to combat the automobile industry and their efforts to rid newly manufactured vehicles of having AM radio accessibility. Bruce Mittman, the General Partner, CEO of Community Broadcasters, will join us this evening to discuss the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act and the importance of protecting radio.Listen to WBZ NewsRadio on the NEW iHeart Radio app and be sure to set WBZ NewsRadio as your #1 preset!

In this episode, Salim, Peter, and Dave dive into another segment of “WTF Just Happened In Tech,” discussing the new era of AI advertising, how AI is underhyped, bitcoin updates, and more.  Recorded on May 6th, 2025 Views are my own thoughts; not Financial, Medical, or Legal Advice. ​Dave Blundin is a distinguished serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and AI innovator with a career spanning over three decades. As the Founder and General Partner at Exponential Ventures (XPV) and Managing Partner at Link Ventures, he has co-founded 23 companies, with at least five achieving valuations exceeding $100 million, and has served on 21 private and public boards. Notably, he pioneered the quantization of neural networks in 1992, significantly enhancing their efficiency and scalability. ​ Salim Ismail is a serial entrepreneur and technology strategist well known for his expertise in Exponential organizations. He is the Founding Executive Director of Singularity University and the founder and chairman of ExO Works and OpenExO.  Learn about Dave's fund: https://www.linkventures.com/xpv-fund  Join Salim's ExO Community: https://openexo.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/salimismail  Learn more about Exponential Mastery: https://bit.ly/exponentialmastery  ____________ I only endorse products and services I personally use. To see what they are,  please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:  Get started with Fountain Life and become the CEO of your health: https://fountainlife.com/peter/ Get 15% off OneSkin with the code PETER at  https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod _____________ I send weekly emails with the latest insights and trends on today's and tomorrow's exponential technologies. Stay ahead of the curve, and sign up now:  Newsletter _____________ Connect With Peter: Twitter Instagram Youtube Moonshots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when a Stanford University project catches the eye of a venture capitalist? Well, in one world, you carry on as before. In another, and if you're Jenny Lefcourt, you explore the idea, raise $1 million and go on to co-found WeddingChannel.com! Today, that would be some feat, but Jenny and her cofounder did this when internet shopping wasn't really a thing- Amazon had only just started selling books! And yet, with grit, determination and a lot of work, WeddingChannel.com thrived and was eventually sold.  Now, Jenny is a General Partner at early stage venture capital firm, Freestyle, which invests in early stage tech companies. She's also co-founder of All Raise, a non-profit to support diversity in tech, and has angel invested in a range of businesses including Minted, Discord, and Main Street Hub. Jenny is an incredible lady with so much knowledge to share. She does this here, on this special episode of the Small & Supercharged Podcast and, of course, in my latest book, You've Got This.

Passive investing in private offerings can yield above market returns, it can also be a complete disaster. Apart from evaluating proforma numbers, it's critical to evaluate the General Partner and the team. The numbers are generic, the intangibles, including the character of who you're investing with, are less quantifiable and therefore harder to vet. There are too many newer, and generally inexperienced operators, cutting their teeth on passive investor's life savings. Unfortunately, this often results in investors losing their money. Mike Arndorfer, Founder of A2 Passive Coaching, helps passive investors avoid losses and secure gains by vetting deals they're considering investing in. 

Send us a textMiguel Armaza travels to Sao Paulo for an interview with Eduardo Chedid, CEO of PicPay, a Brazilian fintech giant that has quietly become one of the most important financial companies in Latin America.With 60 million customers and handling 11% of all Pix payments transactions in Brazil, PicPay has achieved profitability while maintaining hyper-growth—posting 61% revenue growth and 7× higher profits in 2024.In this episode, we discuss:How PicPay transformed from a digital wallet into a multi-product financial platformThe power of business unit autonomy and prioritizing top talent acquisitionBuilding a two-sided ecosystem that serves both consumers and businesses with separate monetization strategiesWhy Brazilian market volatility creates resilient managers and how to avoid the "incumbent trap"... and lots more!Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today's global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join 75,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4ZMiguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBcFintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Tomasz Tunguz, Founder of Theory Ventures, is widely recognized for his analytical approach to venture investing. Now, he's building Theory with a philosophy rooted in research and data-driven decision-making.  Tomasz sits down with Nick Chirls, General Partner at Asylum Ventures and Beezer Clarkson,  LP at Sapphire Partners and co-founder of OpenLP, to discuss spinouts and succession in established firms and the value of running high-risk, high-reward experiments at  specialist firms like Theory. Tomasz also shares his belief that investors will need to  adapt to a future where asking the right questions of LLMs will be critical for success.CHAPTERS:(0:00) Welcome to Origins(4:05) Why Are So Many People Leaving Top Firms?(12:15) Getting the Probabilities On Your Side(16:01) Building Highly Concentrated Portfolios(17:33) Lessons Learned in Fund One(21:37) Tomasz's Brand v. Theory's Brand(27:15) Using Tech at the Core of Theory(34:31) Asking the Right Questions in AI(36:56) Predictions for 2026Learn more about Sapphire Partners: sapphireventures.com/sapphire-partnersLearn more about OpenLP: openlp.vcLearn more about Asylum Ventures: asylum.vcLearn more about Top Tier Capital Partners: ttcp.comSubscribe to the OpenLP newsletter for a monthly roundup of the latest venture insights, including the newest Origins episodes, delivered straight to your inbox.

Time to pay attention when one of the world's largest Investment Managers leans into Crypto ETFs, Digital Assets and creates its own VC arm: VanEck Ventures. But what's their current outlook on the market and the technology?Juan Lopez, an experienced Web3 investor, is General Partner at VanEck Ventures (and formerly of Circle Ventures) and is looking to make 25-35 investments of tickets between $500k to $1M. As such, he has to understand the current industry requirements, investment narratives, and be able to sort the quality projects from the hype... He's also looking at the intersection between Fintech and AI to better observe how Blockchain and Digital Assets can offer transformation in TradFi and 'traditional' industries.On this show we cover:- Juan's background and experience in Blockchain and Digital Assets- The VanEck story, and their involvement in Web3- VanEck Ventures - the investment thesis, where they have invested to-date, and what else they are looking to invest in- How traditional financial institutions are looking at Digital Assets today (e.g. Bitcoin, Blockchains, Stablecoins)- What more is needed to see widespread adoption of Digital Assets and Web3 technology

In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton sits down with Jeremiah Owyang, General Partner at Blitzscaling Ventures, to discuss the rise of AI agents, the shift in digital advertising, and why human agency and empathy are the real power skills in an AI-driven world.Follow Suzy on Twitter: @AskSuzyBizFollow Jeremiah Owyang on LinkedInSubscribe to The Speed of Culture on your favorite podcast platform.And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at suzy@suzy.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textMiguel Armaza stops by the New York Stock Exchange to interview Yoshi Yokokawa, CEO & Co-founder of Alpaca, an API-first brokerage infrastructure company that has raised over $100 million to serve more than 200 financial institutions across 40 countries, with 5 million brokerage accounts on their platform.In this episode, we discuss:Balancing data-driven decisions with entrepreneurial instinctWhy Alpaca's self-clearing model slashes dependencies, cuts costs, and accelerates innovationWhy API-first companies need a sandwich approach: bottom-up developer community and top-down enterprise salesWhy Japan's economic history shaped a generation of domestic entrepreneurs while global founders like Yoshi remain the exception… and lots more!Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today's global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join 75,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4ZMiguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBcFintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Timestamps:6:21 - How much equity to give up in a Series A13:32 - How investors assess valuation at Series A/B17:55 - What makes a good vs. bad investor26:29 - Why some investors lead founders on36:50 - Don't spray and pray: smarter ways to reach investors This episode was sponsored by Relai. Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)About Laurent Decrue and Arijana Walcott:Laurent Decrue is the Co-CEO and CFO at Holycode, a product and engineering powerhouse serving fast-scaling startups. After building and exiting companies like DeinDeal, Bexio, and MOVU, Laurent Decrue now supports founders as an investor, board member, and operator. Laurent Decrue brings real-world startup empathy to every cap table conversation—and a no-BS attitude about what actually moves the needle.Arijana Walcott is the Founder and General Partner at DART Ventures, where she backs early-stage European startups tackling climate and health challenges. With roots in San Francisco's tech scene and a sharp eye for scalable impact, Arijana Walcott is on a mission to change how—and why—we invest. Arijana Walcott is also a board member, educator, and startup ecosystem builder focused on helping founders go big instead of going home.The cover portrait was edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.smartportrait.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.‍‍Don't forget to give us a follow on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there's no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.

Tim Jackson is the founder of QXL and a General Partner at Walking Ventures. Tune in to hear his thoughts on: What is your founder and CEO journey? (2:03) Where did the board add most value? (7:23) What do you wish your board had done for you knowing what you know now? (10:50) What are the most common reasons for a CEO to lose control of a company? (12:42) How can CEO's better prepare for breaking point crises? (16:40) Are there patterns in behaviour of CEO's who get the most value out of boards? (18:58) Should assessing particular characteristics be a part of CEO recruitment? (20:43) As a coach, do you ever anticipate that a board should replace A CEO before it  ends up happening? (22:22) How should CEOs adapt as their companies scale? (23:52) Do investor directors add value? (30:45) What metrics should boards be assessing their management teams on? (37:50) What macro-trends should NEDs be watching out for? (38:58) and ⚡The Lightning round ⚡(41:46)Host: Oliver Cummings Producer: Will Felton Editor: Alex Fish Music: Kate Mac Audio: Nick Kolt Email: podcast@nurole.com Web: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

If you ask investors what the most common mistake in seeking funding is, you might be doing it without even realizing it. That mistake? Being so focused on raising capital that you forget to keep building traction in your business. Yes, it's easy to do when you "feel" like you need the funding to get to the next step, but you cannot stop pushing ahead. It could take you 6-12 months to close the funding you need, especially at the pre-seed/seed stage, and it's extra important to get creative and continue showing real traction during this time. This "raise money now, build later" mindset can be a major red flag for investors. They want to see driven founders with great ideas, but they don't want to see you more fixated on the check than progress. So, instead of putting all your energy into capital and fundraising, make sure hitting the next milestone despite capital constraints is a top priority and point of conversation during your pitch. What other mistakes do founders make in seeking funding? What is Seed Strapping, and why is it a better strategy for founders today? Why do so many founders feel disillusioned after a successful exit? In this episode, I'm chatting with startup founder, advisor, investor, and creator of the viral Seed Strapping framework, Josh Payne. He shares common mistakes in seeking funding that keep investors like him from writing that check. Topics Covered: Seed Strapping and why it might be the best option in 2025 Why investors want a founder with skin in the game  Why prioritizing fundraising before traction is a red flag Why Josh felt disillusioned after his exit (and how he overcame it) How to balance family with running a demanding startup  Guest Bio Josh Payne is a Speaker, Advisor, Author, and General Partner at OpenSky Ventures. He invests in, advises, and builds capital-efficient, high-growth, profitable SaaS and Consumer businesses. OpenSky Ventures has invested in Levanta, Siena, Intro, Reactiv, Magic Mind, Fishwife and more. Josh is also the founder of Onward, a company that helps brands provide a premium customer experience at no cost. Connect with Josh on LinkedIn.    About Your Host Jayla Siciliano, Shark Tank entrepreneur turned real estate investor, excels in building brands, teams, and products. CEO of a bi-coastal luxury short-term rental company, she also hosts the Seed Money Podcast, where she's on a mission to help early-stage entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality!    Connect: Website: https://seedmoneypodcast.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaylasiciliano/ Subscribe and watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@seedmoneypodcast/    Please rate, follow and review the podcast on https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seed-money/id1740815877 and https://open.spotify.com/show/0VkQECosb1spTFsUhu6uFY?si=5417351fb73a4ea1/! Hearing your comments and questions helps me come up with the best topics for the show!   The information in this podcast is educational and general in nature and does not take into consideration the listener's personal circumstances. Therefore, it is not intended to be a substitute for specific, individualized financial, legal, or tax advice.

Christian Limon is the former Chief Growth Officer at Wish, which was the top spending advertiser on Google and Facebook. He was also the Chief Growth Officer at Tubi and Gemini. Throughout his career, Christian has achieved five exits and $28 billion in IPO and M&A proceeds. He has launched 20 apps and led 33 more apps on growth and monetization. Eric Seufert is the General Partner at Heracles Capital, a pre-seed venture capital fund focused on the mobile technology ecosystem. After beginning his career at Skype, he held a marketing leadership role at Rovio, where he launched Angry Birds 2. Eric also founded Agamemnon, a mobile marketing analytics startup acquired in 2017. He is the author of Freemium Economics and manages Mobile Dev Memo, a blog on mobile advertising and monetization. In this episode… Today's marketers face a challenging paradox: the more data they have, the harder it is to identify what's valuable. Between conflicting attribution reports, algorithm-driven campaign shifts, and pressure to scale fast, many teams optimize for metrics that don't move the needle. How can growth leaders cut through the noise to build scalable and realistic strategies? Seasoned mobile growth strategist Christian Limon emphasizes the need for broad, strategic creative testing that breaks out of traditional methods like UGC. He recommends marketers tap into unconventional sources and avoid over-controlling creative input. Leading economic and digital marketing strategist Eric Seufert urges brands to prioritize commercial outcomes like profit and ROAS rather than exclusive platform metrics. Marketers can also use AI to enhance workflows and generate ideas for optimizing LTV.  Join William Harris in today's episode of the Up Arrow Podcast as he chats with Christian Limon, growth strategist, and Eric Seufert, General Partner at Heracles Capital, about optimizing growth marketing. Together, they discuss how to identify meaningful marketing metrics, how to build systematic, creative-first campaigns, and the dangers of over-diversifying channels.

On this episode of The Ben & Marc Show, a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz dive deep into the unfiltered story behind the founding of Andreessen Horowitz—and how they set out to reinvent venture capital itself.  For the first time, Marc and Ben walk through the origins, strategy, and philosophy behind building a world-class venture capital firm designed for the future—not just the next fund. They reveal how they broke industry norms with a bold brand, a full-stack support model, and a long-term commitment to backing exceptional builders—anchored in the radical idea that founders deserved real support, not just checks.  Joining them to guide the conversation is Erik Torenberg—Andreessen Horowitz's newest General Partner—who makes his Ben & Marc Show moderating debut. Erik is a technology entrepreneur, investor, and founder of the media company Turpentine. You can learn more about Erik via Marc's announcement [here].  Together, they explore: - Why traditional VC needed reinvention - How a16z scaled with a platform model, not a partner model - The "barbell strategy" reshaping venture capital today - Why venture remains a human craft, even in the age of AI  We're thrilled to welcome Erik to the team—and we hope you enjoy this inside look at the structure, philosophy, and future of a16z. Resources: Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca Marc's Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/ Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz  Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Erik's Substack: https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/ Stay Updated: Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z  This information is for general educational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any investment or financial product.Turpentine is an acquisition of a16z Holdings, L.L.C., and is not a bank, investment adviser, or broker-dealer. Individuals and companies featured during this podcast are not endorsing AH Capital or any of its affiliates (including, but not limited to, a16z Perennial Management L.P.). Any investments or portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or described in this podcast are not representative of all a16z investments and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results. A list of investments made by a16z is available at https://a16z.com/investment-list/. All  investments involve risk, including the possible loss of capital.  Past performance is no guarantee of future results and the opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance. Before making decisions with legal, tax, or accounting effects, you should consult appropriate professionals. Information is from sources deemed reliable on the date of publication, but a16z does not guarantee its accuracy. 

On this episode of Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different, we have a dialogue with Steve Vassallo, a General Partner at Foundation Capital, to celebrate the firm's 30th anniversary and explore the evolution of venture capital (VC) in Silicon Valley. We discuss the shift of many traditional VC firms from early-stage investments to a more asset management-oriented approach. Steve Vassallo talks about the importance of maintaining a craft-oriented, personalized approach to VC, focusing on product excellence and effective distribution. He also highlights the current trends in AI and blockchain, urging founders to prioritize innovation and core product differentiation in a rapidly changing market. With nearly 18 years at Foundation Capital, Steve shares his unique insights into the changing landscape of venture capital, the importance of maintaining a craft-oriented approach, and the challenges faced by early-stage founders. You're listening to Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different. We are the real dialogue podcast for people with a different mind. So get your mind in a different place, and hey ho, let's go. Celebrating 30 Years of Foundation Capital Foundation Capital recently marked its 30th anniversary, a significant milestone in its journey. The firm has launched its 11th fund, a $600 million vehicle aimed at supporting extraordinary founders at the earliest stages of their ventures, particularly in the enterprise sector. Steve Vassallo adds that more than half of their investments focus on early-stage companies, including seed and Series A rounds, with a strong emphasis on technology, particularly in fintech and crypto. Steve Vassallo on the Changing VC Landscape Christopher and Steve Vassallo then discuss the evolution of VC firms, noting that many traditional firms have transformed into asset managers rather than remaining true venture capitalists. Steve points out that the percentage of capital raised by these firms for early-stage investments has dwindled significantly. He estimates that only about 20% of the capital raised by these larger firms is allocated to early-stage investments, with the majority directed towards growth-stage companies. In contrast, Foundation Capital dedicates approximately 70-80% of their recent fund to backing founders at the inception of their ideas. Steve humorously refers to these early-stage entrepreneurs as "pre-founders" or "pre-criminals," highlighting the raw potential and creativity that often characterize this stage of entrepreneurship. The Craft of Venture Capital Their conversation then moves to the notion that venture capital is fundamentally a craft business rather than a scalable factory-like operation. Christopher likens the venture capital process to crafting custom surfboards, where the quality and personal touch of the creator matter significantly. He argues that the best results come from a deep, personalized partnership with founders, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Reflecting on his own background in product design, Steve Vassallo adds that he initially believed that the best product would always win in the market. However, he quickly learned that effective distribution often trumps product quality. This realization was humbling for him, as he recognized the critical role that marketing and sales play in a product's success. He stresses that when extraordinary products are paired with exceptional distribution channels, remarkable outcomes can occur. To hear more from Steve Vassallo and the future of Venture Capital, download and listen to this episode. Bio ​Steve Vassallo is a General Partner at Foundation Capital, where he invests at the intersection of design, technology, and business. Since joining the firm in 2007, he has led investments in transformative companies such as Stripe, Sunrun, Cerebras Systems, and Solana. Steve co-leads Foundation's crypto practice and is known for backing product-first founders tackling consequential problems ...

Pete Flint, General Partner at NFX and founder of Trulia, joins us for an expansive conversation on how AI is reshaping the foundations of entrepreneurship, platform economies, network effects, and defensibility strategies.Drawing from his deep experience as both a founder and an investor, Pete breaks down what it means to build in a world where CAC is difficult to change and requires expanding LTV by designing invisible, agent-powered experiences and adopting “stackable” approaches to product development.Speaking on the low barriers to entry for startups, he highlights why speed now trumps precision, saying, “There is no prize for being right, but there is one for being fast.”This conversation is a must for anyone navigating the fast-moving world of AI, platform innovation, and startup strategy.What does it mean to build a startup in a world of frictionless tools and unpredictable technological shifts?In this episode, Pete, one of the world's most prominent internet entrepreneurs, helps us unpack how the dynamics of company-building are being transformed - not just by AI, but by new patterns of behaviour, demand, and value creation. We explore consumers' hyper-personalised requirements and what that means for founders navigating shifting entry points and stackable business models. He also speaks on cultural foundations and how an organisation's ecosystem affects outcomes.For anyone grappling with how to lead or build in this dynamic landscape, this episode offers a take on what truly matters.Key Highlights

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and special guest David Hoffman break down the biggest stories in crypto. This week: MicroStrategy clones are popping up, with Bitcoin-backed SPACs trying to replay Saylor's playbook. Meanwhile, Trump launches a memecoin for dinner invites, Zora kicks off a new era of “content coins,” and Ethereum faces an existential pivot. David Hoffman joins the crew to debate whether crypto's future is real innovation—or just financial theater. Show highlights

MPF Discussion with Senofer MendozaMendoza Ventures - Untapped Potential: Investing In Underrepresented Founders with Senofer MendozaAbout Senofer Senofer Mendoza is the founder and General Partner at Mendoza Ventures, a Boston-based venture capital firm she launched in 2016. Focused on fintech, AI, and cybersecurity, Senofer has made diversity central to her investment strategy, with 75% of her portfolio led by immigrants, people of color, and women. Following a successful early exit from her first fund, she launched Mendoza Ventures Fund II in 2019 and is now raising a groundbreaking $100M Fund III to support Series A to C rounds. An advocate for diversity and inclusion, Senofer also serves as Board Chair at The Capital Network, helping direct funding and education to female tech founders. Through her work, she has proven that investing in diverse founders drives strong returns and meaningful change in venture capital.Mendoza Ventures - Untapped Potential: Investing in Underrepresented FoundersIn this episode of My Perfect Failure, I'm joined by the dynamic Senofer Mendoza, co-founder of Mendoza Ventures.Senofer shares the remarkable story of how she and her husband Adrian transitioned from startup founders to venture capitalists, creating one of the few VCs with a mission deeply rooted in transparency, opportunity, and supporting underrepresented founders.We dive into what sets Mendoza Ventures apart—a VC firm that does so much more than write checks. Senofer reveals how their boutique approach blends capital, resources, and education to help founders not just survive but build lasting, generational wealth.We talk candidly about entrepreneurship, navigating the highs and lows, the power of representation, and how today's tools like AI are empowering a new wave of founders. If you're a dreamer, builder, or future founder—you'll find gems of wisdom here!5 Takeaways from this episode:•Transparency Matters: Mendoza Ventures was born out of a desire to bring honesty and openness to venture capital.•Support Beyond Capital: Investing in founders isn't just financial—it's about education, community, and true partnership.• Diversification is Key: Investing in diverse teams and ideas isn't just the right thing—it's smart business.•Defensible IP and Graceful Leadership: Founders must protect their innovations and lead with resilience, especially under pressure.•Think Differently: To thrive, break your existing network and challenge the status quo—bold moves create new futures.Social Links to Senofer Website : Mendoza Ventures : http://Mendoza-ventures.comSenofer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/senofermendoza/ Please Leave A Review"I have a small favor to ask! If you've been enjoying My Perfect Failure, leaving a review would mean the world to me. It helps the show grow and reach more people who need these stories of resilience and success. Plus, I love hearing your thoughts!.  So please leave a review on Apple, Spotify or the platform of your choice.Support the showEvery setback has a valuable lesson.

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. In this episode, the crew is joined by special guest Joe Weisenthal, co-host of Bloomberg's Odd Lots podcast, for a wide-ranging, unfiltered conversation. They dive into whether Bitcoin is becoming digital gold, why Ethereum's value might be leaking away, and how stablecoins are quietly reshaping global finance. Joe challenges the panel on NFTs, DePIN, and whether any of crypto's big promises have actually delivered. Plus, they debate the rise of MicroStrategy copycats, the failure of crypto social apps, and why Worldcoin's orb-pilled vision might actually make sense. Show highlights

Poya and Robby interview Mark Selcow, a General Partner at ⁠Costanoa Ventures⁠, where he is focused on investing in the next generation of great enterprise technology companies. Prior to joining Costanoa, Mark was a serial entrepreneur and operator, who led organizations in the enterprise software and consumer Internet sectors. He co-founded and served as President of two companies. The first, BabyCenter, was a pioneer in the consumer Internet and grew to become a leader in the online parenting market. BabyCenter was sold to Johnson and Johnson in 2001. The second, Merced Systems, became the dominant provider of Performance Management software for large Customer Service functions. It was an innovator in combining operating data, complex derived metrics, and human factors, such as coaching, incentives, and games to achieve improvements in employee performance serving customers. Merced grew profitability from its first year of shipped product and was sold to NICE Systems in 2012.Connect with Mark: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-selcow-841167

Neste episódio do Canary Cast, Filipe Portugal, sócio do Canary, recebe João Sobreira, cofundador e CEO da Advolve, empresa que construiu múltiplos agentes de inteligência artificial para automatizar o marketing de performance e potencializar o impacto das campanhas de grandes empresas. Com apenas 24 anos e já em sua quarta jornada empreendedora, João compartilhou como sua experiência com marketing digital desde os 15 anos o preparou para identificar as ineficiências e dores no mercado que está construindo atualmente. Após fundar a primeira Game Advertising Agency da América Latina e acumular profundo conhecimento em estratégias de aquisição de usuários, ele viu na ascensão da AI generativa a oportunidade perfeita para levar inovação e maior eficiência para o setor. Fundada há pouco mais de um ano e meio, a Advolve implementa um modelo de negócio de "autopilot" que substitui a maior parte do trabalho operacional dentro da área de marketing de performance. A plataforma opera de forma autônoma, conectando-se a múltiplas fontes de dados (plataformas de anúncio, atribuição, CRM e data lakes) para treinar modelos customizados para cada empresa que são operados por +60 agentes simultâneos, gerando e otimizando campanhas completas sem intervenção humana constante. A conversa explora as principais dores do marketing digital atual: a complexidade de coordenar milhares de anúncios em múltiplas plataformas, a fragmentação de dados entre diferentes ferramentas, e a necessidade de tomar decisões em tempo real com orçamentos limitados. João explica como a Advolve usa inteligência artificial para testar continuamente quatro categorias de variáveis (canal, segmento, audiência e criativos), escalando as combinações mais eficientes. O episódio também aborda a visão global de João ao construir a Advolve, que desde o início foi pensada para ser uma empresa internacional. Por fim, João compartilha lições de sua jornada empreendedora, destacando a importância de não adiar conversas difíceis, de ter resiliência, e de sempre pensar em construir diferenciais competitivos sustentáveis em um mercado onde a tecnologia avança rapidamente. Convidado: João Sobreira Com apenas 24 anos, João é cofundador e CEO da Advolve. Iniciou sua trajetória empreendedora aos 15 anos. Com ampla experiência em aquisição digital de usuários e growth, João identificou as ineficiências no mercado de marketing digital e fundou a Advolve para tornar o marketing de performance mais eficiente, escalável e assertivo através de modelos e agentes que usam inteligência artificial. Até aqui, a empresa captou USD 6.5M em investimento com Canary, Valor e Prosus Ventures e já atende grandes empresas como iFood e Cogna. Apresentação: Filipe Portugal Filipe Portugal é sócio do Canary, um dos principais fundos de venture capital do Brasil. Desde 2018 na firma e à frente do time de investimentos, Filipe acumula uma experiência relevante no mercado de venture capital brasileiro e latino-americano. Destaques do episódio:00:00 - Boas-vindas e apresentação01:40 - A jornada empreendedora de João Sobreira05:30 - As principais dores do marketing digital 13:00 - O modelo de "autopilot" da Advolve 13:20 - Como a Advolve conecta e utiliza múltiplas fontes de dados para construir seus modelos16:45 - O método de otimização automática de campanhas19:30 - Resultados alcançados por clientes da Advolve23:15 - O papel do humano que permanece no marketing digital25:40 - A visão global da Advolve e planos de internacionalização30:20 - Conselhos para empreendedores que estão começando34:50 - A importância da criação de "moats" em empresas de IA38:25 - Maiores erros e acertos da jornada empreendedora42:10 - Recomendações de conteúdo e livros44:30 - Um último conselho46:15 - Encerramento Glossário de termos em inglês citados no episódio:Autopilot: sistema que opera de forma autônoma sem intervenção humana constanteCopilot: sistema que auxilia o usuário, mas não substitui o trabalho humanoMoat: vantagem competitiva sustentável e relevante que protege um negócio contra concorrentesMarTech: empresa que serve tecnologias aplicadas ao marketingData lake: repositório centralizado que permite armazenar dados estruturados e não estruturadosTrial: período de teste de um produto ou serviçoAsset-light: modelo de negócio que opera com poucos ativos físicosNetwork effects: efeitos de rede, quando o valor de um produto aumenta conforme mais pessoas o utilizamState of the art: Estado da arte, tecnologia mais avançada disponível no momentoRecomendações de leitura e conteúdo:A trilogia que começa com "Dot Com Secrets" - uma série de livros sobre marketing digital e funís de vendas que João considera essenciais para qualquer pessoa que pensa em fazer negócios online."The Hard Thing About Hard Things" de Ben Horowitz - livro altamente recomendado por João para todo empreendedor, especialmente de tecnologia"Florian's Reading List" - Newsletter que Florian Hagenbuch, General Partner do Canary publica semanalmente no LinkedIn, com curadoria de conteúdos sobre tecnologia e inovação. João também recomenda consumir conteúdo em inglês, destacando que isso amplia significativamente o acesso a informações de qualidade sobre tecnologia e empreendedorismo.Até o próximo episódio!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textMiguel Armaza interviews Daniel Vogel, CEO & Co-Founder of Bitso, one of Latin America's leading cryptocurrency platforms serving over 12 million customers across Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil. Bitso processes over 10% of the remittances flowing from the US to Mexico ($6 - $7 Billion), and is pioneering the use of stablecoins for cross-border transactions throughout Latin America.In this episode, we discuss:Why rate of learning is one of his core principles for company culture and personal growthUsing transparency to drive company performance and employee engagementHow stablecoins are transforming global payments and why Bitso is betting big on this technologyBuilding personal side projects that feed a curious mind and nurture innovation... and a lot more!Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today's global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join 75,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4ZMiguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBcFintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Pitching to investors isn't just about having the next billion-dollar idea. It's about energy, authenticity, preparation—and knowing your numbers.Today's episode of Deal Closers comes to you from recorded live at CED's Venture Connect, where host Jason Gillikin sits down with two seasoned investors:Zakiya Alta Lee-Hill, Principal at Idea Fund PartnersNikin Shah, General Partner at Front Porch VenturesTogether, they share exactly what makes founders stand out in a pitch meeting—and what makes investors quickly say no. If you're gearing up to raise capital or sell your company, this is essential listening.You'll learn:Why VC money is like rocket fuel—and how it can blow up your business if you're not readyHow much energy is too much energy in a pitchWhy authenticity and self-awareness beat hype every timeWhat to say when you don't know the answerHow to prep for questions about your numbers, your tech, and your teamThe importance of targeting the right investors—and how to make it easy for them to help youTimestamps:00:00:03 – What VC dollars really mean for your company00:01:15 – First impressions and the importance of energy00:04:00 – Why excitement looks different for every founder00:07:51 – Know enough about every part of your business00:11:00 – Investors expect you to know your numbers00:13:56 – Is your market size actually realistic?00:17:09 – What problem are you solving, and why you?00:22:31 – Walk in saying, “I'm the company you're looking for”Connect with the Guests:Nikin Shah – Front Porch VenturesZakiya Alta Lee-Hill, Idea Fund PartnersDeal Closers is brought to you by WebsiteClosers.com and produced by Walk West. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LIVE from Transform 2025! AJ Thomas is Founder and CEO of The Troublemaker Lab, an experience lab for legendary founders and their teams, and Founder and General Partner at Good Trouble Ventures, a VC fund investing in the Future of Entertainment & Creativity and its Digital Transformation. With a non-traditional background spanning startups, venture growth, and Fortune 100 companies, AJ has been a driving force at Google X serving in former roles leading Global Talent Experience and People Products. Now at Troublemaker Lab, she's coaching extraordinary leaders making a lasting impact. As a respected executive, advisor, speaker, and executive coach, AJ challenges leaders to create meaningful change and is often sought after to speak and facilitate future-focused conversations about talent, teams, and the impact of AI in organizational cultures. We dig into: - The Intersection of Technology & Humanity - Investing in the Future of Entertainment & Creativity - Working on the Future WITH the future - She was signed to a record label at 15 - She co-wrote a kids' book with her daughter https://www.thetroublemakerlab.com - Her Company https://www.godtrouble.vc - her venture firm https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajthomas/ - Her forbes contributor page https://akidsco.com/products/a-kids-book-about-teams - Her published Kids Book The Future of Hiring – Live from Transform 2025 Live from Transform 2025, we're bringing you an exclusive podcast series packed with insights from some of the brightest minds in hiring, talent strategy, and workforce transformation! In this series, we've got incredible guests from Okta, Tubi, Edelman, Greenhouse, Findem, and more, sharing how top organizations are rethinking hiring, culture, and talent acquisition in today's fast-changing world. Greenhouse combines a structured, data-driven hiring approach with AI-embedded workflows that empower recruiters to focus on strategic, high-impact work. From sourcing top talent to personalizing the candidate experience, Greenhouse streamlines and optimizes the entire hiring process. This ensures that every hire is the right hire—eliminating bias, creating fairness, and helping teams make smarter, faster decisions. Over 7,500 companies, including HubSpot, Duolingo, and J.D. Power, trust Greenhouse to build better teams and turn talent into a strategic advantage. Want to learn how today's top companies are winning the talent game? Tune in now and visit Greenhouse.com to transform the way you hire. Thanks for listening. Please follow us on Instagram @NHPTalent and X @AdamJPosner. Visit www.thePOZcast.com for all episodes.

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC podcast, where our good friend Dan Bowyer from SuperSeed meets with Andrew J. Scott, Founding Partner at 7percent Ventures, Lomax Ward, General Partner at Outsized Ventures, and Dilek Dayınlarlı, General Partner at ScaleX Venture,s to cover recent news and movements in the European tech landscape

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. In this episode, the crew dives into the drama surrounding the OM token crash, the murky world of fake market caps, and Binance's role in fueling questionable projects. They unpack Trump's tariff chaos and whether Bitcoin could emerge as the real winner in a broken economic order. Plus, Vitalik stirs the pot by calling out “bad apps” like Pump.fun—igniting a moral war over what crypto should be building. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Show highlights

Natalie Brunell is joined by Lyn Alden for a wide-ranging conversation on the forces shaping the global financial system and the future of money. Lyn breaks down the complexities of the US dollar's reserve currency status, its role in persistent trade deficits, and the economic toll on America's working class. The discussion spans monetary history, policy tradeoffs, the future of manufacturing, and the potential of Bitcoin as a neutral reserve asset in a volatile world. Topics include: The global demand created by dollar reserve status How trade deficits are tied to an overvalued dollar The link between financialization and the decline of the working class The shift from gold to fiat and its long-term effects Why tariffs may not fix structural economic issues Capital outflows and their rare occurrence in the U.S. The case for a multipolar currency world  Challenges in the real estate market The role of automation in reshoring jobs Rising value of skilled blue-collar labor Bitcoin as a potential neutral reserve asset Predictions for market volatility and Bitcoin's future Arguably, no one explains these concepts better than Lyn Alden. Her analysis is among the best and is sure to give you that “aha” moment, unlocking key pieces of the complex monetary puzzle, and why an alternative, such as Bitcoin, is so important. Guest Bio: Lyn Alden is a brilliant macroeconomist, investment strategist and General Partner at Ego Death Capital. Follow Lyn on X https://x.com/LynAldenContact and subscribe to her phenomenal newsletter https://www.lynalden.com ---- Coin Stories is brought to you by lead sponsor Genius Group (NYSE American $GNS). Genius is a Bitcoin-first business delivering AI-powered education and acceleration solutions for the future of work: https://www.geniusgroup.ai/coinstories ---- Bitwise has over $10B in client assets, 32 investment products, and a team of 100+ employees across the U.S. and Europe, all solely focused on Bitcoin and digital assets since 2017. Learn more at https://www.bitwiseinvestments.com  ---- Natalie's Bitcoin Product and Event Links: Secure your Bitcoin with collaborative custody and set up your inheritance plan with Casa: https://www.casa.io/natalie  For easy, low-cost, instant Bitcoin payments, I use Speed Lightning Wallet. Get 5000 sats when you download using this link and promo code COINSTORIES10: https://www.speed.app/sweepstakes-promocode/ Master your Bitcoin self-custody with 1-on-1 help and gain peace of mind with the help of The Bitcoin Way: https://www.thebitcoinway.com/natalie River is where I DCA weekly and buy Bitcoin with the lowest fees in the industry: https://partner.river.com/natalie  Safely self-custody your Bitcoin with Coinkite and the ColdCard Wallet. Get 5% off: https://store.coinkite.com/promo/COINSTORIES Earn 2% back in Bitcoin on all your purchases with the Gemini credit card: https://www.gemini.com/natalie  Bitcoin 2025 is heading to Las Vegas May 27-29th! Join me for my 4th Annual Women of Bitcoin Brunch! Get 10% off Early Bird passes using the code HODL: https://tickets.b.tc/affiliate/hodl/event/bitcoin-2025   Protect yourself from SIM Swaps that can hack your accounts and steal your Bitcoin. Join America's most secure mobile service, trusted by CEOs, VIPs and top corporations: https://www.efani.com/natalie  Your Bitcoin oasis awaits at Camp Nakamoto: A retreat for Bitcoiners, by Bitcoiners. Code HODL for discounted passes: https://massadoptionbtc.ticketspice.com/camp-nakamoto    ---- This podcast is for educational purposes and should not be construed as official investment advice. ---- VALUE FOR VALUE — SUPPORT NATALIE'S SHOWS Strike ID https://strike.me/coinstoriesnat/ Cash App $CoinStories   #money #Bitcoin #investing

Cristina Nuñez didn't just break into the beauty industry—she's redefining who gets to shape it. She started her career in traditional finance and private equity, but craved something more personal and creative. So she rolled up her sleeves and jumped into roles that strategically built beauty brands, including Laura Geller and Clark's Botanicals. Now, as co-founder and General Partner of True Beauty Ventures, Cristina is rewriting the VC playbook for the industry—one founder, one investment at a time. She's not just writing checks for beauty startups; she's building trust, offering strategy, and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with brands like K18, Crown Affair, and Moon Juice. In a fundraising climate where doubt often outweighs belief, Cristina is proof that clarity, conviction, and heart still win.In this episode, she opens up about dealing with loss, pivoting with purpose, and what it really takes to be investment-ready in today's beauty and wellness space. Whether you're a founder looking for funds right now or still in the visioning stage, this conversation will change how you think about scaling, pitching, and the power of leading with empathy.Timestamps:[00:00] Introduction[00:57] Cristina's path from finance to beauty[02:56] Why she left investing to build brands[04:00] Personal turning point: her father's diagnosis[06:54] Launching True Beauty Ventures[08:49] Doubts from male investors and pushing through[10:54] The case for more diverse funders[11:47] What is venture capital?[12:56] How True Beauty Ventures is different[15:45] The five P's of investment readiness[17:45] What do investors look for in founders?[20:47] Misconceptions about working with investors[22:47] How to build trust with VCs[24:44] Focus, prioritization, and saying no[26:45] How to get on an investor's radar[30:45] Why founder prep matters in fundraising[31:44] How early-stage valuation actually works[34:45] Common mistakes founders make[36:47] Why tight assortments win in beauty[39:45] The danger of low product margins[42:47] The value of founder business acumen[44:47] Cristina's morning routine and wellness habits[48:45] Advice for founders raising capital nowTo learn more about Cristina, follow her on Instagram and LinkedIn.Resources Mentioned:True Beauty Ventures | WebsiteK18 Biomimetic Hairscience | WebsiteCrown Affair | WebsiteMoon Juice | WebsiteEquinox | WebsiteL Catterton | WebsiteClark's Botanicals | WebsiteTengram Capital Partners | WebsiteLaura Geller Beauty | WebsiteClark's Botanicals | WebsiteYouthforia | Website JumpStart Beauty Brand with Rohit Banota Episode 7 on What Beauty Founders Don't Know with Cristina Nuñez | Spotify or AppleFollow Nancy Twine:Instagram: @nancytwinewww.nancytwine.comFollow Makers Mindset:Instagram: @makersmindsetspaceTikTok: @themakersmindsetwww.makersmindset.com

This week, Sasha Orloff is joined by Wouter Born, a finance, AI influencer, and General Partner at Born Capital to discuss how AI is reshaping the CFO role and financial tech stack, drawing lessons from Netflix's rise over Blockbuster, emphasizing innovation, practical AI adoption, and financial storytelling. -- SPONSORS: Notion Boost your startup with Notion—the ultimate connected workspace trusted by thousands worldwide! From engineering specs to onboarding and fundraising, Notion keeps your team organized and efficient. For a limited time, get 6 months of Notion AI FREE to supercharge your workflow. Claim your offer now at https://notion.com/startups/puzzle Puzzle

Send us a textMiguel Armaza interviews Bam Azizi, Co-Founder and CEO of Mesh Connect, a fintech infrastructure company that has transformed from a consumer-focus to a fast-growing B2B platform serving hundreds of corporate clients including Revolut, and Coinbase. After raising nearly $130 million, including a Series B closed in just one month, Mesh is now focusing on serving the stablecoin ecosystem.We discuss:The rollercoaster journey from B2C to B2B and the painful but necessary pivot decisionsWhy stablecoins represent a $37 trillion opportunity that's reshaping global financeHow fragmentation across chains, wallets, and currencies creates the perfect infrastructure opportunityThe immigrant mindset needed to survive funding cycles and build through market volatility and a lot more!Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today's global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join 75,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4ZMiguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBcFintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Stablecoins are no longer a niche crypto curiosity—they're a full-blown financial revolution. In this episode, Rob Hadick, General Partner at Dragonfly, joins us to unpack the emerging stablecoin tech stack and why cross-border payments, savings, and financial infrastructure are being rebuilt from the ground up. From Circle and Tether to next-gen orchestration layers and stablecoin-native blockchains, we explore why this $200 trillion global opportunity is only 5% unlocked—and who stands to win the most.------

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. In this episode, the crew is joined by Jeff Park, Alpha Liaison at Bitwise, for a deep dive into the chaos gripping global markets and what it all means for crypto. With tariffs ripping through equities and whispers of stagflation on the rise, Jeff breaks down why Bitcoin might still be headed for $200K – and why MicroStrategy might be the new altcoin. They also unpack Circle's delayed IPO, Ripple's $1.25B acquisition, and whether capital markets are finally warming up to crypto. Show highlights

Martin Casado is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), where he focuses on AI and infrastructure investments. He previously co-founded Nicira which was acquired by VMware for $1.2 billion in 2012.In this episode of World of DaaS, Martin and Auren discuss:Economics of open source AIChinese AI innovation with DeepSeekModel collapse and data moatsRegulatory challenges in AILooking 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 Martin Casado on X at @martin_casado.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

In this episode, Salim, Dave, and Peter discuss news coming from Apple, Grok, OpenAI, and more. Recorded on April 3rd, 2025 Views are my own thoughts; not Financial, Medical, or Legal Advice. ​Dave Blundin is a distinguished serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and AI innovator with a career spanning over three decades. As the Founder and General Partner at Exponential Ventures (XPV) and Managing Partner at Link Ventures, he has co-founded 23 companies, with at least five achieving valuations exceeding $100 million, and has served on 21 private and public boards. Notably, he pioneered the quantization of neural networks in 1992, significantly enhancing their efficiency and scalability. An alumnus of MIT with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Dave conducted research on neural network technology at the MIT AI Lab. He currently imparts his expertise as an instructor at MIT, teaching the course "AI for Impact: Venture Studio." Beyond his professional endeavors, Dave is a member of the Board of Directors at XPRIZE, a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging technological development to benefit humanity. ​ Salim Ismail is a serial entrepreneur and technology strategist well known for his expertise in Exponential organizations. He is the Founding Executive Director of Singularity University and the founder and chairman of ExO Works and OpenExO.  Learn about Dave's fund: https://www.linkventures.com/xpv-fund  Join Salim's ExO Community: https://openexo.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/salimismail  Learn more about Abundance360: https://bit.ly/ABUNDANCE360  Learn more about Exponential Mastery: https://bit.ly/exponentialmastery  ____________ I only endorse products and services I personally use. To see what they are,  please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:  Get started with Fountain Life and become the CEO of your health: https://fountainlife.com/peter/ AI-powered precision diagnosis you NEED for a healthy gut: https://www.viome.com/peter  Get 15% off OneSkin with the code PETER at  https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod _____________ I send weekly emails with the latest insights and trends on today's and tomorrow's exponential technologies. Stay ahead of the curve, and sign up now:  Tech Blog _____________ Connect With Peter: Twitter Instagram Youtube Moonshots

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. In this episode, the crew is joined by SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce—aka “CryptoMom”—for a rare, candid conversation. They unpack the SEC's vibe shift, why airdrops might be doomed, and whether memecoins are just collectibles or cleverly disguised securities. Plus, Hester dishes on Paul Atkins' potential leadership, the SEC's new crypto task force, and what real regulatory clarity might finally look like. Show highlights

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. In this episode, the crew dives into the Hyperliquid controversy and what it reveals about decentralization theater in DeFi. Then, things get weirder: the Say Foundation wants to buy 23andMe and put your genetic data onchain. We break down the backlash and privacy concerns. Finally, we look at the new Stable Act making its way through Congress and whether stablecoin regulation is headed toward bank-only control. Show highlights