Podcasts about vcs

VCs aren't just judging your deck and market size, they're judging you as a human being. In this episode, Jesse Draper breaks down exactly why investors walk away from “impressive” founders and strong companies when the founder fails the character test.Jesse Draper is the General Partner at Halogen Ventures, a fund backing primarily female founders and “future of family” startups, with over 80 portfolio companies and multiple unicorns including Babylist, The Flex Co, and theSkimm. After seeing countless pitches, she's developed a clear pattern: the number one reason she passes is not the idea, but the behavior of the founder.In this conversation, Jesse shares the unfiltered truth about what makes VCs reject impressive founders—even when the startup looks great on paper. She explains why she refuses to partner with “brilliant assholes” and why she needs to believe she can work with you for 10 years before writing a check.You'll learn:The specific founder behaviors that make investors say no: arrogance, lack of transparency, poor communication, and ghosting your cap table.Why responsiveness and openness consistently show up in top‑performing founders, regardless of past exits or pedigree.How Jesse evaluates “good human” traits in pitch meetings and pitch days, and why your attitude toward process is a massive signal.What to do after a no from a VC, and how the best founders turn rejections into future yeses.Jesse also talks about pattern recognition in venture capital, why she's so focused on future of family and women-led startups, and how founder behavior shows up years after the first pitch in board rooms, updates, and tough moments. Whether you're raising your first round or scaling a unicorn, this episode will help you understand how investors really think about you as a founder.

What are the 'professionals' investing in this year, and how do you drive success from investments in Blockchain and Crypto startups?These are important questions for VCs, for individuals, and for Web3 as an industry as we move deeper into the 'era of institutions'Mitch brings significant experience investing in innovative technology companies and Blockchain ecosystems. On this show, we discuss:1. Mitch's Background & Web3 Journey 2. An Intro to Fifth Era & Blockchain Coinvestors 3. His Current Investment Thesis for 2026 4. What Makes a Successful Investment 5. What More is Needed For Wider Web3 Adoption

Deepak Sindwani is Managing Partner at Wavecrest Growth Partners, an active growth equity firm backing bootstrapped and lightly funded SaaS founders. They work with practical founders who've built profitable businesses to $5–$20M ARR and want help growing without VC pressure or losing control. Wavecrest invests in vertical SaaS companies growing 30–60% annually, typically profitable or breakeven. They help founders scale sales, pricing, analytics, and leadership teams while staying capital efficient. Investments are usually $10–$30M total, with founders often taking some liquidity while continuing to lead. Even with the excitement around AI-first companies from VCs, Deepak sees efficient growth equity in practical vertical SaaS as a great investment and a big opportunity for founders. AI is helping serious practical founders, not making them irrelevant. Key Takeaways Capital Efficiency Matters — Wavecrest only backs profitable or breakeven SaaS companies that already respect the business model fundamentals. Founder Liquidity Helps — Taking some money off the table reduces stress and helps founders make better long-term decisions. Vertical SaaS Wins — Deep industry knowledge and data create defensibility AI-first competitors struggle to replicate. AI Is Additive — Software plus AI and data creates more value than AI replacing SaaS systems of record. No One-Size Playbook — Growth equity works best when strategies are customized, not forced by rigid PE-style playbooks. Quote from Deepak Sindwani, Managing Partner at Wavecrest Growth Partners "We don't think B2B SaaS is dead. It may create great headlines to say, AI eats software. We think software plus AI is the right approach. Software, AI plus data. So they're harvesting and creating that data moat that is going to help make them defensible. "Then, using the AI tools, why not use the AI tools to provide more automation for customers? That's what we really think AI does: increase the ability to automate the use of their product and to get value.  "Every company that we're involved with has some AI initiative. How am I changing how I run my business? How am I changing marketing and sales and finance and customer success using AI? Every company is doing something in every function in terms of new tools and tests." Links Deepak Sindwani on LinkedIn Wavecrest Growth on LinkedIn Wavecrest Growth Partners website Podcast Sponsor – Lighter Capital This podcast is sponsored by Lighter Capital. In the last 15 years, Lighter Capital has helped over 600 software and SaaS founders secure simple, non-dilutive financing to grow a little faster—without giving up any precious equity or board seats to investors.  Simple debt funding from Lighter Capital can range from $50K to $10 million, with straightforward terms, no personal guarantees or covenants, and up to a 4-year payback period. Go to LighterCapital.com to apply and get a quick pre-qualification. Then talk with their experienced team to create a practical funding plan to achieve your goals.  The Practical Founders Podcast Tune into the Practical Founders Podcast for weekly in-depth interviews with founders who have built valuable software companies without big funding. Subscribe to the Practical Founders Podcast using your favorite podcast app or view on our YouTube channel. Get the weekly Practical Founders newsletter and podcast updates at practicalfounders.com. Practical Founders CEO Peer Groups Be part of a committed and confidential group of practical founders creating valuable software companies without big VC funding.  A Practical Founders Peer Group is a committed and confidential group of founders/CEOs who want to help you succeed on your terms. Each Practical Founders Peer Group is personally curated and moderated by Greg Head.

In this inspiring episode of the Payne Points of Wealth, Ryan sits down with Jimmy Chen—founder and CEO of Propel, the groundbreaking fintech company modernizing America's social safety net and serving millions of low‑income families each month. Jimmy shares his remarkable journey from arriving in Kansas City as a four‑year‑old immigrant from China with parents who had just $200, to becoming a Stanford graduate, early product manager at LinkedIn and Facebook, and ultimately the creator of one of the most impactful social‑good tech companies in the country. You'll hear: How Jimmy's childhood shaped his relationship with money, scarcity, and grit—including his early “entrepreneurial” idea to sell his toys to avoid being a burden on his family   His realization that Silicon Valley was building tech for people like themselves, not for the millions relying on programs like SNAP.   The company's 11‑year journey—from 60 investor rejections and a $12,000 Kickstarter, to raise $90 million from top VCs and investors like Serena Williams and Kevin Durant.   Why Jimmy hires self-reliance, resilience, and at least one successful —not pedigree.   The massive role AI now plays in Propel's product, customer support, and internal operations.   What he believes the future of education, work, and technology will look like in an AI‑driven world. Jimmy also opens up about the “chip on his shoulder” to succeed, his father's work ethic, why frugality helped and hindered him, and the music that shaped him as a kid, navigating life in a new culture. This is a powerful story of ambition and purpose—proof that game‑changing ideas don't just come from Silicon Valley, but from childhood uncertainty and a deep commitment to help those less fortunate in our country.   Tune in for a conversation that's heartfelt, eye‑opening, and packed with wisdom for entrepreneurs, parents, and anyone navigating big decisions about money, purpose, and impact

This week on The Data Minute, Peter sits down with Arian Ghashghai, Founding Partner at Earthling VC, to discuss his thesis of investing in "weird stuff early."Arian explains why he bets on robotic oyster farms, virtual reality, and ocean exploration when other investors are chasing the latest consensus trends. He breaks down his "pirate ship" approach to venture capital and why being the first check is often more valuable to a founder than being the "most helpful."They also discuss the current state of the VC market and why Arian believes many funds have shifted from true long-term investing to short-term trading. Plus, Arian shares his unfiltered advice on raising from LPs, why he ignores "signaling risk" from big funds, and why Zurich might have a higher talent density than San Francisco.Subscribe to Carta's weekly Data Minute newsletter: https://carta.com/subscribe/data-newsletter-sign-up/Explore interactive startup and VC data, with Carta's Data Desk: https://carta.com/data-desk/Chapters:00:00 – Intro: Investing in weird stuff02:07 – Intro to Earthling VC02:47 – The "weird stuff early" thesis03:57 – Who are the LPs backing weird tech?05:47 – Why VR is a polarizing investment08:55 – The value of transparency with LPs10:49 – Case study: Robotic oyster farms14:36 – Do LPs push back on style drift?16:06 – Why keep the fund size small?18:50 – Portfolio construction: Diversified vs. Concentrated19:56 – Fundraising advice: Find alignment, don't convince25:46 – Can a solo GP really support 50 companies?28:42 – The three types of investors: Biggest, First, Helpful30:50 – Speed as a competitive advantage33:03 – Why Safe caps are just demand-driven prices34:11 – The cynicism of modern venture capital38:02 – Are VCs investing or just trading?41:31 – Do we need more VCs?46:41 – Avoiding consensus deal flow48:17 – Why Zurich is an underrated tech hub50:50 – Why founders love explicit investorsThis presentation contains general information only and eShares, Inc. dba Carta, Inc. (“Carta”) is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services, and is for informational purposes only.  This presentation is not a substitute for such professional advice or services nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business or interests. © 2026 eShares, Inc., dba Carta, Inc. All rights reserved.

In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen sits down with Timothy Chen, the sole General Partner at Essence VC. Tim shares his remarkable journey from being a “nerdy, geeky kid” who hacked open-source projects to becoming one of the most respected early-stage infrastructure investors, backing breakout companies like Tabular (acquired by Databricks for $2.2 billion). A former engineer at Microsoft and VMware, co-founder of Hyperpilot (acquired by Cloudera), and now a solo GP who quietly raised over $41 million for his latest fund, Tim offers a unique, no-BS perspective on spotting technical founders, navigating the idea maze, and rethinking sales and traction in the world of AI and infrastructure.We dive deep into his unconventional path into VC, rejected by traditional Sand Hill Road firms, only to build a powerhouse reputation through sheer technical credibility and founder empathy. Tim reveals the patterns behind disruptive infra companies, why most VCs can't help with product-market fit, and how he leverages his engineering background to win competitive deals.Whether you're a founder building the next foundational layer or an investor trying to understand the infra and AI boom, this conversation is packed with hard-won insights.The Open Source Resume (00:03:44)* How contributing to Apache projects (Drill, Cloud Foundry) built his career when a CS degree couldn't.* The moment he realized open source was a path to industry influence, not just a hobby.* Why the open source model is more “vertical than horizontal”, allowing deep contribution without corporate red tape.From Engineer to Founder: The Hyperpilot Journey (00:13:24)* Leaving Docker to start Hyperpilot and raising seed funding from NEA and Bessemer.* The harsh reality of founder responsibility: “It's not about the effort hard, it's about all the other things that has to go right.”* Learning from being “way too early to market” and the acquisition by Cloudera.The Unlikely Path into Venture Capital (00:26:07)* Rejected by top-tier VC firms for a job, then prompted to start his own fund via AngelList.* Starting with a $1M “Tim Chen Angel Fund” focused solely on infrastructure.* How Bain Capital's small anchor investment gave him the initial credibility.Building a Brand Through Focus & Reputation (00:30:42)* Why focusing exclusively on infrastructure was his “best blessing” creating a standout identity in a sparse field.* The reputation flywheel: Founders praising his help led to introductions from top-tier GPs and LPs.* StepStone reaching out for a commitment before he even had fund documents ready.The Essence VC Investment Philosophy (00:44:34)* Pattern Recognition: What he learned from witnessing the early days of Confluent, Databricks, and Docker.* Seeking Disruptors, Not Incrementalists: Backing founders who have a “non-common belief” that leads to a 10x better product (e.g., Modal Labs, Cursor, Warp).* Rethinking Sales & Traction: Why revenue-first playbooks don't apply in early-stage infra; comfort comes from technical co-building and roadmap planning.* The “Superpower”: Using his engineering background to pressure-test technical assumptions and timelines with founders.The Future of Infra & AI (00:52:09)* Infrastructure as an “enabler” for new application paradigms (real-time video, multimodal apps).* The coming democratization of building complex systems (the “next Netflix” built by smaller teams).* The shift from generalist backend engineers to specialists, enabled by new stacks and AI.Solo GP Life & Staying Relevant (00:54:55)* Why being a solo GP doesn't mean being a lone wolf; 20-30% of his time is spent syncing with other investors to learn.* The importance of continuous learning and adaptation in a fast-moving tech landscape.* His toolkit: Using portfolio company Clerky (a CRM) to manage workflow.About Timothy ChenFounder and Sole General Partner, Essence VCTimothy Chen is the Sole General Partner at Essence VC, a fund focused on early-stage infrastructure, AI, and open-source innovation. A three-time founder with an exit, his journey from Microsoft engineer to sought-after investor is a masterclass in building credibility through technical depth and founder-centric support. He has backed companies like Tabular, Iteratively, and Warp, and his insights are shaped by hundreds of conversations at the bleeding edge of infrastructure.Connect with Timothy Chen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timchenVisit the Essence VC Website: https://www.essencevc.fund/Connect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com

From investment banker to crypto fund strategist, Stas Sukhinin shares insider perspectives on how credit committees really make decisions, why over-leveraged companies fail fast during downturns, and where stablecoins are creating trillion-dollar transaction opportunities. In this episode of the DealQuest Podcast, host Corey Kupfer sits down with Stas Sukhinin, a finance veteran with over 19 years of experience spanning investment banking, corporate lending, and alternative asset management. Stas began his career at internationally recognized institutions including UniCredit and Societe General, where he helped pioneer mezzanine loan products in Eastern Europe. By age 29, he had become a senior partner at one of the region's largest mezzanine lenders, managing a team of 20 finance professionals and overseeing a $450 million loan portfolio. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: In this episode, you'll discover what really happens inside credit committees when your loan application gets reviewed and why factors unrelated to your business can determine outcomes. Stas explains how strong companies can go from healthy to restructuring in just three to four months when leverage catches up with them, and the critical difference between how first-time owners and experienced operators approach debt decisions. You'll learn the two key factors that determine how much debt your business can handle, why working capital provisions in purchase agreements deserve more attention than most buyers give them, and how sellers legally present financials in the most favorable light. The conversation also covers Stas's experience investing in the 2017 ICO boom where 90% of projects went to zero but winners returned 50x to 100x, why venture capital investors sometimes block deals that would be life-changing for founders, and where stablecoin transaction volume is already reaching trillions while most people remain unaware. STAS'S JOURNEY: Stas's path into finance started at age 14 when a classmate brought a business magazine to school. Reading about business owners selling companies for millions crystallized his direction. He knew he wanted to be in corporate lending where he could see businesses, analyze financials, and speak directly with owners while working with numbers at a bank. His first role as a junior credit analyst gave him exactly that. He progressed from working with small businesses that had no financials to mid-sized companies to large corporations. Each step taught him more about how deals really get done from inside the institutions making funding decisions. CREDIT COMMITTEE INSIGHTS: Stas pulls back the curtain on what actually happens when loan applications reach credit committees. The reality differs dramatically from what most business owners imagine. Factors affecting approval can seem completely unrelated to the specific deal. Maybe the bank already has a competitor in their portfolio. Maybe the receivable financing department has a different relationship with someone in your industry. One offhand comment from a committee member who hasn't read the full memo can change the entire trajectory of a conversation or result in higher interest rates. DEBT MANAGEMENT LESSONS: The pattern Stas has seen destroy companies in months follows predictable steps. Revenue drops or stagnates. Margins deteriorate because of increased competition and client uncertainty. Debt ratios that looked comfortable suddenly reach concerning levels. Refinancing options disappear just when needed most. Interest rates climb. Everything compounds simultaneously. The difference between experienced and first-time business owners comes down to scenario planning. Experienced operators build safety margins and stress-test assumptions. First-time owners assume conditions will continue as they are. That assumption determines survival. ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS: Stas joined a crypto investment fund at its inception in 2017 during the ICO boom. Out of many investments, approximately 90% went to zero. The winners returned 50x or 100x. His observation about liquidity cycles was particularly interesting. Traditional venture now averages seven-year holding periods while crypto projects can reach liquidity events in three or four years through token distributions. On stablecoins, Stas sees enormous opportunity in programmable money. Transaction volume is already in the trillions though most people in developed countries don't realize the scale. Goldman Sachs reportedly reduced bond settlement time from three days to minutes using blockchain technology. Perfect for business owners considering debt financing, entrepreneurs navigating capital raising, and anyone interested in how credit decisions really get made and where alternative investments are creating new opportunities. FOR MORE ON THIS EPISODE: https://www.coreykupfer.com/blog/stassukhinin FOR MORE ON STAS SUKHININ: https://www.thesourcer.so https://www.linkedin.com/in/stassukhinin/ FOR MORE ON COREY KUPFER https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/ https://www.coreykupfer.com/ Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker. He has more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker. He is deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is also the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Get deal-ready with the DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer, where like-minded entrepreneurs and business leaders converge, share insights and challenges, and success stories. Equip yourself with the tools, resources, and support necessary to navigate the complex yet rewarding world of dealmaking. Dive into the world of deal-driven growth today! Episode Highlights with Timestamps: [00:00] - Introduction: Stas Sukhinin's 19 years in finance from investment banking to crypto [03:26] - First deal experience: Structuring a real estate development loan with disbursement tied to sales [05:47] - Hidden factors: Why deals get rejected for reasons unrelated to underwriting criteria[08:20] - Committee dynamics: How one comment from an uninvolved member changes deal trajectories [11:41] - Timing and instruments: When companies use the wrong type of capital [15:55] - Risk assumptions: The difference between first-time and experienced business owners [18:29] - Volatility factors: How income stability determines appropriate leverage levels [21:09] - M&A implications: Structuring adjustment provisions for concentration risk [24:09] - Liquidity advantages: Why crypto offers shorter holding periods than traditional venture[27:55] - Venture math: The story of a VC blocking a life-changing exit for 1x returns [29:27] - Due diligence limitations: Legal ways sellers present favorable financials [32:14] - Stablecoins explained: Digital tokens designed to maintain dollar parity [36:31] - Programmable money: Smart contracts that execute automatically on conditions [38:00] - Financial advisory services: How Stas helps business owners understand their financials[39:14] - Freedom defined: Removing gatekeepers and accessing financial systems without barriers Guest Bio: Stas Sukhinin has over 19 years of experience in finance spanning investment banking, corporate lending, and alternative asset management. He began his career at internationally recognized institutions including UniCredit and Societe General, where he helped pioneer mezzanine loan products and shaped the market in Eastern Europe. By age 29, Stas had become a senior partner at one of the region's largest mezzanine lenders, managing a team of 20 finance professionals and overseeing a $450 million loan portfolio. He later served on boards of several private companies, deepening his expertise across credit investments and corporate governance. Recognizing early opportunities in alternative assets, Stas joined a crypto investment fund at its inception in 2017 and continues to lead its strategy and operations. He now helps business owners run more efficiently from the lens of financials through his advisory practice. Host Bio: Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker with more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Show Description: Do you want your business to grow faster? The DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer reveals how successful entrepreneurs and business leaders use strategic deals to accelerate growth. From large mergers and acquisitions to capital raising, joint ventures, strategic alliances, real estate deals, and more, this show discusses the full spectrum of deal-driven growth strategies. Get the confidence to pursue deals that will help your company scale faster. Related Episodes: Episode 350 - Tom Dillon: When NOT to Take Venture Capital Money: Explore alternative funding sources including private credit, SBA loans, and sale-leasebacks with a fractional CFO who works with startups on capital strategy. Episode 370 - Gerry Hays: Democratizing Venture Capital Through VentureStaking: Discover alternative approaches to early-stage investing that don't require massive checks or exclusive networks. Episode 85 - Nick Adams: Seed Stage Venture Capital Funds: Understand how traditional VCs think about early-stage deals and what metrics they evaluate from the investor perspective. Episode 351 - Solocast: Deal Structures Beyond M&A and Capital Raising: Learn about joint ventures, strategic alliances, licensing agreements, and other creative partnership models for business growth. Episode 324 - Sejal Lakhani-Bhatt: Tech Due Diligence in M&A: Explore how technology systems and cybersecurity impact business valuation and deal outcomes. Episode 330 - Pete Mohr: Preparing Your Business for Exit: Understand why sellers often cause deals to fail and how to prepare for the emotional aspects of selling a business. Follow DealQuest Podcast: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/ Website: https://www.coreykupfer.com/ Follow Stas Sukhinin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stassukhinin/ Website: https://www.thesourcer.so Keywords/Tags: corporate lending insights, credit committee decisions, debt management for businesses, mezzanine lending, alternative asset management, crypto investment strategy, stablecoin business applications, EBITDA management, leverage risk, working capital due diligence, venture capital exits, ICO investing, blockchain finance, programmable money, business financing, capital structure, due diligence strategies, financial advisory, dealmaking, business growth strategies

2025 was, undoubtedly, the year of AI. In the first episode of 2026 Beezer Clarkson, Partner at Sapphire Partners, and Nick Chirls, Partner at Asylum Ventures revisit some of their favorite moments from the year before to see what the top voices in VC saw as emerging AI trendlines and how the venture ecosystem and global markets might respond next. In this episode we'll hear from – among others – Sarah Tavel of Benchmark about what it means to be truly AI native, Sunil Dhaliwal & Mike Dauber of Amplify about finding technical VCs in the age of AI, and Micah Rosenbloom of Founder Collective on how early stage venture often misses major trends like AI until it's too late.Learn more about Sapphire Partners: sapphireventures.com/sapphire-partnersLearn more about OpenLP: openlp.vcLearn more about Asylum Ventures: asylum.vcLearn more about Benchmark: benchmark.comLearn more about Amplify: amplifypartners.comLearn more about Founder Collective: foundercollective.comLearn more about Curie.Bio: curie.bioRead Sarah's Substack Posts: sarahtavel.comCHAPTERS:0:00 Welcome to Origins3:36 Being AI Native with Sarah Tavel10:36 Finding Technical Founders with Mike Dauber & Sunil Dhaliwal14:31 Early Stage Founders Are 7 Years Too Late with Micah Rosenbloom23:04 What AI CAN'T Do with Zach Weinberg28:37-Technical vs. Product Genius with Sarah Tavel38:49 Nick & Beezer's AI Trends to Watch In 2026For a monthly roundup of the latest venture insights, including the newest Origins episodes, subscribe to the OpenLP newsletter – delivered straight to your inbox: subscribe.openlp.vcOrigins is produced by Sapphire Ventures in partnership with⁠ Pod People.Nothing presented herein is intended to constitute investment advice, and under no circumstances should any information provided herein be used or considered as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any investment fund managed by Sapphire Ventures, LLC (“Sapphire”). Any offer or solicitation of securities by Sapphire may only be made in accordance with the current offering documents for a managed Fund in which Sapphire is an advisor. Additionally, Sapphire does not solicit or make its services available to the public; such offerings may only be provided to accredited investors and qualified purchasers defined within the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940. Information provided reflects Sapphire Ventures' views as of a particular time. Such views are subject to change at any point and Sapphire Ventures shall not be obligated to provide notice of any change. Due to various risks and uncertainties, actual events, results or the actual experience may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in these statements. While Sapphire Ventures has used reasonable efforts to obtain information from reliable sources, Sapphire makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of third party information presented herein. Nothing presented herein may be relied upon as a guarantee or assurance as to the future success of any particular investment opportunity or strategy. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Circle.so - http://Circle.so/twistDeel - http://deel.com/twistUber AI Solutions - http://uber.com/twistToday's show:Not long ago, promising young Japanese graduates wanted to go work for the largest, most established, and even oldest corporations: Sony, Mitsubishi, and the like. But now, just over the last few years, more and more Japanese people are becoming entrepreneurs and founders. TWiST Japan continues with a fascinating look inside the country's growing startup ecosystem with special guest, venture capitalist Shinichi “Shin” Takamiya. He'll walk Jason through how Japan stayed ahead of the rest of the world in technology, but started falling behind when it came to founding companies, and how the Japanese are now starting to level the playing field.PLUS why his fund, Globis, sees other VC firms as collaborators rather than the competition… How AI is helping Japanese and American founders build their companies more quickly… Why Jason prefers training younger people to become VCs rather than hiring more experienced players… Shin's guide to eating out in Tokyo… and much more!Timestamps: (00:00) We're so excited to bring Founder University in Japan!(04:15) Jason and our guest first met 15-25 years ago…(06:06) How is Japan always so far ahead of the rest of the world?(08:29) Globis is one of Japan's largest and oldest venture capital firms!(10:48) Circle.so -  the easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand. TWiST listeners get $1,000 off Circle's Professional Plan by going to http://Circle.so/twist(12:38) Why founders need to play the long game when it comes to networking(15:03) “The founder is the most precious resource in the startup community”(16:50) Shin takes us inside his Mercari (a massive Japanese marketplace site) investment(18:20) How startups became “cool” in Japan, just recently(19:43) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more.(21:09) You don't have to tell an investor your whole story… just get them interested(25:28) Why Jason likes to train young folks to be VCs, rather than hiring for experience(28:44) The differences between being candid and rude(29:44) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist(35:40) Why Globis sees other VC firms as collaborators(39:08) The world's OLDEST company is 1500 years old… and it's from Japan…(39:54) Why a lot of great businesses aren't right for VC investment(43:34) Why picking the right market is so crucial(48:37) When you know the direction of change but can't predict the timing(50:34) How founders are using AI to build better companies faster(54:39) Shin's guide to eating out in Tokyo*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(10:48) Circle.so -  the easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand. TWiST listeners get $1,000 off Circle's Professional Plan by going to http://Circle.so/twist(19:43) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more.(29:44) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twistCheck out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

What separates successful investors, executives, and decision-makers from the rest isn't luck—it's how they understand risk, probability, and data. In this episode of GrowNLearn, host Zorina Dimitrova—investment matchmaker and strategic growth advisor—welcomes Dr. Michael Orkin, a renowned statistician and consultant who has advised casino odds-makers, Fortune-100 strategy teams, and global organizations on how to think clearly under uncertainty. Dr. Orkin is the author of The Story of Chance: Beyond the Margin of Error (2nd Edition, 2025), a powerful guide to recognizing data illusions, misleading patterns, and cognitive traps that influence everything from investment decisions to leadership strategy. Together, we explore: Why humans are hardwired to see patterns that don't exist How casinos, investors, and boards quantify real risk Expected Value (EV) as a decision-making framework The Kelly Criterion and disciplined capital allocation How small data samples and headlines distort reality Practical tools to spot “loaded dice” in business, finance, and life This conversation is essential viewing for: ✔ Investors & capital allocators ✔ Founders & executives ✔ Strategy, finance, and growth leaders ✔ Anyone making high-stakes decisions under uncertainty

Matt O'Connor is the Co-founder of Legion, a platform for compliant and merit-based public token offering that enables teams to select investors based on criteria such as onchain history, social clout, and developer contributions. He is the former lead algorithmic engineer for Bridgewater Associates; tokenomics researcher for the Stacks Foundation (SEC qualified 2019 ICO); and token economics lead for Status (2017 ICO). His open source book, Tokenomics for Builders, has been positively reviewed by founders and VCs from Monad, Placeholder, Tensor, AllianceDAO, Galaxy Digital, and more. In this conversation, we discuss:- ICOs, IDOs, launchpads, private SAFT rounds - Merit-based, compliant token offerings - Why IPO access has deteriorated for retail investors - How Legion differs from AngelList, Carta, Republic, or SeedInvest - The convergence of IPOs ICOs - Companies with equity holders and token holders - Tokenomics 101 - Common mistakes when designing tokenomics - KPI based vesting for founders LegionX: @legiondotccWebsite: legion.ccLinkedIn: Legion | Merit-based FundraisingMatt O'ConnorX: @matty_LinkedIn: Matt O'Connor---------------------------------------------------------------------------------This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.  PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions. Code: CRYPTONEWS50 This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below: PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS FeedSee All

Welcome to a very special edition of the Six Five Podcast! In this milestone episode, hosts Patrick Moorhead and Daniel Newman come together live in studio to celebrate hitting 100,000 YouTube subscribers. The duo takes a moment to reflect on the journey so far, their ever-growing community, and the audience of VCs, tech investors, and enterprise leaders who tune in each week. But it's not just about commemorating the past—our hosts dive right into the latest headlines shaping the tech industry, unpacking Apple's ongoing AI challenges and the strategy behind its latest collaboration with Google's Gemini. They break down OpenAI's $10 billion deal with Cerebras, and the explosive race to build out global data centers and energy capacity. Plus, a debate on what custom silicon means for the future of AI, Meta's recent layoffs at Reality Labs, TSMC's strong quarterly earnings, and they share predictions for enterprise AI in 2026. The handpicked topics for this week are: Celebrating 100K Subscribers: Hosts open the special episode, celebrating 100,000 YouTube subscribers, thanking the audience and introducing the YouTube Creator Award. A montage of show highlights, including funny moments, diverse locations, shirtless episodes, and memorable guest appearances. Apple, Google, and the AI Race: Pat and Dan transition into news analysis: Apple's AI strategy, Gemini integration, CapEx, and the broader implications for device form factors AI Chip Wars: OpenAI, Cerberus, Nvidia & Heterogeneous Computing: Hosts discuss major AI chip deals, the future of custom vs. merchant silicon, and why heterogeneous compute architectures matter. Data Center Boom, Energy Constraints & U.S. vs. China: Exploring the exponential growth in data centers, energy supply/regulatory bottlenecks, and the U.S.-China competition on infrastructure. Meta Layoffs, Wearables, and Future of XR: Meta's Reality Labs layoffs and what it signals for the Metaverse, AI wearables, and the XR industry shift toward AI-powered augmentation. China/PRC: Nvidia H200 Ban & Tech Sovereignty Rumors: Analysis on China's restrictions on Nvidia H200 chips, sovereign innovation, and the "cat and mouse" of supply chains and government posturing. The Flip - Live Debate Custom vs. Merchant Silicon, Google, Apple: A special, in-person, rapid-fire debate segment with spicy Texas sausage and coin flips: custom silicon's rise, Google TPUs, Apple's semiconductor strategy. TSMC Earnings, AI Ecosystem, & Chip Market Trends: Macro discussion on TSMC's results, CapEx, implications for Nvidia, AMD, Apple, Intel, and the ongoing AI-led semiconductor boom. Infosys, GSIs, and the AI Implementation Curve: Hosts trade insights on Infosys' strong quarter, what it means for enterprise digital transformation, and the role of GSIs as AI reshapes services. 2026 Tech Predictions: Dan and Pat share predictions for enterprise AI, ROI, key AI milestones, and potential for AI-driven layoffs.   Be sure to subscribe to The Six Five Pod so you never miss an episode.  

Produced by Foundersuite (for startups: www.foundersuite.com) and Fundingstack (for emerging manager VCs: www.fundingstack.com), "How I Raised It" goes behind the scenes with startup founders and investors who have raised capital. This episode is with with Sam Lessin of Slow Ventures, a a generalist early stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco, Boston, and New York that has invested ~$1B in startups building in the security, fintech, buyouts/rollups, SaaS, crypto, consumer, healthcare, and the creator economy. Slow's portfolio includes companies like Airtable, Brightside, Gusto, Metropolis, OpenPhone, PillPack, Ro, Solana, Teamshares and more. In this episode we discuss what Slow invests in across its 5 funds, why Slow is a "generalist fund," how Sam and Kevin raised capital for their first fund from ex-Facebook employees, why Slow decided to launch a dedicated fund focused on the creator economy, his advice for emerging VC managers and much more. How I Raised It is produced by Foundersuite, makers of software to raise capital and manage investor relations. Foundersuite's customers have raised over $21 Billion since 2016. If you are a startup, create a free account at www.foundersuite.com. If you are a VC, venture studio or investment banker, check out our new platform, www.fundingstack.com

Evan Ratliff started a company last summer. He and his co-founders came up with a name, hired a team, built a website, and launched an app. They interviewed interns, planned a company hiking trip, and fielded inbound interest from VCs. Normal startup stuff. Except for one thing: All of Evan's employees are AI agents. So are his co-founders. He's been documenting the journey on his podcast Shell Game — what works, what doesn't, and what it might tell us about a future where AI employees are everywhere. Sponsored By: Shopify - Start your $1/month trial at shopify.com/nbi

In this episode of Building the Base, Hondo Geurts and Lauren Bedula sit down with Paul Kwan, Managing Director at General Catalyst, where he leads the global resilience investment team, recorded live at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley. Paul traces his path from reading The Hunt for Red October in sixth grade to becoming one of the original defense tech VCs, and walks through what venture capital actually is and how it differs from private equity. He discusses General Catalyst's 25 years in the space, including backing Anduril early on, and explains how private capital funds R&D for the next generation of defense companies. The conversation covers the economics of VC, common misconceptions about venture capital and technology development, and Paul's reaction to Secretary Hegseth's acquisition reform speech.Five key takeaways from today's episode:Venture capital funds operate on 10-year timeframes compared to private equity's typical 5-7 year windows—a structural difference that allows VCs to take a longer-term approach while defense companies work through the challenges of manufacturing hardware at scale.Private investors fund R&D upfront in the venture model, betting that a small percentage of portfolio companies will become large enough to go public or get acquired, a different approach than traditional models where government funded product development from the start.Re-industrialization requires investment across the entire industrial stack. Beyond defense platforms, success depends on building out manufacturing software, testing infrastructure, electronic supply chains, and energy systems to enable production at the speed and cost needed.Large fundraises reflect market confidence in future contract awards. When VCs invest significant capital, they're anticipating that government contracts will follow. If those contracts don't materialize, it creates challenges for the innovation ecosystem that funded product development.First-of-its-kind defense tech business models represent new market categories. These companies may be valued differently than traditional defense contractors, similar to how technology disruptors in other industries trade at different multiples than legacy incumbents in their sectors.

Dan Nathan sits down with FirstMark Capital co-founder Rick Heitzmann and Jesse Chasse from RBC Capital Markets to unpack why 2026 is the first year VCs feel truly bullish again, as resilient growth, easing rates, and maturing AI set the stage for a new tech cycle. They dig into how AI-powered startups are disintermediating legacy SaaS names, why 80-90% of venture returns still come in the public markets, and what it takes to build the next Pinterest, Shopify, DraftKings, or Airbnb. The conversation covers AI's impact on white-collar jobs, the shift from infrastructure to application-layer winners, and what the coming wave of marquee IPOs means for valuations, scarcity, and whether we're in a bubble or a genuine AI-driven supercycle. —FOLLOW USYouTube: @RiskReversalMediaInstagram: @riskreversalmediaTwitter: @RiskReversalLinkedIn: RiskReversal Media

Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career ✓ Claim : 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 --------- Matt MacInnis is the chief product officer and former longtime COO at Rippling, a unified workforce management platform valued at over $16 billion.We discuss:1. Why “extraordinary results demand extraordinary efforts”2. Why you should deliberately understaff projects, and how to know when you've gone too far3. Matt's transition from COO to CPO and what surprised him about leading product4. The “high alpha, low beta” framework for evaluating people, processes, and products5. When founders should quit their startups (hint: much earlier than VCs want you to)6. How to fight entropy in your organization through relentless energy and intensity—Brought to you by:Google Gemini—Your everyday AI assistant: https://ai.dev/Datadog—Now home to Eppo, the leading experimentation and feature flagging platform: https://www.datadoghq.com/lennyGoFundMe Giving Funds—Make year-end giving easy: http://gofundme.com/lenny—Transcript: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/10-contrarian-leadership-truths—My biggest takeaways (for paid newsletter subscribers): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/i/181916584/my-biggest-takeaways-from-this-conversation—Where to find Matt MacInnis:• X: https://x.com/stanine• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/macinnis• Email: macinnis@rippling.com—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction to Matt MacInnis and Rippling(04:38) The importance of extraordinary efforts(08:37) The challenges and rewards of relentless effort(10:11) Your job as a leader is to preserve intensity(12:39) You learn far more from success than failure(16:34) Transitioning to chief product officer(19:54) Fixing product management at Rippling(25:27) The “high alpha, low beta” framework(28:55) The PQL framework(35:16) Hiring frameworks and team dynamics(36:52) A helpful interview tactic(40:00) Leading as a COO vs. a CPO(42:34) The reality of product-market fit(46:38) The problem with venture capital(49:29) When founders should quit their startups(41:48) The immutable market(54:13) Lessons from Notion's success(57:43) Investment strategies and narrative violations(01:00:42) The power of compounding, power law, and entropy(01:07:02) Maintaining intensity and fighting entropy(01:11:33) The importance of feedback and escalations(01:14:31) Rippling's vision and success(01:17:48) AI's impact on SaaS and business software(01:23:42) AI corner(01:26:23) Final thoughts and lightning round—Referenced:• Rippling: https://www.rippling.com• Sunil Raman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunilraman• Dan Gill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dangill• Carvana: https://www.carvana.com• Brian Chesky's new playbook: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/brian-cheskys-contrarian-approach• Parker Conrad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parkerconrad• Inkling: https://www.inkling.com• Akshay Kothari on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akothari• Notion: https://www.notion.com• Conway's law: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway%27s_law• Seeking Alpha: https://seekingalpha.com• Dennis Rodman's website: https://dennisrodman.com• Dancing pickle emoji: https://slackmojis.com/emojis/456-dancing_pickle• Pickle Rick: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickle_Rick• SPOTAK: The Six Traits I Look for When I'm Hiring: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/spotak-six-traits-look-m-181335267.html• Geoff Lewis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geofflewis1• Zenefits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TriNet_Zenefits• New banking records prove Deel paid thief who stole trade secrets from Rippling: https://www.rippling.com/blog/new-banking-records-prove-deel-paid-thief-who-stole-trade-secrets-from-rippling• Workday: https://www.workday.com• Matic robots: https://maticrobots.com• Wall-E: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0910970• Conviction: https://www.conviction.com• Mike Vernal on X: https://x.com/mvernal• Sarah Guo on X: https://x.com/saranormous• No Priors: https://linktr.ee/nopriors• Gemini: https://gemini.google.com• ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com• Claude: https://claude.ai• Bryan Schreier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanschreier• Heated Rivalry on HBO Max: https://www.hbomax.com/shows/heated-rivalry/50cd4e99-04ee-427b-a3b4-da721ed05d9c• Fellow coffee maker: https://fellowproducts.com/products/aiden-precision-coffee-maker—Recommended books:• Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space: https://www.amazon.com/Pale-Blue-Dot-Vision-Future/dp/0345376595• Conscious Business: How to Build Value Through Values: https://www.amazon.com/Conscious-Business-Build-through-Values/dp/1622032020• Thinking in Systems: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Systems-Donella-H-Meadows/dp/1603580557• The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done: https://www.amazon.com/Effective-Executive-Definitive-Harperbusiness-Essentials/dp/0060833459—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com

Dana Roberts spent years watching fifth-grade girls panic through their first periods with ill-fitting products and no preparation. The period care aisle hadn't changed in decades. Same brands. Same sizing that was never designed for a 10-year-old's body. When she pitched the idea to her god-sister, Dr. Monica Williams, she got a polite brush-off. Years later, Monica's own daughter started showing signs of puberty, and suddenly the problem wasn't theoretical anymore.What followed was a brutal education in bootstrapping: churning through agencies, surviving iOS 14.5, and funding an entire company through pitch competitions because traditional VCs wouldn't write checks. Last year, a three-minute pitch won them $1 million from Pharrell Williams. Then Ulta told them to change their name if they wanted shelf space. They did it in 90 days.Now Scarlet by RedDrop is in almost 400 stores trying to fix something the industry ignored for generations. We talked about all of it, including the part where Monica says she wishes she'd never bootstrapped at all.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSScarlet by RedDrop: tryreddrop.comUlta product page: ulta.com/brand/scarlet-by-reddropBlack Ambition Prize: blackambitionprize.comKlaviyo: klaviyo.comSmart Marketer: smartmarketer.comWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

The AI boom isn't a level playing field—and most startups are running a race they're set up to lose. In this episode, Dr. Manu Kumar explains why the real winners of this AI wave are the incumbents who already control distribution and customers, not the scrappy upstarts.Dr. Manu Kumar is the founder of K9 Ventures and an early investor in companies like Lyft, Twilio, Lucidchart, Carta, Auth0, and Everlaw, with over 15 years backing more than 50 early-stage startups. Drawing from his experience as a founder, PhD in Human-Computer Interaction, and solo GP, Manu breaks down why this AI cycle is structurally different from past tech shifts—and what that means for founders, operators, and VCs.In this conversation, Manu argues that the biggest moat in AI today isn't the model, the data, or the tech—it's distribution. Companies like Google and Microsoft already have massive customer bases and control the channels where AI products are discovered and adopted, which tilts the game heavily in their favor. He explains how this changes the calculus for AI startups, what kinds of products still have a shot, and why some founders should stop pretending they're competing on a fair field.You'll also hear Manu's philosophy on founder success: why he optimizes for grit, “insane perseverance in the face of complete resistance,” and technical founders who can actually build the product themselves. He shares how he evaluates early-stage teams at the two-person-and-an-idea stage, why gut instinct still matters when there's no data, and how to think about market size when the category doesn't really exist yet.If you're building in AI, investing in AI, or just trying to understand where this wave is really headed, this episode gives a brutally honest look at who has the power—and what founders can still do about it.

What if the customer experience principles behind Disney-level service and NASA-grade operational excellence could be applied to your business, without increasing your costs? In this episode of the Grownlearn Podcast, host Zorina Dimitrova, Investment Matchmaker & Strategic Growth Advisor, sits down with Vance Morris, a customer experience expert who has worked with Disney, NASA, and the Kennedy Center.

Emily Kramer, founder of MKT1 and a longtime voice in modern B2B marketing, joins Ian Faison to unpack how AI is reshaping marketing teams, roles, and expectations.They explore Emily's concept of the “gen marketer”,  and why traditional silos and specialist-heavy teams struggle in today's high-velocity environment.Key TakeawaysMarketing teams need more generalists who can connect strategy, creativity, and distribution.Speed to execution matters more than perfect alignment across functions.Big marketing wins come from coordinated campaigns, not isolated tactics.AI increases the value of orchestration and taste, not specialization alone.Marketing leaders should think in portfolios of bets, not incremental activities.Quote“Every big initiative needs to have a chance to really win — not just deliver incremental results.”Episode Timestamps(03:51) What the “Gen Marketer” role actually means(10:04) Why speed matters more than perfect alignment(16:42) Escaping random acts of marketing with big bets(24:58) How CMOs should think like producers or VCs(31:37) When founder-led marketing works (and when it doesn't)SponsorPipeline Visionaries is brought to you by Qualified.com — the pipeline generation platform for revenue teams.Turn your website into a pipeline machine with PipelineAI. Engage and convert your most valuable visitors with live chat, chatbots, meeting scheduling, and intent data.Visit Qualified.com to learn more.LinksConnect with Ian on LinkedInConnect with Emily Kramer on LinkedInDear Marketers Podcast MKT1 UnboxingLearn more about MKT1Learn more about Caspian Studios Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to 2026. In this special New Year's episode of The Data Minute, Peter sits down with his colleague Ashley Neville from Carta's Insights Team to dissect the data that defined 2025 and forecast the trends shaping the year ahead.Ashley and Peter analyze the "haves and have nots" market where AI startups command a 40% valuation premium over their peers. They explain why solo founders now account for over a third of all new companies and how capital constraints are driving this shift.They also break down the changing landscape for startup employees, including why equity packages have dropped by 50% and why many departing workers are choosing not to exercise their options. Plus, they discuss the liquidity pressure facing VCs, the "Nvidia problem" for LPs, and what founders need to understand about the Safe market in 2026.Subscribe to Carta's weekly Data Minute newsletter: https://carta.com/subscribe/data-newsletter-sign-up/Explore interactive startup and VC data, with Carta's Data Desk: https://carta.com/data-desk/Chapters:01:14 – Ashley Neville joins the show 02:18 – Fundraising: A market of "Haves and Have Nots"03:47 – The 40% AI valuation premium06:00 – Why the bar for media coverage has skyrocketed07:34 – The surge of the Solo Founder (30% to 36%)10:00 – The concentration of startups in SF and SaaS11:17 – The new hiring reality: 10% leaner teams13:34 – Why employee equity packages are down 50%15:20 – Why employees are leaving options on the table18:43 – The "First Employee" equity bump21:10 – The need for better equity education24:02 – The liquidity crisis: IPOs vs. Staying Private28:05 – LP Psychology: Why invest in VC when you have Nvidia?29:39 – Companies staying private for 16-18 years32:10 – Fund Economics: VC vs. PE personal capital36:20 – The most common founder questions (Safes & Dilution)38:52 – OutroThis presentation contains general information only and eShares, Inc. dba Carta, Inc. (“Carta”) is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services, and is for informational purposes only.  This presentation is not a substitute for such professional advice or services nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business or interests. © 2026 eShares, Inc., dba Carta, Inc. All rights reserved.

Welcome back to the EUVC Podcast where we connect and champion the people building European venture.In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with two pillars of Italy's modern tech ecosystem:Giovanni Daprà, CEO & co-founder of Moneyfarm, one of Europe's leading digital wealth management platformsPaolo Gesess, co-founder & GP at United Ventures, one of Italy's premier early-stage VC firmsTogether, they unpack how Moneyfarm went from a Milan-founded startup to a pan-European fintech player; how Italy's ecosystem has evolved; how United Ventures backed Giovanni through multiple strategic inflection points; why the shift from Blitzscaling to Default Alive made Moneyfarm stronger; and how European fintech is entering an era of consolidation and acquisition-led expansion.This is an episode full of concrete frameworks, real founder–VC dynamics, and hard-earned lessons from building across Italy, the UK, and Europe.Here's what's covered:04:00 | Moneyfarm as a digital wealth manager built to make investing simple, guided + discretionary, now managing £6.5B across Italy & the UK04:54 | Why United Ventures backed them: early conviction in a massive savings problem, founder clarity from day one, and a mission that remained unchanged for 13 years06:31 | Building from Italy first: leveraging local regulatory fluency + talent cost advantages while keeping a pan-European vision from day zero08:59 | Italy today vs. 2012 — more capital, more repeat founders, more international operators returning, and a dramatically deeper talent pool13:21 | The “tipping point” moments — moments where the board must choose: buy back shares, bring in global investors, widen the model (e.g., B2B2C)17:45 | Where Moneyfarm is now — strong in Italy + UK, product expansion complete (brokerage + pensions), and preparing for the next geographic phase18:37 | Surviving the capital cycle: seeing interest rates spike in real-time, shifting from burn to profitability in 24 months, and reshaping the framework for Europe19:50 | The Europe playbook: “default alive” — why blitzscaling never fit most of Europe, and how disciplined scaling becomes a competitive advantage22:25 | Founders vs. VCs on growth vs. profit — debunking the myth: alignment, capital structure, and long-term value trump forcing hypergrowth23:09 | Managing founder stress & incentives — secondaries, refreshed equity plans, changing founder roles, and adapting governance over a 10-year journey25:41 | The cap table reality — Moneyfarm with VCs, PEs, and industrials: why no one could force a “burn it all” strategy even if they wanted to27:41 | Building European-style VC — United Ventures' thesis: European standards, European ambition, and preparing founders for international Series B/C investors30:09 | The next frontier: pan-European expansion, from product expansion → to commercial optimization → to cross-border consolidation34:13 | Growing into M&A as a founder — Moneyfarm's three acquisitions, building the muscle, and using M&A as a growth lever when organic slows36:11 | The M&A playbook — when to build vs. buy, why scale matters, and the founder's job in orchestrating product-led acquisitions37:40 | What founders often underestimate — M&A is expensive, cognitively draining, and requires dedicated people so you don't destroy core execution39:47 | The board's role — independent perspectives, long-term value thinking, and helping the CEO avoid deal fever or tunnel vision41:00 | The hard question: exits & fund cycles — how VCs manage tail-end holdings, DPI realities, continuation funds, and why selling is not betrayal43:48 | DPI explained simply — why some funds need liquidity earlier, and why United didn't (strong DPI → more patience → no forced exit)

In this episode of Ambition 2.0, host Amanda Goetz sits down with Alexa von Tobel—the founder of LearnVest (where she raised $75M and successfully sold it to Northwestern Mutual) and current founder and managing partner of Inspired Capital—to unpack the resilient mindset that has shaped her successful career, from founder to venture-capital veteran.Alexa dropped out of Harvard Business School and poured her life savings into LearnVest, a multimillion-dollar business idea—despite warnings from nearly everyone around her that she was making a big mistake. She did it in the middle of the 2008 economic recession, no less. Alexa shares why her 90-year-old self (and the fear of regret) fuels her to take big risks, the qualities she looks for when investing in a founder, and practical tips for pitching your business to VCs for the first time. She also shares an unpopular truth: if you're becoming an entrepreneur for the status or the “quick money,” it's going to be a rough ride. There's only one reason why you should start your own business: because you can't do any other job. Key takeaways Regret is usually about the swings you didn't take—not the mistakes you made. Raising capital gets easier when you combine mission + proof + obsessive category insight. Feedback is a competitive edge (and ego is the fastest way to lose it). Entrepreneurship shouldn't be “cool”—it should be inevitable for the person doing it. Sustainable ambition comes from doing what you love + what you're excellent at, then turning the intensity toward your whole life. 00:00 Intro 02:46 Reclaiming ambition as a positive force 04:11 The LearnVest origin story and dropping out during the economic downturn of 2008 07:53 Raising $75M and the difference between capital vs. “world-class” capital 15:24 What founders get wrong in pitches (and what great answers sound like) 24:20 Identity beyond titles, exits, and the founder doom spiral 33:54 Speed round: The one quality she looks for before investing in founders (and the one that's a major red flag)  GUEST LINKS IG: https://www.instagram.com/alexavontobel/?hl=en  Listen to her podcast here: https://www.inspiredcapital.com/content/podcasts  Learn more about Inspired Capital: https://www.inspiredcapital.com  FOLLOW THE PODCAST IG: https://www.instagram.com/girlboss/ | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlboss  Amanda Goetz: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/  https://girlboss.com/pages/ambition-2-0-podcast  SIGN UP Subscribe to the Girlboss Daily newsletter: https://newsletter.girlboss.com/  For all other Girlboss links: https://linkin.bio/girlboss/  ABOUT AMBITION 2.0Powered by Girlboss, Ambition 2.0 is a podcast where we'll be exploring what it really means to “have it all” in work, family, identity, and self… and if it's actually worth it. Each week, you'll hear from hardworking women who've walked the tightrope of ambition. They'll share their costly mistakes, lessons learned, and practical tips for how to have it all and actually love what you have. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Kramer, founder of MKT1 and a longtime voice in modern B2B marketing, joins Ian Faison to unpack how AI is reshaping marketing teams, roles, and expectations.They explore Emily's concept of the “gen marketer”,  and why traditional silos and specialist-heavy teams struggle in today's high-velocity environment.Key TakeawaysMarketing teams need more generalists who can connect strategy, creativity, and distribution.Speed to execution matters more than perfect alignment across functions.Big marketing wins come from coordinated campaigns, not isolated tactics.AI increases the value of orchestration and taste, not specialization alone.Marketing leaders should think in portfolios of bets, not incremental activities. Quote“Every big initiative needs to have a chance to really win — not just deliver incremental results.”Episode Timestamps(03:51) What the “Gen Marketer” role actually means(10:04) Why speed matters more than perfect alignment(16:42) Escaping random acts of marketing with big bets(24:58) How CMOs should think like producers or VCs(31:37) When founder-led marketing works (and when it doesn't) SponsorPipeline Visionaries is brought to you by Qualified.com — the pipeline generation platform for revenue teams.Turn your website into a pipeline machine with PipelineAI. Engage and convert your most valuable visitors with live chat, chatbots, meeting scheduling, and intent data.Visit Qualified.com to learn more. LinksConnect with Ian on LinkedInConnect with Emily Kramer on LinkedInDear Marketers Podcast MKT1 UnboxingLearn more about MKT1Learn more about Caspian Studios Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With states stepping directly into the venture capital arena, a major shift is underway in how early-stage companies are funded—and where the next generation of innovation will be built.In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, host Matt Kirchner dives into this emerging movement with Pete Martin, Director of Portfolio Management at the MSU Research Foundation, and Alison Todak, Vice President of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Together, they unpack why states like Michigan are deploying public capital into startups, how PitchMI became one of the largest pitch competitions in the country, and what this means for founders, investors, educators, and the broader innovation economy.From filling early-stage capital gaps to catalyzing private investment, Michigan is using public VC models to strengthen its entrepreneurial ecosystem—and the results are showing. Pete and Alison detail the strategy behind PitchMI, the sectors driving the next decade of growth, the role of universities in spinning out new technologies, and how public and private capital partners are increasingly collaborating rather than competing.Listen to learn:Why states are stepping into early-stage VC and where private capital is falling shortHow PitchMI became a $2M competition drawing 375 statewide applicantsThe sectors Michigan is betting on—from mobility to clean tech to AI and health innovationWhy founding teams matter more than anything else at the pre-seed stageHow public VC and private VC now work together to accelerate growth rather than compete3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1. States are stepping into early-stage VC because private capital isn't meeting the needs of pre-seed founders. Michigan's earliest-stage companies often start in a funding vacuum, and state-backed dollars are designed to close that first-capital gap. The PitchMI model shows how public investment can de-risk companies enough for private VCs to participate later.  2. PitchMI is creating a statewide pipeline of founders, companies, and investors. The competition drew 375 applicants in two weeks and activated partners across smart zones, universities, investors, and the private sector. Even companies that didn't win are already raising capital, hiring talent, and gaining visibility through the program.  3. Public and private VC are becoming collaborators in building regional innovation economies. Founders backed by public funds gain access to non-dilutive programs, state networks, and industry connections, while private firms gain earlier access to high-potential deals. This shared model is shaping how capital formation and startup ecosystems will evolve over the next decade.Resources in this Episode:Learn more about PitchMI: https://msufoundation.org/pitchmi/MSU Research FoundationMichigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)Find more on the episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/msuresearch/We want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Send us a textLaurel Mintz, Founder & GP of Fabric VC and CEO of Elevate My Brand, joins Lara Schmoisman on Coffee Nº5 to demystify venture capital for founders. From bootstrapping vs. raising money and what VCs really look for in pitch decks, to the truth about AI hype and why communication trumps clever branding—this episode breaks down how real funding decisions are made in today's market.We'll talk about:Why most founders say they'll bootstrap… until they realize you can't scale without marketing—or money.What VCs see in thousands of pitch decks — and why short, simple decks win.Why founders must know their numbers — and why clever storytelling can't replace financial clarity.The truth about the AI gold rush — most startups don't actually have data or defensible AI.Why communication quality often determines whether she'll write a check more than branding does.For more information, visit Laurel Mintz's LinkedIn and Instagram. Subscribe to Lara's newsletter.Also, follow our host Lara Schmoisman on social media:Instagram: @laraschmoismanFacebook: @LaraSchmoismanSupport the show

If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 30,000 Layoffs. Solid prototypes can't get funding. Western Game Dev Is Breaking. In this episode, Rich Vogel explains why Western game development isn't in a downturn, it's in a reset. Fresh off fundraising conversations in 2025-2026, Rich breaks down why funding for large-budget games has nearly disappeared, why publishers and VCs are pulling back from North American teams, and how leadership decisions, not creativity, are sinking studios. Rich is a 30-year industry veteran who's founded and led four major studios, including BioWare Austin and Sony Online Entertainment Austin, which have generated over $3B in revenue. As producer on Ultima Online, Star Wars Galaxies, and Star Wars: The Old Republic, he's seen every cycle, and knows exactly why this one is different. We cover: Why investors see Western studios as high-risk How salary inflation and entitlement narratives are reshaping where games get made Why unproven big bets are no longer survivable How small, shippable wins are the new path to scale This episode is a wake-up call for studio heads, producers, and game leaders still playing by outdated rules. Learn more about our guest:

Donara Jaghinyan – Transformation and Integration Leader Donara joins us to pull back the curtain on why integrations break—and what it actually takes to make them work. With deep experience across healthcare, SaaS, professional services, and financial services in both public and PE-backed environments, Donara has led diligence, post-close integration, TSA execution, and enterprise system implementations. This episode tackles the hard truths about carve-outs, TSA management, day-one readiness, and the cross-functional dependencies that most teams miss until it's too late. If you've ever wondered why integration timelines slip or costs balloon, this conversation delivers the answers. Things you will learn: Why TSAs aren't contracts, they're projects with hard deadlines, cost escalations, and integration dependencies that functional teams consistently underestimate The hidden complexity of carve-outs and how scope, vendor negotiations, and people gaps create surprises even with solid diligence How Integration Management Offices (IMOs) orchestrate cross-functional dependencies that functional leads can't see  _____________

Is it possible to build a Web3 game that's actually fun—and not just hype? Kam Punia, founder and CEO of Pixion Games, joins us to break down exactly how he's doing it with Fableborne. In a world full of bots, overfunded flops, and quick token grabs, Kam shares the gritty reality of building something that lasts.From killing 5 games before getting to one that truly clicks, to building a 400,000-strong player community without spending a cent, Kam reveals how Pixion is changing the rules of Web3 gaming. We talk community building, real KPIs, what VCs got wrong, and how his team is turning power (literally) into progress.If you're into gaming, Web3, or just love stories of underdogs doing things the right way, this episode is a must-listen.⏱️ Key Learnings with Timestamps[00:02:00] Kam's background and entry into the gaming industry.[00:03:00] The vision behind Pixion Games and Fableborne.[00:05:00] The three-stage playtesting process and why five games were killed.[00:06:00] How Fableborne mixes base building and ARPG mechanics.[00:09:00] Why most Web3 games failed: chasing tokens, not gameplay.[00:11:00] Misaligned incentives between VCs and builders in 2021–2022.[00:16:00] Lessons from launching Yu-Gi-Oh! in Europe: community-first strategies.[00:19:00] Building real community: no NFTs, no token talk for 2 years.[00:22:00] What makes the Power token different in Fableborne's ecosystem.[00:27:00] The #1 mistake Web3 game studios make.[00:30:00] When we'll see a “Silksong” level hit in Web3—and why it's close.[00:33:00] Fableborne's 2026 global launch plan and broader ecosystem goals.[00:35:00] What Kam would do differently if starting again.[00:36:00] Key metrics and roadmap for Pixion in 2026.[00:37:00] Kam's final ask: builders, partners, and talent—get in touch.

What actually makes a startup defensible anymore, especially when anyone can build a product overnight with AI?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc Baselga and Ben Erez sit down with Itamar Novick, founder of Recursive Ventures and longtime operator-turned-investor, to unpack how moats are changing in the AI era and what founders (and senior product leaders) need to internalize if they want to build enduring companies.Itamar draws from over 25 years across product leadership, company-building, and early-stage investing to explain why defensibility matters earlier than most founders think, how traditional moats (marketplaces, SaaS velocity, network effects) still apply, and why AI radically compresses time-to-competition. He breaks down how Recursive Ventures evaluates teams, TAM, and moats at the pre-seed stage, why velocity has become a core signal, and how the venture model itself is being reshaped by smaller teams, faster execution, and lower capital requirements.The conversation also goes deep on founder decision-making: how to choose early investors, why community itself can be a moat, what good vs bad VCs look like when companies fail, and why product leaders should seriously consider jumping into AI-native environments, even if it means a short-term step down.If you're a product leader thinking about founding a company, advising startups, or staying relevant in the next decade, this episode offers a clear, opinionated framework for navigating what's changed and what still matters.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox

Discover why disciplined due diligence beats FOMO, how to wield AI without losing human insight, why “cash is king” again, and what the rise of lean micro-unicorns means for VCs, family offices, and startups.   In this episode of the Registered Investment Advisor Podcast, Seth Greene interviews Daniel Nikic, Global Investment Specialist and Founder of COHRES, who explains why disciplined due diligence beats FOMO, how AI should augment human insight, and why “cash is king” again. He shares how COHRES tailors research for VCs, family offices, and startups, forecasts durable trends in AI, energy, healthcare, and data, and explores the rise of lean micro-unicorns. Nikic also details the operational pivots behind scaling a boutique firm toward AI-enabled analysis while aligning execution with investor priorities.   Key Takeaways: → How the most expensive errors are chasing hype, skipping time-horizon work, and forgetting that once capital leaves your account, there's no guarantee it returns. → Why ChatGPT-level answers aren't enough for funds. → How big brands will stay big and emerging funds with DPI will struggle to raise. → Why direct on-call collaboration provides guidance when speed matters. → How having a global perspective allows for tailored insights to what each investor treats as a green flag or a deal breaker.   Daniel Nikic is a global investment research expert and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience advising investors, high-net-worth individuals, enterprises, and entrepreneurs. Raised in Canada and now based in Croatia, Daniel specializes in global markets, focusing on the U.S., European, and Middle Eastern financial landscapes. As the founder of COHRES, Daniel has analyzed over 15,000 companies across sectors like AI, software, and data. He delivers high-quality market research, financial management, due diligence, and AI data auditing to empower clients to make strategic, informed decisions. Known for his collaborative approach, Daniel builds long-term relationships rooted in trust and shared success. Daniel is also passionate about mentoring early-stage entrepreneurs, guiding them on market strategies, innovation, and business growth. His expertise in global markets and emerging trends makes him a trusted advisor in the financial sector.   Connect With Daniel:   Website: https://www.danielnikic.com/ https://cohres.com/ X: https://x.com/DNikic87 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Daniel-Nikic/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-nikic/   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textWe chart how Ben Wolff scaled from short-term rentals to design-led outdoor resorts, sold into a public REIT, built a content-first marketing firm, and now launches a wellness agritourism brand near Miami called Baya. Clear tactics on funding, pricing, direct bookings and the partners that make it work.• founder-level partners who own execution and upside• debt and equity strategies across banks, CPACE, USDA and VCs• influencer barbell strategy and content-first marketing• 80 to 85% direct bookings as the North Star• manual revenue management beyond algorithm defaults• Onera's sale, expansion and Wimberley performance• Oasi's offer, ROAS mindset and client profile• Baya concept blending farm, wellness and jungle design• light, health-forward F&B and sleep technology• daily routines, AI workflows and energy management• singles and doubles until capital markets openSubscribe to Ben Wolff's newsletter via LinkedIn or Ben's instagram @IAm BenWolff. Onera Fredericksburg and Wimberly Property Websites Oasi Marketing & Advertising WebsiteNewbook - www.newbook.cloudInterested in learning more about Newbook? Book a software demonstration with one of their market consultants today and don't forget to mention you came from the Outdoor Hospitality Podcast to receive 15% off your Newbook subscription and your first month free. This offer is for Newbook Signature subscriptions only.This podcast is powered by Sage Outdoor Advisory the industry leaders in feasibility studies and appraisals. We work hard to bring you the best insights from top experts in this space- FREE OF CHARGE, all we ask is that you consider leaving us a positive review so we can keep the momentum growing. To leave a review go to the podcast home page and scroll down past some of the first episodes - we appreciate you!

Market shifts predicted by VCs include 2026's planning agents transforming project mgmt. Edge TPU proliferation enables personal AI sovereignty. Funding prioritizes AI carbon accounting solutions.Get the top 40+ AI Models for $20 at AI Box: ⁠⁠https://aibox.aiAI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferJoin my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustleSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Leading firms predict 2026 AI breakthroughs in protein folding for biotech revolution. Regulatory AI auditors emerge as must-have enterprise tools. VCs back compute leasing disrupting cloud giants.Get the top 40+ AI Models for $20 at AI Box: ⁠⁠https://aibox.aiAI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferJoin my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustleSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we sit down with Rajeev Ranka from Incubate Fund, a Japanese Venture Capital firm managing over $1.5 Billion in AUM, to understand the bold decisions behind building generational companies.Rajeev breaks down the Japanese Way of investing which involves thinking in 100 year cycles. He shares why they backed Captain Fresh during the first month of the COVID lockdown and the massive decision to kill a profitable domestic arm to build a global giant.We also dive into why he believes Quick Commerce will eventually be bigger than E-Commerce, the untapped potential of Middle India, and what it takes to get a Day Zero investment from a Japanese VC.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comWe talk about:- How a Japanese VC views the Indian startup ecosystem.- The Japanese Way: Why they plan for 100 year timelines.- The Captain Fresh Pivot: Moving from a domestic player to global seafood exporter.- Why Yulu dominates 90% of the last mile delivery market.- The Middle India opportunity that most VCs are ignoring.- Red Flags & Green Flags: How to pitch Incubate Fund.Connect with Rajeev:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeevrankaIncubate Fund Asia: https://incubatefund.in/SMBC Asia Rising Fund - https://www.smbc-asiarising.vc/VC10X links:Prashant Choubey - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabSubscribe to VC10X newsletter - https://vc10x.beehiiv.comSubscribe on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@VC10X Subscribe on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc10x-investing-venture-capital-asset-management-private/id1632806986Subscribe on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7F7KEhXNhTx1bKTBFgzv3k?si=WgQ4ozMiQJ-6nowj6wBgqQVC10X website - https://vc10x.comFor sponsorship queries reach out to prashantchoubey3@gmail.com#VentureCapital #StartupIndia #IncubateFund #JapaneseInvestment #CaptainFresh #QuickCommerce #Yulu #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast

Space startups today look a lot like the internet in 1995 – early, chaotic, and packed with upside for the founders brave enough to build in the void. With VCs going all in on space, Techstars betting big on the category, and an entire industry quietly taking over venture capital, this is a moment founders can't ignore.In this episode of Demo Day, Techstars Space Managing Director Gabriel Schlumberger breaks down why “SPACE IS THE FUTURE” is more than a catchy thumbnail – it's an actual investing thesis. Gabriel explains how launch costs, new business models, and a surge of satellites are turning space into one of the most important frontier markets for startups and venture capital.Gabriel shares his journey from Pixar, Blue Sky, and Disney to becoming a founder himself, building an FDA‑regulated glasses startup for kids in the middle of a global pandemic, and then stepping into his role at Techstars Space. That experience across creative studios, corporate innovation, and true zero‑to‑one startup chaos shapes how he now evaluates founders and why he's so bullish on space companies.You'll learn:Why space today feels like the internet did in 1995, and what that means for startup timing and upside.How Techstars is betting big on space through its accelerator with NASA JPL and the U.S. Space Force.The trait Gabriel calls “pathological curiosity” and why it separates the best founders and VCs.What actually happens inside Techstars: mentor weeks, “give first” culture, and how a few teams get picked from hundreds of applicants.A real founder story: running a hardware and medical device startup through COVID, fundraising, manufacturing, and brutal unknowns.Whether you're a founder thinking about space, a SaaS builder curious about frontier markets, or an investor trying to understand the industry quietly taking over VC, this episode is a masterclass in how the next decade of startups will be built.

In this episode of the Grownlearn Podcast, host Zorina Dimitrova (Investment Matchmaker & Strategic Growth Advisor) talks to Bryan Clayton, CEO & co-founder of GreenPal—a marketplace that connects homeowners with local lawn care professionals. LinkedIn +1 Bryan shares the real story behind building GreenPal after coming from the landscaping industry—how he learned the skills needed to build and scale a tech platform, why he chose bootstrapping over venture capital, and how relentless customer feedback became “free R&D” that shaped the product and the business model. You'll learn: How Bryan went from mowing lawns to building a tech company Bootstrapping lessons (and why many VC-funded competitors failed) How to scale with small, achievable goals and nonstop iteration Why customer support + customer obsession can become your growth engine AI's impact on operations—and what doesn't change in real-world services What it takes to build a focused marketplace in a massive, fragmented industry If you're a founder, operator, or business owner building a marketplace, scaling a service business, or trying to grow sustainably without hype—this episode is for you. About Grownlearn: We connect premium opportunities with aligned capital and provide strategic growth advisory to help businesses optimize value and scale across Europe & the U.S.

Matt MacInnis is the chief product officer and former longtime COO at Rippling, a unified workforce management platform valued at over $16 billion.We discuss:1. Why “extraordinary results demand extraordinary efforts”2. Why you should deliberately understaff projects, and how to know when you've gone too far3. Matt's transition from COO to CPO and what surprised him about leading product4. The “high alpha, low beta” framework for evaluating people, processes, and products5. When founders should quit their startups (hint: much earlier than VCs want you to)6. How to fight entropy in your organization through relentless energy and intensity—Brought to you by:Google Gemini—Your everyday AI assistant: https://ai.dev/Datadog—Now home to Eppo, the leading experimentation and feature flagging platform: https://www.datadoghq.com/lennyGoFundMe Giving Funds—Make year-end giving easy: http://gofundme.com/lenny—Transcript: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/10-contrarian-leadership-truths—My biggest takeaways (for paid newsletter subscribers): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/i/181916584/my-biggest-takeaways-from-this-conversation—Where to find Matt MacInnis:• X: https://x.com/stanine• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/macinnis• Email: macinnis@rippling.com—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction to Matt MacInnis and Rippling(04:38) The importance of extraordinary efforts(08:37) The challenges and rewards of relentless effort(10:11) Your job as a leader is to preserve intensity(12:39) You learn far more from success than failure(16:34) Transitioning to chief product officer(19:54) Fixing product management at Rippling(25:27) The “high alpha, low beta” framework(28:55) The PQL framework(35:16) Hiring frameworks and team dynamics(36:52) A helpful interview tactic(40:00) Leading as a COO vs. a CPO(42:34) The reality of product-market fit(46:38) The problem with venture capital(49:29) When founders should quit their startups(41:48) The immutable market(54:13) Lessons from Notion's success(57:43) Investment strategies and narrative violations(01:00:42) The power of compounding, power law, and entropy(01:07:02) Maintaining intensity and fighting entropy(01:11:33) The importance of feedback and escalations(01:14:31) Rippling's vision and success(01:17:48) AI's impact on SaaS and business software(01:23:42) AI corner(01:26:23) Final thoughts and lightning round—Referenced:• Rippling: https://www.rippling.com• Sunil Raman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunilraman• Dan Gill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dangill• Carvana: https://www.carvana.com• Brian Chesky's new playbook: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/brian-cheskys-contrarian-approach• Parker Conrad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parkerconrad• Inkling: https://www.inkling.com• Akshay Kothari on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akothari• Notion: https://www.notion.com• Conway's law: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway%27s_law• Seeking Alpha: https://seekingalpha.com• Dennis Rodman's website: https://dennisrodman.com• Dancing pickle emoji: https://slackmojis.com/emojis/456-dancing_pickle• Pickle Rick: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickle_Rick• SPOTAK: The Six Traits I Look for When I'm Hiring: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/spotak-six-traits-look-m-181335267.html• Geoff Lewis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geofflewis1• Zenefits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TriNet_Zenefits• New banking records prove Deel paid thief who stole trade secrets from Rippling: https://www.rippling.com/blog/new-banking-records-prove-deel-paid-thief-who-stole-trade-secrets-from-rippling• Workday: https://www.workday.com• Matic robots: https://maticrobots.com• Wall-E: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0910970• Conviction: https://www.conviction.com• Mike Vernal on X: https://x.com/mvernal• Sarah Guo on X: https://x.com/saranormous• No Priors: https://linktr.ee/nopriors• Gemini: https://gemini.google.com• ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com• Claude: https://claude.ai• Bryan Schreier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanschreier• Heated Rivalry on HBO Max: https://www.hbomax.com/shows/heated-rivalry/50cd4e99-04ee-427b-a3b4-da721ed05d9c• Fellow coffee maker: https://fellowproducts.com/products/aiden-precision-coffee-maker—Recommended books:• Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space: https://www.amazon.com/Pale-Blue-Dot-Vision-Future/dp/0345376595• Conscious Business: How to Build Value Through Values: https://www.amazon.com/Conscious-Business-Build-through-Values/dp/1622032020• Thinking in Systems: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Systems-Donella-H-Meadows/dp/1603580557• The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done: https://www.amazon.com/Effective-Executive-Definitive-Harperbusiness-Essentials/dp/0060833459—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com

Durante todo o mês de dezembro, vcs ouviram histórias sobre algumas das maiores religiões do mundo e outras amplamente praticadas no Brasil. Vcs conheceram alguns aspectos do protestantismo (evangélicos), judaísmo, islamismo, hinduísmo, budismo, espiritismo, além das religiões afro-brasileiras candomblé e umbanda. Hoje, no dia de Natal, eu encerro esse especial sobre religiões com um livro que faz uma releitura luminosa e terna da história do Natal para os cristãos: "Holy night and Little Star", ou "A Noite Santa e a Pequena Estrela", escrito por Mitali Perkins, ilustrado por Khoa Le e ainda não publicado no Brasil, por isso eu traduzi e adaptei especialmente pra esse episodio. De acordo com maior parte dos historiadores, a festividade do Natal originalmente era destinada a celebrar o nascimento anual do Deus Sol no solstício de inverno, mas foi ressignificada pela Igreja Católica no século III para estimular a conversão dos povos pagãos sob o domínio do Império Romano e então passou-se a comemorar o nascimento de Jesus de Nazaré. Embora tradicionalmente seja um dia santificado cristão (sendo o cristianismo a maior religião do mundo), o Natal é amplamente comemorado por muitos não cristãos e alguns de seus costumes populares e temas comemorativos têm origens pré-cristãs ou seculares. A Pequena Estrela gosta do seu lugar habitual no céu noturno sobre Belém. Todas as noites, ela cintila acima das colinas e espera que nada mude. Mas uma noite, o Criador reúne a galáxia! A Noite Santa está chegando, e o Criador quer que os planetas, a Lua e as estrelas participem. Enquanto o Criador distribui tarefas, a Pequena Estrela hesita, pois cada nova função parece muito difícil ou assustadora. Mas quando o Criador finalmente a chama para brilhar, a Pequena Estrela descobre que está pronta e capaz de receber a Criança e se junta às outras estrelas e planetas na celebração.Para acompanhar a história juntamente com as ilustrações do livro, compre o livro aqui: https://amzn.to/3XUkopHSe vc gostou desse especial sobre as religiões, deixe seu comentário aqui no Spotify, compartilhe com seus amigos e me siga nas redes sociais:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bookswelove_livrosqueamamos/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Independente da sua crença, ou ainda se vc é ateu ou agnóstico, eu desejo a vc e sua família um Feliz Natal, com muito amor, paz e momentos felizes. Com menos presentes, e mais presença!

Alex Chepurnoy is a cryptographer & researcher who famously wrote a Bitcoin client in Haskell in only 3600 lines of code. He is currently working on Ergo, a proof of work blockchain which improves upon Bitcoin's design in order to achieve smart contracts and DeFi. How does it work? Let's find out! Time stamps: 00:01:11 Introducing Alex Chepurnoy 00:01:51 Alex's Bitcoin Discovery & Early Development 00:02:37 Namecoin, SmartContract.com, and Cardano Involvement 00:05:15 Satoshi Theories & Code Analysis 00:07:00 Rewriting Bitcoin & Distributed Systems Perspective 00:08:39 Consensus Protocols & Altcoin Proliferation 00:10:20 Bitcoin's Early Appeal & Peer-to-Peer Motivation 00:14:08 Bitcoin's Revolutionary Monetary Model 00:15:45 Staying in Crypto: Problems to Solve 00:17:19 Bitcoin as Digital Gold & Smart Contracts 00:21:29 Ethereum vs. Bitcoin: Contractual Capabilities 00:23:02 Ergo's Approach: Contracts & Protocol Upgrades 00:26:56 Namecoin's History & Technical Innovations 00:31:10 Merged Mining & Sidechain Politics 00:34:35 Early Bitcoin Contributions & BTC Scala Client 00:38:49 Conference Presentations & ZeroJoin 00:41:49 Demurrage, Storage Rent, and Bitcoin Upgrades 00:45:01 NFTs, Inscriptions, and Bitcoin Community Divisions 00:50:10 Hard Forks, Immutability, and Ethereum Classic 00:55:17 Markets, Transaction Fees, and Bitcoin's Security Budget 00:57:59 Lightning Network Limitations & Off-Chain Cash 01:01:58 Challenging Bitcoin's Scaling & Off-Chain Solutions 01:06:38 Ergo's Protocol Design & Civil War Lessons 01:08:25 Ergo's Innovations for Bitcoin 01:15:38 Quantum Resistance & Hard Fork Challenges 01:19:51 Consensus Cleanup & Upgrade Difficulties 01:23:10 Community Proposals & Development Gridlock 01:25:07 Alex's Tech Stack & Personal Devices 01:31:07 Satoshi's Identity & Coding Style 01:38:34 NXT, Bitcoin 2.0, and Ethereum's Success 01:45:35 Proof of Work vs. Proof of Stake 01:50:44 Philosophy of Proof of Work & Fair Distribution 01:53:09 VCs, Token Dumps, and Proof of Work Revival 01:54:16 Proof of Stake Attacks & Network Resilience 01:59:20 Ergo's Network Parameters & Smart Contracts 02:21:17 Privacy Features: Mixers & Stealth Addresses 02:28:40 Monetary Policy, Emission, and Pre-mine 02:34:09 Monero vs. Zcash: Community & Funding 02:48:03 Bridging Blockchains & Rosen Bridge 02:51:04 Peer-to-Peer Finance & Smart Contract Design 02:53:57 Future Vision: Interconnected PoW Blockchains 02:56:41 Double Merged Mining Sidechains 03:17:45 Community Resources & Getting Involved 03:20:11 Conclusion & Final Thoughts

Andy Cohen, Vice President of Corporate Development at F5 Andy has built a career that proves M&A is fundamentally about relationships, not just transactions. With 30 years of experience and 60 deals closed across high-growth tech companies including Citrix, Acquia, and F5, Andy has cultivated the kind of reputation where every CEO he's worked with will take his call tomorrow. In this conversation, he reveals why zero-sum thinking kills deals, how to convince people to sell without convincing them to sell, and why walking away on principle matters more than closing at any cost.  Things you will learn:  Why reputation is your most valuable M&A asset The shift from zero-sum to win-enough thinking Learn Andy's approach to using due diligence as the foundation for integration strategy, cultural fit assessment, and long-term value creation.  _____________

For the holiday break we are resurfacing some of our best episodes so far. Here is the best episode of season 3.Kyle left his job as a hacker at the NSA to launch Huntress. He bootstrapped for 3 years and burned all his savings. One of his co-founders quit. He got into an accelerator program, but had to sleep in his car for 16 weeks because he couldn't afford a hotel.Finally, 3 years in he'd hit $1.5M ARR. So he pitched 60 VCs for a Series A—and got 60 'no's. He was forced to raise a small, $1M inside round. But then things changed:2018: $1.5M ARR2019: $5M ARR2020: $10M ARR2021: $20M ARR2022: $40M ARR2023: $70M ARR2024: $100M+ ARRHuntress is valued at $2B.The investors who backed his $1M bridge are up 140x. Now every VC wants to invest—and Kyle's the one saying 'no'.Why you should listen: How to know whether you should keep going or quit.What it takes to get through the first few years at a bootstrapped startup.Why revenue expansion is a huge lever for fast-growth (Huntress has 140% net revenue retention).How starting a startup can impact your personal life and relationships.How to work with partners to sell to long tail SMB customers.Keywordsentrepreneurship, cybersecurity, product market fit, startup journey, military experience, SMB market, funding challenges, automation, human expertise, business growthTimestamps:(00:00:00) Intro(00:2:01) Working at the NSA(00:6:14) A big win in counter cyber terrorism(00:10:00) What gave way to Huntress(00:14:22) Pitching to a startup accelerator(00:16:29) Adopting curiosity(00:21:04) Getting ahead of cyber criminals(00:26:00) Starting to grow(00:32:50) Cult or conviction(00:35:00) It takes grit(00:39:50) Learning from people's lessons(00:42:20) Cockroaches and underdogs(00:46:10) Three strikes, I'm out(00:52:56) Having a military background(00:56:17) One piece of adviceSend me a message to let me know what you think!

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Send us a textUnlock Proven Strategies for a Lucrative Business Exit—Subscribe to The Deep Wealth Podcast TodayHave Questions About Growing Profits And Maximizing Your Business Exit? Submit Them Here, and We'll Answer Them on the Podcast!“Calm down, it's OK, you've got this. You can do it, it will be OK.”- Sherwood NeissExclusive Insights from This Week's EpisodesWhat if the fastest path to raising capital has nothing to do with VCs, banks, or traditional gatekeepers? Sherwood “Woodie” Neiss helped write the law that unlocked billions in previously inaccessible funding, and in this explosive conversation he exposes the hidden playbook founders can use right now to raise capital directly from their communities.02:15 How Woodie went from Wall Street to Silicon Valley11:00 Why your customers may be your most powerful investors13:30 The fight to modernize 1933 securities laws22:00 The shock rise of healthcare and biotech in crowdfunding24:15 How investors become strategic partners28:00 The step-by-step of working with Crowdfund Capital Advisors31:00 What the algorithm revealed about VC follow-on rounds35:00 The Crowdfundomics equation explained42:00 Simple actions founders can take in the next 90 days43:00 Why today's capital markets are shifting faster than everClick here for full show notes, transcript, and resources:https://podcast.deepwealth.com/499Essential Resources to Maximize Your Business ExitLearn More About Deep Wealth MasteryFREE Deep Wealth eBook on Why You Suck At Selling Your Business And What You Can Do AboutUnlock Your Lucrative Exit and Secure Your Legacy

In today's episode, Tyler and Sterling sit down with Spenser Skates, Founder and CEO of Amplitude Analytics, the digital Analytics platform that helps thousand of businesses find ways to grow and improve.Spenser shares how he got his first investors, how to have the best relationships with VCs, his mindset around product and employees, and everything he's learned from over a decade growing his company, taking it public, and beyond!Chapters:(00:00:00) Intro(00:09:36) Why Eric Vishria from Benchmark is the top investor of this generation(00:17:05) How great investors actually help massively(00:25:45) how do you stay motivated during the second decade?(00:33:57) how does Spenser judge whether he's successful as a ceo?(00:40:16) why he's more vocal on x(00:45:00) who is his favorite operator?(00:47:25) recap--Subscribe for more startup content!Check out Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ This podcast was brought to you by PELION. Learn more about them here: https://pelionvc.com/

Origins host Beezer Clarkson,  LP at Sapphire Partners and co-founder of OpenLP, and Nick Chirls, GP at Asylum Ventures, dig into their recent conversation with Micah Rosenbloom, Managing Partner at Founder Collective. They discuss the EQ and self-awareness required to switch from operator to investor, how to separate signal from noise in venture cycles, and how the speed of iteration is now such that a window of one or two days can change the entire calculus of an investment.Learn more about Sapphire Partners: sapphireventures.com/sapphire-partnersLearn more about OpenLP: openlp.vcLearn more about Asylum Ventures: asylum.vcLearn more about Founder Collective: foundercollective.comFor a monthly roundup of the latest venture insights, including the newest Origins episodes, subscribe to the OpenLP newsletter – delivered straight to your inbox: subscribe.openlp.vcCHAPTERS:0:00 Welcome to Origins0:34 How Involved Should Operators Be With Their CEOs?2:16 VCs and Trends Are Seven Years Too Late3:19 Repeat Portfolio Companies: Courageous Or Insane?5:42 How Do VCs Handle the Speed of Iteration?

In this episode, host Zorina Dimitrova talks with Ivan Radovic, creator of the Trust 360 leadership model and a key figure in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill response. Ivan shares powerful lessons on trust, crisis leadership, and what it takes to guide today's multigenerational teams. You'll hear how trust transforms performance, why vulnerability matters in leadership, and how to lead millennials with clarity and confidence. Ivan also explains why “corporate experience” is replacing traditional culture and how leaders can build teams that communicate honestly and act decisively. Topics: • Gulf Oil Spill leadership lessons • Trust 360 and trust-based leadership • Leading millennials and multigenerational teams • Crisis decision-making and agility • Building psychological safety • Modern organizational transformation Perfect for leaders, founders, and anyone navigating change in today's workplace. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Explore Strategic Growth & Investment-Ready Opportunities with GrowNLearn GrowNLearn, led by Zorina Dimitrova, connects select VCs, Family Offices, and Strategic Investors with precisely matched, high-growth ventures across Europe and the U.S. We also support founders with strategic growth advisory—helping you transform your business model, increase valuation, and prepare for investment or exit.

Produced by Foundersuite (for startups: www.foundersuite.com) and Fundingstack (for emerging manager VCs: www.fundingstack.com), "How I Raised It" goes behind the scenes with startup founders and investors who have raised capital. This episode is with with David Alvo of Impacta.vc, a seed fund investing in purpose-driven startups in LATAM. Learn more at https://www.impacta.vc/ In this episode we go deep into the LATAM startup and VC scene. David shares his thoughts on which country produces the best startups, and the differences between Mexican, Columbian, Argentinian and Chilean founders, why LATAM is a great place to invest in startups (hint: lower valuations), what it takes for LATAM startups to raise capital in the USA, his process for raising Fund I and II and how the LP composition has changed, and much more. How I Raised It is produced by Foundersuite, makers of software to raise capital and manage investor relations. Foundersuite's customers have raised over $21 Billion since 2016. If you are a startup, create a free account at www.foundersuite.com. If you are a VC, venture studio or investment banker, check out our new platform, www.fundingstack.com

This Week In Startups is made possible by:LinkedIn Ads - http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartupsVanta - https://www.vanta.com/twistPilot - https://pilot.com/twistToday's show: Did you know there's actually a shortage of US bricklayers? It's TRUE! So feel free to marvel at Monumental's brick-laying robots. They're not putting anyone out of work, but filling a much-needed gap.Join Alex and Monumental founder/CEO Salar al Khafaji for a deep-dive on how the startup is making construction robots play nice together by maintaining separate “zones” of operation, why Salar thinks startups need to focus on truly complex, real-world problems to truly blossom, and the secrets of fundraising in Europe.PLUS Alex chats with Seasats CEO Mike Flanigan about designing the next generation of autonomous marine crafts. (That is to say, ocean drones.) From their home base in San Diego, the company is trying to get completely independent of all Chinese parts. Find out how it's going, how they're overcoming the “wildly negative” ROI on maritime tech, and why we have so few defenses against tiny, agile drones.All that AND Jason takes some of YOUR Founder Questions.Timestamps:(03:23) How Monumental determined what kinds of robots construction sites need the most(06:49) How maintaining “zones” ensure that the robots all play nice with one another(07:52) There's a shortage of bricklayers, so Monumental's NOT taking anyone's job(9:16) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit.(13:21) Why startups need to tackle large-scale, complex, real-world problems to really grow(15:44) Why Monumental is building in The Netherlands, and running pilots in the UK(19:07) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(20:44) Why construction is unique among applications for automation and robots(26:01) Salar argues that fundraising in Europe is not as hard as you may have heard(27:55) We don't just need housing, we need BEAUTIFUL housing(31:11) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year. (33:25) How the Scout autonomous boat challenge inspired Seasats(35:28) Trying to make drones into an “iPhone Style” project(37:39) Why Seasats is focused on endurance and staying power more than launches(39:15) The complexities of working with fuel cells(42:27) The importance of beautiful design even when working on government technology(45:51) Why they're building Seasats in beautiful San Diego, CA(47:29) The challenge of getting entirely free from Chinese components(53:52) “The Power of Small Things Has Changed”(55:18) The “wildly negative” ROI on most humanoid robotics companies also applies to maritime tech(59:09) Why there are so few defense nets against people with tiny but agile drones(01:02:32) FOUNDER Q's: Is a founder working 24/7 a red flag?(01:10:11) How bad is it to use VC money to pay off credit cards?(01:12:49) A look at Cursor's unique recruitment strategy.(01:19:57) Should young VCs go to startup conferences?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Thank you to our partners:(9:16) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit.(19:07) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(31:11) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.