Podcasts about Venture capital

Seth Levine of Foundry joins Nick to discuss A New Era For Venture: Dynamic Capitalism, Finding Alpha in the AI Cycle, Are Bubbles a Feature or a Bug, and Why the Future for America is Still Bright. In this episode we cover: State of Venture Capital and Investment Trends Challenges and Opportunities in Venture Capital Dynamic Capitalism and Its Principles The Role of Government and Market Dynamics The American Dream and Economic Mobility Balancing Values and Politics in Business The Future of Capitalism and American Optimism Guest Links: Seth's LinkedIn Seth's X Foundry's LinkedIn Foundry's Website The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.   Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

Most startup advice tells you how to grow, but Brian Lee is here to tell you how to survive. In this episode, the legendary founder of LegalZoom and The Honest Company reveals the "one truth" that separates elite CEOs from those who run out of runway.Whether you're a first-time founder or a seasoned operator, the role of a CEO is often misunderstood. Brian Lee (Managing Partner at BAM Ventures) joins us on Demo Day to strip away the fluff and deliver a masterclass in operational discipline. From his early days building LegalZoom and ShoeDazzle to his current work with Arena Club, Brian has seen the same patterns lead to both billion-dollar exits and total failures.In this episode, we break down "The CEO Playbook," including:The "CE-No" Philosophy: Why your primary job is saying no to good ideas so you can focus on the great ones.The Survival Mandate: Brian's #1 rule for every founder—treat money like gold and never, ever run out.Building Your Inner Circle: Why you must "hire fast and fire faster" to protect the culture of a high-growth startup.Founder Likability: Why being "likable" is actually a strategic superpower for fundraising and leadership.The VC Perspective: What BAM Ventures looks for in the pre-seed and seed stages of consumer tech.Brian also shares deeply personal insights into his transition from operator to venture capitalist, explaining how his time in the trenches allows him to spot "the signal in the noise" better than professional VCs who have never run a company. If you are looking for startup tips, fundraising advice, or a reality check on your founder success metrics, this is the one conversation you cannot afford to miss.

In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss various topics related to the tech industry, focusing on hyperscalers, cloud computing, and the memory market. They analyze the earnings of Nebius and CoreWeave, the implications of heavy asset businesses, and the dynamics of AI and memory. The conversation also covers the performance of Applied Materials and networking companies like Cisco and Arista, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in these sectors.

Ruth Martín, Manager de Relación con Inversores de Crescenta, analiza las características del último producto de la compañía: la empresa lanza su primer Fondo de Inversión Libre para dar acceso a las tres principales estrategias de Private Equity. “Hemos lanzado este nuevo fondo de inversión porque nuestra base de clientes es muy amplía”, afirma el invitado. Además, añade que “los requisitos para invertir en Private Equity es de 10.000 euros, siempre y cuando tenga un patrimonio de 100.000 euros”. ¿Cuál era el objetivo de lanzar este nuevo fondo? La experta explica que “lo que querían dar era una solución con un solo ticket de 10.000 euros, el cliente pudiera tener acceso a las tres estrategias de Private Equity”. ¿Qué características tiene invertir en Private Equity? “Cuando se invierte una persona física, cuando se invierte en fondos de capital riesgo, cada vez que se hacen llamadas de capital tienes que hacer una transferencia”, destaca la Manager de Relación con Inversores de Crescenta. También apunta que “cuando se hacen las distribuciones, se hace otra transferencia al cliente y eso tiene otra tributación”. ¿Qué ventajas tienen este tipo de inversiones en FIL? La entrevistada señala que “si eres persona física, residente fiscal en España, tiene la ventaja de traspasabilidad”. Esto es importante, ya que según ella, “este vehículo lo que permite es cuando hay una llamada de capital se puede traspasar a un fondo de inversión cotizado al propio FIL”. ¿Cómo funciona este tipo de inversiones dependiendo del cliente que invierta? Ruth Martín explica que·hay clientes que tienen una cartera establecida y si tienen determinados sesgos a la hora de invertir prefieren otro tipo de inversión. Dice también que “alguien que tenga que hacer un solo ticket, tiene mucho más sentido invertir en el FIL porque tienes las tres estrategias: Buyout, Growth Capital y Venture Capital.

Rassegna stampa economico-finanziaria del 16 febbraio 2026, strutturata per macro-temi e basata sulle principali testate giornalistiche nazionali.Investimenti e MercatiTestate: Corriere della Sera / Milano Finanza / Il Sole 24 Ore / La Stampa * Venture Capital e AI: Nel 2025 il mercato globale del venture capital ha raggiunto i 512 miliardi di dollari; di questi, circa il 50% (256 miliardi) è stato assorbito da aziende attive nell'intelligenza artificiale. In Unione Europea, gli investimenti in AI hanno rappresentato il 35% del totale, toccando i 23,5 miliardi di euro rispetto ai 17,7 miliardi dell'anno precedente. * Risparmio delle Famiglie Italiane: Il patrimonio finanziario e immobiliare delle famiglie in Italia valeva 11.732 miliardi di euro nel 2024, con un incremento contenuto del 2,8% rispetto al 2023. Tuttavia, tra il 2021 e il 2024, tale ricchezza ha subito una perdita di valore reale del 5% a causa dell'inflazione. Solo il 15,4% dei risparmiatori si affida a gestori professionali. * Mercato Cripto (Bitcoin): Gli ETF statunitensi su Bitcoin hanno registrato deflussi significativi: 7 miliardi di dollari a novembre, 2 miliardi a dicembre e oltre 3 miliardi a gennaio. Il prezzo ha subito un calo del 44,73% dal picco di ottobre. * Dominio del Dollaro: Gli asset in dollari detenuti fuori dagli Stati Uniti ammontano a 70.000 miliardi di dollari e sostengono circa un terzo del debito pubblico di Washington, pari a 38.000 miliardi. Il dollaro rappresenta il 58% delle riserve valutarie mondiali (contro il 20% dell'euro) e gestisce il 50% dei pagamenti internazionali.Industria e AutomotiveTestate: Corriere della Sera / Il Sole 24 Ore / La Stampa * Crisi di Competitività e Bollette: Confindustria attende un decreto per ridurre i costi energetici, alla base del gap di competitività con i partner UE. In discussione la sterilizzazione del differenziale tra il prezzo del gas italiano (PSV) e quello europeo (TTF). * Auto Green: Si stima un "buco" o mancato introito legato alla transizione verso le auto green pari a 65 miliardi di euro in Italia. * Default Imprese: Nei primi nove mesi del 2025, le erogazioni di credito sono cresciute del 13,7%, ma il tasso di default delle società di capitali è salito dal 3,1% di giugno al 3,4% di settembre. Nel settore tessile-abbigliamento, il tasso di default ha raggiunto il 4,8%.Fisco e NormativaTestate: Il Sole 24 Ore / La Repubblica / La Stampa * Evasione IVA: In Italia si stima un tasso di evasione dell'IVA del 15%, con proposte di intensificare i controlli tramite strumenti digitali. * Russia: Pressione Fiscale: Dal 1° gennaio 2026, la Russia ha aumentato l'IVA dal 20% al 22% per finanziare lo sforzo bellico.Banche e CreditoTestate: Corriere della Sera / Il Messaggero * Governance BCE e Fed: Jerome Powell sarà sostituito a maggio da Kevin Warsh alla guida della Fed. Per la successione di Christine Lagarde alla BCE (scadenza 31 ottobre 2027), i principali candidati sono Joachim Nagel (Germania), Klaas Knot (Olanda) e Pablo Hernández de Cos (Spagna). * Unione Bancaria e Capitali: Si propone di attribuire all'ESMA poteri di controllo centralizzati per superare la frammentazione dei 27 mercati finanziari europei, dove ogni anno vengono investiti 300 miliardi di risparmi europei verso Wall Street anziché verso il tessuto produttivo UE.Energia e GeopoliticaTestate: Corriere della Sera / La Repubblica / Il Messaggero * Diversificazione Gas: Le importazioni di gas dalla Russia in UE sono crollate da 150 miliardi di metri cubi (2021) a meno di 52 miliardi (2024), scendendo al 13% del totale. L'Italia ha oggi 5 rigassificatori attivi e il GNL (metà del quale proveniente dagli USA) è diventato la prima fonte di approvvigionamento. * Board of Peace (Gaza): L'Italia parteciperà come osservatore al Board per la ricostruzione di Gaza presieduto da Donald Trump alla Casa Bianca. L'organismo conta 26 Paesi aderenti e 5 osservatori. * Giappone (Abenomics 2.0): La vittoria di Sanae Takaichi (8 febbraio) segna la fine dell'era deflattiva; l'inflazione è sopra il 2% da 45 mesi e i tassi sono stati alzati allo 0,75%. Il debito pubblico giapponese supera i 9.000 miliardi di dollari (oltre il 200% del PIL).Sport BusinessTestate: Corriere della Sera / Il Messaggero * Olimpiadi Milano-Cortina 2026: L'evento prevede ricadute economiche per 5 miliardi e 300 milioni di euro di ricavi aggiuntivi per il PIL italiano e un gettito extra superiore ai 500 milioni di euro. Sono impegnate 36.000 persone, di cui 18.000 volontari. * Record Medaglie: L'Italia ha chiuso l'Olimpiade invernale più vincente della sua storia con 22 medaglie totali.Lavoro e FormazioneTestate: Corriere della Sera / La Repubblica / La Stampa * Impatto dell'IA sull'Occupazione: Studi negli USA indicano che l'IA sta riducendo le assunzioni per i lavoratori Under 25 (calo di 16 punti rispetto ai senior), rimpiazzando le figure junior con "apprendisti artificiali". * Occupazione in Italia: Tra dicembre 2022 e dicembre 2025, gli occupati sono cresciuti di 851.000 unità, ma l'incremento riguarda esclusivamente gli Over 50 (+1,1 milioni), mentre calano i giovani (-136.000 fino a 24 anni). * Pensioni e Contributi: Circa 5 milioni di lavoratori versano contributi senza maturare la pensione perché non raggiungono la soglia minima di 20 anni. Nella gestione separata, solo il 10% dei collaboratori matura un anno pieno di contributi; per il 2026 il minimale è fissato a 18.808 euro.Executive Takeaway (Insight per C-suite) * Maturità dell'AI: Il mercato del Venture Capital segnala che l'AI non è più una scommessa ma il driver principale degli investimenti (50% dei flussi globali), con un impatto immediato sulla produttività USA stimato in +0,5%. * Rischio Geopolitico Finanziario: L'egemonia del dollaro viene utilizzata come "pena di morte finanziaria" (sanzioni Trump contro giudici dell'Aia), accelerando i piani BCE per l'euro digitale e un mercato unico dei capitali per trattenere i 300 miliardi di euro di risparmi che oggi migrano verso gli USA. * Dualismo Demografico del Lavoro: Il mercato del lavoro italiano è spaccato: crescita record per gli Over 50 (effetto rinvio pensioni) e marginalizzazione degli Under 24, la cui occupazione è minacciata sia dal declino demografico che dalla sostituzione tecnologica dell'IA. * Sostenibilità vs Competitività: La revisione del sistema ETS e il "decreto bollette" sono i banchi di prova per l'industria italiana. La sfida è evitare che la decarbonizzazione si traduca in delocalizzazione per i settori energivori. * Previdenza Integrativa Critica: Con un tasso di sostituzione pensionistica che scenderà al 64,8% nel 2060 (rispetto all'81,5% attuale), la consulenza finanziaria deve evolvere da pura gestione di portafoglio a pianificazione previdenziale di lungo periodo per coprire il gap lasciato dallo Stato.

Seit kurzem notiert mit Perpetuals.com ein neues Fintech-Unternehmen an der US-Technologie-Börse Nasdaq und firmiert dort unter dem Kürzel PDC. An der Spitze des Unternehmens steht mit Patrick Gruhn erstmals seit dem BioNTech-Gründer Ugur Sahin im Jahr 2019 wieder ein deutscher Manager als Co-CEO eines an der Technologiebörse gelisteten Konzerns. ⁠Perpetuals.com⁠ hat sich auf Krypto-Derivate spezialisiert.Im Podcast heute gibt uns Patrick Gruhn, den viele noch aus seiner Zeit bei FTX kennen, Einblicke in das Nasdaq-Listing, Krypto-Derivate, den CFD-Markt und wie sich Liquidationskaskaden verhindern lassen können. Die Themen:

Un mauvais chiffrage peut coûter des millions à une entreprise industrielle et pourtant, il reste l'un des angles morts les plus critiques du secteur.

Youth sports brings in more money than the top 3 professional sports in the United States making it venture capital's next frontier for exploitation. What does this mean for youth athletics moving forward?   We'll discuss.   Check out our new bi-weekly series, "The Crisis Papers" here: https://www.patreon.com/bitterlakepresents/shop   Thank you guys again for taking the time to check this out. We appreciate each and everyone of you. If you have the means, and you feel so inclined,   BECOME A PATRON! We're creating patron only programing, you'll get bonus content from many of the episodes, and you get MERCH!   Become a patron now https://www.patreon.com/join/BitterLakePresents?   Please also like, subscribe, and follow us on these platforms as well, (specially YouTube!)   THANKS Y'ALL   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG9WtLyoP9QU8sxuIfxk3egFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thisisrevolutionpodcast/Twitter: @TIRShowOaklandInstagram: @thisisrevolutionoakland   Substack: https://jmylesoftir.substack.com/.../the-money-will-roll...   Read Jason Myles in Current Affairs Magazine here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/.../donald-trump-is-a-pro...   Read Jason Myles in Damage Magazine https://damagemag.com/2023/11/07/the-man-who-sold-the-world/

The speed of innovation has long been the difference between military success and failure. Countries and militaries that rapidly develop, deploy and evolve technology thrive. Those who lag…flounder. America, NATO and the world order are being challenged…and innovated against…at a faster pace than ever before. From the Global SOF Symposium in Athens, Greece, I sat down with Ryan Benitez of NATO DIANA to talk about how innovation, technology, and rapid capability development are shaping the future of defense across the Alliance.As the DIANA's Chief Commercial Officer, Ryan explains her work inside one of NATO's most forward-leaning organizations. DIANA, the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, connects startups, researchers, and industry leaders to solve some of the most urgent challenges facing allied militaries. From emerging technologies to dual-use solutions, DIANA is helping NATO move faster, stay adaptable, and maintain an edge in an increasingly competitive global environment.Ryan also shared how her experience in the Navy and Venture Capital informs her approach to modern innovation, why collaboration between nations and private industry is more critical than ever, and how DIANA is empowering new ideas that can redefine readiness, resilience, and operational effectiveness to not only keep pace, but move faster than our enemies.HIGHLIGHTS0:00 Introduction1:37 Welcome to GSOF Europe3:06 Defining NATO DIANA5:25 Companies Supporting NATO9:23 Filling Technological Gaps11:15 Time to Technology13:44 NATO's Leading Innovators14:57 Compelling Countries To Invest16:49 Is NATO behind Adversaries?20:21 Defining Readiness22:17 The Next Battlefield24:40 NATO DIANA FutureQuotes: “We needed to access the emerging technologies that innovators were putting together.”“Does this technology align with a critical capability need that an operator and user has brought to the table?”“Team is everything.”“Interoperability has different scales.”“The flavor of the month is Counter-UAS.”“The Special Operations community has always been early adapters of streamlined acquisition and innovation.”“We've seen the Netherlands do a lot.”“We're keeping a pulse on the market and the demand signal.”“How can we help you with your innovation base?”“We're seeing a lot of lessons learned in Ukraine. The innovation cycle there is weeks.”“The word defense used to not be top of mind. It is now.”“We need to make sure we're acting as a bridge to the emerging technology market.”“Cost is going to become an issue.”“War isn't front and center every day like it is in Europe.”“You're going to start seeing our ability to really rapidly spin up.”Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

In this episode of The Friday Habit, host Mark Labriola II sits down with Henry Yoshida, CEO and Co-Founder of Rocket Dollar, to unpack what it really takes to build a durable fintech company in a highly regulated industry.Henry shares his journey from a risk-averse upbringing and a stable career at Merrill Lynch to founding multiple companies—including Rocket Dollar, now part of a platform managing $12B+ in retirement assets. They dive deep into ownership, timing, regret vs. risk, venture capital trade-offs, and why paying attention to “small signals” can unlock massive opportunities.

Send a text In this episode of The Straight Up Start Up, we speak with Omar Sati, Co-Founder of DASH Ventures, about what truly scales startups. From early-stage investing in MENA to today's funding volatility, Omar shares why conviction, fundamentals, and long-term thinking matter more than chasing growth or capital.  في هذه الحلقة من The Straight Up Start Up، نستضيف عمر ساطي، الشريك المؤسس في DASH Ventures، لنحكي عن ما الذي يُنمّي الشركات الناشئة فعلاً. من الاستثمار المبكر في المنطقة إلى تحديات السوق اليوم، يشاركنا عمر لماذا القناعة والأسس الصحيحة أهم من السعي وراء التمويل أو النمو السريع. 

As we approach the end of our season highlighting alumni from the University and the impact that the David Eccles School of Business has had on their lives and careers, we welcome back guest-host Annesley Womble, who talks with Dalton Wright, General Partner at Kickstart, a seed-stage venture capital firm with offices in Salt Lake City and Denver.Dalton shares his unique career journey, which began with his involvement in the University Venture Fund and progressed to significant roles in venture capital, including helping to develop Utah's first seed fund through Kickstart. He also discusses his non-linear career path, which included launching a startup and strategically working in venture capital in Mexico.The University of Utah played a critical role in supporting Kickstart during its early formation, providing guidance and infrastructure as the company navigated the challenges of launching a startup. Kickstart's initial investment meetings were held at the University of Utah Technology Transfer Office, and the University was instrumental in the firm's successful launch. Dalton also helped develop the Campus Founders Fund, a student-run investment fund established after his return to Utah. Today, the fund has invested in more than 30 student startups, including one that now generates several hundred million dollars in annual revenue. This University of Utah initiative has helped launch the careers of many students into the venture capital industry.Dalton emphasizes the importance of embracing change, redefining risk, and maintaining curiosity amid the evolving technological landscape. This episode is filled with insights on entrepreneurship, venture capital, and the value of pursuing passion over a linear career path.Eccles Business Buzz is a production of the David Eccles School of Business and is produced by University.fm.Eccles Business Buzz is proud to be selected by FeedSpot as one of the Top 70 Business School podcasts on the web. Learn more at https://podcast.feedspot.com/us_business_school_podcasts. Episode Quotes:Why the best career opportunities often look uncertain at first[10:31] When Kickstart was launching, I saw that as my opportunity to learn seed-stage venture capital with somebody who was the founder, the entrepreneur in that category. And so I was lucky enough to get the job as the first hire with the fund. We had $4 million under management at the time. This is the 2008 Great Recession. So I can empathize with any cohort of students who's graduating and wondering, like, is the world going to change forever? And will there ever be employment opportunities for me again? You know, nobody wanted to fund our fund. People saw it as like a community service project support entrepreneurs, but nobody was looking at it as these guys are going to go build like a franchise venture capital fund. But, you know, most good things look like that in the beginning. They're not yet exciting, they're not yet successful, and you have to be able to suspend what you see in the present moment and imagine what this thing can become in the future.Getting comfortable with fear and risk can help you explore a non-linear career path[11:57] There's one point right after graduating from college where my peers were all pursuing the linear path, and I'm not in any way saying, "Oh, like, they made the wrong choice," because, like, I mean, so many people have different preferences, values, things that they're trying to optimize for. So I never am trying to, like, say, "But my way is like, let me give someone else advice," because my way was my way, and it might not work for somebody else who even wants the same thing, let alone something entirely different. So I decided very early on that I was going to condition myself to feel comfortable with my fears and feel comfortable with the risks that I was taking. And so I think reframing what a risk is is really important if you want to take the nonlinear path.On why knowing your “why” matters more than money when building a startup[35:16] I've encouraged students to really think about the why behind what they're doing. And if it's to make money, a lot of money, it's like you can use that as a motivator, but there's also a lot of maybe easier ways or better ways, faster ways to have that need met. And so when you're grinding it out and you're not making money as a founder, and all of a sudden it's like, Hey, you can go take the consulting job and immediately have like a nice salary. Or you could potentially go get that, what causes you to say, Why would I ever consider that? And so I think if you know why you're building the thing and it's like truly rooted in the problem that you're trying to solve, the customers that you're serving, the change that you want to make in the world, if it's rooted in that, then you can lean on that through the down times to inspire you through that.Show Links:Dalton Wright | LinkedInProfile | Kickstart FundDavid Eccles School of Business (@ubusiness) | InstagramUndergraduate Scholars ProgramsRising Business LeadersEccles Alumni Network (@ecclesalumni) | Instagram Eccles Experience Magazine

In deze aflevering spreekt Patrick Polak openhartig over zijn bijna 30 jaar ervaring in het vak van venture capital. Van het overleven met zijn eigen softwarebedrijf in San Francisco tot het opbouwen van Newion: Patrick deelt zijn scherpste inzichten over wat een ondernemer succesvol maakt en waarom de wereld van Venture Capital fundamenteel is veranderd. Wat je gaat ontdekken: - De 3 Archetypes van de Founder: Patrick verdeelt ondernemers in drie 'buckets': de vrijheidszoeker die autonomie wil , de productvisionair die kickt op innovatie , en de marktvisionair die moet transformeren naar een strategisch CEO. - Het Einde van Early Stage Investing: Waarom Patrick niet meer gelooft in het huidige model. Hij legt uit hoe kapitaal een 'commodity' is geworden en waarom we in een tijdperk van "casino-investing" leven. - De Kracht van de Onderbuik: Waarom hij na tien seconden al weet of een pitch kans maakt en waarom ratio vaak wordt gebruikt om een intuïtief besluit achteraf te rechtvaardigen. - Persoonlijk Verlies en Afscheid: Een kwetsbaar gesprek over het onverwachte overlijden van zijn zakenpartner Erik, de lessen die hij daaruit trok over samenwerken en zijn naderende vertrek bij Newion. "Ik ben geen unicorn hunter. Ik wil ondernemers helpen van A naar B naar C. Als ik kan bijdragen aan één procent van jouw succes, dan ben ik een blij mens." Newion: https://newion.com/ We Love SaaS: https://welovesaas.io/ SaaS Summit Benelux: https://saassummit.io/

Tiffany Yeh, MD is the CEO and Co-Founder of Eztia Materials, a climate-tech venture developing energy-efficient cooling materials to protect people from extreme heat. With a mission to advance hard tech solutions at the climate-health nexus, Tiffany draws on her unique background as a physician, engineer, and public health advocate to build technologies that improve global health in a warming world.(01:13) - Dr. Ye's Background & Inspiration (01:52) - The Heat Challenge(05:20) - Singapore and the Power of Cooling(06:32) - Why Construction Has Been Slow to Adapt (07:22) - The Human Factor(08:14) - HydroVolt Technology(09:29) - Business Model, Distribution & Competition(11:19) - Worker Comfort (15:32) - Hidden Productivity Crisis Brewing(18:18) - Feature: Blueprint: The Future of Real Estate 2026 in Vegas on Sep. 22-24 (19:21) - The Secret Sauce Behind HydroVolt (20:31) - Prototyping & Real-World Applications (21:32) - Measuring Impact & ROI (23:34) - Pitching to VCs & Investors(25:31) - Product Roadmap(29:08) - Collaboration Superpower: Lionel Messi

00:00 Introduction to Boys Club Live 00:44 The viral Vogue clip 03:46 Market Talk 07:13 Shoutout to Octant  11:29 AI Etiquette and Social Contracts 15:19 Gigi Claudid: Training our AI agent 20:49 Norwegian Athlete's Emotional Confession 23:34 Unpacking Relationship Drama 24:44 Messy Olympics: Scandals in Sports 25:32 Partner Shoutout: Anchorage Digital 27:27 Podcast Recommendation: The Rest is History 29:40 Interview with Tatum Hunter: Internet Culture Insights 30:06 Deepfakes and AI Ethics 38:43 Personal Surveillance and Trust Issues 48:52 TikTok's Mental Health Rabbit Hole 52:16 Shill Minute: Best Cookie in Crown Heights 53:08 Introduction to Octant: Innovating Funding Models 54:52 Funding Ethereum: Grants and Sustainability 56:50 Octant V2: Revolutionizing Community Funding 58:43 Sustainable Growth and the Future of Ethereum 01:05:56 The Intersection of Venture Capital and Sustainable Funding 01:11:25 Guest Nick Devor of Barrons on Prediction Markets 01:12:50 Gambling and Insider Trading in Prediction Markets 01:23:01 CFTC Challenges and the Future of Regulation 01:26:11 Free Groceries: A Marketing Strategy 01:29:50 Conclusion and Final Thoughts  

In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen sits down with Amar Varma, CEO and Co-Founder of Mantle, a revolutionary platform designed to transform the private investing landscape. As a serial entrepreneur with experience as both a General Partner (GP) and Limited Partner (LP), Amar offers a rare, dual perspective on the world of investment. His background spans multiple industries, including mobile, connected vehicles, and now private market infrastructure, where he is tackling one of the most persistent pain points: the fragmented, manual world of LP operations.Amar dives deep into how Mantle is positioned at the intersection of chaos and clarity, automating the heavy lifting to help investors make better decisions without drowning in documents. From global scaling and customer obsession to the parallels between today's AI transformation and past tech waves like mobile, this conversation covers a lot of ground. Whether you're an investor, allocator, or founder, there's something for everyone in this episode.Amar Varma's Early Influences and Entrepreneurial Spirit (00:02:15)Amar shares his journey from growing up in Ottawa to becoming a serial entrepreneur. He talks about his first exposure to tech industries and how a global perspective shaped his career. The experience of being raised in a government and tech hub like Ottawa gave him early access to innovation and a deep curiosity about the world.The Power of Perseverance and Growth Mindset (00:06:16)Growing up with an immigrant background, Amar reflects on the importance of perseverance and a growth mindset in overcoming struggles. His belief in the value of individual and team struggles is evident in his journey as a founder, investor, and parent.The Shift from Founder to Investor (00:13:50)Amar explains the transition from being a founder to taking a break and exploring the world of investing. His time working as an LP and angel investor gave him insights into the challenges faced by investors, especially when trying to scale operations without sufficient data or structure. This led to his founding of Mantle, which solves many of these problems.The Birth of Mantle: Revolutionizing LP Operations (00:25:40)Mantle is designed to automate and streamline the process of managing private market investments. Amar breaks down how Mantle's software works to track investments, capital calls, K-1s, and investor reports. He discusses the challenges of managing unstructured data and how AI-powered features have allowed Mantle to offer LPs and family offices a more seamless experience.The Power Law of Venture Capital (00:15:49)In the world of venture capital, Amar talks about the concept of the power law, how a few investments end up driving the majority of returns. He also discusses the importance of knowing when something is truly working in early-stage investments and how understanding this can lead to better investment decisions.Family Offices and LP Tech Stacks (00:29:00)Amar explains how Mantle is helping family offices and LPs with managing their investments, especially when dealing with the unstructured documents that are common in private markets. He shares how Mantle is creating a single source of truth for private assets, helping LPs track their investments across multiple funds, and how AI is helping improve efficiency in this space.AI-Driven Insights and Workflows (00:32:01)AI plays a major role in Mantle's value proposition, helping automate workflows, track financial data, and ensure accuracy across private market investments. Amar dives into the layers of AI that are stitched into Mantle's platform to help LPs and family offices gain more insight into their portfolios.The Future of Private Market Investments (00:40:00)Amar discusses the ongoing evolution of private market investments and the role technology, particularly AI, will play in shaping the future of LP operations. He also reflects on how private market infrastructure is moving towards a more standardized and efficient process, making data more accessible and reliable.About Amar VarmaAmar Varma is the CEO and Co-Founder of Mantle, a private market infrastructure platform designed to streamline the operations of LPs and family offices. With a background spanning semiconductor design, mobile technology, connected vehicles, and AI, Amar has built multiple successful startups. As an investor and founder, he has gained invaluable insights into the challenges of scaling and managing private market investments.Connect with Amar Varma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amar-varma-8041b9/?originalSubdomain=caVisit the Mantle website: https://withmantle.com/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

The Cybersecurity VC Report tracks venture capital deal flow is updated daily by the editors at Cybersecurity Ventures: https://cybersecurityventures.com/cybersecurity-venture-capital-vc-deals/ The VC Report is sponsored by Evolution Equity Partners, an international venture capital investor partnering with exceptional entrepreneurs to develop market leading cyber-security and enterprise software companies. https://evolutionequity.com/ In this episode, Steve Morgan, Founder at Cybersecurity Ventures and Editor-In-Chief at Cybercrime Magazine, shares his expert opinion on the cybersecurity market and investing climate in our industry.

In this episode of Skin in the Game, Saxon Baum sits down with Brian Hollins, co-founder of Collide Capital, for a wide ranging conversation on venture capital, institutional fundraising, and the mindset required to build a differentiated early-stage firm.Brian's story begins just outside Washington, D.C., where he grew up as the oldest of three brothers in a disciplined and competitive household. His middle brother, Mack Hollins, famously received no college football offers, walked on at UNC, and went on to build a nine-year NFL career that includes a Super Bowl championship. His youngest brother served in the Marines. That foundation of resilience, accountability, and high standards continues to shape Brian's approach to leadership and investing.The conversation traces his path from Stanford, where a culture of ambition and innovation pushes students to think boldly, to Goldman Sachs, where he helped build the Emerging Entrepreneurs Coverage Group. During that time, he learned how to create real value for founders before ever writing a check, including early work supporting companies like Plaid. Those experiences laid the groundwork for how he thinks about venture capital today.Brian also explains why he approached business school intentionally, using it as a strategic platform to build relationships and lay the foundation for launching Collide Capital. The discussion highlights the difference between raising a fund and building a firm, and what it takes to earn long-term institutional LP support.The episode concludes with a look at Collide Capital's investment focus on fintech infrastructure, supply chain and logistics, and the future of Gen Z in the workforce and why the best founders are relentlessly focused on solving one core problem.A thoughtful and candid discussion on building with intention and playing the long game. Tune in to this episode. You don't want to miss this one!

In the opening episode of Season 3, host Sharon Kedar speaks with Dr. Mike Rubin about following scientific curiosity across disciplines. Mike reflects on his early training in medicine, his decision to leave clinical practice, and how that transition led him into science-driven venture capital.Rather than framing career change as failure, this conversation examines coherence, preparation, and self-trust as essential components of innovation. Listeners gain practical context for how scientific thinking, uncertainty, and long-term discipline shape entrepreneurship and investment in human health.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why non-linear career paths are common in science and innovation — and how coherence matters more than linear progressionHow scientific training informs risk assessment, preparation, and decision-making in venture capitalWhy acknowledging uncertainty and saying “I don't know” is often the starting point for meaningful discoveryThe content shared in this episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, financial, or investment advice. Please seek guidance from your own qualified professionals before making decisions.Topics Covered in This EpisodeScience-driven venture capital and long-term thinkingTransitioning from clinical medicine to investingNon-linear careers in science and entrepreneurshipPreparation, discipline, and showing up without a playbookRisk reframed as discovery rather than failureInnovation grounded in scientific uncertaintyBuilding ecosystems that support human health researchConnect with Sharon:Connect with Sharon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonkedar/Learn more about Innovate and Elevate: https:// innovateandelevatepodcast.comSubscribe to Innovate and Elevate on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuWi1O9RBaPMYuCkKszPYVAJoin the newsletter to receive the latest episodes in your inbox: https://innovateandelevatepodcast.com/emailConnect with Dr. Mike Rubin:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mprubin/Learn more about Northpond Ventures: Website:

Episode 80: Fair Investment Practices by Venture Capital Companies Law Quick hit today to discuss California's new Fair Investment Practices by Venture Capital Companies Law (“California Regulatory Overreach” as I call it), which mandates venture capital firms to collect and report demographic data about the founding teams of the companies they invest in. I outline the requirements, implications, and potential challenges that VCs may face due to this law, and share my concerns about its practicality and the reliability of the data collected.   Key Points From This Episode: Who is subject to this new law?What must Covered Entities do to comply?By when must they do all this?My quick takes on this new law.One piece of advice moving forward. Disclaimer: This show is for informational purposes only. Nothing presented here constitutes legal, investment or tax advice. The guests that join us share their considerable fund-related wisdom, but everything they share here is their personal opinion and for educational purposes only. On this show, they are speaking for themselves, and not for their employer or any affiliated entity. Tokens of Wisdom is produced by Dave Rothschild, partner at Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP headquartered in San Francisco, California. For more information, visit https://colefrieman.com/ Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Dave Rothschild - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidcrothschild/Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP - https://colefrieman.com/Music by Joe Ginsberg - https://www.instagram.com/thejoeginsbergFor any questions or comments, email: tow@colefrieman.com

In den USA sind 2025 über 230 Milliarden Dollar in junge Firmen geflossen. In Deutschland bekamen Startups nur 6,5 Milliarden Euro. Wie abgehängt ist Deutschland wirklich? „Die USA sind ganz starker Vorreiter, UK hat aufgeholt und Deutschland ist stark im Hintergrund und muss extrem viel aufholen. Das Investmentvolumen im Venture Capital 2025 ist in den USA 230 Milliarden US-Dollar gewesen. Eine riesen Summe! UK ist kleiner und hat weniger Einwohner als Deutschland. Dort haben wir eine Investitionssumme von 22 Milliarden Euro und in Deutschland sind wir nur bei 6,5 Milliarden Euro. Auch bei den Unicorns gibt es ein starkes Gefälle”, sagt Fabian Fuchs. Der Startup-Gründer und Investor - der selbst in Deutschland, Großbritannien und den USA gelebt und gearbeitet hat - weiter: „Du willst sehr gute Leute für ein Startup, aber gleichzeitig konkurrierst du mit großen Firmen wie Google oder Facebook, die sehr hohe Gehälter zahlen können. Und der Schlüssel dazu, liegt eigentlich in den Anreizen Mitarbeiter-Beteiligungen zu machen. Da sind die USA schon extrem smart. In Deutschland hängen wir komplett hinterher. Es gibt aber Überlegungen, das zu ändern. Ich habe selbst in den USA ein Unternehmen gegründet - das ging innerhalb von einer Stunden. In Deutschland dauert das mehrere Wochen. Stichwort Finanzamt, Steuernummer, IHK, Notar, Bank.” Alle Infos im Interview von Inside Wirtschaft-Chefredakteur Manuel Koch und auf https://inside-wirtschaft.de

The race for the first viable driverless taxi fleet is still moving forward at a rapid pace, with players like Tesla and Waymo generating regular headlines highlighting the good and the bad.And though the vision is there, the technology that's being tested now in a handful of American cities is not perfect just yet.Recent reports point to comments made by Waymo's chief safety officer, Mauricio Peña, regarding the degree of independence his company's autonomous vehicles really offer.In an early February Congressional hearing, lawmakers grilled Waymo and Tesla executives on the future of autonomous vehicles.During the meeting, Waymo's Peña was pressed on the firm's use of foreign workers and technology, and the extent to which Waymo was using foreign assistance came as a bit of a surprise: the company is apparently using workers in the Philippines to remotely “fix” stumped autonomous vehicles on their routes.Peña stressed that the humans in question do not remotely operate the vehicles fully, rather they “provide guidance” – a clarification that didn't quell the concerns of some lawmakers, including Massachusetts senator Ed Markey, who said “having people overseas influencing American vehicles is a safety issue.” Additional concerns raised in the hearing were those of cybersecurity and, of course, the offshoring of jobs.Markey added, “It's one thing when a taxi is replaced by an Uber or a Lyft. It's another thing when the jobs just go completely overseas.”#AutonomousVehicles, #DriverlessCars, #Robotaxi, #Waymo, #Tesla, #SelfDriving, #AI, #ArtificialIntelligence, #TechNews, #TransportationTech, #FutureOfTransportation, #Mobility, #AVSafety, #Cybersecurity, #RemoteWork, #Offshoring, #USCongress, #TechPolicy, #Regulation, #StartupNews, #VentureCapital, #SmartCities

Aman Verjee, Founder and General Partner at Practical Venture Capital, shares his view of how venture capital has evolved over the past two decades and why secondary markets now play a critical role in the ecosystem. Drawing from his time at PayPal, eBay, and Sonos, Aman explains how companies today stay private far longer than they used to, what that means for early investors and employees, and how thoughtfully structured secondary transactions can reduce friction and misalignment on the cap table. He also challenges popular narratives around tech bubbles, walking through historical examples to explain why today's AI-driven market looks fundamentally different.In this episode, you'll learn:[01:11] Aman's journey from Wall Street to Practical VC[03:40] What made the early PayPal team exceptional[06:32] Follow the customer, not the original plan[10:44] Why are startups staying private longer today?[11:17] What secondary transactions actually are[18:41] How founders should handle secondary requests[26:11] Are we in a tech bubble today?The nonprofit organization Aman is passionate about: AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization)About Aman VerjeeAman Verjee is the Founder and General Partner of Practical Venture Capital, a secondary-focused fund providing liquidity to early investors in late-stage private companies. Before launching Practical VC, Aman spent over a decade in finance and operations roles at PayPal and eBay, joining PayPal in 2001 before its IPO and witnessing its transformation from a money-beaming mobile app to the dominant payment platform for eBay. Earlier, he worked in investment banking in New York after studying economics at Stanford and constitutional law at Harvard Law School. Aman was recruited to PayPal by Peter Thiel and worked directly for David Sachs during the company's pivotal early years. Now partnering with Dave McClure, he focuses on Series C and D investments in SaaS and FinTech companies with $200M+ in revenue and clear paths to liquidity within 5-7 years. He's also writing a book on the history of financial bubbles and co-hosts the Trading Places podcast, analyzing private company valuations.About Practical Venture CapitalPractical Venture Capital is a secondary-focused venture firm that provides liquidity solutions for early investors, employees, and funds. Operating with a 7-year fund structure instead of the traditional 10-15 years, Practical VC targets 20-40% discounts to last-round valuations in Series C and D companies with $200M+ in revenue and clear paths to exit. The firm specializes in SaaS and FinTech but has made exceptions for exceptional opportunities like SpaceX, now their biggest winner despite violating their typical investment criteria. Founded by Aman Verjee and Dave McClure, Practical VC evaluates roughly 50 companies at any given time, making 5-10 investments annually. The firm also offers SPVs for deals that don't fit their main fund and covers LATAM opportunities through an operating partner in Argentina. Their approach recognizes that modern venture capital requires new liquidity solutions as companies like SpaceX (23 years private), Airbnb (17 years), and Palantir (20 years) redefine what "patient capital" means.Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode.

Send a textSometimes, just sometimes, the rules are there to be broken. Because when you dare to break them, miracles and moments of beautiful humanity could be waiting just on the other side.Standing with founders through the messy middle, founder & investor coach Rotem Kazir has witnessed the downturns, the $100M wins, the struggles, and the moments CEOs have had to admit defeat, in order to succeed. She invites us into the vulnerable, scrappy side of the start-up world, where professionalism wears a different guise: fail fast, break the rules, and put the company first.Join us as Rotem shares stories from her 20 year coaching career, and why she's learnt that Unprofessionalism means stepping into your humanity, speaking your truth, and asking your team What's hard?.Find out about:Rotem's experience as a starter coach, and what she gained when she chose to remove professional distanceWhy sharing struggles at the start of meetings creates a culture of honesty, free of professional performanceThe importance of choosing how to show up in meetings, from body language, to facial expressions, and tone of voice.Why building trust requires us to drop the professional mask to foster genuine connectionLinks:LinkedInSupport the show✨✨✨If you miss the "workshops work" podcast, join us on Substack, where Myriam builds a Podcast Club with monthly gatherings around old episodes: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/

How do the world's smartest institutional investors actually allocate capital?In this episode, we sit down with Nolan, a veteran CIO with over two decades of experience allocating capital for endowments, foundations, family offices, and healthcare systems — overseeing more than $90B in assets across public and private markets.We go deep into how institutions think about risk, liquidity, and long-term returns, why venture capital remains a power-law game, and how investors are navigating today's biggest shifts — from AI and private credit to diversification risks and market cycles.This conversation pulls back the curtain on how capital is really deployed behind closed doors — especially in a world where exits are slower, fundraising is harder, and everyone is asking whether we're closer to 1997… or 1999.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comWhat you'll learn in this episode:- How institutions decide how much risk they can truly take- Why venture capital allocations haven't disappeared — but have slowed- Private credit vs venture capital: how LPs actually think about the trade-off- How AI is reshaping portfolios across public and private markets- Why diversification matters more now than during bull markets- What CIOs are watching for as we head into 2026Whether you're a fund manager, LP, founder, or just curious about how institutional money really works, this episode offers rare, first-principles insight into long-term capital allocation.(00:00) - Podcast Teaser: Risk, Returns, and Venture Capital (00:48) - Introduction to Nolan Bean and FEG Investment Advisors (02:20) - Nolan's Career Journey: From Associate to CIO (03:16) - What is FEG and the Outsourced CIO (OCIO) Model? (05:18) - The Four Key Risks for Institutional Investors (08:32) - Ranking Institutions by Risk Appetite (10:20) - A Breakdown of Institutional Asset Classes (13:05) - Institutional Openness to New Investment Strategies (15:30) - The Evolving Landscape of Venture Capital (17:36) - Why VC Fundraising Has Slowed Down (19:12) - Venture Capital vs. Private Credit: An Institutional Debate (21:32) - Current Institutional Preferences in VC Funds (Stage & Sector) (24:01) - Evaluating the Risk of an AI Bubble (26:54) - Domestic vs. Global Allocations (29:19) - The Unspoken Need for Diversification (31:29) - Commodities as a Portfolio Hedge (34:29) - Advice for Fund Managers Raising Capital (36:22) - Market Outlook and Expectations for 2026Connect with Nolan:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolanbean/Podcast 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

Welcome to the 9Innings Podcast where we Educate, Empower and Engage. ON THIS WEEKS PODCAST: In this episode of the 9innings Podcast," host Kevin Thompson and guest Tyrone Ross Jr. analyze the recent turmoil in Bitcoin and the broader crypto market. They discuss causes of the downturn, institutional involvement, regulatory uncertainty, and the shift toward permissioned blockchains. Tyrone critiques the dilution of crypto's original vision, warns of speculative risks, and calls for a market “washout” to eliminate weak projects. The conversation covers blockchain transparency, misconceptions about Bitcoin ownership, and the future of digital assets, emphasizing the need for education, better infrastructure, and a more sustainable crypto ecosystem. Recent Bitcoin Liquidations and Market Downturn (00:01:28) Institutional Involvement and Co-opting of Crypto (00:03:50) Crypto's Original Sins and Market Narratives (00:06:47) Altcoins, Scams, and Market Washout (00:08:11) Problems with Crypto Trading and Market Structure (00:11:43) Regulatory and Custody Challenges (00:14:53) Venture Capital, Founders, and Retail Burnout (00:17:36) Blockchain Transparency and Traceability (00:22:16) Long-Term Vision for Crypto and Blockchain (00:25:27) High Interest Rates in Crypto and DeFi Risks (00:28:36) NEWSLETTER (WHAT NOW): https://substack.com/@9icapital?r=2eig6s&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Follow Us: youtube: / @9icap Linkedin: / kevin-thompson-ricp%c2%ae-cfp%c2%ae-74964428 facebook: / mlb2cfp Buy MLB2CFP Here: https://www.amazon.com/MLB-CFP%C2%AE-90-Feet-Counting-ebook/dp/B0BLJPYNS4 Website: http://www.9icapitalgroup.com Hit the subscribe button to get new content notifications. Corrections: Editing by http://SwoleNerdProductions.com Disclosure: https://sites.google.com/view/9idisclosure/disclosure

Can you scale customer support without burning out agents or frustrating customers?Ping Wu shares how Cresta combines AI and human intelligence into a single system that scales sustainably for companies like United Airlines and Porsche.In this episode, Ping also breaks down the three constraints that shape automation in the real world: conversation complexity, infrastructure debt, and customer demographics.Guest: Ping Wu, CEO of CrestaConnect with Ping WuX: https://x.com/ping_wuLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pingwu/Connect with JoubinX: https://x.com/JoubinmirLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joubin-mirzadegan-66186854/Email: grit@kleinerperkins.comFollow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/kpgritFollow on X:https://x.com/KPGrit​Learn more about Kleiner Perkins: https://www.kleinerperkins.com/ 

In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss the significant surge in capital expenditure (CapEx) among major tech companies, dubbed 'CapEx Palooza.' They explore investor sentiment and market reactions to these expenditures, the implications of backlogs and demand in the tech sector, and the future of AI and cloud services. The conversation also delves into the dynamics of CapEx spending among hyperscalers, emerging trends in semiconductor mergers and acquisitions, and the impact of rising memory prices on consumer electronics. Additionally, they highlight the strategic acquisition of Silicon Labs by Texas Instruments and the potential of timing technologies in the market. The episode concludes with an announcement about their upcoming live stream.

AI may feel new to many investors, but Glasswing Ventures founder Rudina Seseri has been betting on it for  more than a decade. In this episode, she breaks down how Glasswing evaluates AI startups, why workflow and productivity are key entry points, and what founders still get wrong. Plus, her unlikely journey from a teenage immigrant to a leading AI investor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Manuel Grossmann (Amino Collective) spricht über Positionierung im Venture Capital — und warum echte Partnerschaft für Gründer mehr ist als ein Versprechen auf der Website. Du erfährst, weshalb viele Investoren zwar „Early Stage“ sagen, aber spät investieren, wie sich Amino Collective bewusst davon abgrenzt und warum thematische Spezialisierung ein entscheidender Vorteil für Gründer ist. Was du lernst: Warum viele Fonds frühe Investments versprechen, sie aber selten umsetzen. Wie sich spezialisierte Fonds positionieren, um frühere und bessere Entscheidungen zu treffen. Weshalb Flexibilität bei Ownership, Ticketgröße und Rolle entscheidend ist. Wie Gründer Investoren besser einschätzen können, bevor sie Gespräche führen. Warum Venture Capital eine gesellschaftliche Funktion hat – und nicht nur Rendite liefern sollte. l ALLES ZU UNICORN BAKERY: https://stan.store/fabiantausch   Mehr zu Manuel: LinkedIn: ⁠https://de.linkedin.com/in/manuel-grossmann⁠  Website: ⁠https://www.aminocollective.com/⁠  Join our Founder Tactics Newsletter: 2x die Woche bekommst du die Taktiken der besten Gründer der Welt direkt ins Postfach: https://www.tactics.unicornbakery.de/

In this episode of The Venture Capital Podcast (VC.fm), hosts Peter Harris and Jon Bradshaw speak with Roberto Bonanzinga, Founder of InReach Ventures and former Founding Partner at Balderton Capital, about how artificial intelligence is transforming venture capital from the inside out.Roberto explains how InReach Ventures built a proprietary AI and machine learning platform to discover early-stage founders across Europe — often before they raise capital, build pitch decks, or even seek investors. Drawing on decades of experience backing companies like Revolut, Depop, Vivino, and Contentful, he shares why discovery is the biggest bottleneck in early-stage VC and how AI changes that equation.The conversation explores:AI-first venture capital modelsInvesting in founders before ideasEarly-stage startup discovery in EuropeGP-only venture firms and fund designWhy pitch decks don't predict outcomesThe future of junior roles, analysts, and associates in VCHow AI reshapes career paths and investing workflowsThis episode is essential listening for founders, venture capitalists, LPs, and operators interested in AI, early-stage investing, and the future of venture capital.Follow the PodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/venturecapitalfm/Twitter: https://twitter.com/vcpodcastfmLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/venturecapitalfm/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7BQimY8NJ6cr617lqtRr7N?si=ftylo2qHQiCgmT9dfloD_g&nd=1&dlsi=7b868f1b72094351Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/venture-capital/id1575351789Website: https://www.venturecapital.fm/Follow Jon BradshawLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrbradshaw/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjonbradshaw/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrjonbradshawFollow Peter HarrisLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterharris1Twitter: https://twitter.com/thevcstudentInstagram: https://instagram.com/shodanpeteYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@peterharris2812

Karrierewege, Tech-Trends und Full-Circle-Momente

What if your money could do more than sit in a retirement account?This month on Smart Women Talk, we're joined by Marcia Dawood, global leader in angel investing and author of Doing Good While Doing Well, for a conversation that will completely change how you think about investing.Marcia breaks down what angel investing actually is (no finance degree required), why women are uniquely wired to be exceptional investors, and how anyone—yes, even with as little as $100—can invest in ideas, founders, and innovations they care about.You'll learn:What angel investing really means (and how it's different from Shark Tank)Why women founders receive only ~2% of venture capital—and how that can changeHow to start investing with your values, not just your walletCreative ways to invest using donor-advised funds, IRAs, and equity crowdfundingSimple, low-risk first steps to explore this world without feeling overwhelmedIf you've ever wanted your money to reflect what matters most to you, this episode is a must-listen.Marcia Dawood is an early-stage investor and national leader in expanding women's access to capital, now championing a bold new message with her forthcoming book, Unapologetic Wealth: Rewrite Your Money Story from Any Beginning  (March 10, 2026).As Chair of the SEC's Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee, a venture partner with Mindshift Capital, and chair emeritus of the Angel Capital Association, she has helped rewrite the rules of who gets to build and benefit from innovation.She founded the ACA's Growing Women's Capital Group and has invested in more than 50 early-stage companies and funds, always pushing for diversity, impact, and financial agency. Marcia is also the award-winning author of Do Good While Doing Well and a TEDx speaker whose work inspires women to step into wealth with confidence and zero apology.Connect with Marcia at MarciaDawood.com.DISCLAIMER: The information Smart Women's Empowerment and Smart Women Talk provides is for general informational purposes only. All information is provided in good faith; however, we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHALL WE HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE USE OF OR RELIANCE ON ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. We cannot and do not offer financial and/or medical advice. The information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals before taking any actions based on such information.

Chuck Eesley, a professor of management science and engineering, studies entrepreneurship across diverse contexts – from refugee entrepreneurs in Uganda to semiconductor startups navigating U.S.-China economic policy. His research on recent export controls revealed a counterintuitive outcome: Rather than solely strengthening U.S. semiconductor innovation, these policies accelerated Chinese investment in its own domestic chip industry, boosting startups there as much as – or more than – here. This finding underscores how global technology markets are deeply interconnected: Barriers can produce unintended consequences that accelerate innovation abroad rather than protecting it at home. Open technology trade and investment create larger markets for American innovations, strengthen collaborative partnerships, and demonstrate that interconnected markets drive progress for all participants. “Entrepreneurial talent exists everywhere,” Eesley tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering's The Future of Everything podcast.Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu.Episode Reference Links:Stanford Profile: Charles (Chuck) EesleyConnect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / FacebookChapters:(00:00:00) IntroductionRuss Altman introduces guest Chuck Eesley, a professor of management and engineering at Stanford University.(00:03:04) Why Study Entrepreneurship?Chuck explains why entrepreneurs are drivers of modern economic growth.(00:03:30) Defining EntrepreneurshipBroad vs. narrow entrepreneurship, from startups to large organizations.(00:04:33) Institutional EnvironmentsHow policies and culture both shape entrepreneurial outcomes.(00:05:44) Studying Institutions & EntrepreneurshipMeasuring ​institutional shifts to isolate entrepreneurial outcomes.(00:08:12) Founder & Talent IncentivesWhat's needed for high-opportunity-cost talent to start companies.(00:09:36) AI EntrepreneurshipThe impact of data and compute concentration on startup dynamism.(00:11:28) Designing AI RegulationHistorical examples of regulation enabling startups to compete fairly.(00:13:43) Incentives Inside Big TechWhy some incumbents support startups while others tilt the playing field.(00:15:28) Ad Placement & Misinformation FundingHow digital advertising can unintentionally fund low-credibility content.(00:21:24) Misinformation Market SolutionThe disclosure mechanisms that may reduce misinformation incentives.(00:25:23) Semiconductors & EntrepreneurshipThe importance of startups in a field often dominated by large incumbents.(00:29:30) Unintended Policy EffectsHow U.S. policy may be accelerating Chinese semiconductor investments.(00:31:09) Competing Industrial PoliciesWhy evaluation and iteration are essential for effective policy design.(00:32:31) Global EntrepreneurshipEmerging entrepreneurship models spreading across regions and contexts.(00:36:26) The Universal Entrepreneurial MindsetShared entrepreneurial traits across cultures, contexts, and countries.(00:37:14) Future In a MinuteRapid-fire Q&A: democratizing entrepreneurship, context, and equitable inclusivity.(00:41:02) Conclusion Connect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Frank Rohde is the Founder and CEO of Ownify, a fractional homeownership platform pairing institutional and impact investors with qualified first-time buyers to make homeownership more accessible. With a 20+ year career at the intersection of finance, credit analytics, and technology, Frank previously led Nomis Solutions, scaling it into a global mortgage pricing engine used by top banks. Earlier roles include leadership at FICO, founding the early online insurer eCoverage, and launching AI models before it was trendy. Born in Germany, Frank is a former national whitewater kayaking champion, marathon runner on all seven continents, and lifelong reader—now channeling that energy into building a path between renting and owning, one Brick by Brick™.(01:51) - Why Homeownership Is Broken(04:10) - Ownify model(06:03) - How Fractional Ownership Works(13:08) - Ownify Benefits for First-time Homebuyers(16:11) - Homeowner & Investor Alignment(23:21) - Feature: CREtech New York Oct. 20–21(24:09) - Event Opportunities(25:38) - All-Cash Offers Explained(32:40) - Underwriting & Risk Management(35:47) - Investor Returns(38:48) - Market Expansion(41:37) - Policy & Regulatory Headwinds(44:04) - Collaboration Superpower: Elon Musk

Who decides which ideas get funded — and whose voices get left out? In this episode of Entrepreneurial Thinkers, our host Rob sits down with Paige Hendrix Buckner, CEO of All Raise, to pull back the curtain on the world of venture capital and the inequities shaping it. From her unconventional path from teaching fourth graders to Non-profit, and startup tech leadership, Paige shares why changing who controls capital is essential to building better companies — and a healthier economy. The conversation explores the systemic barriers facing women and non-binary investors, why representation alone isn't enough, and how culture, data, and storytelling can drive real change. Paige also offers practical insights for those aspiring to break into venture capital and explains how All Raise is working to reshape the industry from the inside out. This episode is both a wake-up call and an invitation to be part of a more inclusive future in tech and investing.Feel free to follow and engage with PAIGE here:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigehendrixbuckner/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paigehbuckner/X: https://x.com/PaigeHBucknerBusiness LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allraise/Business Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allraiseorg/Website: https://www.allraise.org/We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors and community leaders interested in the human stories of the Entrepreneurial Thinkers behind entrepreneurial economies worldwide.As always we hope you enjoy each episode and Like, Follow, Subscribe or share with your friends. You can find our shows here, and our new Video Podcast, at “Entrepreneurial Thinkers” channel on YouTube. Plug in, relax and enjoy inspiring, educational and empowering conversations between Rob and our guests.¡Cheers y gracias!,Entrepreneurial Thinkers Team.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background06:07 The Importance of Access to Capital07:58 All Raise's Strategic Shift10:09 Paige's Leadership Philosophy13:59 The Disconnect in the Entrepreneurial Economy19:04 Women Leading Change in Venture Capital22:20 Progress and Future Goals for All Raise27:23 The Importance of Storytelling in VC31:59 All Raise: Supporting Women and Non-Binary VCs37:17 The Role of Male Allies in Venture Capital41:36 Engaging Limited Partners for Diversity50:44 Challenges in Raising Capital for Underrepresented Founders52:53 Data-Driven Insights on Diversity and Business Outcomes53:53 The Impact of Diversity on Business Outcomes55:54 Lessons from Education to Venture Capital01:04:43 Preparing for a Career in Venture Capital

For more thoughts, clips, and updates, follow Avetis Antaplyan on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/avetisantaplyan⁠In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Alex Shartsis, serial founder, former corporate development lead, and current CEO of Skyp.ai—to unpack the real cost of “growth at all costs.” With scars and exits to back his views, Alex offers a candid breakdown of what founders get wrong about product-market fit, fundraising traps, and the often-misunderstood economics of scaling.Together, they explore why bootstrapping is back in vogue, how over-raising can kill flexibility, and how AI is redefining what it means to be a lean operator. Alex draws from his time at Perfect Price and now Skyp.ai to expose the hidden “footwork” behind successful GTM strategies and why most SaaS founders underprice out of insecurity. The conversation is loaded with tactical advice—from navigating platform creep to testing pricing thresholds—and peppered with war stories from the front lines of both venture-backed and bootstrapped journeys.Whether you're scaling an AI startup or building quietly with customer revenue, this episode challenges conventional wisdom and lays out what durable, customer-obsessed growth looks like in 2026.TakeawaysMany founders mistake a short burst of sales or demand for true product-market fit, leading to premature scaling and churn.Financial acquirers focus on cash flows; strategic acquirers pay for fit. Most founders don't deeply understand either.Venture capital often creates misaligned incentives. Founders lose control over exits and may be pushed to chase unsustainable valuations.Bootstrapping forces discipline: every dollar must generate near-term return, every decision must align with customer need.Raising too early or too much reduces urgency, increases burn, and often leads to wasteful bets and bloated teams.SaaS buyers increasingly value smaller vendors who prioritize service over scale.Advice is context-dependent: founders must be careful not to blindly copy tactics that worked in a different market or macro.AI tools enable hands-on execution and eliminate layers of communication, especially for lean teams.Founders often “hide their footwork”—the unseen details that actually drive GTM success.Customer proximity and rapid iteration beat slide decks and assumptions every time.Chapters00:00 Growth at All Costs Is Dead01:07 What Acquirers Really Care About02:35 The Mirage of Product-Market Fit05:10 Amazon vs. Realistic Unit Economics06:44 When Losing Money Is Okay—And When It's Not08:01 The Advice Trap: When Playbooks Expire10:01 The SurveyMonkey Blueprint (And Its Limits)13:06 How Bootstrapping Forces Better Decision-Making17:34 Owning the Downside: Founders vs. VCs20:13 Building a $5M Business Without Needing a Billion-Dollar Exit22:30 Platform Creep and Product Dilution27:53 Customer Success Is the Real Differentiator29:49 Jiu-Jitsu and GTM Footwork36:39 How AI Changes How Work Gets Done44:43 Prototyping, Building, and Speed with AI Tools46:41 Pricing Insecurity and Willingness to Pay51:01 You Are Not Your Customer: Pricing Psychology53:48 Cheap Gym Memberships, Expensive LessonsAlex Shartsis's Social Media Link:https://www.linkedin.com/in/shartsis/Resources and Links:⁠⁠https://www.hireclout.com⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podcast.hireclout.com⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/hirefasthireright⁠

How do you build a venture strategy that both delivers strong returns and meaningfully improves the lives of children and families? In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, sits down with Andrew Meadow, MBA, Founding Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Health Innovation Capital, for a thoughtful conversation about investing in pediatric and maternal health. Andrew shares the personal and professional journey that led him to focus his career on underserved pediatric populations, and why children are not just “small adults” when it comes to innovation, clinical development, and investment strategy. In this episode, you'll learn: Why pediatric and maternal health remain some of the most underfunded (and high impact) areas in biotech. How venture funds can balance financial returns with real-world improvements in access, affordability, and quality of care. What entrepreneurs need to know to engage pediatric-focused investors and stand out in a competitive funding environment. Tune in to hear how purpose-driven venture capital can change the trajectory of healthcare innovation and why investing in children may be one of the most important bets biotech can make. Links: Connect with Andrew Meadow, MBA, and check out Health Innovation Capital. Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD, and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine. Connect with Ian McLachlan, BIO from the BAYOU producer. Check out BIO on the BAYOU. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

Only 3% of venture capital funding goes to women-owned businesses. But here's the thing—it's not because your idea isn't good enough. It's because of foundational mistakes you're making before you even apply. Business strategist Ms. Cat (Catherine Mitchell) joins Sarah to break down exactly what keeps women entrepreneurs from accessing the billions in funding that's actually available. From choosing the wrong business name to using your personal Gmail account, these structural errors are disqualifying you before funders even look at your pitch. Ms. Cat walks through the NAICS code trap, why your LLC address matters more than you think, and the exact moment you should start looking for funding. Plus, she gets real about the burning desire you need to make the leap from side hustle to main hustle—and why entrepreneurship isn't for everyone. This conversation is part of Sarah's mission to put more money in the hands of more women.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN The 5 foundational mistakes that disqualify businesses from funding—including why certain business names are considered "high risk" and how your NAICS code can knock you out of the game When to actually start looking for venture capital funding (and the capital gap test to know if you're ready) Why using your home address on your LLC is a red flag to investors—and what funders are really looking for when they Google your business The 3-4x rule for knowing when your side hustle is ready to become your main hustle Why funding challenges have nothing to do with your product or service—it's all about foundation and structure How women disqualify themselves before they even ask for funding (and how proper structure gives you the confidence to apply) The burning desire you need beyond just a good idea to survive entrepreneurship   READY TO BUILD A BUSINESS FOUNDATION THAT POSITIONS YOU FOR GROWTH? Ready to build a business foundation that positions you for growth and funding? Book a free 15-minute chat with Sarah to discover how you can work together. Book Your Free Call → https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=13047670&appointmentType=34706781 CONNECT WITH MS. CAT Podcast: Both Sides of the Check (available wherever you get your podcasts) Website: https://connectwithmiscat.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectwithmscat/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connectwithmscat YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@connectwithmscat   ABOUT MS. CAT (CATHERINE MITCHELL) Ms. Cat is a business strategist, entrepreneur, and co-host of the rising podcast Both Sides of the Check. She is the founder of Concept2Company, a program designed to help entrepreneurs structure their businesses for funding, make their first $10K in 30 days, and land consistent clients without leaning on friends and family. With years of experience guiding business owners through scaling, funding, and systems-building, Ms. Cat has built a reputation for simplifying complex strategies into step-by-step blueprints that actually get results. Her unique approach combines tough-love accountability with practical, actionable tools that help entrepreneurs go from idea to income. In addition to consulting, Ms. Cat owns her own tax software company, equipping professionals with training and mentorship under her ERO Expansion Hub mentorship program.   ABOUT SARAH WALTON Sarah Walton is a business coach, podcast host, and mentor who helps women entrepreneurs build businesses they love. She's the creator of the Abundance Academy, Effortless Sales, and the Game On Girlfriend® podcast. Sarah's mission is to put more money in the hands of more women while teaching authentic, heart-centered business strategies.   FREE GIFT FROM SARAH Get Sarah's Freedom Calculator and discover how much your business needs to make so you can finally be free.  → Download: https://sarahwalton.com/freedom   LEARN FROM SARAH Explore Sarah's online courses and free resources to start building your business with confidence.  Online Courses: sarahwalton.com/online-courses     Free Resources: sarahwalton.com/free-resources CONNECT WITH SARAH Website: https://sarahwalton.com/podcast  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSarahWalton Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesarahwalton   RELATED GAME ON GIRLFRIEND® EPISODES YOU'LL LOVE Episode 312: Awakening, Abundance & Ancient Wisdom — Rewriting Your Money Story with Halle Eavelyn - https://sarahwalton.com/women-money-mindset-halle-eavelyn/ Episode 313: But What About the Money? Why Your Nervous System Determines Your Income - https://sarahwalton.com/money-mindset-nervous-system-income/ Episode 310: How One Courageous Conversation Led to Impacting 11.6 Million Lives with Carrie Rich - https://sarahwalton.com/financial-planning-women-entrepreneurs-carrie-rich/   LOVE THE SHOW? LEAVE US A REVIEW! Thank you so much for listening. I'm honored that you're here and would be grateful if you could leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, and clicking "Write a review." Your reviews help other women entrepreneurs find the show and get the support they need to build businesses they love. Thank you for being part of the Game On Girlfriend® community! (If you're not sure how to leave a review, you can watch this quick tutorial.)  

This week, we chat with Terri Burns! Terri is the founder of Type Capital, an early-stage venture firm focused on being the first check for ambitious founders at pre-seed and seed. Most recently, she was a partner at GV, where she made history as the firm's youngest partner and its first-ever Black female partner, with a focus on digital consumer and emerging technology.During her time at GV, Terri led and supported investments that went on to raise follow-on capital from top-tier firms and achieve meaningful exits, including the social app HAGS, which was acquired by Snapchat. She's also an active angel investor and cofounder of an angel collective that has backed companies like Clubhouse.Terri's impact extends well beyond investing. She's a Forbes 30 Under 30 awardee for Venture Capital, a three-time co-chair of Fortune Magazine's Brainstorm Tech Conference, and a frequent speaker at institutions like Stanford GSB and Harvard Business School. Her work has been featured in publications including Vogue, Fortune, and TechCrunch.Before venture, Terri began her career as an associate product manager at Twitter, studied computer science at NYU, and today serves on NYU's Board of Trustees.✨ This episode is presented by Brex.Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspodThis episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena.RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazersGusto: gusto.com/trailblazersQuo: Quo.com/trailblazersAthena: athenago.me/Erica-WengerFollow Us!Terri Burns: @tcburning @thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTokErica Wenger: @erica_wenger

(0:00) Intro(1:19) About the podcast sponsor: The American College of Governance Counsel(2:05) Start of interview (2:48) Michael's origin story. Academic Journey and Early Influences. *reference to Correlation Ventures(8:55) About his paper Board Dynamics over the Startup Life Cycle (2020) with Nadia Malenko. (11:30) Role of independent directors in VC-backed companies.(16:05) Control Dynamics in Startup Boards(17:21) The Evolution of Founder Control *Reference to E187 with Brad Feld (Oct 2025)(28:11) The Future of Private Markets(29:21) The Future of IPOs “What's been missing from the IPO market since 1996 is the small- to mid-cap company. In my view, the solution for public markets is to restore their uniqueness by shutting down private secondary markets and making public-market liquidity distinctive again.”(33:40) The Role of Private Equity in Governance(39:47) Distinctions Between VC and PE Boards(42:24) Insights from Private Equity for Public Companies “A PE firm is really an investment bank with a consulting arm, where the partners sit on both sides and have equity in the whole game.” "What PE solves is expertise alignment, and a clear investment horizon for an exit."(47:36) The Impact of AI on Board Governance(50:20) Books that have greatly influenced his life:One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1967)Culture Series by Ian Banks (1987-2012)A Brief History of Intelligence by Max Bennett (2023)(53:14) His mentors (54:24) Quotes that he thinks of often or lives his life by: "All models are wrong, but some are useful" by George Box(53:15) An unusual habit or an absurd thing that he loves. Watching the Big Lebowski.(55:53) The living person he most admires: Derek Thomson.(57:26) Moving from VC to PE Research in New YorkMichael Ewens is the David L. and Elsie M. Dodd Professor of Finance and co-director of the Private Equity Program at Columbia Business School. You can follow Evan on social media at:X: @evanepsteinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/epsteinevan/ Substack: https://evanepstein.substack.com/__To support this podcast you can join as a subscriber of the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at https://evanepstein.substack.com/__Music/Soundtrack (found via Free Music Archive): Seeing The Future by Dexter Britain is licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License

What is the single most powerful indicator that a founder will succeed? According to Ben Savage, it isn't just a great product or a massive market—it's the "Compete Test". When a seasoned investor looks at a founder and realizes, “That's not somebody I want to compete with,” they know they've found a winner.In this episode of Demo Day, we sit down with Ben Savage, Partner at Clocktower Technology Ventures, to demystify the internal frameworks used by top VCs to evaluate talent and risk. With over 13 years at Clocktower, Ben shares his deep expertise in the "Foundational Economy"—investing in FinTech, energy, and industrials.Key TakeawaysThe "Unbeatable" Founder: Why the best indicator of success is being a person that others are afraid to go up against in the market.The 4-Part Investment Framework: How Clocktower evaluates every deal based on Founder Quality, Narrative Quality, Fit, and Value.Investor vs. Operator: Why "making the donuts" is fundamentally different from coaching from the sidelines, and why you must choose a spike.The "I" vs. "We" Red Flag: How small shifts in vocabulary reveal a founder's true ability to build a world-class team and culture.Navigating the AI Disruption: Why founders today must either lead with an AI-centric strategy or risk being disrupted at an accelerating pace.The Power of Simplicity: Why the best investment decisions often come from cutting through complexity to the "dumb" or obvious version of a story.Ben also opens up about the "lonely journey" of entrepreneurship and why radical vulnerability is a superpower for building long-term partnerships.

This episode of The Circuit dives into the current "gold rush" of semiconductor earnings, navigating the tension between unprecedented demand and the hard physical constraints of the supply chain. Hosts Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg explore why the current Wafer Fab Equipment (WFE) cycle is structurally different from the past, the internal "compute wars" happening within hyperscalers like Microsoft and Meta, and the surprising volatility in the storage and analog markets.Whether it's the "AI hotel" backlog or the high-stakes memory negotiations at Apple, this discussion provides a deep look at the plumbing behind the AI revolution.

In this episode of The Venture Capital Podcast (VC.fm), hosts Jon Bradshaw and Peter Harris sit down with Olivia Goldstein, General Partner at StartFast Ventures and CEO of Upstate Venture Connect, to discuss venture capital, startup ecosystems, and why the best founders and companies can be built far outside Silicon Valley.Olivia shares her founder journey (including building a startup that used influencer marketing and exiting in 2019), her thesis on investing in overlooked markets like Upstate New York, and practical advice for founders raising venture capital from non-traditional hubs.The conversation also explores emerging opportunities in entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA), small business succession as baby boomers retire, and how AI and shifting labor markets may push more people toward owning real-world cash-flowing assets.Keywords and topics:Venture capital, StartFast Ventures, Upstate Venture Connect, Upstate New York startups, Buffalo startups, Rochester startups, Syracuse startups, B2B SaaS investing, startup ecosystem, founder-led companies, fundraising advice, entrepreneurship through acquisition, ETA, small business acquisition, SBA loans, VC opinions, investing outside Silicon Valley.Follow the PodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/venturecapitalfm/Twitter: https://twitter.com/vcpodcastfmLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/venturecapitalfm/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7BQimY8NJ6cr617lqtRr7N?si=ftylo2qHQiCgmT9dfloD_g&nd=1&dlsi=7b868f1b72094351Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/venture-capital/id1575351789Website: https://www.venturecapital.fm/Follow Jon BradshawLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrbradshaw/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjonbradshaw/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrjonbradshawFollow Peter HarrisLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterharris1Twitter: https://twitter.com/thevcstudentInstagram: https://instagram.com/shodanpeteYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@peterharris2812

How can early-stage investors deliver repeatable, outsized returns—without chasing hype? In this episode of Techoventure, Mark Fernandes, Managing Director at Sierra Ventures, shares the disciplined model behind one of the industry's most consistent early-stage venture firms. Sierra's strategy is designed for repeatable 3–5x returns by focusing on founder-market fit, tight portfolio construction, and tech-savvy sectors like AI, cloud, and cybersecurity. Key insights include: The four-part rubric Sierra uses to vet early-stage founders Why fund size discipline is critical to long-term VC performance How Sierra balances seed and Series A checks with portfolio theory The power of “AI enablers” in healthcare, legal, and vertical SaaS The 20-year evolution of Sierra's CXO Board and its enterprise value

Owen Barrett is the CEO and Co-Founder of Shine, a cleantech company helping multifamily property owners maximize NOI through onsite solar. With over 20 years of experience in sustainability and clean energy, Owen previously managed $60M in projects and launched a successful energy venture for schools before founding Shine to solve the split incentive problem in solar. Shine's turnkey solution targets tenant electricity—95% of a building's usage—enabling owners to generate new income while cutting tenant costs. With 36,500+ panels installed and a recent $5M seed round, Owen is leading Shine's national expansion to transform how real estate decarbonizes.(01:31) - Owen's Journey from Finance to Clean Energy(04:27) - Multifamily Solar Challenges & Solution(09:43) - Solar NOI for Multifamily(15:16) - Installation and Maintenance(17:51) - Feature: CREtech New York 2026 (19:10) - Overcoming Industry Misconceptions(20:46) - Convincing Asset Managers(23:15) - Shine's New Solar Analysis Tool(25:31) - Targeting New and Existing Buildings(26:32) - Fundraising and Growth Strategies (27:59) - Building a Remote Team(29:43) - Collaboration Superpower: Paul Sween (Dominium Board Chairman)

  Welcome to the Conscious Millionaire Show - How to Become an Ultra-Performer. Now 3X week M / W / F with host JV Crum III.   Are you an Entrepreneur, Founder, or CEO? Committed to break into the Top 1% of Performance with current revenues $250K to $50M? Sign up for your Breakout...here's what's included in your complimentary session: (1) Define your #1 Ultra-Outcome - your break out goal (2) Find out your #1 block keeping you from it - and how to remove it  (3) Get 1-3 actionable steps to immediately use to scale bigger, faster     Schedule Your Breakthough Session Now     Join Host JV Crum III, with 2 exits and over 75M revenues in his companies, he is the Ultra-Performer Coach for 6- to 8-figure owners ready to join the top 1%.   Season 12 of the award-winning Conscious Millionaire Show. World's #1 conscious business and performance podcast for foundeers and entrepreneurs who want to become Ultra-Performers.    Access Conscious Millionaire Show     Millions of Listeners. 190 countries. Inc Magazine "Top 13 Business Podcasts" with over 3,000 episodes. Listen 3X a week.

The NFL is nearly synonymous with America today. Practically nothing is more quintessentially and universally American than tuning in every Sunday (and Monday, and Thursday… and sometimes Saturdays and holidays too) to watch the world's most beautiful ballet of violence. It generates the most revenue of any sports league globally and sets new records for team valuations each year. But it wasn't always this way.The history of the NFL mirrors America's own development: scrappy small-town teams rode the successive growth waves of the automobile, TV, the Internet and social media to grow larger than the even the founders' wildest dreams. Whether you watch football or not, the NFL is one incredible business story, and one that we've taken more lessons from over the years for Acquired itself than perhaps any other episode we've made.Note: This is a remastered release of our original January 2023 episode, updated to today's Acquired production standards. It also features a full hour+ followup section at the end covering the seismic shifts in the NFL's business since the original episode's release. Much has happened in those three years: Taylor Swift entered the league (via merger