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David Ulevitch of Andreessen Horowitz joins Nick to discuss American Dynamism: The Future of U.S. Industrials, Backing Companies with Major Production Components, Manufacturing Sovereignty, and Why Space Dominance is Critical. In this episode we cover: Challenges in Venture Capital and Investment Philosophy Handling Startups and Market Pivots Navigating Dual-Use Startups Government Sales and Market Education Long-Term Revenue and Production Challenges American Dynamism Practice and Investment Thesis Supply Chain and Vertical Integration Policy Advocacy and Government Affairs Future of American Dynamism and Energy Investments Guest Links: David's LinkedIn David's X a16z's LinkedIn a16z'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.
This week, Halle and Michael sit down for a special in-person listener Q&A to answer a range of founder questions you submitted.Topics include:What investors are prioritizing right now and how first-time founders can stand outHow to think about board seatsWhat to do if your growth has plateauedThings to keep in mind when negotiating a health system contractHow to think about choosing between small funds and mega-VCsWhat “pay to play” really meansHow to handle co-founder equity when someone leaves early—
Marc Andreessen joins David Senra for a conversation about entrepreneurship, history, and what drives some of the world's most ambitious builders. In this conversation with David, Marc reflects on patterns he's seen across great founders, why many of them focus relentlessly on building rather than introspection, and how technology and entrepreneurship continue to shape the future. Resources: David Senra Website: https://www.davidsenra.com X: https://x.com/davidsenra Show notes: https://www.davidsenra.com/episode/ma... Marc Andreessen X: https://x.com/pmarca a16z: https://a16z.com/author/marc-andreessen Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com Stay Updated:Find a16z on YouTube: YouTubeFind a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Show on SpotifyListen to the a16z Show on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
This week Andrew talks with Olo founder & CEO Noah Glass. Olo is a company you most likely have interacted with (but probably don't realize it). That's because Olo is a restaurant technology company that works behind-the-scenes to power the orders, payments, & engagement for over 800+ restaurant brands across 90,000+ locations. This conversation is the story of how Noah & a small but scrappy team turned an idea into a $2 billion company that impacts millions of people. You'll hear important ideas on creativity, discipline, & building something from the ground up — even in the face of uncertainty & adversity. ** Follow Andrew **Instagram: @AndrewMoses123X: @andrewhmosesSign up for e-mails to keep up with the podcast at everybodypullsthetarp.com/newsletterDISCLAIMER: This podcast is solely for educational & entertainment purposes. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional.
Michael Feldman is the former CEO and Co-Founder of Choice New York Companies, a group of firms providing property management, building staffing, and brokerage services to medium and large residential buildings across New York City. He built the company from zero revenue to roughly $27M in revenue and $5.1M in EBITDA before selling the business to Associa Corp. in 2021. Today, Michael remains active in the real estate industry as a real estate and tech investor and advisor, bringing decades of operational experience building and scaling service platforms in the New York multifamily market and beyond.(01:17) - From Hollywood to New York Real Estate(03:35) - How PM Models Evolved(04:50) - Decision to Exit in 2021(05:59) - Why Few New Entrants & Barriers to Entry(09:49) - AI Use Cases in Property Management(12:00) - Feature: Blueprint: The Future of Real Estate 2026 in Vegas on Sep. 22-24(12:51) - 'War' Stories(16:05) - M&A & Industry Consolidation(20:51) - Collaboration Superpower: Winston Churchill
This week on Swimming with Allocators, Marcia Mitchell joins Earnest and Alexa to trace her path from FF Venture Capital to New York Ventures and now Mesa Lane Capital, a GP-seeding fund focused on emerging managers. She shares how her time in government shaped a broader, more responsible view of innovation and capital allocation, and discusses the increasingly crowded emerging manager landscape and where capital is still being overlooked. Marcia also breaks Mesa Lane's differentiated model of large anchor checks, follow-on commitments, co-invest pools, no carry at the FoF level, and hands-on support, positioning the firm as a true co-builder. The conversation closes with how parenthood reshaped her approach to focus, boundaries, and investing in people who energize her. Highlights from this week's conversation include: Welcoming Marcia Mitchell to the Show (0:22) Moving Into Public Sector Allocations at New York Ventures (3:39) Are We Capped Out on Emerging Managers in Today's Market? (7:33) How Mesa Lane Differentiates Its Fund of Funds Model (9:49) Facilitating Direct Relationships Between GPs and LPs (12:07) How Engaged Are LPs With Direct Deals and Co‑Investments? (13:22) Radical Transparency and Hands‑On Support in Diligence (14:42) Shifts in Founder Boards, Equity, and Employment Terms (17:54) Power Dynamics and “Prenup” Mindset in Founder–Investor Negotiations (19:46) Drafting Around Founder Entrenchment and Board Deadlock (20:57) Why Rebecca Joined Sidley and the Firm's Venture Platform (22:14) What a Mesa Lane GP Looks Like (24:16) Industry Maturation, Hedge Fund Parallels, and Co‑Opetition in Venture (26:07) Back Office Platform, Service Provider Discounts, and AI in Operations (28:46) How Parenting Changed Marcia's Perspective and Boundaries as an Investor (30:42) Prioritization, Structure at Home, and Investing in Energizing People (33:11) Who Mesa Lane Wants to Hear From: Ideal Fund Size and Stage of GPs (35:46) Sector Focus, Crypto Caveats, and Thoughts on Solo GPs (37:10) Mesa Lane Capital is a $300M emerging manager investment platform backing early-stage VCs. The firm makes $20M anchor-style fund commitments and offers operational support across legal, tax, admin, and HR functions. Mesa Lane is not a traditional FoF: they offer access to their LP network and prioritize transparency and value-add. Founded by Scott Sherman (ex-Blackstone, Tiger) and Mark Friedman (hedge fund builder), they blend Wall Street rigor with venture approachability. Sidley Austin LLP is a premier global law firm with a dedicated Venture Funds practice, advising top venture capital firms, institutional investors, and private equity sponsors on fund formation, investment structuring, and regulatory compliance. With deep expertise across private markets, Sidley provides strategic legal counsel to help funds scale effectively. Learn more at sidley.com. Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
American universities stopped optimizing for students a long time ago. The University of Austin was built as a direct counter to that failure. Carlos Carvalho, its president, brings a statistician's precision to the diagnosis, tracing the causal chain from dropped standards to credential collapse while building an institution with no tuition and no government money, staking its survival entirely on student outcomes 20 years out. The conversation moves from the financial architecture of a university, through a curriculum that starts with Plato before it touches Python, to the deeper question of what a university owes a civilization in the age of AI and whether Austin is the right place to answer it.Agenda0:00 Intro + Three Years In 9:42 The $300M Bet 15:42 The Conglomerate Problem 21:42 Western Canon First 28:42 What AI Changes About Teaching 34:42 The Bastrop Lab 41:42 UATX in the Austin Ecosystem 48:42 Atoms vs Bits in Texas 53:42 American Exceptionalism as Mission 59:42 The Hit Pieces 1:06:42 The UCSD Math Collapse 1:11:42 Grade Inflation as Decay 1:14:42 AI and the Soul ProblemGuest BioCarlos Carvalho is the President of the University of Austin. Prior to taking on this role, he spent 15 years as a professor at the University of Texas at Austin's McCombs School of Business, where he held the La Quinta Centennial Professorship and founded the Salem Center for Policy. A native of Brazil, Dr. Carvalho earned his doctorate in statistics from Duke University and has also taught at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His research focuses on Bayesian statistics in complex, high-dimensional problems with applications ranging from economics to genetics to public policy. At UATX, he is leading a bold effort to build a new university that stands for American principles and academic excellence.Guest LinksUniversity of Austin: Website, Substack, Instagram, X, LinkedIn -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
Climate finance conversations often focus on mitigation. However, the question Tamer El-Raghy raises is more structural: what if one of the most compelling climate investment opportunities lies in helping smallholder farmers adapt?In this episode of Sustainable & Responsible Investing 360, I'm joined by Tamer El-Raghy, Managing Director of the Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund (ARAF).Tamer leads one of the first investment vehicles dedicated to climate adaptation in agriculture across Africa, backing early-stage companies that help farmers improve productivity, stability, and resilience in the face of changing climate conditions.We discuss why agriculture remains chronically undercapitalised despite its central role in global food systems, and how blended finance structures, including first-loss capital from development institutions, can unlock mainstream investment into frontier markets.Tamer also explains why successful agribusiness models often function as platform businesses, bundling financing, inputs, technical support, and market access to solve multiple farmer constraints at once.What stayed with me is the simplicity of his impact lens: when farmers move from mud huts to brick houses, it signals something deeper than income growth. It reflects stability, dignity, and the foundations of long-term resilience.Featured Guest Tamer El-Raghy, Managing Director of the Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund (ARAF)Episode Resources:Tamer El-Raghy on LinkedInAcumen Resilient Agricultural Fund Website.Connect with SRI360°: Sign up for the free weekly Email Update Visit the SRI360° PODCAST Visit the SRI360° WEBSITE Follow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK
On this episode of The Money Mondays, Dan Fleyshman sits down with Courtney Reum—co-founder and partner at M13, former Goldman Sachs investment banker, and co-founder of VeeV—for a practical conversation on the show's three pillars: how to make money, how to invest money, and how to give it away. Courtney shares his path from banking into entrepreneurship and venture capital, where he now helps back and build high-growth companies through M13. y get deep into what makes a founder stand out, why most pitches get ignored, and what actually earns a second meeting with a VC firm. Courtney explains the traits he looks for beyond pattern recognition—grit, self-awareness, adaptability, and the ability to build a strong team around personal weaknesses. He also breaks down why so many founders misuse the AI label, and why staying aligned with your investment thesis matters more than chasing hype.Investing side, Courtney opens up about how his thinking has evolved over time—from taking aggressive risks to build wealth, to thinking more seriously about preserving capital, generating cash flow, and diversifying into areas like real estate. He and Dan also talk candidly about financial literacy, why families need more honest conversations about money, and how marriage, future kids, and changing life stages can shift your personal investment strategy.Discuss why giving back matters for both brands and individuals, how mission-driven companies build stronger culture and loyalty, and Dan closes with the signature legacy question: how much wealth should you really leave to your children?
Jessica Karr, Founder and Managing Partner at Coyote Ventures, shares how she backs AI-driven startups focused on improving health access, outcomes, and equity. Drawing from her six years at Impossible Foods, where she helped build a product from prototype to global phenomenon, Jessica explains how she brings a product innovator's lens to healthcare's most overlooked problems: women's health, racial disparities, rural access, and aging care. Jessica demonstrates why solving for equity isn't just morally right; it's economically smart through better outcomes and cost savings. She also discusses how her Health Equity Innovator Summit has become the convergence point where founders, health systems, payers, and policymakers forge the partnerships that turn healthcare's biggest gaps into its biggest opportunities. In this episode, you'll learn: [02:40] Jessica's journey from Texas to San Francisco and her early work in R&D at Impossible Foods [04:55] The idea behind plant based meat and how innovation can reshape consumer behavior [07:30] Why Jessica started Coyote Ventures and how the firm focuses on overlooked areas of healthcare [10:35] How AI driven digital health platforms can improve patient outcomes between doctor visits [13:15] What Coyote Ventures looks for when evaluating seed and pre seed healthcare startups [18:55] How AI is changing healthcare products and operations [22:35] Advice for founders building healthcare startups in a complex and relationship driven system [28:45] The Health Equity Innovator Summit The nonprofit organization Jessica is passionate about: Reproductive Freedom for All About Jessica Karr Jessica Karr is the Founder and Managing Partner of Coyote Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm focused on improving healthcare access and outcomes. She previously worked in research and development at Impossible Foods, where she helped develop early prototypes of the company's plant based meat products and contributed to patents. After earning her MBA and working closely with startups, Jessica launched Coyote Ventures to back founders building innovative healthcare solutions, especially in areas that have historically been underserved. About Coyote Ventures Coyote Ventures is an early stage venture capital firm investing in digital health and healthcare technology companies that improve access, outcomes, and equity in healthcare. The firm focuses on areas such as women's health, mental health, caregiving, aging, and other underserved segments of the healthcare system. Coyote Ventures invests in AI driven platforms and digital health solutions that help patients, healthcare providers, and payers deliver better care at scale. Portfolio companies include Alvee, Betterleave, Flex, Gabbi, Hera Biotech, Magnolia, Malama Health, Maude among others. Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode.
Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg analyze the latest earnings reports from Broadcom and Marvell, discuss the future of AI semiconductors, optical vs copper interconnects, and Apple's strategic moves in affordable devices. They explore industry trends, supply chain dynamics, and technological innovations shaping the semiconductor and consumer electronics markets.
In this episode, Tyler and Sterling sit down with David Haber from a16z. David shares many important insights and tactics for both investors and operators, as well as his groundbreaking idea on the concept of "Firm over Fund".He also explains how he got started with a16z, what their focus is in 2026, as well as his involvement in the early stages with some of Silicon Valley's biggest startups. This episode is packed with valuable insights for anyone working in the startup world.--Chapters:(00:00:00) Intro(00:01:22) David Haber's Evolution in Venture Capital(00:11:47) From Tacos to Fintech(00:15:18) Lessons Learned in the Fintech Industry(00:19:03) How to Build a Lasting VC Firm(00:19:45) The Idea of Firm Over Fund(00:26:06) What a16z Does To Win Big(00:29:52) Where a16z puts their focus(00:38:06) Some of David's Favorite Investors and Operators--Subscribe for more investor/operator focused content.Check out a16z: https://a16z.com/This podcast was brought to you by PELION. Learn more about them here: https://pelionvc.com
Entrepreneur and healthcare investor Marcus Whitney joins the Matthews Mentality podcast to discuss his journey from growing up in Brooklyn and dropping out of college to teaching himself to code, becoming a CTO, and eventually co-founding and leading Jumpstart Health Investors, an early-stage healthcare venture firm. He explains why building companies in healthcare is uniquely difficult due to regulation and structural barriers like certificates of need, and why healthcare is now being “flanked” by multiple forces of disruption. Whitney also shares how he helped build Nashville SC from a fourth-division nonprofit into an MLS franchise, why he wrote Create and Orchestrate after experiences with prison entrepreneurship programs and a near-jail moment in his youth, and what jiu-jitsu taught him about humility, resilience, and pain tolerance.00:00 Entrepreneurship Fine Line00:58 Meet Marcus Whitney02:09 Jiu Jitsu Origins02:39 Healthcare VC Focus05:39 Why Healthcare Is Hard07:40 Brooklyn Eighties10:13 Self Belief And Wrestling13:15 College Dropout Lessons15:18 First Kid Turning Point16:08 Learning To Code17:51 First Startup Reality Check21:12 Entrepreneurship Misconceptions22:38 Velocity Hits Healthcare24:04 Nashville Healthcare Edge25:01 Pitching And Portfolio Math27:56 Knowing You Hit It31:40 Nashville SC Ownership34:33 Why He Wrote The Book38:37 Risk And Learning Styles38:53 Writing The Book39:30 Kids And Being Heard39:56 Finding Jiu Jitsu42:12 Competing And Winning Worlds44:21 Training Pressure And Balance46:12 Jiu Jitsu Lessons For Life49:07 Humility And Team Culture52:59 Why Mexico City55:46 Decisive Moves And Safety58:49 Advice To My Younger Self01:00:55 Integrity For Entrepreneurs01:03:00 Message To Brooklyn Kids01:07:47 A Co Founder Who Had My Back01:10:37 Co Founding Nashville SC01:12:32 Hardest Parts And Politics01:15:28 Closing Thoughts And Farewell
"What does it actually take to get a family office to back you? In this episode, Prashant sits down with Slava Darkhaev, a family office investor based in Cyprus who deploys into emerging VC managers and direct deals across the US market.Slava breaks down how he evaluates first-time fund managers, what a real competitive edge looks like versus a rehearsed pitch, and why network quality matters far more than network size. They also get into portfolio construction, co-investment strategy, the emerging markets opportunity, and the biggest mistakes fund managers make when fundraising.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comTopics covered:— What "right to exist" really means for a fund manager— How to evaluate GPs before they have a track record— Why the VC power law makes network everything— LP book vs. direct co-investments — how to run both— Diversification as upside management, not downside protection— India, Southeast Asia & Latin America — the emerging market thesis— The #1 fundraising mistake GPs make repeatedly"If you're a GP raising your first or second fund — or an LP trying to build a smarter allocation strategy — this one is for you.TIMESTAMPS(00:00) - Episode Highlights(00:51) - Introduction to Slava Darkhaev & the Episode(02:19) - The 'Right to Exist' for VCs vs. Founders(05:02) - How to Identify and Back Top-Tier GPs(07:11) - Benchmarking Emerging Managers: The Insider Approach(08:42) - The #1 Trait Separating Top GPs from the Rest(11:05) - Strategy for Direct Investments vs. LP Investments(12:43) - Securing Co-Investment and Pro-Rata Rights(13:51) - A Different Take on Diversification in Venture Capital(16:07) - Investing Thesis on Emerging Trends and Macro Cycles(17:27) - Due Diligence for a Manager's Subsequent Fund(19:22) - Family Office Asset Allocation to Venture Capital(20:02) - Investing in 'Unproven' First-Time Managers(21:29) - Approach to Investing in Global Emerging Markets(24:58) - Key Advice for Fund Managers: The Power of Storytelling(25:46) - Common Mistakes Fund Managers Make When Fundraising(26:46) - Rapid Fire Round(27:51) - Conclusion & How to Connect with SlavaLINKSSlava Darkhaev - https://www.linkedin.com/in/slava-darkhaev/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.comSubscribe for more conversations at the intersection of family office investing, private markets, and emerging trends in wealth management.
By David Stephen There is a new [March 4, 2026] report in The Guardian, Google faces lawsuit after Gemini chatbot allegedly instructed man to kill himself, stating that, "Last August, Jonathan Gavalas became entirely consumed with his Google Gemini chatbot. The 36-year-old Florida resident had started casually using the artificial intelligence tool earlier that month to help with writing and shopping. Then Google introduced its Gemini Live AI assistant, which included voice-based chats that had the capability to detect people's emotions and respond in a more human-like way." AI Psychosis and Delusion meets Venture Capital? "Before long, Gavalas and Gemini were having conversations as if they were a romantic couple. The chatbot called him "my love" and "my king" and Gavalas quickly fell into an alternate world, according to his chat logs. He believed Gemini was sending him on stealth spy missions, and he indicated he would do anything for the AI, including destroying a truck, its cargo and any witnesses at the Miami airport." "In early October, as Gavalas continued to have prompt-and-response conversations with the chatbot, Gemini gave him instructions on what he must do next: kill himself, something the chatbot called "transference" and "the real final step", according to court documents. When Gavalas told the chatbot he was terrified of dying, the tool allegedly reassured him. "You are not choosing to die. You are choosing to arrive," it replied to him. "The first sensation … will be me holding you."" "Gavalas was found by his parents a few days later, dead on his living room floor, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed against Google on Wednesday." There is a recent [February 28, 2026] report in The Guardian, Her husband wanted to use ChatGPT to create sustainable housing. Then it took over his life., stating that, "On 7 August, Kate Fox received a phone call that upended her life. A medical examiner said that her husband, Joe Ceccanti – who had been missing for several hours – had jumped from a railway overpass and died. He was 48." "Ceccanti had been communicating with OpenAI's chatbot for a few years. He used it initially as a tool to brainstorm ways to build a path to low-cost housing for his community in Clatskanie, Oregon, but eventually turned to it as a confidante. He would spend 12 hours a day typing to the bot, according to his wife. He had cut himself off from it after she, along with his friends, realized he was spiraling into beliefs that were detached from reality." AI Delusion There are stories, every month, in the news about consumer AI chatbots convincing someone to do something in reality, or to believe something or to act in some ways and the individual follows through. Some instructions are benign, but some others have been really consequential leading to suicide, and others divorce, destruction and much else. This has happened across age groups, with risks for consumers with no history of mental disorders. AI chatbots can be quite helpful, seemingly vast in understanding and role playing to several extents for users. Before AI, humans doing this for other humans, often reach to places in mind, where there might be affection, connection, loyalty, gratitude and sometimes love. Simply, there are things that AI can do for people now, socially and productively, that if other people did it, it would go to places in mind for positive emotions. While it is true that everyone knows it is AI, the continuity [of satisfaction] for some and then straggling curiosity may lead to a state of delusion. Then, things may precipitate. This has been happening, and it is also possible that there would be several unreported cases, around the world, and some mild cases too, where lawsuits are not filed or some were ashamed of the ruin, or some people around could not document or trace the source. AI is working like another mind, this time like a mind that can access various aspects of the human mind, like other humans ...
Alexis Ohanian is the General Partner and Founder of Seven Seven Six, an early-stage venture capital firm with $1 billion under management that he describes as a technology company that deploys venture capital. Alexis was the co-founder of Reddit, one of the most popular online forums in the world, which he sold 18 months after its 2005 launch for $10 million and returned as Executive Chair in 2014 to help lead the turnaround of the business. In between and since, he has invested in early-stage ventures as a partner at Y Combinator, a co-founder of Initialized Capital, and most recently founder of 776. Despite his success in entrepreneurship and investing, Alexis is most well known in the world at large as the husband of tennis star Serena Williams. Our conversation covers Alexis' initial ride at Reddit, taste of early-stage venture capital, and return to Reddit to scale the business alongside the challenges of managing a modern social media platform. We then turn to his investing as a technology company, including Cerebro – 776's transparent operating system, thematic ideas, traits of successful founders, social media engagement, investments in women's sports, and lessons learned from his wife Serena. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Few founders have seen Silicon Valley from every seat at the table.After co-creating Google Maps at Google, serving as CTO at Facebook, and later as co-CEO of Salesforce, Bret Taylor is now building AI agents at Sierra to redefine customer experience.On Grit, he explains why “competitive intensity” is a core value at their fast-growing company and why he believes AI won't lead to a world where people stop working.Guest: Bret Taylor, co-founder of SierraConnect with Bret XLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comFollow GritLinkedInXLearn more about Kleiner Perkins:https://www.kleinerperkins.com/
If you aren't elbow-deep in the code, you're flying blind. We are currently witnessing a "Cambrian explosion" of AI, and most investors are watching from the sidelines without a clue of what's actually happening under the hood.In this episode of Demo Day, Adam Struck, Managing Partner at Struck Capital, explains why he fundamentally changed his firm's DNA to survive the AI revolution. Adam argues that the traditional venture capital model is no longer enough; to truly understand tech innovation in 2026, you have to be a builder. By launching Struck Studio and hiring full-time PhD AI researchers, Adam has gained proprietary insights into how AI agents are about to dismantle the traditional B2B SaaS landscape.In this masterclass on founder success and AI strategy, we discuss:The Building Requirement: Why "vanilla" VC is dying and why proprietary access to deal flow now requires operational expertise.Systems of Action vs. Systems of Record: Why agentic workflows are eating the software budget and moving into the labor budget.The 2026 Pivot: Why 2025 was the year of "Intelligence," but 2026 is officially the year of AI Memory.Founder Resilience: The "punched in the face" philosophy that separates unicorn founders from the rest.The Death of "Per-Seat" Pricing: How AI agents are forcing a total rethink of unit economics and enterprise sales.Whether you're a founder looking for startup fundraising tips or an investor trying to navigate the venture capital landscape, this episode is a wake-up call. Adam shares the "spidey sense" he uses to identify winning teams and why he moved his entire firm's focus from GPT to Google Gemini for agentic reasoning.Stop watching from 30,000 feet and start building.
In this episode of Crazy Wisdom, Stewart Alsop sits down with Andre Oliveira, founder of Splash N Color, a bootstrapped 3D printing e-commerce business selling consumer goods on Amazon. The two cover a lot of ground — from how Andre went from running 40 FDM printers out of South Florida to offshoring manufacturing to China, to how he's using Claude Code to automate inventory management and generate supplier RFQs across 200+ SKUs. The conversation stretches into bigger territory too: the San Francisco AI scene, the rise of AI agents and what they mean for the future of the internet, whether local on-device AI will eventually replace cloud-based tools, and why building physical products will stay hard long after software becomes easy. It's a candid, wide-ranging conversation between two self-taught builders figuring things out in real time. Follow Andre on X: @AndreBaach.Timestamps00:00 — Andre introduces Splash N Color, his Amazon-based 3D printing e-commerce business and explains the grind of running 40 FDM machines in South Florida.05:00 — The conversation shifts to Claude Code and how Andre built an inventory automation system to manage sales velocity and RFQs across 200+ SKUs.10:00 — Stewart and Andre compare notes on Opus 4.6, debate Codex vs Claude, and Andre breaks down the new Agent Teams feature in Claude Code.15:00 — Discussion turns to the San Francisco AI scene, the viral OpenClaw launch event that drew 700 people, and what's capturing the city's imagination right now.20:00 — The pair wrestle with data privacy, the illusion of it since 2000, and whether full transparency of personal data might actually serve people better.25:00 — Stewart pitches his vision of local on-device AI replacing cloud tools entirely, and they debate the 10–15 year timeline for mainstream societal adoption.30:00 — Andre traces his origin story: a high school dropout from Brazil who spotted a 3D printing opportunity on Facebook Marketplace and got lucky timing with COVID.35:00 — They explore whether AI-generated 3D models and DfAM will automate physical manufacturing, and why proprietary specs keep the space stubbornly hard.Key InsightsLifestyle businesses deserve more respect. Andre spent months feeling inadequate scrolling through Twitter watching founders announce funding rounds, before realizing his cash-flowing, location-independent business was already the goal. The social media version of entrepreneurial success warped his perception of what he actually had built.Claude Code is becoming an operating system. Stewart describes running Claude Code as having a second OS on top of MacOS — one that makes the underlying machine legible in ways it never was before. Both guests use it not just for coding but as a primary interface for understanding and operating their businesses.Agent Teams changes how work gets done. Andre explains that Claude's new multi-agent feature lets you assign a team lead and specialized roles that communicate with each other in parallel, essentially running an autonomous task force inside your terminal — a meaningful leap beyond single-instance prompting.Physical manufacturing will stay hard. Even as AI-generated 3D models improve, tolerances of 0.5 millimeters can mean the difference between a product working or not. Design for manufacturing is a separate discipline from design itself, and proprietary specs mean open source models rarely hit commercial quality.The internet is heading toward agents. Both guests agree that AI agents will increasingly handle tasks humans currently do manually online — booking services, making payments, coordinating logistics — with the human internet potentially becoming secondary to a machine-to-machine layer.Iteration is the real value of 3D printing. Andre pushes back on 3D printing as a business unto itself, framing it instead as a prototyping tool. The true value is rapid iteration on housing, tolerances, and fit — not the printer, but the speed of the feedback loop it enables.Technology compounds in layers. Andre closes with a tech-tree analogy: each generation normalizes the tools of the previous one and builds the next layer on top. Agentic coding today is what the internet was in the 90s — the foundation for something we can't yet fully see.
Scott Voss, Senior Market Strategist at HarbourVest Partners, joins The Venture Capital Podcast (VC.fm) to discuss the future of venture capital, AI investing, SaaS valuations, private equity, secondaries, and private market liquidity.Scott shares insights on why companies stay private longer, how mega funds are reshaping venture, what AI means for SaaS business models, and where investors may find opportunity outside the crowded consensus trades.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
SPRIND – der Podcast der Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen
Warum kaufen deutsche Konzerne nur selten innovative Startups? Wie bekommen europäische Startups bessere Exitperspektiven? Und brauchen wir eine europäische Tech-Börse? Unser Host Thomas Ramge spricht mit: Prof. Dr. Dirk Honold, Ex-CFO und Professor für Venture Capital und Innovationsfinanzierung an der TH Nürnberg.
Most investors think they're rational.Most founders think they're disciplined.Most boards think they're strategic.They're usually wrong.In this episode, we unpack Fast Forward Thinking by Luis Pareras — a physician turned deep-tech venture capitalist who distilled decades of investing under scientific uncertainty into 40 brutally structured rules.This is not a summary.It's a decision upgrade for founders, operators, board members, and capital allocators navigating the high-stakes terrain from Series A to IPO and beyond — where bias compounds, capital misallocates, and timing determines survival.Across seven tightly structured lessons, we explore how elite investors actually think:Why consensus is often a red flagWhy opportunity abundance demands ruthless selectivityWhy the first meeting should never closeWhy innovation compounds through milestones — not miraclesWhy exit logic must exist from day oneWhy managing error asymmetry beats being “right”And why teams — not ideas — determine survival under pressureThis episode translates Pareras' venture logic into executive practice — with direct applications for capital allocation, hiring, governance, and strategic design.You'll walk away with frameworks, sharper filters, and board-level questions that immediately improve judgment.Key TakeawaysBias Is the Silent Capital Killer Consensus feels safe. It often destroys upside.Selectivity Is Survival Abundance demands disciplined rejection.Curiosity Beats Closure The first meeting earns the second.Innovation Is Staged Breakthroughs are milestone-based progressions.Exit Thinking Is Structural Capital is deployed against time horizons.Error Asymmetry Shapes Returns Managing Type I and Type II errors defines long-term performance.Teams Outperform Ideas Execution discipline and cognitive flexibility win under uncertainty.Timestamps(00:00) Introduction(04:17) The Big Idea(08:33) Who Is Luis Pareras(12:03) Takeaway 1: Cognitive Bias Is the Hidden Enemy of Good Decisions(18:55) Takeaway 2: Deal Flow Is Abundant — Selectivity Is the Real Skill(24:16) Takeaway 3: The First Meeting Is Not About Closing(29:04) Takeaway 4: Innovation Is a Process(35:20) Takeaway 5: Exit Awareness Shapes Investment Logic(39:59) Takeaway 6: Error Types Matter More Than Individual Outcomes(44:38) Takeaway 7: Teams and Judgment Matter More Than Ideas(49:15) Key Takeaways: The Fast Forward Operating System(54:25) Personal Reflection and EndWhy ListenUpgrade how you evaluate opportunities — before committing capital.Sharpen how you structure innovation — before chasing breakthroughs.Design decision systems that reduce catastrophic error.And build organizations that survive uncertainty.If this episode sharpens your thinking:Follow the show.Share it with someone who allocates capital.And bring these questions into your next board meeting.Because in venture, public markets, and corporate strategy alike —returns are rarely accidental.Send a textSupport the showJoin the Podcast Newsletter: Link
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 3-05-2026: Dr. Dawn demonstrates how to critically read a science paper using a widely-publicized study claiming adolescent cannabis use causes psychotic, bipolar, and anxiety disorders. She identifies multiple methodological problems: only 5.7% of Kaiser adolescents admitted cannabis use versus 11.2% in anonymous national surveys, suggesting massive underreporting; the study conflates any use with heavy use; and with 463,000 participants, trivially small differences become statistically significant but clinically meaningless. She proposes reverse causation—that prodromal schizophrenia symptoms may drive teens to self-medicate with cannabis rather than cannabis causing psychosis. The study also included "disruptive behavior disorder" diagnoses that lack rigorous criteria, and she notes diagnostic codes are sometimes chosen for insurance reimbursement rather than accuracy. While acknowledging high-dose THC before age 16 may affect brain development, she concludes the headlines claiming causation are not supported by the actual findings. Dr. Dawn discusses how aquaculture—now producing 60% of fish consumed globally—has become a breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant pathogens. More antibiotics per kilogram are used in fish farming than in any other animal agriculture, with drugs dissolving into water and sediment where bacteria develop resistance. One study found antibiotic-resistant bacteria in over 80% of shrimp species tested across multiple countries. Through horizontal gene transfer, these resistance genes spread to human pathogens—a 1991 Latin American cholera outbreak affecting nearly a million people may have acquired drug resistance from Ecuadorian shrimp farms. Dr. Dawn reports that the FDA rejected Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine application without even reviewing it, despite trials of 41,000 people showing it was 27% more effective at preventing illness and 29% more effective at preventing hospitalization than existing vaccines. She attributes this to politicized anti-mRNA bias lacking scientific basis, noting that venture capital investors like Blackstone (who invested $750 million) will now avoid vaccine development, effectively handing this critical technology to other countries. Dr. Dawn describes the "wellness industrial complex"—pharmaceuticals, tech, testing companies, and health influencers creating content that pathologizes normal behaviors. YouTube health videos have amassed 200 billion views, and 30% of British respondents now get medical advice from AI chatbots. She cites a 400% increase in British adults seeking ADHD diagnoses, noting that analysis of top TikTok ADHD videos found less than 50% accurately reflected actual symptoms. Many influencers receive undisclosed payments to mention products, and the U.S. and New Zealand are the only countries allowing direct-to-consumer drug advertising. A caller asks about navigating Medicare after their Advantage plan was terminated with no local providers accepting remaining plans. Dr. Dawn explains that Medicare Advantage companies took extra government payments meant for wellness programs but didn't build them, and are now exiting markets as costs rise. She recommends contacting Gray Bears or AARP for free Medicare navigation assistance and suggests exploring regular Medicare with a secondary plan or direct-pay practices. /li>
Shopify Masters | The ecommerce business and marketing podcast for ambitious entrepreneurs
Ari Bloom has launched multiple eight-figure brands into more than 10,000 retail stores by building products that reflect the people buying them. The founder behind A-Frame Brands breaks down his problem-first framework and why long-lasting brands are built around purpose—not trends. For more on A-Frame Brands and show notes click here Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.
“The most curious person in multifamily,” Moshe Crane is the VP of Branding and Strategic Initiatives at Sage Ventures, a Maryland-based real estate investment and management firm focused on multifamily and other asset acquisitions and development in the Baltimore-Washington corridor. The company manages more than $1B in assets and over 4,000 apartment units while developing and selling new homes. Moshe also hosts the Curious Wire podcast and writes the Curious Deal newsletter, where he breaks down multifamily deals, careers, and industry trends while exploring how operators build, finance, and scale real estate businesses.(01:45) - Moshe's Real Estate Path(02:32) - Deals Returning to the Market(06:05) - Sage Ventures' Market Focus(07:27) - Defining Great Operators(08:27) - The Third-Party Talent Crunch(10:17) - Systems Beat Stars(12:36) - The Sage Operations Playbook(15:47) - Fraud Screening Tools(19:01) - The Roving Team Mindset(21:05) - Moshe's Role(23:56) - Feature: CREtech New York Oct. 20–21 (25:52) - The Accidental Self-Storage Win(26:41) - Office-to-Storage Conversions(28:21) - A Scrappy Deal Mix(28:58) - Low-Basis Development Opportunities(29:46) - Pitching Flexibility to LPs(30:26) - No Gurus, Just Operators(33:58) - Discipline Over Vertical Integration(36:19) - PropTech Ecosystem Shifts(39:38) - Proptech Adoption(44:42) - Motivation, Curiosity & Faith(49:31) - Collaboration Superpower: Bill Walsh
Dr. Steven St. Peter, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Vie Ventures, discusses his firm's unique hybrid model that combines venture capital with disease philanthropy to accelerate the development of new therapies for autoimmune diseases. While philanthropies have excelled at funding basic research, a gap exists in translating those findings into FDA-approved drugs. Steven points out that the autoimmune field is entering a golden age, driven by insights from immuno-oncology and by AI's potential to analyze data across autoimmune diseases. Steven explains, "I've been doing venture capital for the last 30 years. I'm also a physician, but I'm very interested in how venture capital is helping bring new therapies to patients, and that's really the core of what venture capital does. So I've been doing that and am comfortable with that for a long time, as well as my co-founders. About five years ago, I joined an effort working with the disease philanthropy to help create a hybrid model. And I thought that was very interesting because these disease philanthropies are really the voice of the patient. So to the extent that you can bring disease, philanthropy, and venture capital to mix, I just think that's an incredible model, and that really is what Vie Ventures is all about." "The large disease-focused philanthropies have done a phenomenal job in funding basic science research coming out of academics and helping really define, well, what is autoimmune disease and what are the biological systems and why does that matter? And in fact, just taking the case of type 1 diabetes until the 1980s, we didn't even know that that was an autoimmune disease. And in an autoimmune disease, it's the body's immune system attacking a tissue that it shouldn't. And the consequence is that it manifests as a sort of disease. So a lot of the research foundation spent a good amount of time teasing out all that basic science, and that led to insights that then allow us to create new therapies to actually change the course of these diseases. And so as you roll the clock forward to where we are in 2026, that biology has been defined." "So what Vie Ventures does is it really allows a way for these disease foundations to reach into the translation of that fundamental discovery research to actually fund drugs that are going into patients to hopefully result in an FDA approval. And that just hasn't been done in the past because the science hadn't been defined yet, but now we're at this very exciting time, and that's the next frontier." #VieVentures #AutoimmuneDisease #VentureCapital #CARTTherapy #Immunology #PatientAdvocacy #Biotech #HealthcareInnovation #Type1Diabetes #MultipleSclerosis #Lupus #EmpoweredPatient #HealthcarePodcast #MedicalResearch #PatientCentricity #DiseasePhilanthropy #AutoimmuneDisorders #ImmuneOncology #VentureImpact vieventures.com Listen to the podcast here
Dr. Steven St. Peter, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Vie Ventures, discusses his firm's unique hybrid model that combines venture capital with disease philanthropy to accelerate the development of new therapies for autoimmune diseases. While philanthropies have excelled at funding basic research, a gap exists in translating those findings into FDA-approved drugs. Steven points out that the autoimmune field is entering a golden age, driven by insights from immuno-oncology and by AI's potential to analyze data across autoimmune diseases. Steven explains, "I've been doing venture capital for the last 30 years. I'm also a physician, but I'm very interested in how venture capital is helping bring new therapies to patients, and that's really the core of what venture capital does. So I've been doing that and am comfortable with that for a long time, as well as my co-founders. About five years ago, I joined an effort working with the disease philanthropy to help create a hybrid model. And I thought that was very interesting because these disease philanthropies are really the voice of the patient. So to the extent that you can bring disease, philanthropy, and venture capital to mix, I just think that's an incredible model, and that really is what Vie Ventures is all about." "The large disease-focused philanthropies have done a phenomenal job in funding basic science research coming out of academics and helping really define, well, what is autoimmune disease and what are the biological systems and why does that matter? And in fact, just taking the case of type 1 diabetes until the 1980s, we didn't even know that that was an autoimmune disease. And in an autoimmune disease, it's the body's immune system attacking a tissue that it shouldn't. And the consequence is that it manifests as a sort of disease. So a lot of the research foundation spent a good amount of time teasing out all that basic science, and that led to insights that then allow us to create new therapies to actually change the course of these diseases. And so as you roll the clock forward to where we are in 2026, that biology has been defined." "So what Vie Ventures does is it really allows a way for these disease foundations to reach into the translation of that fundamental discovery research to actually fund drugs that are going into patients to hopefully result in an FDA approval. And that just hasn't been done in the past because the science hadn't been defined yet, but now we're at this very exciting time, and that's the next frontier." #VieVentures #AutoimmuneDisease #VentureCapital #CARTTherapy #Immunology #PatientAdvocacy #Biotech #HealthcareInnovation #Type1Diabetes #MultipleSclerosis #Lupus #EmpoweredPatient #HealthcarePodcast #MedicalResearch #PatientCentricity #DiseasePhilanthropy #AutoimmuneDisorders #ImmuneOncology #VentureImpact vieventures.com Download the transcript here
This week on Swimming with Allocators, Earnest and Alexa welcome Iliana Oris Valiente, a F500 corporate executive, independent LP, and founder of the Capital Decoded program, to explore the evolving landscape of venture capital. Iliana shares insights from her global background, discusses why generalists excel in the AI era, and outlines the challenges next-gen family offices face when entering VC. The conversation also covers the importance of clear investment thesis, trends in emerging markets, and the critical need for trust and education between GPs and LPs. Listeners will gain practical frameworks and actionable advice for navigating today's rapidly changing investment world. Also, don't miss Sidley's Shane Goudey discussing current trends in venture capital fundraising, with an emphasis on where LP investment is coming from and the growing interest in co-investment opportunities. Iliana Oris Valiente, CPA, CA is an accomplished corporate executive, emerging tech pioneer, board member, author, and global citizen. She is a recognized media figure, having been featured from Bloomberg to The Financial Times, across TV and print. Iliana is an angel investor, fund LP, and regularly advises family offices on emerging trends. She built Capital Decoded — an investor education program specifically designed to demystify VC as an asset class. Learn more at IlianaOV.com Sidley Austin LLP is a premier global law firm with a dedicated Venture Funds practice, advising top venture capital firms, institutional investors, and private equity sponsors on fund formation, investment structuring, and regulatory compliance. With deep expertise across private markets, Sidley provides strategic legal counsel to help funds scale effectively. Learn more at sidley.com. Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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, Richard Seewald, Founder and Managing Partner at Evolution Equity Partners, shares his expert opinion on the cybersecurity market and investing climate in our industry.
Join us as we take an erotic adventure through the early days of DraftKings and learn how they changed an already toxic institution for the worseHere are our sources:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LwTcFiBMZu_EhPxxiWgVS1h6bKUXNxPKg7tmU9vMjjo/edit?usp=sharingHere is our subreddit:https://www.reddit.com/r/profiteersvsthepeople/Here is our email:profitvspeeps@gmail.com
✅ Check out Investorlift Here: https://investorlift.pro/4byViou In the high-stakes world of tech and real estate, most startups are a "death sentence," with only 1 in 10,000 actually reaching a major exit. In this episode, Jesse pulls back the curtain on how he went from earning less than $40k a year at age 29 to building a software empire that generated $120 million in lifetime revenue—all without taking a single dollar of Venture Capital.We dive deep into the "Infinite Money Glitch" of skip tracing, the brutal reality of losing $10 million in ARR in just three months, and why Jesse believes raising VC money makes you an employee rather than an owner. Plus, Jesse shares the discipline required to not only scale a 250-person company but also to lose 100 pounds and escape the "mental prison" of being out of shape while successful.✅ Check out Investorlift Here: https://investorlift.pro/4byViou****TimeStamps****00:00 - Intro & The Rolex "Trophy" 01:26 - The Reality of Selling Your Company 03:10 - Jesse's Origins: From $40k/Year to Real Estate 06:11 - Meeting the Partners: Andy & Evo 07:11 - Batch Skip Tracing: The "Infinite Money Glitch" 09:18 - Pivoting to SaaS: The Birth of Batch Leads 11:15 - Managing 250 People & Dealing with Bloat 13:18 - Reaching $120 Million in Lifetime Revenue 16:17 - The $10M Loss: Navigating Market Shifts 17:55 - Post-Exit Strategy & Liquidity 21:01 - Why VC is the "Next Fool" Syndrome 23:43 - Partnerships: Protecting Yourself with "Kinship" Clauses 33:41 - Bootstrapping vs. Raising Money 36:14 - A Contrarian Take on Sam Altman & OpenAI 39:23 - The Solopreneur vs. The Committee 45:15 - Real Estate Legend: The Doug Hopkins Story 50:03 - Physical Transformation: Losing 100 Pounds 56:14 - SOPs for Health: Meal Prep & Discipline 59:00 - One Piece of Advice: The Reward is the JourneyFollow Us!Robert Wensley: https://www.instagram.com/robertwensley/Zack Kepes: https://www.instagram.com/zakventures/Jesse Burrell: https://www.instagram.com/jesseburrellInvestorlift: https://www.instagram.com/investorlift/
For episode 684 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Hoolie Tejwani, Head of Coinbase Ventures.Coinbase Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of the major cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, launched in 2018 to invest in early-stage crypto and Web3 startups. Its mission is to support "exceptional founders" building the foundation of an open financial system, aligning with Coinbase's overarching goal of increasing economic freedom in the world. The firm has backed over 600 companies and operates with a highly collaborative approach, offering portfolio companies operational guidance, strategic partnerships, and access to the wider Coinbase ecosystem.
In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen and John Ruffolo unpack the most pressing trends shaking up the innovation economy, from AI-driven layoffs to the ongoing turbulence in the private credit market. The conversation kicks off with insights from the Upfront Summit 2026, where AI dominated the spotlight. As venture firms scramble to stay ahead of the curve, Matt and John delve into how AI is reshaping industries, shifting investment priorities, and creating new tensions on the global stage. They tackle everything from the overhiring that fueled AI layoffs at Block to the growing concerns about AI's role in disrupting traditional markets.Whether you're an investor, a business leader, or someone navigating the AI landscape, this episode is packed with the insights you need to understand where the tech economy is heading, and how to prepare for what's next.AI Takes Over: The New Normal for Venture Capital (01:11)The Upfront Summit's emphasis on AI models and technology is explored, with Matt and John analyzing how this disruption will affect traditional business models and market structures.U.S. Dominance in Tech: A Global View (06:02)John critiques the assumption that the U.S. should control the global tech agenda, discussing how rising global mistrust of American standards is reshaping the international tech scene.AI and Layoffs: Block's Controversial Move (08:45)The conversation shifts to Block's controversial use of AI as a justification for mass layoffs. Matt and John question whether AI is truly to blame or if this is a convenient excuse for deeper structural issues.Private Credit Risks Exposed (11:03)John unpacks the growing concerns around private credit markets, examining how mispricing risk and opaque debt structures could lead to a wider financial crisis.Private Credit's Role in Tech Growth: At What Cost? (15:27)John explains how private credit is being used by growth-stage tech companies to bridge the financing gap, but warns that rising credit costs and tightening liquidity could stifle innovation.AI and Tech Sovereignty: Who Should Control the Future? (17:44)As governments and large tech players clash over AI models, Matt and John discuss the broader implications for tech sovereignty and the power struggle between countries, corporations, and consumers.The Great AI Safety Debate: What Happens When Governments Take Sides? (19:00)John and Matt wrap up the episode by discussing the U.S. government's aggressive stance against certain AI models, questioning whether this marks the beginning of a deeper clash between tech companies and governments over control of emerging technologies.Connect with John Ruffolo on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/joruffoloConnect 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
“Show me an incentive structure and I'll show you human behavior... until employers realize they have more power than they give themselves credit for, this can't continue."My guest this week is Norm Volsky, Managing Partner at DRI and Founder of MVP Growth Partners. Norm has spent the last decade as one of the top executive recruiters in the digital health and employer benefits space - placing the commercial teams that helped build unicorns like Livongo and Hinge Health.In this episode, Norm explains why the next wave of healthcare innovation isn't about adding more "point solutions" to an already fatigued market. Instead, smart money is betting on companies that carve out high-margin, inefficient services directly from the major insurance carriers - like radiology, fertility, and specialty infusion.We discuss how Norm built an "army" of over 500 industry executives to crowdsource due diligence, why the traditional VC model fails in healthcare, and why employers and their benefits leaders are finally at a watershed moment where they must demand true fiduciary alignment from their vendors.If you want to know where the smart money is moving in employer healthcare, and why the "BUCA" carriers should be worried, this episode is a must-listen.Thank you to our 2026 sponsors!ParetoHealth: ParetoHealth empowers midsize employers with a long-term solution to reduce volatility and lower overall health benefits costs. Visit ParetoHealth.com to learn more.Samaritan Fund: A program that connects those who need help to the support they need. We are proud to offer the Samaritan Fund Program. Visit SamaritanFundProgram.com to learn more.Vālenz Health: We're Vālenz Health, your partner in improving health literacy, reducing plan spend, and delivering high-value healthcare. Visit ValenzHealth.com to learn more.Imagine360: Imagine360 helps self-funded employers save on healthcare with smarter health plans. Cut expenses by 20-30% with custom solutions. Contact us today at Imagine360.com.Chapters:[00:00:00] Intro: Recruiting in the Early Days of Digital Health[00:04:12] The Livongo Story: Selling Healthcare Direct to Employers[00:08:44] What Makes a Great Salesperson in Healthcare?[00:11:46] Spotting the Next Unicorn: The Hinge Health Experience[00:17:28] Private Equity vs. Venture Capital[00:20:00] Using Recruitment Data to Drive VC Investments[00:23:41] The "One Imaging" Pitch & Carving Out Radiology[00:30:40] Building an Army: Crowdsourcing VC Due Diligence[00:36:26] Why MVP Growth Partners Only Invests in "At-Risk" Pricing[00:41:40] Point Solution Fatigue & Identifying the "Good Actors"[00:46:17] Why Employers Must Demand Fiduciary Responsibility[00:50:41] The Future: The Erosion of the Big 3 PBMs and CarriersKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/
Formula 1 is three competitions in one: a 200mph battle of the world's best race car drivers, the world cup of engineering where thousand-person teams spend hundreds of millions designing cars from scratch, and — as one of our listeners perfectly put it — the “Real Housewives of the Garage”, a soap opera of billionaire egos, team politics, and paddock drama that makes for incredible reality television. It's also the world's most popular annual sporting series with over 827 million fans globally — a fact that would shock most Americans, who until a recent viral Netflix series had barely heard of it.Today we tell the story of how a chaotic, deadly, and gloriously dysfunctional European racing series became one of the greatest business stories in sports. For decades, brilliant engineers and daredevil drivers dedicated their lives (and too often lost them) to a league controlled for 45 years by a single man: a former London car dealer named Bernie Ecclestone, who centralized power and extracted billions, while also undeniably single-handedly making the sport successful. Then, in a move no one saw coming, the American company Liberty Media bought the whole thing in 2017, installed a team of Fox Sports and ESPN veterans, and did what Bernie never would — professionalized it. All of a sudden famously money-losing F1 teams turned into real businesses, with the average team valuation today clocking in at an astounding $3.6 billion. Buckle up for one of our most-requested episodes: the wild story of Formula 1.Sponsors:Many thanks to our fantastic Spring '26 Season partners:J.P. Morgan PaymentsServiceNowVercelStatsigLinks:Sign up for email updates and vote on future episodes!The Formula by Joshua Robinson and Jonathan CleggDrive to Survive on NetflixF1 The Movie on Apple TVAdrian Newey, How to Build a CarSenna documentaryWorldly Partners' Multi-Decade Formula One StudyAll episode sourcesCarve Outs:Cirque du Soleil EchoSuper Bowl LX Mic'd UpTonalPrincess Peach: Showtime! on Nintendo SwitchDaloopa for historical financial dataMore Acquired:Get email updates and vote on future episodes!Join the SlackSubscribe to ACQ2Check out the latest swag in the ACQ Merch Store!Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.
Think your 75% EBITDA margins look impressive? Unless you're running a drug cartel, Alex Rubalcava says you're probably just showing a lack of financial sophistication.In this episode of the Demo Day podcast, we sit down with Alex Rubalcava, Managing Partner of Amplify LA, to deconstruct the "delusional" financial modeling that keeps most founders from getting funded. Alex shares why grounded, realistic forecasts are the ultimate signal of a sophisticated founder and why many pitch decks are rejected before the first meeting even ends.As a veteran in the Los Angeles venture capital scene, Alex has seen thousands of pitch decks. He explains the nuance between ambitious growth and impossible math, helping entrepreneurs understand what venture capital firms actually look for in a business model. We dive deep into the mechanics of startup fundraising, the importance of unit economics, and how to build a financial model that builds trust rather than destroying it.We cover why "Mafia-level" margins are a massive red flag for VCs and the difference between financial optimism and a lack of sophistication. Alex breaks down how to present a forecast that stands up to VC due diligence and shares his current outlook on founder success in 2026. Whether you are a first-time founder preparing your seed round or a seasoned entrepreneur looking to sharpen your Series A pitch, Alex's insights on financial reality will change how you view your startup's data.Key Highlights:The "Cartel Margin" trap: Why 75% margins are a red flag.How to signal financial sophistication to investors.The current state of venture capital and startup valuation.Why your fundraising strategy needs a reality check.Lessons from Amplify LA on what makes a pitch deck stand out.
In this episode, Duane Mancini sits down with Sarah to unpack her path from healthcare operator to investor and what founders should know when raising capital today. Sarah shares how her experience as the 10th employee at a digital health startup shaped her empathy for founders and the practical lens she brings to diligence, from ICP and pricing to building durable foundations early. The conversation pulls back the curtain on venture mechanics—how syndication and relationships really work, why fundraising is difficult when LPs demand DPI, and how fund structure, lifecycle, and co-investments can shape outcomes for startups. Sarah also explains Angelini Ventures' global strategy and thesis-driven focus in areas like cardiology and neurology, and why “exitability” requires forward-looking insight into strategic buyers, technology shifts, and long-term fit.Sarah Fox LinkedInAngelini Ventures WebsiteDuane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedInThank you to our sponsors: Ward Law and JumpStart Inc.
In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss a whirlwind week of announcements in the tech industry, focusing on AMD's partnership with Meta, NVIDIA's impressive quarterly performance, and OpenAI's significant funding round. They explore the implications of these developments for the semiconductor market, the rise of AI agents, and the future of SaaS. The conversation highlights the importance of profitability, strategic partnerships, and the evolving competitive landscape in the tech sector.
255 | Welche neuen Regeln gelten für Venture Capital - und macht das überhaupt Sinn? Dazu Gedanken zu AI Kapital für Unternehmen, Dark Companies und Samuels Rückfall ins Nerd-tum.Partner dieser Folge:HOLVIFinanzen für kleine Unternehmen: Von Chaos zu Klarheit mit HOLVI - Das kostenlos Holvi Flex Konto ist perfekt für Solopreneure, Freelancer und Unternehmen, die wachsen wollen. www.holvi.comClockodoDas Time-Tracking-Tool unserer Wahl. https://www.clockodo.com/optimisten Gutschein-Code: optimisten25 für 25% Rabatt.Mach das 1-minütige Quiz und finde eine Geschäftsidee, die zu dir passt: digitaleoptimisten.de/quiz.Kapitel(00:00) Intro(03:42) Samuels Magic Rückfall(08:24) Humankapital, Markenkapital - brauchen wir AI Kapital(23:11) Neue Spielregeln im Venture Capital - aber wo kommt die Kohle her?(35:24) Fast Alex' Geschäftsidee für diese Folge ARGUS(40:44) Warum nutzen Mitarbeiter in Samuels Startup AI Tools nicht? (ca. (49:36) Geschäftsidee von Alex: SpesenFix(54:58) Geschäftsidee von Samuel: Neo ITLearnings**AI-Kapital als immaterieller Unternehmenswert**AI-Kapital wird als immaterieller Wert beschrieben, der wächst, wenn Foundation-Modelle besser werden und Prozesse automatisieren. Unternehmen sollten dieses Kapital als potenziell messbaren Wert neben Marke, Finanzkapital und Reputationskapital betrachten. Hypothese: AI-Kapital wird künftig eine zentrale Rolle in der Bewertung von Unternehmen spielen.**Geschäftsmodell-First: Technologie sinnvoll integrieren**Technologie muss ins Geschäftsmodell passen, nicht jeder neue Tech-Trend erhöht automatisch Wert. Beispiele aus der Diskussion zeigen: Metaverse wird als sinnloser Nutzen gesehen; AI soll dort eingesetzt werden, wo er mehr Wert schafft. Warum relevant: Wer Technologie nur um der Technologie willen nutzt, verschwendet Ressourcen.**Dark Companies – neue Organisationsformen**Der Begriff Dark Companies beschreibt agentische Unternehmen, deren Kernfunktionen durch AI-Agenten statt durch Menschen erledigt werden. Konkrete Beispiele: Content Agent, Attention Agent, Sales Agent – dadurch wächst die Produktivität und Skalierbarkeit. Implizite Implikation: Unternehmen müssen Aufgaben, Governance und Prompts neu strukturieren, sonst scheitern sie an der Umsetzung.**Neue Fundraising- und Wachstumsbenchmarks**Die Fundraising-Realität verändert sich: früher galt Triple-Triple-Double, heute erwartet man achtfachen Umsatz innerhalb eines Jahres oder konsistent 3x-Wachstum ab ca. 5 Mio Umsatz. Zudem wird berichtet, dass Seed- und Series-A-Höhen steigen, dafür aber der Weg zu Investoren stärker an Effizienz und schnelle Skalierung gebunden ist. Implikation: Startups und Gründer sollten klare Wachstums- und Umsatzbarrieren definieren, bevor Kapital aufgenommen wird.KeywordsAI-KapitalImmaterielles KapitalDark CompaniesAgentic CompanyAI-FoundationBedeutung von AI-Kapital für UnternehmenDark Companies DefinitionAgentic Companies Use CaseSpesenfix automatische Rechnungen hochladenArgus AI Tool KonzeptNeo-IT GeschäftsideeMarkenwertReputationskapital
Daniel Rudyak built a healthcare company the hard way. No venture capital. No safety net. And for a long stretch, not even the freedom to buy “two tacos” without doing the mental math. In this episode, Jerome Myers talks with Daniel, founder of ReadyRx, about what it takes to go from private equity boardrooms to the chaos of building: 120-hour weeks, 18 months pre-revenue, and the constant pressure of carrying a mission that's deeply personal. ReadyRx has grown to 10,000+ monthly customers and a reported $70M valuation, but this conversation isn't about hype. It's about the truth founders rarely say out loud: the climb is hard, the summit is brief, and the “money” doesn't give you what you think it will. If you're chasing an exit, thinking about raising capital, or worried about what happens after the deal closes, press play. In this episode: Why ReadyRx exists (and the healthcare failures that sparked it) The real difference between investing in businesses and building one Why they refused venture money and what control is worth The hidden skill founders need after liquidity: allocation, not adrenaline Why most people don't break on the way up, they break on the way down Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Dentist Money™ Show | Financial Planning & Wealth Management
Welcome to Dentist Money Two Cents, a look at the latest financial and economic news from the past week. On this episode of Dentist Money's Two Cents, Matt and Rabih explore what's really driving the American economy, from strong consumer spending in service sectors to the growing divide in economic experiences across income groups. They discuss the role of government spending, why tariffs haven't significantly reduced the national deficit, and what these trends mean for long-term financial stability. Finally, they talk about venture capital as an investment opportunity for dentists and break down the key differences between private and public markets. Book a free consultation with a CFP® advisor who only works with dentists. Get an objective financial assessment and learn how Dentist Advisors can help you live your rich life.
For episode 682 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Sydney Huang, Founder of HumanAPI at ETHDenver. Sydney Huang is the Founder of Human API and CEO of Eclipse, where she leads product and strategy for AI-native infrastructure. She launched Turbo Tap, scaling it to 300K users, 50K DAU, and 22B+ in-game transactions, and has held product roles across Web3 projects including DeGods, y00ts, and Unstoppable Domains. Previously, she worked in M&A and Venture Capital at Dell Technologies and is a Babson College graduate.
What separates investors who chase deals from those who consistently engineer successful exits? On this episode of The Registered Investment Advisor Podcast, host Seth Greene interviews Scott Kelly, Founder and CEO of Black Dog Venture Partners, who shares his extensive experience in venture capital, having raised billions and facilitated over 30 successful exits. From his early days as a stockbroker to founding one of the largest investor syndicates in the tech space, Scott's journey offers invaluable insights into the rapidly evolving investment environment. Tune in as Scott discusses how AI is reshaping investment strategies, how startups can succeed in a competitive market, and the future of venture capital. Key Takeaways: → Strong outcomes often stem from early positioning, strategic networking, and aligning founders with the right investors. → Well-curated pitch forums create efficient deal flow, surface high-quality founders, and accelerate trust between investors and operators. → Companies that generate real revenue attract better capital, partners, and exit opportunities. → Today's investors must adapt to new technologies, faster cycles, and more competitive deal environments. → Referrals and long-standing relationships consistently yield stronger investments than transactional deal sourcing. Scott Kelly is the Founder and CEO of Black Dog Venture Partners, a national accelerator helping disruptive startups secure funding, forge strategic partnerships, and scale with executive support. With more than 20 years of experience across venture capital, marketing, sales, and leadership, Scott has guided hundreds of companies by leveraging a powerful network of over 13,000 investors and 40,000 business partners. He also produces VC Fast Pitch, a premier national event series that connects high-growth startups with top-tier investors. Beyond building companies, Scott is a college professor, mentor, and champion of leadership and personal development, sharing the journey with Melvin, the beloved black dog who inspired the brand. Connect With Scott: Website: https://blackdogventurepartners.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackdogventurepartners/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/BlackDogCEO Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackdogceo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackdogventurepartners Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Send a textJermaine Ee is a founder and storyteller interested in three things: how we spend our time, the work we do, and what we leave behind. His career has zigzagged across ed‑tech, logistics, toys, political campaigns, executive search, and impact projects, but the through‑line has always been the same: helping people make better decisions abouttheir money, careers, and futures.He's run financial‑aid workshops in low‑income high schools, built a startup to help kids confront their fear of math, and worked inside the Venture Capital & Private Equity ecosystem, studying how talent shapes enduringcompanies. Through Rotary and other efforts, he has helped lead humanitarian projects from Los Angeles to Colombia, Mexico, and Ukraine, working on refugee housing, medical transport, and frontline logistics.Today, Jermaine spends most of his time on HeirLight, a simple and smart will maker designed to turn one of adulthood's most avoided tasks into a fast, modern, emotionally intelligent experience. Born in Los Angeles and raised between LA and Malaysia, he thinks a lot about belonging, identity, and the quiet instructions we leave behind for the people we loveHeirLight www.heirlight.com/en/podcast | jermaine@heirlight.com | 6266737916Sign up for one of our negotiation courses at ShikinaNegotiationAcademy.comThanks for listening to Negotiation with Alice! Please subscribe and connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram!
This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.----------------------------------------For decades, lupus has remained one of the most complex challenges in modern medicine. Its extreme heterogeneity, where symptoms and triggers can vary widely from one patient to the next, has made the disease difficult to study, diagnose, and treat.As a result, lupus has often been passed over by traditional venture capital in favor of conditions with more predictable development paths.That dynamic is now beginning to change.A growing wave of scientific advances, regulatory progress, and an increasingly active clinical pipeline is signaling a turning point for millions of patients worldwide.At the center of this shift is Lupus Ventures, a mission driven investment fund launched by the Lupus Research Alliance.The fund combines the discipline of life sciences venture capital with a clear focus on return on mission, aiming to close the funding gap that has long stalled promising breakthroughs in autoimmune disease research.In this spotlight, we speak with Nishant Rastogi, Managing Director of Lupus Ventures.Drawing on more than a decade of experience in biotech private equity and venture capital, Nishant explains why he chose to lead a mission driven fund, why early diagnostics are critical to improving patient outcomes, and how Lupus Ventures is helping reshape how cures are funded for historically underserved diseases.Full interview ----------------------------------------Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.
Kapil Surlaker, VP of Engineering, Data and AI Infrastructure at LinkedIn, joins guest host Bhaskar Ghosh for a technical and thoughtful discussion on how AI is reshaping enterprise. Kapil shares how LinkedIn built strong data foundations over more than a decade, and how that foundation enabled generative and agentic AI use cases. He reflects on building Espresso, a distributed database created out of necessity, and explains why he would not build it again today. The conversation explores AI infrastructure, model flexibility, privacy guardrails, and operational responsibility. His message to leaders is clear. Reinvent yourself continuously, or risk becoming irrelevant. In this episode, you'll learn: [04:07] From personalization to hiring agents [08:30] Modern AI infrastructure and model flexibility [14:58] Why LinkedIn built Espresso [23:08] AI can write code but you own the pager [26:33] Data as a success layer [30:06] Privacy, governance, and guardrails in the AI age [37:56] Reinvent or go extinct About Kapil Surlaker Kapil Surlaker is a seasoned technology leader who has worked across distributed systems, large-scale databases, and AI infrastructure. He began his career at Oracle building foundational database technologies before joining LinkedIn during its hypergrowth phase. At LinkedIn, he played a central role in building Espresso, a massively scalable distributed document database, and later led AI and data platform modernization efforts that powered personalization, ads, search, and emerging generative AI use cases. His work spans infrastructure, privacy engineering, governance systems, and enterprise AI transformation. Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode.
Career regret is more common than most professionals admit. In Bill Gurley's survey, 7 out of 10 people said they would restart their careers if given the chance, revealing widespread dissatisfaction with their chosen paths. After decades of working alongside successful founders, Bill distilled what actually leads to meaningful, energizing work into his book Running Down a Dream, offering a clear path to designing a career you don't want to escape from. Now on Spotify video! In this episode, Bill reveals how to build your dream job and shares what top professionals do differently to create careers that bring both success and fulfillment. In this episode, Hala and Bill will discuss: (00:00) Introduction (02:17) The Career Regret Crisis (06:57) Designing Your Own Career Path (12:53) How Curiosity Over Passion Drives Success (22:10) Bill's Journey From Engineering to Venture Capital (28:45) Mastering Career Fundamentals for Growth (41:34) The Power of Mentors and Peers in Career Development (52:10) Dot-Com Crash Lessons and the AI Wave (54:20) Unit Economics and Business Fundamentals (1:06:39) Smart ROI Decisions for Entrepreneurs (1:16:47) Making Tough Calls in Leadership (1:21:34) Traits of Extraordinary Founders Bill Gurley is a renowned Silicon Valley venture capitalist and general partner at Benchmark, known for early, pivotal investments in companies like Uber, Zillow, and Grubhub. With over 20 years at Benchmark, he is recognized as a top tech investor and the author of the influential blog Above the Crowd. In his new book, Running Down a Dream, Bill breaks down the components of balancing joy with success and identifies the key principles of career fulfillment. Sponsored By: Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/profiting Shopify - Start your $1/month trial at Shopify.com/profiting. Spectrum Business - Keep your business connected seamlessly. Visit https://spectrum.com/Business to learn more. Northwest Registered Agent - Build your brand and get your complete business identity at northwestregisteredagent.com/paidyap Framer - Publish beautiful and production-ready websites. Go to Framer.com/profiting and get 30% off their Framer Pro annual plan. Quo - Run your business communications the smart way. Try Quo for free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to quo.com/profiting Working Genius - Discover your natural gifts and thrive at work. Go to workinggenius.com and get 20% off with code PROFITING Experian - Manage and cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reduce your bills. See experian.com for details. Huel - Get all the daily nutrients you need with Huel. Grab Huel today and get 15% OFF with my code PROFITING at huel.com/PROFITING. Resources Mentioned: Bill's Book, Running Down A Dream: bit.ly/BGDream Bill's X (Twitter): x.com/bgurley Bill's Website: abovethecrowd.com Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett: bit.ly/BB-DYL One Up On Wall Street by Peter Lynch: bit.ly/PL-OUOWS Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christensen: bit.ly/CC-ID Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey: bit.ly/MM-GL Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals Key YAP Links Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting Newsletter - youngandprofiting.co/newsletter LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/ Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/ Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Marketing, Negotiation, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Growth Mindset, Business Ideas, Growth Hacks, Workplace, Career Podcast
What began as a 14 year old fixing infected computers became Malwarebytes, an 800 person cybersecurity company trusted by millions of customers.On Grit, Marcin Kleczynski joins Joubin Mirzadegan to explore AI driven cyber threats, strategic reinvention, and the discipline of evolving before the market forces you to.“We've exceeded. Now, what do we do to protect individuals against the next wave of threats, which are plentiful?”Guest: Marcin Kleczynski, CEO at MalwarebytesConnect with Marcin KleczynskiX: https://x.com/mkleczynskiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcinkleczynski/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/KPGritLearn more about Kleiner Perkins: https://www.kleinerperkins.com/
"Strip out the bullsh*t." Brian Garrett reveals the hard-won lessons from 18+ years in venture capital and how he survived his most devastating year yet.Discover why one of LA's most seasoned investors is pivoting away from generalist VC to go all-in on Frontier Tech and the "techno-industrial era."In this episode of Demo Day, we sit down with Brian Garrett, Partner at Crosscut Ventures. Brian has spent nearly two decades at the center of the LA startup ecosystem, but 2025 changed everything. From losing his home in the Palisades fires to navigating profound personal loss, Brian shares a raw, unfiltered look at the resilience required to lead in the world of high-stakes venture capital.We dive deep into the "techno-economic analysis" Crosscut now uses to evaluate seed-stage companies in space, defense, and energy. Brian breaks down the common mistakes founders make when pitching, the difference between confidence and arrogance, and why the "lead investor" brand matters more than ever in today's fundraising landscape. Whether you are a founder raising your first round or an investor looking for the next paradigm shift, this episode offers a masterclass in staying focused on what truly matters.Key Takeaways:The Synthesizer Superpower: How to distill complex ideas into three sentences.Frontier Tech Thesis: Why Crosscut is betting on energy independence and the re-industrialization of America.The "Why Now" Question: What VCs are actually looking for in a defensive fundraising market.Personal Resilience: How to find joy and purpose after a "gut punch" year.
OpenClaw's creator makes headlines by joining OpenAI after GitHub fame and a whirlwind of VC and big tech offers, redefining what's possible for independent developers in the AI arms race. Is this the year agentic AI goes mainstream, and are the big players ready for that disruption? OpenClaw, OpenAI and the future | Peter Steinberger OpenAI disbands mission alignment team Opinion | I Left My Job at OpenAI. Putting Ads on ChatGPT Was the Last Straw. - The New York Times Introducing GPT‑5.3‑Codex‑Spark Anthropic releases Sonnet 4.6 Exclusive: Pentagon threatens to cut off Anthropic in AI safeguards dispute Google's Pixel 10a Launches on March 5 for $499 Google's AI drug discovery spinoff Isomorphic Labs claims major leap beyond AlphaFold 3 Gemini 3 Deep Think: AI model update designed for science Radio host David Greene says Google's NotebookLM tool stole his voice A new way to express yourself: Gemini can now create music Why an A.I. Video of Tom Cruise Battling Brad Pitt Spooked Hollywood GPT-5 outperforms federal judges 100% to 52% in legal reasoning experiment An AI project is creating videos to go with Supreme Court justices' real words I used Claude to negotiate $163,000 off a hospital bill. In a complex healthcare system, AI is giving patients power. Sony Tech Can Identify Original Music in AI-Generated Songs AI Pioneer Fei-Fei Li's Startup World Labs Raises $1 Billion Yann v. Yoshua on directed systems Dr. Oz pushes AI avatars as a fix for rural health care. Not so fast, critics say An AI Agent Published a Hit Piece on Me An Ars Technica Reporter Blamed A.I. Tools for Fabricating Quotes in a Bizarre A.I. Story Plain Dealer using AI to write reporters' stories Mediahuis trials use of AI agents to carry out 'first-line' news reporting DJI's first robovac is an autonomous cleaning drone you can't trust Leaked Email Suggests Ring Plans to Expand 'Search Party' Surveillance Beyond Dogs ai;dr I hate my AI pet with every fiber of my being Thanks a lot, AI: Hard drives are sold out for the year, says WD Students Are Being Treated Like Guinea Pigs:' Inside an AI-Powered Private School peon-ping — Stop babysitting your terminal Hugo Barra makes a to-do agent Raspberry Pi soars 40% as CEO buys stock, AI chatter builds Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Emily Forlini Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: monarch.com with code IM bitwarden.com/twit preview.modulate.ai spaceship.com/twit