Episodes
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David Hornik is a Founding Partner with Lobby Capital. For more than 25 years, David has helped technology entrepreneurs build transformative businesses. Prior to founding Lobby Capital, he spent 20 years as a general partner at August Capital. David invests in a broad range of software companies, including enterprise application, infrastructure, and SaaS businesses (Splunk, Fastly, GitLab), financial technology companies (Bill.com, WePay, PayNearMe), and consumer services (Evite, Ebates, Remix AI).David has spent the last two decades building technology communities – along with starting the first venture capital blog, VentureBlog, and the first venture capital podcast, VentureCast, David served as the Tech Curator for the TED Conference in Vancouver, co-created and hosted TEDxStanford, and founded and produces the Lobby Confrences. David received Deloitte’s Venture Capitalist of the Year award and has been honored by Forbes Magazine as a member of its Midas List of top Venture Capitalists.David has an eclectic educational background. He received a BA from Stanford in Computer Music, a Masters of Philosophy in Criminology from Cambridge University, and a JD from Harvard Law School. He teaches courses in entrepreneurship and venture capital at Stanford Business School and Harvard Law School, and serves as a VC Partner at the Harvard Business School.David lives in Palo Alto and Chelsea with his wife Pamela and their dog Teddy. He has four grown children. Along with serving on the board of GLAAD, a leading LGBTQ rights organization, David is a commissioner of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and is a member of the board of the Stanford Alumni Association.Topics: - Building a winning portfolio for long-term success- Insights from backing billion-dollar startups- Opportunities for entrepreneurs in enterprise software#VCInsights #StartupSuccess #TechInvesting #EntrepreneurshipTips #FintechFuture
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Vivek Ramaswami is a Partner at Madrona. He joined Madrona in 2022. As part of the Madrona investment team based in California, Vivek partners with ambitious founders across enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, data tools, intelligent applications, and fintech. He focuses on helping founders who have achieved product-market fit scale to the next level.Vivek has spent his career investing in high-growth companies across software and fintech. Prior to Madrona, Vivek helped launch the venture capital arm of Steadfast Capital, where he led investments in Zapier, Klaviyo, Lucid, Forethought, Sendbird, Jumpcloud, Algolia, Wealthsimple, and other high-growth companies.Prior to Steadfast, Vivek was a Principal at Redpoint for five years, where he helped source or work on investments in SentinelOne, Nubank, Bright Health, Cockroach Labs, Hashicorp, and others. Vivek started his career in technology investment banking at Goldman Sachs, advising clients on M&A and IPO opportunities in the software and consumer internet sectors. Vivek was named to the Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for Venture Capital in 2021. Vivek is originally from Alberta, Canada, and holds a bachelor’s from the Ivey Business School at Western University.Topics: - Open Source Models and AI Development- Deepfakes and AI Ethics- Cross-Cloud Data Sharing#AI #OpenSource #GenerativeAI #Deepfakes #DataPrivacy
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John Simon is the Co-Founder and Board Chair of GreenLight Fund and
Managing Director of Sigma Prime Ventures. John is an active entrepreneur, creator and investor in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. He is currently a managing director at Sigma Prime Ventures where he focuses on software-based businesses and disruptive technology businesses, often getting involved in businesses at their formation or earliest stages. Prior to joining Sigma Prime, John was a co-founder and managing director of General Catalyst Partners, where he was responsible for investments in both new and existing technology businesses.
Before co-founding General Catalyst Partners, John was founder, chairman and CEO of UroMed Corporation. UroMed completed its initial public offering in 1994 and was subsequently merged to form Alliant Medical Technologies. While at General Catalyst Partners, portfolio companies of General Catalyst Partners for which John served on the board of directors or that John was otherwise involved with include: Jumptap, Paydiant, OwnCloud, SignalDemand, BetterLesson, Mocospace, Thumb, Swirl, Swoop, CyPhy Works, iWalk, Aidin, Tear Science, Fractyl, DC Devices, and OvaScience (OTC BB:OVSC), Taleo (NASDAQ:TLEO, acquired by Oracle), m-Qube (acquired by VeriSign), ProfitLogic (acquired by Oracle), Maven Networks (acquired by Yahoo!), Bullhorn Software (acquired by Vista Equity), Quickplay Media (acquired by Madison Dearborn), BzzAgent (acquired by Dunn Humby/Tesco), and Outstart (acquired by Kenexa/IBM).
In addition, John co-founded the GreenLight Fund and serves as Board Chair of the organization. GreenLight Fund partners with local communities to match unmet needs for individuals and families navigating barriers to economic mobility with innovative nonprofits that have a track record of success elsewhere. The national organization is scaling measurable impact in 12 sites across the country including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, Greater Newark, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, and the Twin Cities.
John is a member of the World Presidents’ Organization (WPO). He’s a co-founder and current trustee of The Steppingstone Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides educational opportunities to deserving inner-city students. John was honored with the 2015 Lewis Family Foundation CEO Social Leadership Award at the Boston Business Journal’s annual Corporate Citizenship Summit. John is a graduate of Harvard University, earning a BA in History and Science and Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar and received his MA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.
Topics:
1. The evolution of venture capital
2. Early-stage investing strategies
3. Impact investing: measuring social impact alongside financial returns
#VentureCapital #TechInvesting #StartupLife #ImpactInvesting #InnovationInsights
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Megh Gautam if the Chief Product Officer at Crunchbase. Prior to that he was the head of product at Twilio, where he ran the Editions line of business for Twilio, owned P&L, roadmap and strategy working across the Communication businesses (SMS mostly) and Segment.
Topics:
- Challenges and opportunities in managing a data-centric product like Crunchbase
- The role of AI and machine learning in modern product development
- The future of business intelligence and data platforms
#ProductLeadership #TechInnovation #DataDriven #SaaS #B2B #ProductStrategy
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Ian Wang is a dynamic product leader currently serving as the Vice President and Head of Product for Adobe Express. Adobe Express empowers everyone to create standout content, including social media posts, videos, images, flyers, logos, and more. - Building and leading high-performance product teams- Enhancing creativity through technology- Aligning product development with user needs#ProductLeadership #AdobeExpress #CreativityForAll #TechInnovation #AIinDesign
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Sydney Paige Thomas is the Founding General Partner of Symphonic Capital, a venture capital fund focused on empowering early-stage entrepreneurs. As the leader of Symphonic, Sydney embraces a unique philosophy of leadership, likening her role to that of an orchestra conductor whose power lies not in making sound, but in amplifying the talents of others.With nearly 15 years of diverse industry experience, including a decade working closely with founders, Sydney specializes in nurturing Pre-Seed stage startups. Her approach is hands-on and founder-centric, working alongside entrepreneurs to help them achieve their goals and realize their vision.- Trends in Pre-Seed stage investing- The importance of diversity in the startup ecosystem- Strategies for effective mentorship in the startup world#PreSeedVC #FounderEmpowerment #StartupOrchestrator #VentureBuilding #EarlyStageInvesting
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Vivin Hegde is the Founding Partner at Zacua Ventures, which invests in the next generation of entrepreneurs shaping the Built World. The firm focuses on core themes of productivity, sustainability, and urbanization within the Built Environment and maintains a global presence.As a construction technologist and innovator, Vivin previously led the Trimble-Hilti JV, where he researched and developed new products and solutions in positioning technology, software integration, and field productivity. Additionally, he established and led Hilti's Corporate Venturing office in the US, seeking out new technologies to drive the next wave of innovation in construction. Throughout his career, Vivin has mentored startups and contributed to the development of the construction tech ecosystem, leveraging over a decade of experience in strategy, sales, project management, and operations across multiple continents.Topics: - The current state and future trends in construction technology- The role of urbanization in shaping future construction needs- The impact of emerging technologies (e.g., AI, IoT, robotics) on the built world#ConstructionTech #BuiltWorld #PropTech #Sustainability #UrbanInnovation
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Ajay Prakash is the Co-Founder & CEO of Rinse, a company that is making trips to the dry cleaner and the washer / dryer obsolete while building the first national brand in dry cleaning and laundry. Prior to Rinse, Ajay was the COO and CFO of humble Brands, a consumer product startup in San Francisco. He also has experience at Bonobos, Berkshire Partners, the NBA, and Bain & Company. Ajay received his BA from Dartmouth College and his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.Topics: - Building a national brand in a traditionally local service- Leveraging technology to disrupt traditional service industries- Scaling a startup in the home services sector#StartupLife #TechDisruption #OnDemandServices #LaundryTech #EntrepreneurJourney #VCPodcast
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As the founder of Eeagli, James combines his passion for data visualization and investment writing to create compelling and engaging content for the financial industry. With over 15 years of experience in investment management, equities, and fixed income, James's mission is to transform complex data and insights into memorable stories that connect companies with their audience and communicate their brand story.Utilizing JavaScript and other tools, James designs and develops interactive and customized data visualizations that showcase the expertise and thought leadership of his clients. He also writes clear and concise content covering various topics and strategies in the investment world. James works with a diverse range of clients, from asset managers and hedge funds to private banks, delivering high-quality and timely solutions that meet their needs and expectations.- How visualizing data can improve understanding and decision-making for investors- The process of creating interactive and customized data visualizations- Emerging trends in data visualization within the financial sector#DataVisualization #InvestmentWriting #Fintech #FinancialInsights #InteractiveDesign
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James Joaquin is an early-stage investor in world positive startups building breakthrough technologies that move humanity forward. He is passionate about the responsible use of AI to solve the unsolvable across trillion-dollar industries. As a co-founder of Obvious, he has led investments for the firm that span advanced materials (Diamond Foundry), plant-based protein (Beyond Meat), and labor marketplaces (Incredible Health).With an experienced background as a startup operator, James served as President and CEO of Xoom.com (IPO). He was previously President and CEO of Ofoto from its early beginnings through acquisition by Kodak, leading its growth into the world's largest online photo service. He also co-founded When.com, an Internet calendar and events service, which was acquired by AOL. James started his entrepreneurial career while studying computer science at Brown University, where he co-founded Clearview Software, which was later acquired by Apple. He spent six years in engineering and marketing roles at Apple. James grew up in a Portuguese fishing community in southeastern Massachusetts.Topics: - Generative science's transformative impact on investment sectors- Key areas disrupted by generative science AI models- Due diligence for data quality in generative science#GenerativeScience #AIforScience #Climatetech #Biotech #MaterialsScience
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Entrepreneur and personal branding expert, Casey Adams, kicked off his career at 17 with his acclaimed podcast, "The Casey Adams Show," now among the top 100 business podcasts worldwide. His dialogues with prominent figures like Larry King, Rick Ross, and Maye Musk, have enriched his listeners' perspectives. As Co-Founder of MediaKits, a game-changing SaaS platform for creator analytics, Casey was integral to its success, leading to its acquisition by Viral Nation in 2022. Casey continues to innovate in the tech sphere, building new companies and leveraging his expertise to make strategic investments, shaping the future of the industry.Topics: - The Creator Economy: Trends, Opportunities and Predictions- How to Launch a Wildly Successful Podcast for Your Startup/ VC firms- Building a SaaS Startup for the Booming Creator Economy#startuppodcasting #podcastgrowth #creatoreconomy #SaaSstartup #startupacquisition
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Zach DeWitt is a partner at Wing, bringing firsthand founder experience to the startups and founders he works with—most of which are product-led growth (PLG) SaaS, AI-powered applications, and Web3. Before joining the Wing team, he was the CEO and co-founder of Drop, Inc., where he and his team built two award-winning iPhone apps before selling the technology to Snapchat in 2016. He has worked in the tech, media, and telecommunications groups at TPG Capital and Goldman Sachs, playing a key role in several major technology deals, including TPG’s investment in Uber. He graduated cum laude from Yale with a degree in economics, and is a Harvard Business School Baker Scholar. Zach writes about the proliferation of PLG, highlighting the best (public and private) PLG companies in his weekly newsletter, Notorious PLG.Topics: - Best practices for building a successful PLG motion- Trends and opportunities in AI-powered software- Monetization and pricing models for PLG companies#ProductLedGrowth #PLG #PLGStrategy #PLGSaaS #AIPoweredApps
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With over 18 years of experience in the cybersecurity field, Nir Polak is a venture partner at SignalFire, a data-driven venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology companies. Nir is also an investor and board member at Dig Security, a cloud-based security platform that automates threat detection and response. Additionally, Nir is the co-founder and chairman of the board at Exabeam, a leading provider of user and entity behavior analytics solutions. Nir has multiple skills in start-up environment, strategic partnerships, and start-ups, and Nir has a passion for building innovative and scalable products that solve complex security challenges. Nir is driven by the mission of empowering security teams with the best tools and insights to protect their organizations and customers. Nir brings diverse perspectives and experiences to the cybersecurity industry, and Nir values collaboration, creativity, and customer satisfaction.Topics: - Cybersecurity trends and challenges- Cloud security and cloud computing- VC Funding Landscape for AI Cybersecurity Startups#AIcybersecurity #CyberAI #MachineLearningCyber #BehaviorAnalytics
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Chris Harper is a VC at Torch Capital. Before Torch, Chris was an early-stage investor at Red Sea Ventures, a New York-based fund focused on consumer and consumerized B2B businesses. While at Columbia Business School, Chris was president of the VC Fellows program. As a fellow, he spent a year with General Catalyst developing a thesis on consumer services for the new millennial family. Chris was also a member of the New York investment team for Rough Draft Ventures, investing in pre-seed and seed companies founded by students. Earlier in his career, Chris ran edtech investing programs for the Department of Education at Luminary Labs for three years and worked in the Goldman Sachs trading division for two years. Chris graduated from Yale with a BA in History, and an MBA from Columbia Business School.Topics: - Blurring Lines between Consumer and B2B- Impact of AI on Early-Stage Consumer- Future of Consumer Tech#VCPodcast #VentureCapital #ConsumerTech #AIinTech #StartupInvesting
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Han Shen is the Founding Partner of iFly. VC. Han’s career in venture capital started in 2009 and has spanned at VantagePoint and Formation 8, where he was the first hire on the investment team. He led and/or contributed to the investment in Motive Drilling (acquired by Helmerich & Payne), Lucid (acquired by Acuity), Comfy (acquired by Siemens), Oculus (acquired by Facebook), Taxon (acquired by DuPont), and AlertMe (acquired by British Gas). Earlier in his career, Han worked for Rohm and Haas Company, the largest US specialty chemical company, where he was credited as key inventor of four US patents.Han has served on the board of multiple portfolio companies including BorderX Lab, Sweet a Little, Motive Drilling, and Grabit, and has closely advised entrepreneurs in building a startup from the ground up. He received the title of “Honorary Employee” (with badge #36) from one of his current portfolio companies to recognize the instrumental role he has played. Han earned his bachelor’s degree from Nanjing University, Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, and MBA from The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania. Topics: - Identifying Hidden Opportunities- Key Criteria for Early-Stage Investments- Diversification Strategies for VC Portfolios#VentureCapital #PortfolioConstruction #VCInvesting #Diversification #StartupSuccess
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Amy Nauiokas is a transformational CEO, founder, governor and advocate who has spent three decades running and building purpose-led organizations at the intersection of access, equity, and innovation. She has dedicated her career to seeing around corners and leading teams to uncover what could be rather than accepting the status quo. After a rapid rise to the top of the global financial services industry, she pivoted from corporate CEO at Barclays Stockbrokers to fintech and media entrepreneur. Through her industry leading VC, Anthemis, she led the digital revolution in Financial Services, investing in and supporting more than 250 companies and thousands of other entrepreneurs. At her award-winning production company, Archer Gray, she’s focused on bringing new, diverse, and innovative stories to life. Amy is an experienced board member, with roles on Make-a-Wish Foundation, Edible Schoolyard and a 20-year term on Dickinson College’s Board of Trustees, as well as countless startup and growth-stage company boards. Across all her ventures, Amy strives to define what values-driven leadership looks like, charting a course for and influencing system-level change agents around the world. Topics: - From Traditional Finance to Fintech Leadership- Innovating Financial Services through Fintech- The Future of Fintech#Fintech #VC #Innovation #PurposeDrivenLeadership #ImpactInvesting #DiversityInTech
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When it comes to the business of women, Ali knows a golden opportunity when she sees it. As one of the very first employees at Refinery29 — a company that now has over 450 employees globally — Ali was tasked with building an ad and brand partnerships business from the ground up. She answered this challenge by assembling a world-class team that integrated custom collaboration with brands across every core business pillar— from editorial and design, to product and consumer marketing. Under her leadership, the sales team generated tens of millions of dollars in just four years, slotting Refinery29 a spot on Inc500 for three consecutive years.From there, Ali became the first CRO at Goop, where she successfully architected and launched the US business by applying her brand advertising skills to a vast suite of brand touch points. Next, Ali followed her entrepreneurial spirit to launch her own start-up company, joining forces with Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso to create the famed, female-focused media business Girlboss. Girlboss grew to host thousands of women, galvanizing female voices across in countries throughout the world. Today, Ali is leading her second successful start-up venture alongside Co-Founder Rebecca Minkoff, Female Founder Collective.- Support and invest in women-led businesses- Create successful collaborations with brands- Leveraging social media and other platforms for community engagement#WomenInBusiness #FemaleFounders #WomenEntrepreneurs #StartupSuccess #BrandBuilding
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Charlotte Ross is a Partner of Inspired Capital. Prior to Inspired Capital, Charlotte was an Associate at New Enterprise Associates (NEA). At NEA, she led investments in The Wing, Mejuri, CoEdition and Choosy. Charlotte served on the Boards of those companies in addition to the Boards of Duolingo, Framebridge and Landit. Charlotte also spent three months working at Tamara Mellon, an NEA portfolio company, prior to their launch. Charlotte began her career as an Investment Banking analyst in the Technology, Media and Telecom group at Goldman Sachs, where she worked on a variety of M&A and capital markets transactions for software and consumer internet companies. Charlotte has been recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 in Venture Capital and earned a B.A. in Economics from Yale University.Topics: - Lessons Learned from Board Experiences and Portfolio Companies- Winning Competitive Deals and Building a Strong Portfolio- Building and Leveraging a Network in the Industry#VentureCapital #InvestmentStrategy #NetworkBuilding #StartupSuccess #HealthcareInnovation
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Peter Walker runs the Insights team at Carta, focused on discovering key data and narratives across the private capital ecosystem. In a former life, he was a marketing executive for a media analytics startup and led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project.Topics: - Data-Driven Insights in the Private Capital Ecosystem- Current Trends in Private Capital- Future of Data in Venture Capital#DataDriven #PrivateCapital #DataVisualization #VentureCapital #Insights
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Prasad Kawthekar is the CEO & Co-founder of Dashworks. Dashworks is the personalized, all-in-one, and secure AI solution for organizations. Dashworks learns from existing knowledge scattered across siloed cloud applications to help employees find instant answers to all their questions at work. The company has raised funds from investors including Y Combinator, Point72 Ventures, and OVO Fund. Prasad was also featured on Forbes' 30 under 30 Enterprise Technology sector in 2024.- The Role of AI in the Future of Work- Customer Acquisition and User Adoption- Scaling AI Solutions#AIStartup #FutureOfWork #TechInnovation #AIinBusiness #StartupJourney #VentureCapital
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