Live Vibe Coaching with the LLM Pioneer Who Scaled Before ChatGPT | Will Manidis
Is your AI startup built to survive the next wave?In this episode of Agentic, Will Manidis, the co-founder of ScienceIO, shares how he built for resilience from day one developing LLMs for healthcare and the frameworks that helped him scale before the world caught up.He shares how local model training on office gaming PCs laid the unlikely foundation for ScienceIO’s reach across millions in digital health.We also discuss:• why OpenAI’s API continues to dominate Gemini• the hidden fragility behind $500M fast scaling AI companies• Will’s belief that founders must prove value before overbuilding for scaleNot often do you get to learn from someone who built an LLM before ChatGPT. Tune in now.If you’re in the early innings of building something in AI, especially if you’re figuring things out from first principles—click here, we'd love to hear from you.Connect with us here:1. Will Manidis- https://www.linkedin.com/in/willmanidis/ 2. George Bandarian- https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgebandarian/ 3. Untapped Ventures- https://www.linkedin.com/company/untappedventures/00:00 Trailer01:41 Introduction02:45 Thiel Fellow07:40 Pre-ChatGPT LLMs10:27 Biggest lessons12:37 Contrarian takes13:56 Difficult to sell15:59 First exit16:38 Getting world-class talents23:20 Risk mitigation strategy25:48 Defensibility and moats37:10 Basic MVP44:01 Q&A50:35 Outro
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Show Notes
Is your AI startup built to survive the next wave?
In this episode of Agentic, Will Manidis, the co-founder of ScienceIO, shares how he built for resilience from day one developing LLMs for healthcare and the frameworks that helped him scale before the world caught up.
He shares how local model training on office gaming PCs laid the unlikely foundation for ScienceIO’s reach across millions in digital health.
We also discuss:
• why OpenAI’s API continues to dominate Gemini
• the hidden fragility behind $500M fast scaling AI companies
• Will’s belief that founders must prove value before overbuilding for scale
Not often do you get to learn from someone who built an LLM before ChatGPT. Tune in now.
If you’re in the early innings of building something in AI, especially if you’re figuring things out from first principles—click here, we'd love to hear from you.
Connect with us here:
1. Will Manidis- https://www.linkedin.com/in/willmanidis/
2. George Bandarian- https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgebandarian/
3. Untapped Ventures- https://www.linkedin.com/company/untappedventures/
00:00 Trailer
01:41 Introduction
02:45 Thiel Fellow
07:40 Pre-ChatGPT LLMs
10:27 Biggest lessons
12:37 Contrarian takes
13:56 Difficult to sell
15:59 First exit
16:38 Getting world-class talents
23:20 Risk mitigation strategy
25:48 Defensibility and moats
37:10 Basic MVP
44:01 Q&A
50:35 Outro