StrictlyVC Download

In this episode of StrictlyVC Download, hosts Connie Loizos and Alex Gove are joined by, Ali Partovi, co-founder and CEO of Neo. They talk about Neo's evolution from a scholar program that provides grants to talented technical young people to a venture fund that recently raised $320 million in committed capital. Partovi discusses Neo's investment philosophy, which focuses on identifying future tech leaders while they're still in college. He explains his three key criteria for selecting founders and emphasizes the importance of charisma, leadership potential and the ability to attract other talented individuals. Chapters: 00:00 - ntroduction 02:05 - Neo's fundraising journey 03:30 - Investment strategy and LP base 05:32 - Discovering tech talent early 07:18 - The three key founder qualities 10:00 - Embracing risk and ambition 11:35 - Portfolio success stories 14:32 - The value of computer science thinking 16:43 - Maintaining selectivity as Neo grows 19:49 - Aligning incentives through partner investments 20:57 - Discussing fund performance 22:54 - Guiding young entrepreneurs 24:35 - Location considerations for startups 26:18 - Creating value in a changing landscape Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Strictly VC Download, TechCrunch Editor in Chief, Connie Loizos, sits down with Julie Wainwright, the founder of The RealReal who faced one of tech's most public failures with Pets.com. They discuss Julie's recent memoir, Time to Get Real. They get into board dynamics, leadership challenges, and how she rebuilt her career when Silicon Valley tried to write her off. Chapter: 00:00 - Introduction 03:08 - Breaking barriers in tech leadership 06:08 - Leading pets.com through the dot-com boom and bust 09:10 - Personal fallout: Divorce, media pressure, and retreat from Silicon Valley 12:27 - Rebuilding after failure and exploring new business ideas 15:35 - The founding of The RealReal and insights on launching in luxury resale 18:08 - Leadership challenges, difficult personalities, and board dynamics 21:34 - Reflecting on stepping down from The RealReal and its impact 24:28 - Launching Ahara and the mission behind personalized nutrition 27:03 - Nutrition trends, combating misinformation, and final reflections Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Connie Loizos and Alex Gove are joined by return guest Hans Swildens. Hans is the founder and CEO of Industry Ventures, a firm known for its pioneering role in the venture secondary market. With stakes in over 700 venture funds and years of experience in the secondaries market, we wanted to have him on to discuss how VCs are thinking about venture’s current liquidity problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Forerunner has seen a number of high-profile successes in their investments, showing an ability to get ahead of consumer trends with investments in Oura, Chime, the Farmer's Dog and beyond in non-B2C companies. And to get a sense of how that happened, and what's next for Forerunner in the AI era, TechCrunch Editor-in-Chief Connie Loizos spoke with their Founder and Managing Partner Kirsten Green during a StrictlyVC event in San Francisco. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and Kirsten’s Investing Philosophy 01:42 - Founding Forerunner and the Early Vision 03:28 - Identifying Consumer Behavior Shifts 05:10 - Building Trust with Founders 06:47 - Evaluating Consumer Brands Today 08:15 - Challenges and Lessons in Venture 10:03 - Forerunner’s Collaborative Approach 11:50 - What Makes a Standout Founder 13:30 - Advice for Entrepreneurs and Wrap-Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this bonus episode, Connie Loizos is joined by Flexport's CEO Ryan Petersen to discuss the ins and outs of the tariffs' impact, the industry's reaction and why Petersen still sees long-term opportunity in global trade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode, Connie Loizos and Alex Gove are joined by entrepreneur, futurist, and best-selling author Peter Diamandis. He's founder of XPRIZE Foundation and the co-founder of SIngularity University. In this conversation he laid out his vision for how tech will transform our lives and make longevity advances in the near future. The question is, will these advances just be for the unlta-wealthy? Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:02:26 - Peter Diamandis on Longevity Escape Velocity 00:08:14 - Epigenetic Reprograming and the Future of Gene Therapy 00:10:59 - Diamandis's Investments in Longevity Startups 00:11:28 - The XPrize Foundation and the Healthspan XPrize 00:14:19 - Comparing Approaches to Longevity: Brian Johnson and XPrize 00:15:18 - Fountain Life: Diagnostics and Therapeutics 00:18:28 - The Mechanics of the Healthspan XPrize 00:24:13 - Peter Diamandis and Elon Musk 00:27:13 - AI, Purpose, and the Future of Work 00:30:48 - Wealth Concentration and the Idea of Abundance 00:34:19 - The Post-Capitalist Society Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Connie and Alex are joined by Jonah Peretti who has been working in digital media for the past two decades as the founder and CEO of BuzzFeed—a brand that has seen a ton of evolution. Last month, Jonah announced the next phase of Buzzfeed, a social media platform that will use AI to ensure a positive environment. They’re investing $10 million into BuzzFeed island which is an AI-native social media platform. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 03:19 - Previewing BF Island: A New AI-Native Social Platform 09:40 - Reimagining the Internet: From Crack Cocaine to Beer and Wine 11:16 - AI Models, Guard Rails, and Creative Hallucinations 15:26 - BuzzFeed's Business Model and Financial Strategy 18:30 - Divesting Complex Networks and First We Feast 22:03 - AI's Role in Content Creation and Media Efficiency 25:48 - The Closure of BuzzFeed News and Digital Journalism Challenges 28:24 - Balancing Financial Pressures with Creative Innovation 32:33 - Future of Media and Launching New Platforms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on StrictlyVC Download TechCrunch editor-in-chief Connie Loizos and StrictlyVC’s Alex Gove are joined by Michael Kim, the long-time VC and founder of Cendana Capital where he has built a $2.6 billion portfolio focused exclusively on seed and pre-seed funds, backing some of the most successful emerging managers in the industry. In this episode they discuss Cendana’s latest $600 million fundraise, the rise of secondaries and how they’re affecting returns, how Cendana’s team sniffs out the winners in a competitive market, and of course we got into how AI is changing the startup ecosystem. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 03:49 - The Fundraising Journey and Institutional Investors 05:20 - Key Partnerships and Early Support 07:48 - Growth and Investment Strategy Adjustments 11:20 - The Rise of Secondaries in Venture Capital 14:32 - Identifying and Backing Emerging Fund Managers 17:24 - The Impact of AI on Venture Capital and Startups 18:19 - Changing Venture Investment Structures and Trends 20:26 - Spotlight on New Fund Managers 21:41 - Co-Investments, SPVs, and Strategic Adjustments Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode TechCrunch Editor in Chief, Connie Loizos, is joined by Aileen Lee the founder of Cowboy Ventures. Aileen coined the term "unicorn" in a TechCrunch article all the way back in late 2013. In this conversation, they discuss what’s on the horizon for Cowboy Ventures and how she’s thinking about AI’s impact on job creation, automation, and new business models—while also giving listeners a glimpse into Cowboy’s own recent team changes. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 04:30 - The Startup Liquidity Crisis and Venture Capital Overload 06:59 - The Secondary Market and Startup Exits 12:00 - Investing in "Unsexy Tech" 19:46 - Changes at Cowboy Ventures and Team Transitions 21:30 - The Workforce of the Future and AI’s Role 31:25 - AI’s Role in Reviving Consumer Tech 34:21 - AI’s Potential to Reinvent Everyday Processes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode, Connie Loizos is joined by Kevin Rose, best known for founding Digg. The news aggregator changed the way people engaged with the news back in 2004, and it's apparently coming back. That’s right. Kevin joined forces with Alexis Ohanian – his former rival and the co-founder of Reddit, and Digg’s new CEO Justin Mezzell to relaunch Digg for a completely new and expanded audience. In this conversation, Rose shares the story behind repurchasing Digg, why now is the perfect moment for a comeback, and how AI will play a key role in moderating and enhancing online discourse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of StrictlyVC Download, Connie Loizos is joined by Chris Farmer, founder of SignalFire, to discuss the current state of venture capital. With many startups stuck in financial limbo and no clear path to exit, Farmer shares why he believes the industry has a structural problem. He also shares his perspective on new funding mechanisms, including secondary sales and venture buyouts, and why founders should rethink their exit strategies. Plus they touch on AI-driven investing and why having a decades worth of industry data gives SignalFire a competitive edge. 00:00 - Introduction 02:02 - Chris Farmer on SignalFire’s Investment Strategy 04:28 - The Role of Data and AI in Venture Capital 06:52 - Measuring SignalFire’s Performance and Returns 08:38 - The Liquidity Challenge in Venture Capital 10:18 - The Rise of Secondary Sales and Venture Buyouts 13:02 - Alternative Financing Models for Startups 14:00 - The Impact of Political and Economic Shifts on VC 16:33 - Closing Thoughts and Future Predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on StrictlyVC Download, we're catching our breath and catching up with all of the news that's been happening in the industry. Connie Loizos and Alex Gove are breaking down the top headlines from Slow Ventures’ new creator fund, to Meta’s step into the humanoid robot race, to the continued saga between Elon Musk and Open AI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Nextdoor CEO Nirav Tolia joins Connie and Alex to talk about the challenges of running a public company, his strategy to improve user engagement, and why he’s betting on AI and third-party content to make Nextdoor indispensable. They also get into Nextdoor's current product overhaul and whether an acquisition is on the table. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 03:49 - Fixing Nextdoor’s Product and User Experience 05:42 - Bringing in New Content and Third-Party Publishers 08:01 - Addressing Toxicity and User-Generated Content Challenges 12:54 - Using AI to Improve Conversations and Reduce Conflict 15:38 - Privacy, Data Use, and AI Training at Nextdoor 21:12 - Who Owns Nextdoor and Investor Confidence 23:18 - Financial Challenges and Nextdoor’s Path to Growth 26:44 - The Role of Acquisitions and Industry Consolidation 27:44 - Would Nextdoor Consider Selling? 28:43 - A Radical Reimagining of Nextdoor’s Future Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, hosts Connie and Alex sit down with Steven Wang, the 23-year-old founder of Dub, a rapidly growing copy trading platform. Wang shares how Dub is revolutionizing retail investing by allowing users to automatically mirror the portfolios of top traders, hedge fund managers, and even politicians like Nancy Pelosi. He also dives into the challenges of navigating financial regulations, his entrepreneurial journey from dropping out of Harvard, and his vision for reshaping the asset management industry. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:57 - How Copy Trading Works 04:18 - User Demographics and Popular Portfolios 06:09 - Dub’s Growth and Fundraising 06:29 - Customer Acquisition and Marketing Strategies 07:37 - Influencers, Hedge Funds, and Monetization 12:39 - Regulation and Compliance Challenges 15:29 - Social Investing vs. Traditional Investing 17:56 - Risk, Education, and Investor Behavior 19:56 - Dub’s Business Model and Revenue Streams 22:50 - Expansion Plans and Future Innovations 26:04 - Steven’s Entrepreneurial Journey 30:53 - Regulation’s Role in Fintech Innovation 31:47 - Investing, Gambling, and Market Accessibility Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we sit down with Blake Scholl, CEO of Boom Supersonic, to discuss the company’s ambitious mission to revolutionize commercial aviation. From developing the Overture, a supersonic airliner, to embracing sustainable aviation fuels, Blake shares how Boom plans to make faster, greener air travel a reality. They also discuss their recent test flights, with plans to break the sound barrier over the Mojave Desert. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and Boom Supersonic’s Mission 02:11 - Landscape of Supersonic Aviation Today 04:09 - Balancing Consumer and Defense Markets 08:10 - Sustainable Aviation Fuels and Environmental Impact 12:06 - Challenges in Scaling Sustainable Fuel Production 15:53 - Innovation Stagnation in Commercial Aviation 18:02 - The Need for Entrepreneurial Rebirth in Aviation 20:55 - The XB-1: Boom’s Prototype Supersonic Jet 24:12 - Breaking the Sound Barrier: XB-1 Test Plans 28:06 - Overcoming Regulatory and Noise Challenges 30:27 - Funding Boom Supersonic: The Road Ahead 32:19 - Closing Remarks and Future Aspirations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Brendan Wallace of Fifth Wall Ventures shares his insights on the transformative power of PropTech in addressing modern challenges like sustainability, housing affordability, and urban resilience. From rebuilding wildfire-stricken Los Angeles to navigating the intersection of real estate and AI-driven data centers, Wallace explores the innovations shaping the future of cities and the real estate industry. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:35 - TikTok Ban 03:35 - The Los Angeles Wildfires: 09:10 - The Role of Civic Pride in Political and Urban Change 11:05 - Insurance Challenges in California’s Real Estate Market 14:01 - Wildfires and the Changing Landscape of Real Estate Valuation 19:10 - The Future of PropTech and Wildfire Mitigation 27:39 - Data Centers, Energy Development, and the AI Revolution 30:50 - Closing Thoughts: PropTech’s Role in Building Smarter Cities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The StrictlyVC Download, Connie Loizos talks withwith Vlad Tenev, the co-founder and CEO of Robinhood, to discuss the company’s remarkable evolution and recent designation as Yahoo Finance’s "Comeback Stock of the Year." Tenev shares how Robinhood is poised for significant growth through its innovative approach to prediction markets, sports betting, and wealth management. The episode also delves into Robinhood’s competitive edge in the financial technology space and its mission to empower a younger generation of investors. Don’t miss this deep dive into Robinhood’s ambitious plans for the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the StrictlyVC Download, Connie sits down with GV CEO David Krane at our December StrictlyVC event in San Francisco to discuss his approach to identifying potential investments, what it's like to work so closely with Google while helping potential competitors, and why their approach to successful exits is much more long-term than other VCs. GV, Google's venture capital spinoff that started in 2009, has invested billions of dollars in companies from Uber and Nothing to scent digitizing startup Osmo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Connie and Alex are joined by the founder of Lead Edge Capital, Mitchell Green, to discuss his firm’s $5 billion portfolio, its eight-point investment criteria, and their playbook for discovering early stage startups in less popular markets. He also weighs in on Bytedance’s future, the aspects of AI that he thinks may be overhyped, and the tougher IPO market. 00:00 - Introduction 03:52 - Investing in global markets 06:17 - Identifying opportunities in bootstrap businesses 11:49 - Balancing venture investments with private equity 13:06 - Insights into Bytedance and international markets 17:59 - Thoughts on AI and its long-term potential 23:47 - Exploring creative financing strategies 28:09 - The state of the venture capital industry Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Connie sits down with Brynn Putnam, the former CEO of Mirror, and VC Ben Lerer to discuss why founders – and investors – are getting excited about consumer-focused startups for the first time in a handful of years. Putnam already turned her home fitness company into a $500 million success story. Now she’s building something new that she believes will help families and friends connect and put down their devices. Meanwhile, Lerer discusses what drew him to write the first check for Mirror, why he would follow Putnam into any company, and where he sees the consumer industry going from here. 00:00 - Introduction 06:54 - From Fitness Studios to MIRROR 08:45 - The Early Days of MIRROR and Securing Venture Funding 10:29 - Selling MIRROR to Lululemon 15:18 - Innovating Social Tech and Gaming 17:47 - Challenges and Opportunities in Consumer Hardware Startups 20:00 - The Role of AI in Consumer Hardware’s Golden Age 25:00 - Reimagining Consumer Marketing Strategies 27:36 - The Future of New York’s Startup Ecosystem Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At a StrictlyVC event in New York this past Wednesday, Connie talked to Marc Lore, founder and CEO of Wonder, about Wonder's plans for the future, including the news that Wonder is buying GrubHub for $650 million, or $6.65 billion less than the Netherlands-based food delivery company Just Eat Takeaway paid for the company just four years ago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ashton Kutcher, Guy Oseary, and Effie Epstein of Sound Ventures talk about their AI strategy and why they think we are in the early innings of artificial intelligence startups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie talks to legendary venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, founder and managing director at Khosla Ventures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie and Alex talk to billionaire Frank McCourt about his plan to buy TikTok and transform it into a decentralized platform where users have control over their data and identity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie & Alex talk to Hemant Taneja and Pranav Singhvi of General Catalyst about their “Customer Value” strategy, a funding model in which General Catalyst pre-funds a company's customer acquisition cost in exchange for a capped return linked directly to the customer value generated from its investment. Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie talks with former Vice President Al Gore and his business partner, Lila Preston, about a new, annual climate report that their sustainability-focused investment management firm, Generation Investment Management, has issued. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie talks to Lina Khan, Chair of the Federal Trade Commission, about the need for regulation in the tech industry to ensure competition and address potential risks of AI, the challenges of regulating innovation in a rapidly changing tech environment, and the potential risks and benefits of breaking up big tech companies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie chats with seed-stage investor Saul Klein about the European startup scene.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie talks to Rippling CEO Parker Conrad about Rippling's new $200 million round that the company raised at a hefty $13.4 billion valuation.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie talks to Eric Liaw of IVP about London, succession, and that Klarna kerfuffle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie talks to Arjun Sethi, co-founder of the venture firm Tribe Capital, about Termina, a startup he cofounded that helps investors perform quantitative due diligence on their own portfolio and new deals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie & Alex talk to David Pakman, Managing Partner and Head of Venture Investments at CoinFund, about why the crypto market is suddenly hot again and how crypto and AI can work together. Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie chats with Medha Agarwal and Amy Yin, who are joining Defy as a GP and Venture Partner, respectively. Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie & Alex talk tech news, and then Connie interviews Dick Costolo (former Twitter CEO), Adam Bain (former Twitter COO), and David Fisher (former Facebook Chief Revenue Officer) of 01 Advisors.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie interviews Keith Rabois, a partner at Founder's Fund and a co-founder and CEO at OpenStore, a startup that is rolling up Shopify businesses, about his investments in Traba, Faire, Ramp, Royal, and OpenAI ... and much more.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie talks to Pete Koomen, co-founder of Optimizely and a Group Partner at Y Combinator, about Y Combinator's selection process, why YC's size is an advantage, and how it has changed since Koomen was a Y Combinator entrepreneur.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie & Alex talk tech news, and then Connie speaks with Hans Swildens, founder of Industry Ventures, a venture firm, fund of funds, and secondary shop with more than $7 billion under management.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At TechCrunch Disrupt 2023, Connie talks to Reed Jobs, son of Steve, whose new fund, Yosemite, is devoted to making cancer "non-lethal in our lifetimes"; and Katie Haun, a former federal prosecutor and Andreessen Horowitz partner whose inaugural $1.5 billion fund, Haun Ventures, is targeting web3 and crypto deals. Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie talks to Vice President Al Gore and Lila Preston of the sustainability-focused public and private equity firm Generation Investment Management about a fascinating report Generation just issued on climate tech trends. Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie & Alex talk to Michael Kim of Cendana Capital, which has just raised $470 million to back seed and pre-seed VC funds.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie & Alex talk tech news and then chat with longtime venture capitalist Heidi Roizen of Threshold Ventures about teh startup market as well as her new podcast, The Startup Solution.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie & Alex cover a couple of this week's tech stories, and then Connie talks to Michael Brown, co-founder and CEO of Teamshares, a startup that is buying mom-and-pop shops with the promise that employees will own 80% of the business within twenty years. Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie interviews Erin Price-Wright of Index Ventures about a deal Index struck with Oracle to provide a mix of Nvidia's chips to its AI portfolio companies at no cost.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie & Alex talk tech news. Special thanks to this week's sponsor, Affinity!Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie & Alex talk to Dan Gwak of Point72 Venture Capital, the VC arm of Steve Cohen’s vast hedge fund empire, about why defense tech is suddenly so hot.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk tech news, and then Connie talks to Eric Kim and Chi-Hua Chien of Goodwater Capital about their focus on consumer tech "utilities."Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie talks to Andy McLoughlin of Uncork Capital about managing investing risk and what's next in seed investing.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie talks to Jason Del Rey, author of veteran journalist Jason Del Rey about his new book, Winner Sells All: Amazon, Walmart, and the Battle for Our Wallets, which chronicles the no-holds-barred battle between Amazon and Walmart to become the biggest retailer in the world.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie talks to Miles Grimshaw of Benchmark about his bets in Langchain and Benchling and how Benchmark thinks about investing in foundational AI models.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connie & Alex pick out two tech stories that caught their eye and then chat with Ian Sigalow, a partner at Greycroft, which backed Scopely, Bumble, Axios, and The RealReal and recently raised a billion dollars in capital in one of the toughest fundraising climates ever.Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired)2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance)3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-dream-catcher)4. "Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea)5. "EDM Detection Mode" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3687-edm-detection-mode)License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices