Building Neon: Timing in Tech

In this episode of Founded & Funded, Madrona Investor Paul Goel and Neon Co-founder & CEO Nikita Shamgunov dive into the database market and the importance of creating a killer developer experience while balancing that experience with performance and reliability. Nikita also shares just how bullish he is on AI, his excitement for AI agents like Devin, and advises founders to not wait on an idea they’re passionate about.

Full transcript here:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:46) Nikita's Background and the Genesis of Neon

(02:50) The Right Time to Build Neon and Database Market Insights

(05:17) Neon's Differentiation in the Database Market

(08:10) The Importance of Developer Experience

(11:56) Building a Culture of Reliability and Performance

(16:24) Strategic Growth and the Future of Neon

(20:26) AI's Impact on the Future and Neon's Role

(29:08) Intelligent Applications Nikita's Eyeing

(30:53) Challenges and Advice for Founders