With $6B+ in AUM, 8VC has taken a different approach to venture capital: instead of just funding startups, they also build them.
Founding Partner Drew Oetting joins Sourcery to unpack 8VC’s infamous “Build” Program, where nearly 30% of the fund’s capital goes into companies they co-found. With a track record of creating 28 companies—including Affinity, Saronic, Epirus, and Resilience—alongside massive outcomes like Palantir ($370B), Addepar (Managing $7T+), and OpenGov ($1.8B acquisition), 8VC’s DNA is centered around building (*ehem Joe Lonsdale*).
In this episode, we dive into:
• How 8VC identifies opportunities worth building in-house
• Why structuring incentives and culture is key to balancing venture + company creation
• Case studies from OpenGov, Saronic, and Resilience
• 8VC’s perspective on biotech, AI, defense, and reindustrialization
• The role of public & private collaboration, startups, and capital in rebuilding America
Connect with us:
1. Drew Oetting: https://x.com/andrewoetting
2. Molly O’Shea: https://x.com/MollySOShea
3. Sourcery: https://x.com/sourceryvc
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(00:00) Intro: Drew Oetting, Founding Partner 8VC
(03:33) Origins Of 8VC & Lessons From Joe Lonsdale’s Founder DNA
(05:48) Early Experiments In Building Companies Inside 8VC
(07:03) Formalizing The Build Program (30% Of Capital)
(08:33) How 8VC Works With EIRs To Co-Found Startups
(10:33) Why Most VC Firms Fail At In-House Company Building
(13:03) Portfolio Highlights: OpenGov, Saronic, Epirus, Affinity
(17:03) Case Study: Resilience & Biotech Manufacturing
(27:03) American Reindustrialization, Policy, & Capital Allocation
(39:03) The Future Of AGI & Its Real-World Impacts
(45:33) Rapid-Fire Round: Recession Odds, National Debt, Aliens
(54:03) Closing Thoughts On Building America’s Future
