From Near Shutdown to AI Powerhouse: The Bolt New Journey with Eric from Stack Blitz

Welcome to this week in NoCode + AI! Hosted by JJ Englert, this episode features an exclusive interview with Eric, the co-founder and CEO of Stack Blitz, now known as Bolt. The conversation delves into the turbulent yet inspiring journey of Bolt New, from the brink of shutting down to achieving a phenomenal $20 million in ARR within just two months. Eric shares insights into the challenges and pivots that led to this success, including the world's largest hackathon and a focus on non-developer users. The episode highlights major developments in the AI industry, including the acquisition saga surrounding Windsurf. JJ also announces a local AI training program he will be leading in Rochester. Tune in for a deep dive into Eric's entrepreneurial spirit, the growth of Bolt New, and the ever-evolving AI landscape.Learn more about Disco: https://bolt.new🎓 Learn how to build AI Agents with JJ: https://nocodealliance.org/course-det...✅ Available on all platforms: Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.⏱️ Time Stamps00:50 The Windsurf Acquisition Drama02:28 AI Industry Insights and Local Training Program03:39 Interview with Eric from Bolt: Beginnings and Early Projects06:24 Challenges and Pivots in Stack Blitz's Journey11:43 The Success of Bolt and Future Plans18:32 Fundraising and Market Strategy22:23 Adapting to a New Target Audience25:28 Non-Technical Users and Hackathon Overview26:04 Hackathon Takeaways and User Success27:29 Building Real Products and AI Integration28:23 The Genesis of the Hackathon29:46 Executing the World's Largest Hackathon31:13 Community Involvement and Event Highlights33:42 Post-Hackathon Reflections and Future Plans35:34 Innovative Hackathon Submissions39:40 Future of Bolt and Vibe Coding44:20 Getting Started with Bolt New44:58 Conclusion and Final Thoughts#ai #podcast #nocode #automation #workflows #aiagents #community #learning #academy #vibeocoding #bolt #hackathon #aicoding