Sand Hill Road Eugene Malobrodsky's Bet on Immigrant Founders
Oct 21, 2025
Eugene Malobrodsky, co-founder of Hotspot Shield and venture capitalist at One Way Ventures, shares his journey from a teenager in the U.S. to a champion of immigrant founders. He dives into the monetization opportunities in AI, discussing the importance of niche markets and compliance in regulated sectors. Eugene reflects on his own experiences learning English and adapting in Silicon Valley, while also addressing the challenges immigrant entrepreneurs face with U.S. immigration policies. His insights emphasize the vital role of cultural grit in driving innovation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
AI Is Becoming A Commodity
- AI models are rapidly commoditizing core capabilities, making differentiation harder.
- Early investors and firms that build distinct infrastructure or niche products will capture most returns.
Money Flows To AI Infrastructure
- Enterprise ROI often favours infrastructure "shovels" over consumer-facing layers.
- Large enterprises focus on cost optimization, making enterprise AI adoption political and slow.
Go After Regulated Niches
- Target tightly regulated verticals where general models can't be used and data must stay enclosed.
- Build specialty-trained models and end-to-end workflows for those industries to sustain defensibility.