EP #533 - Hans Tran & Chris Craig: Scaling Smarter - Lessons from Google & Uber

Timestamps:

2:23 - The story behind Google Clouds Founder Story

8:45 - Uber’s pre-IPO hypergrowth

25:19 - Is Switzerland Good at Adopting AI? 

44:29 - How Swiss founders can expand into the US

This episode was sponsored by Google Cloud. Join their The Founder's Story event on December 4th to hear an exclusive panel discussion with visionary leaders sharing what it takes to go from building companies to funding them.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Google Cloud leaders Hans Tran, Industry Lead for Digital Native Startups, and Chris Craig, ISV Partner Manager, share their insights from working with founders across Switzerland and globally. Hans is the creator of Google Cloud’s Founder Stories series and holds a Masters in Digital Marketing Strategy from Trinity College Dublin. Chris brings operational and scaling experience from his years at Uber during its pre-IPO hyper-growth phase and holds an MBA from HSG.

They discuss the current state of the Swiss startup ecosystem, from founder mindset and scaling patterns to the evolving fundraising climate. The conversation explores how Switzerland compares to major innovation hubs and what unique advantages founders can leverage: including deep tech talent, AI readiness, and a rapidly maturing support system.

The discussion also goes deep on cultural dynamics and how Swiss founders need to move faster, take risks earlier, and embrace iteration over perfection. Chris shares raw lessons from building at Uber, why focus determines survival, and why you need to stand for your ideas. Hans reflects on how community-driven founders are changing how startups launch, test, and scale in Switzerland. 

The cover portrait was edited by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.smartportrait.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.‍

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