The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch 20VC: Benchmark's Victor Lazarte on Why Portfolio Construction is BS| Why SaaS Spreadsheet Investing is Dead | Why China is a Stabilising Force for the US | Three Traits All the Best Founders Have & The Lie All Big Tech Companies Have Been Telling
390 snips
Apr 14, 2025 
Victor Lazarte, a General Partner at Benchmark and early investor in Brex, shares insights from his impressive background in venture capital. He discusses the death of spreadsheet SaaS investing and the rise of AI, emphasizing the importance of human replacement in technology. Lazarte also outlines key traits found in successful founders and argues that China may serve as a stabilizing force for the U.S. He passionately advocates for computer science education, highlighting its critical role in preparing for the future job market.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Bootstrapping Wildlife Studios
- Victor Lazarte bootstrapped Wildlife Studios, a mobile gaming company, in Brazil.
- Initially, fundraising was difficult; the best offer received was $50,000 for half the company.
Present vs. Future
- Focus on present market trends rather than predicting the future.
- Build companies based on what's currently working, like LLMs, similar to Bezos's approach with the internet.
Building on Existing Trends
- Successful companies often aren't first; Facebook followed MySpace and Friendster.
- AI companions represent a major UI shift, offering opportunities to recreate existing businesses and build entirely new ones.