The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch 20VC: Why All AI Companies Are Under-Valued | The Future of Foundation Models: Scaling Laws, Generalised vs Specialised, Commoditised? | From Unable to Afford Rent to Raising $130M From Index and Peter Thiel with George Sivulka @ Hebbia
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Jan 22, 2025 
George Sivulka, founder and CEO of Hebbia, discusses his remarkable journey from financial struggles to raising $130M in funding. He shares insights on essential traits for successful founders and recounts a pivotal moment when cold calling NASA changed his path. George delves into the future of AI in business, clarifying misconceptions about job displacement and the importance of model specialization. He also explores the undervaluation of both AI and non-AI companies, shedding light on the geopolitical influence and commoditization of AI models.
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Cold-Calling NASA
- George Sivulka cold-called NASA for an internship after being rejected five times.
- He persisted, securing a free position which led to internationally recognized research and acceptance into Stanford.
Founding Hebbia
- After leaving his PhD program, George lived in a closet to pursue Hebbia.
- He worked 16-18 hour days, training models and pitching investors from his makeshift office.
Pitching Peter Thiel
- George Sivulka drove to Peter Thiel's house for a breakfast meeting that turned into a 4-5 hour conversation.
- Thiel didn't invest immediately but offered a check later, leading to other investors joining the round.