#118 Elon vs Altman: The $10B Capital War Reshaping Tech

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Sep 26, 2025

Join Jess and Sam as they dissect the modern power dynamics reshaping tech. Discover how Meta’s in-store Ray-Bans aim to enhance user experience and the emergence of 'mercantilism 2.0,' where figures like Elon Musk and Sam Altman act as capital brokers. They dive into the strategic implications of Starlink and Apple's Find My as a stealth social network. Plus, learn why LLMs lack lasting moats and how structured finance is reviving AI investments, making early-stage VC more interesting than ever.

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ANECDOTE

Blocked By Store-Only Glasses

Sam tried to buy Meta's Ray-Ban glasses but found in-store purchase requirements created friction.
He said Apple once forced in-store training to protect initial user experiences, explaining the strategy.

INSIGHT

Trade Routes Replace Global Openness

Trade routes are returning as the key power structures in tech, replacing frictionless globalization.
Brokers who connect capital hubs (e.g., Riyadh, Silicon Valley, Tel Aviv) gain outsized strategic power.

INSIGHT

Capital Brokers Are New Kingmakers

Elon Musk and Sam Altman act as brokers who can move very large pools of capital into frontier tech.
That capital-moving skill creates rivalry and strategic influence beyond technical ability.

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No Morins this week—just Jess and Sam, trading Gossip Girl “dear listener” asides for a tour of tech’s new power map. From Meta’s in-store glasses push to Apple’s “Find My” doubling as Gen Z’s stealth social network, the real story is how distribution and lock-in shape the future. Sam frames “mercantilism 2.0,” where global trade routes of capital now run through Silicon Valley, Tel Aviv, and Riyadh, with figures like Elon Musk and Sam Altman acting as brokers of $10B+ flows.In true Sam fashion, the conversation highlights why LLMs aren’t true moats, pointing instead to the infrastructure layer (chips, power, data centers) and the UX layer (distribution, product polish). Nvidia’s securitized GPU deals illustrate how structured finance and alliances are reshaping competition.The takeaway: early-stage VC may finally be moving past hype, becoming sober—and therefore interesting—again.Chapters:02:02 – Meta Ray-Bans: friction as onboarding strategy05:31 – Mercantilism 2.0: Tech’s new trade routes07:56 – Elon’s real genius: moving $10B+ into frontier tech09:27 – Sam Altman as mega-capital trade-route broker12:40 – Starlink V3 and the network-layer power shift16:08 – Could Elon own planetary communications?18:35 – Find My = stealth social network21:04 – Strategy assets over DCF: power, data centers, chips23:41 – LLMs aren’t the moat; moats shift lower/higher27:44 – AI’s expense revives structured finance30:56 – Nvidia as the East India Company of compute33:50 – Will a handful of players control all the assets?39:57 – Early-stage VC is sober (and exciting) again43:05 – TikTok’s heat moved to AI: the attention shiftWe’re also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit