Join Jamin Ball, a Partner at Altimeter, as he dives into the current venture capital landscape and the challenges of overcapitalization. He discusses the implications for power law returns and how AI is transforming investment strategies. The conversation explores market reactions to the upcoming elections and the evolution of AI in search technology. With insights on navigating venture dynamics and the future of capital expenditure, Ball provides a captivating perspective on the intersection of tech trends and finance.

Jamin Ball, an investor at Altimeter and former banker, shares his insights on the complex dynamics between VCs and founders. He discusses how overcapitalization can lead to unrealistic growth expectations and misaligned incentives. The conversation touches on the rapid surge in venture capital, the stark contrasts between private and public valuations, and the effect of AI on the startup landscape. Jamin also examines the challenges of IPOs, the importance of choosing effective funding partners, and the current SaaS market conditions.

Jamin Ball and Ed Sim discuss the mistakes made in growth investing, the impact of Figma on M&A markets, and the requirements for companies to go public in 2024. They also touch upon data strategy, AI security, venture capital misconceptions, and express gratitude for each other's participation.

Jamin Ball is a Partner at Altimeter Capital and previously at Redpoint Ventures. He joins us today to share learnings about cloud metrics and seat based vs consumption based pricing. Jamin shares specific thoughts on cloud data infrastructure, why cloud optimization goes in cycles, and how Altimeter invests through business cycles in essential long-term businesses. We also cover the macro environment that founders should be aware of, trends in inflation, and how it affects businesses.Where to Find Jamin:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamin-ball-49366137/* Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaminball* Personal Blog: https://cloudedjudgement.substack.comWhere to Find Shomik:* Twitter: https://twitter.com/shomikghosh21* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shomik-ghosh-a5a71319/* Software Snack Bites Newsletter: https://www.shomik.substack.com* Software Snack Bites Podcast: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google.In this episode, we cover:(00:25) - Jamin’s Background(03:14) - Learnings from Altimeter About Investing in Essentialism(08:56) - Learnings from Studying Public Companies & Cloud Metrics(13:41) - Why Top 10 Highly Valued Public Companies Have Been Mostly Infra(16:55) - Seat Based vs Consumption Pricing(24:21) - Jamin’s Focus on Cloud Data Infra and the Trends Behind It(27:11) - The Macro Environment Overview(35:53) - Why Founders Should Be Macro Aware, Micro Obssessed(40:49) - The Private Investor Viewpoint for Founders to Keep In Mind(45:10) - Favorite Techology/App(47:06) - Favorite SnackAdditional Show Notes:* Jamin’s Twitter Thread on Cloud Data Infra Trends* Jamin’s Twitter Thread on Shifting from Subscription to Usage Based PricingHow to Subscribe:Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shomik.substack.com

Join Jamin Ball, Vitaly Gordon, Steve Kamman, and Alex Clemmer in a conversation about the potential for a fourth public cloud provider, the structural constraints of investing in the current market, the bar for future investments, and more. Follow them on Twitter:Vitaly Gordon - @vitalygordonSteve Kamman — @SteveKammanAlex Clemmer - @hausdorff_spaceJamin Ball — @jaminball