Rory O’Driscoll

Join Jason Lemkin, a SaaS investor known for his impressive portfolio including Algolia and Talkdesk, and Rory O'Driscoll, a General Partner at Scale, as they dissect the evolving landscape of venture capital. They discuss why seed investing may be misguided and the increasing risks of venture capital today. The duo explores insights on a16z's hefty $20BN fund, the strategy genius of Josh Kushner, and the ethical challenges in B2B practices, all while navigating the delicate balance between opportunity and caution in a shifting market.

Jason Lemkin, founder of SaaStr, and Rory O'Driscoll, a partner at Scale Venture Partners, dive into the dynamics of venture capital. They analyze the implications of the $3 billion Windsurf acquisition and discuss the competitive edge of stage-specific firms like a16z compared to others. The conversation covers the risk of AI-induced unemployment and its impact on the workforce, while also shedding light on what Harvard's for-profit status loss means for venture capital. They explore why mega funds might dominate the future landscape of investments.

In this insightful discussion, venture capitalists Jason Lemkin, Rory O'Driscoll, and Fabrice Grinder share their expertise. They highlight that fund returners are no longer sufficient in today’s market, and discuss the impressive yet precarious strategy Sequoia employed during tough times. They also explore the essentials of succeeding at Series A and B rounds amidst rising risks. The conversation delves into the AI landscape, debating whether US funds should invest in Chinese AI amidst geopolitical tensions, and how the investment culture differs between the US and Europe.

Rory O'Driscoll, a partner at Scale Venture Partners with over 25 years in venture capital, and Jason Lemkin, co-founder of SaaStr and expert on SaaS, dive into the recent $3 billion acquisition of Windsurf by OpenAI. They discuss why multi-stage funds are undermining seed investments, the challenges faced by endowment funds, and why revenue multiples may be misleading. The rise of AI rollups and their implications for competitive markets also get a thorough analysis, alongside insights on how to navigate evolving investment landscapes.

Rory O’Driscoll, a venture capitalist at Scale Venture Partners, and Jason Lemkin, SaaS expert and founder of SaaStr, dive into the high-stakes world of late-stage venture capital. They dissect the $500M collapse of Builder.ai and explore the implications of Hinge's IPO. Discussion surrounds Y Combinator’s unique duality as both a luxury and an accessible brand, plus the brutal realities of Series A funding. The duo also debates OpenAI's blockbuster deal with Jony Ive, weighing its potential to revolutionize hardware design against challenges in an evolving market.