Simon Eskildsen

In this discussion, Simon Eskildsen, the co-founder and CEO of TurboPuffer, shares his insights on the challenges and advancements in AI infrastructure. Drawing from his decade at Shopify, he highlights the limitations of traditional databases for AI applications. Simon introduces the SCRAP framework, emphasizing scale, cost, recall, and performance. He delves into the rise of object storage and the complexities of vector search technology, advocating for smarter retrieval systems to enhance data efficiency and performance.

Simon Hørup Eskildsen, co-founder of TurboPuffer and former Shopify infrastructure engineer, joins security expert Gregor Vand to discuss the fascinating world of vector databases. They dive into how TurboPuffer was shaped by early AI experiments and the challenge of storage costs. Simon explains its design for lightning-fast queries and the importance of unique indexing strategies. He shares success stories from companies like Cursor and Notion, emphasizes a focus on commercial clients, and hints at exciting features in the pipeline, all while sporting a fun pixel-art aesthetic.

Tony Xu, CEO of DoorDash, dives into the company’s latest innovations like the 'Going Out' feature, rapid Dash Mart delivery, and the autonomous DoorDash Dot. Simon Eskildsen shares insights from his Shopify days, focusing on infrastructure and AI integration in e-commerce. Zach Abrams discusses the future of stablecoins with Open Issuance, while Andrew Feldman highlights Cerebras' cutting-edge AI chip technology. Together, they explore the evolving landscapes of local commerce, AI, and digital payments, revealing their strategies for success.

In this talk, Simon Hørup Eskildsen, an experienced software engineer and founder of Turbopuffer, shares insights from his vast experience in database scalability and object storage solutions. He dives into the challenges of building databases on object storage, discussing write-ahead logs, multi-tenancy issues, and the intricacies of handling multiple writers. Simon elaborates on trade-offs in write operations and the complexities of optimizing database read paths, offering practical strategies for performance enhancement. A must-listen for database enthusiasts!

Simon Eskildsen, the founder of TurboPuffer and a former Shopify infrastructure engineer, discusses his journey of creating a cost-effective vector database. He reveals how he helped Cursor cut their costs by 95% within a week by migrating their entire workload. Simon emphasizes the importance of being willing to fly to customers and shares the exhausting 24-hour coding sprints that won over Notion. He also outlines his six reasons for considering fundraising and why he prefers staying profitable with a small team instead of raising unnecessary capital.