In this episode, Nextdoor CEO Nirav Tolia joins Connie and Alex to talk about the challenges of running a public company, his strategy to improve user engagement, and why he’s betting on AI and third-party content to make Nextdoor indispensable. They also get into Nextdoor's current product overhaul and whether an acquisition is on the table.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction03:49 - Fixing Nextdoor’s Product and User Experience05:42 - Bringing in New Content and Third-Party Publishers08:01 - Addressing Toxicity and User-Generated Content Challenges12:54 - Using AI to Improve Conversations and Reduce Conflict15:38 - Privacy, Data Use, and AI Training at Nextdoor21:12 - Who Owns Nextdoor and Investor Confidence23:18 - Financial Challenges and Nextdoor’s Path to Growth26:44 - The Role of Acquisitions and Industry Consolidation27:44 - Would Nextdoor Consider Selling?28:43 - A Radical Reimagining of Nextdoor’s Future Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, hosts Connie and Alex sit down with Steven Wang, the 23-year-old founder of Dub, a rapidly growing copy trading platform. Wang shares how Dub is revolutionizing retail investing by allowing users to automatically mirror the portfolios of top traders, hedge fund managers, and even politicians like Nancy Pelosi. He also dives into the challenges of navigating financial regulations, his entrepreneurial journey from dropping out of Harvard, and his vision for reshaping the asset management industry.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction01:57 - How Copy Trading Works04:18 - User Demographics and Popular Portfolios06:09 - Dub’s Growth and Fundraising06:29 - Customer Acquisition and Marketing Strategies07:37 - Influencers, Hedge Funds, and Monetization12:39 - Regulation and Compliance Challenges15:29 - Social Investing vs. Traditional Investing17:56 - Risk, Education, and Investor Behavior19:56 - Dub’s Business Model and Revenue Streams22:50 - Expansion Plans and Future Innovations26:04 - Steven’s Entrepreneurial Journey30:53 - Regulation’s Role in Fintech Innovation31:47 - Investing, Gambling, and Market Accessibility Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we sit down with Blake Scholl, CEO of Boom Supersonic, to discuss the company’s ambitious mission to revolutionize commercial aviation. From developing the Overture, a supersonic airliner, to embracing sustainable aviation fuels, Blake shares how Boom plans to make faster, greener air travel a reality. They also discuss their recent test flights, with plans to break the sound barrier over the Mojave Desert.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction and Boom Supersonic’s Mission02:11 - Landscape of Supersonic Aviation Today04:09 - Balancing Consumer and Defense Markets08:10 - Sustainable Aviation Fuels and Environmental Impact12:06 - Challenges in Scaling Sustainable Fuel Production15:53 - Innovation Stagnation in Commercial Aviation18:02 - The Need for Entrepreneurial Rebirth in Aviation20:55 - The XB-1: Boom’s Prototype Supersonic Jet24:12 - Breaking the Sound Barrier: XB-1 Test Plans28:06 - Overcoming Regulatory and Noise Challenges30:27 - Funding Boom Supersonic: The Road Ahead32:19 - Closing Remarks and Future Aspirations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Brendan Wallace of Fifth Wall Ventures shares his insights on the transformative power of PropTech in addressing modern challenges like sustainability, housing affordability, and urban resilience. From rebuilding wildfire-stricken Los Angeles to navigating the intersection of real estate and AI-driven data centers, Wallace explores the innovations shaping the future of cities and the real estate industry.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction01:35 - TikTok Ban03:35 - The Los Angeles Wildfires:09:10 - The Role of Civic Pride in Political and Urban Change11:05 - Insurance Challenges in California’s Real Estate Market14:01 - Wildfires and the Changing Landscape of Real Estate Valuation19:10 - The Future of PropTech and Wildfire Mitigation27:39 - Data Centers, Energy Development, and the AI Revolution30:50 - Closing Thoughts: PropTech’s Role in Building Smarter Cities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The StrictlyVC Download, Connie Loizos talks withwith Vlad Tenev, the co-founder and CEO of Robinhood, to discuss the company’s remarkable evolution and recent designation as Yahoo Finance’s "Comeback Stock of the Year." Tenev shares how Robinhood is poised for significant growth through its innovative approach to prediction markets, sports betting, and wealth management. The episode also delves into Robinhood’s competitive edge in the financial technology space and its mission to empower a younger generation of investors. Don’t miss this deep dive into Robinhood’s ambitious plans for the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the StrictlyVC Download, Connie sits down with GV CEO David Krane at our December StrictlyVC event in San Francisco to discuss his approach to identifying potential investments, what it's like to work so closely with Google while helping potential competitors, and why their approach to successful exits is much more long-term than other VCs. GV, Google's venture capital spinoff that started in 2009, has invested billions of dollars in companies from Uber and Nothing to scent digitizing startup Osmo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Connie and Alex are joined by the founder of Lead Edge Capital, Mitchell Green, to discuss his firm’s $5 billion portfolio, its eight-point investment criteria, and their playbook for discovering early stage startups in less popular markets. He also weighs in on Bytedance’s future, the aspects of AI that he thinks may be overhyped, and the tougher IPO market.00:00 - Introduction03:52 - Investing in global markets06:17 - Identifying opportunities in bootstrap businesses11:49 - Balancing venture investments with private equity13:06 - Insights into Bytedance and international markets17:59 - Thoughts on AI and its long-term potential23:47 - Exploring creative financing strategies28:09 - The state of the venture capital industry Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Connie sits down with Brynn Putnam, the former CEO of Mirror, and VC Ben Lerer to discuss why founders – and investors – are getting excited about consumer-focused startups for the first time in a handful of years. Putnam already turned her home fitness company into a $500 million success story. Now she’s building something new that she believes will help families and friends connect and put down their devices. Meanwhile, Lerer discusses what drew him to write the first check for Mirror, why he would follow Putnam into any company, and where he sees the consumer industry going from here.00:00 - Introduction06:54 - From Fitness Studios to MIRROR08:45 - The Early Days of MIRROR and Securing Venture Funding10:29 - Selling MIRROR to Lululemon15:18 - Innovating Social Tech and Gaming17:47 - Challenges and Opportunities in Consumer Hardware Startups20:00 - The Role of AI in Consumer Hardware’s Golden Age25:00 - Reimagining Consumer Marketing Strategies27:36 - The Future of New York’s Startup Ecosystem Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this discussion, Marc Lore, a serial entrepreneur and CEO of Wonder, shares his ambitious vision for the food delivery industry. He reveals Wonder's startling acquisition of GrubHub for $650 million, significantly under its previous valuation. Marc also explains how they are revolutionizing fast-casual dining by blending pre-cooked food systems with high-quality options. He delves into the role of AI in personalizing nutrition and emphasizes the importance of strong organizational culture and leadership strategies in scaling effectively.

Effie Epstein, a Partner at Sound Ventures with a knack for global strategy, shares insights alongside Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary. They delve into the early-stage landscape of AI startups, emphasizing the need for effective communication in pitching ideas. The trio discusses innovative investment strategies, the impact of AI on Hollywood, and the evolving dynamics of the music industry post-Napster. Their conversation also touches on collaboration success in managing billion-dollar funds and the importance of storytelling in engaging investors.