StrictlyVC Download

Join former Vice President Al Gore, a notable climate action advocate, and Lila Preston, a partner at Generation Investment Management. Together, they discuss the remarkable shift in energy investment—from 35% in fossils to 65% in renewables. Discover how China leads the charge with EVs making up 60% of new sales. They also tackle the dual-edged sword of AI's massive energy needs and its potential to either hinder or help climate initiatives. Plus, Gore shares insights on the waning political power of fossil fuel interests amid rising community activism.

This week, Marc Bhargava, a partner at General Catalyst, shares insights on targeting the $16 trillion services market through AI-powered rollups. With a focus on innovative companies like Udia and Crescendo, he explains how they aim to disrupt traditional industries by embracing outcome-based pricing. Bhargava highlights the alarming statistic that 95% of corporate AI pilots fail, attributing this to the lack of deep expertise in applying AI effectively. The discussion also covers strategies for nurturing second-time founders and the role of relationship-driven businesses in this transformative landscape.

This week on StrictlyVC Download, TechCrunch EIC Connie Loizos and StrictlyVC's Alex Gove sit down with Adeo Ressi, founder of Decile Group, and Sarah Lacy, the former TechCrunch journalist turned entrepreneur to explore how one of Ressi's newest projects --  VC Lab -- has quietly launched over 800 venture funds worldwide, averaging $12 million each. In fact, while traditional media focuses on emerging manager struggles, the four talk about why, according to Ressi and Lacy, small checks are becoming strategically advantageous in over-subscribed rounds, how accomplished professionals are locked out of traditional VC despite having unicorn angel track records, and Lacy's theory that diverse manager networks are unlocking untapped LP pools. Plus, they talk about Lacy's path from Palm Springs bookstore owner back to Silicon Valley ecosystem building, whether this micro-fund renaissance can actually achieve 50/50 gender parity in venture capital, and what Ressi, a former roommate of Elon Musk, thinks about Musk's time this year in federal government. 00:00 - Introduction 03:17 - From tech journalism to Palm Springs bookstore owner 05:05 - Scaling Founder Institute and the birth of VC Lab 06:39 - The disconnect between media narratives and ground reality 07:46 - The economics of Decile Group's free model 09:54 - Fund performance: 2x returns in 24 months 12:14 - The strategic advantage of small checks 14:24 - Breaking the VC paper doll cutout 17:19 - Finding capital: From network activation to fund of funds 18:57 - Success stories: From blockchain to African women managers 23:43 - Fighting misogyny and building gender equality in VC 26:18 - From tearing down to building up 29:52 - Fixing problems at scale through democratized venture 31:45 - The Elon factor: Politics, neurodiversity, and friendship Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff Clavier, founder of Uncork Capital, and partner Andy McLoughlin chat about their aggressive investment strategy in today's venture landscape. They discuss the significance of unique datasets and how their recent investment in AI chip maker Groq exemplifies this. The duo shares insights on advising companies to adapt to AI, investing in traditionally overlooked sectors, and the revival of San Francisco as an AI innovation hub. With AI funding reshaping the venture capital scene, they ponder whether this trend is sustainable.

Katelin Holloway, co-founder of Seven Seven Six, explores revolutionary investment ideas from AI-powered stone carving robots to lunar mining. She discusses her bet on Interlune, which aims to mine helium-3 from the moon, and its potential for returns. The conversation dives into the convergence of climate and space tech, and the importance of maintaining human connection as AI transforms the workforce. Holloway also reflects on the future of space commerce and the challenges of commercializing off-planet resources.

Lara Banks leads venture investing at Makena Capital Management, overseeing a $3 billion portfolio across 30 managers. In this discussion, she explores the surge of AI valuations, arguing that their rapid revenue growth justifies hefty price tags despite high infrastructure costs. Banks highlights the challenges solo GPs face and the shifting dynamics in the LP community. She also shares insights from the 2021 boom-bust cycle and discusses emerging liquidity opportunities in the secondary market as companies remain private longer.

This week we're sharing an interview from the Equity podcast. Rebecca Bellan chatted with Deedy Das, principal at Menlo Ventures. Das has seen this shift from multiple angles, first as an engineer and product leader at Google, Facebook, and AI startup Glean, and now as an investor helping technical founders figure out how to build enduring companies in this new AI landscape. They discuss how compensation packages and acquisitions are warping startup hiring and retention and how VCs are thinking about key-person risk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on StrictlyVC Download, TechCrunch EIC Connie Loizos and Alex Gove of StrictlyVC speak with Dimitrious Kottas, the founder and CEO of Delian Alliance Industries. They discuss his journey from Apple's Special Projects Group to building autonomous defense systems in Greece, how his company is reimagining surveillance and strike capabilities using AI and commercial tech, and why he believes we're at the start of a decade-long technological race in autonomous warfare. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 02:04 - Dimitrios's background and journey from Apple to defense tech 05:00 - The founding moment: Why he left Silicon Valley for Athens 08:55 - Starting with surveillance towers: The perception-first strategy 13:21 - Current deployments in Greece and Ukraine aspirations 16:32 - Dual-use applications and critical infrastructure protection 18:39 - The Intercept-Egon series: Concealed autonomous weapons 21:52 - Cost advantages through vertical integration 24:46 - European defense tech landscape and procurement challenges 28:16 - Greece's defense industry and cross-border competition 31:04 - Modular vs. full-stack approach 32:54 - Thoughts on Anduril and the defense tech race 35:00 - Greek roots and the personal nature of European defense Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aileen Lee, founder of Cowboy Ventures and the coiner of 'unicorn,' dives into the future of venture capital. She discusses the evolving startup landscape, highlighting the rise of 'unsexy tech' and how AI can empower workers through skill development. Aileen shares insights on navigating economic shifts and the importance of diverse teams in innovation. She also addresses the pressures faced by college freshmen regarding their career paths and emphasizes enjoying the college experience amidst uncertainties.

Navin Chaddha, Managing Partner at Mayfield and early investor in Lyft and Poshmark, discusses the revolutionary potential of AI in the $5 trillion services sector. He highlights how startups can thrive by combining human expertise with AI, making services more accessible to small businesses. Chaddha examines the vulnerabilities of legacy firms like Accenture and McKinsey as they struggle with AI integration. He also shares insights on outcome-based pricing and the ongoing conversation around job displacement versus the creation of new roles.