Layer Zero

I sat down with Matt Martin, Founder & CEO of Clockwise, the time orchestration platform used by teams at companies like Netflix, Reddit, Atlassian, Lyft, and more. Clockwise has raised over $70M from Accel, Greylock, and top operators, but more importantly, it has fundamentally changed how teams structure their days and protect their focus time.In this episode, Matt breaks down the early product decisions that shaped Clockwise, how his team approached building software that actively manages your calendar, and why time management is shifting from a personal habit to a team-wide system. We dig into what makes Clockwise’s approach unique, how AI is reshaping productivity, and why the future of work requires entirely new tools for attention and coordination.If you’re interested in product building, productivity, or the future of work, this episode is packed with insights.

I sat down with Trip Adler, Founder & CEO of Created by Humans, and former CEO and co-founder of Scribd ($1B+ valuation), for a deep discussion about how creators should be compensated and protected in the age of AI. After building Scribd into one of the world’s largest document and ebook platforms, Trip is now tackling one of the most urgent questions in AI: who owns the rights to human-created work, and how should that content be used to train models?In this episode, we explore how Created by Humans is building a licensing marketplace for authors, what “AI rights” look like in practice (training, reference, transformation), and how Trip is drawing on his publishing and platform experience to bridge the gap between creators and AI companies. We also get into his journey building Scribd, the lessons he’s carried forward from building a billion dollar company, and how he thinks about mission, impact, and fairness in this new era.If you care about copyright, creators, and the future of AI, this episode is a must-listen.

Ben Narasin, Founder and General Partner of Tenacity Venture Capital and former NEA partner, shares insights from his illustrious career, including leading FashionMall.com to an IPO. He discusses his founder-first investment philosophy, emphasizing the importance of people, ideas, and market potential. Ben explains the balance he strikes between data and intuition in decision-making and shares lessons learned from his entrepreneurial journey. He also highlights the importance of conviction over volume, and how resilience can be a key indicator of a startup's potential.

Delian Asparouhov, Partner at Founders Fund and co-founder of Varda Space Industries, dives into the thrilling world of space-based manufacturing. He shares insights on navigating risk in deep tech and the importance of timing in investments. Delian highlights the need for a flexible approach while sourcing and evaluates what makes a founder resilient. With a focus on prioritizing manufacturing and path-to-market strategies, he emphasizes learning from past hiring missteps. His journey uniquely blends venture capital with high-stakes tech, sparking excitement for the future.

I sat down with Joseph Krause, Co-Founder and CEO of Radical AI, for a deep dive into how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of scientific discovery. Radical AI is building autonomous, AI-driven research systems, what Joseph calls “self-driving labs,” that accelerate the discovery of new materials and breakthroughs across industries. Backed by over $55 million in funding by Nvidia and more, his team is merging deep tech, data, and science to fundamentally change how innovation happens.In this episode, we explored how Radical AI approaches experimentation and learning, what it takes to build infrastructure at the intersection of AI and materials science, and how Joseph thinks about long-term impact and risk in a field evolving faster than ever. We also talked about the broader implications of AI for research, creativity, and progress itself.If you’re interested in where deep tech meets real-world innovation, and how AI can accelerate the pace of discovery, this one’s for you.

In this engaging discussion, Michele Griffin, the founder of Premier GTM and ex-partner at a16z, shares her expertise on go-to-market strategies for AI-native startups. She emphasizes the importance of visibility for founders in gaining trust and traction. Michele highlights how AI tools can streamline sales processes and enhance messaging. She also offers insights on effective LinkedIn usage and the evolving roles in sales, predicting a shift towards more technical resources and service-led strategies for deeper engagement.

In a compelling discussion, Charles Hudson, Founder and Managing Partner at Precursor Ventures, shares his unorthodox approach to venture capital. He emphasizes sourcing overlooked founders, focusing on potential rather than pedigree, and adapting to a fast-paced market. Charles reveals his strategies for evaluating early-stage talent and his thoughts on nurturing long-term relationships with founders. Additionally, he critiques the emphasis on quick returns in pre-seed funding, encouraging patience for sustainable growth and genuine customer signals.

I sat down with Max Marchione, Co-Founder of Superpower, the AI health company helping humans live longer. Backed by Giannis Antetokounmpo, Vanessa Hudgens, and other leading investors, Superpower has raised over $30M and is scaling fast.We talked about the culture and principles that drive Superpower’s growth, how Max builds teams around clarity and ambition, and the lessons he’s learned from years of company-building. Max also shared what’s next for Superpower as they push the boundaries of AI-driven longevity and personal health.If you’re interested in the intersection of health, AI, and company-building, or want to hear how culture compounds in startups, this one’s a must-listen.Thank you to Puddle for sponsoring this episode! Puddle is helping talented people find the best jobs: one interview, pass and get matched!

I sat down with Vanessa, former Partner at NEA where she invested in both B2B and B2C companies and an operator who held leadership roles at Twilio and Box, for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of consumer tech.In this episode, we explored how AI is reshaping the consumer landscape, what defensibility looks like in a world of fast-moving competitors, and the behavioral shifts founders should be paying attention to. Vanessa also shared her perspective on the evolution of the job market, how consumer startups can adapt to changing dynamics, and which trends she believes are more hype than substance.If you’re building or investing in the next wave of consumer products, this one is full of insights from someone who’s seen both sides of the table.Thanks Zephyr Technologies for sponsoring!

I sat down with Jimmy Yun, Principal at 8VC, for a conversation on how he approaches partnering with founders in enterprise software and frontier technology. At 8VC, Jimmy also plays a key role in the firm’s Build, a model focused not just on investing in great companies, but helping to create them from the ground up.In this episode, we explored how Jimmy evaluates opportunities at the edge of enterprise and frontier markets, the principles that guide his own approach to investing, and how 8VC’s Build strategy shapes the companies they back. We also dug into the unique challenges and opportunities founders face in these spaces, and where Jimmy sees the most exciting opportunities to build today.If you want a look into how top-tier investors think about both backing and building companies from day one, this episode is a must-listen.