The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

Rory O’Driscoll, venture investor offering market and M&A perspective. Jason Lemkin, SaaS investor known for deep startup and public markets analysis. They dissect Brex’s $5.15B sale and its ripple effects, debate Anthropic’s soaring inference costs and AI metering, unpack OpenEvidence’s $12B raise, and evaluate recent IPO performances and what they mean for scaling SaaS.

Max Junestrand, Co-founder and CEO of Legora (legal AI scaled to enterprise), discusses rapid $70M ARR growth, why Legora chose Anthropic models over OpenAI, and building agent-like workflows for lawyers. He covers explosive one-day $7M ARR wins, US expansion from Europe, pricing shifts from seats to consumption, and why legal AI may become a winner-take-all market.

Simon Squibb, entrepreneur and podcast host known for founder interviews, sits down with Harry Stebbings. They cover wild early wins, relentless cold outreach that landed Marc Benioff, and raising big rounds via personal relationships. Short, punchy stories on persistence, content as distribution, turning failure into opportunity, and seven billionaire lessons packed into practical takeaways.

Rory O'Driscoll, a venture investor known for his insights on market dynamics, joins Jason Lemkin, a founder/operator with a practical approach to fundraising. They dive into whether venture capital can withstand public market pressures. The duo discusses the high-stakes legal battle between Elon Musk and Sam Altman, analyzing potential outcomes. They also explore the AI talent war, the implications of recent billion-dollar funding rounds, and what’s next for emerging tech like ClickHouse and Replit. Insightful thoughts on founder strategy amidst shifting market conditions make this a must-listen!

Winston Weinberg, CEO and co-founder of Harvey, leads a discussion on navigating the dynamic landscape of AI in professional services. He shares insights on why enterprise AI adoption is lagging by 3-5 years and the vital role of model performance in this shift. Winston emphasizes the significance of building trusted relationships with investors and the need for effective company routines. He details his approach to deal-making, advocating for listening over negotiating, and reflects on the future of legal firms and the transformative impact of AI on the industry.

Noam Lovinsky, CPO at Superhuman and former product leader at Facebook and Google, shares his insights on AI's transformative impact on product development. He discusses the essential role of storytelling for product leaders and critiques generic narratives. Lovinsky argues that design thinking remains vital even amidst vibe coding advances and predicts more efficient teams with AI-driven tools. He also highlights the potential for AI to expand market opportunities and reshape team dynamics while voicing concerns about job displacement and wealth inequality.

Jason Lemkin, a seasoned SaaS entrepreneur and founder of SaaStr, joins Rory O'Driscoll, a venture capitalist with a knack for enterprise investing. They dive deep into Anthropic's impressive $10B fundraising and its implications for valuation and IPO prospects. The duo debates whether Claude has outperformed Cursor in the AI API landscape and explores the existential risks facing OpenAI. They also analyze the dynamics of venture capital, pondering if the middle market is fading as boutiques and mega-funds thrive.

Alex Rampell, a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz and leading investor in tech giants like Plaid and Opendoor, dives into venture capital's evolving landscape. He reveals why companies should aim to have 'hostages, not customers' and the critical traits of successful founders. Rampell discusses the importance of founder-capital fit and how too much funding can lead to moral hazard. He also shares insights on the future of VC, emphasizing the potential of software and AI to reshape the market.

Luke Harries, Head of Growth at ElevenLabs and former operator at PostHog and Microsoft, shares insights on scaling innovative growth strategies. He discusses ElevenLabs' unique horizontal product strategy that fuels their impressive $6.6B valuation. Luke explains the benefits of sharded growth teams and why traditional PMs are not essential. He outlines a powerful 7-part launch playbook that drives massive engagement and highlights the importance of authentic brand marketing. Lastly, he reflects on the evolving landscape of AI and the necessity of solving real problems for sustainable growth.

Chad Peets, seasoned sales leader who built Snowflake’s enterprise go-to-market and now advises AI startups. He digs into hiring top sales talent, why remote inside sales fails, building high-performance sales machines, firing fast vs. giving time, and how AI will reshape sales roles.