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

AJ Tennant, Vice President of Sales & Success at Glean, has a rich history scaling sales teams at Slack and Facebook. In this conversation, he shares insights on selling AI tools, discussing the transition enterprises need to make and their adoption concerns. He addresses common mistakes in customer success management and how to create seamless handoffs between sales and CS. AJ also reveals innovative hiring strategies for sales teams, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive candidate evaluations and unique interview techniques.

Mamoon Hamid, General Partner at Kleiner Perkins and a renowned venture capitalist, shares his insights from leading investments in successful startups like Figma and Slack. He discusses the defining elements of a great investment, revealing what drove his decisions on these companies despite early challenges. Hamid explores the shifting landscape of AI, emphasizing the importance of application-layer companies and strategic growth. He reflects on lessons learned from past failures and the future of venture capital amidst a competitive market.

Antoine Le Nel, Chief Growth and Marketing Officer at Revolut and former VP of Growth at King, shares his insights on growth strategies in fintech. He argues that top product and growth teams succeed without A/B testing and emphasizes the importance of high-quality customer acquisition over CAC. Antoine discusses effective tactics that propelled Revolut to a $2.2 billion revenue milestone, highlights localisation as overrated, and stresses the significance of small, incremental improvements in driving sustained growth.

Zach Perret, CEO and Co-founder of Plaid, shares his insights on the dangers of "Founder Mode" and criticizes OKRs as ineffective. He believes that raising funds often distracts founders, advising them to limit fundraising efforts. Zach also reflects on his decision to turn down a $5BN offer from Visa and discusses the implications of high valuations. He emphasizes the importance of addressing "grinder problems" and advocates for sustainable growth strategies, arguing that angel investing can hinder founders instead of helping.

David Frankel, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Founder Collective, shares insights from his impressive venture capital career, having backed giants like Uber and Coupang. He discusses why pro-rata rights may hurt founders and why Limited Partners are frustrated with VCs today. David dives into the evolving dynamics of seed funding, emphasizing the importance of adapting investment strategies in a shifting landscape. He reflects on the emotional challenges of guiding struggling startups and highlights the critical role of understanding entrepreneurs' characters in successful investments.

Eoghan McCabe, Co-founder and CEO of Intercom, dives into the limitations of AI investments and why they may underperform against the S&P 500. He argues that the early-stage venture landscape is challenging and discusses the differences between founder and manager mindsets. McCabe also shares his political views, warning that a Kamala Harris administration could threaten individual freedoms, while suggesting Trump may restore them. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of navigating freedom of speech amid censorship in today's climate.

Jeff Wang, Managing Partner at Sequoia Capital Global Equities, shares his insights on the shifting landscape of investments. He discusses the growing appeal of crossover funds and why public markets are currently more favorable than private ones. Jeff expresses concerns over Google's dominance and suggests that Meta could emerge as its biggest rival. He also evaluates NVIDIA's market position and ponders China's recovery potential. Additionally, they dive into how AI is affecting major tech players and the evolving investment strategies at Sequoia.

Eiso Kant, Co-founder and CEO of Poolside.ai, dives into the competitive world of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) funding, sharing insights on their recent $500M raise. He discusses how Poolside differentiates itself from other AI models and the challenges of competing with giants like Nvidia. The conversation touches on scaling laws, the future of model performance, and whether $600M is sufficient to remain relevant in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Kant also explores the dynamics of AI infrastructure and the emotional journey of entrepreneurs.

Maria Angelidou, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Personio and former VP of Product at Meta, shares her extensive experience in product management. She reveals key insights on hiring effective product teams, including three archetypes and non-obvious traits to look for in candidates. Maria discusses the common pitfalls in conducting product reviews and how to elevate their effectiveness. She also contrasts product team dynamics between Europe and the US, emphasizing cultural differences and work ethics that shape their approaches.

Bret Taylor, CEO and Co-founder of Sierra and former Co-CEO of Salesforce, dives into the current AI landscape. He questions the sustainability of the so-called AI bubble and challenges the notion that companies will create their own software. Taylor also discusses why foundation models might be the fastest depreciating assets and shares insights on AI's potential to replace traditional consumer interfaces. The conversation touches on the shifting landscape of computing, highlighting the importance of tailored software solutions in a rapidly evolving tech world.