Sand Hill Road

TJ Rylander, general partner at N47 is exploring the next frontier of artificial intelligence: the physical world. Rylander explains how companies like Luminary Cloud are revolutionizing engineering by merging AI with physics, enabling designers to test and refine aircraft or cars virtually in days instead of months. He also shares how Skydio’s autonomous drones, once aimed at consumers, are now helping first responders and the military. Along the way, Rylander reflects on his early career at Enron, his time investing for the CIA’s In-Q-Tel, and his passion project on the board of one of America’s oldest summer camps—where he says lessons in leadership and “doing your fair share of the work” still guide him today. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kanishka Narayan isn’t your typical politician. A Stanford GSB grad, he’s now the United Kingdom’s Minister for Artificial Intelligence — a job that didn’t even exist a few years ago. In this episode, Narayan talks about how Britain is using AI to drive both prosperity and dignity, why the UK just signed a “Technology Prosperity Deal” with the U.S., and how his Indian-Welsh roots and time in Silicon Valley shape the way he thinks about innovation, energy, and risk-taking. Plus, what it’s really like to grumble in Parliament. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Eugene Malobrodsky, co-founder of Hotspot Shield and venture capitalist at One Way Ventures, shares his journey from a teenager in the U.S. to a champion of immigrant founders. He dives into the monetization opportunities in AI, discussing the importance of niche markets and compliance in regulated sectors. Eugene reflects on his own experiences learning English and adapting in Silicon Valley, while also addressing the challenges immigrant entrepreneurs face with U.S. immigration policies. His insights emphasize the vital role of cultural grit in driving innovation.

Startups need an interesting story.  Not just for the media, but for investors and clients.   Former CNBC reporter turned venture investor turned author Christina Farr explains what makes a great story and how being boring is the worst strategy of all. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Postman began as a side project by Abhinav Asthana and his two co-founders, and turned into the most widely adopted API collaboration platform, used by millions of developers worldwide. In this conversation, Abhinav breaks down why developer feedback matters more than early paywalls, how “just ship” beat long strategy decks, and why he’s still bullish on San Francisco. We cover raising capital without making it the point, scaling from three founders to ~850 people across 20+ countries, and the hard lessons of hiring—and replacing—leaders as a company grows. Plus: Factorio, parenting, and what it really means to build “developer-first.”  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Venture capitalist Katelin Holloway—founding partner at 776— unpacks the new math of sports investing. From incubating Angel City FC and LA Golf Club to why women’s sports offer the biggest upside, Holloway explains where value is created (media, sponsors, merch) and how pay equity should be built from first principles. Plus: the origin of “776,” TGL’s tech-arena gamble, and the story behind her three citizen’s arrests. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ireland is making an aggressive play to strengthen its ties with the West Coast. IDA Ireland—the nation’s foreign investment agency—has launched a trade mission aimed at securing €250 billion (about $300 billion) in new capital and creating 75,000 jobs over the next five years. Already, a West Coast company opens or expands in Ireland every month, with Apple, Google, Anthropic, and Microsoft among the major investors. Scott McGrew sits down with Ivan Houlihan of IDA Ireland to talk about Ireland’s evolving industries, the impact of Brexit, why U.S. tech companies keep choosing Ireland, and how the country is balancing record foreign investment with challenges like housing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

NEA partner Aaron Jacobson joins Sand Hill Road to discuss the next wave of robotics and AI — from warehouse automation and drone manufacturing to autonomous construction and defense innovation. Jacobson explains why the future of robotics isn’t humanoids but specialized machines that perform one task perfectly. He shares insights on startups like Outrider, Built Robotics, Second Front Systems, and Firestorm, and why he believes AI-driven intelligence and flexible manufacturing will reshape industries from green energy to national security. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Steven Lee raised $40 million in five weeks to fund his own venture firm — with just his reputation, network, and a bet on AI. From being the last kid picked up at school to becoming one of Silicon Valley’s earliest investors in breakout companies, Lee shares his journey from his parents’ clothing store in Los Angeles, to Twitter, to launching his own fund. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rehan Jalil has sold three companies. His fourth, Securiti AI, might be his first to go public. A decade after we first met him as the founder of Elastica, Rehan returns to explain why protecting enterprise data is the gateway to unlocking AI’s full potential—and why building companies will always be his passion. From reading market signals to redefining data security, Jalil shares what it takes to keep winning in a fast-changing tech landscape.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.