Something Ventured -- Silicon Valley Podcast

Mark Scianna, the founder of venture firm "Forward Deployed," which targets sectors like Defense, Energy, and A.I., was spotlighted as a 'top emerging manager' in 2022. Starting his journey as an engineer and an early investor at Palantir, Scianna offers an insider's perspective in this episode, unraveling the enigma of Palantir's inception and meteoric rise. Scianna delves into what makes Palantir so unique, shedding light on how its unconventional management style has been a cornerstone of its success. He doesn't shy away from the intense realities of being 'forward deployed'—a term that for him meant being physically stationed in war zones to deploy Palantir's groundbreaking solutions firsthand. Scianna also talks about the newly popular trend of investing in 'defense tech' – and who should (or shouldn't) be doing it. Links: Forward Deployed 8-Bit Capital Something Ventured

Winter Mead, founder of Coolwater Capital and author of 'How to Raise a Venture Capital Fund,' shares insights from his impressive journey in venture capital. He discusses the unique challenges that new fund managers face, emphasizing the need for transparency and solid relationships. The conversation highlights the critical role of emerging managers in driving innovation, especially in sectors like AI and climate tech. Mead also explores the evolving dynamics of fundraising, the importance of adaptability, and the often-overlooked complexities of managing venture funds.

Max Altman and Ben Braverman, partners at Saga Ventures, share their journey from Silicon Valley elites to venture capitalists. They explore the need for a founder-first approach and discuss how trust and relationships shape VC partnerships. Rising seed valuations and their critique of gimmicky venture strategies are key highlights. They also delve into the impact of VC media, including podcasting, on industry perceptions, and share insights on cultural differences between San Francisco and New York founders.

If you don't already know about Alexis Gay, you're about to. Alexis is the creator and star of her solo comedy show, "Unprofessional". Recently, her show was a hit at the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and she's now touring the show for audiences across the United States. Alexis previously worked in the tech industry running Business Operations and Creator Partnerships at Patreon. Outside of work, she started creating videos featuring dead-on takes on tech culture -- and everyday life. These soon went viral, racking up more than 24 million views across social media. Her sharp insights into startup life and its absurdities resonated far and wide, transforming her into a favorite amongst both tech insiders and comedy fans alike. From viral videos to her successful podcast, Alexis has kept audiences hooked. She's been profiled by Fast Company, Nightline, Business Insider, SFGate, and CNBC. And now, she's stepping onto the stage as a standup comedian. Now comes her debut solo show, "Unprofessional". It has received numerous four-star reviews and played to sold out audiences. Chortle, the leading UK comedy publication, called it "an entertaining and – ironically/appropriately – professional hour set in a world that's rarely covered in stand-up." Whether you're a startup founder or someone who's never heard of venture capital, her observations land with a sharp, comedic edge. Catch her live and see why she's bound to be way bigger than…John Mulaney. Alexis Gay "Unprofessional https://www.alexis.gay/ Something Ventured Podcast https://somethingventured.us/

In this episode of Something Ventured, I talk to Adeyemi "Ade" Ajao, co-founder of Base10 Partners, one of the largest Black-led venture capital firms in the world. Ade shares his journey from growing up in Nigeria and Spain to building multiple successful companies, including Tuenti, which was sold to Telefonica. He also discusses his transition into venture capital, his mission to empower underrepresented founders, and the impact of Base10's Advancement Initiative, which partners with top universities to support a diverse new generation of entrepreneurs. Other topics include: Sci-Fi Inspiration: Adi and his brother are avid readers of science fiction, which shaped their belief in the power of human imagination and technology. Global Entrepreneurship: Adi reflects on the scarcity mindset found in some parts of the world, like Spain and Mexico, and contrasts it with the abundance mindset in Silicon Valley, where entrepreneurs help each other succeed. Technological Evolution: The conversation touches on how social networking emerged due to advancements in technology, and the broader impact of automation on traditional industries. Philosophy on Venture Capital: Adi shares how Base10 gives back by donating 50% of their carry to fund scholarships for underrepresented students in STEM, and emphasizes the importance of mission-driven work. Base 10 8-Bit Capital

Nick Sturiale reflects on a career working in venture capital, in which he invested early in companies such as Splunk, Bill.com, and Reputation.com. Nick shares insights from his extensive career, which spans roles at Ignition Partners, Icon Ventures, Seven Rosen Funds, and the Carlyle Group, among others. He reflects on the evolution of the venture capital landscape, the challenges of finding product-market fit, and the critical role of timing and luck in a startup's success. Nick also delves into the complexities of being a CEO as a company grows, discussing the shift from being a hands-on founder to potentially needing to bring in a new leader with different skills. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs through active listening and the pitfalls that entrepreneurs and VCs alike must navigate. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of the venture capital world and the nuanced journey of building successful startups. (I had an AI write that last sentence. Also: AI has a long way to go.) Ignition Partners Something Ventured 8-Bit Capital

Eric Paley is a General Partner at Founder Collective, one of the great seed-stage venture capital brands - and one of the relatively few venture firms led by startup founders. As the name suggests, Founder Collective is a "founder stage" venture capital fund that focuses on providing the first professional round of capital to "entrepreneurs with compelling business concepts". Eric himself also founded several companies before becoming a VC. Founder Collective's investments include: Coupang, Cruise, Kaggle, Pill Pak, The Trade Desk, Uber and Venmo. In this episode we discuss the importance of Founder-led VC firms, and the evolution of seed VC firms - which barely existed when he started, and now number in the hundreds.We also discuss: · * Why the unique name "Collective" · * Fuzzy VC math · * VC 'revisionist history" · * What's next for Founder Collective Please subscribe to Something Ventured! Eric Paley on X (Twitter) Founder Collective Something Ventured 8-Bit Capital

Homebrew is one of the great venture firm names. It hearkens back to the 1970s era computer hobbyist group that included people like Steve Jobs. Hunter Walk and Satya Patel are the partners who founded and built Homebrew (the venture capital firm). Nevertheless, if you say "Hunter and Satya" in Silicon Valley, people will know exactly who you are talking about. Hunter Walk came to homebrew with experience as a product leader at YouTube and Google. Meanwhile, Satya Patel's background was as a seasoned investor at Battery Ventures and product leader at Twitter. In this episode we discuss the power of partnerships in Silicon Valley. In particular we talk about the power of the 2 -person partnership (see also: Andreessen Horowitz), why the alchemy has to be right, and why some don't make it. We also discuss the evolution of Homebrew from a firm backed by outside capital (from Limited Partners or "LPs") to one in which the two founders deploy their own capital. Finally, we cover Hunter and Satya's newest fund: Screendoor. Screendoor has a mission of supporting underrepresented General Partners of emerging venture capital funds by providing capital, access and mentorship. Homebrew https://homebrew.co/ Screendoor https://www.screendoor.co/ Something Ventured https://somethingventured.us/

Nolan Bushnell's career is extraordinary. Nolan has ignited two entertainment revolutions: first with Atari, birthing the video game industry through classics like Pong, and later with Chuck E. Cheese, merging pizza and arcade games for family fun. A serial entrepreneur, he's founded over 20 companies, venturing into robotics, personal computers, and beyond, forever changing the landscape of leisure and inspiration. Nolan has turned his thoughts to the state of education in the US and has teamed up with Dr. Leah Hanes to form ExoDexa, a developer of educational games that seek to 'gamify' education. Together, they've published a book "Shaping the Future of Education" outlining their ideas. Dr. Leah Hanes is a force to be reckoned with as well. Dr. Hanes has been a champion for STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) for years, leading the Two Bit Circus Foundation since 2013 and using her expertise to advocate for a more engaging and future-proof approach to learning. In this episode Nolan and Dr. Hanes discuss the current state of education, and ways to transform the rate at which kids learn by 10X or even 20X. Exodexa: https://www.exodexa.com/ Nolan Bushnell: https://twitter.com/NolanBushnell Dr. Leah Hanes: https://twitter.com/LeahHanes

Richard Socher is a visionary computer scientist, entrepreneur, and AI researcher who has dedicated his career to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in AI. With a Ph.D. from Stanford University, Richard's groundbreaking work in deep learning, neural networks, and NLP has paved the way for remarkable advances in AI applications. It may seem like everyone is an AI expert these days: Richard Socher really is. Richarrd is founder of the AI-focused venture firm AIX, and founder of the AI-powered search engine You.com. He is the former Chief Scientist at Salesforce and founder of the groundbreaking MetaMind AI startup (which was acquired by Salesforce). In short, when it comes to AI, Richard is the real deal. In this episode, we delve into Richard's insights on the latest AI trends, ethical considerations in AI development, the future of human-AI collaboration, and much more. Whether you're new to AI – or have been investing in it for 10 years -- Richard's engaging discussions and visionary ideas will captivate and inspire you. You.com AIX Ventures 8-Bit Capital Something Ventured Podcast