Founders in Arms

In this engaging conversation, Paul Buchheit, the creator of Gmail and a tech pioneer, shares his insights on the evolving AI landscape. He discusses the potential future of large language models and their impact on startups and society. Paul emphasizes the importance of open-source AI to prevent centralized control and addresses the changing dynamics of search engines. He also elaborates on the interplay of truth and narrative, urging listeners to confront false narratives for personal and entrepreneurial growth.

Trip Adler, Founder and CEO of Created by Humans, creates a marketplace to help rights holders license content for AI. He dives into the urgent question of how to fairly compensate creators whose work is used for AI training. Adler compares the current landscape to the music industry's transition from Napster to Spotify, discussing three types of AI rights: training, reference, and transformation. He shares lessons from his Scribd experience, the challenges faced by authors versus publishers, and the future of human-AI collaboration in creativity.

Ryan Westerdahl is the founder and CEO of Turion Space, designing and building satellites for resilient space infrastructure with a focus on space domain awareness and orbital debris removal. After nine years at SpaceX working on failure analysis across multiple departments, Ryan founded Turion in 2021 with the ultimate goal of asteroid mining. The company now operates 120 people across hardware and software platforms, with two operational satellites in orbit and over $10 million in revenue.What you'll learn:How Turion's "droid" satellites provide space domain awareness and anomaly resolution for other spacecraftWhy orbital debris removal serves as the stepping stone to asteroid mining operationsThe engineering culture principles Ryan brought from SpaceX to build a flat, department-driven organizationHow Space Force contracts provided early validation and multi-million dollar revenue opportunitiesThe difference between hardware and software engineering talent pools and motivation levelsWhy Ryan believes asteroid mining could be the economic forcing function for humanity's galactic expansionThe technical challenges of capturing uncooperative space objects at 35,000 mphHow a $400 quintillion asteroid could reshape precious metals markets like aluminum did historicallyThe 15-year timeline to meaningful asteroid mining revenue and building for the long termWhy mission-driven engineering culture attracts top talent willing to work on decade-spanning projectsIn this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Ryan Westerdahl and Turion Space (01:31) Turion's satellite operations and space infrastructure mission (07:18) Long development timelines and staying motivated through multi-year projects (08:27) Ryan's journey from age 11 space obsession to SpaceX to founding Turion (14:21) Engineering culture and the "hardcore" mentality required at SpaceX (17:01) Building flat organizational structures and engineering-driven decision making (22:30) The economic case for asteroid mining as humanity's galactic forcing function (25:16) Hardware vs software engineering talent dynamics and motivation (28:06) Early fundraising challenges and the importance of actual contracts over LOIs (31:21) Current satellite operations: anomaly resolution and space domain awareness (33:06) Immad's space investing thesis and evaluation criteria (35:33) Science fiction culture at Turion and book recommendations

In this discussion, Adam Nash, the Founder and CEO of Daffy, a platform making charitable giving accessible, shares insights on revolutionizing philanthropy. He highlights the enormous potential of donor-advised funds, emphasizing emotional connections in giving. Adam explores how subscription models build customer loyalty and trust, key for startups. He also dives into the challenges of securing B2B clients and the importance of planned giving, showcasing how small steps can lead to meaningful generosity. His vision revolves around making charity simple for everyone.

Alec Stapp, Co-CEO of the Institute for Progress, a think tank focused on innovation policy, shares fascinating insights on how America leads in the global AI competition while addressing the bipartisan immigration deal that 75% of Americans favor. He explains why cutting R&D spending won't affect the national debt and unveils his 'X Labs' proposal to revolutionize government science funding. Stapp also discusses the impact of battery storage on renewable energy and offers a candid view of U.S.-China relations from his travels.

Topher Haddad, co-founder and CEO of Albedo, discusses the groundbreaking world of Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellites. He reveals how these satellites, operating at 275 km, achieve high-resolution imagery that outperforms traditional aircraft and drones. Haddad shares the engineering challenges posed by atmospheric drag and atomic oxygen. He also outlines his journey from Lockheed Martin to a successful startup, securing millions through pre-sales while navigating the complexities of defense technology sales in today's market.

Eric Migicovsky, founder of Core Devices and the visionary behind Pebble, dives into the thrilling journey of launching one of Kickstarter's first major successes. He discusses the pitfalls of hardware inventory that nearly derailed Pebble and shares his new sustainable model focusing on pre-orders. Eric also talks about battling Big Tech with Beeper Mini, which took on Apple's iMessage, and his collaboration with Google for open-sourcing Pebble's operating system. Tune in for insights on the future of wearables and the rise of artisanal hardware.

Sahil Lavingia, the founder and CEO of Gumroad, shares his journey transitioning the platform from venture-backed growth to profitability. He reveals the story of how Kleiner Perkins sold their stake for just $1 and discusses how he automated contract reviews at the VA, identifying $1.6 billion in cuts. Lavingia also highlights the rise of AI coding tools and their impact on the hiring landscape, and he advocates for radical transparency as a competitive advantage in business.

Steve Huffman, co-founder and CEO of Reddit, shares insights from over two decades of guiding this vital platform. He discusses Reddit's rapid initial growth and the $10 million sale after 18 months, revealing crucial lessons learned during his nine-year hiatus. The conversation dives into Reddit's transformation through different eras, addressing content moderation and the rise of AI-generated content. Huffman also envisions expanding Reddit’s community from 100 million to billions, emphasizing the balance between user authenticity and evolving business models.

Rahul Sidhu, Co-founder and CEO of Aerodome, combines his experience as a former police officer and paramedic to revolutionize emergency response with drones. He shares how COVID-19 staffing shortages inspired his innovative platform. The discussion highlights the renewed investment interest in public safety tech and the challenges of selling to numerous small police departments. Sidhu also discusses regulatory breakthroughs for drone operations and the potential of AI and robotics to transform law enforcement and community safety.