Founders in Arms

Immad and Raj delve into the evolving landscape of AI regulation and the disconnect between policymakers and market realities. They debate potential bubbles in AI, stressing that retention is more crucial than growth for sustainable success. Founders are encouraged to be cautious with high valuations and spending discipline. They share insights on building company culture and the challenges of managing inflated metrics. With updates on their ventures, including AI features for better retention, this conversation is a must-listen for any entrepreneur.

Dan Wang is a research fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institute and author of "Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future." After spending six years living in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai (2017-2023), Dan witnessed China's technology growth, the US-China trade and tech war, Xi Jinping's increasing authoritarianism, and three years of zero-COVID pandemic controls firsthand.What you'll learn:Dan's framework of "engineering societies vs lawyerly societies" for understanding the US-China competitionHow China deliberately promoted engineers to power—by 2002, all nine Politburo Standing Committee members had engineering degreesWhy the one-child policy and zero-COVID demonstrate the dangers of literal-minded engineering applied to societyHow America transformed from building the transcontinental railroad and Apollo missions to being unable to fix its subway systemsWhy lawyers took over American governance in the 1960s and created a self-reinforcing systemThe stark reality: China builds 500 gigawatts of solar capacity annually vs America's 50, and has 30 nuclear plants under construction vs zeroWhy China's electricity advantage could determine who wins the AI race—not just better modelsHow American AI leadership is threatened by power constraints and Chinese researchers potentially returning homeWhy robotics applications of AI matter more than reasoning models for geopolitical competitionThe dual reality of America: trillion-dollar tech companies exist alongside broken infrastructure that only works for the wealthyDan's writing process: traveling, eating (twice), reading novels and history, and being deliberately provocativeThe future of US-China competition in semiconductors, aviation, manufacturing, and whether America's technological lead is sustainableIn this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction and Dan's AI/electricity thesis(01:15) Dan's journey from San Francisco tech to China analyst(03:40) Engineering society vs lawyerly society framework(04:21) Why engineers running governments can be dangerous(05:46) The one-child policy: designed by a missile scientist(06:56) China's path from Mao to engineering-focused leadership(09:51) America's transformation from builder to regulator (1960s shift)(11:08) Can the pendulum swing back? Housing, transit, and infrastructure failures(13:12) The self-reinforcing nature of lawyerly societies(14:12) Yale Law ambition vs Stanford engineering ambition(16:13) Is there bipartisan consensus on building?(17:41) Why left and right can't agree on solutions(19:32) China's engineering design flaws and authoritarian feedback loops(22:19) US technological advantages: semiconductors, AI, aviation(23:07) The electricity bottleneck: China's massive power advantage(24:31) If AI is everything, what should America do?(26:29) Why Dan doesn't buy the "AI is everything" premise(27:27) Robotics as the real AI battleground(29:35) Silicon Valley codes, China builds power plants(30:37) Anti-AI populism emerging on left and right(33:41) Dan's meta process: philosophy, eating, traveling, reading, being provocative(37:20) China's rural infrastructure and redistribution through building(40:39) Peter Thiel question: acknowledging China's dual reality(44:54) America's core tension: works great for the rich, broken for everyone else(46:35) Will China get stuck in the 2010s like Japan in the 1980s?

Iñaki Berenguer, a serial entrepreneur with exits like CoverWallet and Pixable, shares insights from his dynamic career. He delves into the intense demands of rapid growth and how he'd rebuild his company with AI to minimize headcount. Iñaki stresses the importance of strategic partnerships for exits and describes the hidden time sink of hiring as a CEO. He also reflects on the ever-changing landscape of AI and its impact on various industries, highlighting the balance between luck and timing in achieving successful exits.

Andrew D'Souza, Founder and CEO of Boardy AI, dives into transforming networking with voice-driven high-trust introductions. He shares how Clearco’s pivot to e-commerce financing led to rapid growth and illustrates the psychology behind networking and financial incentives. Discover how Boardy uses AI for richer relationship building, the importance of allowing mutual willingness in introductions, and why savvy founders leverage inbound demand to attract investors. D'Souza also reveals lessons learned from trusting intuition and his vision for the future of AI in networking.

Jesse Zhang, CEO and co-founder of Decagon.ai, discusses the challenges of building a sustainable AI business amidst the hype. He reveals how AI can evolve beyond chatbots into a true 'system of intelligence' for enterprises. The conversation dives into effective AI implementations, the realities of enterprise sales, and strategies to create defensible business models. Jesse also shares insights on credible growth metrics, adoption timelines, and the risks in fundraising, providing invaluable guidance for tech founders and customer experience leaders.

David Gu, co-founder and CEO of Recall.ai, shares his riveting journey from a university dropout to leading a company that recently raised $38 million in Series B funding. He discusses the key pivot from a call recording application to a conversation infrastructure leader, uncovering how societal acceptance of recording transformed the market. David reveals his approach to mastering enterprise sales, strategies for leveraging social media for lead generation, and the importance of continuous self-improvement through pitch reflections, shaping the future of B2B applications.

Bill Clerico, the founder of WePay and now managing partner at Convective Capital, shares his journey from building a pioneering fintech startup during the 2008 financial crisis to selling it for $400 million. He discusses why avoiding certain sectors can reveal hidden opportunities and highlights the unconventional partnerships that led to WePay's acquisition by JPMorgan. Clerico also reflects on the importance of timing in strategic decisions and explores innovative solutions for high-fire risk insurance, revealing insights on navigating challenges in crisis-driven industries.

Joris Poort, CEO of Rescale, shares insights from his journey building a digital engineering platform that powers industries like aerospace and pharmaceuticals. He discusses the importance of being 'default alive' for startups, emphasizing cash flow over theoretical profits. Poort explores how maintaining a frugal culture while scaling is vital, and why internal promotions often yield better results than external hires. He also highlights the significance of resilience in hiring and the strategic risks involved in long-term R&D investments, especially in AI.

Ian Tien, co-founder and CEO of Mattermost, shares insights from transforming an HTML5 gaming concept into a vital collaboration tool for defense and national security. He delves into the intriguing idea of 'sovereign collaboration' and the necessity for governments to have independent AI systems. Ian discusses his lessons learned in navigating VC funding, hiring executives with diverse experiences, and the unique challenges of selling to government customers. He also emphasizes work-life balance through his 'daddy daughter days' approach.

Arvind Jain, Founder and CEO of Glean and co-founder of Rubrik, shares insights on revolutionizing enterprise AI. He explains how Glean transformed from a search tool to a powerful conversational AI without pivoting. Arvind discusses the significance of customer relationships in competitive markets, the challenge of attracting talent from major tech firms, and the balance between innovation and product alignment in a growing team. He also delves into the delicate decision between remaining independent or considering acquisition as the company scales.