Invested by Aleph

On this episode of Invested, Michael argues that TikTok needs to be banned, looking back at pivotal discussions from the Invested podcast over the past year with key business leaders, security experts and former TikTok employees. The guests featured, in order of appearance: Sam Lessin, General Partner at Slow Ventures Jacob Helberg, Commissioner of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission Jon Pelson, Author of “Wireless Wars” Stefan Tompson, Founder of Visegrad 24 Barak Herscowitz, Former employee of TikTok & Political Advisor Izhar Shay, Venture Partner with Disruptive AI Bradley Tusk, Co-founder of Tusk Venture Partners Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  [00:00:00] Intro [00:02:18] Sam Lessin on TikTok as National Security Threat [00:02:57] Jacob Helberg on Leading the TikTok Ban Legislation [00:05:48] Jon Pelson on Danger of TikTok Content [00:07:45] Stefan Tompson on TikTok Vulgarity  [00:10:32] Barak Herscowitz on TikTok Moderation Problems [00:14:17] Izhar Shay on How TikTok Must be Regulated  [00:16:32] Bradley Tusk on TikTok’s Influence on Young Minds  [00:18:18] Closing  RESOURCESFollow Sam on XFollow Jacob Helberg on XFollow Jon on XFollow Stefan Tompson on XFollow Visegrad24 on XFollow Barak on XFollow Izhar Shay on LinkedInFollow Bradley Tusk on LinkedinSubscribe to InvestedLearn more about AlephSubscribe to our YouTube channelFollow Michael on TwitterFollow Michael on LinkedInFollow Aleph on Twitter‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn‍Follow Aleph on InstagramCREDITSExecutive Producer: Erica Marom Producer: Yoni MayerVideo and Editing: Ron BaranovMusic and Art: Uri Ar Content and Editorial: Kira GoldringDesign: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts Jessica Lessin. Jessica is the founder and CEO of The Information, the publication known for original, in-depth reporting about technology and business. In eight years, Lessin has grown The Information into one of the largest subscription journalism communities in the world, attracting an influential audience of business leaders globally. Lessin has covered Silicon Valley and the technology industry for almost two decades and was previously a reporter and editor at the Wall Street Journal. She lives in the Bay Area, with her husband and three boys. When not trying to keep up with her children, she enjoys surfing and skiing.Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  [00:00:00] Intro [00:01:50] Motivation for Founding The Information [00:04:25] Why Leave the Mainstream Media Model [00:07:55] What Causes Legacy News to Become “Clickbaiters” [00:12:50] “Selling Your Soul to the Devil” [00:15:52] Will News Organizations Go Out of Business? [00:21:10] Business Models vs. Journalism Quality [00:23:56] The Free Press vs. The Information [00:26:35] Modern Media and Community Building [00:31:30] How Tech Reporting has Evolved [00:34:25] Does Modern Journalism Need Specialized Experts? [00:36:55] Is The Information Mainstream Media? [00:38:00] Why “Citizen Journalism” Won’t Replace Traditional Media [00:44:23] How to Regain Trust in the Media [00:51:40] The Information’s Media Startup Accelerator [00:53:30] What’s Next for The Information [00:57:08] Mistakes in Running The Information [00:58:10] Message to Younger Self [00:59:25] What is Your Core Value? RESOURCESFollow Jessica on X: https://twitter.com/Jessicalessin Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/investedLearn more about Aleph: aleph.vc Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/For the transcript of this episode, go to: www.aleph.vc/content/jessica-lessinSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenbergFollow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/CREDITSExecutive Producer: Erica Marom Producer: Yoni MayerVideo and Editing: Ron BaranovMusic and Art: Uri Ar Content and Editorial: Kira GoldringDesign: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts May Piamenta, the co-founder and CEO of Vee. May started her first business, Pineapple, at 14 years old and sold it right before she turned 17. She was a community services manager at RoboActive, followed by a role as an international project lead at First, a global robotics community. May then joined the IDF, where she was an electronics warfare commander and started working on her current company, Vee. After her military service, May mentored at Google Activate and took Vee full time. Following a sharp pivot in 2021, Vee now enables nonprofit teams and founders to grow their teams efficiently without hiring people, by giving them AI agents that can do everything from hiring to grant writing, social media management, bookkeeping and admin work, etc. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  [00:00:00]  Intro [00:03:25]  Impact of Losing a Best Friend to Cancer [00:06:20]  May’s Role Models  [00:09:05]  The High School Robotics Team  [00:11:54]  May’s First Business [00:15:14]  Israeli Military Experience  [00:16:28]  May’s Core Value  [00:17:45]  The Story Behind May’s Company, Vee [00:25:00]  Finding Co-Founders and Investors [00:27:00]  Pivoting Vee and Layoffs [00:37:25]  Is Non-Profit a Lucrative Sector? [00:40:55]  How the Tech Industry Has Evolved for Female CEOs [00:44:10]  Does Age in Leadership Matter? [00:45:40]  What Changed in May after Oct. 7 [00:48:28]  What Changed in Michael After Oct. 7 [00:50:17]  On Speaking Out About Anxiety [00:53:45]  Her Belief That Changed in the Last Year [00:54:20]  Closing RESOURCESFollow May on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maypiamenta/Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/investedLearn more about Aleph: aleph.vc Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/For the transcript of this episode, go to: content.aleph.vc/podcast-episodes/may-piamenta---episode-36Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenbergFollow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/CREDITSExecutive Producer: Erica Marom Producer: Yoni MayerVideo and Editing: Ron BaranovMusic and Art: Uri Ar Content and Editorial: Kira GoldringDesign: Rony Karadi

Adam Fisher, a seasoned partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, brings over 20 years of experience in the Israeli tech scene. He discusses the unique advantages of being an immigrant VC, likening it to having fresh perspectives in investment strategies. Adam dives into his early investments in Wix and Fiverr, noting their distinct branding and pricing evolution. He also touches on the importance of speaking out against anti-Semitism and the need for intellectual honesty in the venture capital landscape, urging for a more representative academic discourse.

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts Roland Fryer, a Professor of Economics at Harvard University and a co-founder of Equal Opportunity Ventures, an early stage seed fund, and several start-ups. Roland sits on several boards with an emphasis on business analytics, talent management, and product strategy. His research combines economic theory, big data, AI, and randomized social experiments to help design policies that can increase social mobility in America. Roland was awarded a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship, the John Bates Clark Medal (given by the AmericanEconomic Association to the best American Economist under age 40), the PresidentialEarly Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, among others. He was a member of the2009 Time 100 (most influential people in the world) and has been twice featured inEsquire "Genius issue." Roland earned a Bachelor of the Arts degree in economics fromthe University of Texas at Arlington and a Doctor of Philosophy in Economics from PennState University.Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  [00:00:00] Intro [00:02:50] How Did You Meet Your Wife? [00:05:50] What if the Data and Anecdotes Don’t Match? [00:07:40] Roland’s Bombshell Paper on Police Brutality [00:14:22] The Need for Firsthand Experience [00:17:15] Roland’s Guiding Principle for Truth [00:20:22] Data And Truth in an Era of AI [00:23:08] Can Data Cause Change? [00:25:20] How Harvard Students Have Changed [00:28:17] Working Odd Jobs as a Kid [00:31:46] Speaking Out on Harvard Antisemitism [00:33:55] Is There Still Value in Higher Education? [00:40:52] How to Incentivize Faculty to be Truthtellers [00:42:53] The Misapplication of DEI & the Need for Meritocracy [00:49:50] Is Harvard Safe for Jews and Israelis? [00:51:20] Why Become a Venture Capitalist? [00:57:18] Use of AI for Hiring [01:05:50] Increasing Social Mobility with Forage [01:14:00] What is the Biggest Problem You Want to Solve? [01:16:40] What’s Changed in Your Worldview Since Visiting Israel? RESOURCESFollow Roland on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roland-fryer-9889b7183 Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/investedLearn more about Aleph: aleph.vc Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/For the transcript of this episode, go to: content.aleph.vc/podcast-episodes/roland-fryer---episode-34Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenbergFollow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/CREDITSExecutive Producer: Erica Marom Producer: Yoni MayerVideo and Editing: Ron BaranovMusic and Art: Uri Ar Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts Oren Etzioni, Harvard’s first computer science graduate, venture partner, startup founder and a prominent AI researcher. Oren Etzioni is Professor Emeritus of computer science, and founding CEO of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI2). Etzioni is the founder and CEO of TrueMedia.org, a non-profit dedicated to fighting political deepfakes, which launched in April 2024. Etzioni is a Technical Director of the AI2 Incubator, and a venture partner at the Madrona Venture Group.Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  [00:00:00] Intro  [00:02:55] Core Values [00:04:35] The Power of Political Deepfakes [00:06:55] Why is it So Easy to Undermine Trust? [00:08:53] Truth in Mainstream and Social Media [00:12:17] Deepfake Influence on World Events [00:16:43] How to Approach Online Content [00:18:04] The Goal of TrueMedia [00:23:46] Notable Deepfakes TrueMedia Detected [00:25:05] Why Make TrueMedia a Nonprofit? [00:27:32] Is TrueMedia Nonpartisan? [00:30:15] Is Society in Devolution? [00:33:30] The Evolution of AI [00:37:49] How Oren’s Perspective on AI Has Changed [00:42:00] What Niche Area Will AI fix? [00:43:30] What Worries You About AI? [00:46:45] Allen Institute’s Medical Research [00:48:55] Future of Programming with AI [00:53:10] Should You Still Study Computer Science? [00:56:39] AI Progress is a Moral Obligation [01:00:30] Responsibility to Bring AI to All Humanity [01:03:40] How Can We Onboard People to AI? [01:05:25] Oren’s Approach to Mentoring Students [01:07:37] How Oren’s Father Influenced Him [01:10:00] UBI & How to Treat Chatbots [01:12:55] AI Energy Usage RESOURCESFollow Oren on X: https://x.com/etzioni Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/investedLearn more about Aleph: aleph.vc Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/For the transcript of this episode, go to: https://content.aleph.vc/podcast-episodes/oren-etzioni---episode-33 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenbergFollow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/CREDITSExecutive Producer: Erica Marom Producer: Yoni MayerVideo and Editing: Ron BaranovMusic and Art: Uri Ar Design: Rony Karadi

Joe Lonsdale, a venture capitalist and co-founder of Palantir Technologies, dives into vital issues like masculinity, academic freedom, and government transparency. He discusses the founding of the University of Austin to promote free speech and diverse dialogue. Lonsdale highlights innovative defense strategies and the need for effective governance amid bureaucratic challenges. He also shares insights on raising daughters, critiquing regulatory frustrations in tech, and the importance of fostering optimism and social understanding in today's society.

Ami Daniel, CEO of Windward, shares his firsthand experiences during the October 7th attacks and highlights the courageous civilian rescue efforts. Izhar Shay, whose son Yaron was killed, unveils the 'Next October' initiative to honor victims through startups. Eyal Waldman reflects on the loss of his daughter, emphasizing the need for peace. Stefan Thompson advocates for moral clarity in conflict, while Sam Lessin critiques higher education’s societal impact, stressing the importance of resilience and innovation in rebuilding after tragedy.

Bradley Tusk, a venture capitalist and political strategist, advocates for mobile voting as a crucial solution to save democracy. He discusses the threats posed by gerrymandering and low voter turnout, emphasizing the need for reforms to enhance public engagement. Tusk explores how mobile voting could address political polarization and improve participation, particularly for marginalized groups. He also highlights the challenges of corruption in government and the potential of AI in creating transparent electoral processes, urging for a careful balance between innovation and regulation.

In conversation with Sam Lessin, a General Partner at Slow Ventures and former VP at Facebook, intriguing insights unfold. He discusses the significant values shaping venture capital, revealing how family influences investment decisions. Sam weighs in on the chaos of AI, the evolution of trust in a digital world, and the state’s role in regulating technology. He highlights the promise of decentralized systems like cryptocurrency and reflects on his experiences at Harvard, advocating for proactive change amidst challenges.