Common threads through 25 years of VC investing

Most vertical AI companies fail because they're building features, not businesses. Rachel ten Brink, GP at Red Bike Capital and former Scentbird co-founder (scaled to 500K+ subscribers, $29M raised), breaks down how to build defensible vertical AI that survives the regulatory gauntlet. She reveals her operator's test for distinguishing product businesses from services wrappers, explains how winning data network effects emerge from proprietary processing of public data, and shares the specific go-to-market playbook that works for enterprise AI sales cycles.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Most AI adoption in finance is just automation theater—real transformation requires rethinking entire workflows. George Lee, former CTO and M&A head at Goldman Sachs, explains why AI won't replace bankers but will compress deal cycle times from weeks to days. He breaks down how junior talent using AI companions can eliminate rote tasks while expanding analytical surface area, and why the "Boyle's law" principle means human capital will always find new problems to solve for clients.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Most AI investment flows to infrastructure while founders ignore energy constraints that will determine who survives. George Lee, Co-Head of Goldman Sachs Global Institute, breaks down the bottlenecks choking AI deployment from silicon to grid capacity.George reveals flexible demand management frameworks that could unlock 75-125 gigawatts of slack capacity, eliminating energy bottlenecks. He and Tom go on to discuss why Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds are building strategic energy advantages, and how nondeterministic AI systems require continuous sampling protocols.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AI startups fail because founders obsess over models, not company building. Harrison Miller is a former VP/GM from Amazon.com’s early years, and former MD of Summit Partners, which over 40+ years has invested $40B in more than 550 tech companies. He explains why execution, not algorithms, determines survival.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tom Chavez, Founding General Partner at super{set}, in conversation with his brother - R. Martin Chavez, Partner and Vice Chairman, Sixth Street,  Board Member at Google, and former CFO of Goldman Sachs.Tom and Marty discuss their brief stint as roommates, their brotherly relationship, and R. Martin's experiences as an investor, entrepreneur, and corporate leader. Listen for insights on startups, leadership, investing, artificial intelligence, ethical technology, and being part of the early LGBTQ+ community on Wall Street.Listen to The Brothers Chavez in Conversation!Watch the full conversation here.***Listen (or watch) all episodes of The {Closed} Session at www.theclosedsession.comsuper{set} is a startup studio where great data+AI ideas become transformational software companies. With our people-first performance culture and company-building playbooks, we found, fund, and scale high-potential businesses.Learn more about super{set} - including co-founding with us and open roles across our portfolio of companies - at www.superset.comLearn more about our VECTOR program - a 12-week fully-paid launchpad for technical product leaders to receive direction, build magnitude, and co-explore company creation alongside super{set} - at superset.com/vectorSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

super{set} Celebrates First Exit: LiveRamp to Acquire Data Collaboration Software Startup Habu for $200M!Joining Tom and Vivek in the studio today are Habu co-founders Matt Kilmartin (CEO) and Mike Moreau (COO) to give the full story behind how Habu was conceived, built out, scaled, and sold.Habu is a leader in the data collaboration category with innovative data clean room technology. Habu enables companies to share, make sense of, and act on insights on decentralized data without compromising privacy or data ownership – enabling companies to realize the full value of their data regardless of where it resides. In January 2024, Habu entered a definitive agreement to be acquired by LiveRamp for $200 million in a highly strategic transaction.But Habu wasn't a category leader and a $200 million company from day one. Matt, Mike, Tom and Vivek started selling before even slinging code, bringing together a kick-ass team in the beginning that saw the company through pivots to growth. Early customers like Pepsi and Disney played a crucial role in co-innovating with Habu as design partners. And Matt and Mike developed a rapport as leaders and co-founders to power the company through to exit. Learn how Habu became super{set}'s first win in the latest episode of The {Closed} Session!Learn more about the Habu exit here: https://www.superset.com/feed/super-set-celebrates-first-exit-liveramp-acquires-data-collaboration-software-startup-habu See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Announcing super{set} Fund II!The world has tilted in our favor. We’ve been building companies in the data+AI space for 25 years, mostly while it was niche and nerdy. With the AI revolution fully upon us, we’re thrilled to announce that super{set} has closed a $90 million second fund to invest in companies at inception.Since launching our first fund, super{set} has founded, funded and scaled 16 data+AI startups. Fund II brings our committed capital in active funds to $176M and comes on the heels of super{set}’s first exit: the acquisition of leading data collaboration company Habu for $200 million in January 2024.super{set} General Partner Jeremy Klein joins Tom and Vivek for this special episode digging into Jeremy's background and early work at the inception of super{set}, the immense data+AI opportunity today, why super{set} has raised Fund II, and how super{set} will partner with co-founders in Fund II. Don't miss this big news!Learn more about the Fund II announcement at superset.com/feed/super-set-fund-ii-90-million-to-intensify-our-serial-focus-on-data-ai-company-buildingRead Tech Crunch's Exclusive Coverage: "Boutique startup studio super{set} gets another $90 million to co-found data and AI companies"Learn more about our VECTOR program - a 12-week fully-paid launchpad for technical product leaders to receive direction, build magnitude, and co-explore company creation alongside super{set} - at superset.com/vectorSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Talent and career development in startups is typically nonexistent - so at super{set}, we're changing that. While a startup’s opportunities for rapid growth and trial by fire are incredible, we believe startup employees can still benefit from intentional mentorship and development. No - it's not about bringing in professional coaches who lack hands-on company-building expertise. And no, it's more than advice from the balcony unmarried to what life is actually like in the startup trenches.Joining Tom and Vivek in the studio are the first graduates of super{set}’s coaching program for its employees: Jen D’Amico (Head of Business Development at Ketch), Anupam Gupta (Head of Customer Success at Ketch), and Ted Flanagan (Chief Customer Officer at Habu, recently Acquired by LiveRamp). How can startups improve outcomes by becoming more self-aware and assessing strengths and development areas better? How can entrepreneurs create the soil conditions for their employees to perform, even within the fast-paced startup environment? What advice do Jen, Anupam, and Ted have for startup employees - and the founders at the helm - around the globe? Join us in the first episode of Season 5 of The {Closed} Session!Listen (or watch) all episodes of The {Closed} Session at www.theclosedsession.comLearn more about Ketch at www.ketch.comLearn more about Habu (acquired by LiveRamp) at www.habu.comLearn more about super{set} - including co-founding with us and open roles across our portfolio of companies - at www.superset.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rachel Gollub is a distinguished engineer, programmer, and entrepreneur with a storied career in Silicon Valley: she started her career as part of the founding team behind the Java programming language and ended it as CTO of healthcare giant Optum. Along the way, Rachel managed to start several companies on top of a quick stopover at Stanford.In this episode, Rachel reflects on her experiences working alongside tech luminaries like James Gosling and dives into the challenges and triumphs she encountered while navigating the male-dominated field of technology. What does it take to build a successful team in the fast-paced world of startups? How do you bounce back from setbacks and learn from failed ventures? Rachel shares her insights, drawing from her rich experience in taking ideas from inception to reality, and the critical role of adaptability and innovation in entrepreneurship. Join Vivek and Rachel in this episode of 'The {Closed} Session' as they explore the intersection of engineering, entrepreneurship, and healthcare AI. The conversation delves into her thoughts on the current state and future of AI, particularly in healthcare, where she's been a driving force in integrating advanced technologies to revolutionize patient care and outcomes. Stay for Rachel’s unique perspective on where technology is headed, especially in the realm of healthcare AI.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everyone’s talking about what went down at OpenAI - but what does it mean for ethical and responsible AI, and what are the lessons for entrepreneurs on startup board governance? With the abrupt dismissal of CEO Sam Altman, questions loom over the stability and direction of one of AI's most influential entities. Let’s uncover the twists and turns in this high-stakes boardroom drama.Why was Sam Altman abruptly dismissed - only to be brought back again? What role did board member Helen Toner and the responsible AI community play in the firings? Who is on deck next as the newest members of the board - and who else should OpenAI consider bringing? What choices face Sam Altman - and key partner at Microsoft Satya Nadella - and what should these leaders do next? Finally, what can the AI and startup communities learn from how it all went down?Tom Chavez and Vivek Vaidya give us their timely takes on what happened at OpenAI. With incisive commentary and expert insights, they explore the events leading to Altman's sacking and the broader implications for AI governance. Note this episode was recorded on November 27th, 2023, and published on December 1st, 2023 so it may not reflect the most current developments at OpenAI.Read Tom Chavez’s op-ed in Tech Crunch on the need for an interdisciplinary approach to AI alignment: https://www.superset.com/feed/tom-chavez-in-tech-crunch-answering-ais-biggest-questions-requires-an-interdisciplinary-approachListen to more episodes at www.theclosedsession.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.