Shows
"World of DaaS"DoubleVerify $DV CEO Mark Zagorski - the $100B war against digital ad fraudMark Zagorski is the CEO of DoubleVerify (NYSE: DV), a $3.4B market cap company that provides digital media measurement and verification software to major advertisers and platforms.In this episode of World of DaaS, Mark and Auren discuss:The $100B digital ad fraud economyWhy marketing data is wrong but worksThe death of cookies and what's nextBuilding sustainable independent adtech companiesThis episode of World of DaaS was brought to you by Alkemi. Check out alkemi.ai to learn how Alkemi can help you unlock the...
2025-01-1441 min
"World of DaaS"Ben Casnocha - Flaws as Assets: Unconventional Talent SpottingBen Casnocha is a cofounder and partner at Village Global, an early-stage venture capital firm backed by tech luminaries including Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. He was also chief of staff to Reid Hoffman and co-authored two best selling books with him, “The Alliance” and “The Startup of You.” In this episode of World of DaaS, Ben and Auren discuss: Approaching your career as a startupEvaluating founder qualityWhether networking is overrated or underratedThe optimal level of wealth for happinessLooking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaa...
2024-10-0857 min
"World of DaaS"Brent Beshore - Private Equity for “Boring” BusinessesBrent Beshore is the founder and CEO of Permanent Equity, a unique private equity firm that buys cash-generating small and mid-sized businesses— with the intention to hold them indefinitely. Permanent Equity owns over a dozen businesses in diverse sectors including aerospace, building and construction, and martech. On this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Brent discuss:Secrets to good acquisitionsRunning a PE firm with no leverage and no feesIncentives and efficiency in businessBuilding in Flyover CountyLooking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to WorldofDaaS.com for...
2024-06-1147 min
"World of DaaS"Mark Gerson - Founder of GLG: Better PhilanthropyMark Gerson co-founded Gerson Lehrman Group, the world’s largest expert network. He’s also the co-founder and Chairman of United Hatzalah and the African Mission Healthcare Foundation. In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Mark discuss: Measuring charity impact and ROI Real philanthropy vs “fake charities” Building GLG and expert networksMarriage and religion in the USLooking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to WorldofDaaS.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @WorldOfDaaS. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren a...
2024-06-0450 min
"World of DaaS"Masterworks CEO Scott Lynn - Data-Driven Art InvestingScott Lynn is the founder and CEO of Masterworks, the first company to securitize art. Masterworks manages $940 million in art assets and has nearly 900,000 investors on its platform. Scott is also a multitime founder– prior to Masterworks, he founded companies in online gaming, advertising and fintech including AdKnowledge, Virtumundo, V2 Ventures and Payability.In this episode, Scott and Auren discuss: Data insights on the art marketArt trends and investing strategiesNFTs and other collectiblesFraud, money laundering and art scamsWorld of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, vis...
2024-05-1444 min
"World of DaaS"Dmitri Alperovitch - The New Cold WarDmitri Alperovitch is the co-founder and former CTO of Crowdstrike, and he’s currently the chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator, a national security think tank. He’s also the author of the new book World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the Twenty-First Century.In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Dmitri discuss: Taiwan's strategic importance in AsiaChina's potential timeframe for invading TaiwanChip dominance and global semiconductor marketsEndgames in the Ukraine-Russia ConflictWorld of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episo...
2024-05-0758 min
"World of DaaS"Groq CEO Jonathan Ross - Next Gen AI HardwareJonathan Ross is the founder and CEO of Groq, a company that develops high performance microchips purpose built for AI and machine learning. Prior to founding Groq, Jonathan invented Google’s AI processor, the TPU. In this episode of World of DaaS, Jonathan and Auren discuss: Future of industry in the AI eraEvolution of AI processing hardwareSemiconductor supply chainsChallenges and innovations in chip developmentPrompt writing tips from an AI proWorld of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS. ...
2024-04-3051 min
"World of DaaS"Greg Isenberg - Startup Studios vs Traditional VCGreg Isenberg is the CEO and Founder of Late Checkout Studio, a holding company for online community businesses. Greg has founded three venture-backed startups and he was also an advisor to TikTok and Reddit. In this episode of World of DaaS, Greg and Auren discuss: Changes to startup + VC ecosystemStartup studio model vs. private equityChatGPT businesses in 2024Building without venture fundingWorld of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and...
2024-04-2341 min
"World of DaaS"Breaking Points Host Saagar Enjeti - Anti-Establishment MediaSaagar is the co-host of the podcast and web series Breaking Points, which has over a million subscribers on Youtube. He was previously a White House correspondent for the Daily Caller. On this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Saagar discuss: Media business models and revenue streamsBias and anti-establishment mediaParallels in US history to todayAliens, conspiracies and DC parties World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @aure...
2024-04-1655 min
"World of DaaS"Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen: Global Shipping and LogisticsRyan Petersen is the founder and CEO of Flexport, a unicorn international freight forwarding business. He’s also a Venture Partner at Founders Fund. In this episode of World of DaaS, Ryan and Auren discuss: Supply chain breakdowns Geopolitics of commercial shippingScaling freight forwarding businesses 10XDeglobalization vs international tradeReturning to Flexport after stepping down as CEOWhy good CEOs micromanageWorld of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @a...
2024-04-0952 min
"World of DaaS"Bill Magnuson, CEO of Braze $BRZE : Future of MobileBill Magnuson is the co-founder and CEO of Braze ($BRZE), a publicly traded customer engagement platform valued at over $5 billion. In this episode of World of DaaS: Growth of mobile technologyPower of first-party relationshipsModern martech mindset vs traditional advertisingTech company IPOsHow SMS spam and fraud worksBuild vs buy martech strategiesToxic tech workplace culture and “family” World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Bill Magnuson on X at @billmag
2024-04-0259 min
"World of DaaS"Steve Case: AOL, AI & American InnovationSteve was CEO of AOL during its meteoric rise from 1991 to 2003. He’s also the chairman and CEO of Revolution, which has invested over $1 billion in startups, and the author of several books, including Rise of the Rest and The Third Wave.In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Steve discuss the early days of the internet and the challenges of getting people to embrace it. Steve highlights the importance of community in AOL's success and the launch of AOL Instant Messenger (AIM). Steve also shares his vision for the third wave of the internet, wh...
2024-03-2646 min
"World of DaaS"ID.me CEO Blake Hall: Identity & SecurityBlake Hall is the co-founder and CEO of ID.me, a secure digital identity network with over 100 million members. In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Blake dive into online security, passwords, AI, and geopolitics. Blake explains the concept of identity wallets and their potential to streamline access to services and benefits. He also breaks down why identity wallets are like VISA and Mastercard, and explains where there’s untapped opportunity for a trillion-dollar company in the identity space. In the second half of the conversation, Auren and Blake discuss espionage in the digital...
2024-03-1959 min
"World of DaaS"Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier: Future of Higher EdDaniel Diermeier is the Chancellor of Vanderbilt University. He’s a world-renowned scholar of business management and political science. Before joining Vanderbilt, he was Provost of the University of Chicago. In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Daniel engage in a thought-provoking discussion on free speech, academic freedom and the state of higher education at large. They explore the sources behind requests to curtail free speech, the principles guiding free expression at Vanderbilt, and how Daniel has developed programs to teach students about civil discourse. Daniel and Auren also discuss the influence of univ...
2024-03-1244 min
"World of DaaS"Daniel Lurie, Running for Mayor of San FranciscoDaniel Lurie is currently running for mayor of San Francisco. Prior to running for mayor, he was the founder and CEO of Tipping Point Community, a charitable organization that distributed over $30 million to organizations fighting poverty throughout the Bay Area last year. In this episode of World of DaaS, Daniel discusses tackling crime, homelessness and cost of living in San Francisco. He breaks down the structural factors in the city’s governance and explains how they’re enabling corruption and inefficiency. In particular, Daniel outlines how he would reform the city’s massive $700 million homelessness efforts to better...
2024-03-0536 min
"World of DaaS"Sarah Tavel, Benchmark Capital GP: Selling Work in SaaSSarah Tavel is a general partner at Benchmark Capital. She serves on the board of Chainalysis, Hipcamp, Medely, Rekki, and Cambly. On this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Sarah discuss the concept of selling work in the SaaS industry and how it differs from selling traditional productivity software. Sarah explains how selling work could unlock whole new verticals for software penetration and disrupt existing SaaS giants. Auren and Sarah explore the areas where these new, leaner software companies could flourish and discuss the broader impacts of AI in SaaS. As one of the ea...
2024-02-2747 min
"World of DaaS"Meb Faber: Controversial Investing InsightsMeb Faber is the co-founder and CIO of Cambria Investment Management, which has over $2B in assets under management. He’s also the host of the excellent financial podcast the Meb Faber Show. In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Meb discuss global portfolio allocation, bitcoin ETFs, controversial investing strategies, and little-known financial industry secrets. They discuss the most common mistakes Meb sees in investment portfolios, the importance of global diversification and tax efficiency strategies for founders. This is a high-level investing strategy discussion, with Auren and Meb diving deep on t...
2024-02-2050 min
"World of DaaS"Neil Buddy Shah, Clinton Health CEO: AI, Data & Public HealthDr. Neil Buddy Shah is the CEO of the Clinton Health Access Initiative and the former managing director of GiveWell. In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Buddy dive into all things data, public health, and AI. Buddy discusses innovative solutions for data scarcity in low-income countries, such as using machine learning algorithms to better target social and medical aid. He also explores the potential of low-cost surveys and the role of cell phones in data collection. Buddy is a longtime member of the effective altruism movement an...
2024-02-1341 min
"World of DaaS"RewindAI CEO Dan Siroker: AI Wearables & Fundraising in PublicDan Siroker is the co-founder and CEO of Rewind AI. He also co-founded Optimizely, and he was the Director of Analytics at Obama’s first presidential campaign. On this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Dan discuss how Rewind raised its Series A in public, and how the unconventional move benefited the company. Dan shares insights on creating a compelling pitch and the importance of practicing and honing the pitch through meetings with investors. Dan also discusses the challenges and opportunities in building screenless wearable devices, and what future...
2024-02-0645 min
"World of DaaS"Emil Michael, Fmr Uber CBO: Ridesharing and Picking VCsEmil Michael was the Chief Business Officer at $UBER during its hyperscale period from 2013 to 2017. He’s currently the CEO of DPCM Capital, and he’s also a strategic advisor to a number of amazing companies, including Codecademy, GroupMe and Taser. On this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Emil cover everything from tech IPOs and Uber's stock performance to the future of AI, the relationship between Uber and Benchmark, and more. Emil shares insights into the reasons behind the delay in tech IPOs, the profitability of ridesharing compan...
2024-01-3037 min
"World of DaaS"Building and Understanding Data Businesses | Auren Hoffman | Media EmpiresThis episode is a rebroadcast of Auren's appearance on Media Empires with Erik Torenberg. Go check out Media Empires for more from the best YouTube creators, podcasters, newsletter writers, and media entrepreneurs. In this episode, Erik and Auren discuss all things data business, including data on windfalls and net worth, reputational databases, and the failures and successes of LinkedIn. World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit safegraph.com/podcasts.You can find Auren Hoffman on Twitter at @auren and Erik on Twitter at @eriktorenberg
2024-01-0957 min
"World of DaaS"Greg Lukianoff, President of FIRE: Free SpeechGreg Lukianoff is the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). He’s also a bestselling author of several books, including The Coddling of the American Mind and most recently The Canceling of the American Mind.On this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Greg delve into the current state of cancel culture. Greg reveals surprising stats on which schools are the best and worst for free speech in 2024 and breaks down the escalating levels of shoutdowns and violence observed on campuses in 2020 and 2021....
2024-01-0253 min
"World of DaaS"SEIU President Mary Kay Henry: Future of US LaborMary Kay Henry is the president of the Service Employees International Union, which represents 2 million people in unions across the US and Canada.In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Mary Kay discuss the current surge in the labor movement and what it means for American companies and workers. Mary Kay breaks down some recent developments, including Microsoft's agreement with the Communications Workers of America around unions for game developers. The conversation also delves into political dynamics, exploring the evolving relationship between Republicans and labor, with Mary K...
2023-12-2642 min
"World of DaaS"Joe Lonsdale: 8VC GP and Palantir CofounderJoe Lonsdale is a co-founder of a number of amazing companies, including Palantir, Addepar and OpenGov, and he’s a cofounder of the University of Austin. He’s also the founder and managing partner of the venture firm 8VC, and he’s invested in some incredible companies, including Oculus, Anduril, Wish and Flexport.In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Joe engage in a thought-provoking discussion on optimism and pessimism, technological progress, and reforming society at the most basic levels. Joe shares his vision for revolutionizing American healthcare, emphasizing the need to fix a...
2023-12-1944 min
"World of DaaS"Sam Lessin of SlowVC: The End of Factory-Farmed UnicornsSam Lessin is a GP at Slow Ventures, a former Facebook product manager, and the founder of Drop.io and Fin. He’s also the co-host of an excellent podcast on tech called More or Less. On this episode of World of DaaS, Sam gives a comprehensive breakdown of the state of venture capital. Auren and Sam discuss the “unicorn factory” for building public companies, the influence of megafunds like Tiger Global and Softbank, and the fundamental changes that VC went through in 2018-2022. Sam also shares his outlook on the b...
2023-12-1246 min
"World of DaaS"Hubspot CEO Brian Halligan: Navigating Startup BoardsBrian Halligan is the co-founder, longtime CEO and now executive chair of Hubspot, a full service platform for marketing, sales and customer service. Hubspot was founded in 2006 and has a market cap of $23B today. Brian coined the term “inbound marketing” and helped give rise to one of the biggest shifts in marketing of the last 20 years. In this episode of World of DaaS, Brian offers a deep dive into the intricacies of boardroom politics, effective leadership transitions, and the ever-evolving landscape of marketing in the AI age. He offers a candid perspective on what makes...
2023-12-0541 min"World of DaaS"Auren Hoffman: Entity Resolution with PlacekeyThis episode is a rebroadcast of Auren’s appearance on the MapScaping Podcast. In this episode, Auren and MapScaping host Daniel O’Donohue go deep on geospatial data. They start by discussing Placekey– an open entity resolution service for places and addresses. Auren gives a breakdown of the complexities involved with address matching, and what that has to do with the dollar, Unix time, and innovation. Auren and Daniel also delve into a broader conversation about join keys, data integration and the future of data interoperability. World of DaaS i...
2023-11-2840 min
"World of DaaS"Sam Corcos, Levels CEO: 10x DelegationSam Corcos is the CEO of Levels, an a16z-backed health tech startup. While Levels’ mission is amazing, what really sets the company apart is how Sam runs it: Levels is highly transparent, asynchronous first, and serious about leveraging delegation for maximum productivity. In this episode of World of DaaS, Sam gives a master class on the art of virtual assistance and delegation. Levels uses VAS to allow team members much greater leverage over their work. Sam himself has four EAs that allow him to get an extra 90-120 hours of work done each week.
2023-11-2159 min
"World of DaaS"Jeff Lawson, CEO of Twilio: The API EconomyJeff Lawson is the cofounder and CEO of Twilio, a $10 billion public software communications company.Jeff has an incredible founder story. Prior to Twilio, he co-founded Versity, which he sold for $30 million when he was just 23 years old. He was also the founding CTO of Stubhub and one of the first product managers at AWS. He founded Twilio in 2008. In this episode, Jeff shares his insights into the API economy, scaling successful businesses, and the future of the SaaS business model. Jeff and Auren reflect on the evolution of S...
2023-11-1456 min
"World of DaaS"Spencer Kimball, CEO of Cockroach Labs: Future of Open SourceSpencer Kimball is the founder and CEO of Cockroach Labs, a $5 billion company that makes the CockroachDB database used by Netflix, Nubank, Shipt, and many other leading tech companies. Spencer was building and contributing to major open source projects before he graduated from college. In this episode of World of DaaS, Spencer and Auren do a deep dive on open source companies: How they make money, what the ecosystem looks like in 2023, and competing with the giants like AWS and Oracle. Auren and Spencer open with an in...
2023-11-0743 min
"World of DaaS"Ben Horowitz, co-founder of a16z: Venture CapitalBen Horowitz is the cofounder and CEO of Andreessen Horowitz, the most influential venture capital firm of the last 20 years. Ben and Andreessen Horowitz (also known as a16z) have invested in some of the biggest companies out there, including AirBnb, Coinbase, Facebook, Instacart, GitHub and Oculus. Prior to his VC career, Ben founded Opsware/Loudcloud, which was acquired by Hewlett-Packard for $1.6 billion. He’s also the author of the bestselling books 'The Hard Thing About Hard Things' and ‘What You Do Is Who You Are.’In this episode of Worl...
2023-10-2452 min
"World of DaaS"Guillermo Rauch, CEO of Vercel: AIGuillermo Rauch is the founder and CEO of Vercel, a cloud platform that powers some of the biggest names on the internet, like Patreon, Ebay, Netflix and Adobe. Guillermo has an incredible founder story– he began coding at age 10, dropped out of high school and moved from his native Argentina to San Francisco as a teenager. He’s also the creator of several major open source projects and a dual threat CEO who runs his own solo VC firm, Rauch Capital. In this episode of World of DaaS, Guillermo and Au...
2023-10-1749 min
"World of DaaS"Andrew Ross Sorkin: SVB, Lessons from 2008 Financial Crisis & VCAndrew Ross Sorkin is a financial columnist for the New York Times, a co-anchor of CNBC’s Squawk Box and the founder and editor of DealBook. He’s also the co-creator of the hit-show Billions and the author of the bestselling book Too Big To Fail, on the 2008 financial crisis. On this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Andrew dive into the intersecting realms of technology, finance, and data. Andrew offers non-obvious insights into the 2008 financial crisis, highlighting the nuances of a pivotal moment in history. He also discusses the evolution of the banki...
2023-10-1245 min
"World of DaaS"Peter Thiel: Science, Society, StagnationPeter Thiel is one of the greatest entrepreneurs and investors of his generation. He was the co-founder and CEO of PayPal, the first investor in Facebook, and co-founder of Palantir Technologies. He’s the founder and managing partner of the venture capital firm Founders Fund, and the author of Zero to One, one of the best business books of all time.In this episode, Auren and Peter dive deep on venture capital, scientific stagnation, AI, tech start-ups, and more. Peter shares his compelling theory for why scientific progress has slowed down dramatically in the last de...
2023-10-0345 min
"World of DaaS"Martin Sorrell: S4 & WPP: AdTech, Advertising & AISir Martin Sorrell is the founder of WPP, one of the largest advertising agencies in the world, which he ran for over 30 years. He’s currently the executive chairman of S4 Capital, which is a pure play digital advertising company he founded in 2018. In this episode, Auren and Martin dive into the fascinating intersection of AI in advertising, the economic impact of Brexit, and the ever-evolving landscape of ad revenue at big tech companies. Martin shares his global outlook for advertising, including the regions he’s most bullish about, and he...
2023-09-1946 min
"World of DaaS"Neil Strauss, Author of "The Game": Growth in the AI EraNeil Strauss is a 10x New York Times bestselling author and a renowned journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Esquire. Neil and host Auren Hoffman delve into the intriguing world of charisma, self-improvement, and relationships. Neil explains how anyone can learn to be more charismatic, and what charisma has to do with group dynamics. The conversation then shifts to personal transformation and the challenges of breaking recurring patterns. Neil challenges societal notions of relationships and discusses the evolving role of emotional intelligence in...
2023-09-1248 min
"World of DaaS"Bram Cohen, Founder of BitTorrent and Chia: Decentralization, Data Science & BlockchainBram Cohen is the creator of BitTorrent, which revolutionized digital entertainment and has been downloaded over two billion times.Today, Bram is the founder and CTO of Chia network, which manages the Chia cryptocurrency. Chia uses a unique proof of space model, in contrast to proof or work or proof of stake models like Bitcoin and Ethereum. In this episode of World of DaaS, Bram and host Auren Hoffman discuss a wide range of topics related to technology, data science, and cryptocurrencies. Bram begins by sharing insights into Chia, C...
2023-09-0552 min
"World of DaaS"Bryan Johnson: How to Age in ReverseBryan Johnson is the founder of the payments processing company Braintree, which sold to Paypal for $800 million in 2012. He’s also the founder of OS Fund, which invests in advancing genomic and biological technology, and Kernel, which is focused on developing brain-machine interfaces. In 2021, he launched Project Blueprint, which aims to slow and reverse the aging process in the human body. He's spent millions of dollars optimizing and tracking his health, becoming the "most measured man in history."Auren and Bryan delve into a comprehensive discussion about optimizing health, longevity, and well-being. Bryan Johnson st...
2023-08-2958 min
"World of DaaS"Sue Gordon, fmr ODNI/NGA/CIA: OSINT, Cybersecurity, WarSue Gordon is the former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence. She had a 30+ year career with the CIA, as well as serving as Deputy Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Auren and Sue discuss shifting global power dynamics and the nature of modern intelligence in an ever-evolving world. They delve into the realm of cyber defense and Sue gives an overview of the expanding threat landscape that stretches far beyond government borders. They also discuss open source intelligence (OSINT) and the cutting-edge world of satellite technology and geospatial intelligence.
2023-08-2238 min
"World of DaaS"Ajit Pai: Innovation, Regulation, GDPRAjit Pai is the former Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, where he served from 2017 to 2021. He’s currently a partner at Searchlight Capital.Auren and Ajit delve into the intricacies of technology regulation, including the nuances of regulating AI and crypto. Ajit outlines the essential triggers for preemptive intervention, and the many unintended consequences of Section 230 and Europe’s GDPR privacy regulation. They also discuss the anticompetitive nature of big tech, censorship concerns, and the aftermath of net neutrality debates. Shifting to communication infrastructure, Ajit and Auren break down...
2023-08-1549 min
"World of DaaS"Jesse Pujji: Digital Marketing, D2C & Venture StudiosJesse is the founder and CEO of Gateway X, a venture studio focused on DTC brands. Previously, he was the co-founder and CEO of Ampush, a digital marketing firm which he bootstrapped to an eight figure exit.Jesse and Auren break down some of the nuances of digital marketing and discuss the state of marketing on the major tech platforms today. They also discuss Red Ventures, “the most impressive company you’ve never heard of.” Jesse is an expert on DTC companies and shares his insights on the space overall...
2023-07-2553 min
"World of DaaS"Immad Akhund, CEO of Mercury: SVB, Neobanks, and UIImmad Akhund is the CEO of Mercury, a bank for startups. He’s also a multi-time founder and a Dual Threat CEO with over 300+ angel investments. Auren and Immad discuss the collapse of SVB and how Mercury handled an influx of over $2 billion in deposits. Immad explains some lesser-known structural aspects of the banking system that affect the product and customer experience. Auren and Immad also talk about crowdfunding a startup, how much focus founders need to succeed, and why Dual Threat CEOs can outperform conventional VCs.
2023-07-1848 min
"World of DaaS"Matt Kaminski, Politico EIC: Future of Media & SpeechMatt Kaminski is the Editor in Chief of Politico and the founding editor of Politico Europe. Auren and Matt discuss the challenges of restoring trust in journalism and navigating politics in the digital age. Matt highlights the complicated nuances of getting a story right, the role of bias in journalism, and the need to protect free speech. He also discusses how Politico approached breaking the story of the leaked decision in the Supreme Court’s Dobbs case. Matt and Auren also explore the evolving landscape of media coverage, and whet...
2023-06-0652 min
"World of DaaS"Tom Tugendhat: UK Minister, OSINT, MI5 & CybersecurityTom Tugendhat is the UK’s Minister of State for Security and a British Member of Parliament. He was previously the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament, and before that he served multiple tours in the British Army in Iraq and Afghanistan. Auren and Tom discuss the role of the UK's Minister of State for Security and Tom’s work with cybersecurity, intelligence gathering, and defense. Tom highlights some of the most overlooked factors in security and what government and private actors should be doing to improve their resilience against cyber threats.
2023-05-2339 min
"World of DaaS"Jack Abraham of Atomic: Incubators & Startup StudiosJack Abraham is the founder of Atomic, a startup studio that has launched several dozen companies including Hims & Hers, Openstore, and Bungalow. Before starting Atomic, Jack co-founded Milo, which he sold to eBay.Auren and Jack discuss how the studio fund model works and what’s allowed Atomic to be successful in a space where many other studios have failed. Jack breaks down the process of finding scalable ideas and deciding which ones to allocate resources to. Auren and Jack also dive into the history of the startup studio mod...
2023-05-1650 min
"World of DaaS"Will Manidis: AI, LLMs & Healthcare DataWill Manidis is the CEO and founder of ScienceIO, which builds data solutions for health care. He was previously a managing partner at Dorm Room Fund, and a Thiel Fellow.Auren and Will discuss American dynamism and the future of knowledge work. Will breaks down his view that technology has not improved our lives as much as it should have. He explains how the nature of platform shifts have accelerated tech earnings over the last decade, but kept actual progress low. Will and Auren also do a deep dive o...
2023-05-0937 min
"World of DaaS"Elad Gil: AI, Angel Investing, Living ForeverElad Gil is a prolific angel investor and advisor whose early investments include AirBnb, Coinbase, Pinterest, Stripe, and Square. He’s also the founder of Color Health and author of the bestselling book High Growth Handbook.Elad and Auren discuss the challenges and opportunities for startups in the emerging AI technology landscape, particularly in comparison to incumbent companies. Elad breaks down what he’s learned as an angel investor and provides some non-generic advice for making good early-stage investments. Auren and Elad also discuss fundraising and operating in lean times...
2023-04-2553 min
"World of DaaS"Tony Thomas, Fmr. 4-Star General: Navigating ThreatsTony is a retired 4-star US Army General and was the commander of the US Special Operations Command from 2016 to 2019. During his 35-year military career, he played a key role in numerous high-profile operations, including the mission that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden. He’s currently a partner at Lux Capital.Auren and Tony discuss what we’ve learned from the war in Ukraine and which countries are the strategic winners and losers of the conflict. Tony has a clear, nuanced view of Russia’s strengths and weaknesses and explains how the U.S. sho...
2023-03-0748 min
"World of DaaS"Jaan Tallinn: Balancing AI Risk and OpportunityJaan Tallinn is one of the founding engineers of Skype and the file-sharing service Kazaa. He’s also a co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk and the Future of Life Institute. Auren and Jaan discuss the trajectory of artificial intelligence and the existential risks it could present to humanity. Jann talks about the prevailing attitudes towards risk in AI research and what needs to change in order get aligned, safe AI. Jaan and Auren also talk about how Jaan’s native Estonia has become one of the...
2023-02-2027 min
"World of DaaS"Dido Harding: Leveraging Data for Public HealthBaroness Dido Harding has held high-level leadership roles in the UK’s National Health Service and in the private sector, at companies like TalkTalk, Tesco, and Thomas Cook. She was executive chair of the NHS’s COVID-19 Test and Trace effort. Dido and Auren break down what we’ve learned about data and public health during the pandemic. Dido explains how publicly accessible data helped leaders and the general public make decisions, and outlines what we should be doing to prepare for the next pandemic. Auren and Dido also talk abo...
2023-02-1444 min
"World of DaaS"Oren Etzioni: Unlocking AI’s PotentialOren Etzioni was the founding CEO of the Allen Institute for AI, or AI2. He’s founded multiple companies that had successful exits, and he’s a professor emeritus at the University of Washington. Oren Etzioni and host Auren Hoffman discuss Oren’s criteria for artificial general intelligence and what signs he’s looking for to indicate that AGI is about to emerge. They talk about major issues in AI research right now, including the cost of compute, accessing data, and adversarial versus collaborative AI training methods. Oren shares how AI2 ha...
2023-02-0738 min
"World of DaaS"Amit Bendov: A Data-Driven Sales MasterclassAmit Bendov is a serial founder who’s scaled three unicorn software companies to massive exits. He’s currently the co-founder and CEO of Gong, an AI sales intelligence platform. Auren and Amit discuss the best practices for B2B sales, based on data Gong has collected from over a billion sales conversations. Amit breaks down how winning strategies have changed in the challenging macro environment. Auren and Amit also discuss the generational difference in startup founders and what’s made Israel the most startup-dense place on Earth.
2023-01-0330 min
"World of DaaS"Bryan Mistele: What the Future of Transportation Looks LikeBryan Mistele is the founder and CEO of INRIX, a leading provider of traffic data and analytics. Auren and Bryan discuss how vehicle technology is changing and when we can expect to see mass adoption of driverless cars in the US and around the world. Bryan breaks down which industries he expects will go autonomous first and how self-driving will affect total vehicle sales. Auren and Bryan also discuss the intricacies of operating a global data company and what better safety data could do for transportation....
2022-12-1340 min
"World of DaaS"Anthony Scaramucci: The Future of Institutional Investing in CryptoAnthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of Skybridge Capital, which manages over $800 million in digital assets. He’s also the founder of the SALT Conferences, and he briefly served as the White House Communications Director. Anthony and Auren break down the 2022 crypto crash in depth and discuss the major factors that led to the crash. Anthony shares his perspective on potential crypto regulation, institutional investing in the space, and which blockchain technologies he expects to become dominant. In addition to crypto, Auren and Anthony also discuss working in p...
2022-11-0840 min
"World of DaaS"Rob Buxton: The State of DaaS (A Market Snapshot)Rob Buxton is a partner at AGC Partners where he specializes in the DaaS and SaaS capital markets. Rob has completed over 300 financings and M&A transactions in his career. Rob and Auren dive into the recent trends in the data-as-a-service (DaaS) sector. They break down the insights from Rob’s recent DaaS sector report and dig into what makes the great data companies great and the broader DaaS M&A landscape. Rob walks through the different types of data companies out there, their respective competitive advantages and TAMs, and how the recent downturn has im...
2022-07-1924 min
"World of DaaS"Ryan Breslow: The King vs. The MobRyan Breslow is the Chairman at Bolt, a decacorn online checkout startup. While he’s built one of the fastest growing startups in Silicon Valley, Ryan Breslow is perhaps most famous for his twitter threads about the so-called "Silicon Valley Mob". Auren and Ryan dive into the various claims Ryan made about the Silicon Valley juggernauts like Y Combinator, Stripe and Sequoia. They also dive into company building and the alternative approaches available to young entrepreneurs out there just starting their journey. World of DaaS i...
2022-05-3128 min
"World of DaaS"Glenn Fogel: The Greatest Acquirer in HistoryGlenn Fogel is CEO at Booking Holdings, a juggernaut in the travel industry. Glenn has a remarkable track record of completing successful acquisitions.Auren and Glenn dive into the common pitfalls of M&A, the heuristics to apply when evaluating deals and why acquisitions can be transformative when done right. Glenn walks through the many acquisitions Booking Holdings has done in the travel space and their strategy over the years.They also discuss the experience of being in the travel industry during the pandemic and how Glenn navigated the...
2022-05-2438 min"World of DaaS"Auren Hoffman: A Tale about Truth in DataThis episode is a rebroadcast of Auren's appearance on The Data Scientist Show. Auren and Daliana dive into the nuts and bolts of building a geospatial DaaS business. Daliana Liu is a senior data scientist and host of The Data Scientist Show. You can find her at the following places:TwitterApple PodcastsSpotifyAuren is the CEO at SafeGraph and can be found on Twitter @auren.
2022-05-191h 27
"World of DaaS"Joel Myers: The Father of Commercial MeteorologyDr. Joel Myers is the founder and CEO of AccuWeather, one of the oldest weather companies in the world. Weather companies are really data companies at their core. Joel and Auren dive into the early days of commercial meteorology and the challenges of building a business on top of a product that was historically available for free. Joel has dedicated his entire career to AccuWeather and dives into the nuances of weather forecasting and the immense responsibility that comes with the trade. You can find Auren Hoffman (CEO...
2022-05-1039 min
"World of DaaS"Charlie Youakim: The Real Economics of Buy-Now-Pay-LaterCharlie is co-founder and CEO of Sezzle, a $1.2 billion market cap alternative payment platform.Charlie and Auren dive into the unit economics of Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) businesses, why the “creditization of debit” is the hottest trend, and how underwriting BNPL loans differs from traditional consumer lending.They also explore data’s role in BNPL and how most fintech companies are on the path of becoming neobanks. You can find Auren Hoffman (CEO of SafeGraph) on Twitter at @auren and Charlie Youakim at @CharlieYouakim
2022-05-0346 min
"World of DaaS"Jacob Helberg: The New Cold WarJacob Helberg is the author of The Wires of War, senior adviser at the Stanford University Center on Geopolitics and Technology, and co-chair at the Brookings Institution China Strategy Working Group. Jacob and Auren explore the current tension between global superpowers, the dependencies America has on Chinese hardware and infrastructure and potential solutions to reversing these dependencies. They also dive into the generational and cultural rift between Capitol Hill and Silicon Valley and how that’s affecting America’s competitive advantage.You can find Auren...
2022-04-2631 min"World of DaaS"Auren Hoffman: It's Our Moral Obligation to Make Data More AccessibleAudio version of "It's Our Moral Obligation to Make Data More Accessible" by Auren Hoffman. You can find the full essay at: safegraph.com/blog/data-accessibility-moral-obligationMost of the world’s data is sitting on a shelf, being used in a very narrow domain. This data, if properly activated, could solve some of the world’s biggest problems and lead to more health, happiness, and love for society. We could use this data to uncover some of society’s biggest secrets. The data is there. We just need to use it.You can fin...
2022-04-2123 min