Is seed investing dead? Are AI companies a good bet for VCs? And which founders will thrive in a post-ZIRP tech landscape? Sam Lessin weighs in on these topics and more in this episode of World of DaaS.
Sam 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.
In this episode, Sam gives a comprehensive breakdown of the state of venture capital. We 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 best areas for investment in 2024 and beyond, including which founders are set up to thrive and which businesses are likely to struggle. We go deep on the dynamics of investing in AI– Sam is confident he knows who the winners will be in artificial intelligence.
To close out, Sam and I also dive into some of the “weird” investment ideas Slow Ventures is exploring, like income share agreements and backing creators. We also reflect on the changing global landscape of tech and discuss whether the era of the “open internet” is over.
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You can find me on X at @auren and Sam Lessin on X at @lessin.