Kobie Fuller, General Partner at Upfront Ventures, dives into why AI is entering its most explosive era—and how enterprise disruption lies in the “knowledge layer” above LLMs. From investing in teenage founders to building LA’s most iconic VC firm, Kobie shares what it takes to stay ahead. Learn how AI agents can unlock superhuman output, why “just a wrapper” is a game changer, and how Coachella parties once powered startup growth. A bold look at the intersection of venture, culture, and AI.
Video Tag: Overnight Success
Can AI understand emotions and help us connect better? w/Savannah Kunovsky (IDEO)
Savannah Kunovsky, Partner at IDEO, explores how emotional intelligence, speculative design, and Gen Z’s messy preferences are shaping the next wave of tech. From teaching companies to talk to customers again to designing AI that connects, Savannah explains how sci-fi, art, and qualitative research are fueling enterprise innovation. Learn why emotional resonance—not optimization—might be the killer feature in tomorrow’s AI. A must-listen for truly futuristic tech designers.
What if Blockchain Wasn’t Built for Humans—but for AI? w/Gerald Heydenreich (EtherMail)
Gerald Heydenreich, CEO of EtherMail, shares how wallet-to-wallet email is redefining brand communication in Web3. From the failure of Discord for luxury brands to wallet-based email as the “new cookie,” this episode explores how blockchain enables privacy-first messaging, monetized inboxes, and infrastructure for AI agents to operate independently online. Gerald offers bold insights into the future of identity, token drops, user metrics, and mass adoption in decentralized networks.
How “Bad Games” Became Big Business on Facebook in the 2010s w/ Vanessa Larco
Vanessa Larco, former NEA partner and product leader at Box, Twilio, and Microsoft, shares her journey from Miami hustler to Silicon Valley insider. She dives into spotting true consumer disruption, the GenAI startup boom, and the pros and cons of Big Tech vs startups. Hear her insights on gaming’s evolution, building diverse tech communities, and how behavioral shifts spark innovation. If you want to build or invest in great products, this episode is packed with insight.
How are we going to put trillions of dollars of transactions on-chain? (w/ Sheldon Hunt @ Sundial Protocol)
Sheldon Hunt of Sundial Protocol dives deep into Cardano’s origins, its contrast with Ethereum, and why fixed token supply, decentralization, and uptime matter for Web3’s trillion-dollar future. He shares behind-the-scenes stories of Vitalik’s early Ethereum pitch, Charles Hoskinson’s business-first vision, and how Cardano’s structure and governance evolved. Expect insight into privacy, mass adoption, and why Cardano’s never-down record could be its biggest asset.
Pioneering Play-to-Earn & the double-edged sword of Web3 Capital Formation w/Gabby Dizon (Yield Guild Games)
Gabby Dizon, co-founder of Yield Guild Games, breaks down how smart contracts and community-first thinking fueled the rise of play-to-earn. From discovering Ethereum in 2017 to enabling millions in the Philippines to earn through gaming, Gabby shares how gamified work, AI, and Web3 are changing access to opportunity. He explains why crypto liquidity is a double-edged sword and how true ownership can reshape the future of work globally.
From Wall Street to VC: Why DeepSeek is enabling the global AI race w/ Esther Wong (3C AGI Partners)
Esther Wong shares her leap from banking to AI, co-founding SenseTime, raising $6B+, and backing infrastructure-first startups. She reflects on betting big while pregnant, the myth of job security, and why sustainable AI is the future. From inferencing challenges to rethinking data centers, this episode dives into the power of building from the ground up—and what it really means to invest with vision. A must-watch for founders, futurists, and AI believers.
How Helium Could Decentralize the $9 Trillion Mobile Industry w/ Frank Mong (COO @ Helium)
Frank Mong, COO at Helium, joins Chris Joannou to share how honesty, hustle, and a bold vision led him from cyber security to building a decentralized mobile network. Learn how Helium connects 450K+ phones daily, handles 40TB+ of data, and aims to flip the $9T mobile industry into a people-powered system. This is a masterclass in sales, empathy, and leading with mission over ego—perfect for tech founders, Web3 believers, and startup builders.
AI, Link Rot, and Decentralized Storage w/ Clara Tsao (Filecoin Foundation)
Host Chris Joannou sits down with Clara Tsao—entrepreneur, former DHS CTO, and Filecoin Foundation co-founder—for a compelling conversation on data privacy, decentralization, and tech policy. From centralized risks to decentralized promise, Clara explores how Web3 empowers users and challenges Big Tech. A must-watch for crypto fans, privacy advocates, and future-focused builders.