Venture with Grace

Grace Gong
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I host a top VC podcast called Smart Venture Podcast (SVPpro.com). Past guests include C-level/VPs of Google, Meta, Amazon, Sephora, Dunkin' Donuts, Chipotle, Pepsi, Instagram, Deloitte, Reddit, Lyft, etc. Managing Partners of top funds (many were featured on the Forbes Midas List) and unicorn founders (founders of Craigslist, Square, Loom, Cruise, etc.) Venture with Grace is my new spin-off series that features top LPs, GPs, solo GPs, Angel Investors, top AI founders, and other experts in tech and business to cover specific domain expertise. Watch this Live on LinkedIn/ YouTube: Grace Gong

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Div Garg, AGI Inc. Founder & CEO on Everyday AGI Agents

    Div Garg is Founder and CEO of AGI, Inc., ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~The AI neolab designing everyday AGI with universal assistants that act across devices as naturally as humans—topping industry benchmarks for mobile-use (AndroidWorld) and computer-use (OS World), backed by Anthropic, Menlo Ventures, Charlie Songhurst (Meta Board), Songyee Yoon (HP Board), Ali Rowghani (ex-YC MD), and frontier AI lab leaders. Co-founder/CEO of MultiOn (hottest '24 consumer AI agent, first Computer-Use pioneer, $30M+ Series A from General Catalyst/Amazon/Samsung), Stanford CS adjunct faculty who created/taught CS 25: Transformers United (1M+ YouTube views with Hinton/Vaswani/Karpathy), first software engineer/AI Lead at Collaborative Robotics (Sequoia/Bezos), NVIDIA 3D Diffusion PhD intern, Cornell CS alum—bridging research to production AGI.Topics: How AGI Inc builds on-device superintelligence topping AndroidWorld/OS World benchmarksPioneering MultiOn as 2024's hottest AI agent before spinning out AGI Inc with elite backersFrom Collaborative Robotics first engineer to everyday AGI that books flights without errors#AGI #AIAgents #MultiOn #StanfordCS #Transformers

    52 min

  2. 5 DAYS AGO

    David Zhu, Reevo CEO on AI Sales Automation & Modern GTM Infra

    David Zhu is the Co-Founder and CEO of Reevo.~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~Building an integrated platform that connects the full revenue journey from first customer touch to closed deal, while running Zhu Ventures as General Partner backing era-defining companies—after scaling DoorDash from $700M Series C to $75B IPO as Head of Engineering across New Verticals (grocery/alcohol/retail), Money (payments/compliance), Platforms (identity/developer tools), and Enterprise (Drive/Work solutions) leading 200+ engineers, plus Head of Growth/Engineering at OpenStore ($40M revenue, $970M Series B valuation), Cisco NEMO founder, and Acer/iGware engineering leader through $395M acquisition. Serial scale-up operator turned founder/VC with playbook for 100x company transformations. Earlier in his career, he founded and led engineering within Cisco’s incubation unit and was part of iGware, which exited for $395M.Podcast Topics How Reevo Eliminates Fragmented GTM Stack Inefficiencies Through Integrated Revenue PlatformsTips from Managing 200+ Engineers Across Platforms as DoorDash Scaled from $700M Startup to $75B Public CompanyDesigning the Financial Infrastructure Behind Marketplaces#SalesTech #Reevo #DoorDash #OpenStore #Startups #VC

    1h 7m

  3. 5 DAYS AGO

    Kathy Ross, Sequoia One CEO on Startup People Strategy & PEO Growth

    Kathy Ross is the CEO of Sequoia One.~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~Leading all aspects of the PEO business to drive growth, retain clients, and enhance employee engagement. With deep expertise in revenue growth, sales operations, margin expansion, digital transformation, and service operations, she has built a reputation for operational excellence across HR technology, occupational health, and total compensation services. Kathy’s prior leadership roles include Senior VP at Paylocity, Division VP at Abbott, and executive positions at ADP and ARAMARK. She is a Cornell University alum with an MBA from Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management and an active member of C200 and Exceptional Women Alliance.Topics How Sequoia One helps VC-backed startups optimize comp/benefits during hypergrowthScaling Paylocity client operations across 3,000 employees through digital transformationPEO strategies that reduce people spend while boosting retention for tech scaleups#HRTech #SequoiaOne #Paylocity #Abbott #StartupHR

    1h 1m

  4. 5 DAYS AGO

    David Kwon, Abstract Ventures, Partner on Frontier Seed Investing

    David Kwon is a Partner at Abstract, a $1.8B AUM venture capital firm and early partner to category-defining companies including xAI, SpaceX, Solana, Rippling, and Cognition. He focuses on frontier AI and next-generation software investments, helping lead backing for high-growth companies such as Polymarket, Decart, Hedra, and Socket, alongside multiple stealth ventures. Previously, he led enterprise software investing at Greycroft, backing breakout companies including Extra Card, ZenBusiness, and MNTN that later reached unicorn status, and began his career at Stripes investing in growth-stage software and consumer companies. Berkeley Economics BA and Forbes 30 Under 30 VC, David spots technical excellence traditional funds miss, bridging research to unicorn trajectories.Topics How Abstract sourced xAI SpaceX and Cognition before trillion-dollar narratives too shapeLessons carried from Stripes and Greycroft into early-stage investing, and how late-stage metrics inform seed and Series A convictionSpotting Polymarket Hedra and Vapi when AI agents were fringe ideas#VentureCapital #VC #AbstractVC #xAI #Polymarket

    56 min

  5. 5 DAYS AGO

    Brian Powers, Markups.ai Co-Founder & CEO on AI Contract Agents

    Brian Powers is Co-Founder and CEO of Markups.ai, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~Where Agent Marko—the AI contract colleague—negotiates MSAs, NDAs, DPAs from your inbox with zero software installs, creating custom playbooks from your precedents for perfect redlines and analysis in minutes while integrating with existing CLMs and folders. Previously, Brian co-founded TemperPack, scaling it to $100M+ in revenue and earning recognition as Forbes 30 Under 30 and EY Entrepreneur of the Year (Mid-Atlantic). With a background in investment banking at Moelis & Company and a Wharton School finance degree, he blends operational scaling, AI product strategy, and legal tech innovation to transform how enterprises handle contracts efficiently.Topics How Agent Marko negotiates contracts from inboxes without CLM migrations or trainingLessons from scaling TemperPack to $100M+ in sales and operational growth through enterprise sales and sustainability tailwindsWhy AI agents beat legal ops teams at routine agreements while lawyers focus on strategy#LegalTech #AIContracts #MarkupsAI #VentureWithGrace #LegalAI

    1h 3m

  6. 5 DAYS AGO

    Andrew Felbinger, Urban Innovation Fund, Partner on CityTech & Seed

    Andrew Felbinger is Partner at Urban Innovation Fund.~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~Backing 60+ seed startups solving urban challenges with capital and regulatory expertise—scoring exits like codeSpark, DropCountr, Electriphi (Ford acquisition), and Jiffy while building leaders in climate, mobility, govtech, and proptech. Wharton MBA valedictorian and Seton Hall 4.0 grad, he was Head of Finance & Biz Ops at Grain Technologies (YC W20), earlier Senior Associate at UIF, Acquisitions Associate at Castellan Real Estate Partners, and Barclays AVP building fixed-income trading—now Techstars mentor and founding angel at Vitalize Venture Capital.Podcast Topics Scaling Grain Technologies ops during YC while sourcing fund's next decade of unicornsWhy boring urban infra like permitting and payments creates trillion-dollar opportunitiesTransitioning from Barclays trading to seed investing in tomorrow's city infrastructure#VentureCapital #PropTech #ClimateTech #GovTech #UrbanInnovationFund

    1h 6m

  7. 10 MAR

    Mek Stittri, Stuut CTO & ex-GitLab VP on AI Platforms & Eng Scale

    Mek Stittri is the CTO of Stuut, an AI-driven accounts receivable automation platform backed by top VC firms like Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and Khosla Ventures. ~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers. AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access.Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~Previously VP at GitLab and with deep experience from leadership roles at VMware, he is a seasoned technology executive, startup advisor, and board member who guided complex engineering transformations to enhance performance, collaboration, and efficiency. Known for aligning technology strategy with business goals, fostering high-impact global teams, and delivering results like $6M in annual savings through resource optimization at GitLab, Mek champions AI integration, operational excellence, and talent development to help companies achieve sustainable growth in competitive markets.Topics: AI-Driven Platform ScalingEngineering Org TransformationResource Optimization Strategies#AI #EngineeringLeadership #CTO #SaaS #Fintech #AIPlatforms #GitLab #VMware #Startups #VentureCapital

    1 hr

  8. 10 MAR

    Javad Mostofizadeh, WilmerHale Partner on Venture & Growth Fund Plan

    Javad Mostofizadeh is Partner at WilmerHale's San Francisco.~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~A corporate practice, advising top venture capital, growth equity, and private equity funds—from seed to late-stage—on fund formation, structuring, operations, investor relations, partnership agreements, tax issues, and strategic lifecycle management for US and international clients including opportunity funds, fund-of-funds, and SPVs. Returning to WilmerHale after Partner roles at Latham & Watkins (Silicon Valley) and Gunderson Dettmer (fund formation/tax), Javad brings 15+ years counseling elite Bay Area funds through market cycles with deep relationships across the innovation economy.Topics How top VC funds structure seed-to-late-stage vehicles amid AI infrastructure frenzyNegotiating LP terms when elite investors demand side letters and co-invest rightsOperating multi-stage funds through down markets and $100B+ follow-on rounds#VentureCapital #FundFormation #PrivateEquity #WilmerHale #VCFunds

    1h 1m
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About

I host a top VC podcast called Smart Venture Podcast (SVPpro.com). Past guests include C-level/VPs of Google, Meta, Amazon, Sephora, Dunkin' Donuts, Chipotle, Pepsi, Instagram, Deloitte, Reddit, Lyft, etc. Managing Partners of top funds (many were featured on the Forbes Midas List) and unicorn founders (founders of Craigslist, Square, Loom, Cruise, etc.) Venture with Grace is my new spin-off series that features top LPs, GPs, solo GPs, Angel Investors, top AI founders, and other experts in tech and business to cover specific domain expertise. Watch this Live on LinkedIn/ YouTube: Grace Gong

Information

  • Creator
    Grace Gong
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    552
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Grace Gong
  • Show Website
    Venture with Grace

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