Founders Weekly Raw Startup

In this episode of Founders Weekly, Heini and Courtney dive into the latest founder drama at OpenAI, discussing the resignation of key members and potential disagreements over AI development. They explore the resurgence of hustle culture in startups, examining the impact on work-life balance and the rise of hacker houses. The hosts also touch on Scarlett Johansson’s voice being used without consent.

Next, they talk Platform Risk with guest Mathias Hermansen CEO and Co-Founder at GamerPay. Mathias shares insights on how platform risk with Steam and Valve impacts operations. Finally, they offer tips to avoid founder drama and brainstorm future podcast ideas.

Host: Heini Zachariassen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heini/

Co-Host: Courtney Quatrini

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyquattrini/

Guest: Mathias Hermansen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathias-hermansen/

Gamerpay: https://gamerpay.gg/

Raw StartUp Social Media


https://youtube.com/rawstartup


https://twitter.com/rawstartupshow


https://www.linkedin.com/company/rawstartup/


https://www.facebook.com/rawstartup/


https://www.tiktok.com/@rawstartup


https://www.instagram.com/rawstartup/




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In this episode, Heini and Hassan explore the fierce rivalry between Google and OpenAI, sparked by OpenAI's new search engine to challenge Google's dominance. They cover Google’s journey from Startup to the incumbent that is hit by an Innovator’s Dilemma. The challenges Google faces with AI advancements, and the potential for AI to revolutionize search engines.

The hosts emphasize the importance of trust, credibility, and strategic defenses (moats) in the tech industry and for startups. They also test and discuss the impressive capabilities of OpenAI's new ChatGPT 4o. The episode concludes with reflections on the future of Google's business model and the ongoing need for innovation and adaptation in the tech world.

Host: Heini Zachariassen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heini/

Co-Host: Hassan Bazzi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/habazzi/

Raw StartUp Social Media


https://youtube.com/rawstartup


https://twitter.com/rawstartupshow


https://www.linkedin.com/company/rawstartup/


https://www.facebook.com/rawstartup/


https://www.tiktok.com/@rawstartup


https://www.instagram.com/rawstartup/




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In this episode of Founders Weekly, Heini and Hassan explore two groundbreaking startups. They delve into Wayve, a British AI startup that recently raised an astounding $1 billion in funding. They analyze investors, including Nvidia and Microsoft, and Wayve's focus on embodied AI for self-driving vehicles. They also discuss challenges in data collection and partnerships with car manufacturers.

Shifting gears, they are talking about an airline for dogs, Henrik Werdelin, co-founder of Bark is on to tell the full story of the first-ever airline for dogs, Bark Air. Bark Air offers amenities like in-flight entertainment featuring squirrels and non-alcoholic champagne made of chicken broth. 

Host: Heini Zachariassen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heini/

Co-Host: Hassan Bazzi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/habazzi/

Guest: Henrik Werdelin

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/werdelin/

Barkbox: https://www.barkbox.com/

BARK Air: https://air.bark.co/



Raw StartUp Social Media


https://youtube.com/rawstartup


https://twitter.com/rawstartupshow


https://www.linkedin.com/company/rawstartup/


https://www.facebook.com/rawstartup/


https://www.tiktok.com/@rawstartup


https://www.instagram.com/rawstartup/




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In this episode, the hosts dive deep into the intense rivalry between DeepMind's co-founders, now leaders of Google and Microsoft's AI divisions, and the cautionary tale of the Rabbit R1 AI hardware device's failure. Unveil the challenges faced by Europe in AI innovation and the hurdles of MVP development in the hardware space.

We also tell the inspiring tale of Valentin Schütz, Gronda's Co-Founder and CEO, who shares how the company pivoted during the Covid pandemic after initially aiming to create a LinkedIn-like platform for chefs. Gronda's founders shifted focus from a recruitment tool to leveraging chefs' shared recipes. Introducing premium memberships and a recipe paywall drove substantial revenue growth. Today, Gronda boasts one million chef users and another million foodie users worldwide, prioritizing brand and product development over fundraising.

Host: Heini Zachariassen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heini/

Co-Host: Theis Søndergaard

LinkedIn: https://dk.linkedin.com/in/theissondergaard

Guest: Valentin Schütz

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentin-schuetz/

Gronda: https://gronda.com/ 

Raw Startup Social Media


https://youtube.com/rawstartup


https://twitter.com/rawstartupshow


https://www.linkedin.com/company/rawstartup/


https://www.facebook.com/rawstartup/


https://www.tiktok.com/@rawstartup


https://www.instagram.com/rawstartup/








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In this episode, hosts Courtney and Heini delve into how founders navigate sensitive political situations and discuss a notable case involving a founder sentenced to prison for defrauding investors. They explore the pivotal role of effective communication by founders and the importance of authenticity, responsibility, and due diligence in the startup landscape.

Sharon Gillenwater, co-founder and former CEO of Boardroom Insiders, joins the conversation to share her journey of building a bootstrapped startup and selling it for $25 million. 

Sharon sheds light on talent acquisition strategies, bootstrapping intricacies, and the challenges of sustaining viability while operating under bootstrap constraints.

Tune in as Heini, Courtney, and Sharon unravel the complexities of founder accountability, authentic leadership, and scaling a tech company in today's market.

Host: Heini Zachariassen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heini/

Co-Host: Courtney Quatrinni

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyquattrini/

Guest: Sharon Gillenwater

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonkgillenwater/

Web: https://www.sharonkgillenwater.com/

Raw StartUp Social Media


https://youtube.com/rawstartup


https://twitter.com/rawstartupshow


https://www.linkedin.com/company/rawstartup/


https://www.facebook.com/rawstartup/


https://www.tiktok.com/@rawstartup


https://www.instagram.com/rawstartup/




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In this episode, we look at the launch of Humane AI’s AI Pin. What can we learn from the launch that failed after 5 years of work? We dissect the launch gone awry, stressing the significance of prioritizing functionality over aesthetics. As we explore the challenges of entering competitive markets

The conversation between Theis and Heini also delves deep into operating in legal gray zones, drawing parallels with Uber's market struggles and a chat about the recent $7.2 billion raise by Andreessen Horowitz. 

Tune in for a candid discussion on the nuances of startup dynamics, including the role of multiple CEOs and the trajectory of the AI industry.



Tony Fadell's Build

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/59696349



Cherub App

https://www.investwithcherub.com/



Host: Heini Zachariassen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heini/

Co-Host: Theis Søndergaard

LinkedIn: https://dk.linkedin.com/in/theissondergaard

Raw Startup Social Media


https://youtube.com/rawstartup


https://twitter.com/rawstartupshow


https://www.linkedin.com/company/rawstartup/


https://www.facebook.com/rawstartup/


https://www.tiktok.com/@rawstartup


https://www.instagram.com/rawstartup/






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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/foundersweekly/message