Venture with Grace

Grace Gong
  • 4.8 (22)
  • Investing
  • Updated Daily

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. 2d ago

    Kris Billmaier, Salesforce EVP & GM Sales Cloud on Agentic AI

    Kris Billmaier is Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sales Cloud and Growth Products at Salesforce, where he leads the product strategy and vision for Sales Cloud, Starter Suite, Pro Suite, Salesforce Foundations, and Agentforce.~~~~~~~~~~~~~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~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He is responsible for driving product-led growth and helping organizations adopt AI-powered sales workflows that transform how businesses acquire, engage, and serve customers. With more than 15 years of experience in product management, business development, and corporate strategy, Kris has built and launched products across enterprise software, office productivity, search, and emerging technologies. Before leading Sales Cloud, he held several executive leadership roles at Salesforce spanning growth products, strategic technology partnerships, and business development. Prior to Salesforce, Kris spent nearly eight years at Microsoft leading business development, strategic partnerships, and product initiatives for Microsoft 365 and Office 365. Throughout his career, he has negotiated strategic partnerships with industry leaders including Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta, while also founding and scaling his own startup, giving him a unique perspective on building products from startup to enterprise scale.Topics How Agentic AI Is Transforming Sales Organizations and the Future of Enterprise CRMBuilding AI Products That Drive Product-Led Growth from Startups to Global EnterprisesThe Next Generation of Sales Technology: Unifying Data, Automation, and AI to Accelerate Revenue Growth#ArtificialIntelligence #Salesforce #EnterpriseSoftware #SalesTech #ProductManagement

    1 hr

  2. 3d ago

    Evaline Tsai, Gigascale Partner on Deep Tech and Climate Breakthroughs

    Evaline Tsai, Ph.D. is a Partner at Gigascale, where she invests in breakthrough climate and deep technology companies, combining scientific rigor with founder empathy to help technical founders commercialize transformative innovations. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~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~~~~~~~~~~~~~She serves as a Board Observer for Gigascale portfolio companies including Cocoon, Dioxycle, Pasture Biosciences, Skouria, Terradot, and Vor Systems, and is known for her thesis-driven approach to evaluating how frontier science can scale into enduring businesses. Previously, Evaline was an investor at Fine Structure Ventures, where she backed companies including Commonwealth Fusion Systems and Phytoform, and completed a fellowship at Costanoa Ventures. Before venture capital, she founded Cambridge Cancer Genomics, a Y Combinator-backed healthcare startup, and later became the first Product Manager for AI and Machine Learning at Samsara, earning four patents during her tenure. Evaline is a Kauffman Fellow, was named a Business Insider Rising Star of Venture Capital in 2023, and holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology from the University of Cambridge and a B.S.E. from Princeton University.Topics How Venture Capitalists Identify Breakthrough Science Before It Becomes a Billion-Dollar CompanyTurning Frontier Research into Venture-Scale Startups: What First-Time Technical Founders Need to KnowThe Future of Climate Tech, AI, and Industrial Innovation Through the Lens of a Deep Tech Investor#DeepTech #ClimateTech #VentureCapital #ArtificialIntelligence #Startups

    1h 1m

  3. 3d ago

    Randall Hom, Hostie Co-Founder & CEO on AI for Restaurant Hospitality

    Randall Hom is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hostie.Disclosure: Grace is an investor in Hostie. Hostie is an AI-powered guest communications platform that helps restaurants automate phone calls, texts, emails, and reservations while delivering a more seamless hospitality experience. Hostie integrates directly with reservation and point-of-sale systems, enabling restaurants to automate more than 80% of routine guest inquiries without sacrificing service quality. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~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 company has raised over $16 million in funding, including a $4 million Seed round led by Gradient Ventures and a $12 million Series A. Before founding Hostie, Randall spent nearly a decade as a product designer at leading technology companies including Instacart, Flexport, and BetterWorks. He also co-founded and operated Back to Back, a San Francisco restaurant, where firsthand experience running daily operations inspired him to build AI tools purpose-built for the hospitality industry. By combining deep product expertise with real-world restaurant experience, Randall is redefining how AI enhances—not replaces—hospitality.Topics How AI Is Transforming Restaurant Operations Without Replacing Human HospitalityBuilding AI Products from Firsthand Industry Experience: Lessons from Running a RestaurantWhy the Future of Hospitality Depends on Better Guest Communication, Automation, and Operational Efficiency#ArtificialIntelligence #Hospitality #Restaurants #Startups #CustomerExperience

    58 min

  4. 3d ago

    Brett Liu, Sixty Degree Capital VC on Cybersecurity and AI Infra

    Brett is a VC at Sixty Degree Capital, a leading VC firm that invests in North American early to growth stage companies in the software innovation and digital infrastructure sectors. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~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~~~~~~~~~~~~~He has over a decade of investment experience in the technology innovation and investment space, and holds the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) credential. With a strong financial background and domain expertise in energy material development and applications, Brett has managed M&A deals worth over $1 billion in total transaction size, and holds multiple patents in renewable energy fields. He also has extensive experience in evaluating market trends, conducting due diligence, and identifying disruptive technologies in areas such as cloud infra, devops, cybersecurity, AI/ML and climatetech. Some of his recent deals include Paperspace (Exited), Lime, Cato Network, Aqua Security, Arctic Wolf, Docker, Navan, Rafay, Datagrail, and Pragma. He also leads the sector research and contributes to the thesis building at Sixty Degree Capital. Brett is passionate about supporting visionary entrepreneurs and building a more sustainable and secure digital future.Topics How Venture Investors Identify the Next Generation of AI, Cybersecurity, and Infrastructure StartupsWhy AI Security, Cloud Infrastructure, and Developer Platforms Are Defining the Next Decade of Enterprise TechnologyFrom Operator to Investor: What Founders Need to Know to Build Companies That Win Enterprise Customers#ArtificialIntelligence #Cybersecurity #CloudComputing #VentureCapital #EnterpriseSoftware

    1h 2m

  5. Jul 4

    Paul Lam, Bot Auto Chief Strategy Officer on Autonomous Trucking

    Paul Lam is the Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Finance at Bot Auto, where he leads strategy, finance, HR, and administration for the company's Level 4 autonomous trucking business. Since joining, he has helped lead strategic initiatives and fundraising, contributing to over $60 million in capital raised. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~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~~~~~~~~~~~~~Prior to Bot Auto, Paul led corporate development and strategy at TuSimple and spent nearly five years at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), where he led digital infrastructure strategy, co-authored the G20 InfraTech Blueprint and Stocktake, and executed more than $650 million in principal equity and debt investments. His career also includes roles at British International Investment, the World Bank Group, and UBS, where he advised over $2 billion in M&A transactions. Paul has also served as a board member of the UK Digital Twin Hub and on the World Economic Forum's Global Digital Twin Cities advisory committee. He holds a degree from the University of Cambridge and completed executive education at MIT Sloan.Topics From Infrastructure Investing to AI Startups: Scaling Capital-Intensive InnovationThe $650m equity/debt investments playbook for autonomous vehicles and infrastructureBuilding the Business Behind Autonomous Trucking at Scale#AutonomousVehicles #ArtificialIntelligence #Logistics #Infrastructure #VentureCapital

    1h 1m

  6. Jul 4

    Lena Stocker, VC from DTCP Growth on European B2B Software Investing

    Lena Stocker is an associate at DTCP Growth, where she focuses on growth-stage technology investments across Europe, with a particular emphasis on the DACH region and the Nordics. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~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~~~~~~~~~~~~~She has backed leading AI and enterprise software companies including Groq, Cohere, Quantum Systems, Dash0, Cognigy, Dexory, Neo4j, Zenity, and Resistant AI, while also supporting category leaders such as LeanIX, Signavio, and Pipedrive. Prior to DTCP, Lena was an investor at Northzone, worked as a Strategy Consultant at BCG, and gained venture investing experience at Redstone. She holds a CEMS Master in Management and MSc from HEC Paris and Copenhagen Business School, along with a bachelor's degree from WU Vienna University of Economics and Business and Singapore Management University.Topics Investing in Europe's next generation of AI and enterprise software companiesThe journey investing in neo4j graph database and Cohere enterprise AIBuilding category-defining startups across the DACH region and the Nordics#VentureCapital #GrowthEquity #ArtificialIntelligence #EnterpriseSoftware #Startups

    53 min

  7. Jul 4

    Kai Mak, Together AI CRO on Scaling Enterprise AI Adoption

    Kai Mak is the Chief Revenue Officer at Together AI, where he leads the company's global go-to-market organization as enterprises and AI-native companies increasingly rely on the platform for the full generative AI lifecycle. Before joining Together AI, Kai was SVP of Global Sales and Customer Success at Webflow, where he led both product-led growth and enterprise sales, helping scale the company's revenue 10x while also serving as interim CMO and leading global customer support. Earlier in his career, he held sales leadership roles at Zeplin, Microsoft, and Xamarin, building enterprise go-to-market teams for developer and cloud infrastructure platforms. Kai brings deep expertise in scaling revenue organizations at pivotal moments of growth across enterprise software and AI.Topics Powering the Enterprise Evolution From RAG to Intelligent AgentsExploring the GTM playbook for AI-native companies and enterprisesWhat It Takes to Turn AI Innovation into Sustainable Revenue Growth#ArtificialIntelligence #EnterpriseAI #GoToMarket #SalesLeadership #Startups

    53 min

  8. Jul 4

    Niklas Lindgren, Endra CEO on Rebuilding MEP Engineering with AI

    Niklas Lindgren is the Co-Founder and CEO of Endra, an AI-native platform purpose-built for MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) engineering. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~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~~~~~~~~~~~~~Backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Endra uses artificial intelligence, simulation, and computational geometry to automate the creation of 3D and 2D models, device placement, conduit routing, and compliance-ready documentation, transforming traditionally manual engineering workflows. The company has raised $75 million in just 13 months, including a $50 million Series A led by a16z, and is working with leading engineering firms such as AtkinsRéalis, Buro Happold, WSP, Hoare Lea, Ramboll, and AFRY. Before Endra, Niklas co-founded Sectragon, a vertical design-build integrator for physical security, and later led the company's expansion into North America as COO and Head of Go-to-Market.Topics How AI is transforming MEP engineering and the future of design automationBuilding category-defining vertical AI software for engineering industriesScaling enterprise AI products from early traction to global adoption#ArtificialIntelligence #Engineering #VerticalAI #ConstructionTech #Startups

    59 min
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4.8
out of 5
22 Ratings

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
    616
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Grace Gong
  • Show Website
    Venture with Grace

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