Venture with Grace

Grace Gong
  • 4.8 (22)
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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. 1D AGO

    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

  2. 1D AGO

    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

  3. 1D AGO

    Patrick Thompson, Clarify, Co-Founder & CEO on Autonomous CRM

    Patrick Thompson is Co-Founder and CEO of Clarify.~~~~~~~~~~~~~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-native CRM platform automating pipeline management, outreach, and follow-ups for early-stage startups—replacing fragmented tools with autonomous agents that let sales teams focus on selling. Three-time founder who co-founded Iteratively (acquired by Amplitude for $5.4M where he became Director of Product), built Atlassian's Jira growth team as Design Manager, and led design at Syncplicity—now angel investor in 15+ startups including Warp, CoScreen (Datadog acquisition), Inflection.io, Reforge, Revefi, and Limited Partner at Madrona/Ascend.vc/Essence VC with Community Access Fund. Seattle-based lifelong learner, photographer, and yogi balancing startup life with family.Topics: How Clarify's AI agents eliminate manual CRM busywork so founders can focus on customersBuilding Iteratively from zero to Amplitude acquisition then leading product post-exitWhy early sales teams need autonomous focus not dashboards and deal stages#CRM #AIAgents #Clarify #Amplitude #Atlassian

    1 hr

  4. 1D AGO

    Henry (Lifan) W., Founder at Kaon FlowGPT on Scalable Consumer AI

    Henry W. (Lifan Wang) is Co-Founder and COO of Kaon (prev. FlowGPT).~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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-native content platform backed by DCM, Goodwater, and B Capital—scaling FlowGPT.com to 5M DAU in 6 months as the world's largest prompt platform with Google/HuggingFace hackathons, FlowStudio (text-to-film engine, Product Hunt #1 & Golden Kitty nominee), and Emochi (10M+ users, fastest-growing AI content platform). Ex-Amazon Software Development Manager (5+ years), Berkeley Haas MBA, Henry drove SEO/organic growth, content supply chains, and AI infra strategy while building creator communities that turned viral prompts into billion-impression businesses.Topics How FlowGPT hit 5M DAU in 6 months through creator-led prompt hackathons with GoogleBuilding FlowStudio from zero to Product Hunt Golden Kitty as the first text-to-film AI engineScaling Emochi to 10M users blending paid ads with organic creator supply-demand networks#ConsumerAI #FlowGPT #AIPrompts #ProductHunt #AIContent

    1h 2m

  5. 1D AGO

    Byron Ling, Twelve Below Partner on Seed Investing & Consumer Health

    Byron Ling is Partner at Twelve Below.~~~~~~~~~~~~~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~~~~~~~~~~~~~Twelve Blow is an NYC seed/pre-seed VC firm ($160M AUM) backing breakthrough software-enabled businesses with high-conviction 10-15% ownership stakes—leading investments in Ro, Papa, K Health, Mirror (LULU acquisition), Italic, Osmind, Mantra Health, Odyssey Energy, Accrue Savings, Croissant, Campus, Truehold, Solstice, Health Universe, Conduit Health, Rondah AI, Barnwell Bio, VoiceOps, and Arya. NYC ecosystem veteran since Gilt Groupe operator days (2010), Byron honed thesis at Primary Venture Partners and Canaan Partners before co-founding Twelve Below with Taylor Greene (ex-Collaborative Fund/Lerer Hippeau) to nurture founders through product-market fit with hands-on strategy and networks. Wharton MBA holder focused on consumer health, healthcare infra, fintech, energy, SMB, and consumer.Topics: Why NYC remains the underrated hub for healthtech fintech and consumer startups despite SF dominanceBuilding breakthrough companies through product-market fit with hands-on networks from day zeroSpotting defensible software moats in complex markets like healthcare infrastructure and energy#SeedInvesting #VentureCapital #ConsumerHealth #HealthcareInfrastructure #EarlyStage

    57 min

  6. MAR 3

    Brooke Motta & Jimmy Mesta, RAD Security Founders on Open Claw Security

    Brooke Motta is CEO and Co-Founder of RAD Security~~~~~~~~~~~~~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~~~~~~~~~~~~~Clawkeeper by Rad Security is a purpose-built security platform for OpenClaw AI agents that hunts down leaked secrets, weaponized skills, hidden backdoors, and supply-chain implants before attackers can hijack your agents, exfiltrate sensitive data, or turn your AI into an entry point for full-scale compromise.Topics: Why OpenClaw agents are a new attack surfaceHow Clawkeeper hardens OpenClaw by defaultContinuous defense: from static scans to runtime protection#Clawkeeper#OpenClawSecurity#AISecurity#AgentProtection#RadSecurity

    1h 6m

  7. MAR 2

    Stu Smith, Scribble, Investor on Creator-Tech Seed Investing & Growth

    Stu Smith is an Investor at Scribble.~~~~~~~~~~~~~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 early-stage VC fund ($250M AUM) founded by OpenAI/Meta/Twitter/Instagram/a16z builders, writing $750K-$1.5M checks at Pre-Seed through Series A—after co-founding Coughdrop Capital where he backed pre-launch winners like Superhuman, Lattice, Mercury, Varda, and Magic Patterns across 100+ investments. Serial operator who co-founded/scaled Racket (Greycroft/Foundation backed audio platform to 100K+ users), led WarnerMedia's 55-person digital creator division, built Omaze's global partnerships with Disney/HBO/NBA/adidas/UNICEF, scaled Teespring's $50M+ entertainment business, and started managing Phish/Dave Matthews Band at Red Light Management—blending music industry talent-spotting with VC pattern recognition.Topics: How Scribble spots Pre-Seed winners like Coughdrop's Superhuman and Lattice before product launchWhat traditional media and music experience teach about launching and marketing digital products.How Stu evaluates and backs founders before products exist, including patterns across companies like Superhuman and Lattice.#Superhuman #Lattice #Mercury #Racket #WarnerMedia

    58 min

  8. MAR 2

    Andy McLoughlin, Uncork Capital, Managing Partner on B2B Seed Investing

    Andy McLoughlin is Managing Partner at Uncork Capital (formerly SoftTech VC).~~~~~~~~~~~~~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 SF seed-stage firm ($500M+ AUM) backing B2B software innovators like LaunchDarkly (unicorn), Human Interest (unicorn), Tailscale, Crossbeam, Fountain (unicorn), Coder, Mutiny, Focal Systems, Torii, Sym, Nuon, and more—focusing on unsexy productivity tools, dev infra, security, and applied AI that let every business operate like tech giants. Huddle co-founder who raised $80M+ and drove US expansion before 2017 acquisition, prolific angel in 40+ startups including Intercom, Postmates (Uber $2.65B), Pipedrive (Vista $1.5B), Calm, Bugsnag, Tray.io—plus Founders Pledge and GBx co-founder, Sheffield Economics BA, OBE honoree, Kauffman Fellow.Topics: How Andy McLoughlin helps early-stage founders grow their teams, culture, and processes while preserving startup agility.Patterns across investments in LaunchDarkly, Tailscale, Human Interest, and Crossbeam that reveal what drives durable competitive advantage. Why overlooked software infrastructure, developer tools, and operational platforms often deliver the biggest long-term returns.#VentureCapital #VC #SeedStage #B2B #DevTools

    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
    546
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Grace Gong
  • Show Website
    Venture with Grace