Acquired’s Ben Gilbert & David Rosenthal on private markets, ZIRP impact, future of Amazon | E1706 | Summary and Q&A

Summary

In this episode, Jason is joined by Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal from the podcast Acquired. They discuss the current state of the VC market, the adjustments startups have had to make in 2023, and the shutdown of Y Combinator's continuity fund. They also touch on the distortions caused by zero interest rate policies.

Questions & Answers

Q: Are you seeing more companies now than during the peak years of 2020 and 2021?

Ben responds that the volume of companies hasn't changed significantly for him, but the physics of company building have shifted. Founders are now focused on building profitable businesses instead of just raising large rounds for the next funding milestone.

Q: Do you think the current state of the VC market is beneficial for startups?

Both Ben and David believe that the focus on profitability and efficient scaling is beneficial for startups. They mention that it allows founders to do more with less and avoids dependency on large funding rounds.

Q: Why do you think Y Combinator shut down its continuity fund?

Ben suggests that YC was likely retrenching and focusing on their core offering as an early-stage startup accelerator. He notes that YC's growth fund was not a high-volume fund and speculates that it may have been more about aligning their resources with their core expertise.

Q: What are the impacts of zero interest rate policies?

Ben believes that higher interest rates are generally good for the world as it provides better returns on capital. However, he points out that the flood of cheap capital in the past may have led to distortions and inflated valuations. David adds that while low interest rates may have accelerated certain sectors like AI and electric vehicles, they might have hindered innovation in other areas like crypto.

Q: Is AI worth the flooding of cash into the space?

Ben believes that AI is worth the investment, citing the widespread adoption of platforms like OpenAI's chat. He sees AI as the next major technology wave and an exciting field for innovation.

Q: Have you seen the impact of AI in your work?

David admits that he needs to spend more time exploring AI and its potential applications. He mentions his initial skepticism towards AI-generated scripts but acknowledges the need to reassess its capabilities and potential uses.

Q: What role does Chachi BT play in your work?

David explains that he initially had a negative reaction to Chachi BT when it generated inaccurate scripts for his podcast. However, he acknowledges the need to explore other potential use cases for AI in his work.

Takeaways

The current state of the VC market is focused on profitability and efficient scaling. Startups are adjusting their strategies to build profitable businesses rather than relying on large funding rounds. While AI holds great promise, its impact and potential use cases vary across different sectors. Zero interest rate policies have led to distortions and inflated valuations in some areas, but they may have also accelerated innovation in sectors like AI and electric vehicles. As for AI-generated tools like Chachi BT, there is a need to explore and understand their capabilities to leverage them effectively in various fields, such as content creation.