Latest Interviews
Showing 1–4 of 4 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Sequoia Capital37 min
AI integration for enterprise ft. CJ Desai of ServiceNow
CJ Desai, Chirantan "CJ" Desai, Sonya, Sam, Arthur, Daniela, Pat, Andy, Jensen, Doug Leone, Frank Slutman, Jess, Fred Luddy, Bill, Allen, Tim, Michelle, Charlie, Peter, Fabio
ServiceNow, the third-largest global SaaS provider with a $155 billion market cap, achieved $10 billion in annual recurring revenue through strict organic growth under the leadership of CEO Bill McDermott and COO CJ Nayak. The company is currently executing "Act Two" by integrating small, cost-efficient AI models and expanding into new sectors like public safety, while maintaining an 82% gross margin through disciplined financial constraints. With 8,000 enterprise customers led by CIOs demanding specific return on investment, ServiceNow prioritizes workflow automation and outcome-based selling over generic technology adoption to sustain its 26% annual growth rate.
- Sequoia Capital37 min
Making AI accessible with Andrej Karpathy and Stephanie Zhan
Andrej Karpathy, Stephanie Zhan, Brian Halligan, Alex, Sam, Peter, Michael
Andrej Karpathy outlines a future where the Large Language Model serves as a central CPU for a new "LLM OS," treating text, images, and audio as interchangeable peripherals within a decentralized startup ecosystem. He emphasizes that while massive scale drives current capabilities, the industry must overcome significant engineering and energy inefficiency barriers by adopting new hardware architectures and shifting from imitation learning toward self-correcting reinforcement loops. Drawing on lessons from Elon Musk’s management style, Karpathy advises founders to prioritize high-performance products, maintain technical rigor against organizational bloat, and foster a "coral reef" of vertical-specific applications rather than relying on monolithic corporate dominance.
- Y Combinator24 min
Chad Rigetti at Startup School SV 2016
Founded in 2013 by Yale alumnus Chad Rigetti, Rigetti Quantum Computing has rapidly evolved from a Y Combinator participant with no physical assets into a Berkeley-based full-stack hard tech firm employing over 35 staff members, including more than 20 PhDs. The company is currently engineering superconducting qubit systems designed to outperform classical supercomputers like Tianhe 2 in energy efficiency while targeting breakthrough applications in quantum chemistry and artificial intelligence. By integrating custom chip fabrication, advanced control electronics, and cloud-based software, Rigetti aims to establish a proprietary vertical that defines the next two decades of high-performance computing.
- Y Combinator29 min
Jim Goetz and Jan Koum at Startup School SV 2014
WhatsApp founder Jan Koum and Sequoia Capital's Jim Goetz detailed the company's strategic evolution from a failed status app to a global messaging giant that achieved financial independence through a $1 iOS fee before securing a unique partnership with Facebook. Koum emphasized how his tenure at Yahoo informed critical decisions to maintain an ad-free product, utilize minimal staffing with high-tech efficiency, and preserve operational autonomy following a $19 billion acquisition. The session highlighted a disciplined growth philosophy that prioritized server stability and global connectivity over rapid monetization, ultimately enabling WhatsApp to serve hundreds of millions of users with a lean team and zero marketing spend.