TBPN

Diet TBPN delivers the best of today’s TBPN episode in 30 minutes. TBPN is a live tech talk show hosted by John Coogan and Jordi Hays, streaming weekdays 11–2 PT on X and YouTube, with each episode posted to podcast platforms right after.

Described by The New York Times as “Silicon Valley’s newest obsession,” the show has recently featured Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, Mark Cuban, and Satya Nadella.

TBPN is made possible by:
Ramp - https://ramp.com
Public - https://public.com
Cisco - https://www.cisco.com
Console - https://www.console.com
CrowdStrike - https://www.crowdstrike.com
Figma - https://www.figma.com
MongoDB - https://www.mongodb.com
NYSE - https://www.nyse.com
Railway - https://railway.com
Shopify - https://www.shopify.com/

Follow TBPN: 
https://TBPN.com
https://x.com/tbpn
https://open.spotify.com/show/2L6WMqY3GUPCGBD0dX6p00?si=674252d53acf4231
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/technology-brothers/id1772360235
https://www.youtube.com/@TBPNLive

This is our full interview with Travis Kalanick.
We discuss his new $1.7 billion funding round, why he's betting on industrial AI instead of consumer AI, how autonomous mining can increase productivity by 30 to 40%, why he believes AI will make food dramatically cheaper, what he looks for when hiring executives, lessons from scaling Uber, the future of robotics, AI regulation, and why he commutes to work on a jet ski.
TBPN is made possible by:
Ramp - https://ramp.com
Public - https://public.com
Cisco - https://www.cisco.com
Console - https://www.console.com
CrowdStrike - https://www.crowdstrike.com
Figma - https://www.figma.com
MongoDB - https://www.mongodb.com
NYSE - https://www.nyse.com
Railway - https://railway.com
Shopify - https://www.shopify.com/
Codex - http://openAI.com/codex
Sign up for TBPN’s daily newsletter at TBPN.com
Follow TBPN:
https://TBPN.com
https://x.com/tbpn
https://open.spotify.com/show/2L6WMqY3GUPCGBD0dX6p00?si=674252d53acf4231
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/technology-brothers/id1772360235
https://www.youtube.com/@TBPNLive

(01:52) - HackingFace

(17:48) - 𝕏 Timeline Reactions

(29:02) - White House Puts $5B into AI Science

(33:48) - 𝕏 Timeline Reactions

(44:55) - Veeral Patel, Director of Software Engineering at Ramp, discusses the launch of Ramp Router, a tool developed internally over three years to optimize AI model selection and token cost management. He explains how Ramp Router allows enterprises to dynamically route tasks to the most efficient AI models, balancing factors like latency, cost, and performance. Patel emphasizes that this product aligns with Ramp's mission to help companies save time and money, extending their expertise from expense management to AI token spend optimization.

(55:35) - Lin Qiao, co-founder and CEO of Fireworks AI, announced the company's recent $1.5 billion fundraising round, emphasizing their focus on building a specialized intelligence platform that enables enterprises to transform private data into customized AI models optimized for speed and cost. She highlighted the industry's shift from general to specialized AI solutions, stressing the importance of companies maintaining control over their proprietary data to develop durable businesses. Qiao also discussed the challenges of scaling AI applications efficiently, noting that without careful management, even successful products risk scaling into bankruptcy due to high operational costs.

(01:05:36) - Jason Fried is the co-founder and CEO of 37signals, a Chicago-based software company known for creating project management and communication tools like Basecamp and HEY. In the conversation, Fried discusses his passion for classic cars, sharing experiences with his 1979 Porsche 928 and reflecting on past decisions regarding vehicle trades. He also touches on the challenges of purchasing vintage cars through auctions, emphasizing the importance of thorough inspections to avoid unforeseen issues.

(01:31:41) - Travis Kalanick is the co-founder and former CEO of Uber, which he helped grow into a global ride-hailing giant. He now leads Atoms, an industrial robotics and “physical AI” company spanning food automation, mining, and transportation, built from the parent company behind CloudKitchens.

(02:17:29) - Max Hodak, founder and CEO of Science Corporation, discusses the recent European marketing approval for their retinal prosthesis designed to restore vision in patients with age-related macular degeneration. He outlines the upcoming steps for commercialization in Europe, including country-specific registrations and surgeon training, and mentions the expedited approval pathway in the U.S. through the FDA's humanitarian device exemption. Hodak also highlights ongoing research and development efforts to enhance the implant's capabilities, aiming for higher resolution, expanded field of view, and color perception.

TBPN is made possible by:
Ramp - https://ramp.com
Public - https://public.com
Cisco - https://www.cisco.com
Console - https://www.console.com
CrowdStrike - https://www.crowdstrike.com
Figma - https://www.figma.com
MongoDB - https://www.mongodb.com
NYSE - https://www.nyse.com
Railway - https://railway.com
Shopify - https://www.shopify.com
Codex - http://openAI.com/codex

Follow TBPN: 
https://TBPN.com
https://x.com/tbpn
https://open.spotify.com/show/2L6WMqY3GUPCGBD0dX6p00?si=674252d53acf4231
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tbpn/id1772360235
https://www.youtube.com/@TBPNLive

Diet TBPN delivers the best of today’s TBPN episode in 30 minutes. TBPN is a live tech talk show hosted by John Coogan and Jordi Hays, streaming weekdays 11–2 PT on X and YouTube, with each episode posted to podcast platforms right after.

Described by The New York Times as “Silicon Valley’s newest obsession,” the show has recently featured Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, Mark Cuban, and Satya Nadella.

TBPN is made possible by:
Ramp - https://ramp.com
Public - https://public.com
Cisco - https://www.cisco.com
Console - https://www.console.com
CrowdStrike - https://www.crowdstrike.com
Figma - https://www.figma.com
MongoDB - https://www.mongodb.com
NYSE - https://www.nyse.com
Railway - https://railway.com
Shopify - https://www.shopify.com/

Follow TBPN: 
https://TBPN.com
https://x.com/tbpn
https://open.spotify.com/show/2L6WMqY3GUPCGBD0dX6p00?si=674252d53acf4231
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/technology-brothers/id1772360235
https://www.youtube.com/@TBPNLive

(01:58) - China's AI Push Sounds Alarms

(36:37) - Should You Recline Your Airplane Seat?

(42:47) - 𝕏 Timeline Reactions

(51:39) - Ferdinand Dabitz, the 25-year-old CEO of Augustus Bank, discusses the company's recent $180 million Series B funding round, which elevated its valuation to $1 billion. He highlights Augustus's mission to "dollarize the world" by modernizing correspondent banking through AI and stablecoin technologies, aiming to provide efficient dollar access globally. Dabitz also emphasizes the strategic importance of dollarization in enhancing U.S. soft power and combating inflation.

(58:53) - Kaiwei Tang, co-founder and CEO of Light Phone, discusses the company's mission to create minimalist mobile devices that help users disconnect from the attention-driven economy of traditional smartphones. He emphasizes the importance of technology serving as a tool without exploiting user attention, highlighting features like calling, texting, and music playback without ads or data tracking. Tang also notes a growing trend among younger generations seeking simpler devices, indicating a shift towards more intentional technology use.

(01:12:30) - Chris Best, founder and CEO of Substack, discusses the proliferation of AI-generated content, or "slop," on the internet and its impact on reader trust. He emphasizes the importance of transparency in content creation, advocating for clear disclosure when AI tools are used to maintain authenticity and value. Best also highlights Substack's commitment to fostering genuine human connections and perspectives, believing that as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, the value of trusted human-authored content will increase.

(01:32:38) - Steven Schwartz is the co-founder and CEO of Whop, a platform that enables creators, developers, and online businesses to sell digital products, software, communities, and memberships. He focuses on building infrastructure for the internet economy, helping entrepreneurs monetize digital businesses through a unified marketplace and payments platform.

(01:54:08) - Katie Roof, editor at Business Insider, discusses her recent appointment and the publication's strategic shift towards more exclusive content under Editor-in-Chief Jamie Heller. She highlights the increasing competition in journalism, emphasizing the importance of original reporting and human skills in an AI-influenced media landscape. Roof also notes the growing public interest in AI and venture capital, underscoring the need for accurate and insightful coverage in these areas.

(02:02:48) - 𝕏 Timeline Reactions

(02:10:31) - Zavain Dar, co-founder of Dimension, discusses the firm's recent $800 million fundraise, bringing their total assets under management to $1.65 billion. He highlights Dimension's focus on investing at the intersection of technology and life sciences, supporting companies that integrate computing with biology. Dar also addresses the evolving landscape of biotech, emphasizing the role of AI in drug discovery and the redefinition of disease treatment, while cautioning against the unregulated use of peptides and hormone mimetics.

(02:23:18) - Chad Edwards, co-founder and CEO of CuspAI, a Cambridge-based AI startup, discusses the company's mission to revolutionize materials discovery through generative AI, enabling the rapid development of new materials for applications like semiconductors and climate technologies. He highlights their recent $450 million Series B funding, valuing CuspAI at $2.6 billion, with investors including Jeff Bezos' Bezos Expeditions, Kleiner Perkins, and NEA. Edwards also explains their innovative business model, securing royalties in customer contracts to share in the commercial success of the materials developed using their platform.

TBPN is made possible by:
Ramp - https://ramp.com
Public - https://public.com
Cisco - https://www.cisco.com
Console - https://www.console.com
CrowdStrike - https://www.crowdstrike.com
Figma - https://www.figma.com
MongoDB - https://www.mongodb.com
NYSE - https://www.nyse.com
Railway - https://railway.com
Shopify - https://www.shopify.com
Codex - http://openAI.com/codex

Follow TBPN: 
https://TBPN.com
https://x.com/tbpn
https://open.spotify.com/show/2L6WMqY3GUPCGBD0dX6p00?si=674252d53acf4231
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tbpn/id1772360235
https://www.youtube.com/@TBPNLive