Episodes

  • a16z leads Braintrust's $60M Series A

    a16z leads Braintrust's $60M Series A
    Nov 13 2024
    In this episode of 1 to 100, Usman Hanif speaks again with Ankur Goyal, Founder and CEO of Braintrust, about the company's Series A funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz, its product development strategy, and hiring needs. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/75dc81b1-1320-4809-80b0-4b0bb28b085b — RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack Pricing Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg — SPONSORS: 📑Discover Carta, the innovative end-to-end accounting platform revolutionizing private fund management with streamlined operations and on-demand insights. Experience the new standard at https://carta.com/investors/ 📝Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at https://www.notion.com/product/ai?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=upstreampod — LINKS: Martin Casado from a16z: Investing in Braintrust: https://a16z.com/announcement/investing-in-braintrust/ Braintrust: https://www.braintrust.dev/ — FOLLOW ON X: @ankrgyl (Ankur) @braintrustdata (Braintrust) @usygoosy (Usman) @why2join (Why You Should Join) @turpentinemedia (Turpentine)
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    16 mins
  • 1 to 100: Armada

    1 to 100: Armada
    Nov 7 2024
    In this episode of 1 to 100, Usman Hanif is joined by Dan Wright, Founder and CEO of Armada, who discusses how his company is revolutionizing edge computing, bridging the digital divide, and building scalable, mission-critical infrastructure for remote data processing and application deployment. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/90adf2d2-cec3-4397-8270-f37f6685d3ac — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess — SPONSORS: 🛠️ Building an enterprise-ready SaaS app? WorkOS has got you covered with easy-to-integrate APIs for SAML, SCIM, and more. Join top startups like Vercel, Perplexity, Jasper & Webflow in powering your app with WorkOS. Enjoy a free tier for up to 1M users! Start now at https://bit.ly/WorkOS-Turpentine-Network 📑Discover Carta, the innovative end-to-end accounting platform revolutionizing private fund management with streamlined operations and on-demand insights. Experience the new standard at carta.com/investors. — LINKS: Armada: https://www.armada.ai/ — FOLLOW ON X: @danwrightSF (Dan) @usygoosy (Usman) @why2join (Why You Should Join) @turpentinemedia (Turpentine)
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    59 mins
  • 1 to 100: Loop

    1 to 100: Loop
    Oct 31 2024
    In this episode of 1 to 100, host Usman Hanif sits down with Matt McKinney, Co-founder and CEO of Loop, a company transforming the $2T freight supply chain industry with AI-powered data solutions that enhance visibility and automate decision-making. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/6b8cd4bb-2d50-4dd1-bf00-08fd97ecfa7d — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess — SPONSORS: 🛠️ Building an enterprise-ready SaaS app? WorkOS has got you covered with easy-to-integrate APIs for SAML, SCIM, and more. Join top startups like Vercel, Perplexity, Jasper & Webflow in powering your app with WorkOS. Enjoy a free tier for up to 1M users! Start now at https://bit.ly/WorkOS-Turpentine-Network 📑Discover Carta, the innovative end-to-end accounting platform revolutionizing private fund management with streamlined operations and on-demand insights. Experience the new standard at carta.com/investors. 📝Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at notion.com/upstreampod — LINKS: Loop: https://www.loop.com/ — FOLLOW ON X: @mattlmckinney (Matt) @usygoosy (Usman) @why2join (Why You Should Join) @turpentinemedia (Turpentine)
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • 1 to 100: Beacons

    1 to 100: Beacons
    Oct 23 2024
    Usman Hanif interviews Neal Jean, founder and CEO of Beacons, discussing the company's journey from a simple link-in-bio tool to a comprehensive platform for creators. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/111595a8-c44e-4b5b-b98f-889678679d44 — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess — SPONSORS: 🛠️ Building an enterprise-ready SaaS app? WorkOS has got you covered with easy-to-integrate APIs for SAML, SCIM, and more. Join top startups like Vercel, Perplexity, Jasper & Webflow in powering your app with WorkOS. Enjoy a free tier for up to 1M users! Start now at https://bit.ly/WorkOS-Turpentine-Network 📑Discover Carta, the innovative end-to-end accounting platform revolutionizing private fund management with streamlined operations and on-demand insights. Experience the new standard at carta.com/investors. 📝Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at notion.com/upstreampod — LINKS: Beacons: https://beacons.ai/ — FOLLOW ON X: @nealjean1 (Neal) @usygoosy (Usman) @why2join (Why You Should Join) @turpentinemedia (Turpentine)
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    59 mins
  • 1 to 100: Zellerfeld

    1 to 100: Zellerfeld
    Sep 25 2024
    In this episode of 1 to 100, Usman Hanif sits down with Cornelius Schmitt, Co-founder and CEO of Zellerfeld, a pioneering technology company that produces entire 3D-printed shoes at the push of a button. Schmitt shares his journey from working out of his dorm room to developing the first fully 3D-printed shoe company, now backed by Founders Fund. He discusses Zellerfeld's collaborations with luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Moncler, highlighting how they meet the highest product standards in the industry. Schmitt also delves into his techno-optimist vision, explaining why footwear is just the beginning for Zellerfeld and how 3D printing technology can advance our broader technological capabilities. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️ This Won't Last Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast -- SPONSOR: WORKOS 🛠️ Building a B2B SaaS app? WorkOS has got you covered with easy-to-integrate APIs for SAML, SCIM, and more. Join top startups like Perplexity, Vercel, Jasper & Webflow in powering your app with WorkOS. Enjoy a free tier for up to 1M users! Start now at https://bit.ly/WorkOS-Turpentine-Network -- LINKS: Zellerfeld: http://www.zellerfeld.com -- X : @Zellerfella (Cornelius) @TheZellerfelds (Zellerfeld) @usygoosy (Usman) @why2join (Why You Should Join) @turpentinemedia (Turpentine) -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (01:40) Introducing Zellerfeld (02:23) Founding story of Zellerfeld (06:23) Challenges and innovations in 3D printing (09:11) Advancements in 3D printing technology (15:59) Sponsor: WorkOs (17:06) Starting from scratch (19:24) Revolutionizing footwear manufacturing (25:04) Future of 3D printing and custom footwear (31:02) Benefits of 3D printed shoes (36:46) Timelessness of footwear (38:56) Health benefits of custom shoes (40:35) Collaborations with luxury brands (46:45) Celebrity endorsements and influence (54:49) Competitors in 3D printed footwear (59:05) Building a passionate team (01:03:31) How to get Zellerfeld shoes (01:09:56) Wrap
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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • 1 to 100: Braintrust

    1 to 100: Braintrust
    Sep 18 2024
    In this episode of 1 to 100, host Usman Hanif is joined by Ankur Goyal, Founder and CEO at Braintrust, an enterprise-grade stack for building AI products, from evals to logging to data management. Ankur shares insights on product development strategy in the AI era, getting backed by the likes of Elad Gil and Greylock, and how he sees the future of AI development. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️ This Won't Last Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast -- SPONSOR: WORKOS 🛠️ Building a B2B SaaS app? WorkOS has got you covered with easy-to-integrate APIs for SAML, SCIM, and more. Join top startups like Perplexity, Vercel, Jasper & Webflow in powering your app with WorkOS. Enjoy a free tier for up to 1M users! Start now at https://bit.ly/WorkOS-Turpentine-Network -- LINKS: Braintrust: https://www.braintrust.dev/ -- X : @ankrgyl (Ankur) @braintrustdata (Braintrust) @usygoosy (Usman) @why2join (Why You Should Join) @turpentinemedia (Turpentine) -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (02:03) Overview of Braintrust (02:58) Challenges in building AI products (04:24) Braintrust's core product (07:10) Killer feature of Braintrust (10:17) Hard part about evals (11:45) Primary challenges of the company (13:54) Golden data sets and their importance (17:57) Complexities of LLM applications (24:03) Sponsor: WorkOs (25:10) Moats for a company (28:09) Lessons from Impira and Figma (32:55) Building relationships in the Valley (35:24) Identifying and solving core problems (37:18) Balancing customer feedback and product vision (40:37) Hiring and building a strong team (50:28) Future of AI development (56:28) Wrap
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    1 hr
  • 1 to 100: AtoB

    1 to 100: AtoB
    Sep 11 2024
    In this episode of 1 to 100, Usman Hanif sits down with Vignan Velivela, Co-founder and CEO at AtoB, a fintech company that provides solutions for the trucking industry. AtoB is focused on building a modern infrastructure for the trucking industry, with a mission to reduce energy usage, improve financial stability for small businesses, and create a more level playing field. Usman and Vignan also discuss the origin of AtoB, the challenges faced, and the exciting future ahead for this hypergrowth startup. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️ This Won't Last Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast -- SPONSOR: WORKOS 🛠️ Building a B2B SaaS app? WorkOS has got you covered with easy-to-integrate APIs for SAML, SCIM, and more. Join top startups like Perplexity, Vercel, Jasper & Webflow in powering your app with WorkOS. Enjoy a free tier for up to 1M users! Start now at https://bit.ly/WorkOS-Turpentine-Network -- LINKS: AtoB: https://www.atob.com/ AtoB Careers: https://jobs.lever.co/atob/b8ede289-e5b9-43ad-8aa5-420260832e6c https://jobs.lever.co/atob/b36a0682-a441-45ae-89cc-caf57d5ce241 EMAIL: vignan@atob.com -- X : @vignanv8 (Vignan) @usygoosy (Usman) @why2join (Why You Should Join) @turpentinemedia (Turpentine) -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (01:26) Overview of AtoB (02:30) AtoB's origin story (07:26) Product Offerings (08:39) Unique fleet card system (13:33) Building on open loop networks (16:54) Sponsor: WorkOs (18:01) Challenges and innovations (21:30) Difficulties on using Visa and Mastercard (26:21) Solving the fraud detection problem (32:41) Importance of real-time payments (36:26) Building a modern payment infrastructure (39:19) Founders' background and vision (46:30) Engaging with truck drivers and early customers (49:19) Attracting investors and scaling the business (53:17) Future plans and team expansion (57:15) Wrap
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • 1 to 100: Mercor

    1 to 100: Mercor
    Sep 4 2024
    In this episode of 1 to 100, Usman Hanif sits down with Brendan Foody, Co-founder and CEO at Mercor, an AI-powered platform that automates the hiring process. Mercor has grown from zero to mid seven-figure revenue in just one year, working with top foundation model and AI companies. Brendan and Usman discuss the technical challenges and groundbreaking technologies behind their AI vetting process, exploring multimodal models, and its future expansion into various roles and domains. They discuss the massive market opportunity Mercor is going after 🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: www.turpentinenetwork.co -- SPONSOR: WORKOS 🛠️ Building a B2B SaaS app? WorkOS has got you covered with easy-to-integrate APIs for SAML, SCIM, and more. Join top startups like Perplexity, Vercel, Jasper & Webflow in powering your app with WorkOS. Enjoy a free tier for up to 1M users! Start now at https://bit.ly/WorkOS-Turpentine-Network -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️ This Won't Last Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast -- LINKS: Mercor: https://mercor.com/ Why You Should Join newsletter: https://whyyoushouldjoin.substack.com/ -- X : @BrendanFoody (Brendan) @mercor_ai (Mercor) @usygoosy (Usman) @why2join (Why You Should Join) @turpentinemedia (Turpentine) -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (02:06) How Mercor automates staffing and recruiting (04:19) Competitive edge of Mercor (06:39) Advantages of Mercor's platform (10:22) AI technology in candidate vetting (14:04) Exploring multimodal models (20:16) Sponsor: WorkOS (21:23) Challenges and innovations in AI-powered hiring (22:36) Defensibility and moat (24:49) Opportunity in the labor market (30:12) How company expanded its hiring services (31:45) Expanding AI models across domains (34:03) Validating AI models for different roles (35:06) Improving candidate experience (36:47) Building a marketplace (41:41) Leveraging international talent (45:41) Founding team and early challenges (50:15) Future plans and hiring (52:28) Wrap
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    56 mins