Fintech Fuels Global Payments
Software crosses borders effortlessly. The globalization of money, however, is considerably more challenging. This is especially true for multinational businesses, which grapple with managing multiple accounts in diverse currencies, navigating costly foreign exchange rates, and unpredictable money transfers.As businesses increasingly embrace a global default, top fintech entrepreneurs are rising to the challenge, addressing cross-border infrastructure issues and offering comprehensive solutions.In this episode, a16z partners Angela Strange, Joe Schmidt, and Gabriel Vasquez discuss the challenges of cross-border payment infrastructures and what fintech entrepreneurs are doing to create a more integrated, financially inclusive world.Topics Covered:00:00 - Software crosses borders easily; money does not. 03:02 - Why has global payments been a challenge for so long? 05:44 - How global payments and money currently moves07:25 - The metrics used to measure a country's financial health12:13 - The impact of regulation on financial services16:23 - Can the same regulations be applied to any country? 21:29 - Why each country has its own fintech system24:54 - Opportunities in global payments infrastructure34:47 - Advice for founders navigating global fintech systems36:58 - What does a truly global system enable? Read the Fintech Fuels Global Payments package: https://a16z.com/global-paymentsWatch ’Foreign Exchange 101: What Happens When You Send Money Abroad?’: https://youtu.be/eoXdyO9oGJc?feature=sharedFind Angela on Twitter: https://twitter.com/astrangeFind Joe Schmidt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/joeschmidtivFInd Gabriel Vasquez on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GEVS94Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
30 Okt 202339min
The Techno-Optimist Manifesto with Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz
Subscribe to The Ben & Marc Show on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3SdsfNtSubscribe to The Ben & Marc Show on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3SclPOrRead the full manifesto: https://a16z.com/the-techno-optimist-manifesto/ This past week, Marc released his new vision for the future – “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto”.In an article that has sparked widespread conversation across traditional and social media, Marc challenges the pessimistic narrative surrounding technology today, and instead celebrates it as a liberating force that can lead to growth, progress and abundance for all. In this one-on-one conversation based on YOUR questions from X (formerly Twitter), Ben and Marc discuss how technological advancements can improve the quality of human life, uplift marginalized communities, and even encourage us to answer the bigger questions of the universe.We hope you’ll be inspired to join us in this Techno-Optimist movement. Enjoy! Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
25 Okt 20231h 7min
A New Era of VR: From the Court to the Classroom
As VR technology inches forward, completely new experiences loom on the horizon.In today’s episode, we expose listeners to the very real-world use cases already present on these devices, from fitness to education.First up is Gym Class VR, one of the top-rated apps on the Quest. Cofounder, Paul Katsen, shows us how to dribble and dunk in the metaverse, but more importantly, discusses the social impact of VR, the technological prerequisites to get there, and the role of AI as we progress.Following on is a founder on a mission to revolutionize education. Anurupa Ganguly from Prisms VR, explores how virtual reality has the potential to close the gap – one where 70% of US 8th graders are not proficient in foundational math.Head over to our YouTube channel to see two a16z Podcast firsts: a full interview in VR, and host Steph slam dunking on an NBA court. Topics Covered: 00:00 - The current state of VR03:38 - How do you build the #1 VR app?05:56 - How will VR become an everyday activity?07:37 - The social and the technical arc of VR11:47 - Untapped opportunities in VR13:24 - Integrating AI into VR17:09 - Prisms VR20:10 - Why it’s critical to fix America’s math problem21:12 - Why put VR in classrooms now?23:23 - The successes of VR in the classroom26:03 - Stats from the impact report27:44 - Other curriculums could benefit from VR 31:04 - Opportunities for AI in VRResources:Find Paul on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pavtalkLearn more about Gym Class: https://www.gymclassvr.comFind Gym Class in Meta Quest: https://www.meta.com/experiences/3661420607275144/Find Anurupa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anurupa-ganguly-92790379Learn more about Prisms VR: https://www.prismsvr.comStay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
13 Okt 202333min
When Will AI Hit the Enterprise? Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi Discuss
Today’s episode continues our coverage from a16z’s recent AI Revolution event. You’ll hear directly from a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Databricks cofounder and CEO, Ali Ghodsi as they answer questions around AI and the enterprise, plus their perspectives on open source, whether benchmarks are BS, and the scramble of universities to take part in the very wave they kicked off decades ago.If you’d like to access all the talks from AI Revolution in full, visit a16z.com/airevolution. Resources:Find Ali on Twitter: https://twitter.com/alighodsiFind Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhorowitzCheck out Databricks: https://twitter.com/databricks Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
6 Okt 202325min
When AI and Genomics Collide
Today’s episode continues our coverage from a16z’s recent AI Revolution event. You’ll hear a16z Bio & Health GP Vijay Pande speak with Daphne Koller about the fascinating convergence of machine learning and genomics – two industries that have benefitted decades of investment and progress – which are now colliding head on.Daphne is a prominent innovator at this intersection, as a long-time professor in computer science at Stanford and co-founder of Coursera, who has decided to step back into the arena with her company Insitro. In fact, Insitro is a blend of in silico and in virto!If you’d like to access all the talks from AI Revolution in full, visit a16z.com/airevolution. Resources:Find Daphne on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaphneKollerFind Vijay on Twitter: https://twitter.com/vijaypandeFind Insitro on Twitter: https://twitter.com/insitro Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
3 Okt 202324min
AI Revolution: Disruption, Alignment, and Opportunity
The AI Revolution is here. In this episode, you’ll learn what the most important themes that some of the world’s most prominent AI builders – from OpenAI, Anthropic, CharacterAI, Roblox, and more – are paying attention to. You’ll hear discussion around the real-world impact of this revolution, on industries ranging from gaming to design, and the considerations around alignment along the way.This footage is from an exclusive event, AI Revolution, that a16z ran in San Francisco recently. If you’d like to access all the talks in full, visit a16z.com/airevolution. Topics Covered:00:00 - AI Revolution02:39 - Putting technology in users’ hands08:21 - AI alignment and safety21:44 - Future opportunities Resources: Catch the all the talks at https://a16z.com/airevolution Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
28 Sep 202331min
AI Revolution: Top Lessons from OpenAI, Anthropic, CharacterAI, & More
The AI Revolution is here. In this episode, you’ll learn what the most important themes that some of the world’s most prominent AI builders – from OpenAI, Anthropic, CharacterAI, Roblox, and more – are paying attention to. You’ll hear about the economics of AI, broad vs specialized models, the importance of UX, and whether we can expect scaling laws to continue.This footage is from an exclusive event, AI Revolution, that a16z ran in San Francisco recently. If you’d like to access all the talks in full, visit a16z.com/airevolution. Topics Covered00:00 - AI Revolution01:42 - The economics of AI06:55 - The third epoch of compute13:52 - Recognizing scaling laws17:42 - Can scaling laws continue?22:34 - Potential bottlenecks25:58 - Personalization vs generality29:43 - The importance of UX31:55 - The future of multi-modality Resources:Catch the all the talks at https://a16z.com/airevolution Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
25 Sep 202338min
Engineering Rapidly Reusable Rockets
The space industry is evolving rapidly, with the cost of launching payloads to orbit dropping significantly. But who's investing in this sector, and how will it evolve? In this episode, we delve into the transformative journey of the satellite industry with Andy Lapsa, co-founder of Stoke Space. With over a decade of experience at Blue Origin, Andy is now at the forefront of sustainable space travel, pioneering fully reusable rockets.Don’t forget to check out Part 1 in this mini series, where we explore the public and private players in space with John Gedmark from Astranis. Resources: Learn more about Stoke: https://www.stokespace.comFind Andy on Twitter: https://x.com/AndyLapsa?s=20 Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
22 Sep 202356min
