In the startup world, speed is everything. But too many founders confuse busyness with velocity, mistaking frantic activity for real momentum. In this episode, Chris and Yaniv are joined by Keith Lucas, former product and engineering leader at Roblox, to unpack what speed actually means, and how to build it…
Coinbase just launched the Base App, a bold rebrand of their wallet that adds identity, social networking, and an app store. But is this the next-gen Web3 platform, or just another crypto mirage? In this episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein unpack Microsoft’s latest attempt to win back developer mindshare…
Is Microsoft serious about winning back developers with AI? Listen as Chris and Yaniv break down the launch of GitHub Spark; Microsoft’s cloud-based, AI-powered coding environment that promises zero-setup, realtime preview, and LLM integration. They discuss whether GitHub Spark is a lightweight app-builder for hobbyists, or the start of Microsoft’s…
Coinbase just launched the Base App, a bold rebrand of their wallet that adds identity, social networking, and an app store. But is this the next-gen Web3 platform, or just another crypto mirage? In this episode, Chris is impressed by the product execution and developer ecosystem Coinbase is building. Yaniv?…
YouTube is using AI to detect teenage users, regardless of the birthdate they enter. Combined with new Australian laws banning social accounts for under-16s, the platform is enforcing new limits on ads, content, and screen time for minors. Chris and Yaniv discuss the implications for parents, creators, and platforms: is…
Is GitHub Spark the future of AI software building? Startups looking to use “vibe coding” often face janky tools and broken promises. Microsoft's latest IDE, however, has serious potential to be the industry breakthrough that addresses the agonizing issues developers face. In this episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein unpack…
OpenAI has tripled in size in just a year (growing from 1,000 to 3,000 employees), and it shows. A former employee recently revealed an internal culture of overlapping projects, bottom-up chaos, and secretive teams. Today, Chris and Yaniv compare OpenAI’s culture to early Google, Facebook, and Uber, discussing the trade-offs…
AI is changing how we build startups, but how can founders leverage it without their product becoming slop? Too many early-stage entrepreneurs believe that faster prototyping automatically leads to better products. In reality, rushing to “ship something” can destroy product-market fit before it’s even tested. In this Q&A episode, Yaniv…
Is Uber’s gamble on RoboTaxis a brilliant move, or the end of its asset-light magic? And what’s really going on inside OpenAI as it races to dominate AI? Many founders assume hypergrowth companies are perfectly coordinated machines, but the reality is far messier. From billion-dollar GPU costs to chaotic product…
AI is changing how we build startups, but how can founders leverage it without their product becoming slop? Too many early-stage entrepreneurs believe that faster prototyping automatically leads to better products. In reality, rushing to “ship something” can destroy product-market fit before it’s even tested. In this Q&A episode, Yaniv…
OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Agent, merging its ‘Deep Research’ and ‘Operator’ tools into a single system capable of both gathering information and taking action online. Is this fusion worth the risk? Chris and Yaniv explore the promise and pitfalls of AI agents that can act autonomously, questioning whether reliability issues…
Uber has made its biggest shift in years by investing in 20,000 Lucid vehicles powered by Nuro’s NVIDIA-backed self-driving tech. Once known for its “asset-light” model, Uber is now taking ownership of a massive RoboTaxi fleet. In this clip, Chris Saad (ex-Uber exec) and Yaniv Bernstein break down what this…
Is Uber’s gamble on RoboTaxis a brilliant move, or the end of its asset-light magic? And what’s really going on inside OpenAI as it races to dominate AI? Many founders assume hypergrowth companies are perfectly coordinated machines, but the reality is far messier. From billion-dollar GPU costs to chaotic product…
Huge news! AI coding tools don't necessarily make tasks faster to complete, with a new study showing that senior engineers are 19% slower on complex tasks when using AI tools. Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein explore why AI often creates cognitive overhead for experienced developers, how junior engineers benefit differently,…
AI coding tools don't necessarily make tasks faster to complete, with a new study showing that senior engineers are 19% slower on complex tasks when using AI tools. Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein explore why AI often creates cognitive overhead for experienced developers, how junior engineers benefit differently, and what…
Getting noticed is harder than ever, but Rajiv Ayyangar (CEO, Product Hunt) says most startups fail for a surprisingly simple reason: lack of clarity and velocity. In this episode of The Startup Podcast, Rajiv explains what separates breakout startups from the thousands that never gain traction. Drawing on insights from…
Intel’s CEO just admitted it’s too late for them in the high-end AI chip race, shifting focus to edge AI instead. Meanwhile, NVIDIA has quietly reopened its $10B China market despite U.S. export controls. Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein dive into Intel’s surprising honesty, why admitting defeat might actually be…
The $3B Windsurf acquisition by OpenAI just fell apart, and Google swooped in to cherry-pick the top talent. The result? Angry employees left behind and another brutal reminder of how messy Silicon Valley’s AI talent wars have become. Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein discuss why big tech is abandoning traditional…
Is Apple falling behind in the AI race? A top AI executive just jumped ship to join Meta’s 'superintelligence' division, and it’s raising serious questions about Apple’s innovation strategy. In this clip, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein break down why Apple’s conservative, privacy-first approach may be holding it back, and…
Elon Musk’s latest Grok AI model is back in the headlines, this time for some wild behavior. Not only has it been spouting inflammatory remarks, but it reportedly checks Elon’s own tweets before answering user questions. Here, Chris and Yaniv debate whether Grok is a serious AI contender or just…
Is Apple losing its edge in the AI race? And what does it mean for startups when big tech strip-mines entire companies for talent? Many early entrepreneurs believe giant tech firms are unbeatable, but this episode reveals how even industry leaders can stumble, and what founders can learn from their…
Can you really build and launch a startup without writing code (or knowing how to)? As AI tools promise lightning-fast product development, many founders still fall into old traps: over-validating, under-executing, or waiting too long for a technical cofounder. In this episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein are joined by…
Can you really build and launch a startup without writing code (or knowing how to)? As AI tools promise lightning-fast product development, many founders still fall into old traps: over-validating, under-executing, or waiting too long for a technical cofounder. In this episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein are joined by…
Figma’s S-1 filing is out, and it’s packed with insights for anyone building a SaaS business. With $750M in annual revenue, 450K paying customers, and 132% net revenue retention, Figma’s IPO is shaping up to be a major milestone for product-led growth. In this segment, Chris and Shira break down…