Philip Zeng

I started my college journey as a Computer Engineering student before the ChatGPT genesis in 2023. Along my exploration in schools, I bumped into startups, machine learning research, and its industrial and business applications. My venture outside school led me into investment banking for both matured firms and early-stage startups.

These experiences led me to several observations and understandings of myself:

- Founders are the most courageous, energetic, and amazing group of people I know and can learn from. I enjoy being friends with them, learning from them, and helping them.

- The Venture Capital and Startup ecosystem is where what shapes the future emerges. Having a seat at the table now increases my chances of staying at the table in the future.

- AI did significantly reshape productivity. Needs for entry-level hires are diminishing. And in the long run, people may end up being either a startup founder themselves or just unemployed (for the majority of white-collar positions). When I talk to many of the pre-seed, college software/AI application startups, they run on extremely lean teams, and their largest expense is the Claude subscription. On the investor side, more Solo GPs emerge.

- There is a compounding effect for founders. We never learn how to drive a car until we are in the driver's seat.

With all these perspectives in mind, the idea of initiating our own VC & founders focused podcast pop up.

The ones who deeply love the areas they work on and are deeply connected to the community they serve.

The ones who move fast.

The ones who pursue their passion with persistence.