Zip CEO Rujul Zaparde - procurement, AI agents and YC insights
Rujul Zaparde is the co-founder and CEO of Zip, the $2.2 billion AI platform for procurement trusted by OpenAI, Anthropic, Snowflake, and hundreds of leading enterprises. He previously co-founded FlightCar, which raised over $40 million and was acquired by Mercedes-Benz. A former Airbnb product manager and Y Combinator visiting partner, Rujul has built Zip into the category-defining leader in procurement orchestration.In this episode of World of DaaS, Rujul and Auren discuss:Why everyone hates procurement departmentsBuilding 50+ AI agents for enterprise workflowsThe future of autonomous business processesYC's evolution and startup quality over timeLooking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to http://worldofdaas.com/ for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X at @worldofdaasYou can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Rujul Zaparde on Linkedin at @rujulzEditing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant https://thepodcastconsultant.com
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The LM Brief: Conditional Voting Rights in VC Term Sheets
This week’s World of DaaS LM Brief looks at a recent piece by Auren Hoffman, co-authored with Sushant Bhardwaj and Lily Petherick from Flex Capital, on a little-known but impactful clause in VC term sheets that can strip founders of their voting rights when they leave their company.We cover how this “employment-tied voting rights” provision, often overlooked until it is too late, can leave founders as shareholders without a voice and why Flex Capital advocates for its removal to foster trust and protect true ownership.Listen to this short podcast summary, powered by NotebookLM.
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Construction Physics' Brian Potter - why America excels at fracking but struggles with construction
Brian Potter is a structural engineer and author of Construction Physics, a weekly Substack about the economics, technology, and productivity of building and infrastructure. He's also a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Progress. In this episode of World of DaaS, Brian and Auren discuss:Why construction productivity has flatlined for decadesThe failure of modular construction and automation barriersThe unprecedented innovation at Bell Labs and modern research comparisonsWhy America dominates fracking but struggles to build Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to http://worldofdaas.com/ for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Brian Potter on X at @_brianpotter.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
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World of DaaS LM Brief: AI Agents: Data Readiness Drives Success
AI agents are emerging as the next major step in business technology, transforming customer service, marketing, analytics, and productivity. Companies like Google and Microsoft are leading adoption, but the success of these agents depends on the quality of the data they work with.
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Airtable CEO Howie Liu - Excel vs Access, Founder Mode, and the Future of SaaS
Howie Liu is the co-founder and CEO of Airtable, the AI-native app platform which has raised over $1.3 billion in funding and is valued at more than $11 billion. Howie sold his first startup, Etacts, to Salesforce when he was just 21 years old.In this episode of World of DaaS, Howie and Auren discuss:The evolution of the no-code/low-code movementHow AI is transforming software developmentPricing strategies for SaaS productsThe importance of founder mode and hands-on leadershipThe future of work in an AI-driven worldLooking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Howie Liu on X at @howietl.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
deep dive into Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) businesses. World of DaaS is a podcast for data enthusiasts, by data enthusiasts, where Auren Hoffman talks to business and technology leaders about all things data - building it, acquiring it, analyzing it, and everything in between.
Ireland