Building The Future Of Public Safety Tech With Rahul Sidhu Founders In Arms podcast

54:41

Sahil Lavingia is the founder and CEO of Gumroad, a platform that helps creators sell digital products and has facilitated over $1 billion in creator earnings. After raising a $7M Series A from Kleiner Perkins, Sahil took the unconventional path of transitioning from venture-backed growth to a profitable, dividend-paying company—and even spent time as a software engineer with DOGE at the Department of Veterans Affairs. What you'll learn: How Sahil transitioned Gumroad from venture-backed to profitable without selling or shutting down The remarkable story of Kleiner Perkins selling their stake back for just $1 and the tax implications Why AI coding tools like Cursor and Devin are making senior engineers more valuable while challenging junior developers What it's really like working inside the federal government as a Silicon Valley software engineer How Sahil automated contract reviews at the VA and helped identify $1.6 billion in cuts The three-pronged DOGE strategy: cutting contracts, workforce reduction, and shipping software Why radical transparency (public board meetings, open-source code) became Gumroad's competitive advantage How to implement a dividend model for private companies instead of traditional growth/exit strategies The challenges and opportunities of bringing private sector expertise to government agencies Why cooperation beats disruption when trying to modernize massive bureaucratic systems In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction and Sahil's early Pinterest days (05:26) The decision to drop out of college for startups (08:12) Building Gumroad and raising from Kleiner Perkins (25:26) How AI is changing software engineering and hiring (39:02) The 60-day DOGE experience at the Department of Veterans Affairs (50:15) Transitioning from venture-backed to profitable company (57:16) The Kleiner Perkins $1 buyback story (1:02:45) Implementing dividends and radical transparency (1:09:04) Why transparency makes you better at everything…

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Two Decades of Reddit: Steve Huffman on Building the Front Page of the Internet 53:22

5 days ago53:22

53:22

Steve Huffman is the co-founder and CEO of Reddit, one of the internet's most essential platforms with 100 million daily active users and a $20 billion public market valuation. Over 20 years, Steve has guided Reddit through multiple existential challenges, from early acquisition to content moderation crises to competing with AI-generated content. What you'll learn: How Reddit achieved product-market fit in just 2 months and the early signs that indicated massive potential Why Steve sold Reddit for $10 million after 18 months and what he learned during his 9-year absence The existential crisis that brought him back as CEO in 2015 and how he rebuilt the platform Reddit's evolution through three distinct eras: link aggregator, intentionally not social media, and authentic human content in an AI world The strategic decision in 2008 to let users create subreddits and how it transformed the platform Building content moderation and safety infrastructure from scratch while preserving free speech values The challenges and benefits of taking Reddit public while maintaining community ownership How Reddit is addressing AI-generated content and the fight for human authenticity online The business model evolution from advertising to AI data licensing partnerships Steve's vision to make Reddit "universal" and expand from 100 million to billions of users In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction and Reddit's 20-year milestone (02:40) Early product-market fit signals and the $10M acquisition (06:25) Steve's 9-year absence and return in 2015 (08:30) Content moderation challenges and building safety infrastructure (14:10) Reddit's three evolutionary eras and strategic positioning (16:40) The subreddit explosion and community self-organization (18:08) Positioning as the human platform in an artificial world (19:15) Human verification challenges and potential solutions (25:22) AI partnerships, data licensing, and monetization strategy (29:02) Search evolution and Reddit's role in the new ecosystem (35:07) Leadership philosophy and staying true to company values (37:43) The decision to go public and community ownership (42:18) Managing public company pressures while maintaining long-term vision (48:27) Steve's vision for Reddit's universal future…

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Building the Future of Public Safety Tech with Rahul Sidhu 37:49

15 days ago37:49

37:49

Rahul Sidhu is the co-founder and CEO of Aerodome, which was acquired by Flock Safety for a reported $300M in October 2024—just 17 months after founding. A reserve police officer turned serial entrepreneur, Rahul built his drone-as-first-responder platform by combining deep public safety expertise with cutting-edge technology to revolutionize emergency response. What you'll learn: How COVID-19 staffing shortages sparked the idea for drone-powered emergency response Why public safety tech has been overlooked by VCs and is now experiencing a renaissance The challenge of selling to 10,000+ small police departments across America How to leverage domain expertise as a competitive moat in specialized industries Strategic advice on when to take a "smaller" exit vs. swinging for bigger outcomes Why investor incentives aren't always aligned with founder success during acquisition talks The regulatory breakthrough that made beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone operations possible How Flock Safety is building American-made drones to compete with Chinese manufacturers The infrastructure challenges and national security implications of drone technology What AI and robotics mean for the future of law enforcement and public safety…

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From Software to Nuclear: Matt Loszak's Mission to Mass-Manufacture Clean Energy 48:15

22 days ago48:15

48:15

Matt Loszak is the co-founder and CEO of Aalo Atomics, building factory-manufactured small modular nuclear reactors designed to power AI data centers. In just 18 months, Aalo has grown from 2 people to 50 employees with a 40,000 square foot factory and a completed full-scale non-nuclear reactor prototype. What you'll learn: How Aalo's liquid metal cooled reactors could transform clean energy production Why data centers are the perfect first customer for next-generation nuclear power Matt's transition from selling his software company Hume to pursuing nuclear innovation The regulatory strategies that could enable faster nuclear deployment Why factory mass manufacturing could solve nuclear's historical cost and timeline challenges The safety advantages of liquid metal cooling and small modular designs How the US compares to China and Russia in nuclear innovation Matt's surprising perspective on fusion vs. fission energy investment The capital journey from $6M seed to $30M Series A to upcoming $100M round A vision for how abundant nuclear energy could enable everything from desalination to vertical farming Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4FHXFiOtyO3QfUi3Y1kwYF?si=1dc9acc8409f448c Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/founders-in-arms/id1679703534 Subscribe to Founders in Arms Substack: https://substack.com/@foundersinarms Join the conversation on Tribe: https://join.tribechat.com/sR-wYn8zUH Follow Founders in Arms on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-in-arms/ Follow Immad on X: https://x.com/immad Follow Raj on X: https://x.com/rajatsuri Follow Matt on X: https://x.com/MattLoszak Follow Immad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iakhund/ Follow Raj on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajatsuri/ Follow Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-loszak/…

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Duolingo’s CTO on Building the World’s Most Addictive Learning App 32:35

29 days ago32:35

32:35

Severin Hacker, co-founder and CTO of Duolingo, joins Immad Akhund and Raj Suri to unpack how Duolingo became the world’s most engaging education platform. They explore how Duolingo leverages AI to personalize learning, the company's obsession with retention, and why relentless experimentation is at the heart of its product strategy. Severin also shares insights on building a mission-driven culture, the immigrant founder advantage, and how to scale design thinking without losing your edge.…

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Meta's Hardball Acquisitions, Apple's App Store Defeat, and Why Tariffs Will Trigger a Recession 34:48

5 weeks ago34:48

34:48

In this founders-only episode of Founders in Arms, Immad Akhund and Raj Suri analyze Meta's aggressive acquisition playbook alongside other major tech developments reshaping the industry landscape. The conversation begins with how Zuckerberg's "buy or get crushed" approach to acquisitions leaves founders with an impossible choice: accept a lucrative buyout or face ruthless competition. They note how "every founder who comes out of Meta regrets selling their company," yet Meta's willingness to clone features makes rejecting their offers extremely difficult. The founders then dissect the Epic vs. Apple lawsuit ruling that ended Apple's 30% App Store monopoly and examine antitrust actions against tech giants, questioning whether surgical regulation targeting specific practices might be more effective than breaking up companies entirely. The discussion highlights how AI foundation models have rapidly commoditized, making monopoly concerns in that space less pressing. The episode concludes with Immad's sobering economic prediction that Trump's tariffs will trigger a recession by late 2025, creating a market where only AI companies secure funding while other promising startups struggle despite solid fundamentals - potentially creating opportunities for contrarian investors and resilient founders.…

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From Rice Krispies to $36M Series B: Dan Hobbs on Building Safety AI, Enterprise Sales, and Leading Across Borders 37:21

6 weeks ago37:21

37:21

In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad Akhund and Raj Suri speak with Dan Hobbs, co-founder and CEO of Protex AI, a company using computer vision to identify safety risks in warehouses and factories before accidents happen. Dan shares his journey from bootstrapping his first startup (where he survived on store-brand Rice Krispies for three weeks) to building a 70-person team serving Fortune 500 clients like Amazon and DHL. The conversation explores how Protex leverages existing CCTV infrastructure to detect dangerous behavior patterns, the advantages of being "outsiders" disrupting traditional industries, and how the AI boom has transformed both fundraising and customer conversations. Dan offers insights on navigating enterprise sales, building trust-based relationships with clients, and managing an international team across Ireland, Boston, and London. From pivoting through multiple startup ideas to selling multi-million dollar contracts, this episode provides valuable perspectives on computer vision applications, scaling an AI company in today's market, and the unique challenges of leadership growth. Whether you're interested in AI applications, enterprise sales strategies, or the founder journey, Dan's candid experiences offer practical wisdom for entrepreneurs at any stage.…

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Building Meaningful Tech for the Next Generation With Jay Shah 53:00

7 weeks ago53:00

53:00

In this episode, Jay Shah joins Immad and Raj to talk about his new startup, Poppy —a screenless, AI-native phone designed for kids. He shares what led him to pivot from enterprise SaaS to building hardware in his basement, why he believes kid-first tech needs a rethink, and how intentional design can create healthier relationships with technology. Jay reflects on lessons from BufferBox, the realities of manufacturing and tariffs, and the power of network effects in consumer hardware. The conversation spans everything from AI in education to emotional resilience as a second-time founder, the state of Canadian tech, and how Y Combinator continues to shape founder journeys.…

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Trade Wars & Supply Chain Disruptions: Ryan Petersen on Navigating the 145% China Tariffs 54:44

8 weeks ago54:44

54:44

In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad Akhund and Raj Suri speak with Ryan Petersen, co-founder and CEO of Flexport, about the recent implementation of 104% tariffs on Chinese imports. Ryan shares insights on how businesses are responding to this trade crisis, strategies for supply chain adaptation, and the broader implications for US-China commerce. The conversation explores how Flexport is helping customers navigate these challenges, the economic impact of protectionist policies, and Ryan's personal journey as a founder. From global trade dynamics to startup leadership wisdom, this episode offers valuable perspective on managing through economic uncertainty.…

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Building a Consumer Network First and Monetizing Later with ClassDojo's Sam Chaudhary 54:08

9 weeks ago54:08

54:08

"Schools try really hard to do all these jobs equally well for all kids, and it's a completely impossible task." ClassDojo CEO Sam Chaudhary shares how his education platform reached 50 million students by making the counterintuitive decision to spend seven years building a network before monetizing. In this revealing conversation with Immad Akhund and Raj Suri, Sam explains why education companies typically fail and how Class Dojo broke through by focusing on parents as true customers rather than selling to institutions. The discussion explores their unique growth strategy and delves into the psychology of education, with Sam sharing insights on how children develop best in "cozy bubbles" where they can explore interests without constant comparison, and why the balance between challenge and support is crucial for both children and high-performing teams. This episode offers essential lessons for founders tackling challenging markets, building consumer networks, and creating environments where authentic growth trumps comparison.…

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Special Episode—Unpacking Mercury's $300M Series C with Guest Host, Hiten Shah 56:16

10 weeks ago56:16

56:16

"The bar was really low in banking—we're not talking rocket science here. We built a product that reached a reasonable standard." Mercury CEO Immad Akhund reveals how a focus on solving basic user experience problems enabled his company to secure a $300M Series C at a $3.5B valuation. In this revealing episode, Hiten Shah (founder of Crazy Egg, KISSmetrics, and Nira—acquired by Dropbox) joins Raj Suri to mine insights from Mercury's journey from founding in 2017 to becoming a fintech powerhouseThe conversation explores how Mercury identified underserved segments in financial services and built distinctive features for startups, e-commerce businesses, and professional services. This episode offers essential lessons for entrepreneurs building in regulated industries, product leaders working on complex user experiences, and founders evaluating fundraising strategies. It’s a masterclass in identifying market opportunities, creating differentiated experiences, and building a profitable business in a highly competitive sector while maintaining focus on customer experience above all else.…

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Exploring Abundance From 10x Intelligence With Paul Buchheit 54:36

11 weeks ago54:36

54:36

Are we mentally prepared for what happens when intelligence becomes an abundant resource rather than a scarce one? Hosts Immad Akhund (Mercury CEO) and Raj Suri (Lima/Tribe co-founder) welcome back Paul Buchheit—Gmail creator and former Y Combinator partner—for our most requested follow-up episode. Together they dive into how exponentially increasing intelligence will transform our civilization, with Paul bringing his uniquely optimistic yet pragmatic perspective to the profound questions facing humanity. This wide-ranging conversation includes thought exercises like why the transition from scarcity to abundance creates an existential meaning crisis, how intelligence without intention changes our understanding of consciousness, and why current political systems may be fundamentally incompatible with AI-accelerated progress. This episode is essential listening for anyone seeking to understand how technology will reshape human experience.…

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Startup Wisdom That Goes Against The Grain With SafeGraph's Auren Hoffman 55:50

12 weeks ago55:50

55:50

"The worst thing you can do is hire executives," declares Auren Hoffman in this eye-opening conversation about startup talent strategy. As a successful founder turned investor, Auren brings a unique dual perspective on how to build elite teams, properly compensate founders, and navigate fundraising. He reveals why he deliberately structures Flex Capital to do two seed investments per week, argues for rethinking founder equity after the initial four-year vest, and shares controversial takes on why most VCs give advice they don't follow themselves. For founders looking to optimize their leadership teams, compensation structures, and fundraising approaches, this episode delivers practical frameworks that challenge conventional Silicon Valley wisdom.…

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Winning the Founder Mental Game with Pilot’s Waseem Daher 45:19

13 weeks ago45:19

45:19

Being small isn't a disadvantage—it's your superpower. Just one provocative sentiment from this episode that challenges conventional startup wisdom and delves into the mindset behind entrepreneurial success. Waseem Daher brings insights from his journey across three successful startups—KSplice (acquired by Oracle), Zulip (acquired by Dropbox), and now Pilot, where he recently transitioned from CEO to executive chair. Host Raj Suri, himself a multi-time founder, creates an environment where honest founder-to-founder exchange flourishes beyond the typical success narratives. The conversation unpacks frameworks such as the "David vs. Goliath" approach to competition, why unpopular decisions often signal good leadership, and how to maintain the delicate balance of the Stockdale paradox—confronting brutal facts while maintaining unwavering faith in eventual success. This episode offers rare insights into the psychological tools that sustain founders through years of uncertainty and challenge. The mental models discussed here apply beyond startups to any leadership position where resilience, decision-making, and maintaining perspective are crucial to success.…

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Building an AI Business Beyond the Hype with Jesse Zhang from Decagon 48:41

14 weeks ago48:41