Top founders face a real tension between moving fast with AI and carrying the weight of building an in-house team. In this conversation, host Daniel Kazani walks through how the Softup model equips startups with top developers who use AI tools daily, cut delivery timelines, and remove hiring headaches. The discussion explores AI as a practical accelerator in software development, from tools like Lovable and Copilot to real examples of building internal apps through prompting instead of traditional coding. Joseph and Daniel unpack why flexible augmented teams protect runway, how domain expertise in areas like fintech and proptech compounds over years, and why communication, time zone alignment, and instant access to specialists matter more than ever. A clear throughline: maximum speed, flexibility, and cash preservation without sacrificing quality.

ㅤ

• How AI tools like Copilot and Lovable make development 30 to 50 percent faster and change what a “developer” day-to-day role looks like.
• Why founders who ignore AI supported workflows fall behind peers who use prompting, agents, and automation for real projects.
• The launch of Softup AI Labs as a space to test challenging use cases, build with tools like n8n, Make, and Zapier, and aim for minimal manual code.
• The real cost of in-house hiring: defining roles, writing job descriptions, sourcing candidates, screening 50 to 100 applicants, and investing hours per interview.
• Why Softup hires for both technical depth and strong communication, filtering for red flags, soft skills, and client facing confidence.
• How long term developers build domain expertise in areas like fintech and proptech and why that combination is hard to replicate internally.
• The value of flexible, augmented teams that can scale up for critical phases like launch, QA, and security checks, then scale down to protect runway.
• How time zone proximity to Europe and the US, direct access to developers on Slack, and on site collaboration create smoother, faster delivery.
• Price and productivity dynamics where high quality nearshore teams plus AI can outperform more expensive or slower alternatives.

ㅤ

• Softup
• Lovable
• Copilot
• n8n
• Make
• Zapier
• AWS
• Slack
• LinkedIn
• Will Smith “eating spaghetti” AI video reference
• Oracle
• Microsoft
• Chamath Palihapitiya

Running out of cash before software reaches viability is one of the biggest pitfalls. Producer Joseph Lewin introduces host Daniel Kazani as they dig into how to develop software without running out of cash. The conversation compares three paths for early traction and scale up: hire in-house, work with freelancers, or partner with an agency. Daniel explains commitment, premiums, and flexibility, including pause and resume development, start in two to four weeks, and build for three to six months. The discussion covers waiting for a CTO, the sweet spot of two to three months, and why CTO as a service can cover investor meetings, technical roadmap, scalability, and cloud. They highlight speed, screening and onboarding realities, notice periods, equity, and how priorities shift with new customers, funding, or AI. The episode calls out why maximum flexibility and maximum speed protect cash flow when things change.

ㅤ

• The tradeoffs between in-house, freelancers, and an agency for early traction and scale-up
• Commitment windows like six to twelve months vs pause and resume development for three to six months
• Why waiting more than two to three months for a CTO can let the market shift
• CTO as a service for investor meetings, technical roadmap, scalability, cloud, DevOps, and cybersecurity touchpoints
• The real hiring timeline: defining the role, screening, technical vetting, offers, equity, onboarding, and notice periods
• Broad expertise vs specific expertise, and shifting priorities across backend, QA, DevOps, databases, cloud, and security
• Risks of hiring students for core product work, including exam periods and speed
• Reputation concerns with outsourcing, buying as much as you can afford, and having one neck to choke

ㅤ

• LinkedIn
• Naval Ravikant
• AWS
• Meta
• San Francisco

Founders move fast, but in the age of AI, it’s not just about speed; it’s about making the right choices. In this trailer, host Daniel Kazani, co-founder of Softup Technologies, introduces Disrupt or Defend: a show about the hard calls every tech leader faces. From AI agents to low-code innovation, you’ll hear from founders and experts building the future of software, one bold decision at a time.