In a special episode to kickoff the New Year, Mercury CEO Immad Akhund and Lima co-founder Rajat Suri share personal reflections and industry predictions. From Raj's mission to revolutionize international talent recruiting through Lima to Immad's vision for expanding Mercury beyond startup banking, the conversation offers a candid look at their entrepreneurial journeys and goals. The discussion then shifts to the evolving landscape of crypto infrastructure with ZeroHash founder Edward Woodford. As a fellow British entrepreneur in America, Woodford shares invaluable insights on navigating regulated industries, the transformation of stablecoin technology, and the delicate dance of policy-making in Washington DC. From the intricacies of crypto compliance to the realities of building relationships on Capitol Hill, this episode provides a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of financial technology, regulation, and entrepreneurship in 2025.

What drives entrepreneurs to push boundaries is often a deep desire to leave a lasting mark on the world. In this episode, System 2 founder Dilan Dane joins Mercury CEO Immad Akhund and Lima co-founder Rajat Suri to explore how this entrepreneurial drive naturally extends into the realms of human potential and discovery. From his journey out of Sri Lanka to becoming a serial founder and biohacking enthusiast, Dane embodies the restless curiosity that characterizes many founders. The conversation weaves through cutting-edge longevity science, space exploration, and consciousness itself—revealing how the entrepreneurial impulse to build and transform doesn't stop at building companies, but extends to reimagining the very limits of human existence and our place in the universe.

Join Immad Akhund and Raj Suri as they dive deep with John Bicket, co-founder and CTO of Samsara and previously Meraki, into the rare feat of building two successful hardware-software companies. From turning MIT research into a cloud networking pioneer at Meraki to revolutionizing fleet operations at Samsara, John shares candid insights about the existential challenges of serial entrepreneurship, the discipline of testing product-market fit, and how to scale company culture while staying ruthlessly focused on customer impact. The conversation offers a unique window into what it takes to spot technological waves early and build enduring businesses in the challenging hardware-software space.

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In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad and Raj sit down with Daniel Kivatinos, founder of JustPaid and DrChrono. The group starts by sharing their startup war stories, including Raj's shocking tale of an intern-turned-criminal and Daniel's unconventional recruitment of a Chipotle employee. The discussion then delves into the complexities of healthcare in America, sparked by recent news of the UnitedHealth CEO shooting, before transitioning into valuable insights about the M&A process. Daniel shares his experience selling DrChrono after 14 years, exploring the challenges of startup acquisitions, the role of investment bankers, and the evolving landscape of startup resources and information available to founders today.

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In this wide-ranging conversation with Box CEO Aaron Levie, Immad and Raj dive deep into the intersection of technology, politics, and regulation. Levie shares candid insights about quiet quitting, what’s real about AI and crypto, and his thought-provoking views on government regulation. They explore the potential of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) and the delicate balance between regulatory oversight and technological progress. 

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In this episode of Founders in Arms, Raj sits down solo with Leonard Speiser, co-founder of Clover, to explore the intricacies of building and scaling hardware startups. Speiser shares the remarkable story of how Clover achieved what seemed impossible: developing enterprise-grade payment hardware from concept to production in just nine months, eventually processing over $300 billion in payments. He discusses the innovative acquisition structure with KKR that allowed Clover to maintain startup agility while leveraging enterprise distribution, offering valuable insights for founders navigating corporate partnerships. Through candid discussions about hardware challenges, fundraising difficulties, and creative business models, this episode offers a masterclass in building transformative technology companies through unconventional paths.

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In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad and Raj sit down with Wayne Crosby, a serial entrepreneur and former Google executive. They dive into Wayne's journey from his early startup Zenter (which became Google Slides) through his decade at Google, exploring how the tech giant's innovative culture shifted over time. The conversation spans Wayne's current venture OrgOrg, his decision to return to Y Combinator as an experienced founder, and transitions into a thoughtful discussion about the potential impacts of the upcoming Trump administration on technology, regulation, and innovation. The hosts and guest offer nuanced perspectives on everything from AI policy to defense tech startups, while sharing insights about how political changes might affect the startup ecosystem. The conversation provides startup wisdom and thoughtful analysis of the intersection between technology and politics.

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In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad and Raj sit down with veteran entrepreneur Dave Balter to discuss the ups and downs of startup. Balter shares candid insights from his journey founding seven companies, including his experiences with co-founder relationships, maintaining humility during success, and managing self-doubt as a CEO. The conversation weaves through various topics, from the challenges of scaling companies to crypto regulation and politics, with Balter offering particularly thoughtful perspectives on building company culture and what he calls "sponge and stone" behavior - the ability to absorb knowledge from others while maintaining relentless determination. The discussion also touches on the evolution of entrepreneurship and the changing dynamics between government regulators and tech companies.

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Immad and Raj sit down with Celine Halioua, founder and CEO of Loyal, a pioneering biotech company developing drugs to increase lifespan longevity in dogs. This episode highlights the unique challenges of building a biotech company, from navigating FDA approval processes to explaining longevity science to investors. The conversation also explores alternative funding sources beyond traditional VC, with all three founders sharing war stories about their toughest fundraising experiences. Whether you're interested in biotech, startup fundraising, or the future of longevity research, this conversation offers valuable insights into building innovative companies without relying on the typical Silicon Valley playbook.

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In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad and Raj sit down with Roger Dickey (Mafia Wars, Gigster, and Untitled Capital) for a deep dive into startup ideation and product-led growth. Roger shares his structured process for generating hundreds of startup ideas, including his unique "matrix approach." The three founders discuss the joys and challenges of building consumer-facing products, and examine the nuances between different growth strategies, from inherent virality to word-of-mouth marketing, sharing examples from companies like Figma, Dropbox, and Wise. Tune in for an engaging discussion that blends personal anecdotes with practical wisdom from some of tech's most innovative minds.

Roger Dickey’s Startup Ideas List: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XgBM6DyFjH77lyobMgJep2C6YjIyAl9hwNAe7faoOaI/edit?usp=sharing 

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