Erik Torenberg interviews Roelof Botha, the managing partner of Sequoia Capital, and Jacob Helberg, advisor to Palantir CEO and organizer of The Hill & Valley Forum. Roelof and Jacob discuss the need for collaboration between Silicon Valley and Washington, especially on national security and frontier technologies, TikTok as a bellwether for the technological decoupling between the US and China, and debate the challenges of open-source and AI regulation.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod

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🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg

LINKS:

FOLLOW ON X:

@roelofbotha (Roelof)

@jacobhelberg (Jacob)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(02:00) The Importance of Silicon Valley and DC

(06:45) Sequoia's Bullish Stance on Defense and Frontier Tech

(09:17) The New Arms Race with China and TikTok's Ban

(11:55) Sequoia's Separation from Chinese Entity

(14:17) Technological Decoupling and TikTok as a Bellwether

(24:27) AI Supply Chain and Export Controls Discussion

(31:26) AI Regulation and the Open vs Closed Source Debate

(46:55) Closing Statements and Future Outlook

In the special evening session of the Hill & Valley Forum, Palantir CEO Dr. Alex Karp and house representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY) discuss their efforts against discrimination, particularly Anti-Semitism. Karp stress the importance of clarity and honesty within his company, Palantir, and how that culture allows them to deliver superior hard tech products. He also argues this approach has made Palantir a competitive environment attracting top talent, contrasting sharply with institutions promoting ideologies that foster discrimination, such as some elite educational institutions.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod

--

🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNay6Oa3Fww

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@PalantirTech

@RitchieTorres

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) The courage to innovate

(04:47) Building a culture of disruption and honesty at Palantir

(07:22) Challenging the status quo

(07:39) The crisis in higher education 

(09:34) A call to action: standing up against discrimination

(11:45) The role of elite education in shaping Silicon Valley

(12:24) Understanding non-playbook players

Jacob Helberg discusses the importance of technological advancements for national defense and the shifting relationship between Silicon Valley and Washington D.C., highlighting an end to the era of neutrality in tech companies. 

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. Guests included Venture Capitalists Vinod Khosla, Joe Lonsdale, and Roelof Botha, tech CEOs Alex Karp (Palantir) and Alex Wang (Scale AI) as well as politicians such as house speaker Mike Johnson, Senators Todd Young, and Cory Booker. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPtTYWh6WcM

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@jacobhelberg

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Opening Remarks: Reflecting on the Past Year

(01:15) Legislative Achievements and Acknowledgments

(02:22) The Evolving US-China Technology War

(03:46) Forecasting the Future of the U.S.-China Tech Race

(04:25) Closing Remarks and Acknowledgments

The founders of Scale AI, Anthropic, and AI Fund have gathered to warn the U.S. that China as an adversary is still being underrated. They are no longer the cheap plastics manufacturer of the ’90s. In today’s AI race, they are no longer just copying the United States. They argue that the papers out of Tsinghua University are just as impressive as those coming out of American universities. China is just as creative, but maybe even more motivated. While discussions of regulations have encompassed certain restraints, Alex Wang, Andrew Ng, and Jack Clark argue that we’re not moving fast enough.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIvqliIO5Wk

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@alexandr_wang

@AndrewYNg

@jackclarkSF

@CoryBooker

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) AI's Potential and Global Impact

(00:24) Assembling the founders of Anthropic, Scale AI, and AI Fund

(01:45) Predictions for AGI

(05:11) Navigating AI innovation amidst regulation

(13:01) Global AI competition and the urgency of innovation

(20:34) Empowering future generations

Sequoia Managing Partner Roelof Botha, Senator Linsey Graham, and Daniel Gross, the former Head of AI at Apple and Co-Founder of Andromeda discuss the future of dual-use AI. Global trade as a percentage of GDP peaked in 2008. Since then, it’s been in a steady decline. A flat world where economic incentives have the chance to bring people together did not turn out to be true. This led Roelof Botha to cut off all external arms of Sequoia and re-focus Sequoia’s focal point around caring for Western values, Western ideals, and U.S. competitiveness. Lindsey Graham joins Botha to forecast what the partnership between D.C. and Silicon Valley could look like, and discusses regulatory challenges. While risks around section 230 are present, Graham still expands on his optimism of the patriots who are the engineers in Silicon Valley.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

--

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEanx6CeAeQ

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@roelofbotha

@danielgross

@LindseyGrahamSC

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Silicon Valley's Role in National Security

(01:52) Senator Lindsey Graham on AI, regulation, and the debate over Section 230

(09:02) Roelof Botha on the dual-use nature of AI technology

(15:40) Regulating large versus small engines

(16:40) Losing our edge

(22:43) Regulating AI and synthetic biology: balancing Innovation and security

(26:46) Closing Remarks

For the next level of having skin in the game, Anduril matched the Australian government dollar for dollar in their contract to develop their Ghost Shark coming in under budget and a year ahead of schedule. There is not a single defense prime that would share the risk with their clients, leading to delayed timelines and over budget projects still producing comfortable bonuses for the executives. Joe Lonsdale, Co-Founder at Epirus and 8VC, Josh Wolfe of Lux Capital and Matthew Steckman at Anduril share that they have been ready with the best products. They have just been pushing to get their foot in the door but are finally seeing a shift in culture and detail the potential this could bring about.

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/4P2e3xKdtTw

The Hill & Valley Forum: https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@JTLonsdale

@wolfejosh

@steck50

@anduriltech

@SenatorRounds

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Anduril winning the CCA Downselect

(01:02) Opening Remarks from Senator Mike Rounds

(02:16) Joe Lonsdale on applications of AI

(02:44) Josh Wolfe on investing in defensetech

(04:28) Matt Steckman on the watershed moment for Anduril

(07:09) Future of warfare

(09:46) Leveraging VC for Defense

(12:35) The role of AI in modernizing Defense

(15:14) Embracing New Entrants and Innovation in Defense Contracting

(15:21) The significance of the Australian Project and Innovation Funding

(18:06) The urgency of adopting new technologies in defense

(25:50) AI's Potential beyond defense: healthcare and acquisition processes

(29:23) Closing Remarks

The most pressing blockades in tech discussed today revolve around at-risk supply chain systems, acquiring GPUs for model advancement, lean manufacturing systems and more. However, Alex Karp, CEO & co-founder of Palantir makes the argument that the biggest hindrance is a culture problem. Jacob Helberg and Alex Karp sit down to discuss why Palantir is rooted in a foundation of being unpopular in being unapologetically a DoD supporter, and defender of Israel. Karp emphasizes that these are the necessary foundations for the best products. Karp expands on his contrarian takes regarding why the U.S. tech scene is the best in the world - that our Western views of living are superior and the scene is an expression and action of our values.

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqXQFfCIOiA

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@PalantirTech

@jacobhelberg

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Navigating unpopularity in tech

(01:18) Palantir's stance on global conflicts and AI

(02:02) Taking a stand in international affairs

(02:34) The evolution of Silicon Valley and defense technology

(14:37) The role of AI in modern warfare and beyond

(19:49) Tech culture: innovation and heterodoxy

(23:51) Addressing cultural and ethical challenges in society

Delian Asparouhov, Partner at Founders Fund and Co-Founder at Varda Space brings together Tom Mueller, Founder at Impulse Space, and Congressman Ken Calvert (R-CA) to discuss the urgency of why we are diving into the second space race. In 1996, the United States developed the ramjet engine for the first hypersonic missiles reaching Mach 9. In the summer of 2021, China demonstrated a production-ready boost glide hypersonic missile system. In conjunction, reports have stated that Russia is preparing to place a 1-megaton bomb in low earth orbit. This conversation covers the forces shaping the second space race, America’s lunar ambitions, and the critical technologies enabling space commerce and defense.

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@zebulgar

@lrocket

@KenCalvert

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Lunar Ambitions

(00:37) The new space race

(01:49) Identifying key players in the space race and the role of China

(02:48) The future of space: propulsion, AI, and the economy

(05:38) Government and commercial sector collaboration in space

(07:07) Addressing threats: Russia's space ambitions and global security

(09:23) The Importance of space for military and civilian life

(10:24) Boosting U.S. space capabilities

(15:16) The Moon: the ultimate high ground in space

(22:22) Collaboration and competition: shaping the future of space

(26:31) Regulatory challenges and the future of space exploration

Nand Mulchandani, CTO of the CIA and Rob Silvers, Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy and Plans of the DHS, join Senator Kyrsten Sinema (AZ) to discuss the complete overhaul of the most private agency in the United States. With his Silicon Valley background at multiple unicorn startups, Mulchandani is re-architecting every facet of the CIA to partner and keep pace with Silicon Valley. Silvers and Nand discuss the urgent need to not just lower barriers to partnerships between the private and public sectors, but to completely dissolve them.

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

Watch this session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuFcOnbt1B8

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@SenatorSinema

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Dissolving barriers between government and industry in AI

(01:28) Nand Mulchandani, CTO of the CIA on AI's Impact on National Security

(04:14) Rob Silvers on future warfare and defense strategies

(05:21) Competitive edge in AI

(06:35) China's digital battlefield preparations and US response

(09:08) The ‘Infinite Race’ with China

(12:06) Government's role in accelerating AI integration and innovation

(19:47) Shaping the future of AI in government

(21:37) How does government adjust to the iteration cycles required in the private markets?

(27:38) The continuous race in AI innovation

Speaker Mike Johnson emphasizes the critical importance of maintaining U.S. leadership in AI, expressing concerns over potential Chinese dominance and the misuse of AI technologies against American interests. Johnson outlines three key strategies to secure America's place as a global leader in AI: fostering a regulatory environment that encourages innovation, strengthening international cooperation to protect U.S. tech companies from harmful regulations, and promoting an 'all of the above' energy strategy to support the growing demands of AI development. He touches on Chinese AI initiative such as TikTok, and the importance of bipartisan support for American technological advancement and security.

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. Guests included Venture Capitalists Vinod Khosla, Joe Lonsdale, and Roelof Botha, tech CEOs Alex Karp (Palantir) and Alex Wang (Scale AI) as well as politicians such as house speaker Mike Johnson, Senators Todd Young, and Cory Booker. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

Watch this session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE-WXe6N-7I

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@SpeakerJohnson

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Opening Remarks and the Importance of Expertise in Congress

(00:22) The Urgency of Navigating AI and Maintaining American Leadership

(02:36) Strategies for Fostering Innovation and Competing Globally

(05:29) Emphasizing the Need for a Robust Energy Strategy

(07:08) Launching an AI Task Force for Legislative Action

(08:38) Addressing the TikTok Issue and Protecting Against Chinese AI Threats

(10:15)a Closing Remarks and Call for Partnership