E37: The Vinod Khosla Interview

Erik Torenberg talks to Vinod Khosla about his contrarian bets at Khosla Ventures, the firm’s strategic thinking about the future, and why his “venture assistance” is different than other funds. They also discuss his investment thesis in AI (including OpenAI), robotics, biotech, crypto, education, transportation, and more. Source better deals with the most complete startup database: https://bit.ly/harmonicturpentine

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This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS Company Breakdowns & The 10x Capital Podcast

• Company Breakdowns dives into S-1s and series B-and-beyond companies, interviewing founders and investors to break down the companies. First episode is on Rubrik - which just IPO'd. Coming up this season: Databricks, Reddit + more
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0epyYBAxLeF0PsNagdDJAJ
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/company-breakdowns/id1743119197

• If you like Turpentine VC, check out our show The 10x Capital Podcast with David Weisburd, where David talks to the investors behind the investors: https://10xcapitalpodcast.com/

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LINKS:

• Favorite book: The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh
• Vinod’s Predictions (2023) : https://www.khoslaventures.com/vinod-predictions-in-2023-of-what-the-next-10-to-25-years-might-look-like/
• Reinventing Societal Infrastructure with Technology (2018) : https://medium.com/@vkhosla/reinventing-societal-infrastructure-with-technology-f71e0d4f2355

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:49) Reflecting on 20 Years of Khosla Venture's Evolution and Team Dynamics

(07:12) Staying the Course: Long-Term Investments and Impact

(11:31) Contrarian Bets

(13:20) Redefining Humanity

(15:41) Crypto Strategy and Real-World Applications

(17:55) Sponsor: Harmonic | Squad

(20:24) Venture Assistance and Team Building Insights

(25:34) On Good and Bad Advice

(28:32) Determining Who to Take Advice From

(30:21) Rethinking Hiring and Entrepreneurship

(31:08) Investment Strategies and Learning from Failures

(33:16) Venture Capital Insights and Asymmetric Risk

(37:30) Global Fund Strategy and Technological Impact

(42:36) The Future of Work and AI's Role

(53:35) Personal Philosophy and Longevity in Venture Capital

(58:57) Wrap