Christian Nagel, Romain Mombert, Shikha Ahluwalia & Justus Lumpe

AI Changed the Game: How VCs Rethink Product, Talent & Technical Moats

What is the new moat in the age of AI? Venture capitalists reveal how they evaluate defensibility when foundation models have become a commodity.

AI Changed the Game: How VCs Rethink Product, Talent & Technical Moats
#1about 4 minutes

How venture capital firms use AI for their operations

VCs are using proprietary AI tools for talent sourcing, due diligence, and automating tasks like summarizing pitch decks.

#2about 5 minutes

Assessing the defensibility and moats of AI startups

Defensibility in AI startups comes from network effects, proprietary data, or changing the underlying business model, not just UX.

#3about 4 minutes

Comparing vertical and horizontal AI business models

Vertical AI excels in specialized domains like legal or health due to proprietary data, while horizontal tools risk being replaced by agents.

#4about 5 minutes

The global AI landscape across Europe, the US, and China

Europe has strong research capabilities and an active application layer but needs sovereign infrastructure to compete with US dominance.

#5about 4 minutes

Strategies for retaining top AI engineering talent

Retaining top AI talent requires a compelling vision and strong company culture, as great talent attracts more great talent beyond high salaries.

#6about 4 minutes

How AI is impacting existing portfolio companies

AI presents both a threat of product obsolescence and an opportunity for operational automation and feature enhancement for pre-AI era companies.

#7about 1 minute

Identifying red flags in an AI startup pitch deck

A major red flag is simply stating "we use AI for X" or incorrectly claiming AI automatically makes the total addressable market larger.

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04:57 MIN

Increasing the value of talk recordings post-event

Cat Herding with Lions and Tigers - Christian Heilmann

Why corporate AI adoption lags behind the hype
03:28 MIN

Why corporate AI adoption lags behind the hype

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The future of recruiting beyond talent acquisition
03:15 MIN

The future of recruiting beyond talent acquisition

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Moving beyond headcount to solve business problems
04:27 MIN

Moving beyond headcount to solve business problems

What 2025 Taught Us: A Year-End Special with Hung Lee

Automating formal processes risks losing informal human value
03:48 MIN

Automating formal processes risks losing informal human value

What 2025 Taught Us: A Year-End Special with Hung Lee

Incentivizing automation with a 'keep what you kill' policy
05:18 MIN

Incentivizing automation with a 'keep what you kill' policy

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Breaking down silos between HR, tech, and business
03:39 MIN

Breaking down silos between HR, tech, and business

What 2025 Taught Us: A Year-End Special with Hung Lee

Rapid-fire thoughts on the future of work
02:44 MIN

Rapid-fire thoughts on the future of work

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