Advertise on podcast: Nothing Ventured

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish Shah sits down with Rubina Singh from Foresight Group to explore the changing landscape of deep tech venture capital, strategic infrastructure, and the challenges of turning breakthrough technology into scalable businesses. Rubina shares her perspective on deep tech investing, defence and space technology, healthtech, university spinouts and what separates great technology from great venture-backed companies. She explains why solving a real customer problem, understanding commercialisation and finding the right capital are just as important as the underlying technology. The conversation covers the growing focus on strategic technologies, why defence and space are attracting significant market pull, and how investors can identify genuine capability gaps rather than simply following fashionable areas of technology. They also explore the challenges facing UK university spinouts, including technology transfer, intellectual property, commercialisation and talent, as well as what the UK can learn from ecosystems such as MIT and Stanford. The discussion also looks at corporate venture capital, startup pilots, procurement cycles, strategic investors and the potential risks of becoming too dependent on a single corporate customer. They also discuss healthtech, AI, sensors, medical devices and therapeutics, why biology cannot always be accelerated to fit venture capital timelines, and how different forms of patient or blended capital could help fund companies that don't fit the traditional VC model. In this episode: * Deep tech and the future of venture capital * Investing in defence and space technology * Strategic infrastructure and sovereign capabilities * What makes a great deep tech company * Technology vs product vs commercialisation * The importance of customer demand and market size * UK university spinouts * Technology transfer and intellectual property * Commercialising university research * The UK deep tech ecosystem * Deep tech talent and founder support * Corporate venture capital and strategic investors * Startup pilots and pilot fatigue * Corporate procurement and long sales cycles * Strategic investors and potential conflicts * Healthtech and healthcare innovation * AI, sensors and medical technology * Venture capital vs patient and blended capital * Why not every great company is a fit for VC * Failure, resilience and lessons for founders and investors * The future of deep tech and innovation Find Rubina Singh online at: LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/rubina9 Foresight Group: https://foresight.group/meet-the-teams/private-equity-and-ventures/rubina-singh/ 🎙️ Listen to Nothing Ventured for conversations with founders, investors and the people shaping the future of venture capital. #DeepTech #VentureCapital #DefenceTech #SpaceTech #HealthTech #AI #Startups #VC #UniversitySpinouts #DeepTechInvesting #Innovation #Entrepreneurship Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What’s really happening in UK venture capital right now? Record funding, massive AI investment, tougher growth-stage conditions and a new era of private-market liquidity are reshaping the startup landscape. In this episode of Nothing Ventured News, host Aarish breaks down the latest developments across UK and global venture capital, including: 🚀 Record global venture rounds and the rise of AI funding 💰 Why UK venture capital has surged and where the money is coming from 🇬🇧 The growing role of US investors in UK startups 📈 Why tender offers and secondary sales could become a major source of liquidity 🏦 What rising interest rates mean for VC-backed companies and venture debt 💷 Capital gains tax and what potential changes could mean for founders and employees 📊 Why founders need to rethink runway, fundraising and liquidity planning From Blue Origin and Databricks to UK startups, secondary markets and the future of venture capital, this episode explores where the money is flowing and what founders and investors need to be watching next. 🎙️ Nothing Ventured News Hosted by Aarish Shah. This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Don’t miss the next insight! Join EmergeOne’s newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/emergeone/email-signup-form #DeepTech #VentureCapital #DefenceTech #SpaceTech #HealthTech #AI #Startups #VC #UniversitySpinouts #Innovation #DeepTechInvesting #UKStartups #AI #PrivateMarkets #VCFunding #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapitalUK Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish Shah sits down with Adam French, investor at Antler and former operator and co-founder of Scalable Capital, to explore what makes exceptional founders, how venture capital is changing, and where the UK startup ecosystem is heading. Adam shares his perspective on founder DNA, venture capital investing, startup funding, co-founders, AI and building venture-scale companies, explaining why obsession, agency, ambition and execution are some of the most important traits he looks for in founders. The conversation covers Antler's approach to backing founders, why founder communities and co-founder matching matter, the differences between London and regional startup ecosystems, and why the UK needs greater density of talent, capital and infrastructure. They also explore how AI is changing the way startups are built, why founders should avoid overbuilding, the rise of AI-native businesses, and whether the future could include one-person billion-dollar companies. The discussion also looks at data-driven venture capital, SEIS investing, the changing UK funding landscape, Series A progression, and why capital is becoming increasingly concentrated around breakout businesses. In this episode: - What makes an exceptional founder - Founder DNA: obsession, agency and execution - Antler's approach to venture capital - The UK startup and venture capital ecosystem - London vs regional startup ecosystems - Finding the right co-founder - Solo founders and the rise of AI-native businesses - How AI is changing startup creation - Why startups should avoid overbuilding - Data-driven venture capital investing - SEIS and institutional venture capital - The changing UK funding landscape - Reaching Series A in a tougher market - Venture capital and the power law - What investors really look for in founders - The future of AI, startups and venture capital Find Adam French and Antler online at: LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/adam-french-2192034a Antler: https://x.com/antlerglobal This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Don’t miss the next insight! Join EmergeOne’s newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/emergeone/email-signup-form #AI #CFO #Fintech #Finance #TreasuryManagement #AIinFinance #StartupBanking #FinancialAutomation #FintechStartup #ArtificialIntelligence Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What does the future of climate tech, energy and deep tech investing really look like? In this episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish Shah sits down with Matthew Blain, climate tech investor at Voyager, to explore where venture capital is flowing, why climate tech is being misunderstood, and why the economics behind new technologies matter more than the narrative. Matthew shares his perspective on climate tech investing, batteries, renewable energy, nuclear power, robotics, AI and deep tech, explaining why Voyager looks for companies that are better, faster or cheaper than incumbent technologies rather than relying on green premiums or government policy. The conversation covers the rapid growth of battery storage, wind and solar, Europe's energy costs and competitiveness, the future of nuclear and small modular reactors, and why the battle against climate change increasingly happens upstream in supply chains and infrastructure. They also explore the gap between perception and reality in physical AI and robotics, whether general-purpose humanoid robots can compete with specialised machines, and how AI is changing software, finance and venture capital. In this episode: - Climate tech and the future of venture capital - Why narrative shouldn't replace product-market evidence - The exponential growth of battery storage - Renewable energy, energy costs and European competitiveness - Nuclear power and small modular reactors - Climate investing without relying on government policy - Deep tech, hardware and defensible IP - AI, robotics and physical AI - General-purpose vs specialised robotics - How AI is changing software and finance - Why unit economics ultimately win Find Matthew Blain online at: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-blain-vc Twitter: https://x.com/voyagervc?s=11 Voyager: https://www.voyagervc.com/team-members/matthew-blain This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Don’t miss the next insight! Join EmergeOne’s newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/emergeone/email-signup-form #StartupBanking #financialautomation #FintechStartup #ArtificialIntelligence #ClimateTech #VentureCapital #DeepTech #Energy #Batteries #AI #Robotics #ClimateInvesting #NothingVentured #VC Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What does the future of space tech look like and can the UK become a global deep tech powerhouse? In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah sits down with Maureen Haverty, Principal at Seraphim Space, to explore the rapidly evolving space technology and deep tech investment landscape. Maureen shares her perspective on space tech investing, nuclear innovation, deep tech startups, venture capital and the commercialisation of scientific research. They discuss why so much world-class engineering talent remains trapped in national labs and universities, the UK's fear of failure, and what needs to change to turn groundbreaking research into successful startups. The conversation also explores the growing role of generalist VC funds in space, SpaceX and Starlink, space sovereignty, geopolitical risk, satellite technology, defence tech and the impact of SpaceX's IPO on the venture ecosystem. They also discuss whether the UK should concentrate its startup ecosystem around London, why deep pools of capital matter for ambitious companies, and how founders can compete in markets dominated by giants like SpaceX. In this episode: - The future of space tech and deep tech investing - Why the UK struggles to commercialise world-class research - Nuclear technology and the UK's lost commercial opportunity - Getting scientists and engineers into startups - Generalist vs specialist venture capital - SpaceX, Starlink and the future of space investment - Space sovereignty and geopolitical risk - The impact of SpaceX's IPO on the space ecosystem - Building successful deep tech companies in the UK - Why startup talent and capital need to be concentrated Find Maureen Haverty online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureenhaverty/ Twitter: https://x.com/seraphim_space Seraphim Space: https://seraphim.vc This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://mailchi.mp/emergeone/email-signup-form Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe #AI #CFO #Fintech #Finance #AIinFinance #StartupBanking #FinancialAutomation #FintechStartup #ArtificialIntelligence #SpaceTech #DeepTech #VentureCapital #SpaceX #Startups #VC #Investing #NuclearEnergy #Entrepreneurship #NothingVentured Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What will replace the touchscreen as the next generation of human-computer interaction? In this episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish Shah sits down with Jacques Blagburn from Fether Labs to explore the future of gesture control, wearable technology and human-machine interfaces. Jacques explains how Fether Labs is developing tendon sensing technology that can capture high-fidelity hand movements, offering an alternative to traditional camera-based tracking and EMG sensors. The conversation explores how this technology could unlock new applications across consumer electronics, robotics, gaming, AR/VR, smart devices and next-generation interfaces. Topics covered: • Gesture control and human-computer interaction • Tendon sensing vs EMG and camera tracking • Wearable technology and smart devices • Robotics, gaming and AR/VR • Deep tech and hardware startups • Commercialising academic research • Startup funding and grants • OEM partnerships and technology licensing • Product-market fit and customer feedback • Building the next generation of interfaces • Entrepreneurship, leadership and embracing discomfort #DeepTech #GestureControl #WearableTechnology #Robotics #Startups #HumanComputerInteraction #Hardware #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #NothingVentured Find Jacques Blagburn online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquesblagburn/ Fether Labs: https://fetherlabs.com This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Don’t miss the next insight! Join EmergeOne’s newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/emergeone/email-signup-form #AI #CFO #Fintech #Finance #TreasuryManagement #AIinFinance #StartupBanking #FinancialAutomation #FintechStartup #ArtificialIntelligence Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when financial advice meets AI? In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah sits down with Laura Cornely, CEO & Co-Founder of Count, the UK’s automated financial advisor, to explore the future of fintech, financial advice and startup investing. Laura shares how Count is using technology to help people manage their money, build budgets, create rainy day funds and invest through personalised financial strategies. They discuss: - Can AI and automation replace human financial advisors? - Why financial advice needs a human touch - Building the UK’s automated financial advisor - The FCA sandbox and navigating fintech regulation - Why Laura and her husband chose to build a startup together - Fundraising, dilution and startup runway in 2026 - Why founders need to think differently about venture capital - The changing fintech investment landscape - AI, defensibility and what makes a startup truly difficult to copy - Whether technology is actually making our lives easier Laura also explains why she believes technology may have peaked in making our lives easier and why human connection could become even more valuable in an increasingly AI-driven world. If you're interested in fintech, AI, financial advice, venture capital, startup fundraising, FCA regulation, investing and the future of technology, this episode is not to be missed. Nothing Ventured explores the people, ideas and businesses shaping the venture ecosystem. Find Laura Cornely online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-cornely-505083198/?locale=en Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/count_app/ Count Finance: https://count-finance.com This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Don’t miss the next insight! Join EmergeOne’s newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/emergeone/email-signup-form #AI #CFO #Fintech #Finance #TreasuryManagement #AIinFinance #StartupBanking #FinancialAutomation #FintechStartup #ArtificialIntelligence Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when AI meets finance, treasury management and the future of the CFO? In this episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish sits down with Pac O'Shea, CEO and Co-Founder of Round Treasury, to explore how AI is transforming finance teams, startup banking and treasury management. Pac shares how Round Treasury is solving the challenges faced by high-growth and high-risk startups, from banking and liquidity to cash management and financial automation. Together, they discuss: 💰 Why startups often need multiple banks and the trade-off between trust, usability and liquidity 🤖 How AI is changing the finance function and what CFOs should be automating first 🏦 Why Round built treasury infrastructure before AI features 📊 How AI can automate transactional finance and free CFOs to focus on strategy 👤 Why human-in-the-loop AI is still critical for high-risk financial decisions ⚡ The rise of AI workflows, agents and automated finance operations 🔐 Why trust, compliance, auditability and guardrails matter in AI-powered finance 🧠 Whether an AI CFO could ever replace human judgement and experience 🚀 How CFOs can start experimenting with AI without becoming overwhelmed 🔮 Why the future of finance could move beyond traditional SaaS interfaces If you're a CFO, founder, fintech operator, finance professional or startup leader interested in AI, automation, treasury management and the future of financial technology, this episode is essential listening. Find Pac O'Shea online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pac-o-shea/ Twitter: https://x.com/POS_js Round Treasury: https://roundtreasury.com This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://mailchi.mp/emergeone/email-signup-form Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe #AI #CFO #Fintech #Finance #TreasuryManagement #AIinFinance #StartupBanking #FinancialAutomation #FintechStartup #ArtificialIntelligence Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The next generation of billion-dollar startups won't win because they build better AI. They'll win because they build better experiences. In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah sits down with Milena Nikolic former Senior Engineering Director at Google, former CTO of Trainline, and Co-Founder of Heighway Labs—to explore how AI is fundamentally changing product design, startup strategy, customer acquisition and the future of search. After more than a decade leading engineering teams across Google Search, Android and Google Play, Milena explains why startups now have a unique opportunity to outpace Big Tech, why distribution is becoming harder than software itself, and how AI-native products need completely new user experiences. In this episode we discuss: - Why AI won't replace great product thinking - The future of Google Search and AI-powered discovery - Why startups can now beat Big Tech - Building products that scale from day one - The rise of Generative UX - Why "vibe coding" changes software—but not entrepreneurship - AI agents, automation and the future of work - Startup product strategy and go-to-market - Building customer-first companies - Why UX is becoming the biggest competitive advantage in AI Whether you're a founder, product manager, software engineer, investor, or anyone building AI products, this episode is packed with practical insights on where technology is heading next. Subscribe to Nothing Ventured for weekly conversations with the founders, investors and operators shaping the future of startups, venture capital and technology. Find Milena Nikolic online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milena-nikolic-015748117/ Heywa Labs: heywalabs.com This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe #AI #Startups #VentureCapital #ProductManagement #Google #ArtificialIntelligence #GenerativeAI #StartupFounder #TechPodcast #ProductDesign #UX #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #VC #NothingVentured Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ben Prade is a Partner at Bullhound Capital (formerly GP Bullhound), where he's spent close to a decade building out the firm's growth investment strategy across frontier tech. In this episode, he joins Aarish to unpack why venture capital still doesn't know how to price AI companies and what that means for founders, funds, and the future of software. 📌 In this episode: 💰 Why SaaS multiples break down for AI companies and the case for usage-based pricing 🪙 Tokenomics: the biggest unsolved problem in AI right now 💀 The "SaaS-pocalypse" — is software really dying, or just changing shape? 📖 Why fundraising is fundamentally a storytelling process ⚛️ The UK's quantum bet: Oxford Quantum Circuits' £260m round and government backing 🌍 Sovereign LPs vs. unrestricted private capital — the trade-off funds can't avoid 📈 Late-stage capital in Europe — concentrate power in a few lead investors, or chase the US model? 🐒 Managing the "inner monkey" — the human side of building, investing, and storytelling 💬 "Fundraising is a storytelling process, always. One of the most wonderful things about humans is that they will ignore facts and figures and always believe a good story." — Ben Prade Find [guest name] online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-prade-182b8513a/ Twitter: https://x.com/Pradey Bullhound Capital: www.bullhoundcapital.com This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe #VentureCapital #DeepTech #QuantumComputing #AI #Tokenomics #StartupFunding #FractionalCFO #NothingVentured #EmergeOne Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Samira Sohail has built products at the BBC, led product at edtech unicorn Newsela, run a venture studio for family offices, and invested in 60+ startups. Her career doesn't follow a straight line and she thinks that's exactly the point. In this episode of Nothing Ventured, Samira Sohail and host Aarish cover: 🔹 Why the "career ladder" is giving way to curiosity-led, nonlinear careers 🔹 The real difference between family office capital and venture capital 🔹 How trust, taste, and judgment become the scarce resources as AI commoditizes intelligence 🔹 Why showing up in person still beats a cold LinkedIn message 🔹 What edtech got wrong the first time and where personalised, AI-driven learning is headed 🔹 Hiring for aptitude over credentials, and what "badges" will mean in an AI-saturated world About the Guest: Samira Sohail built digital products at the BBC (iPlayer, BBC News, BBC Sport, BBC Earth) and led product at Newsela, a K-12 curriculum platform used in 90% of US schools. She founded Luxor Beta, a product and venture studio for high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and private equity teams, and has invested in 60+ seed startups with 4 exits. She hosts the podcast Samira Stalks. Find Samira Sohail online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/createsandbreaksthings/ Luxo Beta: www.luxobeta.com This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe #NothingVentured #VentureCapital #FamilyOffice #CareerAdvice #EdTech #FutureOfWork #StartupFounders Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if the future of manufacturing is actually a return to the past? In this episode, Aarish sits down with Drew Allen, CEO of Grace Technologies, to explore why American and Chinese manufacturing dominance came from operators who also designed the machines and what happened when we lost that craft. They dig into: - How the PLC dumbed down the factory floor operator - Why creativity needs to be democratised beyond the R&D lab - Why hard technology has finally become a serious investable asset class - The skills gap threatening Western industrial resurgence - Why the UK keeps building world-class companies and then losing them - How adventure lies on the other side of yes Drew leads Grace Technologies, an electrical safety and predictive maintenance company operating across 60 countries, sits on the advisory board of Atom Power Inc., and hosts his own podcast, The Factory Futurist. Find Drew Allen online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allendrew/ Twitter: https://x.com/GraceTechIA Grace Technologies: https://gracetechnologies.com This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe #Manufacturing #HardTech #VentureCapital #NothingVentured #Industrial #Startups #Entrepreneurship #FactoryFuturist #GraceTechnologies Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 2026 Venture Capital & AI Market Breakdown | The SpaceX IPO Changes Everything? June wasn't just another AI news cycle. It was the month the venture capital concentration story finally spilled into the public markets. In this episode of Nothing Ventured, we break down the biggest developments shaping venture capital, startups, AI, and deep tech. From SpaceX's record-breaking IPO and the return of public market liquidity to the rise of AI infrastructure, fusion energy, world models, and enterprise AI, we explore where capital is really flowing—and who is actually getting paid. We discuss: 🚀 SpaceX's historic IPO and what it means for startup exits 💰 Why liquidity remains the biggest challenge in venture capital 📈 The barbell effect reshaping the VC market 🤖 Enterprise AI, productivity tools, and AI infrastructure investments ⚡ Helion's fusion energy breakthrough and the future of physical AI 🧠 Odyssey, world models, and the next frontier of AI 🔄 Why secondaries are becoming a critical source of liquidity 🏗️ The growing importance of chips, compute, power, and AI infrastructure While the headlines focus on mega-rounds and trillion-dollar valuations, the reality is more nuanced. June 2026 revealed a venture market where the biggest winners continue to attract capital and liquidity, while much of the ecosystem still faces a difficult fundraising and exit environment. 🎙️ Subscribe for weekly conversations on venture capital, startups, technology, innovation, and the future of business. This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe #VentureCapital #AI #SpaceX #Startups #ArtificialIntelligence #TechNews #DeepTech #FusionEnergy #VC #PrivateMarkets #IPO #Innovation #NothingVentured #Technology #Investing Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a world where anyone can prompt an LLM, what actually makes you valuable? Rahim Hirji author of SuperSkills, founder of Box of Amazing, and former international growth lead at Quizlet joins Aarish on Nothing Ventured to explore the skills that will define the next decade of work, learning and leadership. In this episode: - The SuperSkills ladder every person and immigrant family goes through - Why synthetic seniority is quietly breaking organisations - Should kids use AI? Raheem's hard line at age 14 explained - How companies are becoming "reverse pyramids" and why it'll backfire - Why human at the start matters as much as human in the loop - The truth about edtech: scale vs. efficacy and what founders get wrong - Why accessibility beats rigor when teaching AI strategy to leaders Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction: Who is Rahim Hirji? 01:30 – The SuperSkills ladder explained 04:20 – Why the immigrant mindset fuels better entrepreneurs 12:00 – Why "soft skills" is the worst name for the hardest skills 14:15 – The danger of replacing juniors with AI 24:00 – Synthetic seniority: the illusion of experience 31:00 – Should kids use AI? The case for waiting until 14 43:30 – Protection vs agency: the parenting trade off 50:15 – Truth, Trust & Taste: the three T's AI can't replace 54:00 – Why reverse pyramids will backfire on corporates 01:01:00 – Human at the start vs human in the loop 01:08:00 – What edtech got wrong 01:25:30 – The beach bar that perfectly summed up human + AI 01:34:00 – Contrarian take: ask what AI shouldn't do 01:37:00 – What moves Rahim emotionally 01:41:00 – Where to find Rahim & the Superskills book Find Rahim Hirji online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahimhirji/ Book Superskills: https://superskills.com This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is mobile gaming still a venture-worthy bet or has the gold rush ended? Anton Backman, General Partner at Play Ventures, has one of the most contrarian takes in VC right now. In this episode, Anton breaks down why the gaming funds that exploded during Covid are struggling, why Istanbul has quietly become the world's hottest hub for mobile games (and why Helsinki lost its edge), and why micro dramas are following the exact same monetisation playbook as mobile gaming. We also get into: → Why success in mobile is 50% product, 50% user acquisition and why most studios get both wrong → How Turkey's gaming companies out-pay investment banking for top graduates → Why a micro drama app briefly dethroned ChatGPT in India → The rise of real money gaming and what VC-backed startups are getting right → Why analogue is making a comeback in a world drowning in digital content Whether you're a founder, investor, or just fascinated by where attention (and money) is flowing — this one's packed. Find Anton Backman online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonbackman/ Twitter: https://x.com/retripaladin Play Ventures: https://playventures.vc This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.