EPISODE · May 4, 2026 · 29 MIN
AI Is Bigger Than the Internet. A Top VC Explains Why. | Mike Collins
from The Disruptive Capitalists · host Sam Sells
Mike Collins founded Alumni Ventures at 49. People called him crazy. Now it manages $1.5 billion in assets, has invested in 1,500+ companies including 31 unicorns and 14 IPOs, and is one of the most active VC firms on the planet.In this episode, Mike joins Sam Sells for a deep dive into the venture capital model he built to democratize access for individual investors, why AI represents a super cycle bigger than the internet, and why the Innovator's Dilemma guarantees that small, agile teams with AI will outpace giant incumbents at every inflection point.Mike also delivers sharp fundraising advice: secure a lead investor first, demonstrate real customer traction, and prove your product can't be swallowed by platform giants like OpenAI or Google. Sam adds his own perspective as a founder building AI tools for government grants, where hallucination filters aren't a feature — they're a regulatory requirement.In this episode, you'll hear:→ How Mike built Alumni Ventures from a $1.5M Dartmouth alumni fund to a $1.5B unicorn→ The co-investing model that gets AV into the best deals without leading rounds→ Why AI is a super cycle with cross-industry impact bigger than the internet→ The Innovator's Dilemma and why big companies lose at inflection points→ Why durable advantage comes from staying on the leading capability curve→ Moats AI can't break: live sports, human experiences, entrenched SaaS→ Tactical fundraising advice for founders raising in 2026→ Why your startup feature must survive platform risk→ Sam's hallucination filter for high-stakes government grant AI🔗 Connect with Mike Collins:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-collins-362100/Alumni Ventures: https://www.av.vcTwitter/X: @MikeCollinsAV🔗 Connect with Sam Sells:https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelsells/https://www.facebook.com/impactsamuelfacebook.com/sam.sells.16instagram.com/thedisruptivecapitalistshttps://grantauthority.org🔗 Follow The Disruptive Capitalists:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-disruptive-capitalists/id1644437927Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1I5tdqJNcxCB2Qiu1lfZyJ?si=4a4cf07923394bb9YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@disruptivecapitalists/podcastsAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BDW71563?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_PZGDSPN2ASGH1HR8PADYPandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-disruptive-capitalists/PC:1001025132⭐ Love the show? Leave a rating & review — it helps more people find us!Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests. The content is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice. Listeners should seek legal or professional advice before making any decisions based on the discussions in this podcast.
What this episode covers
Mike Collins founded Alumni Ventures at 49. People called him crazy. Now it manages $1.5 billion in assets, has invested in 1,500+ companies including 31 unicorns and 14 IPOs, and is one of the most active VC firms on the planet.In this episode, Mike joins Sam Sells for a deep dive into the venture capital model he built to democratize access for individual investors, why AI represents a super cycle bigger than the internet, and why the Innovator's Dilemma guarantees that small, agile teams with AI will outpace giant incumbents at every inflection point.Mike also delivers sharp fundraising advice: secure a lead investor first, demonstrate real customer traction, and prove your product can't be swallowed by platform giants like OpenAI or Google. Sam adds his own perspective as a founder building AI tools for government grants, where hallucination filters aren't a feature — they're a regulatory requirement.In this episode, you'll hear:→ How Mike built Alumni Ventures from a $1.5M Dartmouth alumni fund to a $1.5B unicorn→ The co-investing model that gets AV into the best deals without leading rounds→ Why AI is a super cycle with cross-industry impact bigger than the internet→ The Innovator's Dilemma and why big companies lose at inflection points→ Why durable advantage comes from staying on the leading capability curve→ Moats AI can't break: live sports, human experiences, entrenched SaaS→ Tactical fundraising advice for founders raising in 2026→ Why your startup feature must survive platform risk→ Sam's hallucination filter for high-stakes government grant AI🔗 Connect with Mike Collins:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-collins-362100/Alumni Ventures: https://www.av.vcTwitter/X: @MikeCollinsAV🔗 Connect with Sam Sells:https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelsells/https://www.facebook.com/impactsamuelfacebook.com/sam.sells.16instagram.com/thedisruptivecapitalistshttps://grantauthority.org🔗 Follow The Disruptive Capitalists:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-disruptive-capitalists/id1644437927Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1I5tdqJNcxCB2Qiu1lfZyJ?si=4a4cf07923394bb9YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@disruptivecapitalists/podcastsAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BDW71563?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_PZGDSPN2ASGH1HR8PADYPandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-disruptive-capitalists/PC:1001025132⭐ Love the show? Leave a rating & review — it helps more people find us!Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests. The content is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice. Listeners should seek legal or professional advice before making any decisions based on the discussions in this podcast.
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AI Is Bigger Than the Internet. A Top VC Explains Why. | Mike Collins
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