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--SPONSORS:🧲 Learn why Craft, Bedrock, NEA and 100s more trust Harmonic’s data to source deals. Harmonic is the most complete startup database, finding new companies as soon as they incorporate and tracking them through IPO. Head to https://bit.ly/harmonicturpentine (and make sure to mention Turpentine VC during your demo.)💥 Access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.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 [email protected] 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/ --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 --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