Series A Blueprint – The playbook for founders scaling to Series A

This conversation with Kyle DeSana, co-founder of Siftree explores the vision of a different internet, focusing on the decentralization of platform dynamics and the separation of the data layer from the application.It delves into the shift towards more intentional and deliberate online spaces, the role of LLMs in shaping the internet, and the evolution from AOL to HTTP.The conversation delves into the future of internet protocols, the dynamics between the EU and the US, decoupling and technological sovereignty, business models and revenue generation, and the evolution of the read vs. write internet.TakeawaysDecentralization of platform dynamicsSeparation of data layer from applicationShift towards more intentional and deliberate online spaces Decentralization and open protocolsEvolution of internet business modelsChapters00:00 The Vision of a Different Internet08:49 The Identity Layer and Data Ownership19:44 The Role of LLMs in Shaping the Internet32:21 The Evolution from AOL to HTTP37:38 Decoupling and Technological Sovereignty54:02 Business Models and Revenue GenerationRelevant Links:My Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex--howard/My Substack: https://shiftdiaries.substack.com/Nostr wizard: nstart.meRabble episode with Jack: https://revolution.social/episodes/jack-dorsey-on-selling-twitter-leaving-bluesky-wha/List of Nostr clients: nostrapps.comKyle's npub (Nostr public key for people to find him): npub18x6mq3tv0qyqy0gr7vs4dpwmlfe9mdf0eaw038rpx6sslteq9c0q57a2cg

In this episode, Alexandre Karim Howard reflects on key trends observed in the B2B software ecosystem, particularly for startups in Europe, and offers insights on how founders can enhance their chances of success. He emphasizes the importance of being outcome-driven, creating innovative environments for teams, and effectively scaling intuition in decision-making processes. These strategies are aimed at improving capital efficiency and increasing the likelihood of successful fundraising in the coming years.TakeawaysGood product founders speak in outcomes first and foremost.Adapt the length of your iteration cycles to the uncertainty of your business.Objectives should be outcomes, not just deliverables.Instill a mindset of capital efficiency in your teams.Create creative sandboxes for your employees to innovate.Decentralize vision to empower team members.Systemize your intuition to scale decision-making.Minimize multitasking to enhance focus and effectiveness.Reflect on operational models to increase impact.Building a product culture is essential for startup success.Footnote links:Connect with Alex on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex--howard/Need help building product traction? Check out: https://regenerativeproducts.io

In this episode I interview Mike Pilawski, head of product at Miro.As a founder, learn product culture building from the best. How to foster an open culture. How to build an org that actually performs at scale. He also gives us a behind the scene of why Nokia fell. Listen on to find out what they got wrong...Connect with Karim on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex--howard/Need help building product traction? Check out: https://regenerativeproducts.io

How do you build real traction in climate-tech before your Series A?In this episode, Nina Mannheimer, co-founder of Klim, breaks down the steps, pitfalls, and insights from scaling a regenerative agriculture startup in Europe.We talk about:The early decisions that mattered mostCustomer validation in a complex ecosystemWhat Nina wishes she had known soonerHow to build trust and adoption in sustainability marketsPatterns investors look for in b2b softwareIf you're building towards Seed or Series A, this episode brings real-world lessons from someone who’s lived it.Footnote links:Connect with Karim on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex--howard/Need help building product traction? Check out: https://regenerativeproducts.io

We are officially in the founder product era! This means that the product skillset and the CEO skillset overlap more and more. Find out why I created the Series A Blueprint and why CEOs ought to be advised by product leaders.Connect with Karim on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex--howard/Need help building product traction? Check out: https://regenerativeproducts.io

Pivot announcement! We will focus on educating founders and investors around how to operate the product to go from pitch to traction. Share with founders and investors who would be interested!Connect with Karim on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex--howard/Need help building product traction? Check out: https://regenerativeproducts.io

In this episode, we talk about the future of sales for software founders. Since the future is mostly around PLG (product-led growth), I speak to Leah Tharin, expert on the matter.Leah is one of the most world-renowned experts on b2b product.Listen on to understand how AI is changing the distribution game for b2b software. Shownotes:Leah's website: https://www.leahtharin.comLeah's Linkedin

Post-AI rollout, what will happen to the job market? What is likely to happen to the newly unemployed class? Will they creat businesses?How will this influence SaaS? And what is a winning strategy or incumbent corporates?Our guest Yuying Chen-Wynn covers all of these questions and gives some bold predictions about where the world and markets are going. If you want to know, listen on!Find us at regenerativeproducts.io

What is product thinking and why does it matter more than ever?Through my years of working with founders, enabling them to build products I have consistently bumped against a single bottleneck: product thinking.In this episode I interview Mustafa Kapadia, Google's ex global head of product. We discuss why founders and CEO better put their product hat on if they want to stay relevant in the age of AI.Footnotes:- Mustafa's Substack- Find us at: regenerativeproducts.io

In this special episode, I get interviewed (for once) by Pedro Gança from Productized.We discuss all things Euro-tech scene, geopolitical trends influencing AI and the market as well as how startup and org building will evolve. Tune in!Key takeawaysResponsible AI is crucial for ethical product development.Product managers must consider the long-term impact of their decisions.Transparency in AI is essential but must be balanced with security.Data ownership is becoming increasingly important for the middle class.The future of work will involve trust as a currency.AI can improve itself, leading to rapid advancements.Europe has the opportunity to lead in responsible AI practices.The shift towards sovereign technology is inevitable.The abundance of information requires selective attention.The end of open information may reshape the internet landscape.LinksProductized Website (for conference tickets)My websiteProductized Podcast

In this episode, I speak to Emma Grönvik Möller. After working as a lawyer, diplomat and consultant, she co-founded Lumiera to help leaders decide what AI they want to build and see in the world.In this episode we discuss where companies are at with implementing AI, some of the pitfalls, some of the trends, what companies may emerge, and what are some differentiation strategies that will work.This episode is part of a special series created in partnership with EIT Community, highlighting founders and investors who are actively shaping the AI ecosystem.  EIT Community supports entrepreneurs and investors through initiatives like the AI Founders Club, matchmaking and leadership programmes, fostering innovation and responsible AI leadership.Check us out at regenerativeproducts.ioFootnotes:The Loop: Lumiera’s Weekly Newsletter on Responsible AI. Sign up here: https://lumiera.beehiiv.com/⁠ Lumiera's website: https://www.lumiera.ai/⁠Emma’s LinkedIn:  ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmagronvikmoller/⁠ EIT AI Community: https://ai.eitcommunity.eu/ EIT Supernovas: https://supernovas.eitcommunity.eu/ 

In this episode I interview Mark Boris Andrijanič, possibly one of the most prominent and emergent figures in European GovTech and government digitization, discusses the future of government in the AI age.As geopolitics is becoming increasingly important for entrepreneurs, I wanted to hear his take on the following: What measures is the EU ready to take? What are the opportunities for a growing domestic EU big tech market? Would a DOGE equivalent happen here? Should we be more "patriotic" with tech? And finally, what discussions are really happening in Brussels around this and where does he see opportunity for builders?Check us out at regenerativeproducts.io

In this episode I interview Emmanuel Goffi, a world-renowned AI ethicist. Emmanuel has worked on global ethical AI questions on topics ranging from military to critical infrastructure. He also helped the Muslim world design an AI ethics charter.We discuss the true definition of ethics, the different kinds, how they are applied today, and how they might be applied tomorrow. How does society prioritize its values collectively? If such questions fascinate you, listen on! My guess is there are a few you have never thought about...Check us out at regenerativeproducts.io

In this episode I interview Auxane Bloch. She is a cyber psychologist and research associate at the Technical University of Munich's Institute for Ethics in AI. In this episode, we talk about the psychological impacts of AI and the addiction patterns it causes. We discuss how AI can help in psychology, but also how AI should not be used in psychology, and some misconceptions around the psychology behind AI and tech. As usual we weave in what builders should watch out for when building out new tech.Check us out at regenerativeproducts.ioFootnotes:Human-robot dynamics: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ijoes-01-2024-0034/full/html Auxane's website: https://bochauxane.wixsite.com/auxane-boch Introduction to video games ethics: https://www.elgaronline.com/edcollchap/book/9781803928241/book-part-9781803928241-21.xml ⁠https://www.ieai.sot.tum.de/research/psais/⁠

In this episode I speak to Zamina Ahmad, an AI consultant passionate about building products responsibly. We tackle the common pitfalls of corporates and enterprise clients building AI products, while also exploring her definition of responsible AI. Check us out at regenerativeproducts.io Shownote Links: UN AI Playbook: https://unite.un.org/sites/unite.un.org/files/un-tw-responsible_tech-playbook_external.pdf OECD AI Principles: https://oecd.ai/en/ai-principles Zamina's website: https://www.zamina.de/en

In this episode, I speak to Louis de Diesbach, tech philosopher and author of "Hello ChatGPT". We tackle questions such as "How will human-to-human relationships evolve when human-to-machine ones become more prominent?". He argues there is no responsible AI without a basic philosophical understanding, of asking the right questions to build pertinent and relevant products. Shownote links: - Louis' website - Sherry Tuckle - Reclaiming Conversation - The Ethics of Uneasiness - Marion Muller-Colard Check us out at regenerativeproducts.io

In this episode of the Responsible AI podcast, Alexandre Karim Howard speaks with Anna Spitznagel about the importance of AI governance, the founding story of her company Trail, and the challenges organizations face in implementing responsible AI practices. They discuss the need for trust in AI systems, the impact of regulation, and the role of startups in fostering responsible AI.Anna emphasizes the importance of transparency, collaboration, and top-down buy-in for successful AI governance, while also addressing the cultural challenges that arise during implementation.If you want to know more about how you can implement AI responsibly, message us at [email protected] check us out at: regenerativeproducts.ioShownote links:- Trail (Anna's company)- EU AI Act

In this episode we speak to Leon Ingelse, data scientist and AI ethicist. We talk about how companies can prep for the first AI product launch responsibly, and how to take the first steps. He looks at it both from the eyes of a data scientist and someone who has launched products himself. As this is our first published episode, we hope you stick with us as we iterate and improve as we go! Thanks for listening!