In this episode of The Venture Capital Podcast, Jon Bradshaw and Peter Harris sit down with Costas Papaikonomou, co-founder of the $200M Una Terra Early Growth Fund, to unpack what it really takes to scale the circular economy.

Costas shares how his background in engineering, innovation consulting, and a successful exit to Accenture shaped Una Terra’s thesis: backing “drop-in” solutions that plug into existing industrial infrastructure instead of trying to rebuild the world from scratch.

They get into:
• Why packaging, waste and food ingredients are massive, underrated VC markets
• How regulation in Europe is reshaping single-use plastics and recycling
• Why Una Terra focuses on real-world unit economics first, impact second (but still runs as an Article 9 impact fund)
• Case studies: pulp-based bottle packaging, Greyparrot’s AI for waste sorting, and circular fashion brand Another Tomorrow
• Power law vs “normal distribution” returns, and why most exits will be strategic acquisitions, not unicorn IPOs

If you care about climate, industrial innovation, and non-SaaS venture opportunities, this one’s loaded.

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Costas Book (Disruption Fallacy): www.re8el.com

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What happens when a former gaming founder takes a hard look at his marriage — and realizes the biggest problem isn’t love, it’s routine?

In this episode, we sit down with Offer (Founder & CEO of ARYA) and Phylicia Koh (General Partner at Play Ventures) to unpack how a single moment — “Babe… what happened to us?” — sparked a new category in relationship wellness.

We dive into:

• Why routine is the “final boss” in every relationship
• How game design and psychology can rebuild intimacy
• The real meaning of gamification (and why most people get it wrong)
• Why consumer apps struggle with engagement — and how free-to-play mechanics fix it
• How AI can responsibly support human connection
• The blue-ocean opportunity in taboo or overlooked markets

From a Typeform MVP that people actually paid for… to the deeper science behind staying in love, this episode blends tech, human behavior, VC insight, and real vulnerability.

Whether you’re building products, building relationships, or both — this convo hits.

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Website: https://www.venturecapital.fm/

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How do you build long-term trust between founders and investors—and what happens when that trust meets the chaos of AI-driven commerce?
In this episode, Peter Harris and Jon Bradshaw sit down with Kimberly Shenk, founder & CEO of Novi, and Brian Rothenberg, partner at DeFi VC, to explore:

• How past working relationships shape investor–founder dynamics
• The art of saying “no” without burning bridges
• Why small brands can outrank giants in AI-powered shopping
• The death (and rebirth) of SEO in the LLM era
• Real frameworks for finding product-market fit

“Machines care more about truth; humans are easily persuaded.”
A high-signal, no-fluff conversation on the future of trust, data, and growth in the age of AI.

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Website: https://www.venturecapital.fm/

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Venture capital isn’t dead — it’s evolving. Carta’s Head of Insights, Peter Walker, joins Jon Bradshaw and Peter Harris to unpack what the data really says about the 2025 market. From the AI-fueled bifurcation to shrinking equity packages and a wave of secondaries, this episode breaks down how founders, VCs, and LPs are adapting in real time.

Peter shares Carta’s inside view on:

• The comeback of deal flow and valuations
• Why down rounds are easing but hiring hasn’t rebounded
• How founder dilution and equity norms have shifted
• The rise of liquidity via secondaries and fund-to-fund capital
• What signals matter most heading into 2026

If you care about where venture is heading next — this is the episode.

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In this episode of the Venture Capital Podcast, hosts Jon Bradshaw and Peter Harris are joined by Alex Sen, CEO of Meridian, and Nnamdi Okike, an investor associated with Meridian, to discuss the transformative role of AI and software in private equity and venture capital investing. Alex shares his journey from nearly a decade in private equity, battling with outdated CRM tools, to founding a next-generation AI-powered CRM and deal sourcing platform that streamlines workflows, surfaces proprietary deal opportunities, and enhances decision-making for some of the world's largest firms.

Nnamdi provides the investor’s perspective, highlighting their decade-long commitment to leveraging software and data analytics to revolutionize venture operations. They discuss how AI is expanding the total addressable market by automating manual tasks, improving deal sourcing efficiency, and enabling investors to better track, prioritize, and engage with evolving companies. Both guests reflect on the challenges of AI adoption, the changing nature of junior analyst roles, and the importance of human intuition alongside advanced technology.

Listeners will gain valuable insights into the evolution of investing software, the competitive shifts AI is catalyzing in the finance industry, and how firms must continuously elevate their capabilities to succeed. The conversation touches on the broader impact of AI on workflow, learning acceleration, and founder-investor relationships, making this episode a must-listen for investors, founders, and anyone curious about the future of AI-enabled investing.

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In this episode of the Venture Capital Podcast, hosts Jon Bradshaw and Peter Harris sit down with Grace Gong, acclaimed VC podcaster, investor, and founder of the Smart AI Conference. Grace shares her inspiring journey from international student to a premier voice in tech and venture, hosting top shows like "Venture with Grace" and "Smart Venture Podcast." She details her mission to unlock access to venture and tech wisdom for those outside the usual networks, highlighting the importance of both online and in-person connections through her rapidly launched San Francisco AI conference.

The conversation dives deep into the changing landscape of AI and startup building, from the GPT-driven chatbot era to today's surge in customizable agent tools and "vibe coding." Grace discusses why strong distribution and go-to-market strategy are the real bottlenecks, even as technical barriers fall, and explains the rapid rise of highly specific, domain-focused AI applications. She brings candid, contrarian insights from leading operators and executives, addressing trends in voice AI, workflow automation, the impact of AI on junior talent, and the evolving user experience centered on chat and conversational interfaces.

Grace also addresses the risks of overrelying on automation, the future of AI hardware beyond today's wearables, and the vital role of hands-on learning. Her perspective is laced with real stories from her network and her own investments, making this episode a goldmine for founders, operators, and anyone eager to understand how community, execution, and adaptability will shape the next generation of tech companies.

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Join hosts Jon Bradshaw and Peter Harris in a deep dive into the evolving world of AI, autonomy, and the future of transportation with Gabe Klein, former leader of the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, and Alexei Andreev, co-founder and managing director at AutoTech Ventures. Gabe brings a wealth of experience from public policy and urban mobility design, while Alexei offers a sharp lens on deep tech investments in autonomous vehicle technology and infrastructure.

This episode untangles the complex challenges of achieving full vehicle autonomy, exploring why true self-driving cars remain an elusive goal over a decade after initial excitement. Gabe and Alexei discuss the intricacies of safety definitions, the need for technology that surpasses human driving, and the mathematical challenges posed by unpredictable real-world driving environments.

Listeners will gain insights into the current state of autonomous vehicle deployment, including the technological debates over sensor suites like LiDAR versus vision-only systems, and the critical role of liability, insurance, and public perception in shaping adoption. The conversation also highlights promising investment opportunities beyond passenger vehicles—such as off-road agricultural autonomy, logistics automation, and critical supporting infrastructure like vehicle servicing, recharging, and fleet management.

With a thoughtful look at cultural differences in safety expectations and the interplay of technology and public policy, this episode is essential for investors, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in the future landscape of mobility and the challenges and opportunities it presents.

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In this thought-provoking episode of the Venture Capital Podcast, hosts Jon Bradshaw and Peter Harris take listeners deep inside the complex financial structures that define modern venture capital. The conversation centers around a critical observation in today’s industry: most VC funds can now be classified as either "2% funds", large, brand-name firms prioritizing substantial management fees, or "20% funds", smaller, more performance-driven firms focused on carry and outsized returns.

Peter breaks down the economic incentives behind each type, explaining how mega-funds like Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia generate enormous management fees just by virtue of their size, while smaller funds must make riskier bets and actively chase exceptional outcomes to realize significant profits. The hosts explore the growing divide between these two models and discuss the challenges founders face in choosing the right VC partner.

Jon and Peter debate the strategic trade-offs from a founder's perspective, including:

• The real benefits (and drawbacks) of working with large, brand-name funds versus smaller, scrappier ones
• How the structure of a fund influences VC motivation, founder support, and board involvement
• The evolving role of secondary markets, liquidity, and exit strategies for early-stage investors
• How asset manager dynamics and the influx of institutional capital driven by endowments and sovereign wealth funds are reshaping the VC landscape

They also touch on trends like later-stage company scaling, the boom in private market investments, and the rise of secondary sales as an alternative to waiting for an IPO. Throughout the discussion, Jon and Peter offer candid insights and personal anecdotes, revealing the sometimes unseen incentives that drive behavior in venture capital.

This episode is essential listening for founders weighing their funding options, as well as anyone curious about the changing face of the venture capital ecosystem.

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