We consider that we’re on the daybreak of the generative AI period, much like the prior PC, internet, cell and cloud eras, which represents a sea change in how shoppers and companies will work together with know-how. Nonetheless, constructing profitable firms would require a specialised focus from traders — not simply in offering capital but in addition in operational prowess that’s as distinctive and forward-thinking because the generative AI business itself.
Final week, we introduced the primary devoted seed automobile in our historical past, the $250 million Mayfield AI Begin, which can assist founders beginning at day zero.
As we meet with many AI-native founders, listed here are the highest 5 items of company-building recommendation we’re sharing with them.
1. How do you propose to dominate this new tech stack layer?
Paradigm shifts propel the rebuilding of the know-how stack, creating new enduring firms in each period. As an illustration, Oracle rose to prominence because the PC period enterprise software program supplier, however within the cloud period, Salesforce and the SaaS mannequin grew to become a viable different. Intel dominated because the chip king within the PC period however cell prospects most popular ARM (Superior RISC Machine), which is now being displaced by RISC-V at this time.
As we meet with many AI-native founders, listed here are the highest 5 items of company-building recommendation we’re sharing with them.
The AI period has already created leaders like Nvidia on the chip entrance and is giving rise to rising leaders like open supply AI mannequin neighborhood Hugging Face (much like GitHub within the cloud age) and foundational mannequin platform OpenAI, whose ChatGPT is being in comparison with the Netscape browser second of the online period.
So we’re encouraging AI-first founders to assume huge about how they may grow to be an unbiased firm that dominates a layer of the brand new know-how stack.
Picture Credit: Mayfield Fund
2. Are you offering a painkiller or a vitamin?
AI-powered innovation, particularly with massive language fashions and generative AI, has the chance to create new markets and shift the dynamics in current markets. However you will need to establish what innovation wager a founder is making and body it as a painkiller, not a vitamin for the precise persona they’re concentrating on.
Some questions we’re encouraging founders to ask embrace: