Best Robot Unicorn Podcasts (2025)

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Caylee Chua: Singapore’s First Renaissance Fair, Creative Grit and How a 24-Year-Old Built a New Festival Culture – E652 35:52

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23h ago35:52

35:52

Caylee Chua, multidisciplinary artist and founder of Strawberry Champagne Sparkles, joins Jeremy Au to share how she built Ren Faire SG: The Origin from a niche idea into Singapore’s first Renaissance Fair. She traces her journey from crafting fairycore jewelry to designing an immersive festival that blends artistry, performance, and community play…

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The End of the Designer–Engineer Divide 42:19

24h ago42:19

42:19

Head of Design Ryo Lu helped transform Cursor from a feature-layer on top of VS Code into one of the world's leading AI code editors.He joins YC's Aaron Epstein on Design Review to talk about the path that brought him to Cursor, how rapid prototyping reshaped the core product and how he's breaking down the barriers that once separated designers and…

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Paul Blackstone: Global EdTech Lessons, China’s Hypergrowth Era and Why Mindset Beats Curriculum – E651 37:26

4d ago37:26

37:26

Paul Blackstone, longtime education operator and founder of SummitLearn, joins Jeremy Au to unpack his path from running a small health-food shop in Australia to leading one of China’s largest English-learning organizations and advising education companies worldwide. He shares how early failures taught him to learn fast, why teaching adults unlocke…

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From Pivot Hell To $1.4 Billion Unicorn 38:46

5d ago38:46

38:46

In just a few years, James Hawkins took PostHog from an idea hacked together right before YC's W20 deadline to a unicorn powering product analytics for thousands of teams. He joins YC's Brad Flora to talk about surviving six months of "pivot hell," why open-source analytics was the breakthrough, and how PostHog grew from fighting for its first user…

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DIY or DYOR? The NCA's Guide to Crypto Confidence | Ali Tager 27:32

6d ago27:32

27:32

The narrative around cryptocurrency is often bogged down by complexity, hype, and fear of scams. In this episode, host Lauren Weymouth cuts through the noise with Ali Tager, Head of Communications for the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA), to reveal who is really using crypto in America and why. The NCA is on a mission to bridge the knowled…

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Jeka Viktorova: Six weeks from dying, then the world came knocking 55:25

6d ago55:25

55:25

This is the most technical episode we've ever done. Listen anyway. Yes, there are acronyms. Yes, you'll learn what a chiplet is. Worth it. But here's what you'll actually get: one of the best founder conversations we've recorded. Not because of the tech—but because of the humanity inside the tech. Last year, Syenta had six weeks of cash left. No te…

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Maged Harby: Inside Middle East EdTech, Egypt’s Talent Engine and How Localization Decides Startup Success – E650 31:53

8d ago31:53

31:53

Maged Harby, General Partner at VMS, joins Jeremy Au to share his journey from publishing to building one of the Middle East’s earliest EdTech venture programs, explain how Egypt and Saudi Arabia differ as innovation ecosystems, and guide founders on how to enter the region with cultural fit and strong partnerships. They discuss how EdTech adoption…

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Chong Ing Kai: Chopstick Robots, ADHD Grit and Why Tinkering Beats Traditional STEAM – E649 34:50

12d ago34:50

34:50

Chong Ing Kai Founder and CEO of Stick’Em joins Jeremy Au to unpack how tinkering shaped his early years, how ADHD influenced his learning journey, and why he built a chopstick robotics kit to make STEAM education affordable for all. They explore how schools struggle with hands-on learning, why teachers need flexible tools rather than rigid kits, a…

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Adam Gilmour: We took the risk first. Then the government came. 40:31

13d ago40:31

40:31

Most founders wait for perfect conditions. Not Adam Gilmour. He started Gilmour Space before Australia even had a space agency. On July 30, that bet paid off. Australia's first launch permit. Fourteen seconds of flight. Right in the middle of the pack globally - SpaceX took four attempts to reach orbit. Those 14 seconds proved everything that matte…

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Shan Han: Crypto Lessons, Boom Bust Belief and Funding Students the Web3 Way – E648 33:13

15d ago33:13

33:13

Portfolio Manager at Animoca Brands and former Chief Investment Officer at Node Capital, Shan Han joins Jeremy Au to trace his path from Hong Kong trading to fintech and Web3, discuss how early crypto grew from ideology, and explain why tokenizing assets like student loans can unlock education across Southeast Asia. They explore how customer urgenc…

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The Best Consumer Startup Ideas Were "Impossible" Until Now 39:35

17d ago39:35

39:35

Every major shift in consumer tech has a moment when it suddenly becomes accessible to millions. Michael Mignano helped spark one of those moments with Anchor, making podcast creation something anyone could do with a tap. Now at Lightspeed, he sees AI bringing a similar leap to music, media, and everyday apps.In this conversation, he and Garry trac…

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Jianggan Li: China vs. USA Tactical Pause, Moves vs. Countermoves & Rare Earths Leverage – E647 36:23

19d ago36:23

36:23

China analyst and Momentum Works founder Jianggan joins Jeremy Au to break down how US–China tensions evolved through a year of tariffs, rare earth leverage, supply chain shocks, and fast-moving geopolitical swings. They examine why both sides misread each other, how Chinese companies adapted faster than expected, and why the global system settled …

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Episode 108: Frankenstein, Materialists, Eddington, Death by Lightning, Thanksgiving films 1:13:08

20d ago1:13:08

1:13:08

Mike and Champ sneak in a show before Thanksgiving because they are thankful for the movies and this humble podcasts. The guys briefly discuss their favorite Thanksgiving films before diving into four titles released in 2025. They discuss the Guillermo del Toro's visually stunning reflection on humanity, loneliness and suffering in his passion proj…

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Alex Wyatt: When seven years of platform work becomes seven-week product cycles 1:04:05

20d ago1:04:05

1:04:05

Most robotics companies die trying to build their first product. Alex Wyatt spent seven years building the platform so the second product took seven weeks. When August Robotics launched their exhibition robot in November 2019, it blew up - standing ovation, early revenue, real momentum. Then COVID hit. Exhibitions banned globally for 23 months. Zer…

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Kristie Neo: Middle East & China Partnership Acceleration, Secret Power Corridors Reshaping Global Markets & AI Megaprojects – E646 59:40

22d ago59:40

59:40

Jeremy Au and Kristie Neo break down how China, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia are forming new economic corridors that reshape trade, capital movement, and technology strategy. They describe how China and the Gulf now work together at a scale that surpasses Gulf–West flows, how the UAE and Saudi Arabia use bold planning to diversify their econ…

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We'll be back in January! 0:15

25d ago0:15

0:15

We are taking a holiday hiatus! See you soon.By Barry Johnson and Bobby Clark

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Cursor Head of Design Reviews Startup Websites 35:34

25d ago35:34

35:34

Cursor Head of Design Ryo Lu has spent his career at the intersection of design and engineering—from building fan sites as a kid to designing products at Stripe, Asana, and Notion. Now he's rethinking how software itself gets made. On this episode of Design Review, Ryo joins YC's Aaron Epstein to break down how great product websites communicate wh…

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BRAVE: The Startup 10x Strategy and the Moats That Keep You Winning - E645 22:08

26d ago22:08

22:08

Jeremy Au outlines why founders must choose a single 10x advantage and commit to it. He explains how products win by being better or faster or cheaper than the status quo and why unfair advantages are required to defend that lead. He also highlights the Southeast Asian invention of the USB thumb drive as a case where a first mover delivered a bette…

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Nikki Brown: When you stop being a cog, you become the machine 1:00:35

27d ago1:00:35

1:00:35

Nikki Brown is a Cambridge graduate who quit a dream job at Google after mere months. "I wasn't happy being a cog in a machine," she says. So she built her own. Today, Nikki is co-founder and CEO of Cartesian, an AI-native platform backed by Blackbird that turns SaaS ecosystems into retention and growth engines. Cartesian's AI agents analyse user n…

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Joe Lu: From Meta Layoff to HeyMax, Rebuilding Value, Miles & the Future of Consumer AI – E644 53:29

29d ago53:29

53:29

Joe Lu, Co-Founder of HeyMax, joins Jeremy Au to unpack how layoffs, timing, and conviction turned a setback into a startup opportunity. They trace Joe’s journey from Shanghai to Michigan to Facebook Singapore, and how getting laid off in 2022 pushed him to co-found HeyMax. The conversation explores his reflections on building a consumer-first fint…

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Inside The Startup Launching AI Into Space 12:55

1M ago12:55

12:55

Starcloud recently made history by launching a satellite with an NVIDIA H100 into orbit — the first time a GPU that powerful has ever operated in space. It's the first step toward building AI data centers in orbit, powered by continuous sunlight and cooled by radiating heat into deep space.Their approach could one day rival the world's biggest data…

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BRAVE: AI Jobs, Unicorn Math & Southeast Asia’s 45-Year Gap - E643 20:44

1M ago20:44

20:44

Jeremy Au explores how technology, economics, and startups shape Southeast Asia’s future. He shares why young founders should take early risks, how AI is changing entry-level jobs, why GDP growth reflects centuries of human progress, and how unicorns are built across different customer and revenue models. 02:00 Taking Early Risks: Jeremy encourages…

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The Robotics Inflection: Why This Time Is Different (ft. Joe Harris, Alloy) 54:12

1M ago54:12

54:12

There’s a graveyard of robotics companies—billions torched on beautiful demos we’ve all seen before, but never felt. This episode explains why the economics, the software, and the demand curve have finally flipped—and how Alloy plans to fuel the winners. Joe Harris returns to Wild Hearts—but this time as a founder. An engineer by training (ML for t…

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Larry Susanto: From Berkeley to Jakarta, Climate Tech’s Next Frontier & Indonesia’s Green Opportunity – E642 39:20

1M ago39:20

39:20

AVP of Investments at ACV Larry Susanto and Jeremy Au discuss Larry’s journey from a Berkeley-trained engineer to a climate-tech investor shaping Indonesia’s sustainability future. They trace how his career evolved across research, product management, and consulting, and how Southeast Asia’s climate ecosystem compares to Silicon Valley’s innovation…

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How To Recruit The Best Engineers And Sales Reps 43:20

1M ago43:20

43:20

Most founders think hiring is about interviewing. But it's actually about selling.For Startup School, Juicebox co-founder & CEO David Paffenholz joins YC's Harj Taggar to share how early-stage founders can find, pitch, and close top engineering and sales talent— from crafting better outreach to winning great hires from Big Tech— even when you're an…

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Franco Varona: Philippines’ Startup Boom, Global Diaspora Power & Why First Movers Win – E641 39:48

1M ago39:48

39:48

Franco Varona, Managing Partner of Foxmont Capital Partners and returning guest from episodes 357 and 516, joins Jeremy Au to unpack why the Philippines is fast becoming Southeast Asia’s next big investment and startup hub. They explore the country’s rapid digitization, growing middle class, and unique strengths like its global diaspora and English…

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Andrea Quinn: The operator behind a unicorn's growth engine 52:01

1M ago52:01

52:01

You don't have to be the founder to build the future. When Andrea Quinn made the leap from fashion merchandising to tech, she didn't start a company. She joined one. Today, she's VP of Go-To-Market Operations at Halter, New Zealand's newest unicorn, which just raised $155 million at a $1.55 billion valuation. Not every path into building the future…

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Shao Ning: Southeast Asia’s Startup Winter, Founder Discipline & How Angels Are Shaping the Next Wave – E640 38:30

1M ago38:30

38:30

Shao Ning, Cofounder of AngelCentral and returning guest from Episode 267, joins Jeremy Au to reflect on Southeast Asia’s startup evolution from the fundraising highs of 2021–2023 to today’s disciplined recalibration. They unpack how founders, investors, and angels are adapting to longer fundraising cycles, stricter due diligence, and a renewed foc…

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Episode 107: How to Train Your Dragon, 28 Years Later, The Lost Bus, Throwback Theater (1997) 1:32:30

2M ago1:32:30

1:32:30

Mike and Champ return just before Halloween to discuss one of the biggest horror films of the year in Danny Boyle's long-awaited 28 Years Later. The guys talk about the fresh approach to the genre, as well as its divisive third act. Also, did the live action How to Train Your Dragon justify its existence? Also the fiery spectacle of every day peopl…

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Nathaniel Yim: From Broke Founder to B2B Builder, Logistics Lessons & Why Human Creativity Still Wins – E639 40:48

2M ago40:48

40:48

Nathaniel Yim, Founder of Nila Studios and former Co-Founder of Janio, joins Jeremy Au to share how he went from a fresh graduate to leading one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing logistics startups and later building a B2B marketing agency. They discuss how to earn trust in a mature industry, why human creativity remains vital in the AI era, and …

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Xavier Collins: The AI studio unlocking the future of storytelling 1:01:46

2M ago1:01:46

1:01:46

When storytelling meets startup energy, magic happens. In this week’s episode, Xavier Collins, co-founder of Wonder, joins Mason to explore how technology is tearing down the old gates of Hollywood, and what happens when anyone, anywhere, can tell stories that move the world. Backed by Blackbird and LocalGlobe, Wonder is building an AI-native creat…

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From Idea to $650M Exit: Lessons in Building AI Startups 39:24

2M ago39:24

39:24

Jake Heller is the co-founder & CEO of Casetext, the AI legal startup behind CoCounsel, which was acquired by Thomson Reuters for $650 million.In his talk at AI Startup School on June 17th, 2025, he shared how his team did it—from picking the right idea to building AI products that actually work—and how founders can turn a cool demo into a reliable…

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Li Hongyi: Defining Real Performance, Avoiding Burnout & Building Accountable Teams – E638 48:47

2M ago48:47

48:47

Li Hongyi, Director of Open Government Products, and Jeremy Au discuss how leaders can define, measure, and sustain real performance within organizations. They unpack why clarity of purpose matters more than ambition, how to design fair and motivating systems, and how to prevent burnout in high-performing teams. Their conversation bridges lessons f…

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Transformers: The Discovery That Sparked the AI Revolution 9:18

2M ago9:18

9:18

Nearly every modern AI model, from ChatGPT and Claude to Gemini and Grok, is built on the same foundation: the Transformer.In this video, YC's Ankit Gupta traces how AI learned to understand language — from early RNNs and LSTMs to attention mechanisms and the breakthrough 2017 paper Attention Is All You Need — the discovery that unlocked the modern…

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Dominic Law: Reviving Neopets, Nostalgia Economics & How Community Keeps Games Alive – E637 43:01

2M ago43:01

43:01

Dominic Law, CEO of Neopets and Jeremy Au dive into how a beloved millennial-era game evolved from early internet nostalgia into a modern revival story. They discuss the courage it took to spin Neopets out of its parent company, rebuild trust with long-time fans, and adapt a 25-year-old IP for new generations. Their conversation explores the challe…

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Lessons from the climb: Michelle Battersby on building Sunroom 1:06:47

2M ago1:06:47

1:06:47

When Michelle Battersby launched Sunroom, she set out to change the game for women creators, building a platform where they could earn freely, safely, and on their own terms. Five years, three funding rounds and one pandemic later, she did just that. Thousands of creators made life-changing income, and Sunroom was acquired by Fanfix. From the emoti…

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YC Partners Answer Your Questions | Office Hours 38:32

2M ago38:32

38:32

Every founder faces moments where they’re not sure what to do next — such as how to go to market with AI products, when to pivot, and who/when to hire. In this episode of Office Hours, YC partners Pete Koomen, Brad Flora, Nicolas Dessaigne, and Gustaf Alströmer answer real questions from founders and share stories about how great teams build convic…

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BRAVE: Three Generations, Three Revolutions: Walkman, Nokia, and ChatGPT - E636 27:21

2M ago27:21

27:21

Jeremy Au explains how human civilization remained mostly unchanged for nearly a million years before experiencing rapid economic and technological growth in just the last few centuries. He traces this transformation from basic survival to modern innovation, reflecting on how technology, trade, and governance reshaped human life and why Southeast A…

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Weaponized Attention, Holiday Cheer, and Unicorn Houses 34:25

2M ago34:25

34:25

In this episode, Barry and Bobby pull back the curtain on how social media platforms turn engagement into profit. They discuss how seemingly innocent viral posts — alien probes, heartwarming rescue stories, outrage memes — are part of a larger playbook designed to harvest your attention and cash it in. They also talk about how this algorithmic mani…

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BRAVE: David’s Slingshot VS. Goliath, Oatly’s Rise & Southeast Asia’s VC Jungle - E635 14:31

2M ago14:31

14:31

Jeremy Au explained how startups evolve from chaos to clarity and how fragmentation in Southeast Asia creates both problems and opportunities. He used the jungle-to-highway model to describe startup growth, compared founders to David facing Goliath, and showed how innovation, like oat milk or vaping turns small experiments into billion-dollar revol…

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From zero to US$6.2 Billion: Lucy Liu on the Airwallex strategy that broke global payments 54:19

2M ago54:19

54:19

When Lucy Liu co-founded Airwallex in 2015, she was flying around the world opening bank accounts in person and carrying bags of security tokens. Global businesses are digital. But finance was stuck in the past. For three years, Airwallex burned money building invisible infrastructure no one believed in yet. Her co-founder drew a “really ugly unico…