Summation with Auren Hoffman

Auren Hoffman

Non-obvious ideas that move the world. Auren Hoffman hosts leaders across tech, business, markets, and government.

Summation is the permanent home for the relentlessly curious.

Auren is CEO of NQB8, GP at Flex Capital, Chairman of Dialog; former CEO of SafeGraph and LiveRamp (NYSE: RAMP).

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279 episodes
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Episodes279

Newest first

May 20, 2025 · 46 min
US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll - modernizing military tech & fixing procurement
Dan Driscoll is the current Secretary of the U.S. Army, overseeing a military branch with approximately one million soldiers, 250,000 civilians, and an annual budget of $185 billion. In this episode of World of DaaS, Dan and Auren discuss: The Army Transformation Initiative Rapid defense innovation with Silicon Valley Modernizing obsolete military equipment Fixing Pentagon procurement Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Dan Driscoll on X at @SecArmy. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
May 13, 2025 · 53 min
Exiger CEO Brandon Daniels - tariffs, tech, and trade
Brandon Daniels is the CEO of Exiger, which provides AI-powered supply chain and third-party risk management solutions to Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. Exiger has annual revenues of over $150 million and received a majority investment by Carlyle, Insight Partners, and JMI Equity for $1.2 billion in 2023. In this episode of World of DaaS, Brandon and Auren discuss: Tariffs and supply chain chaos Bringing manufacturing back to the US Data validation in supply chain monitoring Countries most vulnerable to China's influence Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Brandon Daniels and Exiger on LinkedIn. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
May 6, 2025 · 40 min
Galvanick CEO Josh Steinman - spies, stuxnet, cyber, and securing critical infrastructure
Joshua Steinman is the co-founder and CEO of Galvanick, a cybersecurity company building tools to secure industrial infrastructure and AI systems. In this episode of World of DaaS, Joshua and Auren discuss: Foreign spies in tech companies Vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure Lessons from Stuxnet and Ukraine Building resilience against cyber threats Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Josh Steinman on X at @JoshuaSteinman. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Apr 29, 2025 · 48 min
AppNexus Founder Brian O'Kelley - adtech, AI, advertising and more AI
Brian O'Kelley is the co-founder and former CEO of AppNexus, which built core infrastructure for programmatic advertising and was acquired by AT&T for $1.6 billion in 2018. He's now the co-founder and CEO of Scope3, a company working to reduce the carbon footprint in digital advertising. In this episode of World of DaaS, Brian and Auren discuss: The zero-sum game of auction paradigms AI tools revolutionizing software development Building personal brands in tech Climate tech's shifting business case Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Brian O’Kelley on X at @bokelley. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Apr 22, 2025 · 50 min
Anduril Co-Founder Trae Stephens - Hard Tech & Modern Defense Strategy
Trae Stephens is a partner at Founders Fund and co-founder and current executive chairman at Anduril, a defense technology company that produces software-defined, hardware-enabled major weapons programs. In this episode of World of DaaS, Trae and Auren discuss: Revolutionizing defense technology manufacturing Billionaire founders in defense tech Supply chain resilience for military hardware Technology's impact on modern relationships Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Trae Stephens on X at @TraeStephens. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Apr 15, 2025 · 51 min
Fmr Verisk CEO Scott Stephenson - building a $40 billion data company
Scott Stephenson is the former Chairman, President, and CEO of Verisk Analytics (NASDAQ: VRSK), where he led the company's transformation from a nonprofit insurance data collective into a global data analytics powerhouse with a market cap of over $40 billion. In this episode of World of DaaS, Scott and Auren discuss: Data monetization and defensibility strategies AI's impact on data businesses Leadership succession in data companies Effective board membership Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Scott Stephenson on Linkedin. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Apr 8, 2025 · 49 min
a16z’s Martin Casado - building with AI
Martin Casado is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), where he focuses on AI and infrastructure investments. He previously co-founded Nicira which was acquired by VMware for $1.2 billion in 2012. In this episode of World of DaaS, Martin and Auren discuss: Economics of open source AI Chinese AI innovation with DeepSeek Model collapse and data moats Regulatory challenges in AI Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Martin Casado on X at @martin_casado. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Apr 1, 2025 · 45 min
Mediaocean CEO Bill Wise - building the operating system for advertising
Bill Wise is the CEO and co-founder of Mediaocean, an adtech platform that processes over $200 billion in global media spend annually. In this episode of World of DaaS, Bill and Auren discuss: The hidden plumbing of global advertising Measurement monopolies in adtech The transition from linear TV to CTV Cultural integration in tech acquisitions Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Bill Wise on X at @billwise. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Mar 25, 2025 · 50 min
Rob Henderson - Luxury Beliefs: How Elites Exploit the Poor
Rob Henderson is a developmental psychologist, author of the New York Times bestseller Troubled and columnist for the Free Press and the Boston Globe. In this episode of World of DaaS, Rob and Auren discuss: How elites exploit the poor with luxury beliefs The vital importance of marriage for upward mobility The conspiracy behind useless college degrees The “late bloomers” phenomenon Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and on X at @robkhenderson. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Mar 18, 2025 · 47 min
Lead Bank CEO Jackie Reses - fintech's regulatory reckoning: who survives, who thrives
Jackie Reses is the co-founder and CEO of Lead Bank, fintech infrastructure bank with over $2.5 billion in assets under management. In this episode of World of DaaS, Jackie and Auren discuss: Fintech's regulatory reckoning The future of community banking State regulator competition Lessons from Square's payment revolution Leadership insights from Jack Dorsey Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Jackie Reses on X at @jackiereses. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Mar 11, 2025 · 57 min
Hello Patient CEO Alex Cohen - SaaS sprawl and meme culture
Alex Cohen is the co-founder and CEO of Hello Patient, a healthcare AI company that streamlines scheduling and patient management for medical practices. In this episode of World of DaaS, Alex and Auren discuss: The hidden costs of SaaS sprawl Why specialized tools beat all-in-one solutions Building relevancy through niche content The future of health data and personalized medicine Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Alex Cohen on X at @anothercohen. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Mar 4, 2025 · 48 min
Mario Gabriele - mullet capitalism & modern media empires
Mario Gabriele is the founder of The Generalist, a tech analysis substack with over 132,000 subscribers. Mario also runs Generalist Capital, which invests in early stage companies. In this episode of World of DaaS, Mario and Auren discuss: Why 70-80% of VCs destroy value The rise of mullet capitalism Navigating secondary sales in venture Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Mario Gabriele on X at @mariogabriele. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Feb 25, 2025 · 53 min
Annie Duke - winning bets: decision science in venture capital
Annie Duke is a former World Series of Poker champion, bestselling author of Thinking in Bets and Quit, and decision science expert who advises Fortune 500 companies on strategic decision-making. In this episode of World of DaaS, Annie and Auren discuss: Cognitive biases in venture capital Loss aversion and mental accounting One-way versus two-way doors Reading people in poker and business Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Annie Duke on X at @AnnieDuke. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Feb 18, 2025 · 49 min
Insight Partners Deven Parekh - navigating global markets in uncertain times
Deven Parekh is Managing Director at Insight Partners, a global software investment firm with over $90B in assets under management. Since joining in 2000, he has led investments in companies including Twitter, DocuSign, Alibaba, and JD.com. In this episode of World of DaaS, Deven and Auren discuss: Why gross retention beats net retention AI adoption vs previous tech cycles European tech's struggle to match US Board decks that actually work Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Deven Parekh on X at @djparekh. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Feb 11, 2025 · 57 min
Viant $DSP CEO Tim Vanderhook - ad tech, fraud, and the first-party data revolution
Tim Vanderhook is the co-founder and CEO of Viant Technology (NASDAQ: DSP), a leading advertising technology company that went public in 2021 at a $2.5B valuation. In this episode of World of DaaS, Tim and Auren discuss: The trillion dollar advertising market opportunity Why linear TV is massively undervalued The explosive growth of streaming audio Fighting fraud in modern ad tech Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Tim Vanderhook on LinkedIn. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Feb 4, 2025 · 50 min
PubMatic $PUBM CEO Rajeev Goel - hidden infrastructure of digital advertising
Rajeev Goel is the co-founder and CEO of PubMatic (NASDAQ: PUBM), a sell-side advertising platform that processes over 780 billion ad impressions daily. In this episode of World of DaaS, Rajeev and Auren discuss: Building private cloud infrastructure for ad tech Processing 780 billion daily ad impressions The rise of retail media networks Political advertising in Connected TV Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Rajeev Goel on LinkedIn. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Jan 28, 2025 · 58 min
Mark Pincus - Product Instincts: “Proven, Better, New”
Mark Pincus is the founder of Zynga, which developed some of the most popular mobile games of all time like Farmville and Words With Friends. He currently runs Reinvent Capital and teaches product management at Stanford University. In this episode of World of DaaS, Mark and Auren discuss: Why games predict the future of tech Building on platforms like Facebook The economics of virtual goods Product frameworks for the AI era Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Mark Pincus on X at @markpinc. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Jan 21, 2025 · 43 min
Taboola $TBLA CEO Adam Singolda - AI powered content discovery
Adam Singolda is the founder and CEO of Taboola (NASDAQ: TBLA), a content discovery platform that powers recommendations for Apple News, Yahoo, and other major publishers, reaching over 500 million daily active users. In this episode of World of DaaS, Adam and Auren discuss: The war for internet user attention Why Apple and Amazon are becoming ad companies Building a discovery engine for the internet The future of AI-powered advertising Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Adam Singolda on X at @AdamSingolda. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Jan 14, 2025 · 41 min
DoubleVerify $DV CEO Mark Zagorski - the $100B war against digital ad fraud
Mark Zagorski is the CEO of DoubleVerify (NYSE: DV), a $3.4B market cap company that provides digital media measurement and verification software to major advertisers and platforms. In this episode of World of DaaS, Mark and Auren discuss: The $100B digital ad fraud economy Why marketing data is wrong but works The death of cookies and what's next Building sustainable independent adtech companies This episode of World of DaaS was brought to you by Alkemi. Check out alkemi.ai to learn how Alkemi can help you unlock the AI market. Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Mark Zagorski on LinkedIn. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Jan 7, 2025 · 40 min
Sayari CEO Farley Mesko - mapping global financial crime
Farley Mesko is the CEO and co-founder of Sayari, a financial intelligence and supply chain risk platform that serves major financial institutions, government agencies, and corporations. In this episode of World of DaaS, Farley and Auren discuss: How geopolitics are reshaping global supply chains The evolution of financial crime networks Building data products for government agencies Why entity resolution is the future of intelligence Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas. You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Farley Mesko on LinkedIn. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)