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

Dec 30, 2024 · 42 min
Magnite $MGNI CEO Michael Barrett - from linear TV to AI
Michael Barrett is the CEO of Magnite (NASDAQ: MGNI), the largest independent sell-side advertising platform with a market cap of over $2.2 billion. In this episode of World of DaaS, Michael and Auren discuss: The $200B shift from linear TV to streaming How retail media networks are reshaping advertising Big Tech's dominance in digital advertising How AI will change programmatic 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 Michael Barrett on LinkedIn. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Dec 23, 2024 · 1 hr 1 min
Samo Burja - live players vs NPCs: hidden forces shaping history
Samo Burja is an entrepreneur and political researcher. He’s the founder of Bismarck Analysis and the editor of Palladium Magazine, a publication focused on governance and societal challenges. In this episode of World of DaaS, Samo and Auren discuss: Why great founders shape civilization Global fertility decline and its implications The magic of founders at age 23 Why trust in institutions is collapsing 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 Samo Burja on X at @SamoBurja. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Dec 17, 2024 · 38 min
Qualia CEO Nate Baker - real estate's digital infrastructure layer
Nate Baker is the cofounder and CEO of Qualia, the leading real estate closing platform which powers millions of real estate transactions a year. He’s also the cofounder of Fractal, a business incubator that has launched over 150 vertical SaaS companies. In this episode of World of DaaS, Nate and Auren discuss: AI impacts on real estate Housing supply politics The “super app” real estate trend Vertical SaaS myths and playbooks 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 Nate Baker on LinkedIn. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Dec 12, 2024 · 54 min
Life360 $LIF CEO Chris Hulls - trust, data, and modern parenting
Chris Hulls is the co-founder and CEO of Life360 (NASDAQ: LIF), the family safety platform used by over 70 million people worldwide. Life360 has a market cap of $3.3 billion. In this episode of World of DaaS, Chris and Auren discuss: Building a safety super-app The rise of tech-enabled helicopter parenting Psychedelics and CEO mental health Why vision beats data in startups 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 Chris Hulls on X at @ChrisHulls. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Dec 3, 2024 · 43 min
Fivetran CEO George Fraser - data for the AI revolution
George Fraser is the co-founder and CEO of Fivetran, the category-leading data integration platform that does over $300M in revenues. In this episode of World of DaaS, George and Auren discuss: The Databricks/Snowflake “war” Building a data stack for AI workloads Evidence based decision making for tech companies Parallels between neuroscience and artificial 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 George Fraser on X at @frasergeorgew. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Nov 26, 2024 · 57 min
DJ Patil - Data Science pioneer on AI, healthcare, and defense
DJ Patil served as the first U.S. Chief Data Scientist under President Obama. He's currently a GP at GreatPoint Ventures, on the Board of Devoted Health, and co-chairs the taskforce on GenAi for the Pentagon. In this episode of World of DaaS, DJ and Auren discuss: AI's impact on data science Healthcare data transformation Innovation, bureaucracy and efficiency in National Security The best higher education choices in terms of ROI 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 DJ Patil on X at @dpatil. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Nov 19, 2024 · 52 min
Morning Brew founder Alex Lieberman - what B2B marketers get wrong
Alex Lieberman is the co-founder of Morning Brew, a business newsletter with over 4 million subscribers. Alex founded Morning Brew in his dorm room and sold a majority stake to Business Insider for $75 million in 2020. In this episode, Alex and Auren discuss: Why B2B marketing is broken The future of influencer marketing Finding purpose after the exit Generation media consumption 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 Lieberman on X at @businessbarista. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Nov 12, 2024 · 44 min
Altana CEO Evan Smith - Supply Chains, China, and Globalization 2.0
Evan Smith is the co-founder and CEO of Altana, a global supply chain management platform. Altana is one of the newest freight tech unicorns out there– they recently raised $200mm in a Series C round that valued the company at over a billion dollars. In this episode, Evan and Auren discuss: Why "Globalization 2.0" is replacing free trade How Russia's economy defied sanctions expectations The hidden power of supply chain middlemen China's transformation from cheap labor to tech leader 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 Evan Smith on LinkedIn. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Nov 5, 2024 · 45 min
Windfall CEO Arup Banerjee - Real Data on the Ultra Wealthy
Arup Banerjee is the co-founder and CEO of Windfall, a data company that estimates the net worth of every American. In this episode of World of DaaS, Arup and Auren discuss: Why accurate wealth data is so difficult to come by The best indicators of high net worth Common misconceptions about wealth distribution Building data co-ops 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 Arup Banerjee on X at @ArupBanerjee07. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Oct 29, 2024 · 52 min
Sam Parr - Raising Normal Kids After a Major Exit
Sam Parr is the co-host of My First Million podcast and the founder of Hampton, a community of entrepreneurs and founders. Sam previously founded The Hustle, a business and tech newsletter that was acquired by HubSpot for reportedly $27 million in 2021. In this episode of World of DaaS, Sam and Auren discuss: Branding strategies for tech founders Deciding when to sell your business Building communities and monetizing audiences Raising normal kids after success 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 Sam on X at @thesamparr. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Oct 22, 2024 · 57 min
Tomas Pueyo - Uncharted Territories: From Physical Geography to AI
Tomas Pueyo is the author of the Uncharted Territories blog, where he analyzes global trends in technology, politics, and economics. Tomas gained international recognition in 2020 for his data-driven analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic, with his articles reaching over 40 million views and being translated into more than 40 languages. In this episode of World of DaaS, Tomas and Auren discuss: Why geography ruled the past but not the future How zero cost energy will affect global politics Causes and effects of declining fertility 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 Tomas Pueyo on X at @tomaspueyo. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Oct 15, 2024 · 48 min
Ramp CEO Eric Glyman - The Hidden Incentives Shaping Banking and Fintech
Eric Glyman is the co-founder and CEO of Ramp, a financial operations platform. Ramp is one of the fastest growing startups in history, reaching $100M ARR in just three years. Prior to Ramp, Eric co-founded Paribus, a consumer finance app acquired by Capital One in 2016. In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Eric discuss: Corporate spending trends Leveraging price intelligence data Ramp’s ‘Moneyball’ hiring approach Banking monopolies + regulatory capture 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 Eric Glyman on X at @eglyman. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Oct 11, 2024 · 28 min
Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg: WordPress vs WP Engine
Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic and founder of WordPress on the ongoing trademark dispute between WordPress and WP Engine, a hosting company owned by private equity firm Silver Lake. Matt Socials: Twitter: https://x.com/photomatt LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattm/ Host Auren Hoffman Socials: Twitter: https://twitter.com/auren Substack: https://substack.com/@auren
Oct 8, 2024 · 57 min
Ben Casnocha - Flaws as Assets: Unconventional Talent Spotting
Ben Casnocha is a cofounder and partner at Village Global, an early-stage venture capital firm backed by tech luminaries including Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. He was also chief of staff to Reid Hoffman and co-authored two best selling books with him, “The Alliance” and “The Startup of You.” In this episode of World of DaaS, Ben and Auren discuss: Approaching your career as a startup Evaluating founder quality Whether networking is overrated or underrated The optimal level of wealth for happiness 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 Ben Casnocha on X at @bencasnocha. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Oct 1, 2024 · 56 min
Matt Clifford: Entrepreneur First - Ambition and Power
Matt Clifford is the co-founder and chair of Entrepreneur First, a global talent investor that has helped create over 500 companies worth more than $10 billion. He’s also the founding chair of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, the UK’s answer to DARPA. In this episode of World of DaaS, Matt and Auren discuss: Investing in talent Traits of successful founders The UK’s advanced research efforts AI and national defense 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 Matt Clifford on X at @matthewclifford. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Sep 24, 2024 · 49 min
Daniel Pink - Selling in the Age of AI and Big Data
Daniel Pink is the author of seven bestselling books on business, work, and human behavior, including Drive and To Sell Is Human. His TED Talk on the science of motivation has been viewed more than 20 million times. His most recent book is The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. In this episode of World of DaaS, Daniel and Auren discuss: Changing sales strategies for data and AI Building deeply motivated teams Decision-making timeframes Chronotypes and productivity 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 Daniel Pink on X at @DanielPink. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Sep 17, 2024 · 50 min
Yext CEO Michael Walrath - Software Consolidation and Convergence
Michael Walrath is the chairman and CEO of Yext, a publicly traded digital presence platform. Prior to Yext, Michael cofounded Right Media, the first at-scale digital ad exchange, which was acquired by Yahoo in 2007. In this episode, Michael and Auren discuss: Software vendor consolidation Changing attitudes around growth vs profitability New dynamics of VC funding Running board meetings as a CEO 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 Michael Walrath on LinkedIn. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Sep 10, 2024 · 47 min
Bjorn Lomborg - A Data-Driven Approach to Global Issues
Bjorn Lomborg is the president of the Copenhagen Consensus Center and has authored several bestselling books including "The Skeptical Environmentalist", "False Alarm" and recently “Best Things First.” In this episode of World of DaaS, Bjorn and Auren discuss: The most efficient policies to save lives Evaluating charitable ROI The real costs of climate change mitigation Sweden vs Denmark 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 Bjorn Lomborg on X at @BjornLomborg. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Sep 3, 2024 · 44 min
Alex Wirth - CEO of Quorum - How AI is Disrupting Lawmaking
Alex Wirth is the cofounder and CEO of Quorum, a public affairs software platform. In this episode of World of DaaS, Alex and Auren discuss: How AI is affecting lawmaking The evolution of modern lobbying Predicting policy outcomes statistically Building govtech companies 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 Wirth on X at @amaliowirth. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Aug 27, 2024 · 1 hr 3 min
Bryan Caplan - The Signaling Game in Education & Parenting
Bryan is a professor of economics at George Mason University. He’s also the author of a number of bestselling books, including The Case Against Education, The Myth of the Rational Voter, and recently Build Baby Build. In this episode of World of DaaS, Bryan and Auren discuss: Education signaling and ROI The myth of involved parenting Immigration & diaspora theory Social science data access 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 Bryan Caplan on X at @bryan_caplan. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)