20VC: Do Margins Matter in AI? | Is Defensibility Gone For Good? | Is Vertical SaaS Dead in a World of AI | What SaaS Rules Are BS and No Longer Apply in a World of AI | The Future of Venture: Why Chanel vs Walmart is BS with Byron Deeter
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Episode Description
Byron Deeter is a Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, and one of the most renowned SaaS investors. Byron has led 19 unicorn investments, including IPO successes like ServiceTitan, Procore, Twilio, Box, Gainsight, Intercom, DocuSign, SendGrid. His portfolio includes eight companies that have gone public. Insane.
Agenda:
00:00 – Why are the stakes in AI higher than ever before?
05:20 – Is defensibility in AI gone for good?
07:40 – Do margins even matter when backing the next Anthropic or Perplexity?
09:50 – How does Byron think about future dilution when investing in AI today?
12:10 – With 40% of venture money going to 10 deals, is there any point investing elsewhere?
13:40 – Is vertical SaaS dead? Is there any point when the large players can own it?
18:00 – Will AI shift from the tech budget to the human labor budget and unlock trillions?
21:10 – Are we entering the era of billion-dollar businesses built by 10 people?
25:20 – Is treble-treble-double-double now too slow for AI companies?
33:10 – In today’s AI gold rush, is it better to scream the loudest or just build the best product?
41:10 – What specific growth rates are best in class, good and not good enough today?
55:00 – Is venture now just a game of scale — Chanel vs. Walmart?