Why Tech Moats Are Dying in AI — and What Actually Scales Instead - In Conversation with Priya Saiprasad, GP at TC Titelbild

Why Tech Moats Are Dying in AI — and What Actually Scales Instead - In Conversation with Priya Saiprasad, GP at TC

Why Tech Moats Are Dying in AI — and What Actually Scales Instead - In Conversation with Priya Saiprasad, GP at TC

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 Guest: Priya Saiprasad — Co-Founder & General Partner, Touring CapitalHost: Peeyush Upadhyay — Managing Partner, PekamiarIn this episode of The Scale Up Flight, Peeyush Upadhyay sits down with Priya Saiprasad, Co-Founder and General Partner at Touring Capital, a $330M early-growth fund backing SaaS and AI companies.Priya shares how her global upbringing—having lived in 12 countries by age 12—shaped her resilience, adaptability, and founder-first investing philosophy. Drawing from her experience at Square, Microsoft M12, Mayfield, and SoftBank Vision Fund, she unpacks what truly drives scale in today’s AI-powered economy.The conversation goes deep into what venture investors underestimate, why technology moats are eroding, and how capital efficiency, talent, and go-to-market defensibility are becoming the real differentiators. Priya also offers candid advice for founders on choosing the right investors, navigating board dynamics, making tough people decisions, and building companies that compound over time—not just ride hype cycles.This episode is a must-listen for SaaS and AI founders, operators, and investors navigating the Series B/C transition in an increasingly volatile market.Chapters with TimeStamps00:00 – 02:15Introduction: Highlights & Welcoming Priya Saiprasad02:16 – 06:10Why diversity in VC is essential to finding true alpha06:11 – 09:55The M12 female founders initiative & uncovering overlooked founder talent09:56 – 13:55How a global childhood shaped resilience, adaptability, and founder empathy13:56 – 18:30Why the founder journey is inherently nonlinear—and deeply lonely18:31 – 22:40Square, Jack Dorsey, and the power of true meritocracy22:41 – 26:40A painful early investing lesson: product strength vs. “why now” markets26:41 – 31:40Contrarian investing, herd mentality, and resisting FOMO in hot markets31:41 – 35:20Why “tech as a moat” is eroding in the AI era35:21 – 39:50Capital efficiency vs. growth at all costs (and the Zoom example)39:51 – 43:30Where AI investing is overcrowded—and where real opportunity lies43:31 – 47:10What Priya looks for in a 30-minute founder pitch47:11 – 49:55How founders should diligence investors (beyond the size of the check)49:56 – 52:40Why most scale-up failures ultimately come down to talent decisions52:41 – 55:50The VC as confidant: trust, vulnerability, and founder peer networks55:51 – 59:30How Priya competes, takes risks, and shows conviction59:31 – 01:02:00Advice for leaders in the AI era: GTM, pricing, and staying relevantKey TakeawaysAlpha isn’t obvious upfront — finding it requires looking beyond familiar networks and consensus thinking.Diversity in decision-makers leads to better outcomes for both venture portfolios and founders.The founder journey is a zigzag, requiring resilience, adaptability, and constant reinvention.Technology as a moat is diminishing in the AI era; defensibility now comes from GTM, data, distribution, and product virality.Capital efficiency matters more than headline valuation — valuation isn’t money in pocket until exit.Restraint is harder than deploying capital, especially in hot markets driven by FOMO.Great founders are intellectually curious, humble, and maniacally focused, not know-it-alls.Founders must diligence VCs on how they behave during downturns—not just when things go well.Everything ultimately boils down to talent — hiring, upgrading, and making tough people decisions at the right time.In AI, speed and relevance matter — pricing, packaging, and continuous innovation are critical to long-term retention. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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