#297 | The Human Bet, World Models, Data Center Debats, & more

Aug 16th | The latest from Forerunner, Emergence, Theory Jump Capital, Lightspeed, and others

SandHill.io aggregates and shares the latest investment themes, market insights, and best practices for operating and investing from 700+ VCs, analysts, and operators.

This newsletter curates a selection of posts featured on the website each week.

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Investment Themes & Theses

• The Human Bet (Kirsten Green, GP @ Forerunner)

• World Models And The Companies That May Win This New Space (Rob May, GP @ Half Court)

Industry Developments & Analyses

• The Big Data Center Debate (David Talpalar, GP @ Shirlawn Capital)

• When AI Stops Taking Notes and Starts Seeing Patients (Lightspeed Team)

• AI Harness’ ARR Multiples (Tomasz Tunguz, MD @ Theory)

• The AI Revolution will be Securitized (Saanya Ojha, Partner @ BCV)

• Some Simple Economics of Open versus Closed AI (A16Z Team)

• The Machine Risk Economy: Part I (Amir Kabir, MP @ Overlook Ventures)

• The Core (Banking) Problem Isn’t the Core (Jump Capital Team)

• Long duration energy storage finds its buyer (Climate Tech VC)

• The Great SaaS Repricing (Slow Ventures Team)

• Measuring the Intelligence Layer: 2025 Impact Report (Laura Katzman, Partner @ Buoyant)

Guides, Case Studies, and Best Practices for Operating

• Mirage Product Market Fit: The Silent Killer of AI-Native Services Companies (Jake Saper, GP @ Emergence)

• What It Takes to Get Paid (A16Z Team)

• Consensus by Construction (Melody Koh, Partner @ NextView)

• The Agentic Awakening (Liran Eshel & Adam Fisher, Bessemer)

Additional Reads

• Revenge of the Wrappers (Saanya Ojha, Partner @ BCV)

• The Argument Against AI Writing Is At Least 2,400 Years Old (Brad Feld, GP @ Foundry Group)

• Can Agents Use a Computer Yet? We’ve Got the Data (A16Z Team)

• The Blue Note (David Beisel, GP @ NextView)

• The Frictions That Make AI Forecasting Hard (Annelies Gamble, Partner @ Zetta)

• Everything is downstream of ambition (Nikunj Kothari, Partner @ FPV)

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