Podcast
Napkin Math
Hosted by Charlie & Sabba · EN
Join Sabba Keynejad (co-founder of VEED.io) and Charlie Ward (founder of Ramen Club, Ramen Space & Cosy) as they dive deep into the world of startups, AI, and the latest tech trends. These two legends of the London indie scene bring their no-nonsense, real-world insights to help founders, builders, and indie hackers navigate the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. Expect candid conversations, actionable takeaways, and the occasional hot take on where the future of business is headed.
Whether you're bootstrapping your way to success or scaling your next big idea, Napkin Math is your go-to podcast for unfiltered discussions on what it really takes to win in the startup game.
35episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How Jonny (Founder of Remotion) Got 14M Views on X in a Day
Feb 200:56:43Tap to summarizeThe duo is back with another episode, and this time we’ve got a guest. Jonny Burger, founder of Remotion, joins us after accidentally pulling 14M+ views overnight on X. We chat about vibe coding, prompting motion graphics with Claude, and why building with AI feels different right now. We also get into how Jonny handled the sudden attention, the noise, and acquisition offers that followed.Timestamps:(0:17) Remotion goes viral (accidentally)(2:25) Prompting motion graphics with Claude(6:54) How Jonny has been building for 5 years(10:33) Claude’s GPT-4 moment + vibe coding(15:25) Why Remotion won’t go full B2C(19:57) AI agents, local tools, and seat-based SaaS breaking(32:14) What 14M views actually did to revenue(40:07) Acquisition interest & choosing freedom(46:43) Real-world Remotion use cases (marathons, automation)(50:36) Europe vs. Silicon Valley + marketing lessons for devs
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Is Claude the New ChatGPT? Is Peter Thiel a Billionaire? Meta-Manus, $1M Plank Biz, Solo SaaS Rise
Jan 2800:49:24Tap to summarizeWe have some news!!!Napkin Math Podcast is now live on YouTube.The episode starts with a life update (Sabba’s new baby) and somehow turns childbirth into actual B2B SaaS lessons. From there, it spirals into whether Peter Thiel is really a billionaire, why Claude feels like another GPT-4 moment, and how vibe coding is accelerating the rise of one-person companies.It then breaks down Meta’s Manus acquisition, a bootstrapped $1M planks business hiding in plain sight, X’s push into blogs, and finishes with Elon’s ever-expanding list of beefs.Timestamps:00:00 Intro00:27 Sabba’s B2B SaaS lessons from childbirth08:00 Is Peter Thiel a billionaire?09:57 Claude’s GPT 4 moment10:49 Vibe Coding Frenzy14:45 Ralph Wiggum AI agent19:01 AI vs seat-based SaaS23:22 Boom of one-person companies26:11 Meta acquiring Manus31:07 $1M Secret Planks Business39:48 Home-reno & logistics startup ideas43:27 X blogs push, Grok, and Elon’s beefs
Transcribe →Christmas Special: $100M ARR Frenzy, LLM Wars, Sergey’s Comeback, ChatGPT App Store Opportunity, Prediction Markets, 2025 Awards & 2026 Predictions
Dec 2301:30:59Tap to summarizeSabba and Charlie are back for a special Christmas episode. A 2-hour deep dive split into two parts.In the first, the chaps dive into the $100M ARR frenzy across AI startups, break down the Claude Opus 4.5 release, and debate the escalating LLM wars between Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic. They also discuss Sergey Brin’s return to Google, the opportunity emerging around the ChatGPT App Store, and why prediction markets are starting to compete with traditional media.In the second, they announce the 2025 awards, sharing their picks for the best product, the best trend, the best distribution startup, and the best comeback story, before closing off with their 2026 predictions.00:00 Intro – Napkin Math Christmas Special00:53 Why founders can hate Christmas01:45 Sabba's baby announcement (and life update)02:55 $100M ARR Frenzy in AI startups07:56 Google AI Studio & Unfair Advantage09:47 Are these AI startups actually profitable?11:37 When will we see $1B ARR companies?12:21 Replit’s long-term advantage & Opus 4.516:10 LLM Wars (Google vs. ChatGPT vs. Anthropic)17:33 Google’s vertical AI advantage explained19:47 Sergey Brin’s return to Google21:19 Is AI a winner-take-all market?31:09 ChatGPT App Store opportunity39:58 What's the hype of Prediction Markets42:47 Startup opportunities around prediction markets50:25 2025 Napkin Math Awards (Best product, trend, distribution & comeback)01:02:27 Why Google now leads AI01:04:12 Bear case for Google01:06:29 Comparing Google’s position to Nvidia’s rise01:08:40 Honorable mention (AI Video’s breakout year)01:09:30 Why models outpaced products in AI video01:11:40 What to watch heading into 2026
Transcribe →5+ Startup Idea Frameworks and Making Britain Rich Again
Nov 1700:45:32Tap to summarizeAfter a mini hiatus the boys are back with a banger. 5 startup idea frameworks you can use to start the next unicorn or profitable bootstrapped business. Plus, they inadvertently start the Ben Tossell fan club, and talk about making the UK rich again.00:00 Napkin Math - Startup Idea Frameworks01:43 Startup idea framework 1 - copy your competitors06:23 Framework 2 - build an indirect competitor09:02 Framework 3 - build for a growing trend16:18 Framework 4 - build for new regulations19:54 Framework 4 - build an Open Source competitor26:48 Are any frameworks better for bootstrappers?30:20 Do you need in-market experience before building in that market?31:45 Characteristics of successful founders33:43 The end of Claude Code?35:42 The Ben Tossell fan club39:23 Make Britain Rich Again - Forest City
Transcribe →B2B SaaS lessons from breaking your leg, VEED's new CTO and AI launch
Sep 2300:41:54Tap to summarizeAfter spending weeks in hospital with a broken leg, Charlie has had plenty of time to think about B2B SaaS lessons for the pod, and he delivers. The chaps also chat about VEED's new CTO hire, their Fabric 1.0 launch and brainstorm existing businesses that could inject AI to get to $100m quickly.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:07 B2B SaaS lessons from breaking your leg19:50 Why VEED hired a new CTO25:15 VEED Fabric Launch32:03 Existing companies that could inject AI35:29 Shift to usage based billing39:48 Why courses are hatedLinks:Napkin MathVEEDRamen ClubCosyRamen Space
Transcribe →Google's impressive AI launch, Jony Ive's $6b Open AI deal and Sabba's breakfast at the PMs house
May 27, 202500:49:49Tap to summarizeThe boys have made it to 10 episodes, somehow. They are still talking about AI, this time after the impressive Google Gemini launch they discuss the possibilities (including getting a new podcast co-host). Sabba talks about the pastries he had at 10 Downing Street and if they think Jony Ive's $6bn Open AI deal is worth it.Timestamps00:00 Intro00:39 Google's new AI launch09:12 Future challenges of AI video16:29 AI powered podcasts24:02 Claude 4 release27:43 Jony Ive x Sam Altman37:48 Sabba's Downing Street breakfast43:17 Charlie talks AI agents with Monzo ex-CTO
Transcribe →Opportunities in the running space, how to stick to ideas and Dracula's castle
May 20, 202500:58:05Tap to summarizeCharlie is back from Dracula's castle and Sabba is back from running a marathon. They are both arriving inspired. They do some Napkin Math on the economics of the running industry and the opportunities there, and how long it will be before they can pump out daily Dracula movies.Timestamps:00:00 Intro04:00 Marathon running breakdown and opportunties12:35 Runna acquisition Napkin Math25:18 Building interesting things vs networking28:31 How to stick to ideas40:08 How long before we can make feature length AI films54:32 Ramen Club launch party
Transcribe →Why you aren't working hard enough, big podcast update and a hack for creating luck
May 6, 202500:58:04Tap to summarizeAfter 7 beautiful episodes, the MRR show is dead. But fear not, Napkin Math is born from its ashes. Sabba and Charlie discuss the performance of the show, dig into where Sabba invests his angel money, do a business breakdown (some actual napkin math) before going on a tirade on founders why founders aren't working hard enough...Timestamps00:00 Intro00:23 New podcast name05:27 Podcast growth numbers16:22 Listener Labs napkin math23:49 Sabba's angel investing strategy28:03 Sabba's lunch hack36:23 How hard do founders need to work?46:50 Long term vs short term revenue
Transcribe →AI image generation opportunities, how to make an entertaining video and are trade shows worth it for VEED?
Apr 29, 202500:49:46Tap to summarizeSabba is tired after being at a trade show all week for VEED, but was it worth it? Sabba and Charlie discuss the cost and results. But there's nothing better than a pick me up recording with BBQ crisp-eating Charlie Ward, who finally has some MRR for his SaaS app. The chaps talk all things AI, opportunities, SaaS drama and more.Timestamps00:00 Intro01:20 How much does a SaaS trade show cost?05:56 What makes an entertaining video according to VEED09:32 Rippling vs Deel drama update11:29 AI image generation opportunities16:24 Sabba gets upset19:30 Cool opportunities in the AI image generation space22:13 AI products to help user research28:35 Other AI ideas32:08 Will we get AI fatigue?33:01 Scam call curiosity35:34 Loveable 2.0 release43:41 Charlie has some MRR46:33 Matthew McConaughey's audiobook
Transcribe →Making money from tariffs, bullish on the UK and the evolution of "make something people search for"
Apr 18, 202500:47:42Tap to summarizeSabba went to Sri Lanka and came back with fire in his belly. He's ready to make money from the tariffs and so he discusses with Charlie how he'd do it. This got them thinking about the lack of energy in the US at the moment, and why they're bullish on the UK as a place to build. They wrap up talking about the biggest mega trend to make money with in 2025.Timestamps00:00 - Intro00:27 What Sabba learned about business in Sri Lanka03:10 VEED's billboard ad cost and results07:38 Tariffs chat11:33 Making money from the tariffs15:25 Europe vs USA vs UK20:34 The evolution of "make something people search for"23:27 Sabba's mega trend - AI wrappers32:17 The future of AI products37:50 Charlie's coworking space update44:49 Charlie's vending machine business
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