Podcast
Summation with Auren Hoffman
Hosted by Auren Hoffman · EN
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).
48episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Economist Glenn Hubbard - The Fed’s dilemma, AI productivity, and why experts lost trust
Jan 1200:41:54Tap to summarizeGlenn Hubbard is Dean Emeritus and Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics at Columbia Business School. He served as Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003 and was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy at the U.S. Treasury. He has served on the boards of BlackRock, ADP, MetLife, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.In this episode of World of DaaS, Glenn and Auren discuss:Why consumer sentiment contradicts economic indicatorsThe Fed's impossible dilemma on rate cutsSmarter tariff policy and growthWhy most MBA programs are ROI negativeLooking 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 Glenn Hubbard on LinkedIn.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
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Rembrand CEO Omar Tawakol - why product placement works better than traditional ads
Jan 600:52:32Tap to summarizeOmar Tawakol is the CEO and founder of Rembrand, an AI-powered virtual product placement company. He founded BlueKai, a data management platform acquired by Oracle for $400M+ in 2014, and Voicera, an AI meeting assistant acquired by Cisco in 2019. He currently serves on the board of The Trade Desk and as a General Partner at super{set}.In this episode of World of DaaS, Omar and Auren discuss:Why virtual billboards work better than 3D product placementHow AI eliminates two-year product placement negotiationsWhy virtual placement grew 10x faster internationally than in the USThe mistakes repeat founders make at scaleLooking 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 Omar Tawakol on X at @otawakol.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
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Construction Physics' Brian Potter - why America excels at fracking but struggles with construction
Aug 1200:46:36Tap to summarizeBrian Potter is a structural engineer and author of Construction Physics, a weekly Substack about the economics, technology, and productivity of building and infrastructure. He's also a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Progress. In this episode of World of DaaS, Brian and Auren discuss:Why construction productivity has flatlined for decadesThe failure of modular construction and automation barriersThe unprecedented innovation at Bell Labs and modern research comparisonsWhy America dominates fracking but struggles to build Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to http://worldofdaas.com/ for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Brian Potter on X at @_brianpotter.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
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Airtable CEO Howie Liu - Excel vs Access, Founder Mode, and the Future of SaaS
Aug 5, 202500:51:53Tap to summarizeHowie Liu is the co-founder and CEO of Airtable, the AI-native app platform which has raised over $1.3 billion in funding and is valued at more than $11 billion. Howie sold his first startup, Etacts, to Salesforce when he was just 21 years old.In this episode of World of DaaS, Howie and Auren discuss:The evolution of the no-code/low-code movementHow AI is transforming software developmentPricing strategies for SaaS productsThe importance of founder mode and hands-on leadershipThe future of work in an AI-driven worldLooking 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 Howie Liu on X at @howietl.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
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Dwarkesh Patel - AI Timelines, Productivity & Global Stagnation
Jul 29, 202500:57:13Tap to summarizeDwarkesh Patel is the host of the Dwarkesh Podcast, where he interviews leading scientists, founders, and economists about AI, science, and progress.In this episode of World of DaaS, Dwarkesh and Auren discuss: Why experts overestimate AI capabilities The continual learning bottleneck in current models Japan's economic crash and global productivity stagnation Spaced repetition and effective learning strategiesLooking 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 Dwarkesh Patel on X at @dwarkesh_SP.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
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Morning Consult CEO Michael Ramlet - AI, consumer sentiment and reinventing survey research
Jul 22, 202500:46:21Tap to summarizeMichael Ramlet is the co-founder and CEO of Morning Consult, a global decision intelligence company with more than $100 million in annual revenue. Morning Consult conducts 30,000 daily interviews across 40+ countries and serves more than half of the Fortune 500.In this episode of World of DaaS, Michael and Auren discuss:The evolution from telephone to online polling Building representative polling samples in the modern era Real-time data collection and economic indicators AI and the democratization of survey researchLooking 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 Ramlet on X at @MichaelRamlet. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
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Atlan CEO Prukalpa Sankar - AI agent workflows and hiring AI native talent
Jul 15, 202500:36:57Tap to summarizePrukalpa Sankar is the co-founder and CEO of Atlan, a data platform used by organizations like Plaid, NASDAQ and the UN to manage data collaboration at scale. Atlan has raised over $200 million and grown revenue 7x in the last two years.In this episode of World of DaaS, Prukalpa and Auren discuss:AI native company transformationsContext as the foundation for enterprise AIBuilding remote-first cultures globallyThe future of metadata for enterprise 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 Prukalpa Sankar on X at @prukalpa.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (thepodcastconsultant.com)
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Cardlytics CEO Amit Gupta - transaction data and commerce media
Jul 8, 202500:29:44Tap to summarizeAmit Gupta is the CEO of Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX), a global commerce media platform that powers rewards programs with card-linked offers and enables brands to strengthen customer loyalty.In this episode of World of DaaS, Amit and Auren discuss:How card-linked offers strengthen customer loyalty Identity resolution and retail mediaCardlytics' view into $5.8 trillion of annual consumer spendingThe limitations of traditional loyalty programsLooking 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 Amit Gupta on LinkedIn. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
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Fabrice Grinda of FJ Labs - diversified portfolios, secondary sales and dinner parties
Jul 1, 202500:52:46Tap to summarizeFabrice Grinda is the co-founder and managing partner of FJ Labs, a venture capital firm that has invested in over 1,200 startups with more than 350 exits, including early investments in Alibaba, Flexport, and Delivery Hero. He previously built and sold three companies as CEO: Aucland (one of Europe's largest auction sites), Zingy (mobile media startup sold for $80M), and OLX (global classifieds platform operating in 90+ countries with 150M+ monthly users, acquired by Naspers).In this episode of World of DaaS, Fabrice and Auren discuss:Curiosity-driven investing and founder assessmentDiversified portfolios vs concentrated strategiesSecondary sales and exit strategiesAI tools transforming investment researchLooking 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 Fabrice Grinda on X at @fabricegrinda.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
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Rabbi David Wolpe - AI, faith, and the future of human connection
Jun 24, 202500:37:54Tap to summarizeRabbi David Wolpe is the emeritus rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, one of the largest synagogues in the United States. He is a bestselling author of eight books on faith and spirituality and has been named one of the most influential rabbis in America.In this episode of World of DaaS, David and Auren discuss:AI rabbis and digital therapyLab grown meat and kosher lawsConsciousness uploading and digital soulsFertility rates and collective meaningLooking 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 Rabbi Wolpe on X at @RabbiWolpe. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
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