Over Capacity Built the Internet. Vijay Says AI Is Next

What if the infrastructure boom that built the internet is about to repeat itself, but this time with AI? In this episode, Sean sits down with Vijay Rajendran to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way startups raise capital, attract investors, and scale at speeds that were previously unthinkable. Vijay breaks down why companies are hitting millions in revenue almost overnight, why that growth may not tell the full story when it comes to renewals and sustainability, and how a new breed of profitable, AI-enabled businesses is struggling to get investor attention despite being fundamentally sound. You will also hear why the question of whether to raise money at all is more nuanced than most founders realize, especially once outside capital brings new stakeholders into decisions that used to be entirely your own. Check out the company: https://gai.ventures ────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M) ────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Get my brand new eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network ────────────────────── 📋 WORK WITH ME ────────────────────── ▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook ▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship ────────────────────── 🔗 CONNECT WITH SEAN ────────────────────── ▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot ▶ Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com ────────── 🕐 CHAPTERS ────────── 00:00 - AI's 3 Effects on Startup Fundraising 00:40 - $100M ARR in 12 Months: Is It Real? 04:02 - "Seed-Strapping": Profitable, Funded, and in Control 09:02 - Why VCs Chase Stanford and Ex-OpenAI Pedigree 10:07 - How Alumni Ventures Turns Diplomas Into Deal Flow 14:43 - Why Lisbon Still Can't Compete With San Francisco 17:32 - Europe's Broken Tracks Problem Goes Beyond Trains 23:34 - The $400B Build Cycle and Its Collapse Risk 27:32 - Vijay's 3 Geopolitical Scenarios That Could Crash AI 29:59 - Momentum: The One Thing Investors Fund Right Now