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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

The best founders and CEOs I know always ask me what they can do better, not what they are doing great.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

In my 40 years of experience, I've never called myself a venture capitalist; I prefer to say I'm a venture assistant, focusing on mentoring startups.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

Willingness to fail is what gives me the ability to succeed; if you're not willing to take risks, you're not going to innovate.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

Founders who think from first principles almost always do the best when trying to dramatically change the rules of the game.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

The team you build initially is the company you build; it's crucial to have the right values aligned with your team and investors.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

Finding unusual leverage is key for a startup; we aimed to have all universities using our technology to gain credibility.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

Entrepreneurs need to invent the future they want, rather than just extrapolating the past; this requires conviction and a strong team.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

It's better to have an incomplete team than to have the wrong people in key positions; a founder should focus on their strengths and seek help for areas they are not proficient in.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

There is a critical exploration phase for a company that is often ignored; it's important to allow time for ideas to develop before committing to a specific direction. Don't make a fixed plan; instead, plan to plan, allowing for adjustments every three months based on new insights and variables.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

Having a culture of debate within your team is crucial; if team members are afraid to disagree, you won't receive valuable input, especially in the early stages.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

In my 40 years of experience, I've never called myself a venture capitalist; I prefer to see myself as a venture assistant, helping startups navigate their challenges.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

I believe in brutally honest feedback over hypocritical politeness; most feedback is often just polite, which doesn't help entrepreneurs improve.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

As a founder, it's essential to set the tone with your investors, encouraging them to provide constructive criticism rather than just positive affirmations.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

Investing in OpenAI in 2018 felt simple because I had a strong belief in AI, despite the investment being unconventional and lacking a clear business plan.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

The willingness to fail is crucial for success; if you're not taking risks, you're likely to follow conventional paths and miss out on true innovation.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

It's important to think outside the box and have your own belief systems; consensus among peers can lead to undifferentiated and marginal ideas.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

The emergence of companies like DeepMind shows that innovation in AI isn't limited to big players; smaller companies can also make significant advancements.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

Symbolica, a company we support, uses category theory to approach AI, which could be significantly more efficient than current large language models.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

The consequences of success in AI are so significant that even a low probability of success makes it worth pursuing.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

Embedding safety into large language models (LLMs) can be achieved through safe math, which enhances explainability and simplifies safety issues.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

In the future, children will be able to follow their passions without worrying about financial stability due to the abundance created by AI.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

The current investment landscape in India is overly focused on safety and early revenue, which may hinder the growth of true technology companies.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

A strong belief system should be built around a significant change you want to achieve, and it's crucial to have a team that can debate and evolve strategies.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

Flexibility in tactics is essential for success, while maintaining a steadfast vision is equally important to navigate the unpredictable nature of entrepreneurship.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

As intelligence becomes a commodity, human motivation will still thrive through personal goals and competition in areas like sports, music, and art.

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Vinod Khosla

04/02/25

@ South Park Commons

The value of handmade items, even if imperfect, will always be appreciated over mass-produced goods, reflecting the evolving nature of human values.

Why I Backed OpenAI, AGI, & the Zero to One Team | Vinod Khosla

Takeaways