Will we reach AGI before Stripe goes public? | Equity Podcast

Stripe

• Stripe's valuation has been on a rollercoaster ride in the past 3 years, with its latest tender offer valuing the company at $65 billion, a 30% increase from its previous valuation of $50 billion.
• Despite criticisms for high fees, lack of transparency, and difficulty in disengaging from its services, Stripe remains a major player in the fintech industry with big customers like Microsoft, Uber, and Best Buy.
• Stripe's potential IPO in the next 12 to 24 months is influenced by the success of Plaid, another major fintech company that is also preparing to go public.

Geothermal Energy

• Fero Energy, a Houston-based geothermal energy company, raised $221 million to commercialize and expand its operations.
• Fero Energy uses directional drilling techniques to extend wells far beyond their surface footprints, taking advantage of geothermal energy as a constant source of energy (baseload power).
• The company's early angel investors include Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and Masayoshi Son.

Startups Shutting Down

• Sunset, Simple Closure, and Carta Conclusion are startups that help other startups shut down by providing services such as asset disposal, IP management, and tax assistance.
• Sunset raised $1.45 million in seed funding, while Simple Closure raised $4 million less than six months after its previous funding round.
• Maran, another company in this space, has raised non-traditional funding from angel investors and venture capitalists, offering an incentive for referrals that increases their stake in the company.

Microsoft and AI

• Microsoft's investment in the European AI company, mistol AI, raises questions about potential conflicts of interest due to Microsoft's ownership of a significant stake in OpenAI's commercial division.
• Microsoft's investment may be a way for the company to cover its legal bases and avoid antitrust scrutiny, as OpenAI faces a lawsuit from the New York Times for allegedly ingesting its material without proper credit.
• The host expresses mixed feelings about AI companies using data without compensating the original creators, arguing that businesses should be compensated when their content generates value outside of their own business.

Upcoming Episodes

• The next episode will feature an interview with Nubank CEO David Vélez, discussing the company's recent $50 billion market cap and the Latin American market.
• The Wednesday show will focus on startup-related topics, including deep dives on funding rounds, while interviews will move to the weekend.