Upfront Summit 2020

Keith Rabois of Founders Fund sits down with Dan Primack of Axios to discuss making big bets in venture, how Founders Fund operates as a partnership with unique perspectives, and his views on the upcoming election cycle.

Keith Rabois Interviewed by Dan Primack | Upfront Summit 2020

Chairman of the LA Clippers and former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer sits down with Upfront Ventures partner Greg Bettinelli to discuss:
- How he got into basketball ownership and how a basketball team is like a tech company
- Why philanthropy matters and how to measure government impact
- Operating as a non-founder business lead and why he encourages everyone to drop out
- His favorite search engine

Steve Ballmer Interviewed by Greg Bettinelli | Upfront Summit 2020

Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Harden discuss creating their media company Hello Sunshine and developing projects that put marginalized creative voices and storytelling at the forefront - how it was started, the untraditional power structure at the head of the company, and how they're architecting the business for the next 20 years. 

They also discuss how much they love data and books, about the journey of Reese's Book Club, and what it takes to change and diversify the media landscape.

Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Harden Interviewed by Mark Suster | Upfront Summit 2020

Ice Cube sits down with Hamêt Watt (Share Ventures) to discuss his entrepreneurial journey in founding BIG3 - where his drive and work ethic come from, why the league is on track for profitability and longevity, the importance of authenticity and really listening to the customer, and how he remembers and honors Kobe Bryant's legacy.

Ice Cube Interviewed by Hamêt Watt | Upfront Summit 2020

John Legend and his mentor James Lowry talk with Upfront Ventures partner Kobie Fuller about the importance of mentorship and the mutual benefit in a mentor-mentee relationship; John Legend's work in criminal justice reform and local political reform; James Lowry's roadmap for building black economic power and a more positive future for everyone; and John's experience as a BCG consultant building PowerPoint slides by day and creating music by night.

John Legend and James Lowry Interviewed by Kobie Fuller | Upfront Summit 2020

Meg Whitman (CEO, Quibi) chats with Upfront Ventures partner Mark Suster about the development and upcoming launch of Quibi: 
- What will make the service stand out
- Why they're betting that consumers will pay for premium content
- How the platform is inspiring and incentivizing creators in unexpected ways 
- How Quibi is a technology platform first
- The importance of 5G and why they feel Quibi is the perfect use case
- The dynamics of her long partnership with Jeffrey Katzenberg

Meg Whitman Interviewed by Mark Suster | Upfront Summit 2020

Preet Bharara (Former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Host of the Stay Tuned with Preet podcast) talks with Jeff Berman (Magnet Companies) about the dynamics of impeachment, John Bolton's options, the state of the Justice Department and why it's hard to have conversations across the aisle in Washington.

Preet Bharara Interviewed by Jeff Berman | Upfront Summit 2020

Founder & Chairman of Idealab Bill Gross shares his plan for how technology can solve the climate crisis, why it's so urgent, and what solutions exist today.

Bill Gross on How Technology Can Solve the Climate Crisis | Upfront Summit 2020

Debra Lee (former CEO of BET, founder of Leading Women Defined) talks with CNBC's Julia Boorstin about building diversity on boards and in the C-suite. They cover topics including Debra's experience as the CEO of BET and on boards including Marriott, Revlon and Twitter; the importance and obligation of mentorship in building wealth and succession planning; how boards can hold leadership accountable for diversity; and whether she thinks there will be meaningful change as a result of the MeToo movement and organizations like TIME'S UP.

Debra Lee Interviewed by Julia Boorstin | Upfront Summit 2020

Bad Robot Co-CEOs JJ Abrams and Katie McGrath talk to Upfront Ventures partner Kara Nortman about scaling and productizing creativity; building an equitable partnership and a company that looks like its audience; what it was like to helm a franchise like Star Wars; the importance of creative guardrails and feedback; and the simple way to fix diversity in an organization.

JJ Abrams and Katie McGrath Interviewed by Kara Nortman | Upfront Summit 2020

Comedian Chelsea Handler talks with Jason Hirschhorn about white privilege and what she learned making her recent special, her return to standup comedy, and her new cannabis venture.

Chelsea Handler Interviewed by Jason Hirschhorn | Upfront Summit 2020

Nick Kokonas (CEO, Tock) talks with Connie Loizos (StrictlyVC) about building and scaling software for traditional markets. Topics include:
- How restaurants are operating with opaque information and how he's capitalizing on that need
- The process and decisions behind building software from scratch
- The opportunities in dynamic pricing and the psychology of pre-paying for experiences
- The emotional resonance of restaurants and why you won't see a lot of Tock branding in the user experience

Nick Kokonas Interviewed by Connie Loizos | Upfront Summit 2020

Union Square Ventures partners Fred Wilson and Albert Wenger talk with Erin Griffith (The New York Times) about the firm's investing thesis to solve the climate crisis. Topics covered include:
- The firm's entry into climate technology and recent portfolio investments
- What the firm looks for in climate technology sectors
- How capitalism can co-exist with climate solutions, and the role for government
- Why there's reason for optimism

Fred Wilson and Albert Wenger Interviewed by Erin Griffith | Upfront Summit 2020

CEO of Land O'Lakes Beth Ford talks with #NewsNotNoise 's Jessica Yellin about the Fortune 200 company's structure and work with farmers; how technology plays a role in the business; sustainability and the "barn to biogas"; and why she believes that "rural America is the new inner city" and what all Americans can do about it.

Beth Ford Interviewed by Jessica Yellin | Upfront Summit 2020

Founder of Forerunner Ventures Kirsten Green talks with Upfront Ventures partner Michael Carney about her path to starting and building a consumer-focused firm; how her investing process and thesis has evolved; building a diverse investing team; the challenges of building and acquiring consumer businesses; and how the environment is improving for female founders and funders.

Kirsten Green Interviewed by Michael Carney | Upfront Summit 2020

a16z Managing Partner Jeff Jordan speaks with Upfront partner Kara Nortman multi-stage investing at the firm; trends in VC; how and in what sectors he makes investment decisions including Airbnb and Overtime; how his experience as an operator informs his role as a board member; and the benefit of sports experience as a VC.

Jeff Jordan Interviewed by Kara Nortman | Upfront Summit 2020

Geopolitical strategist and author Peter Zeihan explains how we got to the current state of geopolitics and the changing demographics across the global superpowers that will impact our coming economy.

Peter Zeihan Presents Disunited Nations: The Trade Breakdown | Upfront Summit 2020

Eva Longoria Bastón and Zoe Saldana discuss the 60 million strong and growing Latino demographic, and why this demographic matters in entertainment, politics, and the workforce. They discuss Zoe's startup Bese, and why she wanted to create more content for underrepresented people; how culture can impact public policy; the Eva Longoria Foundation and her work creating the next generation workforce; and why it's literally and figuratively important for technology to have diverse voices around the table.

Eva Longoria Bastón and Zoe Saldana Interviewed by Beatriz Acevedo | Upfront Summit 2020

Pulitzer Prize winning author Jared Diamond speaks about why geography is still relevant in a connected world: how geography impacts global wealth and why wealth inequality is a global concern (including health, security, and immigration); how geography and climate change are interlinked; and how geographic disunity aids in innovation and leadership. 

Note: background noise in this video due to high winds outside the theater where this was filmed.

Jared Diamond on How Geography Affects our Globalized World Today | Upfront Summit 2020

Founder and CEO of Happy Returns, David Sobie, shares his perspective on the myth of the "retail apocalypse" and why DTC brands are well situated to the new retail reality.

David Sobie Explains Why DTC Brands are Opening Retail Stores | Upfront Summit 2020

The Upfront podcast features a variety of guests to discuss startups, venture capital, and current events - providing an insider's view into entrepreneurship and technology.