Most people think disruption is about technology.

In reality, it’s about winning inside chaos, regulation, and imperfect systems — before the rules catch up.

In this episode of Ventures from the Valley, I sit down with Lane Kasselman, President of Blockchain.com and one of the earliest executives at Uber, to unpack what it truly takes to scale category-defining companies in the most regulated environments on earth.

We talk candidly about how Uber forced regulation to follow adoption, how that mindset carried into Blockchain.com, and why the next crypto cycle will look fundamentally different from the last.

This is not a conversation about hype.

It’s a masterclass on building real companies that survive cycles, scrutiny, and scale.

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In this episode, we cover:

• Why Uber’s “win or lose” culture still defines category winners

• How Blockchain.com scaled from 100 to 600 employees in under a year

• What founders misunderstand about regulation in tech and crypto

• Why emerging markets are driving real crypto adoption — not speculation

• How stablecoins are already replacing fiat in parts of the global economy

• Why the next crypto downturn won’t look like 2022

• How AI agents will quietly make crypto the backbone of global payments

• The leadership shifts required to scale from startup to global platform

• Why hiring true operators — not just insiders — changes everything

• The single most important mistake founders make in regulated industries

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❓ If regulation is inevitable, should founders fight it — or design their strategy around it from day one?

Most founders believe venture capital is a game of who can raise the largest round. But the real game is different: pick the right market, build something defensible, and create a business that doesn’t burn through capital just to stay alive.

Jeff Weinstein is a partner at FJ Labs, one of the world’s most active early-stage investors. The firm has backed more than 1,000 companies with over $500 million under management. Unlike traditional venture firms that deliberate for weeks, FJ Labs moves fast, invests globally, and says no to most deals.

In our conversation, Weinstein walks through the mechanics of evaluating 200 startups each week, explains what separates fundable companies from also-rans, and discusses how artificial intelligence is reshaping both marketplace businesses and the venture industry itself.

For founders, operators, and investors, the conversation offers a window into how venture capital works when stripped of its usual inefficiencies.

Key topics:

• Why FJ Labs backs more than 100 companies annually

• How the firm narrows hundreds of pitches to a handful of investments using two calls

• What founders must demonstrate before investors commit capital

• Why marketplace businesses remain defensible despite AI advances

• How emerging fund managers compete against multibillion-dollar institutions

• Why raising less capital can lead to better outcomes than raising more

• How FJ Labs identifies winners in saturated markets

• Why capital-efficient companies command higher valuations today

• How venture firms evaluate returns, runway, funding rounds, and company valuations

What’s the #1 signal you look for when choosing a startup to bet on?

🌐 Learn more: https://www.r136.vc/

What makes China’s innovators and entrepreneurs so relentlessly driven, and how is their ecosystem mindset redefining global innovation, investment, and AI development?

In this episode of Ventures from the Valley, host Victor Orlovski talks with Mark Greeven, Professor of Management Innovation and Voice on China Innovation, and Dean at IMD Business School, to unpack the mindset that is powering China’s innovation revolution. Drawing from over two decades of on-the-ground experience, Mark explores how Chinese entrepreneurs blend fierce competition with deep collaboration to build resilient ecosystems. From the pivotal role of government policy and alumni funding networks to China’s pragmatic, mass-adoption approach to AI, this conversation reveals what truly sets China’s tech scene apart from Silicon Valley. Investors and business leaders will gain invaluable insights into how cultural values, policy alignment, and ecosystems are shaping the next generation of global innovation.

What you will learn:

• How Chinese entrepreneurs balance intense competition with collaborative ecosystem building
• Why government policy alignment is crucial for startup success in China
• The funding sources in Chinese tech, from global VCs to local alumni networks
• How Chinese universities are transforming into powerful startup incubators
• Why the Chinese AI strategy focuses on mass adoption and open-source development
• The unique characteristics of Chinese tech leadership: constant sense of urgency, ecosystem thinking, and balanced visibility
• How China's next generation of entrepreneurs combines a global mindset with traditional cultural values
• The strategic approach to scaling deep tech ventures in China's current environment
• Why China's startup ecosystem differs from Silicon Valley's model and how it drives innovation differently
• The role of university-industry partnerships in driving Chinese tech innovation

Mark Greeven is Professor of Management Innovation and Dean of Asia at IMD. A Chinese speaker with over 20 years of experience in China, he collaborates with companies like Alibaba, Ping An, Haier, Bayer, and Bosch to accelerate innovation and build business ecosystems. A Thinkers50-ranked management expert and contributor to Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review, Mark is the author of several acclaimed books, including The Future of Global Retail and Pioneers, Hidden Champions, Change Makers, and Underdogs.

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