John Glasgow, founder of AI-native ERP Campfire, discusses his journey from a Google Sheets MVP to displacing NetSuite. He covers the importance of founder-led sales to $1M ARR, using a narrow feature set as a wedge into the market, and how the rise of AI flipped the script on what constitutes a "safe" enterprise software choice.
CJ Desai, CEO of MongoDB, discusses why platforms, not products, are the key to long-term success in the software industry, especially in the age of AI. He explores the shifting landscape of enterprise software, the reality of AI adoption in Fortune 500 companies, and what truly constitutes a "moat" when software can be generated on demand.
Nikesh Arora, CEO of Palo Alto Networks, shares his unconventional journey and leadership philosophy. He provides a masterclass in building a multi-platform company through strategic M&A, explains why founders should sometimes ignore customers, and reveals how to lead with conviction while managing imposter syndrome.
Experts from a16z outline three transformative ideas for 2026. Ryan McEntush discusses the rise of the 'electro-industrial stack' and the critical need for the U.S. to build a supportive industrial ecosystem. Angela Strange explains why financial services are at a tipping point, with AI-native platforms set to replace legacy systems, unify data, and create 10x winners. Sarah Wang predicts the emergence of a 'dynamic agent layer' that will overtake traditional systems of record by collapsing the gap between user intent and execution.
Box CEO Aaron Levie discusses the paradigm shift from cloud to AI, arguing that AI will augment jobs by automating non-strategic work and create massive opportunities for startups to tackle previously unsolvable problems with unstructured data. He covers the evolution of SaaS business models, the 'build vs. buy' debate, and offers key advice for founders in the AI era.
Leaders from VMware and Cisco share hard-won lessons on navigating disruption, fostering a founder's mindset at scale, and rebuilding for the AI era. They cover GTM strategies for new products, the importance of storytelling as strategy, and why AI represents a 100x shift for infrastructure.