https://simplecast.com Hg sits at the centre of a universe of tech and software knowledge and expertise. We are constantly surprised by the ideas generated by these satellite minds and we want to share some of it with you. Join us for conversation with the experts, leaders and founders in our orbit. Hg 2025 en Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:02:05 +0000 Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:15:02 +0000 https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/adf8d464-704f-448d-833d-630b2d9c6cbf/59146881-8097-44fd-8398-0c34e61b1ef8/3000x3000/orbit.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com episodic Hg sits at the centre of a universe of tech and software knowledge and expertise. We are constantly surprised by the ideas generated by these satellite minds and we want to share some of it with you. Join us for conversation with the experts, leaders and founders in our orbit. Hg false https://feeds.simplecast.com/Q_fCBEp7 #buildingbusinesses, #software, #technology Hg richard.bold@hgcapital.com 930ab9b0-3a1c-4bb1-bd13-894ebb37bbed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:02:05 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/marjorie-janiewicz-of-mistral-ai-flipping-the-adoption-curve-why-saas-with-data-can-win-in-an-ai-world-ldqdbBou Marjorie Janiewicz of Mistral AI: flipping the adoption curve - why SaaS with data can win in an AI world Hg 00:51:00 Marjorie Janiewicz has sold enterprise software through every platform shift for three decades: Oracle, MySQL, SAP, MongoDB, HackerOne. Now as Chief Revenue Officer at Mistral AI, she's taking a French startup from zero to $400 million in 18 months, closing deals with ASML and HSBC in under a year - timelines that used to take half a decade. Recorded in New York as Mistral announced its Finance offering, this conversation addresses what's working versus what's theatre in enterprise AI. Marjorie supports the MIT hypothesis: 95% of AI projects never reach production. Chatbots drive adoption but don't change businesses. The 5% that work? They start with one high-impact use case, they customise models with proprietary data, and they deploy on-prem where regulated data lives. She explains why the adoption curve flipped, why SaaS companies sitting on data can win if they treat AI as transformation not automation, and why Mistral bet on 400 forward deployment engineers instead of just shipping models. From prototypes done in 48 hours to why "sovereignty is just marketing, independence is what matters," this is pattern recognition from someone who's been in the room when the shift happens repeatedly. Whether you're a SaaS company worried about agents or trying to sell AI to enterprises struggling with ROI, Marjorie's earned her perspective. Marjorie Janiewicz has sold enterprise software through every platform shift for three decades: Oracle, MySQL, SAP, MongoDB, HackerOne. Now as Chief Revenue Officer at Mistral AI, she's taking a French startup from zero to $400 million in 18 months, closing deals with ASML and HSBC in under a year - timelines that used to take half a decade. Recorded in New York as Mistral announced its Finance offering, this conversation addresses what's working versus what's theatre in enterprise AI. Marjorie supports the MIT hypothesis: 95% of AI projects never reach production. Chatbots drive adoption but don't change businesses. The 5% that work? They start with one high-impact use case, they customise models with proprietary data, and they deploy on-prem where regulated data lives. She explains why the adoption curve flipped, why SaaS companies sitting on data can win if they treat AI as transformation not automation, and why Mistral bet on 400 forward deployment engineers instead of just shipping models. From prototypes done in 48 hours to why "sovereignty is just marketing, independence is what matters," this is pattern recognition from someone who's been in the room when the shift happens repeatedly. Whether you're a SaaS company worried about agents or trying to sell AI to enterprises struggling with ROI, Marjorie's earned her perspective. false full 59 40d1aacd-d0a5-4386-8c7d-fc7422456745 Tue, 3 Mar 2026 14:57:40 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-race-for-alpha-varun-anand-of-clay-on-inventing-a-new-role-and-why-gtm-needs-a-new-ai-strategy-GN3Is565 The race for alpha: Varun Anand of Clay on inventing a new role and why GTM needs a new AI strategy Hg 00:22:55 Most B2B software founders don't spend four years working on presidential campaigns. Varun Anand did - on Hillary Clinton's 2016 run - and he argues that startups and political campaigns share the same DNA: both rely on finding "alpha," that elusive edge that competitors haven't copied yet. After the election loss forced a pivot into tech, Varun became the only attendee at a Clay webinar with no customers or revenue. That moment led to co-founding what's now used by Salesforce, OpenAI, and Nvidia, inventing an entirely new profession in the process. Varun reveals why go-to-market AI is fundamentally different from support or coding AI and how Clay's "un-opinionated primitives" approach lets teams build unique competitive advantages. He shares examples ranging from Waste Management analyzing trash can colours via Google Street View to Clay's own social listening engine that automatically routes sentiment to CSMs: all happening without human intervention. The conversation explores the Go-to-Market Engineer role, why curiosity-driven teams win, and Varun's prediction that the next 18-24 months will be about autonomous agents working accounts while humans focus on high-value interventions. Whether you're building GTM systems or rethinking sales ops, this episode challenges every assumption about how modern revenue teams should operate. Most B2B software founders don't spend four years working on presidential campaigns. Varun Anand did - on Hillary Clinton's 2016 run - and he argues that startups and political campaigns share the same DNA: both rely on finding "alpha," that elusive edge that competitors haven't copied yet. After the election loss forced a pivot into tech, Varun became the only attendee at a Clay webinar with no customers or revenue. That moment led to co-founding what's now used by Salesforce, OpenAI, and Nvidia, inventing an entirely new profession in the process. Varun reveals why go-to-market AI is fundamentally different from support or coding AI and how Clay's "un-opinionated primitives" approach lets teams build unique competitive advantages. He shares examples ranging from Waste Management analyzing trash can colours via Google Street View to Clay's own social listening engine that automatically routes sentiment to CSMs: all happening without human intervention. The conversation explores the Go-to-Market Engineer role, why curiosity-driven teams win, and Varun's prediction that the next 18-24 months will be about autonomous agents working accounts while humans focus on high-value interventions. Whether you're building GTM systems or rethinking sales ops, this episode challenges every assumption about how modern revenue teams should operate. false full 58 e03737c0-3323-4f4c-992e-02ea2a397dbd Fri, 20 Feb 2026 12:53:10 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/everything-everywhere-but-not-all-at-once-hgs-matthew-brockman-on-whats-really-happening-in-software-right-now-wy276qAX Everything, everywhere, but not all at once: Hg’s Matthew Brockman on what's really happening in software right now Hg 00:38:58 In this rare internal conversation, Matthew Brockman, Hg's Chief Investment Officer, offers an insider's view on what's actually working versus what's still hype. Far beyond speculation, this is private equity deploying real capital into real companies with real customers, watching what happens when agentic software meets regulatory compliance and established workflows. Brockman reveals why vibe coding is being used in sales processes but not production, why venture money is subsidising inference costs that must eventually turn into labour market economics, and his "virtual Matthew" Turing test for when we've truly reached AGI. From Hg's Catalyst program - parachuting developers into portfolio companies at Hg's expense to accelerate AI product builds - to standing up in Silicon Valley urging CEOs to invest and move quickly, this conversation cuts through the noise with data, deployment examples, and the hard economics of building enterprise AI that actually ships. Essential listening for anyone trying to separate signal from hype in February 2026 In this rare internal conversation, Matthew Brockman, Hg's Chief Investment Officer, offers an insider's view on what's actually working versus what's still hype. Far beyond speculation, this is private equity deploying real capital into real companies with real customers, watching what happens when agentic software meets regulatory compliance and established workflows. Brockman reveals why vibe coding is being used in sales processes but not production, why venture money is subsidising inference costs that must eventually turn into labour market economics, and his "virtual Matthew" Turing test for when we've truly reached AGI. From Hg's Catalyst program - parachuting developers into portfolio companies at Hg's expense to accelerate AI product builds - to standing up in Silicon Valley urging CEOs to invest and move quickly, this conversation cuts through the noise with data, deployment examples, and the hard economics of building enterprise AI that actually ships. Essential listening for anyone trying to separate signal from hype in February 2026 false full 57 59353a5e-873f-472f-8aea-90072af53d63 Tue, 17 Feb 2026 09:24:30 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/a-certain-level-of-chaos-is-healthy-franz-faerber-on-fighting-bureaucracy-and-the-importance-of-deep-domain-knowledge-in-ai-8voASHf7 A certain level of chaos is healthy: Franz Faerber on fighting bureaucracy and the importance of deep domain knowledge in AI Hg 00:52:05 Franz Faerber, co-founder and CEO of Everest Systems and former architect of SAP HANA, challenges Sam Altman's vision of throwaway software, arguing humans crave stability, while making the case for why Germany - not Silicon Valley - is the right place to build next-generation enterprise software in the AI age. Despite being a German-US company, Everest invests 80% in Germany, leveraging equal talent quality at a fraction of US costs. This episode explores the rare dual perspective of someone who led innovation inside SAP and now challenges the narrative that all meaningful software innovation must come from the Valley. Faerber discusses Everest's breakthrough "live sandboxing" technology that eliminates complex multi-system landscapes,, why deep domain knowledge is the new differentiator in an AI age, and shares his counterintuitive leadership philosophy: "I'm a big believer in a certain level of chaos is healthy." From building Germany's first AI-generated warehouse module to his advice for SaaS leaders ("assume AI costs zero—what fundamentally changes?"), this conversation offers a masterclass in conviction, timing, and reimagining enterprise software. Whether you're building against incumbents or navigating AI transformation, Faerber's insights on bureaucracy, talent strategy, and the courage to "do it earlier" provide essential guidance for software builders. Franz Faerber, co-founder and CEO of Everest Systems and former architect of SAP HANA, challenges Sam Altman's vision of throwaway software, arguing humans crave stability, while making the case for why Germany - not Silicon Valley - is the right place to build next-generation enterprise software in the AI age. Despite being a German-US company, Everest invests 80% in Germany, leveraging equal talent quality at a fraction of US costs. This episode explores the rare dual perspective of someone who led innovation inside SAP and now challenges the narrative that all meaningful software innovation must come from the Valley. Faerber discusses Everest's breakthrough "live sandboxing" technology that eliminates complex multi-system landscapes,, why deep domain knowledge is the new differentiator in an AI age, and shares his counterintuitive leadership philosophy: "I'm a big believer in a certain level of chaos is healthy." From building Germany's first AI-generated warehouse module to his advice for SaaS leaders ("assume AI costs zero—what fundamentally changes?"), this conversation offers a masterclass in conviction, timing, and reimagining enterprise software. Whether you're building against incumbents or navigating AI transformation, Faerber's insights on bureaucracy, talent strategy, and the courage to "do it earlier" provide essential guidance for software builders. false full 56 b50d9b56-4dc7-4bab-b003-ceb75deb65d4 Fri, 16 Jan 2026 09:07:14 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-corporate-immune-system-google-clouds-daniel-rood-on-building-europes-first-ai-team-DTLy7hKP The corporate immune system: Google Cloud's Daniël Rood on building Europe's first AI team Hg 00:27:01 Daniël Rood, director of AI go-to-market at Google Cloud, offers a masterclass in navigating transformation from inside a tech giant. Building Google's first European AI team when gen AI was still "a PhD science project," Rood reveals the hidden resistance mechanisms that plague even innovative organizations. His concept of the "corporate immune system"—the culture that protects success for all the right reasons but resists dramatic shifts—explains why customer success stories, not internal advocacy, are what actually move leadership. His hiring philosophy centered on "intellectual humility" and "teams of translators" who bridge technology and business offers a blueprint for staffing AI initiatives moving too fast for anyone to be an expert. The conversation reveals Google's quiet dominance: AI Mode has already reached 1.5 billion monthly active users, nearly double OpenAI's reach. But Rood's most provocative insight addresses vertical SaaS: he predicts the shift to "expertise as a service," where repetitive professional work gets commoditized and deep human judgment becomes "an API on top of the platform." His framework for the new reality is stark—culture trumps strategy, three-year horizons are irrelevant, the world is "tokenizing," and sales cycles collapse through proof-based processes. By 2030, he argues, AI will have moved so deeply into the background that having a Chief AI Officer will seem as obsolete as having a Chief Mobile Officer today. Daniël Rood, director of AI go-to-market at Google Cloud, offers a masterclass in navigating transformation from inside a tech giant. Building Google's first European AI team when gen AI was still "a PhD science project," Rood reveals the hidden resistance mechanisms that plague even innovative organizations. His concept of the "corporate immune system"—the culture that protects success for all the right reasons but resists dramatic shifts—explains why customer success stories, not internal advocacy, are what actually move leadership. His hiring philosophy centered on "intellectual humility" and "teams of translators" who bridge technology and business offers a blueprint for staffing AI initiatives moving too fast for anyone to be an expert. The conversation reveals Google's quiet dominance: AI Mode has already reached 1.5 billion monthly active users, nearly double OpenAI's reach. But Rood's most provocative insight addresses vertical SaaS: he predicts the shift to "expertise as a service," where repetitive professional work gets commoditized and deep human judgment becomes "an API on top of the platform." His framework for the new reality is stark—culture trumps strategy, three-year horizons are irrelevant, the world is "tokenizing," and sales cycles collapse through proof-based processes. By 2030, he argues, AI will have moved so deeply into the background that having a Chief AI Officer will seem as obsolete as having a Chief Mobile Officer today. false full 55 027d2398-0256-4eb4-a94a-44323a603c25 Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:45:33 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/skin-in-the-game-professor-neil-lawrence-mfKUQWLX Skin in the game: Professor Neil Lawrence on vulnerability, accountability and why the next generation will thrive. Hg 00:50:06 From oil rigs to Amazon's machine learning division and now Cambridge's DeepMind chair, Professor Neil Lawrence brings a refreshingly grounded perspective to AI. Lawrence introduces his "atomic human" concept; arguing it's not our capabilities but our vulnerabilities and limitations that make us irreplaceable. Drawing on experiences watching his coding assistant try to claim authorship and building systems at Amazon, he illuminates why accountability requires skin in the game and why machines can never truly stand behind decisions the way humans must. His mechanical engineering background shines through in vivid analogies that make complex ideas tangible and even delightful. The conversation builds to a genuinely uplifting conclusion about the next generation. Lawrence dismisses the disempowering AGI narrative sold by tech incumbents protecting their turf, arguing instead that today's young people see the world as it is and are excited to shape it. His insistence that "people aren't stupid"—from public dialogues to business customers consistently asking for improvements in healthcare and education—makes the case for staying connected to customers and trusting the next generation to steer technology toward what we care about most. It's a perfect note to end the year on: pragmatic, human-centred, and genuinely hopeful. From oil rigs to Amazon's machine learning division and now Cambridge's DeepMind chair, Professor Neil Lawrence brings a refreshingly grounded perspective to AI. Lawrence introduces his "atomic human" concept; arguing it's not our capabilities but our vulnerabilities and limitations that make us irreplaceable. Drawing on experiences watching his coding assistant try to claim authorship and building systems at Amazon, he illuminates why accountability requires skin in the game and why machines can never truly stand behind decisions the way humans must. His mechanical engineering background shines through in vivid analogies that make complex ideas tangible and even delightful. The conversation builds to a genuinely uplifting conclusion about the next generation. Lawrence dismisses the disempowering AGI narrative sold by tech incumbents protecting their turf, arguing instead that today's young people see the world as it is and are excited to shape it. His insistence that "people aren't stupid"—from public dialogues to business customers consistently asking for improvements in healthcare and education—makes the case for staying connected to customers and trusting the next generation to steer technology toward what we care about most. It's a perfect note to end the year on: pragmatic, human-centred, and genuinely hopeful. false full 54 3f46998d-488f-49cf-9c14-78827726dfcd Tue, 9 Dec 2025 09:58:34 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-3-speed-problem-jason-richards-speaks-to-oji-udezue-on-cpo-leadership-in-the-age-of-unlimited-engineering-pTmEt6q9 The 3 speed problem: Jason Richards speaks to Oji Udezue on CPO leadership in the age of unlimited engineering Hg 00:29:10 Product Mind Principal Oji Udezue - veteran of Microsoft, Twitter, Atlassian, Calendly, and Typeform - offers an energising vision of product leadership in the AI era. Drawing from 25 years building products, Udezue reveals that it isn't something to fear but an opportunity for those willing to embrace what he calls "self-erasure": shedding old mental models to approach new technology with fresh eyes. His journey from Microsoft's competitive trenches to discovering that "permanent influence has nothing to do with convincing people I was smart" unlocks why curiosity and vulnerability now matter more than ever. Udezue introduces the "three speed problem": his framework showing that while engineering capacity approaches infinity over the next decade, the real leverage comes from accelerating product divination and go-to-market to their theoretical limits. With characteristic wisdom, he advocates for "healthy paranoia" about change while championing extreme experimentation, prototyping over PRDs, and designing with customers as core team members. His closing mantra: "I happen to the world; the world doesn't happen to me" captures the determined optimism required to build jewel-like software in an era of unlimited possibility. Product Mind Principal Oji Udezue - veteran of Microsoft, Twitter, Atlassian, Calendly, and Typeform - offers an energising vision of product leadership in the AI era. Drawing from 25 years building products, Udezue reveals that it isn't something to fear but an opportunity for those willing to embrace what he calls "self-erasure": shedding old mental models to approach new technology with fresh eyes. His journey from Microsoft's competitive trenches to discovering that "permanent influence has nothing to do with convincing people I was smart" unlocks why curiosity and vulnerability now matter more than ever. Udezue introduces the "three speed problem": his framework showing that while engineering capacity approaches infinity over the next decade, the real leverage comes from accelerating product divination and go-to-market to their theoretical limits. With characteristic wisdom, he advocates for "healthy paranoia" about change while championing extreme experimentation, prototyping over PRDs, and designing with customers as core team members. His closing mantra: "I happen to the world; the world doesn't happen to me" captures the determined optimism required to build jewel-like software in an era of unlimited possibility. false full 53 f8be9f8e-95e3-4ff6-964a-601b62199fa4 Tue, 25 Nov 2025 11:06:35 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/fevered-determination-building-zalos-from-zero-to-enterprise-in-5-weeks-hgs-jonathan-wulkan-speaks-to-founder-william-fairbairn-DH3RvvHt Fevered determination: Building Zalos from zero to enterprise in 5 weeks. Hg's Jonathan Wulkan speaks to founder, William Fairbairn Hg 00:38:32 In this illuminating conversation from the frontier of AI-native startups, William Fairbairn, founder of Zalos.ai and part of Y Combinator's class of 2025, reveals what it takes to build at Silicon Valley velocity. Just five weeks after launch, Zalos is already deployed with major enterprise customers, automating finance workflows through computer-use agents that execute tasks like humans—extracting contract terms, initiating billing, and reconciling cash. Fairbairn's insights into Y Combinator's evolved wisdom for the AI era, particularly "forward-deployed engineering", demonstrate how the startup playbook has been fundamentally rewritten. With funding bars rising to $2 million ARR in 12 months just to reach Series A, and "supernovas" scaling from $1 million to $100 million in 18 months, this postcard from the edge of software leadership captures the intensity and opportunity of building in an era where the rules change weekly. In this illuminating conversation from the frontier of AI-native startups, William Fairbairn, founder of Zalos.ai and part of Y Combinator's class of 2025, reveals what it takes to build at Silicon Valley velocity. Just five weeks after launch, Zalos is already deployed with major enterprise customers, automating finance workflows through computer-use agents that execute tasks like humans—extracting contract terms, initiating billing, and reconciling cash. Fairbairn's insights into Y Combinator's evolved wisdom for the AI era, particularly "forward-deployed engineering", demonstrate how the startup playbook has been fundamentally rewritten. With funding bars rising to $2 million ARR in 12 months just to reach Series A, and "supernovas" scaling from $1 million to $100 million in 18 months, this postcard from the edge of software leadership captures the intensity and opportunity of building in an era where the rules change weekly. false full 52 038ca6e0-9c11-4519-8107-752fc0e8c006 Tue, 28 Oct 2025 10:07:38 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/trust-velocity-and-building-the-answer-engine-dmitry-shevelenko-of-perplexity-speaks-to-farouk-hussein-GbiktORK Trust, Velocity, and Building the Answer Engine: Dmitry Shevelenko of Perplexity speaks to Farouk Hussein Hg 00:41:56 In this fascinating conversation, Perplexity's Chief Business Officer Dmitry Shevelenko reveals how a company barely three years old is mounting the first credible challenge to Google's search dominance in two decades. Shevelenko shares the counterintuitive distribution strategy that led Perplexity to partner with mobile carriers and device manufacturers rather than chasing browser deals, explaining how creating mutual value with partners became their path to 22 million monthly active users. The discussion centres on execution velocity as Perplexity's primary competitive advantage, with Shevelenko openly admitting that six months from now he'll have a top priority he can't even imagine today. From eliminating internal presentations entirely to making hiring decisions "physically hurt," he paints a vivid picture of how Perplexity maintains startup intensity while competing against trillion-dollar tech giants, offering invaluable lessons for anyone navigating the AI transformation. In this fascinating conversation, Perplexity's Chief Business Officer Dmitry Shevelenko reveals how a company barely three years old is mounting the first credible challenge to Google's search dominance in two decades. Shevelenko shares the counterintuitive distribution strategy that led Perplexity to partner with mobile carriers and device manufacturers rather than chasing browser deals, explaining how creating mutual value with partners became their path to 22 million monthly active users. The discussion centres on execution velocity as Perplexity's primary competitive advantage, with Shevelenko openly admitting that six months from now he'll have a top priority he can't even imagine today. From eliminating internal presentations entirely to making hiring decisions "physically hurt," he paints a vivid picture of how Perplexity maintains startup intensity while competing against trillion-dollar tech giants, offering invaluable lessons for anyone navigating the AI transformation. false full 51 c89b33c8-44b4-4003-92e0-5c960150d1d9 Wed, 24 Sep 2025 09:30:00 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Matthew Brockman, Nic Humphries) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-long-road-to-the-last-mile-VCIVnlcr The long road to the last mile : Nic Humphries and Matthew Brockman reflect on 25 years of Hg Matthew Brockman, Nic Humphries 00:36:05 In this candid anniversary conversation, Hg's leadership team of Matthew Brockman and Nic Humphries reflects on 25 years of building one of Europe's most focused software investors. Humphries shares the challenge of convincing colleagues to abandon multiple sectors for pure software focus, while Brockman opens up about his leap of faith in 2010, leaving Apax Partners for an uncertain bet on Hg's vision and the turbulence of 2012 that eventually led to success. The conversation hones in on AI as the next major platform shift and Brockman's concept of the "last mile"—the deep understanding of customer workflows required to transform AI capability into practical business solutions. Their discussion reveals a firm that has spent 25 years accumulating the pattern recognition, operational capabilities, and entrepreneurial culture perfectly suited for an era where success depends less on investment judgement and more on building products that solve real workflow problems—making this milestone feel less like a celebration of the past and more like preparation for the defining challenge ahead. In this candid anniversary conversation, Hg's leadership team of Matthew Brockman and Nic Humphries reflects on 25 years of building one of Europe's most focused software investors. Humphries shares the challenge of convincing colleagues to abandon multiple sectors for pure software focus, while Brockman opens up about his leap of faith in 2010, leaving Apax Partners for an uncertain bet on Hg's vision and the turbulence of 2012 that eventually led to success. The conversation hones in on AI as the next major platform shift and Brockman's concept of the "last mile"—the deep understanding of customer workflows required to transform AI capability into practical business solutions. Their discussion reveals a firm that has spent 25 years accumulating the pattern recognition, operational capabilities, and entrepreneurial culture perfectly suited for an era where success depends less on investment judgement and more on building products that solve real workflow problems—making this milestone feel less like a celebration of the past and more like preparation for the defining challenge ahead. saas, ai, anniversary, technology, private equity, software, business, last mile false full 50 1d6cf93f-a1c5-4308-94a6-4888321d74ea Thu, 5 Jun 2025 13:39:47 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/ai-control-points-and-the-next-wave-of-vertical-saas-with-tidemark-capital-founder-dave-yuan-6Ej97RzX AI, Control Points, and the Next Wave of Vertical SaaS with Tidemark Capital founder, Dave Yuan Hg 00:47:49 In this compelling conversation, Tidemark Capital founder Dave Yuan shares his journey from Bain consultant to building one of the most thoughtful voices in vertical SaaS investing. Yuan reveals his "control point" philosophy—identifying the mission-critical systems that small businesses would turn off last before going bankrupt—and explains how this approach has guided Tidemark's investments in category leaders like ServiceTitan, Toast, and OneStream. His insights into workflow gravity, data gravity, and account gravity provide a masterclass in understanding what creates defensible market positions in software. The discussion takes a provocative turn as Yuan explores AI's dual nature as both opportunity and existential threat for established software companies. He introduces the concept of "integrate surround"—how AI point solutions can gradually subsume control points by becoming the system of action rather than just record—and shares his framework for "fast waters" versus "slow waters" in AI adoption. With characteristic humility and intellectual curiosity, Yuan offers practical advice for navigating today's volatile market while building the Vertical SaaS Knowledge Project community that has become an industry touchstone for founders and investors alike. In this compelling conversation, Tidemark Capital founder Dave Yuan shares his journey from Bain consultant to building one of the most thoughtful voices in vertical SaaS investing. Yuan reveals his "control point" philosophy—identifying the mission-critical systems that small businesses would turn off last before going bankrupt—and explains how this approach has guided Tidemark's investments in category leaders like ServiceTitan, Toast, and OneStream. His insights into workflow gravity, data gravity, and account gravity provide a masterclass in understanding what creates defensible market positions in software. The discussion takes a provocative turn as Yuan explores AI's dual nature as both opportunity and existential threat for established software companies. He introduces the concept of "integrate surround"—how AI point solutions can gradually subsume control points by becoming the system of action rather than just record—and shares his framework for "fast waters" versus "slow waters" in AI adoption. With characteristic humility and intellectual curiosity, Yuan offers practical advice for navigating today's volatile market while building the Vertical SaaS Knowledge Project community that has become an industry touchstone for founders and investors alike. false full 49 cfa9f906-5eb6-4976-a79b-fcb1c21a70fd Wed, 21 May 2025 09:46:10 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/refounding-in-the-face-of-ai-with-des-traynor-of-intercom-6ZJRPMBz Refounding in the face of AI with Des Traynor of Intercom Hg 00:30:52 Orbit 48 sees Dr Amr Ellabban sit down with Des Traynor, co-founder and CSO of Intercom, to explore how AI requires revolutionary thinking from businesses. Des shares the pivotal moment when ChatGPT emerged in November 2022, spurring Intercom's bold 15-day pivot to develop Fin, their AI customer support agent. The conversation reveals how successful AI transformation demands complete organisational commitment—from reimagining pricing models to restructuring teams—rather than incremental changes: "It's not a cherry on top. It's the only game that matters." Drawing from his experience at Intercom and as an angel investor, Des outlines the three-phase evolution of AI in business: from augmenting human work to handling portions of jobs to eventually performing entire roles. For leaders navigating similar transformations, he offers unflinching advice on the necessity of decisive action and clear communication, predicting that AI may soon handle 60-80% of support volume in what will be "the largest change in how labour is applied in most businesses." His insights on product boundaries and avoiding "MiniDisc" solutions in rapidly evolving technology landscapes provide a compelling roadmap for organisations embracing this inevitable shift. Orbit 48 sees Dr Amr Ellabban sit down with Des Traynor, co-founder and CSO of Intercom, to explore how AI requires revolutionary thinking from businesses. Des shares the pivotal moment when ChatGPT emerged in November 2022, spurring Intercom's bold 15-day pivot to develop Fin, their AI customer support agent. The conversation reveals how successful AI transformation demands complete organisational commitment—from reimagining pricing models to restructuring teams—rather than incremental changes: "It's not a cherry on top. It's the only game that matters." Drawing from his experience at Intercom and as an angel investor, Des outlines the three-phase evolution of AI in business: from augmenting human work to handling portions of jobs to eventually performing entire roles. For leaders navigating similar transformations, he offers unflinching advice on the necessity of decisive action and clear communication, predicting that AI may soon handle 60-80% of support volume in what will be "the largest change in how labour is applied in most businesses." His insights on product boundaries and avoiding "MiniDisc" solutions in rapidly evolving technology landscapes provide a compelling roadmap for organisations embracing this inevitable shift. false full 48 089d9668-1724-46b6-9750-2f741c2b860e Thu, 17 Apr 2025 11:02:13 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/a-golden-age-of-software-engineering-M3NNC69Q A golden age of software engineering with Russell Kaplan, Founding President of Cognition Hg 00:39:53 What happens when AI can code? In this illuminating conversation with Cognition's Founding President Russell Kaplan, we explore how AI is fundamentally transforming the landscape of software development. Drawing from his journey through Tesla's Autopilot team and Scale AI, Kaplan shares profound insights on leadership in rapid technological change, emphasizing that "talent is everything" and that exceptional outcomes come from "small teams of highly technical people." His perspective challenges conventional thinking about software engineering's future, suggesting we're entering an era of "software abundance" where customer expectations will rise dramatically. The discussion moves beyond theoretical AI potential to practical implementation, with Kaplan revealing how his philosophy of speed as strategy guides decision-making in a world where AI capabilities in software development are doubling every 70 days. Rather than fearing job displacement, Kaplan envisions a future where "way more people are shaping the creation of software" as the nature of engineering evolves. With refreshing optimism, he suggests we're approaching a time when "software is good by default" and shares his excitement for what may be "the most exciting time to be a software engineer" in history. What happens when AI can code? In this illuminating conversation with Cognition's Founding President Russell Kaplan, we explore how AI is fundamentally transforming the landscape of software development. Drawing from his journey through Tesla's Autopilot team and Scale AI, Kaplan shares profound insights on leadership in rapid technological change, emphasizing that "talent is everything" and that exceptional outcomes come from "small teams of highly technical people." His perspective challenges conventional thinking about software engineering's future, suggesting we're entering an era of "software abundance" where customer expectations will rise dramatically. The discussion moves beyond theoretical AI potential to practical implementation, with Kaplan revealing how his philosophy of speed as strategy guides decision-making in a world where AI capabilities in software development are doubling every 70 days. Rather than fearing job displacement, Kaplan envisions a future where "way more people are shaping the creation of software" as the nature of engineering evolves. With refreshing optimism, he suggests we're approaching a time when "software is good by default" and shares his excitement for what may be "the most exciting time to be a software engineer" in history. false full 47 1bed98ca-8b7f-47da-8502-051221bf82e4 Tue, 18 Mar 2025 10:56:28 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/quick-and-dirty-prototypes-with-andrew-ng-Ej_TYtHb Quick and dirty prototypes with Andrew Ng Hg 00:29:16 In this episode of Orbit, Matthew Brockman, Managing Partner at Hg, sits down with renowned AI pioneer Andrew Ng to explore the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Andrew, who has led ground-breaking initiatives at Stanford AI Lab, Google Brain, and Coursera, shares fascinating insights on building in the AI era, including how the falling costs of prototyping (just $55,000 to create a working prototype) are democratising innovation and allowing companies to take more shots at goal with minimal risk. The conversation delves into practical advice for software leaders navigating this technological revolution, with Andrew emphasising that the real value lies in the application layer rather than foundation models themselves. He challenges conventional thinking about AI "kill zones," advocates for creating innovation sandboxes within organisations, and offers a compelling perspective on why professionals across all domains—from lawyers to doctors to marketers—should learn coding to effectively harness AI's potential. Andrew's prediction of the rise of "10x professionals" who can masterfully direct AI to accomplish tasks presents both an exciting opportunity and imperative for business leaders to embrace this transformative moment. In this episode of Orbit, Matthew Brockman, Managing Partner at Hg, sits down with renowned AI pioneer Andrew Ng to explore the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Andrew, who has led ground-breaking initiatives at Stanford AI Lab, Google Brain, and Coursera, shares fascinating insights on building in the AI era, including how the falling costs of prototyping (just $55,000 to create a working prototype) are democratising innovation and allowing companies to take more shots at goal with minimal risk. The conversation delves into practical advice for software leaders navigating this technological revolution, with Andrew emphasising that the real value lies in the application layer rather than foundation models themselves. He challenges conventional thinking about AI "kill zones," advocates for creating innovation sandboxes within organisations, and offers a compelling perspective on why professionals across all domains—from lawyers to doctors to marketers—should learn coding to effectively harness AI's potential. Andrew's prediction of the rise of "10x professionals" who can masterfully direct AI to accomplish tasks presents both an exciting opportunity and imperative for business leaders to embrace this transformative moment. false full 46 bff5994a-8f41-426a-9a63-6a3fa397c4c0 Tue, 21 Jan 2025 12:25:45 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/a-glimpse-of-the-next-generation-En6qmPUi A glimpse of the next generation: Zoe Zhao and Annalise Dragic, co-founders of Azlin Software Hg 00:29:03 As AI beds into the business world, a new breed of company is being born where the latest technology is built-in. Helping them to grow is an equally new breed of investor. In the first Orbit of 2025, Nic Humphries hosts sits down with Zoe Zhao and Annalise Dragic, co-founders of Azlin Software. With backgrounds in venture capital, M&A, and Hg's own Saturn investment team, Zhao and Dragic share their journey from investing in B2B software companies to creating their own investment platform. They delve into their unique approach to acquiring and nurturing vertically specialized young businesses, emphasizing a long-term, sustainable growth model that leverages AI and automation for efficiency. The co-founders discuss the importance of community within their portfolio, fostering innovation, and the balance between nurturing product development and a vibrant company culture. Their entrepreneurial spirit shines through as they explain how Azlin Software plans to support founders at the smaller end of the market, where businesses may not yet have the resources to fully realize AI's potential. Whether discussing their own entrepreneurial leap or the future of software investment, Zhao and Dragic offer a fresh perspective on the intersection of technology and business growth.” azlinsoftware.com zoe@azlinsoftware.com annalise@azlinsoftware.com As AI beds into the business world, a new breed of company is being born where the latest technology is built-in. Helping them to grow is an equally new breed of investor. In the first Orbit of 2025, Nic Humphries hosts sits down with Zoe Zhao and Annalise Dragic, co-founders of Azlin Software. With backgrounds in venture capital, M&A, and Hg's own Saturn investment team, Zhao and Dragic share their journey from investing in B2B software companies to creating their own investment platform. They delve into their unique approach to acquiring and nurturing vertically specialized young businesses, emphasizing a long-term, sustainable growth model that leverages AI and automation for efficiency. The co-founders discuss the importance of community within their portfolio, fostering innovation, and the balance between nurturing product development and a vibrant company culture. Their entrepreneurial spirit shines through as they explain how Azlin Software plans to support founders at the smaller end of the market, where businesses may not yet have the resources to fully realize AI's potential. Whether discussing their own entrepreneurial leap or the future of software investment, Zhao and Dragic offer a fresh perspective on the intersection of technology and business growth.” azlinsoftware.com zoe@azlinsoftware.com annalise@azlinsoftware.com false full 45 d64e099d-0e2e-4fa1-9d1e-f5b821de8eed Thu, 12 Dec 2024 14:44:03 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Hg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/incubation-experimentation-and-implementation-the-real-business-case-for-ai-today-Fyauzd4s Incubation, experimentation and implementation: the real business case for AI today Hg 00:53:24 In our latest episode Hg’s Managing Partner, Matthew Brockman, presses two CEOs and an AI insider on how a business leader can usefully integrate generative AI into their business workflows. David Carmona, a VP and CTO at Microsoft, Avaneesh Marwaha, CEO of US legal tech producer Litera, and Soeren Brogaard, CEO of Danish construction innovators, Trackunit, cover the swift advancements in AI that are redefining industry workflows. These experts explore the journey from AI incubation to mass adoption, the balance between internal efficiency and customer-centric product enhancements, and the need for data-rich, insight-driven business strategies. They also consider the future of AI in reshaping the legal and construction sectors and the importance of fostering an organizational culture that embraces continuous innovation. In our latest episode Hg’s Managing Partner, Matthew Brockman, presses two CEOs and an AI insider on how a business leader can usefully integrate generative AI into their business workflows. David Carmona, a VP and CTO at Microsoft, Avaneesh Marwaha, CEO of US legal tech producer Litera, and Soeren Brogaard, CEO of Danish construction innovators, Trackunit, cover the swift advancements in AI that are redefining industry workflows. These experts explore the journey from AI incubation to mass adoption, the balance between internal efficiency and customer-centric product enhancements, and the need for data-rich, insight-driven business strategies. They also consider the future of AI in reshaping the legal and construction sectors and the importance of fostering an organizational culture that embraces continuous innovation. false full 44 2487233d-fe0e-48ed-829d-904765ba1353 Mon, 2 Dec 2024 10:17:13 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, Joe Jefferies) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/risk-taking-resilience-QIBibstR Risk-taking & Resilience with Sukhinder Singh-Cassidy CEO of Xero Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, Joe Jefferies 00:42:54 Hg’s Joe Jefferies sits down with Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, the CEO of Xero, to unravel the intricacies of leading a global software company and the personal journey that brought her to the helm. With a history of bold moves at tech behemoths like Amazon and Google, Singh Cassidy shares her philosophy on risk-taking, revealing how a series of strategic bets rather than any singular decision shaped her illustrious career. From a father's entrepreneurial spirit; to navigating a rocky job market post-college on the eve of a tech boom; to Xero's remarkable growth across 180 countries: Singh Cassidy reflects on fostering a culture of inclusivity and the importance of authenticity in leadership all whilst thriving on the continuous pursuit of impactful risk-taking. Hg’s Joe Jefferies sits down with Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, the CEO of Xero, to unravel the intricacies of leading a global software company and the personal journey that brought her to the helm. With a history of bold moves at tech behemoths like Amazon and Google, Singh Cassidy shares her philosophy on risk-taking, revealing how a series of strategic bets rather than any singular decision shaped her illustrious career. From a father's entrepreneurial spirit; to navigating a rocky job market post-college on the eve of a tech boom; to Xero's remarkable growth across 180 countries: Singh Cassidy reflects on fostering a culture of inclusivity and the importance of authenticity in leadership all whilst thriving on the continuous pursuit of impactful risk-taking. recruitment, xero, ceo, google, silicon valley, private equity, risk, amazon, software, leadership, management, career false full 43 452b9003-e82d-4fcb-82ce-2c666c51b312 Thu, 7 Nov 2024 12:40:03 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Joe Jefferies, Nick Mehta) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/vulnerability-as-strength-in-business-KgItIZ3V Vulnerability as strength in business: Nick Mehta of Gainsight Joe Jefferies, Nick Mehta 00:37:47 In this enlightening episode of the Hg podcast series Orbit, host Joe Jefferies converses with Nick Mehta, the long-standing CEO of Gainsight, about the intersection of vulnerability and leadership in building a successful software company. Nick candidly describes his philosophy of "human-first" leadership, which has become a cornerstone of Gainsight's culture. He recounts his journey from childhood ambitions instilled by his father to the challenges he faced fitting in, and how these experiences shaped his transparent and authentic approach to leadership, coining the term "Nick 2.0" to signify his evolution. This transformation involved embracing openness and candidness, not just personally but also at the organisational level with "Gainsight 2.0," fostering a culture where honesty is valued, and employees are encouraged to embrace their own personal growth narratives. In this enlightening episode of the Hg podcast series Orbit, host Joe Jefferies converses with Nick Mehta, the long-standing CEO of Gainsight, about the intersection of vulnerability and leadership in building a successful software company. Nick candidly describes his philosophy of "human-first" leadership, which has become a cornerstone of Gainsight's culture. He recounts his journey from childhood ambitions instilled by his father to the challenges he faced fitting in, and how these experiences shaped his transparent and authentic approach to leadership, coining the term "Nick 2.0" to signify his evolution. This transformation involved embracing openness and candidness, not just personally but also at the organisational level with "Gainsight 2.0," fostering a culture where honesty is valued, and employees are encouraged to embrace their own personal growth narratives. childhood, emotion, software, candour, customer success, leadership, business, gainsight, parenting false full 42 7e9112bf-f3ba-42cb-89b8-e8d7ebd9e764 Tue, 15 Oct 2024 13:47:38 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Nic Humphries, Merete Hverven) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/thousands-of-small-experiments-m2Sm3ewQ Thousands of small experiments: Merete Hverven of Visma Nic Humphries, Merete Hverven 00:40:00 As the CEO of Scandinavian software success story, Visma, this is Merete Hverven's second appearance on Orbit. Last time she pondered the reasons behind the Nordics' outsized contribution to the world of software, this time the same values of openness, competency over hierarchy and willingness to experiment come into play when running a scaled multinational conglomerate. With the complete opposite of a one-size-fits-all approach, Visma has partnered with companies across 32 different countries, collecting what they do best and disseminating it across the group. The key is to be humble to as you enter each new marketplace: "don't try to be interesting, be interested". As the CEO of Scandinavian software success story, Visma, this is Merete Hverven's second appearance on Orbit. Last time she pondered the reasons behind the Nordics' outsized contribution to the world of software, this time the same values of openness, competency over hierarchy and willingness to experiment come into play when running a scaled multinational conglomerate. With the complete opposite of a one-size-fits-all approach, Visma has partnered with companies across 32 different countries, collecting what they do best and disseminating it across the group. The key is to be humble to as you enter each new marketplace: "don't try to be interesting, be interested". conglomerate, saas, m&a, ai, unicef, cycling, software, scandinavia, visma, nordics false full 41 23c381b8-e6ff-4ae3-8358-3a7e420c4da9 Thu, 26 Sep 2024 09:24:51 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Darren Roos, Nic Humphries) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-art-of-pattern-recognition-STsR_EB4 The art of pattern recognition: Darren Roos of IFS Darren Roos, Nic Humphries 00:38:54 A veteran of the software industry for 25 years, Darren Roos is a disciple of the wisdom that failure breeds success. Battlescars that bring perspective and greater awareness of how to guard against the pitfalls of tough economic environments. He assures Hg's Nic Humphries that his abilities are not a result of intellect but rather hard-won experience; over two decades of seeing the same patterns reappear. Now the Chairman of enterprise software giant, IFS, he looks back at his arrival as CEO - a South African in a Scandinavian company - and how his work to transform the business required some transformation of his own; before discussing tips around succession planning and the reluctant addition of 'author' to his CV. A veteran of the software industry for 25 years, Darren Roos is a disciple of the wisdom that failure breeds success. Battlescars that bring perspective and greater awareness of how to guard against the pitfalls of tough economic environments. He assures Hg's Nic Humphries that his abilities are not a result of intellect but rather hard-won experience; over two decades of seeing the same patterns reappear. Now the Chairman of enterprise software giant, IFS, he looks back at his arrival as CEO - a South African in a Scandinavian company - and how his work to transform the business required some transformation of his own; before discussing tips around succession planning and the reluctant addition of 'author' to his CV. pattern recognition, multinational, ifs, software, leadership, career, culture false full 40 7a05ca9c-dc73-4492-be3b-724933302197 Tue, 3 Sep 2024 07:33:45 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Elona Mortimer-Zhika, Nic Humphries) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/do-tech-leaders-have-to-be-tech-experts-UQlCO9Tp Do tech leaders have to be tech experts?: Elona Mortimer-Zhika of IRIS Elona Mortimer-Zhika, Nic Humphries 00:36:35 As CEO of IRIS Software, Elona Mortimer-Zhika has been a valued part of the Hg Orbit for 8 years and counting. In Orbit 39, she speaks to long-term friend and Hg's Senior Partner, Nic Humphries, about her unusal path to tech leadership: from Communist Albania to retail jobs in the UK and on to an audit career for Deloitte. Tracking the stratospheric progress of IRIS over the last decade and considering the effects of private equity investment, Nic and Elona discuss whether or not you need to be a techie to master the constantly moving goalposts of a highly successful software business. As CEO of IRIS Software, Elona Mortimer-Zhika has been a valued part of the Hg Orbit for 8 years and counting. In Orbit 39, she speaks to long-term friend and Hg's Senior Partner, Nic Humphries, about her unusal path to tech leadership: from Communist Albania to retail jobs in the UK and on to an audit career for Deloitte. Tracking the stratospheric progress of IRIS over the last decade and considering the effects of private equity investment, Nic and Elona discuss whether or not you need to be a techie to master the constantly moving goalposts of a highly successful software business. accounting, tech, expertise, first job, software, iris, experience, leadership false full 39 d867203d-45ec-42de-9345-8f8780a7cf0c Tue, 13 Aug 2024 13:47:46 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Sebastien Briens, David Carmona, Nagraj Kashyap, Brent Hayward) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-business-case-for-ai-NQc3A1VG The business case for AI: Brent Hayward of Salesforce, David Carmona of Microsoft & Nagraj Kashyap of Touring Capital Sebastien Briens, David Carmona, Nagraj Kashyap, Brent Hayward 00:42:16 In the final Orbit recorded at Hg's recent 'Software Leadership Gathering', we brought together three perspectives all investigating the AI wave through a business lens. With the technology in an early phase, it can be viewed as an existential threat for businesses but without a clear path to commercialisation. Brent Hayward of Salesforce, David Carmona of Microsoft and Nagraj Kashyap of Touring Capital discuss what’s actually working today for businesses, where they should be focusing their attention and what will be the likely opportunities in the future. In the final Orbit recorded at Hg's recent 'Software Leadership Gathering', we brought together three perspectives all investigating the AI wave through a business lens. With the technology in an early phase, it can be viewed as an existential threat for businesses but without a clear path to commercialisation. Brent Hayward of Salesforce, David Carmona of Microsoft and Nagraj Kashyap of Touring Capital discuss what’s actually working today for businesses, where they should be focusing their attention and what will be the likely opportunities in the future. touring capital, data, ai, slg, software, salesforce, microsoft, business false full 38 777549c2-3a63-4338-bcfc-7eb9980dbae2 Tue, 23 Jul 2024 13:07:08 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Alan Cline, Raghu Raghuram) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-greatest-tech-comes-when-we-ignore-roi-yGJ3BZdq The greatest tech comes when we ignore ROI: Raghu Raghuram of VMware Alan Cline, Raghu Raghuram 00:24:19 Inspired by watching the surge in space exploration during his childhood in 70s India, through the 80s microchip era and on into the internet boom and a 25-year career innovating software at a large enterprise scale - Netscape, Bang Networks and finally VMware – Raghu Raghuram can claim authority and perspective on close to the entirety of our industry. He has seen epochal change before and grown with it. Speaking at Hg's recent 'Software Leadership Gathering', Raghu tells Hg’s Alan Cline about the similarities and differences between our current shift and those that came before: comparing the economic and technologic circumstances and digging into the business angle from code to pricing to value proposition. Inspired by watching the surge in space exploration during his childhood in 70s India, through the 80s microchip era and on into the internet boom and a 25-year career innovating software at a large enterprise scale - Netscape, Bang Networks and finally VMware – Raghu Raghuram can claim authority and perspective on close to the entirety of our industry. He has seen epochal change before and grown with it. Speaking at Hg's recent 'Software Leadership Gathering', Raghu tells Hg’s Alan Cline about the similarities and differences between our current shift and those that came before: comparing the economic and technologic circumstances and digging into the business angle from code to pricing to value proposition. netscape, tech, llm, ai, pricing, software, vmware false full 37 3c90aae0-9e4e-4d6b-b36c-8d325da2b08d Thu, 27 Jun 2024 14:43:26 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Matthew Brockman) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/mastering-the-billion-dollar-software-playbook-jJTNs__E Mastering the billion-dollar software playbook: Joe Lonsdale of 8VC & Eric Poirier of Addepar Matthew Brockman 00:29:59 Born of the same crucible as Reid Hoffman, Peter Thiel and Elon Musk, Joe Lonsdale and Eric Poirier have been building and investing in software for over two decades. As the General Partner of 8VC and the CEO of Addepar respectively, they have seen industries evolve and innovate. Speaking at Hg's recent 'Software Leadership Gathering', Matthew Brockman asked them how - since software has allowed new entrants to compete with the old guard - what areas could AI open up? Applying AI to existing technologies and services is one approach but it is one that comes with a level playing field and broad competition. Ask yourself the question: what's only just become possible now that hasn't been possible over the last few years and invent something new. Born of the same crucible as Reid Hoffman, Peter Thiel and Elon Musk, Joe Lonsdale and Eric Poirier have been building and investing in software for over two decades. As the General Partner of 8VC and the CEO of Addepar respectively, they have seen industries evolve and innovate. Speaking at Hg's recent 'Software Leadership Gathering', Matthew Brockman asked them how - since software has allowed new entrants to compete with the old guard - what areas could AI open up? Applying AI to existing technologies and services is one approach but it is one that comes with a level playing field and broad competition. Ask yourself the question: what's only just become possible now that hasn't been possible over the last few years and invent something new. reid hoffman, palantir, ai, peter thiel, paypal, software, 8vc, addepar, investment, elon musk false full 36 34c1f4e1-4ee1-47c7-a63f-12e906331d64 Thu, 30 Nov 2023 10:20:37 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Alexander Johnson, Jonathan Knee) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/what-drives-business-quality-in-an-era-of-ai-and-digital-platforms-orGwlRsI What drives business quality in an era of AI and digital platforms?: Jonathan Knee of Evercore Alexander Johnson, Jonathan Knee 00:32:30 Time for a conversation with one of the greats. As Professor of Finance and Economics at Columbia, former senior banker at both Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, and currently Senior Advisor at Evercore Partners, Jonathan Knee’s thinking is held in high regard across the business world. His recent book, ‘The Platform Delusion’, dismantles the long-held belief that a platform business which provides connections rather than creating products is inherently valuable. So how should we assess business quality in this new era of AI & platforms? Mr Knee outlines the fundamental drivers which haven’t changed in the face of new technology and applies them to assessments of Uber vs Airbnb, Etsy vs Amazon and, of course, how does this all relate to vertical software where we at Hg spend our time. Time for a conversation with one of the greats. As Professor of Finance and Economics at Columbia, former senior banker at both Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, and currently Senior Advisor at Evercore Partners, Jonathan Knee’s thinking is held in high regard across the business world. His recent book, ‘The Platform Delusion’, dismantles the long-held belief that a platform business which provides connections rather than creating products is inherently valuable. So how should we assess business quality in this new era of AI & platforms? Mr Knee outlines the fundamental drivers which haven’t changed in the face of new technology and applies them to assessments of Uber vs Airbnb, Etsy vs Amazon and, of course, how does this all relate to vertical software where we at Hg spend our time. evercore, airbnb, etsy, columbia, business school, ai, morgan stanley, goldman sachs, platform delusion, uber, amazon, platform false full 35 ba224dd6-9103-4f5b-bdf7-17c7991accf2 Mon, 9 Oct 2023 11:28:51 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Nick Crowne, Rod O'Reilly) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/pace-of-innovation-magTyvXE Pace of innovation: Nick Crowne speaks to Rod O'Reilly Nick Crowne, Rod O'Reilly 00:20:16 The advances in technology on the clinical side of healthcare were shown convincingly in the speed of our response to Covid and in the new discoveries and improvements we continue to see. Covid may have also had a part to play on the administrative side - breaking down old habits and prompting the green shoots of innovation - but there is still a long way to go as legacy systems continue to be expensive, opaque and inefficient. In both cases, there is a huge opportunity for new ideas, new entrants and new investment. This expands from the traditional centre to prevention and lifestyle change too. Hg’s Nick Crowne speaks to Rod O’Reilly, a new advisor to the Hg team. Rod has been a leading figure in almost every aspect of the healthcare ecosystem for many years and is a strong advocate of change, disruption and the quest for greater affordability, access and outcomes. The advances in technology on the clinical side of healthcare were shown convincingly in the speed of our response to Covid and in the new discoveries and improvements we continue to see. Covid may have also had a part to play on the administrative side - breaking down old habits and prompting the green shoots of innovation - but there is still a long way to go as legacy systems continue to be expensive, opaque and inefficient. In both cases, there is a huge opportunity for new ideas, new entrants and new investment. This expands from the traditional centre to prevention and lifestyle change too. Hg’s Nick Crowne speaks to Rod O’Reilly, a new advisor to the Hg team. Rod has been a leading figure in almost every aspect of the healthcare ecosystem for many years and is a strong advocate of change, disruption and the quest for greater affordability, access and outcomes. healthcare, innovation, covid, healthtech, lifestyle false full 34 6168d530-0df2-4fee-9477-21cecce3fd57 Mon, 2 Oct 2023 12:38:09 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Chris Kindt, Guido Appenzeller) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/harnessing-a-new-superpower-Zu2a4Eep Harnessing a new superpower: Chris Kindt speaks to Guido Appenzeller Part 2 Chris Kindt, Guido Appenzeller 00:16:32 After a year when the sudden leap forward of Gen AI and LLMs took almost everyone by surprise, it’s a good time to ignore the hype, take a step back and look at what we have. Guido Appenzeller is a special advisor to a16z, a former CTO at Intel and VM Ware and a leading voice in the current wave of software and technology. In part two of our conversation with Guido, we look at the ways the new generation of AI applications will effect the business world. How do you best capture the value of this wave, how to prepare for it and how to enable your teams to experiment from the bottom up. After a year when the sudden leap forward of Gen AI and LLMs took almost everyone by surprise, it’s a good time to ignore the hype, take a step back and look at what we have. Guido Appenzeller is a special advisor to a16z, a former CTO at Intel and VM Ware and a leading voice in the current wave of software and technology. In part two of our conversation with Guido, we look at the ways the new generation of AI applications will effect the business world. How do you best capture the value of this wave, how to prepare for it and how to enable your teams to experiment from the bottom up. llm, ai, software, gen ai, business false full 33 10b3fc26-974a-4af8-9d6c-b9d1e7dcc74e Mon, 2 Oct 2023 12:14:08 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Guido Appenzeller, Chris Kindt) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/llm-ai-the-fourth-pillar-of-software-pMFcKegJ LLM AI, the fourth pillar of software: Chris Kindt speaks to Guido Appenzeller Part 1 Guido Appenzeller, Chris Kindt 00:26:53 After a year when the sudden leap forward of Gen AI and LLMs took almost everyone by surprise, it’s a good time to ignore the hype, take a step back and look at what we have. Guido Appenzeller is a special advisor to a16z, a former CTO at Intel and VM Ware and a leading voice in the current wave of software and technology. In part one of our conversation with Guido, we discuss where AI fits into the existing software universe, what phase 2 might look like, the potential limitations – regulatory and infrastructural - and what it means for developers when you have an additional fundamental system building block with which to work. After a year when the sudden leap forward of Gen AI and LLMs took almost everyone by surprise, it’s a good time to ignore the hype, take a step back and look at what we have. Guido Appenzeller is a special advisor to a16z, a former CTO at Intel and VM Ware and a leading voice in the current wave of software and technology. In part one of our conversation with Guido, we discuss where AI fits into the existing software universe, what phase 2 might look like, the potential limitations – regulatory and infrastructural - and what it means for developers when you have an additional fundamental system building block with which to work. llama 2, llm, ai, software, gen ai, chat gbt false full 32 62798ae5-bfb8-457b-83fa-97ce36cf45f8 Thu, 7 Sep 2023 09:59:29 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Katherine Wiles, Kara Marx) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/life-as-a-service-xuTSiHxO Life as a service: Dr Katherine Wiles speaks to Kara Marx Katherine Wiles, Kara Marx 00:28:31 Always at the forefront of scientific progress, the world of healthcare continues to advance as technology and software are drawn in and adopted. But its uptake is uneven at best with some doctors having to cycle across cities with floppy discs in their bag while others experiment with artificial intelligence. With tightening budgets, the efficiency that comes with software and automation is vital but, in the world of healthcare, the ability to process and share results quickly can also mean the difference between life and death. In this landscape, the job of a CIO is more and more important: ensuring that the potentially disparate elements of healthcare are connected, interoperable, well-equipped and staffed. Speaking to Hg's Dr Katherine Wiles, Kara Marx has been working at the crossroads of healthcare and technology for many years. Until very recently the CIO of Northern Arizona Healthcare, she has been perfectly placed to watch things evolve and take note of the difference between the rushing to adopt the latest tools and ensuring that each addition brings value to what are some of the most complex organisations on the planet. Always at the forefront of scientific progress, the world of healthcare continues to advance as technology and software are drawn in and adopted. But its uptake is uneven at best with some doctors having to cycle across cities with floppy discs in their bag while others experiment with artificial intelligence. With tightening budgets, the efficiency that comes with software and automation is vital but, in the world of healthcare, the ability to process and share results quickly can also mean the difference between life and death. In this landscape, the job of a CIO is more and more important: ensuring that the potentially disparate elements of healthcare are connected, interoperable, well-equipped and staffed. Speaking to Hg's Dr Katherine Wiles, Kara Marx has been working at the crossroads of healthcare and technology for many years. Until very recently the CIO of Northern Arizona Healthcare, she has been perfectly placed to watch things evolve and take note of the difference between the rushing to adopt the latest tools and ensuring that each addition brings value to what are some of the most complex organisations on the planet. ai, healthcare, healthtech, cloud, software vendors, cio, telehealth false full 31 14440a58-c569-478c-8a94-9164f10ad305 Tue, 4 Jul 2023 10:17:33 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Elliot Richardson, Andrew Land) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/insuring-the-insurers-IZgQ_2Ll Insuring the insurers: Andrew Land speaks to Elliot Richardson Elliot Richardson, Andrew Land 00:32:37 The world of reinsurance may seem obscure to most of us, but it is an elemental ingredient vital in keeping the wheels of business turning. Insuring the insurers; managing the risk of those who manage ours and allowing them to react to the world with more agility. This is ever more important as covid has given way to increasingly frequent catastrophes, high inflation and disruptive world events. Elliot Richardson, Vice Chairman of reinsurance challenger Howden Tiger, engages the head of Hg’s insurance team, Andrew Land, in a wide-ranging discussion: taking on the history of reinsurance, it’s pre-eminent affinity with data, the more recent application of technology, and the plan for Howden Tiger itself to take on the big three players dominating the industry. Note: This episode was recorded in March 2023 and may include some time-sensitive statements. The world of reinsurance may seem obscure to most of us, but it is an elemental ingredient vital in keeping the wheels of business turning. Insuring the insurers; managing the risk of those who manage ours and allowing them to react to the world with more agility. This is ever more important as covid has given way to increasingly frequent catastrophes, high inflation and disruptive world events. Elliot Richardson, Vice Chairman of reinsurance challenger Howden Tiger, engages the head of Hg’s insurance team, Andrew Land, in a wide-ranging discussion: taking on the history of reinsurance, it’s pre-eminent affinity with data, the more recent application of technology, and the plan for Howden Tiger itself to take on the big three players dominating the industry. Note: This episode was recorded in March 2023 and may include some time-sensitive statements. data, cat bonds, howden tiger, climate change, climate, howden, inflation, insurance, reinsurance, economics false full 30 825b0921-44b4-402f-9ac6-26aec89e1ade Tue, 20 Jun 2023 15:58:32 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Dr David Dempsey, Caroline Lofgren) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/future-ancestors-A25tTNp5 Future ancestors: Dr David Dempsey speaks to Caroline Löfgren Dr David Dempsey, Caroline Lofgren 00:21:04 “From this absolute belief that we could democratise an industry, to the belief that we can also help to democratise the society we live in.” A co-founder of Salesforce Europe, Dr. David Dempsey has been a standard bearer for sustainable business for many years. Taking a moment at our recent ESG Forum, David talks to Hg’s CSO, Caroline Löfgren, about the responsibilities of a “future ancestor” and the unique position of business as a changemaker: more flexible than government and more powerful than the individual. “From this absolute belief that we could democratise an industry, to the belief that we can also help to democratise the society we live in.” A co-founder of Salesforce Europe, Dr. David Dempsey has been a standard bearer for sustainable business for many years. Taking a moment at our recent ESG Forum, David talks to Hg’s CSO, Caroline Löfgren, about the responsibilities of a “future ancestor” and the unique position of business as a changemaker: more flexible than government and more powerful than the individual. carbon footprint, sustainability, esg, salesforce, responsibility false full 29 ec88bd4c-252f-4caf-808d-b77dba52c918 Tue, 30 May 2023 12:39:09 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Tristan Handy, Tim Harrison) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-modern-data-stack-mzHYpxoU The modern data stack: Tim Harrison speaks to Tristan Handy Tristan Handy, Tim Harrison 00:37:49 As CEO of dbt Labs, Tristan Handy finds himself at the centre of the "modern data stack" of many leading businesses. But what defines the modern approach to data, what came before and where is it likely to go next? Tristan speaks to Hg's own data expert, Tim Harrison.  The past saw big data projects fail under their own weight: taking so much resource to build and redirect that needs could move on before results were available. The modern data stack is more nimble, value-centric and without the language walls between major players that stopped businesses from being able to experiment.  The industry has evolved into a multitude of different solutions to specific problems but when does that become confusing and counter-productive and where will the solution to that problem take us? As CEO of dbt Labs, Tristan Handy finds himself at the centre of the "modern data stack" of many leading businesses. But what defines the modern approach to data, what came before and where is it likely to go next? Tristan speaks to Hg's own data expert, Tim Harrison.  The past saw big data projects fail under their own weight: taking so much resource to build and redirect that needs could move on before results were available. The modern data stack is more nimble, value-centric and without the language walls between major players that stopped businesses from being able to experiment.  The industry has evolved into a multitude of different solutions to specific problems but when does that become confusing and counter-productive and where will the solution to that problem take us? dbt labs, data, snowplough, dbt, redshift, modern, business false full 28 185df881-3035-4c2a-bde5-5ad704c84155 Tue, 28 Feb 2023 17:35:55 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Jon Krohn, Amr Ellabban) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/what-does-ai-mean-to-you-HTf1cniG What does AI mean to you? : Amr Ellabban speaks to Jon Krohn Jon Krohn, Amr Ellabban 00:27:39 A catch-all term sweeping the tech world, 'Artificial Intelligence' couldn't be more exciting, daunting and, inevitably... vague. Thankfully Hg's Head of Data & Analytics, Amr Ellabban, learned his trade alongside Nebula.io Co-Founder and the host of the SuperDataScience podcast, Jon Krohn. From AlexNet's deep machine learning, to the human bias against self-driving cars and on to the opportunities and threats brought by the evolution of ChatGBT, should we be thrilled or concerned? Should algorithms be put in charge of home loan approvals or prison sentencing? How should humans adapt to the latest technological advances and make sure the new tools work for us rather than the other way round? Recorded at Hg's recent Digital Forum, Jon and Amr tell us not to panic. A catch-all term sweeping the tech world, 'Artificial Intelligence' couldn't be more exciting, daunting and, inevitably... vague. Thankfully Hg's Head of Data & Analytics, Amr Ellabban, learned his trade alongside Nebula.io Co-Founder and the host of the SuperDataScience podcast, Jon Krohn. From AlexNet's deep machine learning, to the human bias against self-driving cars and on to the opportunities and threats brought by the evolution of ChatGBT, should we be thrilled or concerned? Should algorithms be put in charge of home loan approvals or prison sentencing? How should humans adapt to the latest technological advances and make sure the new tools work for us rather than the other way round? Recorded at Hg's recent Digital Forum, Jon and Amr tell us not to panic. data, articial intelligence, ai, superdatascience, analytics, dall-e, alexa, algorithm, chatgbt, tesla, alexnet false full 27 6a9faa1d-c98c-42df-8790-0a35a7e5ff75 Wed, 14 Dec 2022 09:44:22 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Matthew Brockman, Nic Humphries) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/investors-in-enduring-growth-__V8prSz Investors in Enduring Growth: Matthew Brockman and Nic Humphries look back at 2022 Matthew Brockman, Nic Humphries 00:25:59 Hg sees the continued growth of software and technology as still just the early stages of a multi-decade trend. Combining ever-increasing performance, productivity and automation, this industry will make our work lives richer and more fulfilling for years to come. Nic Humphries, Senior Partner, and Matthew Brockman, Managing Partner discuss how the short-term fluctuations of economies are not to be ignored but they're confident that the sectors in which Hg invests will provide organic growth for the long-term. Hg sees the continued growth of software and technology as still just the early stages of a multi-decade trend. Combining ever-increasing performance, productivity and automation, this industry will make our work lives richer and more fulfilling for years to come. Nic Humphries, Senior Partner, and Matthew Brockman, Managing Partner discuss how the short-term fluctuations of economies are not to be ignored but they're confident that the sectors in which Hg invests will provide organic growth for the long-term. false full 26 753e373b-f128-4d81-83fb-46f57625db91 Wed, 2 Nov 2022 11:35:54 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Steve Burn-Murdoch, Philip Morgan) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/poacher-turned-gatekeeper-yxOD2ek1 Poacher turned Gatekeeper: Steve Burn-Murdoch speaks to Pirum's Philip Morgan Steve Burn-Murdoch, Philip Morgan 00:21:40 A born problem-solver, a career spent around the trading desks of large banks meant that Philip Morgan’s efforts were often hampered by the status quo. Now, as CEO of Pirum, he has the freedom to address the inefficiencies of the industry from the outside in. From the days of wandering the City of London with a folder full of contracts; to the lessons learnt from the collapse of Lehman Brothers; to what he sees as a new & improved, agile age of fintech innovators: Hg’s Steve Burn-Murdoch is our guide on a trip into a highly complex $17 trillion world. A born problem-solver, a career spent around the trading desks of large banks meant that Philip Morgan’s efforts were often hampered by the status quo. Now, as CEO of Pirum, he has the freedom to address the inefficiencies of the industry from the outside in. From the days of wandering the City of London with a folder full of contracts; to the lessons learnt from the collapse of Lehman Brothers; to what he sees as a new & improved, agile age of fintech innovators: Hg’s Steve Burn-Murdoch is our guide on a trip into a highly complex $17 trillion world. securities, lehman brothers, fintech false full 25 26b3584b-a5a4-4622-b4e0-fe1726b7f1f8 Thu, 6 Oct 2022 12:41:49 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Matthew Brockman, David Toms) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/pace-of-automation-KzWalw_Y The Pace of Automation: Hg's Matthew Brockman and David Toms talk it out Matthew Brockman, David Toms 00:14:29 In the second of our conversations between Hg's Managing Partner, Matthew Brockman, and our Head of Research, David Toms, they once again dive into the state-of-the-market. With macro trends starting to bite, will the recent successes of B2B software and tech services show themselves to be cyclical or structural? How should investors in the industry adapt their approach? Is 2023 the year of the P2P? The one thing that doesn't seem to be in question is the continued growth in the pace of business process automation. This episode of the Orbit podcast looks to the future but, of course, this should not be taken as advice and the value of investments can go down as well as up! In the second of our conversations between Hg's Managing Partner, Matthew Brockman, and our Head of Research, David Toms, they once again dive into the state-of-the-market. With macro trends starting to bite, will the recent successes of B2B software and tech services show themselves to be cyclical or structural? How should investors in the industry adapt their approach? Is 2023 the year of the P2P? The one thing that doesn't seem to be in question is the continued growth in the pace of business process automation. This episode of the Orbit podcast looks to the future but, of course, this should not be taken as advice and the value of investments can go down as well as up! software, p2p, public, automation, trends, macroeconomic, market, financial cycles false full 24 e9397a50-d7bd-4999-a570-08c5862dee29 Tue, 20 Sep 2022 12:01:38 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Max Dewez, Max Drucker) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/insurance-the-og-data-business-ggIo7LLG Insurance, the O.G. Data Business: Max Dewez speaks to {Carpe Data's Max Drucker Max Dewez, Max Drucker 00:34:40 Ever since the mortality tables of the seventeenth century, the world of insurance has been a very early adopter in using data to illuminate the world. And yet, in spite of that, it has taken its time to fully catch up with the vast and complex current methods of applying it to the industry. From inferring the presence of a swimming pool based on seemingly unrelated factors, to the unexpected ways a Yelp review or LinkedIn account can have an effect on your policy decision, to predictions on the future of data and insuretech: this episode of the Orbit podcast pits Hg's Max Dewez against {Carpe Data CEO, Max Drucker, on the eve of 2022's edition of InsureTech Connect in Las Vegas. Ever since the mortality tables of the seventeenth century, the world of insurance has been a very early adopter in using data to illuminate the world. And yet, in spite of that, it has taken its time to fully catch up with the vast and complex current methods of applying it to the industry. From inferring the presence of a swimming pool based on seemingly unrelated factors, to the unexpected ways a Yelp review or LinkedIn account can have an effect on your policy decision, to predictions on the future of data and insuretech: this episode of the Orbit podcast pits Hg's Max Dewez against {Carpe Data CEO, Max Drucker, on the eve of 2022's edition of InsureTech Connect in Las Vegas. data, carpe data, insurance false full 23 fc825f93-880f-4ebb-8700-67185ca266e1 Wed, 31 Aug 2022 23:00:00 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Jolanta Pilecka, Mark Fulford) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/building-a-growth-engine-6XX1yoh1 Building a Growth Engine: Mark Fulford and Jolanta Pilecka discuss Hg's Growth Framework Jolanta Pilecka, Mark Fulford 00:21:28 The role of a software Chief Growth Officer encompasses a range of functions, from product marketing to pricing to sales. Getting these functions to work together can create a growth engine for your business. But how do you measure it? How do you optimize it? In a dynamic digital world, we can look at revenue growth right through from lead to revenue, but many businesses are stuck reporting function by function. In this episode of Orbit, Hg's Head of Portfolio Growth, Mark Fulford speaks to Growth Specialist, Jolanta Pilecka on building a holistic Growth Framework to scale a software business efficiently and effectively. The role of a software Chief Growth Officer encompasses a range of functions, from product marketing to pricing to sales. Getting these functions to work together can create a growth engine for your business. But how do you measure it? How do you optimize it? In a dynamic digital world, we can look at revenue growth right through from lead to revenue, but many businesses are stuck reporting function by function. In this episode of Orbit, Hg's Head of Portfolio Growth, Mark Fulford speaks to Growth Specialist, Jolanta Pilecka on building a holistic Growth Framework to scale a software business efficiently and effectively. growth, software, marketing, sales false full 22 6cd93d8e-ba67-41f4-b51e-e0be493c8014 Thu, 18 Aug 2022 12:24:05 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (George Netherton, Andrew Land) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/unravelling-the-orthodoxy-o7VsQSTI Unravelling the Orthodoxy: Andrew Land speaks to George Netherton of Oliver Wyman George Netherton, Andrew Land 00:35:48 Even the notoriously resistant world of insurance has felt the influence of technology, data and software. Most recently, it has thrown open the doors for smaller operators to carve out particular specialisms or niches from the large providers, allowing them to nimbly push things forward and succeed where scale players are slower to move. From the low-cost digital distribution only too familiar to UK customers to the world of cyber protection, utilising the availability of highly detailed data generated within your cars or ships, and even the return of the mutual fund in a micro form - the shake-up is afoot and the established industry will have to race to keep up. In this episode of the Orbit podcast, Andrew Land, a Partner at Hg specialising in insurance software, speaks to George Netherton, Partner and European Head of Insurance and Asset Management at strategy consultancy, Oliver Wyman. Even the notoriously resistant world of insurance has felt the influence of technology, data and software. Most recently, it has thrown open the doors for smaller operators to carve out particular specialisms or niches from the large providers, allowing them to nimbly push things forward and succeed where scale players are slower to move. From the low-cost digital distribution only too familiar to UK customers to the world of cyber protection, utilising the availability of highly detailed data generated within your cars or ships, and even the return of the mutual fund in a micro form - the shake-up is afoot and the established industry will have to race to keep up. In this episode of the Orbit podcast, Andrew Land, a Partner at Hg specialising in insurance software, speaks to George Netherton, Partner and European Head of Insurance and Asset Management at strategy consultancy, Oliver Wyman. data, risk, software, insuretech, cyber, insurance, unbundling false full 21 c7203176-0a88-467f-9cbf-8e54daf0eed3 Thu, 28 Jul 2022 09:00:00 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Mark Fulford, Mark Billige) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/to-be-of-value-XdxFZLdl To be of Value: Mark Fulford speaks to Mark Billige of Simon-Kucher Mark Fulford, Mark Billige 00:19:53 How do you talk about value in an inflationary environment? A new challenge for many who work within the shifting boundaries of sales, marketing and pricing. Specifically for those selling software-as-a-service, there are myriad ways to determine the price of your product but which models come closest to matching the value delivered to your customer, and which achieve high quality of revenue for your business. In this episode of the Orbit podcast, Mark Fulford, Head of Hg’s Portfolio Growth team, speaks to Mark Billige, CEO of Simon-Kucher, the consulting firm who helps their clients grow revenues and profits by optimising their strategy, marketing pricing and sales. How do you talk about value in an inflationary environment? A new challenge for many who work within the shifting boundaries of sales, marketing and pricing. Specifically for those selling software-as-a-service, there are myriad ways to determine the price of your product but which models come closest to matching the value delivered to your customer, and which achieve high quality of revenue for your business. In this episode of the Orbit podcast, Mark Fulford, Head of Hg’s Portfolio Growth team, speaks to Mark Billige, CEO of Simon-Kucher, the consulting firm who helps their clients grow revenues and profits by optimising their strategy, marketing pricing and sales. saas, quality revenue, value, pricing, software, inflation, marketing, pricing model, sales false full 20 252d429b-75a2-4ee3-89f6-22b5c2cc772a Wed, 13 Jul 2022 09:00:00 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Caroline Lofgren, Christopher Wellise, Robin Åkerberg) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/sustainable-it-SAc_D34k Sustainable IT and IT for Sustainability: Caroline Löfgren speaks to Amazon Web Services' Christopher Wellise and Visma's Robin Åkerberg Caroline Lofgren, Christopher Wellise, Robin Åkerberg 00:36:33 There can be no businesses left not having to address the challenges of climate change but the larger you are the broader and deeper your impact on the world. When faced with the complexity of a company of many parts, what do you do to clean your own house and that of your myriad supply chain. In this episode of the Orbit podcast, Hg’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Caroline Löfgren, speaks to Christopher Wellise, Director of Sustainability at Amazon Web Services and Robin Åkerberg, Head of Sustainability for Visma. There can be no businesses left not having to address the challenges of climate change but the larger you are the broader and deeper your impact on the world. When faced with the complexity of a company of many parts, what do you do to clean your own house and that of your myriad supply chain. In this episode of the Orbit podcast, Hg’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Caroline Löfgren, speaks to Christopher Wellise, Director of Sustainability at Amazon Web Services and Robin Åkerberg, Head of Sustainability for Visma. sustainability, climate, greenwashing false full 19 7558a94e-e4aa-42cc-9f56-e8374bed776a Wed, 15 Jun 2022 14:59:42 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Tim Harrison, Yali Sassoon) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/unlocking-real-time-tuqRz54x Unlocking real-time behavioral data in SaaS: Tim Harrison speaks to Snowplow Analytics' Yali Sassoon Tim Harrison, Yali Sassoon 00:42:50 Today, nearly all businesses are using some form behavioral customer data to drive insight. There is a wide spectrum of sophistication emerging, from small businesses using basic website analytics to understand customer journeys, to SaaS businesses putting behavioral data in the heart of their product, processes and decision-making. In this episode of the Orbit podcast Tim Harrison, a specialist in Hg's data science and analytics team, speaks with Yali Sassoon, co-founder at Snowplow Analytics – a business helping organisations to unlock value from rich customer data. Today, nearly all businesses are using some form behavioral customer data to drive insight. There is a wide spectrum of sophistication emerging, from small businesses using basic website analytics to understand customer journeys, to SaaS businesses putting behavioral data in the heart of their product, processes and decision-making. In this episode of the Orbit podcast Tim Harrison, a specialist in Hg's data science and analytics team, speaks with Yali Sassoon, co-founder at Snowplow Analytics – a business helping organisations to unlock value from rich customer data. data, customer behaviour, digital insight, snowplow, analytics false full 18 e57a2410-f5c9-48c4-a4ea-4099407161f4 Thu, 14 Apr 2022 09:59:28 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Matthew Brockman, David Toms) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/tech-is-deflationary-in-an-inflationary-world-UUnovcRc Why Tech is Deflationary in an Inflationary World: Matt Brockman speaks to David Toms Matthew Brockman, David Toms 00:22:49 "Tech is deflationary in an inflationary world…” in an Hg Orbit Podcast Special and the first of a quarterly conversation, Matthew Brockman (Managing Partner) and David Toms (Head of Tech Research) review trends observed across the tech sector during another eventful period in the world. They discuss a clear divergence of sentiment in tech markets, during which growth in earnings has proved to be powerful protection against the volatility. Both guests also reflect on the longer-term secular tailwinds in enterprise software & services, with digital transformation of business activity continuing at apace. "Tech is deflationary in an inflationary world…” in an Hg Orbit Podcast Special and the first of a quarterly conversation, Matthew Brockman (Managing Partner) and David Toms (Head of Tech Research) review trends observed across the tech sector during another eventful period in the world. They discuss a clear divergence of sentiment in tech markets, during which growth in earnings has proved to be powerful protection against the volatility. Both guests also reflect on the longer-term secular tailwinds in enterprise software & services, with digital transformation of business activity continuing at apace. tech, private equity, inflation, valuation, investing false full 17 1f48700b-dffe-4861-8fbd-78b4ff251ecc Thu, 3 Mar 2022 16:00:16 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Jason Richards, Cal Henderson) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/cal-henderson-2-KK7cpcwh The Feedback Loop – Part 2 of a conversation with Cal Henderson, Co-Founder of Slack Jason Richards, Cal Henderson 00:23:33 An incredibly reactive and evolutionary software, Slack is constantly learning from its users and challenging its creators’ view of how it is used. Changes between different types of customer layered over changes in the wider world means continual vigilance and a continually refreshed approach. This episode sees Cal Henderson, Co-Founder and CTO of Slack, talk to Hg’s Jason Richards about how to judge the success of innovation, the explosion of feedback enabled by Twitter and how playfulness is not antithetical to work. This podcast was recorded as part of Hg’s Technology Leaders Summit 2021. Listen to Part 1 now in series 3 of Orbit. An incredibly reactive and evolutionary software, Slack is constantly learning from its users and challenging its creators’ view of how it is used. Changes between different types of customer layered over changes in the wider world means continual vigilance and a continually refreshed approach. This episode sees Cal Henderson, Co-Founder and CTO of Slack, talk to Hg’s Jason Richards about how to judge the success of innovation, the explosion of feedback enabled by Twitter and how playfulness is not antithetical to work. This podcast was recorded as part of Hg’s Technology Leaders Summit 2021. Listen to Part 1 now in series 3 of Orbit. b2b software, slack, technology, social media false full 16 d45522fa-f159-4a37-9a35-98e26a6e0fa8 Thu, 3 Mar 2022 15:59:55 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Cal Henderson, Jason Richards) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/cal-henderson-1-SNEK_iFc The Death of Email? – Part 1 of a conversation with Cal Henderson, Co-Founder of Slack Cal Henderson, Jason Richards 00:28:09 Initially developed as a direct digitisation of the inter-departmental memo, email has been long embedded into our work lives. The emergence of a new generation of workplace communication tools aim to get closer to how human beings actually interact and the exceptional growth of these solutions brings a host of challenges for their creators. This episode sees Cal Henderson, Co-Founder and CTO of Slack, talk to Hg’s Jason Richards about the unlikely birth story of the app, the value of knowing how your customers actually use your product, the gear shifts required in both your code and your organisation as you grow quickly and the support that comes from being part of a tech community (in this case the Bay Area). This podcast was recorded as part of Hg’s Technology Leaders Summit 2021. Listen to Part 2 now in series 3 of Orbit. Initially developed as a direct digitisation of the inter-departmental memo, email has been long embedded into our work lives. The emergence of a new generation of workplace communication tools aim to get closer to how human beings actually interact and the exceptional growth of these solutions brings a host of challenges for their creators. This episode sees Cal Henderson, Co-Founder and CTO of Slack, talk to Hg’s Jason Richards about the unlikely birth story of the app, the value of knowing how your customers actually use your product, the gear shifts required in both your code and your organisation as you grow quickly and the support that comes from being part of a tech community (in this case the Bay Area). This podcast was recorded as part of Hg’s Technology Leaders Summit 2021. Listen to Part 2 now in series 3 of Orbit. bay area, b2b software, slack, growth, email, tech community false full 15 0eb84a77-a8ff-494a-9ab4-b8fe6c88644f Thu, 3 Mar 2022 15:59:37 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Florian Wolff, Soeren Brogaard) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/digital-construction-site-AltnZlSX The Digital Construction Site: Trackunit’s Soeren Brogaard on transparency and connection Florian Wolff, Soeren Brogaard 00:20:05 Trackunit is quietly revolutionising and illuminating the construction industry. By bringing data and analysis to a world where high levels of uncertainty and unpredictability lead to low margins, operators can finally see where their inefficiencies lie and even increase safety levels. In this episode, Soeren Brogaard, CEO, talks to Hg’s Florian Wolff about the internet of things, sudden international expansion and the ways that transparency and connection drive the success of both their products and their company culture. Hg invested in Trackunit in 2021. Trackunit is quietly revolutionising and illuminating the construction industry. By bringing data and analysis to a world where high levels of uncertainty and unpredictability lead to low margins, operators can finally see where their inefficiencies lie and even increase safety levels. In this episode, Soeren Brogaard, CEO, talks to Hg’s Florian Wolff about the internet of things, sudden international expansion and the ways that transparency and connection drive the success of both their products and their company culture. Hg invested in Trackunit in 2021. internet of things, construction, company culture, digitisation, iot, international expansion false full 14 833f2897-3587-4d8b-9ede-66dbe49756a5 Thu, 3 Mar 2022 15:59:09 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Jonas Dhaenens, Joris Van Gool) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/never-a-better-time-than-now-Rw5jwQHd Never a better time than now: team.blue’s Jonas Dhaenens and his Founder’s journey Jonas Dhaenens, Joris Van Gool 00:13:44 Having founded Benelux-based web services group, team.blue (then Combell), at the age of 16, Jonas Dhaenens has stayed with his business through growth, outside investment, international expansion and industry consolidation. In this episode, Jonas talks to Hg’s Joris Van Gool about the development of his initial ideas, how local knowledge is key to international success and his model of bringing together founders and entrepreneurs to share experience and resources. Hg invested in team.blue in 2019. Having founded Benelux-based web services group, team.blue (then Combell), at the age of 16, Jonas Dhaenens has stayed with his business through growth, outside investment, international expansion and industry consolidation. In this episode, Jonas talks to Hg’s Joris Van Gool about the development of his initial ideas, how local knowledge is key to international success and his model of bringing together founders and entrepreneurs to share experience and resources. Hg invested in team.blue in 2019. web services, entrepreneurs, business growth, benelux, consolidation, ceos, founders false full 13 b5c2759f-5b2a-4b6f-bd10-00f3accf8bd6 Thu, 3 Mar 2022 15:58:51 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Oystein Moan, Nic Humphries) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-future-of-saas-part-2-7GPLrebr The Future of SaaS - Part 2: Input is Error Oystein Moan, Nic Humphries 00:15:02 Part 2 of our miniseries: 'The Future of SaaS' The benefits of the SaaS model is increasingly well recognised and is well placed to be the next move for the majority of B2B software. In this episode, Øystein Moan, Executive Chairman of Visma and an Industry Advisor to Hg, discusses the trend of the immediate future: automation. With over 80% of software inputs already coming from APIs, the subjects of machine learning, optimisation and NLP are just the tip of the iceberg in removing human error and human effort from our systems. This podcast was recorded a part of Hg’s 2021 AGM. Part 1 can be found in Series 2 of the Orbit Podcast. Part 2 of our miniseries: 'The Future of SaaS' The benefits of the SaaS model is increasingly well recognised and is well placed to be the next move for the majority of B2B software. In this episode, Øystein Moan, Executive Chairman of Visma and an Industry Advisor to Hg, discusses the trend of the immediate future: automation. With over 80% of software inputs already coming from APIs, the subjects of machine learning, optimisation and NLP are just the tip of the iceberg in removing human error and human effort from our systems. This podcast was recorded a part of Hg’s 2021 AGM. Part 1 can be found in Series 2 of the Orbit Podcast. saas, ai, b2b software, automation, nlp, machine learning, elon musk false full 12 7ae16cb5-8f8a-42fc-a116-8ef6be142c6c Wed, 10 Nov 2021 10:44:14 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Nic Humphries, Oystein Moan) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-future-of-saas-VSvQBTgg The Future of SaaS - Part 1: Visma’s Øystein Moan on the advantages of SaaS, the challenges to get there and how much road there is left Nic Humphries, Oystein Moan 00:24:56 Part 1 of our miniseries: 'The Future of SaaS' The benefits of the SaaS model is increasingly well recognised, but the pain and challenges to successfully achieve a SaaS transition is now being felt by the millions of businesses who are still in the early stages of this journey. In this episode, Øystein Moan, Executive Chairman of Visma and an Industry Advisor to Hg, reflects on Visma’s multi-year journey to SaaS, discussing with Hg’s Nic Humphries, who joined this journey on every step of the way. Visma is a leading provider of business-critical software to private and public companies in Europe. Hg first invested in the business in 2006. This podcast was recorded as part of Hg’s 2021 AGM. Part 2 coming in series 3! Part 1 of our miniseries: 'The Future of SaaS' The benefits of the SaaS model is increasingly well recognised, but the pain and challenges to successfully achieve a SaaS transition is now being felt by the millions of businesses who are still in the early stages of this journey. In this episode, Øystein Moan, Executive Chairman of Visma and an Industry Advisor to Hg, reflects on Visma’s multi-year journey to SaaS, discussing with Hg’s Nic Humphries, who joined this journey on every step of the way. Visma is a leading provider of business-critical software to private and public companies in Europe. Hg first invested in the business in 2006. This podcast was recorded as part of Hg’s 2021 AGM. Part 2 coming in series 3! saas, software, visma, saas transition false full 11 1a15254c-aec7-495b-8cc0-9cb040ed1451 Wed, 10 Nov 2021 10:42:10 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Amr Ellabban, Jon Moser) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/data-science-in-drug-development-3tIqbhLe Data Science in Drug Development: Evaluate’s Jon Moser on what biopharma learnt about data science in 2020 Amr Ellabban, Jon Moser 00:18:31 The COVID-19 pandemic has been incredibly disruptive for people all across the world, but has really thrown the spotlight on pharma companies. We’ve seen drugs designed and developed in record times. We’ve seen more collaboration between scientists, pharma companies and regulators than ever before – collaboration that has seen sharing of science, approaches and data. This has accelerated an ongoing trend in pharma, as pharma companies have become more and more data-centric and data-savvy. In this episode, Hg’s Amr Ellabban speaks with Jon Moser, SVP, Innovation, Research & Development at Evaluate, and explains how biopharma’s approach to data science has changed and what we’re likely to see going forward. Evaluate is a leading provider of commercial intelligence and predictive analytics to the pharmaceutical industry. Hg first invested in Evaluate in 2016. The COVID-19 pandemic has been incredibly disruptive for people all across the world, but has really thrown the spotlight on pharma companies. We’ve seen drugs designed and developed in record times. We’ve seen more collaboration between scientists, pharma companies and regulators than ever before – collaboration that has seen sharing of science, approaches and data. This has accelerated an ongoing trend in pharma, as pharma companies have become more and more data-centric and data-savvy. In this episode, Hg’s Amr Ellabban speaks with Jon Moser, SVP, Innovation, Research & Development at Evaluate, and explains how biopharma’s approach to data science has changed and what we’re likely to see going forward. Evaluate is a leading provider of commercial intelligence and predictive analytics to the pharmaceutical industry. Hg first invested in Evaluate in 2016. pharma, covid, data science, healthcare tech, evaluate false full 10 e16d7e91-4334-40ea-942d-4c536abc89fa Wed, 10 Nov 2021 10:41:54 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Chris Kindt, Peter Sherlock) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-art-of-cross-sell-ikQAAld9 The Art of Cross-sell: Peter Sherlock on how the Citation Group built a cross-sell engine Chris Kindt, Peter Sherlock 00:24:48 As a fast-growing business, with many business units newly added through M&A, Citation had huge cross-selling opportunities. But taking cross-selling from opportunistic to strategic took a whole host of measures to set up their teams for success. In this episode, Hg’s Chris Kindt speaks to Peter Sherlock, Group Commercial Director of The Citation Group, discussing their journey to creating a winning cross-sell strategy and gives some advice to companies looking to do the same. The Citation Group is a leading provider of tech-enabled, subscription-based HR and Employment law, Health & Safety, and ISO services to SMEs. As a fast-growing business, with many business units newly added through M&A, Citation had huge cross-selling opportunities. But taking cross-selling from opportunistic to strategic took a whole host of measures to set up their teams for success. In this episode, Hg’s Chris Kindt speaks to Peter Sherlock, Group Commercial Director of The Citation Group, discussing their journey to creating a winning cross-sell strategy and gives some advice to companies looking to do the same. The Citation Group is a leading provider of tech-enabled, subscription-based HR and Employment law, Health & Safety, and ISO services to SMEs. m&a, cross-sell, citation, software false full 9 f796f89a-d77a-4ecd-9f37-a8e6f8f546a3 Wed, 10 Nov 2021 10:41:35 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Jason Richards, Calum Thomson, Espen Agnalt Johansen, John Strasser) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/weakest-point-72JkbslE You are only as strong as your weakest point: cybersecurity risk in the M&A process Jason Richards, Calum Thomson, Espen Agnalt Johansen, John Strasser 00:37:32 As software companies come together, often across geographical lines where different rules may apply, the spectre of cybersecurity issues often raises its head. Even if your own house is in order, how can defend yourself against problems that may be lying dormant in your new partner? With the possibility of undisclosed attacks in the past, data breach fines in the future and a potential present where a criminal organisation may already be opportunistically present in a system, waiting for just such a moment, this is an area which rewards careful preparation. In this episode of Orbit, Hg’s Jason Richards and Calum Thomson speak to Espen Agnalt Johansen of Visma and John Strasser of Sovos - all experts on cybersecurity - who share their experiences and learn a few things from each other in the process. As software companies come together, often across geographical lines where different rules may apply, the spectre of cybersecurity issues often raises its head. Even if your own house is in order, how can defend yourself against problems that may be lying dormant in your new partner? With the possibility of undisclosed attacks in the past, data breach fines in the future and a potential present where a criminal organisation may already be opportunistically present in a system, waiting for just such a moment, this is an area which rewards careful preparation. In this episode of Orbit, Hg’s Jason Richards and Calum Thomson speak to Espen Agnalt Johansen of Visma and John Strasser of Sovos - all experts on cybersecurity - who share their experiences and learn a few things from each other in the process. m&a, cybersecurity, sovos, visma false full 8 c56f4267-e38d-4b30-afce-a1a15ffba786 Wed, 10 Nov 2021 10:41:22 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (elizabeth wallace, Tonia Morris) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/i-choose-me-1uj6z8EY “I choose me”: how the latest generation in the workplace want to own their destiny elizabeth wallace, Tonia Morris 00:27:22 With the workplace currently containing at least five different generations of employees, each with their own priorities and expectations, how can businesses attract and hold on to the leaders of the future? Everyone has heard about The Great Resignation and how Gen Z is re-evaluating their life in light of the pandemic, the gig economy and increasing demands for authenticity, inclusivity and entrepreneurship. But did you know that they already outnumber Gen X? In this episode of Orbit, Tonia Morris, Founder & CEO of Simply HR and Intergenerational Connector, talks to Hg’s Elizabeth Wallace about transforming culture by embracing all the generations across an organisation. With the workplace currently containing at least five different generations of employees, each with their own priorities and expectations, how can businesses attract and hold on to the leaders of the future? Everyone has heard about The Great Resignation and how Gen Z is re-evaluating their life in light of the pandemic, the gig economy and increasing demands for authenticity, inclusivity and entrepreneurship. But did you know that they already outnumber Gen X? In this episode of Orbit, Tonia Morris, Founder & CEO of Simply HR and Intergenerational Connector, talks to Hg’s Elizabeth Wallace about transforming culture by embracing all the generations across an organisation. gen z, inclusion, gig economy, hr, diversity, pandemic, values, gen x, the great resignation, millenial false full 7 581a58b9-f56d-417e-baf2-32c70982bce4 Wed, 10 Nov 2021 10:41:04 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Nic Humphries, Bryan de Lottinville) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/purpose-vs-profit-NwQ6zoeE Purpose vs Profit: Benevity’s Bryan de Lottinville on the new era of corporate purpose Nic Humphries, Bryan de Lottinville 00:24:42 As the lines between our professional and personal lives increasingly blur, the desire to connect with something bigger than ourselves through our work is rising. Purpose needs to become part of the fabric of your company to attract and retain both employees and customers. In this episode, Bryan de Lottinville, Founder & Executive Chairperson, Benevity discusses with Hg’s Nic Humphries, the role of purpose in a tech or software business and how company leaders can balance focussing on growth, profit or purpose. Benevity is a global leader in corporate purpose cloud software. Hg invested in Benevity in early 2021. As the lines between our professional and personal lives increasingly blur, the desire to connect with something bigger than ourselves through our work is rising. Purpose needs to become part of the fabric of your company to attract and retain both employees and customers. In this episode, Bryan de Lottinville, Founder & Executive Chairperson, Benevity discusses with Hg’s Nic Humphries, the role of purpose in a tech or software business and how company leaders can balance focussing on growth, profit or purpose. Benevity is a global leader in corporate purpose cloud software. Hg invested in Benevity in early 2021. inclusion, diversity, benevity, people, business, employment, purpose false full 6 f151ece2-5b8a-46dd-83aa-3b6343e58568 Fri, 9 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Nic Humphries, Merete Hverven) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/meretehverven-eRpfJz6W The Scandinavian Question: Merete Hverven of Visma considers how the Nordics became a tech powerhouse Nic Humphries, Merete Hverven 00:24:20 The last century has seen Scandinavia switch from a fishing and oil economy to become a major centre of innovation in tech and software. Is there something in the water? Merete Hverven is the CEO of Visma, one of Europe's foremost software companies and one of Hg's longest and most successful investments. She speaks to Nic Humphries, Senior Partner at Hg, on what's behind this success, reflecting on her HR background and what it's like to grow up Scandinavian. The last century has seen Scandinavia switch from a fishing and oil economy to become a major centre of innovation in tech and software. Is there something in the water? Merete Hverven is the CEO of Visma, one of Europe's foremost software companies and one of Hg's longest and most successful investments. She speaks to Nic Humphries, Senior Partner at Hg, on what's behind this success, reflecting on her HR background and what it's like to grow up Scandinavian. tech, scandianavia, software, sweden, norway, finland, people, denmark, visma false full 2 db2b5521-293e-4ace-815d-4063d14b8a71 Fri, 9 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Dawn Marriott, Andy Hovancik) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/andyhovancik-LbAD1gIl Navigating Change in US Tech: Andy Hovancik of Sovos Dawn Marriott, Andy Hovancik 00:15:23 The last year in the United States has been a year unlike any other. As software businesses dealt with a changing landscape, the importance of purpose was brought sharply into focus by the pandemic and social justice movements. Andy Hovancik has navigated this period of change as President and CEO of leading US-based tax software company, Sovos. In this episode of Orbit, Andy speaks to Dawn Marriott, head of Hg’s Portfolio Team about what has changed over the past year, what will last, and what effect it will have on Sovos and other software businesses. The last year in the United States has been a year unlike any other. As software businesses dealt with a changing landscape, the importance of purpose was brought sharply into focus by the pandemic and social justice movements. Andy Hovancik has navigated this period of change as President and CEO of leading US-based tax software company, Sovos. In this episode of Orbit, Andy speaks to Dawn Marriott, head of Hg’s Portfolio Team about what has changed over the past year, what will last, and what effect it will have on Sovos and other software businesses. tech, progress, sovos, tax, america, software, society false full 1 9920a88f-1254-4e96-bc41-68782f23b588 Fri, 9 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Tim Vandecasteele, Joris Van Gool, Joris van der Gucht) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/born-in-the-cloud-PN6qQKCl Born in the Cloud: a new breed of tech entrepreneur with Joris van der Gucht & Tim Vandecasteele of Silverfin Tim Vandecasteele, Joris Van Gool, Joris van der Gucht 00:17:09 To be ‘born in the cloud’ is a status to be envied in the software sector. But what real advantages does it have, and are there any downsides? How difficult is it to create a competitive and disruptive business in the cloud today? Joris van der Gucht & Tim Vandecasteele are true software entrepreneurs, having co-founded Silverfin, a leading cloud platform for accountants. Joris and Tim speak to Joris Van Gool, Partner at Hg, about tech entrepreneurship, whilst also discussing the benefits of being ‘born in the cloud’, and how SaaS tech is disrupting the accounting sector. To be ‘born in the cloud’ is a status to be envied in the software sector. But what real advantages does it have, and are there any downsides? How difficult is it to create a competitive and disruptive business in the cloud today? Joris van der Gucht & Tim Vandecasteele are true software entrepreneurs, having co-founded Silverfin, a leading cloud platform for accountants. Joris and Tim speak to Joris Van Gool, Partner at Hg, about tech entrepreneurship, whilst also discussing the benefits of being ‘born in the cloud’, and how SaaS tech is disrupting the accounting sector. silverfin, saas, tech, accountant, software, entrpreneur, cloud false full 4 17eaaec0-6959-4b64-b4fe-e44abe65d508 Fri, 9 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Andrew Land, Charlie Langdale) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/charlielangdale-ITwYUMpB Volcano Cat Bonds and Other Innovations: Charlie Langdale of Howden on New Applications for Insurance Andrew Land, Charlie Langdale 00:29:03 The convergence of technology and data with traditional insurance activity, and the appetite from institutional investors in the non-correlated returns on offer from insurance, has created a range of innovative ‘risk-transfer’ products in recent years. Hg’s Andrew Land is joined by Charlie Langdale, Head of Financial Lines for Howden Group Holdings and a leading innovator in the insurance sector, to discuss the latest trends in areas such as parametric insurance, insurance for ESG and sustainability, and blockchain technology. The convergence of technology and data with traditional insurance activity, and the appetite from institutional investors in the non-correlated returns on offer from insurance, has created a range of innovative ‘risk-transfer’ products in recent years. Hg’s Andrew Land is joined by Charlie Langdale, Head of Financial Lines for Howden Group Holdings and a leading innovator in the insurance sector, to discuss the latest trends in areas such as parametric insurance, insurance for ESG and sustainability, and blockchain technology. data, tech, blockchain, innovation, software, insurance false full 3 edb21928-eb87-4efa-adff-8ca666e7b68b Fri, 9 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0000 richard.bold@hgcapital.com (Jason Richards, Phil Le-Brun) https://orbit-an-hg-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/phillebrun-0Bm_s_G5 Respond, React & Adapt: Tech Transformation at McDonald's with Phil Le-Brun Jason Richards, Phil Le-Brun 00:19:34 Now an Enterprise Strategist at AWS, Phil Le-Brun's previous role saw him tackle transforming the technology landscape at the global fast food behemoth, McDonald's. Phil took some time to speak to Hg’s Head of Portfolio Technology, Jason Richards, and reveals that the experience of deploying 20,000 e-commerce restaurants in one year is as much about people as it is about the tech. Now an Enterprise Strategist at AWS, Phil Le-Brun's previous role saw him tackle transforming the technology landscape at the global fast food behemoth, McDonald's. Phil took some time to speak to Hg’s Head of Portfolio Technology, Jason Richards, and reveals that the experience of deploying 20,000 e-commerce restaurants in one year is as much about people as it is about the tech. aws, empathy, techtransformation, tech, agile, mcdonalds, transformation false full 5