Venture with Grace

As AI moves from training models to deploying them at massive scale, inference is emerging as one of the defining infrastructure challenges of the AI era.At Smart AI 100 2026, Grace Gong, Founder and CEO of Smart Venture Media, moderated a conversation with investors, founders, and operators shaping the future of AI infrastructure. The panel explored what it takes to make inference faster, more efficient, and economically viable at scale, where the biggest opportunities are emerging, and what builders and investors are watching as AI workloads continue to grow.The discussion covered the infrastructure powering the inference boom, the economics...

Ori Goshen is the Co-founder and CEO of AI21 Labs, the Israeli AI company founded in 2017. AI21 has built its own foundation models and AI products used by millions, including Wordtune, and today it offers enterprises Lab-as-a-Service: their own frontier AI lab.~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on...

AI is creating a new business model: AI-native services companies that use technology to make traditionally difficult-to-scale professional services faster, more efficient, and more accessible.In this fireside chat, Dan Mishin, Founder of Manifest, and Jake Saper, General Partner at Emergence Capital, explore why AI-native services are becoming venture-backable and why the services layer could represent the next major frontier for venture capital.The conversation examines what distinguishes AI-native services companies from traditional software businesses and AI rollups, and why building from scratch can offer an advantage over retrofitting legacy businesses. Dan shares how Manifest is using AI to...

Austin Spiegel is the co-founder of Sift, where he leads engineering, technical strategy, and go-to-market. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~He studied computer science at the University of Southern Ca...

Jerry Tworek is the Co-Founder and CEO of Core Automation, an AI research lab focused on automating AI research and developing new approaches to machine learning. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to le...

Vitaly Gordon is the Co-founder and CEO of Faros, a company working at the intersection of AI and software engineering to help organizations manage agentic software factories. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to...

Dr. Juha Vartiainen is the Co-Founder and Chief Global Affairs Officer of IQM Quantum Computers, a European quantum computing company developing full-stack superconducting quantum computers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn mo...

Boris Sofman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Bedrock Robotics, which develops autonomous technology for heavy construction equipment.~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~The company recently raised a $600 million Se...

Beatrice Aliprandi is the Chief Revenue Officer at Praktika, an AI-powered language learning platform using generative AI avatars to help people learn languages. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~She le...

Arnab Bose is the Chief Product Officer of Asana, where he leads the company’s product strategy and innovation with a focus on advancing AI capabilities and expanding the platform's enterprise functionality. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com...

Yousuf Khan, Founder of Clario and former CIO of Moveworks, sits down with Sree Kancharla, CIO of SailPoint, to explore how enterprise buyers evaluate AI products, what earns founders a second conversation, and where CIOs see the greatest opportunities for AI. The discussion examines why successful enterprise pitches start with a clearly defined business problem, a deep understanding of the customer, and a compelling path to time to value, rather than a generic sales deck. Sree shares how the CIO role is evolving as AI adoption expands, requiring leaders to balance cost management and security with enabling employees to...

Anyone can build an AI product, but building a durable AI company requires more than access to powerful models. In this fireside, Sri Viswanath, CEO of Sycamore and former CTO of Atlassian and Managing Director at Coatue; Snehal Antani, CEO of Horizon3; and Brendan Ittelson, Chief Ecosystem Officer at Zoom, join Grace Gong, Founder and CEO of Smart Venture Media, to explore what separates lasting AI businesses from products that are quickly replicated. The discussion examines why proprietary data, domain expertise, execution, and customer trust are becoming critical advantages as models evolve. The speakers also explore enterprise adoption challenges...

Amit Zavery is President, Chief Product Officer, and Chief Operating Officer at ServiceNow, where he leads product strategy and operations as the company advances its AI-powered enterprise platform. In this fireside chat, Amit joins Grace Gong, Founder and CEO of Smart Venture Media, to discuss how large organizations can move beyond AI experimentation and deliver measurable business value. He explains how ServiceNow is building AI agents and autonomous workflows that fit into existing business processes, alongside its AI Control Tower to help organizations monitor AI usage, security, spending, and ROI. Amit also shares ServiceNow’s approach to building a co...

AI is reshaping cybersecurity on both sides of the battlefield, creating new attack surfaces while giving defenders powerful new tools. In this panel, Alex Stamos, Chief Product Officer at Corridor and former Chief Security Officer at Facebook; Emilio Escobar, Chief Information Security Officer at Datadog; and Joel de la Garza, Investment Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), join Grace Gong, Founder and CEO of Smart Venture Media, to explore how AI is transforming cyber threats and defense. The conversation examines AI as a vector, an actor, and a target, including autonomous attacks, real-time vulnerability discovery, and the growing challenges...

Olga Megorskaya is the founder and CEO of Toloka AI. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~She established the company in 2014 and has since transformed it from a crowdsourcing and mi...

Eugen Alpeza is the Co-Founder and CEO of Edra, an enterprise AI startup building systems that reverse-engineer business workflows from tools such as Slack, ServiceNow, Jira, and Salesforce to create auditable knowledge libraries for AI agents. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply fo...

Darren Bechtel is the Founder and Managing Director of Brick & Mortar Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on early-stage technologies modernizing architecture, engineering, construction, and facilities management. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to...

Ali Partovi is the CEO of Neo, a venture capital firm and mentorship community that brings together experienced technology leaders to support ambitious founders. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ne...

Fred Parietti is the CEO and co-founder of Multiply Labs, a robotics company developing automated manufacturing systems for individualized medicines, including cell therapies. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~Since co...

Joo-Young Kim is the CEO of HyperAccel and an Associate Professor at KAIST, where his research focuses on specialized AI hardware and large language model inference. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to le...

Jeffrey Lolley is Chief Information Officer at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he leads global technology strategy, AI adoption, data infrastructure, information security, and technology innovation across the firm. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.co...

Akshaya Srivatsa is Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Maxima, an agentic accounting platform built to automate the month-end close, reduce errors and audit risk, and give accounting teams more time for strategic work. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Vi...

Apoorv Bhargava is the CEO and co-founder of WeaveGrid, a software company integrating electric vehicles into the grid to accelerate the energy transition. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~Since co...

Scott Beechuk is a Partner at Norwest, where he invests in early-stage enterprise software companies, with a focus on agentic systems, CX, customer support, sales enablement, e-commerce infrastructure, and marketing.~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or ne...

Walter Kortschak is the Founder of Kortschak Investments and a Senior Advisor at Summit Partners, where he spent 26 years and helped establish the firm’s West Coast investment presence, growing assets under management from $100 million to more than $20 billion. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when...

Jenny Xiao is a Partner at Leonis Capital, a research-driven venture capital firm backing technical founders and emerging talent at the earliest stages of AI. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn mo...

Paul Tatum is Executive Vice President of Solution Engineering for Global Public Sector at Salesforce, where he leads teams helping governments around the world modernize their missions and operations with Salesforce’s PaaS and SaaS offerings. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for...

Ashley Kramer is the Chief Revenue Officer at ElevenLabs, where she leads the company’s global revenue function and partnership ecosystem as it expands AI-powered voice and agent technology across the enterprise.~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com...

Ryan Gibson is a Partner and VP of Finance at Eclipse Capital, where he invests at the formation, Seed, and Series A stages in companies reinventing physical industries through hardware, software, and AI. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit ne...

Barr Moses is the CEO & co-founder of Monte Carlo, the agent trust platform. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~Under Barr’s leadership, Monte Carlo has empowered the world’s most i...

Alex Ratner is the co-founder and CEO at Snorkel AI, and an affiliate assistant professor of computer science at the University of Washington. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~Prior to...

Hari Kolam is Co-Founder and CEO of Findem, an AI-powered people intelligence and talent acquisition platform that helps companies source, manage, and analyze talent using 3D data. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to...

Fabiola Quinzanos is a Partner at Monashees, where she focuses on fintech, climate tech, and consumer-oriented companies across Latin America and the U.S. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sh...

George Hu is President of Fireworks AI, an enterprise AI inference platform enabling companies to build, fine-tune, and deploy specialized AI models at production scale. He joined Fireworks AI after more than a decade in leadership roles at Salesforce and Twilio, where he helped scale products, teams, and revenue. Fireworks AI, founded by engineers from Meta’s PyTorch team, serves more than 10,000 enterprise customers including Uber, Shopify, Samsung, GitLab, Cursor, Harvey, and MongoDB, processing more than 40 trillion tokens daily. The company raised $1.505 billion in Series D funding in July 2026 at a $17.5 billion valuation. Hu also serves as a Venture Pa...

Cheryl Cheng is a Managing Partner at M12, where she invests in early-stage companies from seed through Series B across enterprise AI, applications, and vertical SaaS. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to le...

Saurabh Sharma is the Chief Product Officer at You.com, where he leads product strategy for enterprise AI tools and Web Search APIs designed to power AI agents. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/st...

Jonathan Pearce is Co-Founder and Microprocessor Architect at AheadComputing, where he is developing new approaches to processor architecture for AI and high-performance computing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~He sp...

At STEP Summit in San Francisco, Grace Gong moderates a conversation with Michel Tricot, Co-Founder and CEO of Airbyte, Vijay R. of Mayfield, and Dan Klein of Scaled Cognition on how AI agents are reshaping the way companies are structured and how work gets done.The discussion explores what happens when AI agents move beyond being tools and become permanent digital teammates, from who an agent reports to and who is accountable for its decisions, to which roles emerge and disappear, and what happens to middle management when the layer they once managed becomes software.The conversation examines how...

Spiros Xanthos is Founder and CEO of Resolve AI, which builds AI agents that run and troubleshoot production software, reducing MTTR and freeing engineers to focus on building. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/st...

Jordan Tigani is the Co-Founder and CEO of MotherDuck, a company building around DuckDB to make analytics simpler and more accessible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~This episode is brought to you by Nebius — the ultimate cloud for AI innovators.Nebius provides AI infrastructure you can count on, combining reliability and speed with flexibility and engineering support unmatched by hyperscalers.AI leaders like Meta, Shopify, and Higgsfield already partner with Nebius to run their AI workloads. Plus, venture-backed startups can save up to $150,000 on compute costs when they apply for access. Visit nebius.com or nebius.com/startups to learn more~~~~~~~~~~~~~Previously, he was Ch...