Workstream

Congrats @saarsaar and appreciate you making an introduction to Tony Xu in the earliest of days for @workstream_us ! Let’s go DoorDash & @CRV too!

Yes it’s Tony Xu’s favorite company value! Hire someone who believe in 1% better everyday over someone who’s good but don’t keep learning!

My prediction: @Google wins the AI race—and Sundar Pichai’s quiet leadership may be one of its most underestimated advantages. Who do you think will win? I met Google CEO @sundarpichai at a coffee shop in San Francisco this past weekend. His father spent his whole year’s salary on his first plane ticket to USA so he could attend Stanford. Sundar joined Google in 2004, led products including Chrome, Android & became CEO of Google in 2015. Today, Google has all advantage needed to win AI: models, chips, infra, capital, & distribution through Android, Chrome, YouTube & more. Yet because Sundar is quieter & less promotional than others, I believe he and Google are consistently underestimated. The loudest leader doesn’t always win. I believe the quiet builder who compounds patiently for decades does. Who do you think will lead AI in 2030: Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, xAI—or someone else?

DoorDash has agreed to acquire Instacart in a $17B deal paying $65 per share, a 26% premium. Congrats to Tony Xu & his team! I just happened to catch up with CEO DoorDash Tony Xu, yesterday in SF (we did not discuss this deal), who has been an early investor in Workstream since seed round! Some learnings from Tony Xu & $17B deal - 1. Go After bigger market - Both companies started around the same time, but execution, focus and a strategy around higher frequency delivery starting from a bigger market, restaurants and QSR franchise brands, helped DoorDash and Tony Xu to win the market! 2. Get 1% better everyday - Every Dasher would know Tony’s favorite execution value, strive to get better 1% everyday 3. Team you build is company you build - Tony cares deeply about talent and hired many strong operators from Uber, Amazon & more 4. Move fast in M&A - From public sources, it seems that Instacart had rumors of being acquired and deal was done in 7-10 days from news, incredible speed 5. Build a team of founders - Tony loves working with founders and entrepreneurial operators. He brings them into DoorDash and gives them free rein to build and execute! 6. Get unit economics right - Tony and team has been relentlessly on unit economics and profitability right from the start! In summary, exciting combination from DoorDash and Instacart! Expected Timeline: Both company boards have approved the agreement, and the acquisition is projected to close in late 2027 or early 2028, subject to regulatory approval. Brand & App Plans: DoorDash intends to keep the Instacart brand, app, and enterprise technologyoperational post-closing. Expanded Selection: Instacart users will gain access to more than 50,000 additional storefronts already partnered with DoorDash. Congrats again!

Let’s go Golden State Valkyries & WNBA! Step by step guide to compare fastest growing female sports team to playbook of AI startups! Valkyries went from 0 > $1B in valuation & 0 > $100M revenue in 2 years as first ever female professional sports team to do that! They are also in their first WNBA finals!Today will be game 6 with them up 3-2, will they prevail and win their first ever WNBA championship? Some learnings in AI startup words & comparison on why they grew so quickly 1. Right moment, right timing (think Instinct, Muse launching on back of OpenClaw timing) A wave of high-profile college stars—including Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and others—drew record television audiences, tripling viewership and pushing arenas across the country to sell out. 2. Strong revenue growth built on existing network (think Muse or Threads on top of IG / FB) Valkyries had solid revenue growth built upon a strong Bay Area fan base built up by Warriors over the years! 3. Channel as important as product (think Anthropic & OpenAI investing in strong sales teams & partnerships) Media & Corporate Investment: Multi-year media rights deals and major brand partnerships brought mainstream visibility and financial stability to the league. 4. Culture is important! (Think AI startups caring about culture!) Team-First Strategy & Culture: Led by Coach Natalie Nakase, the Valkyries built an identity around a league-leading defense and two-way team depth rather than just chasing single-name superstars. 5. Hiring a strong COO (hiring your Sheryl Sandberg for your AI startup!) Business & Community Playbook: Under president Jess Smith (formerly of Angel City FC), the team focused on dedicated commercial operations, securing over 12,000 season ticket holders, major corporate sponsors like Sephora, and consecutive sellouts. 6. Diversity prevails! (Hiring diverse talent is important for your AI startup!) Natalie Nakase is first Asian American female coach of a major professional league in finals, and the team with Gabby Williams & Katlyn Chen as their star players! Fastest growth in professional sports team, and even faster than many AI startups these days; so excited about growth of WNBA!