The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch · Harry Stebbings

20VC: Sam Altman vs Elon Musk: The $100BN Battle | The Implosion of Thinking Machines | Can VC Survive Public Market Pricing Today? | ClickHouse and Replit's New Rounds: Analysed

January 22, 2026·1 hr 18 min·5 clips

Jason Lemkin argues venture capital is a 'scam' that magically converts revenue multiples into cash before companies earn it.

Harry Stebbings hosts Jason Lemkin and Rory O'Driscoll to analyze major tech news, including the venture capital model amid public market shifts, the $100B lawsuit between Elon Musk and OpenAI over alleged fraud, and the impact of AI on companies like Figma and Thinking Machines. They also discuss OpenAI's new ad business, late-stage rounds for ClickHouse and Replit, and competitive investing in AI giants.

As heard by us

A brisk venture and legal debate tying Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and public-market pressure together.

This episode moves briskly through a cluster of high-stakes tech stories, putting Sam Altman and Elon Musk at the center while asking what public-market pricing means for venture.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You get the Sam Altman vs Elon Musk fight, the public-market pricing question, and the new rounds without the fluff.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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