Field Notes: Insights from Harman’s Private AI Dinner

It’s our job to understand the disruptive trends that we are seeing in the market and help our clients and partners spot opportunities for growth. As part of our Field Notes series, our partners share what they heard at key industry events.

Last week, Daniel Shani attended a private dinner hosted by Harman (a subsidiary of Samsung), in collaboration with GP Dinners. The event featured Siddharth Garg, NYU professor and leading AI and cybersecurity researcher, who shared insights on the future of AI, and brought together a small group of innovators, investors, and strategists for an exchange of ideas around the future of AI and digital transformation.

Here are some of the key takeaways and forward-looking insights that surfaced:

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1. The Energy Challenge of AI at Scale: 

Garg remarked on the unseen energy costs of AI. Every AI interaction—whether it’s a chatbot query, image generation, or model training—demands significant processing power. It’s hard to estimate exact energy consumption (based on the model, query, etc) – a single AI-written response can consume as much as 0.14 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy, comparable to keeping 14 LED bulbs lit for one hour. Globally, data centers already account for about 2% of total electricity consumption. Garg posed the thought experiment: If every Google search today were powered by generative AI models, the energy consumption behind those searches (est. 700+ TWhs per year) would more than double data center energy consumption. 

However, Garg argued that scenario is unlikely – given we’re already seeing smaller, more efficient models published, and he believes the world is headed toward highly verticalized models tailored for specific tasks. Specialization and optimization are not just nice-to-haves—they’re existential necessities for a sustainable AI future. How will your company adapt?

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2. Specialization as the Next Growth Frontier

Even as AI models grow more capable, the interim period—where models are very good, but not yet perfect—offers a major strategic window.

The best opportunities (and greatest returns) will likely go to those who:

• Specialize: Build and deploy more focused, task-specific models and agentic workflows rather than relying on generalized large models or singular systems.
  
• Leverage Proprietary Data: Own unique data assets that can give their specialized AI solutions a durable competitive advantage.
  
• Dominate Verticals: Focus deeply within specific industries where precision and domain expertise matter most.
  

This is where innovation, speed, and tight problem-market fit will create outsize returns. How and where can you carve out your specialization?

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3. Private Equity’s Appetite for Growth: A Playbook for Innovation

The dinner also surfaced pointed insights about PE risk appetites over time based on fund lifecycles:

• Pre-Acquisition: Value-creation (i.e. growth) strategies are a critical ingredient baked into diligence and deal terms.
• Immediately Post-Acquisition (Years 0–2): PE firms show the greatest appetite for speculative, growth-oriented strategies. This is the window where they are most receptive to fresh ideas and new initiatives to drive growth and multiples.
• Mid-Hold (Years 3–5): Focus shifts toward execution, hitting numbers, and preparing for an exit. Innovation becomes harder to prioritize unless directly tied to short-term returns.
  
  

Overall, there was general consensus that the larger the PE firm/fund, the more established the execution playbook was – down to preferred vendors, value-creation strategies, and timelines. Perhaps smaller growth equity players may have more appetite for new innovation partners and more disruptive value-creation strategies? 

In this vein, some innovative service providers to PE firms are successfully implementing risk-aligned models—covering the upfront cost in solutions in order to capture the majority of upside through savings or growth gains immediately post-acquisition (where PE firms are less sensitive to bottom line) and a decreasing share of upside over time (as PE firms are maximizing metrics for exit). How might similar models open new doors for venture builders and strategic advisors in your field?

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If you need help solving a complex problem, building a new solution, or unlocking new ideas for good growth, reach out to the team.

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It’s our job to understand the disruptive trends that we are seeing in the market and help our clients and partners spot opportunities for growth. As part of our “Field Notes” series, our partners share what they heard at key industry events.

This summer, Stacey Seltzer helped lead a collaboration between Hudson Lab Ventures and Unicorn Factory Lisboa. Here are some of the key perspectives on entrepreneurship and innovation in the broader education ecosystem and how large corporations can play a critical role:

Unlocking Potential: How Co-Created is Empowering Portugal’s Youth through Innovation

Fostering entrepreneurship and innovation among the next generation is not just beneficial—it’s essential. At Co-Created, we work with our partners, testing ideas to build new products and companies. We understand that nurturing a pipeline of talent,  equipped with the skills and mindset necessary to navigate and shape the future is foundational for business success.  That’s why we partnered with Hudson Lab Ventures and Unicorn Factory Lisboa and progressive companies like José De Mello, to develop the Innovation Summer School program; an initiative that’s making a significant impact on the entrepreneurial landscape in Portugal.

Real-World Challenges, Real-World Solutions

The Innovation Summer School is not your typical educational program. It’s an immersive experience where high school students are given real-world challenges from leading companies and tasked with developing innovative solutions. These aren’t hypothetical scenarios; these are genuine problems that these businesses face, and they’re looking to the students for fresh, creative perspectives.

Last year, for example, we partnered with NOS and its youth brand WTF, asking students to rethink what a phone proposition should look like for young people after they were forced to completely change their youth offerings due to changes in EU regulations. The results were nothing short of impressive. The students didn’t just meet expectations—they exceeded them, offering insights that challenged conventional thinking and provided actionable solutions.

This year, our focus has shifted to tackling some of Portugal’s most pressing societal issues, including education and inequality. José De Mello has been at the forefront of this initiative, providing students with the opportunity to address these critical challenges head-on. Students in this cohort wanted to get real-world experience that would be applicable when they started their careers.   Team Boost, developed a concept for creating opportunities for students to gain experience volunteering or working with companies to expand their skill set and be better prepared for the workforce, and the team has gone beyond the scope of the program to start building it on their own this summer.  Others focused on the application of technology to the classroom like team Edu Know who designed a concept for an analytics platform to help teachers track grades, identify students’ weak points and offer helpful resources. 

Building 21st Century Skills

At the heart of the Innovation Summer School is the development of 21st century skills. The program is designed to equip students with the tools they need to thrive in the modern world. This includes:

• Creativity and Collaboration: Students learn to work together, leveraging diverse perspectives to create innovative solutions.
• Product Development and Design Thinking: Through hands-on experience, students gain a deep understanding of the process of bringing ideas to life.
• New Tech Tools: From AI platforms to cutting-edge design tools, students are exposed to the latest technologies, preparing them for the future of work.

These skills are not just theoretical—they’re put into practice as students work in teams to tackle the challenges posed by our partner companies. The result is a dynamic learning experience that is both engaging and impactful.

A New Perspective on Entrepreneurship

One of the key aspects of the Innovation Summer School is the fresh perspective that students bring to the table. Uninhibited by the “it doesn’t work like that here” mentality, these young innovators approach problems with an open mind and a willingness to explore new possibilities. This has led to some creative ideas that have not only impressed our partner companies but have also shown students that entrepreneurship is a viable and exciting path. Below is direct feedback on the program from some participating partners.

“The program both produced and practiced awesome educational principles–the  students were so clearly passionate about their topics and did a phenomenal amount of work in just two weeks! I can’t wait to see what comes of these ideas.” Parth Sarin, Stanford Digital Education

“This program is not only about innovation. It is about an experience that will prepare the next generation with key competencies that will be able to transform our society’s problem solving, peer-to-peer behavior, flexibility, creativity, and emotional intelligence. Let’s expand it and together create today a better tomorrow for all!” Joana Maia, Brand, Communication and CSR Senior Manager at SONAE SGPS

The Impact

The impact of the Innovation Summer School extends beyond the classroom. Students leave the program with a newfound confidence in their abilities and a deeper understanding of the entrepreneurial journey. They’ve learned that with the right tools and mindset, they can make a real difference in the world.

Our partner companies have also reaped the benefits. The innovative solutions generated by the students have provided valuable insights and actionable ideas, demonstrating the power of youth-driven innovation. As João Mil Homens from Unicorn Factory Lisboa remarked in a recent LinkedIn post, “The energy and creativity brought by these young minds is nothing short of inspiring.”

Looking Ahead

As we continue to iterate on the Innovation Summer School program, we’re excited to see where the journey takes us next. The success we’ve seen so far is just the beginning, and we’re committed to further empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs in Portugal and beyond.  Together, we can build a brighter future, one innovative solution at a time.

For those interested in learning more about our work or in getting involved, please feel free to reach out. Is there a challenge that your team can’t unlock? We love solving problems. 

If you need help solving a complex problem, building a new solution, or unlocking new ideas for good growth, reach out to the team.

Field Notes from Startupfest 2023: Insights and Inspiration from Montreal

For the second year in a row, I had the privilege of attending Startupfest in Montreal, one of the most community-focused tech events I've experienced. Last year, I spoke about the various models and ways venture studios deliver value plus reconnected with some fantastic folks. This year, I was thrilled to return as a mentor.

What's notable about Montreal's environment, especially after recently writing about the Brooklyn tech ecosystem, is how distinct it feels. A Canadian investor asserted that while U.S. founders often tell grander, more compelling stories, Canadian founders tend to feel they need to be more grounded in actual accomplishments. I thought that was an interesting insight and kept my ears open. At every event, I was struck by the depth of experience of all the speakers and mentors; but I also noted that so many of the founders were off and running, operating young but growing businesses. There were almost no entrepreneurs there slinging good pitches based on vaporware and jargon. That investor was onto something. FWIW Startupfest’s organizers have been deeply embedded in tech for years, and it shows in the community they’ve built. Programming reflected an incredible interplay of technology and societal trends over decades, with conversations led and facilitated by luminaries.

Several big ideas kept surfacing during the event, and I wanted to capture three that particularly stood out to me:

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1. Truth in AI

There was a fantastic panel about Truth in AI. The discussions really got me thinking about the implications of hyper-enabled humans with bionic powers (aka the Bionic Consumer to gather, synthesize, and apply vast amounts of information to decisioning. The critical question becomes: Is the information I'm using true, and where did it come from?

Maybe best poised to tackle this question are folks like Shingai Manjengwa and her team who are reimagining applications of Blockchain to solve this problem. We need smart mechanisms for consensus to govern – not just monetary provenance—but ALL IP. Its promise is to help us with a simple question: Do I believe the information or transaction I’m observing is real? Do I understand its origin? As AI agents operate on our information, trust in AI itself and its conclusions becomes paramount. As more of us turn to AI for perspective and interpretation and then turn around to pass them along…how will the next person trust us? Our judgment in AI selection? Our sources? This need for trust and transparency will only grow as AI continues to evolve.

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2. Evil Enough

Startupfest organizer and OG startup vet Alistair Croll and rockstar brand strategist & marketer Emily Ross, co-authored a book called "Just Evil Enough," which rethinks marketing for the attention economy. They explore how certain individuals find loopholes and hack systems, like Farmville's meteoric rise to 72 million users or Kraft Mac & Cheese selling a million boxes a day. The book analyzes and deconstructs various playbooks that can help us rethink marketing strategies to discover advantages and ultimately hack the system.

For me, the fascinating part was discussing with them where the lines were? How far is too far? And maybe most importantly to me, how might we subvert these tactics for positive impact. Often, I talk about “hacking” companies to help those companies do good while making money, in spite of themselves. 

I wonder if there's something around “good enough to be great”...collabo for next book y’all? 

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3. Champions, Not Charity

I had the great fortune of sitting next to Deborah Price, a member of the Board of the National Indigenous Fisheries Institute (NIFI). The Institute aims to promote national consistency and standards across Indigenous programs and practices related to fisheries, aquaculture, oceans, and aquatic management. The Board of NIFI includes various regional and national Indigenous executives who collaborate with communities, regional organizations, and governments to enhance the potential and benefits of these programs for Indigenous peoples across Canada. She had just spoken about sustainable business and connecting First Nations people to the broader more sustainable economy. Her unambiguous statement to me when I asked her what she saw as the biggest opportunity for impact: “I came to do business and make deals”

Not charity. Not handouts.

I missed her on stage but our convo was a masterclass. Deborah's focus on sustainable participation—empowering communities that have been commercially and economically marginalized—was poignant. She spoke about giving communities not just a seat at the table but the means to build their own tables, define production methods, and engage in deal-making, monetization and their own community reinvestment. This resonated deeply and aligns with my belief that doing good and good business need to become indistinguishable. Targeting new markets aimed at serving traditionally commercially marginalized populations is a sizable business opportunity.

In Summary

Startupfest in Montreal was an amazing experience once again, filled with incredible community, a vibrant ecosystem, and fresh, diverse perspectives. I'm grateful for the opportunity to participate and hope to continue to build bridges and portals between NYC and Montreal.

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Big shout outs to Rebecca, Alistair, Suchi and the whole StartupFest crew! I’m already looking forward to next year.

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