Galileo Ventures Podcast

Hosted by James Galileo VC

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Jul 2025

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EN-AU

About the show

Galileo Ventures podcast is hosted by three Aussie seed VCs – James, Hugh and Julia. We discuss the latest tech news and interview key figures in early stage tech for founders and investors. Galileo Ventures is a leading seed VC firm based in Australia and San Francisco. We do things differently, specialising in backing first-time founders in their first round building the next great global technology companies.

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20 recent

July 7, 2025Episode 858 min

$37m for AI Agents, Google Zero: Search Apocalypse, and Australia’s AI Opportunity

In this episode, we dive into Relevance AI’s record breaking $37M Series B for AI agents, explore “Google Zero” when AI-search replaces traditional SEO, unpack the New York Times vs. OpenAI copyright clash, and discuss Canva’s latest acquisition. 00:00 : Intro & Welcome01:00 : Australia’s largest AI Agent funding round for Relevance AI $37m Series B10:11 : Proposed $5 billion AI policy plan21:00 : The idea of “Google Zero” and the AI search revolution41:00 : OpenAI vs. New York Times copyright and privacy clash53:00 : Canva’s acquisition of Magic Brief Galileo Ventures Season 2 Podcast is proudly sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills. HSF represents the top founders and investors with deep expertise across the startup lifecycle. If you’re interested in learning head to ⁠⁠galileo.lol/hsf⁠⁠.Subscribe on below for the next episode or signup below! More information and links: ⁠⁠⁠https://galileo.ventures/podcast⁠⁠⁠Find us on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/galileovc⁠⁠⁠Find is on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/gali⁠⁠⁠...Follow the hosts on Twitter: @jamesfromsydney and @hughstephensPlease note that all content discussed and presented on this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice or used to evaluate any investment. Information presented here is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Galileo Ventures fund.

April 22, 2025Episode 733 min

The Future of AI Games and Generative RPGs with Jack Wakem of Tempest AI

In this episode 207 we chat with Jack Wakem, founder of Tempest AI.Jack shares his journey from growing up on a cattle farm to creating Tempest AI, a no-code game engine for narrative-based RPGs. We discuss the challenges in game development, insights from the GDC 2025 conference, and the future of generative role-playing games. Discover how Tempest AI is enabling game creation for everyone.Try Tempest AI: https://alpha.tempestengine.ai/00:44 What is Tempest AI03:10 Jack's Background: Creating Games on a Farm05:28 Becoming a Game Developer07:27 Starting Tempest AI14:12 Early Lessons on AI Games from first launches16:12 Going after Creators not Game Developers17:03 Tempest AI Today: Creating Games on a Canvas19:15 Creating a Component System for AI Games20:32 Examples of Games Created Today21:45 AI Games Landscape in 202523:04 Generative RPGs25:57 Pulse on GDC 202530:42 Advice to Future Game DevelopersThis episode is presented by James Alexander, Co-founder and Partner at Galileo Ventures.

March 26, 2025Episode 631 min

Vibe Coding, AI Voice Agents, and Our SF Expansion (EP206)

Live from San Francisco and Australia, James and Hugh are joined by our new co-host Julia to dive into Galileo Ventures' latest news, including our expansion to San Francisco. They explore the emerging 'vibe coding' trend, discuss the future and challenges of AI-driven coding, and share their thoughts on voice AI agents. Whether you're a founder, investor, or tech enthusiast, this episode offers insights into the evolving landscape of venture capital and technology.Galileo Ventures Season 2 Podcast is proudly sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills. HSF represents the top founders and investors with deep expertise across the startup lifecycle. If you’re interested in learning head to ⁠⁠galileo.lol/hsf⁠⁠.00:00 EP0601:33 News: Expanding to SF02:26 Introducing Julia French09:13 Vibe Coding22:05 Voice AI Agents

February 1, 2025Episode 20523 min

State of M&A in Australia Interview (EP205)

Kicking off 2025 of the Galileo Ventures Podcast, we welcome back experts Toby and Claire from Herbert Smith Freehills discuss Australia's latest M&A reforms, their impact on startups, and advice for founders. In our bonus EP205 we delve into competition approvals, market trends and common pitfalls in M&A transactions. Essential listening for founders and investors. 00:00 Welcome back 01:15 M&A Regulation in Australia 02:52 Australian Competition Law Changes 04:44 State M&A Activity in Australia 09:33 Common Mistakes Founders Make in M&A 12:26 Top 3 tax things to consider in M&A 17:43 What Founders Should Know about Mergers? 22:11 On AI Aqusitions Galileo Ventures Season 2 Podcast is proudly sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills. HSF represents the top founders and investors with deep expertise across the startup lifecycle. If you’re interested in learning head to http://galileo.lol/hsf

December 17, 2024Episode 434 min

Galileo Tech Retro 2024: Glow-ups, Eye rolls and Lols

Join James and Hugh live from Melbourne as they wrap up 2024 in this special Christmas edition of the Galileo podcast. They review the biggest headlines, startups, and memes in tech from 2024, and make bold predictions for 2025. Galileo Ventures Season 2 Podcast is proudly sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills. HSF represents the top founders and investors with deep expertise across the startup lifecycle. If you’re interested in learning head to ⁠⁠galileo.lol/hsf⁠⁠. 00:00 Galileo Pod Season 2 EP4 01:15 Introducing Galileo Retro 2024 02:03 Sponser 02:39 New Tech News 05:36 Most Eye-roll Worthy Story of The Year 09:25 Biggest Startup Glow up 2024 17:54 Biggest Startup Glow Down 2024 21:37 Underdog Award of the Year 23:25 Most Memeable Moment 30:55 2025's Big Bet 34:11 outro

November 29, 2024Episode 325 min

Building AI Communities: Annie Liao’s Journey From Data Scientist to Founding BuildClub EP203

In this episode, we sit down with Annie Liao, founder of BuildClub. We explore her journey from a data scientist to launching BuildClub, a global community of AI builders, to raising their pre-seed round in 2024. Annie shares insights on raising, the evolution of her community-driven AI platform, her experiences seeing AI adoption first hand, and strategic community building. Galileo Ventures Season 2 Podcast is proudly sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills. HSF represents the top founders and investors with deep expertise across the startup lifecycle. If you’re interested in learning head to ⁠⁠galileo.lol/hsf⁠⁠. CHAPTERS 00:00 Guest Interview: Annie Liao BuildClub (full) 00:37 Annie Talks SF 01:09 Annie's Background 02:46 BuildClub 05:48 AI market 08:00 Community 12:10 Raising the BuildClub Pre-Seed Round 16:03 How did Annie pitch BuildClub 17:59 Launching BuildClub Bounties and moving into Beta 19:30 Annie talks future plans 22:39 Annie's Tips 24:02 Top Upcoming founders 25:14 Thanks for being on the pod Subscribe on below for the next episode or signup below! More information and links: ⁠⁠⁠https://galileo.ventures/podcast⁠⁠⁠ Find us on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/galileovc⁠⁠⁠ Find is on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/gali⁠⁠⁠... Follow the hosts on Twitter: @jamesfromsydney and @hughstephens Please note that all content discussed and presented on this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice or used to evaluate any investment. Information presented here is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Galileo Ventures fund.

November 9, 202451 min

US Election Impact on Tech (EP202)

In this special episode EP202 of the Galileo Ventures podcast, James and Hugh welcome Julia French, a tech veteran with experience in both Silicon Valley and Australia, to discuss the implications of another Trump presidency on the tech sectors in the US and Australia. They delve into election results, the rise of AI, immigration policies and international trade relations. They also explore the Australian government's regulatory approach to social media and its implications for future generations. US Election Impact on Tech with Julia French | Galileo Ventures Podcast EP202 00:00 EP02 US Election Special (News Section) 01:22 Why Trump won in a sea of red? 04:25 First VP VC in office? 07:22 Trump and AI 21:39 What Ai Deregulations mean for AUS 24:36 Will AUKUS continue? 28:57 CHIPS Act in Australia and AI Policy 30:00 Future of E3 Visa and Impacts of a Trump Presidency 33:46 Social Media Ban? 39:13 What is considered Social Media? 46:24 Post-technology Parents and education Galileo Ventures Season 2 Podcast is proudly sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills. HSF represents the top founders and investors with deep expertise across the startup lifecycle. If you’re interested in learning head to ⁠galileo.lol/hsf⁠. Subscribe on below for the next episode or signup below! More information and links: ⁠⁠https://galileo.ventures/podcast⁠⁠ Find us on Twitter: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/galileovc⁠⁠ Find is on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/gali⁠⁠... Follow the hosts on Twitter: @jamesfromsydney and @hughstephens Please note that all content discussed and presented on this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice or used to evaluate any investment. Information presented here is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Galileo Ventures fund.

October 2, 2024Episode 154 min

Startup Fundraising Top Tips and Advice in 2024 and Fake AI Friends: The End of the Internet?

In the kickoff of Season 2, James and Hugh discuss the latest in seed funding data and the fundraising climate in Australia compared to the U.S. We examine the controversial decision of a founder spending $1.8 million on a domain name and explore the implications of AI companions on social interactions. Plus, special guests Claire Thompson and Toby Eggleston from Herbert Smith Freehills share insights on navigating startup fundraising with practical tips for founders. Galileo Ventures Season 2 Podcast is proudly sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills. HSF represents the top founders and investors with deep expertise across the startup lifecycle. If you’re interested in learning head to galileo.lol/hsf. 00:12 Intros 00:59 Sponser 01:38 Grit or Quit Segment 04:16 Should we all get AI friends? 21:12 Startup fundraising: Should founders raise capital now or wait? 30:28 Guest Interview with HSF on Startup Fundraising climate and tips for founders 31:25 Introductions and Why you're doing what you do 33:17 Startup Fundraising Climate in AU 35:53 Is there VC competition for deals right now? 37:43 Agressive terms? 39:19 What terms are you seeing? 41:27 Interest from Asian VCs in Australia 43:44 Top tips for founders raising capital? 48:00 Picking the right law firm 49:45 How much should a transaction cost? 53:02 Outro Shownotes: ⁠HSF Venture Capital and Growth⁠ State of Startup Seed Funding: ⁠https://vcdownunder.substack.com/p/state-of-startup-seed-funding-in About: Galileo Ventures Podcast serves up VC insider insights and hot takes on the latest tech news, for early-stage founders and investors. This podcast is presented by two investors and operators, James Alexander & Hugh Stephens, Co-founders and Partners at seed VC firm, Galileo Ventures. Disclaimer: Please note that all content discussed and presented on this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice or used to evaluate any investment. Information presented here is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Galileo Ventures fund.

July 11, 2024Episode 111 hr 5 min

EP11: Tech Bubble or Boom? AI Wearables, Robots and the Gender Funding Gap

Last episode of season 1 😅 The Pod for early-stage founders and investors. Presented two investors and operators, James Alexander & Hugh Stephens, Co-founders and Partners at Galileo Ventures – a leading seed VC in Australia. In this episode we cover: AI Wearables and Robots Special Segment: The latest innovations in AI hardware: Rabbit R1, Humane pin, Compass wearable, and Friend pendant. Discussion on the potential and challenges of these devices. Listener review of the Rabbit R1 and its practical applications. Are We in a Tech Bubble? Analysis of current tech market trends and valuations. The impact of Series A crunch and increased startup shutdowns. Comparison of AI company valuations versus public SaaS market multiples. The Gender Funding Gap with Special Guest Natasha Rawlings: Insights from Natasha Rawlings on the persistent gender funding gap in venture capital. Discussion on the progress and remaining challenges for female founders. Practical tips for women raising their first round of funding. The role of investors in supporting diverse teams and fostering inclusivity. Shownotes: Learning Robot Soccer from Egocentric Vision with Deep Reinforcement Learning https://sites.google.com/view/vision-soccer Compass https://compasswearable.com/ Friend https://basedhardware.com/ Lighter Capital Report: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/venture-capital-funding-women-making-progress-melissa-widner-zpuxc/ Cut Through Funding Quarterly https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sxwKIjDwFtpY9MNtUb7tfcCU8cvvGzXI/view Subscribe on below for the next episode or signup below! More information and links: ⁠⁠https://galileo.ventures/podcast⁠⁠ Find us on Twitter: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/galileovc⁠⁠ Find is on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/gali⁠⁠... Follow the hosts on Twitter: @jamesfromsydney and @hughstephens Please note that all content discussed and presented on this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice or used to evaluate any investment. Information presented here is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Galileo Ventures fund.

June 1, 2024Episode 1041 min

EP10: Latest AI announcements, Canva in LA, $1b Quantum investment, Relevance AI office opening

The latest news and views on global tech for early-stage founders and investors. Presented two investors and operators, James Alexander & Hugh Stephens, Co-founders and Partners at Galileo Ventures – a leading seed VC in Australia. In this episode we cover: ‘AI Model Month’ - Special coverage on the latest AI model announcements Australia’s $1b investment into PsiQuantum Relevance AI’s first customer opening Shownotes: Takeaways from GPT4o on James’s Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/vcdownunder/p/towards-a-multi-agent-ai-future?r=3oy2g&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Interview with Relevance AI founder: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0htzbKGwlFR2su6gEk1eFX?si=15e186d70d284865 Subscribe on below for the next episode or signup below! More information and links: ⁠⁠https://galileo.ventures/podcast⁠⁠ Find us on Twitter: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/galileovc⁠⁠ Find is on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/gali⁠⁠... Follow the hosts on Twitter: @jamesfromsydney and @hughstephens Please note that all content discussed and presented on this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice or used to evaluate any investment. Information presented here is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Galileo Ventures fund.