Bryan Kim, Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), focuses on early-stage investments in consumer and application-layer AI. He has invested in some of the most prolific consumer companies like: Captions, ElevenLabs, BeReal, Function Health, and more.One of his recent investments is viral phenomenon, Cluely, a controversial San Francisco-based AI startup founded by Roy Lee. Cluely has raised over $20M to date, with their most recent $15M investment from Bryan at a16z. Cluely is building an invisible desktop assistant to help you “cheat on everything.”We talk about:• The wild backstory behind investing in Cluely & ElevenLabs• Why he calls momentum “the moat” in the AI era• What it takes to raise a Series A today• How context makes AI products infinitely better, and harder to replaceBrought to you by:Brex—The modern finance platform, combining the world’s smartest corporate card with integrated expense management, banking, bill pay, and travel. As a Sourcery listener, you can unlock up to $500 toward Brex travel or $300 in cash back, plus exclusive perks to help you move even faster: https://brex.com/sourceryKalshi—The largest prediction market and the only legal platform in the US where people can trade directly on the outcomes of future events: https://kalshi.com/sourceryFourthwall—The #1 way to sell merch online — Fourthwall is the easiest way to launch a fully branded merch store—used by big brands like MKBHD, Acquired, & even the Smithsonian. 100+ products. No upfront cost. Visit Fourthwall to start today: https://fourthwall.com/Follow Sourcery for the latest updates!https://www.sourcery.vc/Connect with us:1. Bryan Kim: https://x.com/kirbyman012. Molly O’Shea: https://x.com/MollySOShea3. Sourcery: https://x.com/sourceryvc

Trailer

Welcome Bryan Kim & Cluely Intro

How Bryan Met Roy Lee

The $15M Bet On Cluely

Cluely’s Hype Media Strategy

Momentum Is The Moat

Brex’s Full-Stack Product Suite

Chasing ElevenLabs Across the Globe

Function Health & Preventive AI

Why Creative AI Tools Are Exploding

Deepfakes, Risks & Regulating AI

Startup Exits, Liquidity & What’s Changing

Do Post-2024 Startups Scale Faster?

OpenAI Usage beating Social Media?

The 3 Metrics Bryan Looks For

Growth vs. Profitability: Where We Are Now

Will Tech Layoffs Keep Rising?

What’s Next for Consumer AI

Will Roy Lee Become a Billionaire?

Jony Ive × OpenAI: New Ambient Device?

Waymo, Robotaxis & the Future of Cities