Orbit - An Hg software leadership podcast

• Quick and dirty prototypes with Andrew Ng

  In this episode of Orbit, Matthew Brockman, Managing Partner at Hg, sits down with renowned AI pioneer Andrew Ng to explore the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Andrew, who has led ground-breaking initiatives at Stanford AI Lab, Google Brain, and Coursera, shares fascinating insights on building in the AI era, including how the falling costs of prototyping (just $55,000 to create a working prototype) are democratising innovation and allowing companies to take more shots at goal with minimal risk. The conversation delves into practical advice for software leaders navigating this technological revolution, with Andrew emphasising that the real value lies in the application layer rather than foundation models themselves. He challenges conventional thinking about AI "kill zones," advocates for creating innovation sandboxes within organisations, and offers a compelling perspective on why professionals across all domains—from lawyers to doctors to marketers—should learn coding to effectively harness AI's potential. Andrew's prediction of the rise of "10x professionals" who can masterfully direct AI to accomplish tasks presents both an exciting opportunity and imperative for business leaders to embrace this transformative moment.

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• A glimpse of the next generation: Zoe Zhao and Annalise Dragic, co-founders of Azlin Software

  As AI beds into the business world, a new breed of company is being born where the latest technology is built-in. Helping them to grow is an equally new breed of investor. In the first Orbit of 2025, Nic Humphries hosts sits down with Zoe Zhao and Annalise Dragic, co-founders of Azlin Software. With backgrounds in venture capital, M&A, and Hg's own Saturn investment team, Zhao and Dragic share their journey from investing in B2B software companies to creating their own investment platform. They delve into their unique approach to acquiring and nurturing vertically specialized young businesses, emphasizing a long-term, sustainable growth model that leverages AI and automation for efficiency. The co-founders discuss the importance of community within their portfolio, fostering innovation, and the balance between nurturing product development and a vibrant company culture. Their entrepreneurial spirit shines through as they explain how Azlin Software plans to support founders at the smaller end of the market, where businesses may not yet have the resources to fully realize AI's potential. Whether discussing their own entrepreneurial leap or the future of software investment, Zhao and Dragic offer a fresh perspective on the intersection of technology and business growth.” azlinsoftware.com [email protected] [email protected]

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• Incubation, experimentation and implementation: the real business case for AI today

  In our latest episode Hg’s Managing Partner, Matthew Brockman, presses two CEOs and an AI insider on how a business leader can usefully integrate generative AI into their business workflows. David Carmona, a VP and CTO at Microsoft, Avaneesh Marwaha, CEO of US legal tech producer Litera, and Soeren Brogaard, CEO of Danish construction innovators, Trackunit, cover the swift advancements in AI that are redefining industry workflows. These experts explore the journey from AI incubation to mass adoption, the balance between internal efficiency and customer-centric product enhancements, and the need for data-rich, insight-driven business strategies. They also consider the future of AI in reshaping the legal and construction sectors and the importance of fostering an organizational culture that embraces continuous innovation.

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• Risk-taking & Resilience with Sukhinder Singh-Cassidy CEO of Xero

  Hg’s Joe Jefferies sits down with Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, the CEO of Xero, to unravel the intricacies of leading a global software company and the personal journey that brought her to the helm. With a history of bold moves at tech behemoths like Amazon and Google, Singh Cassidy shares her philosophy on risk-taking, revealing how a series of strategic bets rather than any singular decision shaped her illustrious career. From a father's entrepreneurial spirit; to navigating a rocky job market post-college on the eve of a tech boom; to Xero's remarkable growth across 180 countries: Singh Cassidy reflects on fostering a culture of inclusivity and the importance of authenticity in leadership all whilst thriving on the continuous pursuit of impactful risk-taking.

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• Vulnerability as strength in business: Nick Mehta of Gainsight

  In this enlightening episode of the Hg podcast series Orbit, host Joe Jefferies converses with Nick Mehta, the long-standing CEO of Gainsight, about the intersection of vulnerability and leadership in building a successful software company. Nick candidly describes his philosophy of "human-first" leadership, which has become a cornerstone of Gainsight's culture. He recounts his journey from childhood ambitions instilled by his father to the challenges he faced fitting in, and how these experiences shaped his transparent and authentic approach to leadership, coining the term "Nick 2.0" to signify his evolution. This transformation involved embracing openness and candidness, not just personally but also at the organisational level with "Gainsight 2.0," fostering a culture where honesty is valued, and employees are encouraged to embrace their own personal growth narratives.

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