# The Slow Hunch Podcast: Episode 8 with Fred Wilson & Brad Burnham

**Published by:** [The Slow Hunch by Nick Grossman](https://nickgrossman.xyz/)
**Published on:** 2025-03-21
**URL:** https://nickgrossman.xyz/the-slow-hunch-podcast-episode-8-with-fred-wilson-and-brad-burnham

## Content

I recently had the privilege of sitting down with my partners Fred Wilson and Brad Burnham for an episode of The Slow Hunch podcast, and I'm excited to share our conversation. This one was special for me. Having worked alongside Fred and Brad for over a dozen years at USV, I've experienced firsthand what makes them such remarkable investors and partners. Our conversation takes us back to the beginning of USV and traces the winding path that led to the firm we know today. What strikes me most about Fred and Brad is their endless curiosity. As Rebecca perfectly put it: "There are many reasons why @fredwilson & @BradUSV are all time greats but one of the biggest is they are forever curiosity driven. Investing starts with what you can learn, not what you know. Over and over." And it doesn't ever get old. In the episode, we explore:The early days of their partnership and how their complementary perspectives shaped USVHow they developed an investment thesis that evolved with technology but remained grounded in core principlesThe moments of doubt, the unexpected turns, and the slow hunches that unfolded along the wayTheir approach to learning new technologies and markets, always running "quickly toward the new idea, the weirder the better"This conversation captures some of the spirit and the wisdom they've shared with all of us at USV over the years, and I hope you enjoy! As always, you can listen to this episode on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you consume podcasts. You can also watch the full video on YouTube. Chapters: 00:00:00 Cold open00:10:40 How USV was formed00:17:16 Fred and Brad on their investment philosophy00:24:01 Overcoming early challenges00:27:43 The emergence of web200:30:59 The initial promise of social media00:34:04 Investing in Twitter00:39:11 The early days of Bitcoin00:45:55 The risk of market consolidation in AI 00:49:39 Fred and Brad reflect on their mistakes00:57:18 The Impact of AI01:07:23 The future of technology01:09:50 What keeps them going after 30+ years

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