All-In E14: Salesforce acquires Slack, DeepMind's AlphaFold breakthrough, Trust Fund Socialists & more
Episode 14 • 12/4/2020
Key discussions and takeaways:
Salesforce-Slack Acquisition
- Salesforce acquired Slack for $27.7B, the largest SaaS acquisition to date
- Chamath invested in Slack's Series A, seeing potential in their "inter-company edges" for cross-company communication
- The group discussed how Slack could have grown faster with stronger enterprise sales focus
- Deal valued at roughly 10% premium to trading price
- Discussion of acquisition strategy and information asymmetry in large M&A deals
DeepMind's AlphaFold Breakthrough
- Friedberg explained the scientific significance of protein folding and AlphaFold's achievement
- The breakthrough could revolutionize drug discovery and protein engineering
- Discussion of ethical implications and potential dual-use concerns
- Group debated the role of big tech companies in enabling such breakthroughs
Georgia Senate Runoffs
- Discussed dynamics of Georgia runoff elections and implications for Senate control
- Analyzed Trump's post-election legal challenges impact on Republican chances
- Discussion of polling showing Democrats pulling ahead
Trust Fund Socialism Discussion
- Group critiqued NY Times article about wealthy heirs wanting to dismantle capitalism
- Defended capitalism's role in creating value and raising living standards
- Discussed responsible wealth stewardship and parenting
- Debated the benefits of market incentives versus socialist alternatives
Other Topics:
- Section 230 and Trump's threat to veto defense bill
- Discussion of Biden's transition and cabinet picks
- Debate over future of conservative media landscape
- Coinbase's preemptive response to NYT story
The episode showcased thoughtful debate on major business, technology and political developments while defending capitalism's achievements and innovation potential.