Join Charles Lamanna with the founders of Mantis VC—also known as The Chainsmokers—for a candid conversation on what’s shaping the next wave of innovation.
 
From building and backing companies to spotting early signals in AI, the discussion will explore what’s gaining real traction, what’s overhyped, and where builders should focus next. Expect honest perspectives on how technology, culture, and go-to-market distribution come together to turn ideas into lasting products.

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀:
 * Charles Lamanna
 * The Chainsmokers


𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
This is one of many sessions from the Microsoft Build 2026 event. View even more sessions on-demand and learn about Microsoft Build at https://build.microsoft.com

LIVE110 | English (US)


Broadcast Stage


#MSBuild

Chapters:
0:00 - Mantis VC Background and Investment Focus
00:01:45 - Importance of Mission-Driven and Visionary Founders
00:02:12 - Discussion on AI Agents and Business Scalability
00:07:34 - Discussion About Personal Use of AI Tools and Summarization for Productivity
00:10:33 - Horizontal AI businesses and commoditization of core layers
00:12:01 - Commoditization and accessibility as key for large-scale software adoption
00:16:28 - Insight into finding true product–market fit and building the right product
00:18:31 - Importance of intentionality and building cult followings through obsession and purpose
00:20:20 - Conversation wrap-up with appreciation and event closing

Microsoft Developer

Chainsmokers members Drew and Alex discuss their venture fund Mantis VC at a Microsoft Build event. Key themes include early-stage investing focused on people over metrics, AI agents replacing human-in-the-loop workflows, the commoditization of foundation models, and the opportunity in hyperverticalized AI for regulated industries like legal, finance, and security. They highlight Factory AI as a portfolio company building for where AI is heading rather than where it is today, and emphasize that founders should be intentional and mission-driven rather than opportunistically chasing AI trends.

Backing the future of innovation | LIVE110