Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Cliff Weitzman is the co-founder and CEO of Speechify, the world's leading AI voice and text-to-speech platform, used by more than 60 million people globally. Diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, Cliff first built Speechify at Brown University to help him consume written material through audio.
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:55 - Why Speechify Is Spending Tens of Millions on Its Own GPUs
07:12 - Why Buying GPUs Can Be Better Than Renting Them
12:28 - Are NVIDIA’s Circular Economy Fears Overblown?
13:49 - What No One Understands About Buying AI Chips
18:26 - Why Owning Compute Can Become a Competitive Advantage
20:55 - How Big Can the AI Data Market Become?
22:59 - How ElevenLabs Leapfrogged Speechify
25:23 - Is Speechify Making a Mistake Going Into B2B?
30:17 - Why Every Winning AI Company Becomes a Compound Startup
31:10 - Is This the Hardest Time Ever for Startups to Hire Great Talent?
37:26 - How AI Is Completely Changing Software Engineering
39:18 - How Should Companies Think About AI Token Spend?
45:29 - How Your Hiring Process Needs to Change in the AI Era
47:03 - Is Voice AI Becoming Completely Commoditized?
50:18 - Is Customer Support the Wrong AI Market to Bet On?
53:34 - Sierra vs ElevenLabs: Who Becomes Bigger?
55:18 - Quick-Fire Round
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Subscribe on Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/3j2KMcZTtgTNBKwtZBMHvl?si=85bc9196860e4466
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-twenty-minute-vc-20vc-venture-capital-startup/id958230465
Follow Harry Stebbings on X:
twitter.com/HarryStebbings
Follow Cliff Weitzman on X:
twitter.com/cliffweitzman
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Visit our Website:
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Legal Disclaimer:
The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Any discussion of stocks, public markets, or investment strategies reflects the personal opinions of the speakers and should not be relied upon when making investment decisions. Figures, valuations, and financial data referenced may be estimates or subject to error. Always consult a qualified financial adviser before making any investment decision. The views expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the views of 20VC or its affiliates.
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#20vc #harrystebbings #cliffweitzman #ceo #speechify #ai #voiceai #startup #elevenlabs #sierra
Cliff Weitzman is the co-founder and CEO of Speechify, the world's leading AI voice and text-to-speech platform, used by more than 60 million people globally. Diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, Cliff first built Speechify at Brown University to help him consume written material through audio.
-----------------------------------------------
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:55 - Why Speechify Is Spending Tens of Millions on Its Own GPUs
07:12 - Why Buying GPUs Can Be Better Than Renting Them
12:28 - Are NVIDIA’s Circular Economy Fears Overblown?
13:49 - What No One Understands About Buying AI Chips
18:26 - Why Owning Compute Can Become a Competitive Advantage
20:55 - How Big Can the AI Data Market Become?
22:59 - How ElevenLabs Leapfrogged Speechify
25:23 - Is Speechify Making a Mistake Going Into B2B?
30:17 - Why Every Winning AI Company Becomes a Compound Startup
31:10 - Is This the Hardest Time Ever for Startups to Hire Great Talent?
37:26 - How AI Is Completely Changing Software Engineering
39:18 - How Should Companies Think About AI Token Spend?
45:29 - How Your Hiring Process Needs to Change in the AI Era
47:03 - Is Voice AI Becoming Completely Commoditized?
50:18 - Is Customer Support the Wrong AI Market to Bet On?
53:34 - Sierra vs ElevenLabs: Who Becomes Bigger?
55:18 - Quick-Fire Round
-----------------------------------------------
Subscribe on Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/3j2KMcZTtgTNBKwtZBMHvl?si=85bc9196860e4466
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-twenty-minute-vc-20vc-venture-capital-startup/id958230465
Follow Harry Stebbings on X:
twitter.com/HarryStebbings
Follow Cliff Weitzman on X:
twitter.com/cliffweitzman
Follow 20VC on Instagram:
instagram.com/20vchq
Follow 20VC on TikTok:
tiktok.com/@20vc_tok
Visit our Website:
20vc.com
Subscribe to our Newsletter:
thetwentyminutevc.com/contact
-----------------------------------------------
Legal Disclaimer:
The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Any discussion of stocks, public markets, or investment strategies reflects the personal opinions of the speakers and should not be relied upon when making investment decisions. Figures, valuations, and financial data referenced may be estimates or subject to error. Always consult a qualified financial adviser before making any investment decision. The views expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the views of 20VC or its affiliates.
-----------------------------------------------
#20vc #harrystebbings #cliffweitzman #ceo #speechify #ai #voiceai #startup #elevenlabs #sierra
