En 30 secondes
Dara Khosrowshahi recalls his first reaction to the Uber opportunity and how Daniel Ek’s emphasis on impact changed his thinking.
- 1An initial refusalAfter reading about Uber’s problems, Khosrowshahi’s first answer to a call was no.
- 2Happy where he wasHe told Ek he had spent 13 years at his company and was enjoying his work.
- 3A question about impactEk’s emphasis on impact changed his perspective and helped him accept the opportunity.
À retenir
- Khosrowshahi initially rejected the idea of joining Uber.
- He was happy after 13 years at his previous company.
- Daniel Ek’s question about impact prompted him to reconsider.
Lire le texte remanié, chapitre par chapitre
The offer
Khosrowshahi recalls the call and his initial refusal.
Dara Khosrowshahi had read about Uber’s problems in the news when Daniel Ek pointed him toward the company. After Uber called, his first answer was an emphatic no.
A different question
He explains why he was happy where he was and recounts Ek’s response.
Khosrowshahi told Ek he had been at his company for 13 years, was enjoying himself and was happy. Ek responded: “Since when is life about happiness? It’s about impact.”
The decision
The conversation made him see the chance to make a difference.
That reframed the opportunity for Khosrowshahi. He realized he could make a difference at an important company, and decided to take it.
Sur la même chaîne
1:00:17EN
20VC with Harry Stebbings· 29 oct. 2026Podcast · 3 voixHarry Stebbings, Jason Lemkin and Rory O’Driscoll on AI financing and venture betsInvité : Jason Lemkin, Rory O’Driscoll · Anime : Harry StebbingsThe investors debate AI lab economics, spending on infrastructure, open-model risks and how to evaluate fast-moving private investments.
23:48EN20VC with Harry Stebbings· 26 oct. 2026Podcast · 2 voixSatya Nadella on Zero Trust for AI and Why Every Company Should Own Its IntelligenceInvité : Satya Nadella · Anime : Harry StebbingsThe Microsoft CEO argues that capable agents need security boundaries even as alignment research remains unsettled, and explains why firms should retain the value created by their own AI use.
1:13:26EN20VC with Harry Stebbings· 24 oct. 2026Podcast · 2 voixNaveen Rao on Energy, AI Hardware, Verification and the Future of RoboticsInvité : Naveen Rao · Anime : Harry StebbingsThe Unconventional AI founder argues that energy efficiency will shape AI hardware, while the growing volume of model output makes verification more valuable.
59:41EN20VC with Harry Stebbings· 22 oct. 2026Podcast · 3 voix20VC: Venture Fund Size, AI Valuations and the Changing Software MarketInvité : Jason Lemkin, Rory O’Driscoll · Anime : Harry StebbingsHarry Stebbings, Jason Lemkin and Rory O'Driscoll debate venture concentration, infrastructure risk, code review and the assumptions behind fast-growing AI companies.
1:19:50EN20VC with Harry Stebbings· 19 oct. 2026Podcast · 2 voixSameer Dholakia on AI Investing, Bessemer's Growth Strategy and Company CultureInvité : Sameer Dholakia · Anime : Harry StebbingsThe Bessemer partner explains his approach to pricing fast-growing AI companies, backing founders and building teams, while discussing the risks behind his optimistic forecasts.
1:03:05EN20VC with Harry Stebbings· 17 oct. 2026Podcast · 2 voixHarrison Chase on Building Reliable Agents, Model Routing and MemoryInvité : Harrison Chase · Anime : Harry StebbingsThe LangChain co-founder explains why agents remain difficult to control, where domain expertise matters, and how his team manages coding-agent costs.