Melody Koh, Partner at NextView Ventures, joins the Dakota Live Podcast to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping venture capital, startup building, company scaling, and the future of work.

As both a seed-stage investor and the leader of NextView’s AI and data initiatives, Melody offers a unique perspective on what separates winning founders from the rest in an AI-native economy. From evaluating startup teams and identifying durable competitive advantages to redesigning venture capital workflows with AI agents, this conversation explores how technology is changing both sides of the investment table.

Topics include:

  • The current state of venture capital in 2026
  • How AI is changing startup formation and company building
  • AI agents vs. traditional workflows
  • Why venture firms must reinvent themselves
  • The future of seed-stage investing
  • What investors look for in AI-native startups
  • Consumer AI opportunities that may be overlooked

Melody also shares lessons from building and scaling products at Blue Apron, investing through multiple venture cycles, and helping founders navigate the challenges of growth, hiring, and execution.

Whether you’re a founder, allocator, venture capitalist, institutional investor, or student interested in innovation and emerging technology, this episode provides a practical look at where venture capital and artificial intelligence are headed next.