Scaling a startup is harder than it looks. From hiring and funding to execution, most founders underestimate what it really takes to grow a business.

In this episode, Bob van Luijt, CEO & co-founder of Weaviate, shares his hard-earned lessons from building an AI-native database company that has scaled to 100+ employees worldwide.

What you’ll learn in this episode:
✅ Why your ability to sell a vision matters more than the idea itself
✅ How open source can fuel startup adoption before monetization
✅ The real role of funding—why investment is borrowing from the future
✅ How to structure a winning startup team (and why hiring the right mix of people is critical)
✅ Why most founders overthink instead of just starting

If you’re a founder, startup enthusiast, or thinking about launching your own business, this episode is a must-listen! 🚀

🎧 Listen now & subscribe for more deep-dive tech conversations!

Connect with Bob van Luijt:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobvanluijt

https://x.com/bobvanluijt

Full episode on YouTube ▶️

https://youtu.be/iax1qipf9Hk

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Lessons from Scaling Weaviate: Startup Growth & Hiring

Beyond Coding