Insights from the 20VC with Harry Stebbings episode “Why Now is the Time for the App Layer | Why Startups Should be TokenMaxxing | Mike Mignano, USV”, published July 6, 2026.
In "Why Now is the Time for the App Layer | Why Startups Should be TokenMaxxing | Mike Mignano, USV" (20VC with Harry Stebbings, July 2026), uSV General Partner Mike Mignano argues that the next wave of AI value will come from startups that completely reinvent business models rather than just making them faster. He…
In "Why Now is the Time for the App Layer | Why Startups Should be TokenMaxxing | Mike Mignano, USV", A harness goes beyond a simple chat interface by embedding itself into workflows, such as meeting management or coding assistants. By serving as an active agent rather than a passive tool, it builds up valuable…
In "Why Now is the Time for the App Layer | Why Startups Should be TokenMaxxing | Mike Mignano, USV", This is a USV strategy that avoids selling minor productivity improvements to enterprises. Instead, it seeks to bet on startups that reinvent processes from the ground up, making the old way of doing things obsolete.
In "Why Now is the Time for the App Layer | Why Startups Should be TokenMaxxing | Mike Mignano, USV", This concept explores the theoretical point where AI might leapfrog human intelligence. While it drives much of the 'fear' in AI research, the discussion here considers whether hardware constraints or data limits…
USV General Partner Mike Mignano argues that the next wave of AI value will come from startups that completely reinvent business models rather than just making them faster. He highlights the critical role of mission-driven teams and thesis-based investing in a market moving toward specialized, human-aligned agents.
