Slingshot AI Debate Series June 2026: Is Building Easy Now?
Slingshot AI's Debate Series
Calling all builders! AI has changed the way we build products. Is building easy now?
In 2026, what does it take to build something that changes the world? Has it changed? Is it hard work, creativity, and brilliance? Is it just luck or growth momentum? Should companies be 10x smaller now? Or do they need to be doing 10x more?
Or is building harder than ever? Do we now need to work 7 days per week, like Harry Stebbings frequently insists on social media? Is AI dumbing us down, making us lazy, while the real challenges out there are as hard as ever?
We've brought in some amazing speakers for this one and they will absolutely challenge the way you think about company-building and product-building.
Slingshot Debate Series
This is our third Slingshot AI London Debate. Something about the Slingshot AI team, we love a good philosophical debate. So we thought, why not open the conversation and invite you in?
Join us for an evening of thought-provoking discussion, audience participation, lively conversation, and food!
All coders, engineers, builders welcome!
The speakers
Bryan Kim is a partner at a16z focused on consumer AI applications. His portfolio cuts across categories like productivity, consumer health, creation, and connection, and includes ElevenLabs, Cluely, Function Health, Captions, BeReal, Partiful and Slingshot AI. Before venture, he spent several years at Snap, where he helped scale the company through its hyper-growth 2nd IPO. BK is well known for his thesis that "momentum is the moat" in consumer AI.
Harry Stebbings is the founder of 20VC, the venture firm and media platform that grew out of The Twenty Minute VC podcast. He famously started the podcast at eighteen from his bedroom with a microphone and a cold email, and the show has now done over 2,800 episodes and 100 million downloads. His fund has invested ~$650M to date with an LP base heavy with unicorn founders and a reputation for moving quickly and writing meaningful first cheques at seed and Series A. His portfolio includes legendary companies including Perplexity, 11x, Linear, AgentSync, Poolside, Linktree, Nex Health, and Merge API.
Event Schedule
7:30pm: Doors open
Receive a marble on entry (you’ll need it later 👀)
8:00pm: Debate begins
Opening statement – Yes (5 min)
Opening statement – No (5 min)
Audience speeches alternate yes/no, anyone can raise their hand to get up to speak (2 min each), about 3 each (moderator picks them)
Closing statements (2 min each)
Audience vote with marbles
After the vote
Time for mingling, chatting, and continuing the debate over drinks
A space where big ideas, bold opinions, and curious minds collide.