Philly Builds AI Founders Event: We’ve Seen This Wave Before
Fireside Chat: We’ve Seen This Wave Before
Mike Oeth on what the early internet and VoIP can teach AI-era founders
When Mike helped build one of New York City’s first internet service providers, “the web” was a curiosity, infrastructure was scarce, and nobody knew where the value would settle. He later founded OnSIP in the early 2000s, a VoIP company that took on entrenched telecom incumbents, and he eventually led it to an acquisition. Today’s AI wave rhymes with both eras: a platform shift, a flood of new entrants, collapsing costs, and a scramble to tell durable businesses from hype.
In this conversation, Mike shares the patterns he has seen repeat and the ones that break, so founders can better judge where to build, how to price, when to raise, and how to think about their eventual exit.
Founders will walk away with:
A framework for telling a real platform shift from a bubble, from someone who lived through the dot-com cycle as an operator
How to build on top of infrastructure you don’t control, and what happens when the underlying layer commoditizes
How to compete against incumbents who have more money and distribution
What it takes to build a company that is attractive to acquirers, and what the acquisition process actually feels like from the founder’s chair
We gratefully acknowledge J.P. Morgan as a Founding Sponsor of Philly Builds AI, supporting our mission to advance Philadelphia’s leadership in Enterprise AI.
11-11:30 Check in, networking, grab lunch
11:30-12:30 Host kick off, main presentation, q&a
12:30-1 Continued networking and wrap up
Media and Photography Disclosure
By registering for or attending Philly Builds AI events, you grant Philly Builds AI and affiliates permission to photograph, record, and capture your image, likeness, and voice in audio or video format without compensation. These materials may be edited, reproduced, published, distributed, or otherwise used in connection with Philly Builds AI's educational, marketing, promotional, and community initiatives. You waive the right to review or approve any final materials in which your likeness appears and waive any claim to royalties or other compensation arising from such use. Content may be used across digital, print, and social platforms in any geographic region.