June 11, 2025
How Specificity in Vertical AI Rewrites Industries | Nick Tippmann, TipTop VC
Specificity isn’t just a design choice. It’s the differentiator when inches matter. Nick Tippmann, founding partner of TipTop VC, explains how vertical AI is rewriting the software industry by going deeper, not wider. From the transition beyond SaaS to the gray zone between foundational models and high-stakes applications, we explore how vertical AI can transform laggard industries and why Austin might lead the race.
Episode Highlights
- What Vertical AI Really Means
- Specificity as the New Moat
- Founders, Not Just Models
- When General AI Fails
- Seed-Strapping Real or Not
- Rewriting Pricing Logic
- Vertical AI Talent Mix
- Redefining TAM in Niche Markets
- Scaling without Overspending
- What’s Next Austin?
- "Austin becomes a global hub for vertical AI winners with the rich combo of the enterprise SaaS lineage, the critical industries that are based here, the talent from the previous winners, the emerging talent from the universities, and more and more experienced operators and founders moving here for their second act"
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