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20VC: Corgi Insurance: The Most Intense Workplace Culture in America: 7 Days Per Week, Founder Sleeps in Office, Corgi Cafe Open 24 Hours a Day, 60% of First 30 Employees Have Corgi Tattoos | The Journey from $0 to $2.6BN Valuation in Just 2 Years

20VC: Corgi Insurance: The Most Intense Workplace Culture in America: 7 Days Per Week, Founder Sleeps in Office, Corgi Cafe Open 24 Hours a Day, 60% of First 30 Employees Have Corgi Tattoos | The Journey from $0 to $2.6BN Valuation in Just 2 Years

Author: Harry Stebbings May 30, 2026 Duration: 53:18
The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
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Nico Laqua is the Co-Founder and CEO of Corgi Insurance, an AI-native insurance carrier built for startups. Corgi is the most intense workplace culture in America. The team works 7 days per week. The founder sleeps in the office. ⅔ of the first 30 team members have a Corgi tattoo. This week, Corgi raised $106M, valuing the company at a whopping $2.6BN. 

AGENDA: 

06:35 Why going to university was a massive waste of time 

09:42 Why we work seven days a week 

11:58 Why we do work trials and how that is a test of people's stamina 

18:41 Why we created a cafe in the biggest annoyance with San Francisco 

22:00 Why I am so bullish on London 

23:49 Why I haven't sold a single secondary 

24:19 Why people who found companies in New York prioritise dating over their company 

30:46 Biggest lessons on cash comp and equity 

31:13 Team members can be split into three separate groups 

34:59 Biggest lesson from Brian Chesky on price 

35:44 What is the right amount of time to be fundraising for? 

36:47 Good companies get deals done and what makes the best venture investors? 

40:34 Why AI makes sales and marketing more valuable 

43:12 Why I don't like boards and I don't think they're effective 

46:19 What I would like to see more of from venture funds 

48:05 Who was Corgi's first believer?

 

 


Hosted by Harry Stebbings, The Twenty Minute VC (20VC) pulls back the curtain on the high-stakes worlds of venture capital and startup building. Each episode is a compact, twenty-minute dive into the minds shaping the future of technology. You’ll hear candid conversations with legendary investors, the very individuals who fund and guide the next generation of companies, featuring voices like Sequoia's Doug Leone and Benchmark's Bill Gurley. Beyond the capital, this podcast dedicates time to the founders themselves. Weekly, Stebbings sits down with transformative entrepreneurs such as Spotify's Daniel Ek, LinkedIn's Reid Hoffman, and Snowflake's Frank Slootman, unpacking the real journeys behind their iconic companies. The format is direct and focused, cutting straight to the core insights on funding strategies, pitch dynamics, and the personal philosophies that drive success. Tuning into this podcast means gaining an unfiltered perspective from both sides of the table, all delivered in a concise and accessible style that fits into your day.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
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