Twitch Co-Founder at Startup Grind | Why a $1B Exit Didn't Bring Fulfillment

27 May 2026 · 1 min

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In a Startup Grind interview, Twitch co‑founder Justin Kan reflects on the achievement‑driven mindset of Silicon Valley, noting a lack of genuine "sympathetic joy" for others' successes. When asked about AI, he cautions against diving in, describing it as chasing someone else’s dream. He emphasizes his preference for building companies and coaching founders rather than solely investing. Kan observes that the Valley has simply gotten bigger—higher compensation, more people, larger industry—and predicts that brain‑computer interfaces (BCIs) will be the next major technological wave, urging listeners to consider careers in that space.

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I think it's hard to, especially in a place like Silicon Valley where everyone's always very achievement-oriented. You have some of the most ambitious people in the world here. We don't talk a lot about sympathetic joy for other people where you're just happy for someone else, not because you're getting something from it. Selling your company or getting a promotion or raising money or whatever, any of those milestones or whatever, that feels great, right? For a moment. Of course it feels great. Like, I don't want to lie about it.
What do you think with AI? Do you feel the need to jump in and put your heart and soul into some new AI tech?
I think it'd just be chasing somebody else's dream.
Building stuff versus like being an investor?
I much prefer to build stuff, you know. I like to work on companies where I'm a little more involved and I love coaching, so I try to coach if I'm investing in someone or co-founding a company.
For those that haven't been in Silicon Valley for 20 years, how have you seen things change for better or for worse?
I think it's like similar. Everything is just more. It's bigger. Comps are bigger. There's more people. The industry's a lot bigger. I think brain-computer interfaces are the next— is next up. Go get a job in brain-computer interfaces. That's gonna be next up.
Justin Kan.
There you go.
Thank you.