a16z podcast: why AI startups can still beat incumbents — Lio CEO on agent-run procurement
a16z · youtube · 2026-10-02
- a16z's Seema Amble and Elena Burger interview Vladimir Keil, co-founder/CEO of procurement-automation startup Lio, on how AI-native startups compete with incumbents that own the customer, data and system of record
- Core thesis: an $8K ERP line item hides hundreds of emails, spreadsheets, supplier conversations and cross-functional decisions — the work outside the systems is where AI startups win
- Lio uses multi-agent systems for end-to-end procurement: sourcing, RFQs, negotiation, shipment tracking, invoices
- Also covered: how enterprises learn to trust agents with consequential decisions, why the last 20% of internal AI builds takes most of the effort, what happens when both buyers and suppliers deploy agents, and what a durable vertical AI company looks like
Related event: Lio CEO on a16z Podcast: How AI Startups Beat Software Giants(2 posts)→
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