How Delphi Raised $16M from Sequoia to Build Digital Minds

Hey, Justin here, and welcome to Just Go Grind, a newsletter sharing the lessons, tactics, and stories of world-class founders!

Dara Ladjevardian sold his first startup within a year, then set out to tackle something far more ambitious: Delphi, a platform that creates a digital version of your mind, a 24/7 interactive presence that can coach, teach, and share your expertise long after you have left the room.

In this episode, Dara shares how he went from experimenting with recreating his grandfather’s wisdom to raising a $16 million Series A led by Sequoia, why he believes Delphi is the future of mentorship and digital legacy, and how persistence through “false fails” shaped the company’s journey.

Dara also breaks down finding the right co-founder, building a brand people trust with their identity, scaling entirely through word of mouth, and what it takes to create a product designed to last 500 years.

This was such a fun interview and I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you to today’s sponsor, Relay Human Cloud, for supporting the show!

Listen to Dara’s interview on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

Let’s dive in.

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• Delphi lets you scale your mind through AI. The platform creates a digital version of you that others can interact with anytime, anywhere.

• The idea began with Dara’s grandfather. After reading Kurzweil’s How to Create a Mind, Dara experimented with building a digital version of his grandfather, inspiring the vision for Delphi.

• Early traction came without marketing. Delphi grew through word-of-mouth and organic adoption rather than paid channels.

• Top use cases include education, coaching, and mentorship. Experts and creators use Delphi to extend their reach and provide value beyond traditional books or courses.

• Identity verification is essential. Users must upload a photo holding their ID to ensure authenticity and trust.

• Delphi ingests content to keep your digital mind current. Tweets, blogs, podcasts, and videos help shape how your digital version engages.

• Investors include Sequoia and Founders Fund. Delphi also attracted prominent creators like Brendon Burchard and Tiago Forte.

• “Digital mind” is deliberate wording. Dara avoids terms like “clone” or “chatbot” to emphasize individuality and humanity.

• The technology goes beyond surface answers. Delphi’s “mind architecture” captures not just knowledge but reasoning, priorities, and worldview.

• Nuance is the differentiator. Digital minds reflect how you think—contradictions, associations, and evolving beliefs.

• Integrations make Delphi versatile. It can be accessed via websites, Slack, WhatsApp, and more.

• Lean but ambitious team. Delphi balances seasoned hires with young, high-slope talent who grow quickly.

• The vision is massive. Dara sees Delphi as a long-lasting “Library of Alexandria for minds.”

• False fails shaped the journey. Delphi faced slow traction at first, but persistence and iteration proved the idea’s strength.

• Product quality drives growth. Dara believes the best products don’t need paid ads because users become evangelists.

• In-person presence builds trust. Speaking at conferences and meeting customers face-to-face helps overcome skepticism.

• Hiring is deliberate and values-driven. Every team member has fully bought into the mission, often relocating to SF to be all-in.

• Delphi creates new forms of monetization. From courses to digital coaching, creators are using Delphi to engage and earn in unique ways.

Listen to Dara’s interview on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

• What Delphi is and how it works

• The story of building a digital version of Dara’s grandfather

• Early traction and the first acquisition

• Use cases across coaching, mentorship, and education

• Why “digital mind” matters more than “clone”

• Building trust and verifying identity

• How content ingestion powers the experience

• Product iteration and overcoming false fails

• Raising $16M from Sequoia and others

• The role of in-person trust and conferences

• Lean team structure and unique hiring practices

• Inspirations from neuroscience and Kurzweil

• Branding, positioning, and deliberate messaging

• Balancing young talent with experienced hires

• Organic growth vs. paid marketing

• Strategic integrations across communication platforms

• Challenges of building in a new category

• Delphi as a brand and trusted steward of digital legacy

• Long-term vision: a global library of digital minds

Listen to Dara’s interview on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

Best,
Justin

Founder of Just Go Grind