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a16z Podcast | AMPLab, the Power of Open Source, and the Future of Systems Software
22 segments available
The place where Apache Spark was born, UC Berkeley’s AMPLab has not just created a major open source software platform, it’s spun out more than its share of ground-breaking companies (full disclosure: a16z has invested in three of them). So how did they get there? How has open source and the AMPLab approach reduced the friction between student and faculty ideas and launching them into the real world? Co-founder and director of the AMPLab, Michael Franklin, joins a16z’s Peter Levine to discuss the AMPLab model, and their own relationship as an academic and an investor. Haoyuan Li also joins the discussion -- which was part of our 2015 Academic Roundtable -- to offer another perspective. Li’s company, Tachyon Nexus, came out of work he did as a student in the AMPLab and the resulting open source project. Li describes his struggles and victories in making the transition from student to founder and leader of a company.
Segments Timeline
The Birth of AMPLab
Michael Franklin introduces the AMPLab at UC Berkeley, highlighting its role in creating Apache Spark and spawning groundbreaking companies. He discusses the significance of open source and how the AMPLab model reduces friction between student and faculty ideas, facilitating their transition into real-world applications.
"welcome to the a 16z podcast I'm Michael Copeland the place where Apache spark was born UC berkeley's am pleb has not just created a major open source software platform it's spun out more than its sha..."
From Academia to Entrepreneurship
Michael Franklin shares his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, detailing his two-year hiatus from teaching to start a company. He reflects on the contrasting environments of academia and startups, emphasizing the excitement and urgency found in the startup world compared to traditional academic settings.
"ampulla begues ample and what every academic and entrepreneur can learn from it on this segment of the a 16 z podcast so let's start with you Michael you were entrepreneur in between being an academic..."
The Rise of Big Data
Franklin discusses the emergence of big data as a critical challenge for companies and how it aligns with the AMPLab's focus on large-scale computing and machine learning. He explains how the AMPLab was positioned to address this growing need, leveraging the expertise of its researchers.
"slow quiet and so you know you get used to being in this environment where kind of every day is is kind of a life or death situation right and you walk in and you know mostly in academia there it's de..."
Ingredients for AMPLab's Success
Peter Levine evaluates the key ingredients that contribute to the AMPLab's success, highlighting the shift in system software development to a new generation of innovators. He contrasts this with the traditional paths of industry veterans and emphasizes the revolutionary thinking emerging from the AMPLab.
"out from there but big data was it yeah yeah and and and the I think just about everyone here's a professor I mean the the message I give so when we we have a new chancellor at Berkeley and when he sh..."
The Role of Open Source
Franklin and Levine discuss the pivotal role of open source in enabling rapid development and deployment of ideas from students. They explore how the AMPLab's open-source approach reduces barriers for students to share their work and gain real-world feedback, fostering innovation.
"so well from from your perspective from my perspective I think the the most the most interesting aspect of the amp lev is sort of this macro trend in you know system software now being done by a whole..."
Funding and Collaboration
Franklin explains the funding model of the AMPLab, which combines government support with corporate sponsorship. He discusses how early engagement with companies provides valuable feedback and fosters collaboration, ensuring that the research aligns with industry needs.
"I go to amplify mean I think from from my perspective I think another way to say what Peter was saying was first of all open source has made a lot of this possible and so yeah you know I always tell p..."
Intellectual Property Dynamics
The discussion shifts to intellectual property rights within the AMPLab's open-source framework. Franklin clarifies that companies do not receive IP rights, emphasizing the importance of maintaining an open-source ethos while still attracting corporate funding.
"we do and give us feedback right so who gets IP rights among all those contributing companies brilliant question so and and this was done way before amp lab you know Berkeley has a long history of ope..."
The Value of Original Contributors
Levine shares insights on the significance of having original contributors involved in open-source projects. He argues that the inventors of the code provide a competitive edge, ensuring that the projects emerging from the AMPLab maintain their innovative spirit and market relevance.
"money and and that's a more complicated question different companies have different reasons well Peter you have a good answer for you invest in you know and multiple open source companies so or open s..."
Identifying Commercial Potential
The conversation shifts to how AMPLab identifies projects with commercial potential. Franklin shares insights on the characteristics of successful projects, emphasizing the importance of passion and traction in transforming research into viable businesses.
"thing is once once you you know you have to make this argument about the importance of you know building the brand building the the the level of activity and then you know it's a little indirect but y..."
Research Meets Real-World Impact
Franklin highlights the intersection of research and practical application at AMPLab. He discusses how the lab's focus on impactful projects has led to significant recognition, including awards for outstanding PhD work, showcasing the lab's influence on technology and society.
"commercializable what are the clues there I don't know about commercial or commercializable she sets a that's a tougher one I mean just I thought where you were going with that was sort of what's a go..."
The Evolution of Innovation
The discussion explores the shift in innovation sources from corporate labs to universities. Franklin shares a story about a delegation from China visiting AMPLab, illustrating how collaborative efforts among faculty have led to groundbreaking advancements in computer science without a formal plan.
"that's a false dichotomy I mean we were very fortunate left in this current year you know you all know the ACM dissertation Awards they give an award to sort of the the the the best PhD worked in comp..."
The Future of Data Science
Franklin and Levine delve into the current trends in data science, including big data, machine learning, and the Internet of Things. They discuss how these fields are evolving and the excitement surrounding new projects that leverage real-time analytics and distributed computing.
"wonderful who came up with this plan and you know we all sort of just looked each other and because they really wasn't a planning it's just it was really just a bunch of you know different faculty who..."
People-Centric Innovation
The final segment focuses on the role of people in the AMPLab ecosystem. Franklin emphasizes the importance of collaboration and community in driving innovation, particularly in the context of database-backed Internet of Things projects that integrate human interaction with technology.
"how we start to think about data and you know real-time analytics that occur not so much in the cloud but at the endpoint and so we're starting to see that in fact out of universities and all of that ..."
Introducing Tachyon: Memory-Centric Storage
Haoyuan Li introduces Tachyon, a memory-centric distributed storage system that emerged from his work at the AMPLab. He discusses the significance of memory-centric computing and how it addresses the storage challenges faced by successful projects like Apache Spark and Mesos, emphasizing the need for a robust storage layer.
"if you asked it a question and you weren't attached to the network it would just say gee I don't know they answered that question what do you think would create a bunch of jobs of Mechanical Turk or s..."
Evaluating Good Ideas in Tech
Peter Levine discusses the criteria for evaluating good ideas in technology investments. He reflects on the attributes that made Tachyon a compelling project, including the potential for a flat memory architecture and the belief that memory will continue to become cheaper, reshaping the future of computing.
"just give us a brief discussion of tachyon and and what it is that that the problem that you've gone after and actually why why you wanted to address that problem to oh okay so so Taikan is the memory..."
The Future of Memory in Computing
In this segment, Peter Levine elaborates on his vision for the future of memory in computing, discussing how the evolution of memory technology could lead to a new architecture for data storage and processing. He emphasizes the importance of innovative ideas that challenge existing paradigms and the potential for Tachyon to play a significant role in this transformation.
"just one caveat the view here I mean I have been in the storage space for a long time and when we met one of the one of the concepts and we've been talking about internally imagine if memory in a comp..."
The AMPLab Ecosystem
Haoyuan Li describes the collaborative environment at the AMPLab, where students and professors work closely together without the pressures of traditional academic publishing. He highlights the benefits of this ecosystem for fostering innovation and the exchange of ideas, which is crucial for the development of groundbreaking technologies like Tachyon.
"that's sort of the you know we sort of look at the Grand View and then say ok well if that doesn't happen because we were wrong about that what else can this become so so that I mean like when we look..."
Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs
Peter Levine outlines key traits that correlate with entrepreneurial success, such as deep industry understanding and a willingness to learn. He uses Haoyuan Li as an example of a passionate entrepreneur who is open to coaching and learning the nuances of running a company.
"like we have the meter retreat thing like twice a year and we have like maybe 20 industry sponsors they came to we talk communicate I think those are very helpful Peter in in your experience what are ..."
Navigating the Transition to Leadership
The discussion shifts to the challenges of transitioning from an individual contributor to a managerial role. Peter Levine reflects on the difficulties of letting go of hands-on tasks to focus on hiring and coaching, emphasizing the importance of this shift for effective leadership.
"into these new areas because let's face it I mean a lot of folks don't want to be coached it's like look I'm just gonna go do my and like leave me alone I don't want to learn about this other stuff an..."
Learning and Adapting in a Startup Environment
Haoyuan Li discusses the ongoing learning process in a startup, particularly in hiring and building a team. He reflects on the challenges of scaling and the importance of adapting to new roles and responsibilities as the company grows.
"it's cuz it's it's very new to me right it's very interesting it's also very interesting to me is there a class or something in school you wished you had learned that would have helped you you take in..."
Commercializing Open Source Projects
The conversation addresses the hurdles of commercializing open source projects. Peter Levine stresses the need for a clear business model early on to avoid complications later, highlighting the importance of setting expectations with users regarding pricing and services.
"views on the other parts of the business have they changed you know so sales marketing you know all that stuff are you just learning as you go and are you a bottleneck still are you so so in tune to n..."
Reflecting on Entrepreneurial Choices
Haoyuan Li reflects on his decision to start Tachyon Nexus, affirming that it was the right choice despite the challenges. The discussion wraps up with insights from Michael Franklin and Peter Levine, emphasizing the journey of entrepreneurship and the support from the AMPLab community.
"become a leader which is the nicer way of saying manager a leader most of your time really ought to be spent in hiring and coaching new people to come on and that's completely counterintuitive it's li..."