Coffee with a Founder Podcast: Filip Kozera of wordware

10- Jun-2025

In this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger chats with Filip Kozera, Founder and CEO of wordware, a platform that simplifies the creation of AI-driven applications.

They discuss Filip’s early struggles arriving in San Francisco with just $3,000 to his name, the importance of a collaborative culture, and the emotional highs and lows that come with a founder’s obsessive drive to create.

show notes:

01:14 – Why San Francisco for AI?

03:36 – Introducing wordware: Building AI agents with documents

04:47 – The problem with chat-based AI tools

06:59 – Returning to San Francisco: Lessons from the first time

13:00 – The “founderitis” itch: Why create again?

17:47 – The challenges of AI startups

Read More About The Episode:

1:14 – Why San Francisco for AI?

Filip Kozera explains his decision to relocate to San Francisco, citing its unique and collaborative tech ecosystem and its dominance as the global center of artificial intelligence innovation. He contrasts San Francisco’s environment with other cities in his native Poland.

03:36 – Introducing wordware: Building AI agents with documents

Filip introduces wordware, his latest company, explaining how it empowers users to build AI agents using natural language in a document-based interface. He details how this is more effective than chat-based systems and the unique functionality wordware provides.

04:47 – The problem with chat-based AI tools

Filip rapidly breaks down eight core issues with chat-based AI interfaces, such as context pollution, lack of structure, poor version control, and limited abstraction layers, arguing why document-based interaction is superior for building complex AI agents.

06:59 – Returning to San Francisco: Lessons from the first time

Filip reflects on his initial experience living in San Francisco as a recent graduate from Cambridge. He discusses the challenges he faced, including living on a tight budget in the Tenderloin, and how his perspective and lifestyle have changed on his return.

13:00 – The “founderitis” itch: Why create again?

The conversation turns introspective as Beck and Filip discuss the addictive nature of creating a startup. Filip explores the deep-rooted drive that compels founders to keep building, even after successful exits, and the challenge of balancing identity and ambition.

17:47 – The challenges of AI startups

Filip shares the high-stakes environment of an AI startup, including making risky pivots, the relentless pace of industry change, and the pressure to innovate despite lacking control over external factors. He explains how this dynamic shapes both strategy and day-to-day stress in the AI world.