FutureWork Playbook

Daniel Landesberg had a passion for clean energy but little background in the industry when he applied to Amogy. Hired as the head of legal, he feels the excitement among engineers and, indeed, the whole company. It's contagious.With host Natalie Pierce, Daniel describes the startup's revolutionary work to unlock the potential of ammonia as a source of clean energy. He also discusses the role his team plays in navigating a new frontier of regulations and tax credits and educating the market about Amogy's novel technology. “When it comes to regulations and whether those regulations might restrict or impose certain requirements on our technology or things like tax credits, a lot of it's about education,” Daniel says. “And it's not just with regulators. It's with customers. It's with investors.”Episode HighlightsAmogy's primary product is an engine that runs on ammonia fuel by converting it into hydrogen at the point of use; that hydrogen is then fed into a hydrogen fuel cell to generate electricity.Daniel's legal department is disrupting an industry that's been largely static for years. “It's challenging, but I also feel like we're helping to create standards and norms for the future of ammonia-to-power technologies.”Recognizing that its technology is unknown to many, Amogy prioritizes educating regulators, customers, and investors through proactive messaging such as meetings on The Hill and publishing white papers.For Daniel, leading the legal team on a young startup means constantly assessing risk, problem-solving, and weighing whether to bring in outside counsel for guidance.Amogy inspires team members to know its technology – and each other – through innovations like a software that arranges “coffee chats.”

When a Jüsto shopper fills their digital basket via the platform's app, the teams behind the scene are getting to know the customer. Using AI, they create a personalized experience to meet the customer's evolving needs. Paulo Neto, Jüsto's Chief People and Performance Officer, visits host Natalie Pierce for a conversation about the teams and technology that are driving Latin America's fastest-growing online grocery platform. Tune in as Paulo pulls back the curtain on Jüsto's strategies for building high-performance teams and processes that ensure its fulfillment centers deliver results 24/7. Every person, regardless of position or level, must be committed to Jüsto's culture: “Always thinking about the customer,” Paulo explains.Episode HighlightsJüsto is a 100% digital platform that leverages AI to map the customer's shopping journey for a unique experience. By cutting out supply chains, buying from local farmers and products, and saving customers' time, Jüsto responds to these key components of shopping: experience, time, and economy. Jüsto's strategy to ensure operating efficiency is focused on these three pillars: people, process, and systems.New people leaders should not try to turn a team's weaknesses into strengths, Paulo suggests, but rather discover strengths and consolidate. That way, high-performance teams can deliver results that support the company's goals.

Gabe Duncan combined his unique experience – including stints as a musician, data engineer, and data science manager – with his entrepreneurial spirit to co-found Slang.ai five years ago. In Slang.ai, he envisions a “utopian vision.” If you dine at restaurants, you've probably called to book a reservation, only to be put on hold by a harried host. If you're a host, you've probably had to navigate buzzing phone calls when other duties called. Slang.ai leverages voice AI to power its digital phone concierge platform. “In the utopian vision, we are helping restaurants level-up their hospitality by removing, one, the need to do these tasks. And two, the frustration that can not only affect the caller but also the person standing in front of the host at that time, too,” Gabe explains to host Natalie Pierce, Gabe discusses his non-traditional past and his innovative future – and how AI fits into it. That future includes Slang.ai's exciting partnership with OpenTable, the global leader in restaurant tech. Launched last month, the partnership involves Slang.ai helping OpenTable operators with their phones and communications. As for AI, Gabe believes “we should use this opportunity to get better as humans doing what humans should do well, which is connecting with each other and learning to live better lives – human lives – without being pulled into things that frustrate us.”Episode HighlightsSlang.ai's mission is to create a great conversation between restaurant customers and staff that isn't stilted and is intelligent enough to save time on both ends.Gabe's early repetitive stress injury from playing guitar eventually led him to work on Spotify's hands-free voice assistant. Today, Slang.ai has several voice capabilities. “Inclusive” is the keyword at Slang.ai, where technology is democratized so users aren't trapped by a big corporate voice assistant.Gabe suggests that entrepreneurs should think like sailors, not race car drivers. “If you start with an idea of where you're going, and you have to keep directing yourself back, it's more like sailing a ship than it is driving a car. You just have to keep going back, tacking through the wind to find your course.”

Host Natalie Pierce invites Justin Schiefner, vice president of global people operations and culture at Arkose Labs, for a conversation about how Arkose Labs – on Fast Company's prestigious list of “Most Innovative Companies” – builds on an alchemy of technology and people to create a successful global platform. Arkose Labs emphasizes a holistic approach to talent acquisition and prioritizes skills like emotional intelligence and communication over traditional degrees. Initiatives like R&D demo hours, newsletters, and hackathons foster employee engagement and idea-sharing. “Justin's insights remind us that, even as technology advances, success in the modern workplace still comes down to people,” Natalie observes. Episode HighlightsThe elevator pitch about Arkose Labs: It protects the most recognizable brands in the world from bad actors and bots that perpetrate malicious online activity.Arkose Labs works hard to ensure that its global teams build upon the company's core values and, at the same time, nurture and support regional cultures.Arkose Labs is learning to leverage AI to assist managers during the performance feedback process. For the global People Operations team, AI is leveraged to streamline the updating of employee manuals and policies in real-time, affording the team more resources to allocate to employee relations and strategic initiatives. The fine line with feedback: “If something is not going well, we want to know, but we also want you to come to the table with a solution,” Justin explains.Arkose Labs doesn't use the term “culture fit” because “we don't have a mold here. We want someone who's going to be an add to the culture that we're creating.”In drafting job descriptions, Arkose Labs starts with a list of must-haves and nice-to-haves, which becomes a foundation for direct sourcing for the role.Committed to breaking down silos, Arkose Labs uses tools like “all-hands” sessions, q-and-a's with the C-suite, r-and-d demos, and hackathons to keep employees engaged and informed.

Vanta, a company that helps customers get compliant and build security programs, uses an AI tool to answer security questionnaires. Where humans had once spent hours on the task, the tool completes it quickly and accurately. Vanta's customers love it.That's not to raise the specter of automation stealing human jobs, explains Vanta's chief legal officer and chief people officer, Ari Shahdadi. “We certainly don't see this as a thing that's threatening to anybody or going to replace anybody so much as drive future efficiency and accuracy and how people do their jobs,” he says.Ari joins host Natalie Pierce and Steve Baglio, both former colleagues from Ari's earlier role at Gunderson Dettmer, to discuss how technology intersects with people, particularly in the legal HR context. Their conversation covers how small, focused teams can prioritize business outcomes; how in-house professionals must become flexible in today's fast-paced environment; and how the lawyer is moving away from being an “oracle of knowledge,” as Steve says, to becoming an expert in making good judgment.“If you can put yourself in a position where you're able to be flexible and develop other operational skill sets, you can have a role in a company like a chief judgment officer, right? Instead of a chief legal officer,” he suggests.Episode HighlightsVanta uses a recruiting tool called Ashby but also has a rigorous, structured interview process designed to bring in strong talent and get them productive as soon as possible.Will AI replace lawyers? “I think they're useful as tools to kind of help you with general tasks, but I am not going to ask one what the law is on something because I might get a wrong answer,” Ari observes.Today's general counsel is branching into integrative roles within an organization, such as COO or deputy CO, Steve says. While Vanta isn't in a highly regulated sector, it has a robust compliance team because, as Ari explains, “if we're not using our own product, then should our customers?”AI systems excel in areas of subject matter expertise, Ari says – “but they have to be trained properly and designed properly.”The silos around lawyers are breaking down as companies find success by running legal with business development or other functions, Ari says.

“Those that are equipped with and know how to ably use AI are going to be outdoing those lawyers and law firms that do not.”The FutureWork podcast episode 6 features Dr. Lance Eliot, a regular Forbes contributor and AI Fellow at Stanford University and Dazza Greenwood, a renowned Fortune 100 legal tech advisor and the Executive Director of Law.MIT.edu. Both guests have industry-leading research and publications, and they routinely counsel attorneys, CEOs, educators, and business leaders. Lance and Dazza are also on the cutting edge of GenAI trends–developing roadmaps for legal teams, engineers and executives to transform the future.Viewing generative AI as an effective tool for lawyers and not something to fear, Lance and Dazza provide listeners with suggestions for the most effective uses of legal prompt engineering and generative AI as a whole. From summarizing discovery material to identifying ambiguities in a legal document, generative AI can be a huge asset to the legal field. However, they caution that the results are only as good as the prompts.Tune in as Natalie, Lance, and Dazza discuss key steps in creating a framework for the responsible use of generative AI in the practice of law, crucial techniques for how to boost your prompt engineering skills as a lawyer, high value use cases for generative AI in the practice of law, and why lawyers are in a great starting position to use generative AI. Key HighlightsAn effective framework for harnessing the power of generative AI responsibly in the practice of law involves formulating well-constructed prompts, reviewing and critiquing the outputs, iteration, and human oversight.AI is coming into law practices, whether lawyers or law firms want it or not.Prompt engineering is the idea that there are effective ways to craft prompts to carry on conversations with generative AI that are beneficial to the person who is interacting with the generative AI.Summarization is an example of a high value use of generative AI on legal tasks. There are various prompt engineering techniques that lawyers can use to effectively interact with generative AI.

The FutureWork podcast episode 5 features Charlene Li, an expert in transformative technologies that disrupt the business landscape. Charlene is a keynote speaker, Fortune 100 advisor and author. Her upcoming book "Mega Transformations" is set to release in early 2024. Charlene Li's expertise in generative AI provides valuable insights into the future of work and the potential of AI to drive innovation and transform industries. Companies can benefit from embracing generative AI and leveraging its power to analyze data, enhance collaboration, and create new customer experiences. Natalie Pierce and Charlene discuss what companies can do to start their generative AI journey and how to develop a strategy in the first 90 days. Key HighlightsCompanies should take action and not be afraid to be early adopters of generative AI.Establishing policies, guidelines, and codes of conduct for the use of generative AI is important for responsible and ethical use.Data governance and permissions are crucial for protecting employee and customer data when using generative AI.Companies should tap into internal data and expertise to enhance collaboration and create new customer experiences using generative AI.Responsible and ethical use of generative AI is essential, and companies should prioritize protecting employee and customer data.

Who said the legal industry is slow to adopt novel technology? Generative AI has made it possible to shift even the most reluctant of industries to create a new paradigm for reading, writing and reasoning. And beyond that, the era of generative AI is helping develop a new mindset about how these tools can augment human intelligence and strategic planning.In this episode, Natalie dives into the world of AI-powered business contracts and how the legal industry may be leading the way, with special guest, Cai GoGwilt. Cai, the co-founder and chief architect of Ironclad, discusses the transformative impact of generative AI tools and Ironclad's commitment to responsible AI deployment. Tune in to learn how Ironclad has revolutionized the way contracts are created, reviewed, and managed, and discover the incredible potential of AI technology in the legal industry. From securing a monumental funding round to sharing their generative AI policy, Ironclad is at the forefront of AI adoption and responsible usage. Don't miss out on this captivating episode where Natalie and Cai uncover the future of work and the power of AI in the world of contracts.

“Right now, we have this great opportunity to create a balanced and reasonable law that works for an industry that also protects individuals.”In this episode, Natalie welcomes Anna Westfelt, the Head of Gunderson Dettmer's Data Privacy Practice, to discuss the growth of AI technology, the possible negative and positive effects, and how individuals can prepare themselves for this changing landscape.Gunderson boasts an emerging company and venture capital (EC/VC) firm focused on, as Natalie puts it, “building the firm of the future.” For example, generative AI can potentially turn data into a gold mine. As the world continues to receive more regulatory updates in the privacy space with AI, Anna's team is working diligently to provide counsel and education to clients who are eager to leverage these powerful tools with privacy and security at the core of their development. Tune in to learn more about generative AI regulations and what the Gunderson Dettmer team expects on the horizon.

When it comes to integrating AI technology in the workplace, uncertainty and fear can blind business from innovation and advancement. In this episode, host Natalie Pierce, dives back into the discussion of generative AI. The episode kicks off with a discussion of the recent Generative AI webinar series presented by guests and colleagues Katie Gardner and Aaron Rubin, two partners in Gunderson Dettmer's Strategic Transactions & Licensing Practice.Katie and Aaron report the wild success of their informational webinar series about AI technology, but both guests also caution against the uncertainties of this rapidly developing field. With Gunderson's focus on the venture-backed ecosystem, key concerns that clients are raising include the risks of using AI for code development and concerns over how employees are sharing company data while using generative AI technology.Tune in to hear about applying generative AI to the workplace as well as an insightful discussion on why the fear and uncertainty about AI may be eased through the implementation of learning tools.

We're back for Season 5 and we're diving into the fascinating world of generative AI! This season, we'll explore the technology underpinnings, the exciting advancements made so far, the ethical and legal considerations it brings to the forefront, and the possibilities it opens up for the future. Tune into this first episode as host Natalie Pierce speaks with two colleagues from Gunderson's practice innovation group, Chief Innovation Officer Joe Green and Legal Engineering & Data Strategy Manager John Scrudato.

The ESG standards have seen much attention from the SEC in the last several years. Now, the debate of including an “H” stands in line to extend the framework and consider the well-being of individuals with a more concentrated pillar. In this week's episode, host Natalie Pierce speaks with Dr. Bonny Forrest, a Principal at FirmLeader. Bonny is a renowned psychologist and former big law litigator and in-house counsel who now serves as a Board Consultant and Advisor. Bonny advises company boards on how to evaluate and implement ESG practices and provides coaching to board members on creating value with ESG for their companies.Natalie and Bonny discuss the importance of incorporating mental health programming as part of companies' ESG framework. While some have been slower to buy in, companies that are currently investing in mental health are largely focusing on employee burnout and depression, and allowing flexibility in order to keep everyone engaged and thriving.

“The term ESG, it's a term that gets applied to a lot of things, but at the end of the day, we're really just talking about looking at the risks and opportunities of investing in a company. And we're making it good data.”In this week's episode, host Natalie Pierce speaks with Lorraine Wilson, the Chief Sustainability Officer of Novata, to discuss the importance of ESG metrics and how Novata helps companies incorporate them.Novata's goal is to empower private markets to achieve a more inclusive and sustainable form of capitalism. They make it easy for organizations to incorporate ESG metrics so that value is measurable.

In this episode, Sarah Milby, the founder and CEO of Valor Performance, joins host Natalie Pierce to discuss the importance of coaching and upskilling in the modern workforce. Valor Performance combines human coaching with technology to provide a personalized coaching experience for leaders while offering data-driven insights to organizations to help make decisions around leading their workforce. We also hear of examples of how Valor's coaching programs have helped brands increase sales, retain top talent, and enhance work engagement, showing the positive impact of investing in human performance.

In this week's episode, host Natalie Pierce speaks with attorneys Alexa Belonick and Andy Thorpe from Gunderson Dettmer's Public Companies and Capital Markets practice. The three discuss the increasing focus on ESG factors in the venture capital landscape and by public companies.

In this week's episode, host Natalie Pierce interviews Alberto Yépez, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Forgepoint Capital, a leading cybersecurity-focused venture capital firm, about incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives into all they do, including the firm's investing principles.Our first episode of the year highlights the growing importance of ESG considerations in the venture capital industry and the steps that firms like Forgepoint Capital are taking to integrate these principles and initiatives into their investment strategies and operations. Forgepoint also provides examples in its portfolio like CyberCube, which is taking actionable steps towards ESG goals.To learn more, check out Forgepoint's blog on ESG and get a copy of Forgepoint's ESG Handbook.

Last year, VTEX went public on the New York Stock Exchange and became the first Latin American company in its niche to do so. On a mission to show other Latin American companies that it's possible, they accomplished their goal — but not without adequate preparation.  Going public is not as easy as setting a date and expecting it to happen. The team at VTEX was preparing years in advance. For co-founder Alex Soncini and General Counsel Juliana Lopes, going public came with its share of challenges and changes in their respective fields.  In this season finale episode of the FutureWork Playbook, Alex and Juliana join host Natalie Pierce to talk about company growth, personal improvement and achieving your biggest goals. They discuss how their company, VTEX, went public on the New York Stock Exchange and how they prepared for the shift. They also share expert tips on seeking new opportunities, building a stable company, and growing in your personal and professional life.  

In just two short years, Treinta and its co-founders raised over $60M in funding and is bringing its already 5 million small business customers to the digital age.  On this episode of the FutureWork Playbook, Lluís Canadell, founder and CEO of Treinta, joins host Natalie Pierce to discuss the opportunity to build impact with small businesses in Latin America by creating a digital platform for a more connected global market.  Lluis brings his insights on finding a great co-founder, someone he trusted and with skills that complement his own, getting into Y Combinator, and overcoming one of the most difficult challenges in closing a big Series A round. Lluís's passion for helping small Latin American businesses drove him to take the leap. He felt there was a gap in fintech where he could make his mark while simultaneously helping people and businesses.  “We have focused on [customer service] since day one,” said Lluís. “For example, one of the metrics that we have for customer experience teams is that we need to have an answer to a WhatsApp message from our users in less than a minute, which is challenging sometimes because the inflow can be more than expected. That is something that we want to maintain, always.”  From the beta phase and fundraising to maintaining an edge in an extremely competitive market, Lluís and Natalie discuss best practices and how Treinta has managed to be so successful.  

Growing a company is a marathon, not a sprint. Every task from leading a company and developing your team to scaling your culture and building partnerships take time. And for one CEO, Kadu Monguilhott, the marathon led to one great acquisition. Working with Neoway for nearly 10 years, Kadu saw the ups and downs of building a business. Working his way up from the sales team to executive roles, Kadu became close with the customers and employees, and he understood the vision of the company.  Now, as the CEO, Kadu is taking Neoway to even greater heights. In late 2021, the company was acquired by the Brazilian stock exchange for 1.8 billion Brazilian reais. But it didn't happen overnight.   Great things — like the Brazilian stock exchange acquisition — take time. For leaders, this means dedicating time to really understand the company's needs and shape yourself around the company. And don't just focus on the short-term goals. Plan a strategy for how you're going to scale, adapt, and continue evolving. When it comes to partnerships, the same rule applies. Great partnerships (and mergers) don't happen instantly. You need to keep your connections open, decide on the right path, and develop a collaborative strategy that aligns with each partner's goals. When you invest time into your plan, you'll see significant growth and reach incredible achievements.   In this episode of the FutureWork Playbook, Kadu joins host Natalie Pierce to discuss how his company, Neoway, was acquired by the Brazilian stock exchange. Kadu also details his leadership journey, the secrets to a great partnership and growth-centered organization, and how Neoway is working to improve economic growth in Brazil.    

With fearless energy, a little luck, and great connections, Matias Muchnick was able to pitch to top-tier investors and take his business to new heights. However, Matias says that there's more to building a sustainable business than your investors and revenue. Getting in front of high-level investors and achieving unicorn status are great accomplishments, but they shouldn't be your end goal. Your business should always be looking for ways to change the world. That's exactly what Matias is doing with his company, NotCo. Although he's achieved unicorn status and has been backed by top investors like the Bezos Expedition, Matias cares more about how his products are disrupting the industry and bringing positive change. NotCo combines AI technology and human knowledge to develop and scale plant-based foods. Instead of asking why plant-based, they're asking why not? While catering to consumers' needs, NotCo is reinventing the food industry by avoiding animal products and protecting the planet without compromising flavor. And it doesn't stop there. Matias and his team are constantly looking for ways to improve and expand their reach. They're continuing to train their algorithm and ensure that it meets consumers' changing needs. Their brand has launched in seven countries, with its most recent launch in the North American market. Through the challenges, they've kept two key things in mind to succeed: the consumer and their vision. In this episode of the FutureWork Playbook, Matias joins host Natalie Pierce to talk about how he took his company, NotCo, from startup to successful venture. He discusses the mindset that every founder should have, how he scaled NotCo and continues to disrupt the industry, and the must-read book for founders in any industry.  

Inspired and supported by various people throughout his life, Eduardo della Maggiora made it his mission to help people do better, live better, and be better. Now, his company, Betterfly, has taken off to massive heights, becoming Latin America's first billion-dollar social impact unicorn.  Eduardo was just 15 when his father suffered a heart attack that left him nearly immobile and in very poor health. His father died three years later when Eduardo was 18 years old. Like many Latin American families, Eduardo endured the struggles of losing a loved one without life insurance coverage. This was the first seed planted towards Betterfly. Decades later, after working in finance for a long time, Eduardo volunteered in Africa. While there, he faced the reality of childhood malnutrition — a preventable disease that takes the lives of millions of children.  Around the same time, Eduardo began training for Ironman triathlons. He began losing pounds of weight, and an idea crossed his mind. He thought, “What if I could convert the pounds I lost exercising into pounds of food for these kids I worked with in Africa? What if we could convert the calories of exercise into calories of food? And what if we could use technology to combine the power of giving back with helping people to live their best lives?" Thus, Betterfly was born.  For just four dollars per month — comparable to a Netflix or Spotify subscription — employees and individuals can live healthier lives while giving back to those in need. Betterfly's full-stack platform helps people generate healthy habits, gain life insurance coverage, and make an impact on their communities and our planet.  In this episode of the FutureWork Playbook, Eduardo joins host Natalie Pierce to talk about his journey to founding Betterfly. Eduardo shares stories about the inspiration behind the platform, how real people's lives have changed through Betterfly, and how it's generating positive impacts across the globe. 

Today on the show we talk with CEO of Lyndra Therapeutics, Dr. Patricia Hurter, and President and COO Jessica Ballinger. Lyndra Therapeutics is reinventing the way we take medicine with game-changing technology that helps patients take oral medications less frequently, using a long-acting delivery system. In this episode, they discuss how Lyndra Therapeutics has created a diverse and mission-focused team to overcome the challenges surrounding the need to take life-improving medicine on a daily basis.   What we discussed: Trish details how Lyndra Therapeutics is developing oral long-acting therapies that allow you to take your medicine much less often, sometime once a week or even once a month Discussion of the prominent female leadership throughout the company and how Lyndra created such a diverse collection of talent Jessica describes Lyndra's three core values and the impact those have throughout the company How Lyndra is able to consistently ensure they are “walking the walk” when it comes to its commitment to diversity of ideas, interests, and backgrounds Why Lyndra is focusing its efforts on developing a long-acting medicine and how it will be a game-changer How the dosage form works and the significant impact the freedom from injectables and daily pills has on patients and providers Lyndra's important work to combat the opioid crisis and allow patients to travel only once per week, instead of daily, to receive their medication The challenges around developing this kind of oral medication and how Lyndra has become successful in overcoming them How Lyndra is focusing its efforts in 2022 and beyond   Helpful links: Lyndra Therapeutics Website Dr. Patricia Hurter LinkedIn Jessica Ballinger LinkedIn   Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/gunderson-dettmer Twitter: www.twitter.com/GundersonLaw Gunderson Dettmer Website: www.gunder.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

Today on the show we feature Scott Chetham, Ph.D. and CEO of Faro Health, a company that is leading the charge when it comes to integrated clinical development that simplifies the design and authoring of complex clinical studies.   In this episode, Natalie and Scott discuss the importance of collecting data with a patient-centric approach and how Faro Health strives to simplify the process for project teams and design clinical studies that could account for a diverse population.   What we discussed: Scott explains the clinical integrated environment and why he and his team at Faro Health created this kind of software to help streamline the clinical trials process The importance of collecting data in a patient-centric way, the positive impact that has, and how Faro Health is eliminating archaic ways of data collection and management How the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted and changed the landscape of health sciences How to meet the existing challenge of being more intentionally inclusive in the design of clinic trials, including practical tips for doing so The process for gathering feedback from patients to ensure their voice is represented early and continuously throughout the trial Faro Health's vision to make the clinical trials process broader and more diverse so it is a more accurate representation of data Faro Health's focus for 2022 and beyond, including continuing to improve the patient journey and increased integrations with partnerships Scott's predictions for the future state of the industry   Helpful Links: Faro Health Website Scott Chetham LinkedIn   Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/gunderson-dettmer Twitter: www.twitter.com/GundersonLaw Gunderson Dettmer Website: www.gunder.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

Replicate Bioscience are designing and delivering RNA-based treatments that revolutionize the practice of medicine In this episode, Natalie talks with immunologist Nathaniel Wang, CEO of Replicate Biosciences.   You may have heard a lot about RNA vaccines over the past year so Natalie take this opportunity to ask Nathaniel to explain the science behind the technology and how it has become a breakthrough in providing critical care to many.   What we discussed: The history of Replicate Bioscience, how they were founded, and the work they were doing on RNA research prior to the COVID-19 pandemic Nathaniel explains what RNA is and why it's so important, especially as it relates to COVID-19 RNA isn't a new technology, but the challenge was scaling it How the development and implementation of this technology has impacted accessibility to medical care How drugs are currently made and why RNA is such a gamechanger  The existing concerns around synthetic technology and why some people may get sick after getting the COVID-19 vaccine Nathaniel talks about the clinical trial process, regulatory hurdles, and the importance of having varying experts across many fields on their team An overview of some of the new products that Replicate Bioscience is excited about How Nathaniel got series A funding from ATP and why they're excited to partner with Replicate Bioscience The future of Replicate Bioscience   Helpful Links:  Replicate Science Website  Nathanial Wang LinkedIn   Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/gunderson-dettmer Twitter: www.twitter.com/GundersonLaw Gunderson Dettmer Website: www.gunder.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.  

Biomilq is empowering parents with a new option for supplemental feeding—one that's as close to breastmilk as possible and cultivated under safe conditions using their first-of-its-kind technology. Frame Fertility is a digital fertility advisor that enables the early detection of underlying fertility conditions.    In this episode, Natalie talks with the two founders of these companies, Michelle Egger from Biomilq and Jessica Bell van der Wal from Frame Fertility. Michelle and Jessica discuss the motivation behind forming their companies and the challenges faced as they bring their companies to market.   What we discussed: Michelle and Jessica identify the biggest challenges for women as it relates to fertility and breastfeeding and how their companies are tackling these challenges. Jessica shares her journey to motherhood and how difficult it was for her to conceive. Michelle talks about what Biomilq is doing and why it took so long for existing technology to be used to solve the problem. Michelle shares how, when raising capital for Biomilq, they were able to be selective with who they partnered with, what criteria they used, and why they chose to do so. Michelle describes her experience raising a finance round on a woman's health issue, and the challenges that she's encountered along the way. Jessica shares some of the challenges she faced bringing Frame Fertility to market and why early fertility analysis is so important. Michelle discusses the science behind cultured breast milk and how it could be a game changer for mothers all around the world. Michelle shares her rationale behind being open and honest with her investors and why it's so important to building strong relationships. Jessica and Michelle talk about some of the challenges around scaling their companies. What the future looks like for both Biomilq & Frame Fertility. Jessica and Michelle share some tips around starting out as a founder.   Helpful Links: Biomilq Website: www.biomilq.com Frame Fertility Website: www.framefertility.com Michelle Egger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleegger/ Jessica Bell van der Wal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbellvanderwal/   Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/gunderson-dettmer Twitter: www.twitter.com/GundersonLaw Gunderson Dettmer Website: www.gunder.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

Verily Life Sciences is at the convergence of healthcare, tech, and science, combining disciplines to modernize healthcare for patients, providers, and payers. They use leading technology, including AI and data science, to personalize care and improve chronic condition management.   In this episode Natalie talks with the President and head of health platforms for Verily Life Sciences, Dr. Vivian Lee, and her colleague, Global Employment Counsel for Verily, Christine Kurek, about their projects. These include helping employers and employees return to work after the COVID-19 pandemic, and the future of AI in healthcare and human capital.   What we Discussed: Dr. Lee talks about Project Baseline, which provides testing for COVID-19 research Dr. Lee's thoughts on the White House vaccine mandate Christine talks about how to keep businesses safe as they return to work post COVID-19, and Healthy@Work New technology around remote telemedical care for people with diabetes and high blood pressure Verily's acquisition of SignalPath, and what that means for the future of portfolio transactions The future of healthcare, and how life sciences will play a role, such as the need for a Spanish language platform How smartphones could be used to help identify depression Business lessons they have learned along the way Dr. Lee discusses her latest book, “The Long Fix"   Helpful Links: Verily Life Sciences Website: www.verily.com Dr. Vivian Lee's Website: www.vivianleemd.com Dr. Vivian Lee on Twitter: www.twitter.com/vivianleemd Dr. Vivian Lee on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/vivian-s-lee The Long Fix by Dr. Vivian Lee: https://www.amazon.com/Long-Fix-Americas-Strategies-Everyone-ebook/dp/B07ZTSBH7V   Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/gunderson-dettmer Twitter: www.twitter.com/GundersonLaw Gunderson Dettmer Website: www.gunder.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

The pain of repetitive operational tasks can be optional! As robotic technology continues to evolve from industrial factory arms to robots with human-like capabilities, more and more companies are embracing this technology in the workplace to streamline logistics, increase automation, and ease the strain of repetition. On this episode, we're taking a closer look at how robots can be used to support and power human capabilities with Dr. Samir Menon, Founder and CEO of Dexterity, a company engineering intelligent robots with human-like dexterous manipulation skills. Dexterity is a developer of robotic systems designed to serve the logistics and supply chain companies. The company's robotic system helps customers to unlock the maximum value of their workforce by automating repetitive pick-pack tasks, and deliver full-stack, end-to-end systems for kitting, picking, packing, counting, sorting, palletizing, and order fulfillment, and also excel at handling packaged foods, consumer packaged goods, industrial and automotive parts, parcels, and boxes, enabling clients to unleash human potential by delegating repetition to robots What We Discussed in This Episode: How packaged bread helped Dexterity and Samir gain early experience How humans and robots vary in the way they approach tasks and challenges How the pandemic enabled Dexterity to accelerate its growth, especially given the importance of the assistance of robots in industries with supply chain challenges Dexterity's company values that set it apart from the competition Why Samir chose to operate his startup in stealth mode for two years and the benefits of his decision What changes Samir hopes to see in the robotics space going forward One key to establishing and growing a successful startup Samir's best advice for startup founders Contact Information: Dexterity website Samir's LinkedIn profile  Thank you for listening! Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player. If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Share this podcast on your favorite podcast player, including on: Apple Podcasts Amazon Music Google Podcasts or Spotify Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: LinkedIn Twitter Gunderson Dettmer Website This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

According to a recent study, Hour by Hour: Attracting and Retaining Hourly Employees and Their Managers, 59% of employees cited scheduling issues as reasons they would quit a job, while 39% would leave their current jobs for poor communication with their employers. On this episode, we're talking about how to use AI and machine learning to be more efficient in scheduling employees, control costs, and make employees happier! Many employers are finding it challenging to find workers during the pandemic. As the traditional employer-employee model goes through what many believe to be a long overdue transformation, employers are left wondering what they need to do to attract and retain hourly employees. On this episode, we're taking a look at a company that provides a platform with gig-like flexibility to help employers attract and retain employees by optimizing labor efficiency while simultaneously offering an enhanced employee experience. Joining the podcast is Sanish Mondkar – Founder and CEO of Legion Technologies, an AI-powered workforce management company redefining how enterprise companies optimize their labor costs and empower frontline workers and their managers. Sanish has more than 20 years of strategic experience in products, technology, and cloud ops. He was Chief Product Officer at SAP and Ariba. In his role at SAP, he was responsible for all Procurement and Business Network products and technology, which represented over $1B of annual revenue. Sanish holds a Bachelors of Computer Engineering from Pune University and a Masters of Computer Science from Cornell University. What We Discussed in this Episode: How Legion was able to have explosive growth during the middle of a global pandemic. How Sanish transitioned from his role as an Executive at SAP to launching his own successful tech company. How hopeful entrepreneurs can identify challenges and opportunities in any given market. How Legion was able to handle scalability and changes in demands brought about by the pandemic. How the job market and flexibility for employees has changed over the past couple of years and the impact this has had on businesses. The types of scheduling and operational issues that exist in labor intensive businesses and how they can be overcome with technology. How automation and algorithms can integrate into business operations to provide a more efficient and improved employee experience. Three things employers can do to empower their employees and maintain high retention rates. Foundational lessons Sanish learned while growing Legion over the past 5 years. Why empathy is a characteristic every entrepreneur should cultivate. Internal challenges that leaders may expect to face, no matter the size of the company and how to overcome them. How to decrease stress for your hourly workers by having proper communication tools. Additional attractive benefits that employers can offer their hourly employees to increase retention. Contact Information: Legion's website  Sanish's LinkedIn profile Thank you for listening! Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player. If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Share this podcast on your favorite podcast player, including on: Apple Podcasts Amazon Music Google Podcasts or Spotify Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: LinkedIn Twitter Gunderson Dettmer Website This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

Companies are becoming increasingly aware of the need to create more diverse and inclusive workplaces. Research shows that companies who prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion have better retention, more satisfied employees, more innovation, and better financial returns. This episode is an excellent opportunity for company leaders to learn how organizations can optimize their DE&I efforts upon return to the workplace. Joining the podcast is Mandy Price, Co-Founder and CEO of Kanarys. Mandy Price has beat the odds to become one of the less than 1 percent of Black women founders receiving VC funds. She is extremely passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, which led to the creation of Kanarys – a technology platform that is transforming diversity, equity, and inclusion work by providing the tools organizations need to create long-term systemic change around DEI challenges. What We Discussed in This Episode: What inspired Mandy to co-found Kanarys? How can we be more intentional with our DEI efforts? How did Mandy's background of practicing law help her successfully co-found Kanarys? Post pandemic, will businesses be more likely to invest in DE&I initiatives? What impact did the pandemic have on DE&I initiatives? The rise of the Chief Diversity Officer – the fastest growing C-suite title in 2020 In recent surveys, 83% of Zen G are saying companies' DEI commitment is one of the most important aspects to choosing an employer. What type of DEI initiatives help to attract these job seekers? Only 1% of funding goes to Black founders. What systemic changes can be made to improve ratio and funding gaps in the venture capital ecosystem? How did Mandy overcome this significant challenge? What specific biases or inequities did Mandy discover while going through the VC process? How did Mandy address this? What new initiative helped Mandy make her own company more inclusive? How can company leaders embrace artificial intelligence and use technology advantageously? How will DE&I initiatives continue to evolve in the future? Contact Information: Kanarys - https://www.kanarys.com/ Mandy's LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandysprice/ Thank you for listening! Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player. If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Share this podcast on your favorite podcast player, including on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/futurework-playbook/id1568361184 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d7f6bba-d8f3-4bbc-be11-710dc792294b/FutureWork-Playbook Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ndW5kZXJzb25kZXR0bWVyLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz  or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3mlLZIHozG0JaoOdarKNW2?si=N4vqfquiTk2W4JBux6GXdA&dl_branch=1 Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gunderson-dettmer Twitter: https://twitter.com/GundersonLaw  Gunderson Dettmer Website: http://www.gunder.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

Is there a better way to create and execute contracts? Would answering one simple question – “Can I sign this?” - help businesses run faster and more efficiently, especially as many remain remote and distributed? In this episode, we're exploring one company's mission to revolutionize the legal world through innovative contract technology. Joining the podcast is the CEO and Co-Founder of LawGeex, Noory Bechor. LawGeex is the first Artificial Intelligence company to receive a license to practice law.  They use artificial intelligence to transform legal operations by helping businesses automate the review and approval of contracts. What We Discussed in This Episode: How LawGeex became the first AI company to receive a license to practice law What does the process to obtain a license to practice law as a company entail? Are people more open to adopting technology in a post-pandemic workplace? Why making space for peace and quiet is fundamental for the development of company founders Advice for overcoming personal challenges while growing a company Why investing in and nurturing a relationship with valuable clients pays off in the long run even if you “lose money” in the short term How to determine the best route for growth for your company How to prepare for the long sales cycles often found in the legal industry Contact Information: Noory Bechor's LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/noory-bechor/?originalSubdomain=il LawGeex - https://www.lawgeex.com/ Thank you for listening! Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player. If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Share this podcast on your favorite podcast player, including on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/futurework-playbook/id1568361184 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d7f6bba-d8f3-4bbc-be11-710dc792294b/FutureWork-Playbook Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ndW5kZXJzb25kZXR0bWVyLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz  or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3mlLZIHozG0JaoOdarKNW2?si=N4vqfquiTk2W4JBux6GXdA&dl_branch=1 Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gunderson-dettmer Twitter: https://twitter.com/GundersonLaw  Gunderson Dettmer Website: http://www.gunder.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

While working from home and distance learning taught us that working and learning from our homes is possible, for 80% of the global workforce that are considered “deskless,” sitting behind a computer all day to perform their duties is not necessary. This presents a great challenge and opportunity for employers looking to provide critical skills and education to these “deskless workers.” In order to provide the necessary on-the-job education and training for frontline workers, employers must turn to other effective means of training.   In this episode, we're focusing on an old way of communication - text messaging -  that is being leveraged as a completely new way of training our frontline workers to drive education, training and growth at work. Joining Natalie in this episode is Rachael Nemeth, Founder and CEO of Opus Training, a digital platform that delivers text message courses. Rachael led restaurant operations, facilities, and people for over a decade in the hospitality industry. She comes from a family of restaurant veterans and is also an alum of Union Square Hospitality Group and Hot Bread Kitchen.  Rachael is a certified English as Second Language (ESL) instructor and is dedicated to inclusive training practices. What We Discussed in This Episode: What does Opus Training help employers train and educate their employees ? What has been the greatest challenge for employers when it comes to text message training? How did Rachael overcome her personal challenge of dealing with imposter syndrome and how can other founders do the same? What are top tips for properly onboarding clients and humanizing the process? How can human resource leaders and small business owners use Opus Training to stay ahead of the training technology curve? What lies ahead for the education industry and what opportunities exist in this space? What is “situation-based” training? Rachael's practical tips for other founders and leaders in the technology sector Resources Mentioned: Superhuman - https://superhuman.com/  Founding Sales: The Early Stage Go-to-Market Handbook by Peter R. Kazanjy - https://www.amazon.com/Founding-Sales-Go-Market-Handbook-ebook/dp/B08PMK17Z1 Contact Information: Opus Training website - https://www.opus.so/  Thank you for listening! Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player. If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Share this podcast on your favorite podcast player, including on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/futurework-playbook/id1568361184 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d7f6bba-d8f3-4bbc-be11-710dc792294b/FutureWork-Playbook Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ndW5kZXJzb25kZXR0bWVyLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3mlLZIHozG0JaoOdarKNW2?si=N4vqfquiTk2W4JBux6GXdA&dl_branch=1 Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gunderson-dettmer Twitter: https://twitter.com/GundersonLaw  Gunderson Dettmer Website: http://www.gunder.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the FutureWork Playbook podcast! Thank you for listening. In this first season, we will be exploring how Americans are “Returning to the Workplace,” as the global economy comes out of an unparalleled time in history. In our first episode, host Natalie Pierce is joined by Dan Robinson, Co-Founder and CEO of Red6, a revolutionary air combat training system that employs augmented reality. Natalie and Dan explore how the military and businesses alike can prepare to move ahead with new training protocols and training modules using Augmented Reality technology. We're also examining how Red6 is nurturing a safe workplace that supports remote work while setting the standard for innovative training practices. What We Discussed in This Episode: How Dan's experience as a fighter pilot instructor led him to found Red6 What does Red6 do and how did the name Red6 come about? What is the difference between Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality? What challenges did Covid-19 present and how did Dan and Red6 overcome them? Why it was important for Dan to articulate the company's mission as a means of overcoming any issues that arose during the pandemic Is failure an option? How can AR technology be used to assist remote work? How is Red6's technology being used to support the men and women of the Armed Forces? Why is it important for business owners to employ clear and unambiguous leadership? Contact Information: Red6's website: www.red6ar.com Thank you for listening! Don't forget to FOLLOW to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player. If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Share this podcast on your favorite podcast player, including on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/futurework-playbook/id1568361184 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d7f6bba-d8f3-4bbc-be11-710dc792294b/FutureWork-Playbook Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ndW5kZXJzb25kZXR0bWVyLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz  or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3mlLZIHozG0JaoOdarKNW2?si=N4vqfquiTk2W4JBux6GXdA&dl_branch=1 Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gunderson-dettmer Twitter: https://twitter.com/GundersonLaw  Gunderson Dettmer Website: http://www.gunder.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.