Podcasts about CTO

Recorded live at NTL in Miami, this crossover episode features Jeff Ziggman, a Montreal-based CTO and legal tech builder who created software that helps personal injury firms streamline the most dreaded part of MVA cases: vehicle property damage claims. Jeff breaks down how solving property damage fast can put money in clients' pockets, dramatically increase Google reviews, and help smaller firms compete with bigger players in local search. He also shares his take on AI in legal tech, why sales is the most important skill in tech, and what he's building next for 2026.

In this episode of the IoT For All Podcast, David Stanton, CEO and co-founder of Reelables, joins Ryan Chacon to discuss how smart labels are transforming the supply chain. The conversation covers the current state of the supply chain industry, the challenges of data quality, why data still flows across supply chains by email, how smart labels compare to barcodes, computer vision, and drones for tracking assets, passive vs active smart labels, cargo tracking, and the future of the supply chain.David Stanton is the CEO and co-founder of Reelables. Under his leadership, Reelables has pioneered mass production of flexible, battery-powered smart labels. In 2025, David guided the company to raise a $10.4 million Series A round, fueling expansion of its manufacturing capabilities and scale-up plans targeting the production of up to 100 million smart labels per year. Prior to Reelables, David was CTO of Nattr and held senior technology roles at AND Digital and Drayson Technologies.Reelables brings a manufacturing process for producing smart labels at scale, enabling large-scale deployment of IoT technologies and enhancing supply chain visibility. Reelables makes the first and only printable smart label for tracking cargo and inventory. It is the first company to achieve mass production of a brand-new category of thin film, wireless smart labels with coated batteries that are flexible enough to be printed on in off-the-shelf barcode printers and fully disposable after use.Offering both paper-thin Bluetooth and 5G smart labels, Reelables automates supply chain and logistics visibility at scale for logistics providers, retailers, and manufacturers, providing exact shipment location and inventory counts for each item without the need to manually scan barcodes or read RFIDs. Its ability to track shipments and inventory at the item level helps companies reduce theft and loss and increase accountability.Discover more about IoT and supply chain at https://www.iotforall.comFind IoT solutions: https://marketplace.iotforall.comMore about Reelables: https://reelables.comConnect with David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-l-stanton/Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NlcEwmJoin Our Newsletter: https://newsletter.iotforall.comFollow Us on Social: https://linktr.ee/iot4all

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you'll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with 20+ CEO/c-suite leaders from the CDMO space, who discuss the big headwinds for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space for 2026.   Show features: Christiane Bardroff, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Rentschler Biopharma SE Philip Macnabb, Chief Executive Officer at Curia Kaan-Fabian Kekec, Partner at Simon-Kucher‘s Healthcare & Life Sciences division Dirk T. Lange , Chief Executive Officer at Pyramid Pharma Services Bruce Thompson, CTO at Kincell Bio Bill Vincent, Biotech Entrepreneur, CEO, Board Member Derek Hennecke - founder, investor, board member Matthew Bio, CSO at Cambrex & President, Snapdragon Chemistry Stephen Dilly, CEO at Sonoma Biotherapeutics, Stephen Dilly, CEO at Sonoma Biotherapeutics, Bill Humphries, Chief Executive Officer at Medpharm Elisabeth Stampa, CEO at Medichem SL Kerstin Dolph, SVP of Manufacturing at Charles River Labs Eric Edwards, Chief Executive Officer at Phlow-USA Peter DeYoung, CEO at Piramal Pharma Ian Tzeng, Managing Director at L.E.K. Consulting Adam Siebert, Managing Director at L.E.K. Consulting J.D. Mowery, President CDMO Division Bora Pharmaceuticals Peter Belden President, US, Tjoapack Nick Fortin, CEO CODIS Molecule to Market is also sponsored by Bora Pharmaceuticals and supported by Lead Candidate. Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We'd also appreciate a positive rating!

Sats Terminal is the first native Bitcoin super app, bringing together Bitcoin loans, yield, and trading in a single interface and developer SDK. Sats Terminal is backed by YZi Labs (formerly Binance Labs), Coinbase Ventures, and Draper Associates.The founders of Sats Terminal recently joined the Bitcoin.com News Podcast to talk about the technology.Stan Havryliuk (CEO and Co-Founder) and Rishabh Java (CTO and Co-Founder) of Sats Terminal shared their journey, starting with their backgrounds in crypto and fintech. Stan had previous experience with Bitcoin.com and running a large Eastern European exchange, while Java had built and sold a fintech company, finding crypto to be a more open building environment. The inspiration for Sats Terminal stemmed from a highly problematic user experience Stan encountered while trading BRC20s, which resulted in him overpaying significantly for a single token. This incident highlighted a clear need for good, user-friendly interfaces in the growing Bitcoin DeFi market to encourage wider adoption. The two founders met online while working on a previous project and formalized their partnership after meeting in person in Buenos Aires.The company secured notable financial backing from major investors. Java's connection to Coinbase Ventures was established after winning an AI agent hackathon at their San Francisco office, which led to a successful pitch. Stan described how they were quickly accepted into the YZi Labs (aka Binance Labs) accelerator program after applying shortly before the deadline on a friend's recommendation, benefiting from a good product growth trajectory at the time. They also received early backing from the Draper family of VCs, including Draper Associates, Draper Dragon, and Boost VC. Stan's key advice for aspiring startups seeking funding is to "just keep building" and iterating fast, emphasizing that consistency compounds into success, alongside networking and participating in hackathons.Java elaborated on the evolution of native Bitcoin assets, moving from Ordinals to BRC20s and then to the improved Runes standard. He reported that Sats Terminal has already captured approximately 70% of the market share for trading Runes, showcasing their success in the ecosystem. They also acknowledged that the Bitcoin ecosystem's complexity, due to the lack of a central authority, means the market will ultimately decide which token standard becomes the long-term winner.The core of Sats Terminal's vision is encapsulated in their motto: "never sell your Bitcoin," but instead to make it work through products like trading, earning, and borrowing. Stan highlighted their belief that Bitcoin is the "only pristine collateral for loans," and their products are laying the groundwork for Bitcoin's transition from "digital gold" to a "productive asset." Java detailed their Borrow product as a self-custody, trust-minimized cross-chain loan solution where users can collateralize their Bitcoin for a loan without KYC. Stan announced that the first version of the Earn product, designed to simplify DeFi complexity for end-users, is being finalized and expected to go live in the next few weeks.Stan Havryliuk, CEO and Co-Founder of Sats Terminal, early Bitcoin investor and Web3 veteran with over eight years of experience scaling crypto businesses worldwide. Ex-Bitcoin.com and zondacrypto.com (BitBay.com).Rishabh Java, CTO and Co-Founder of Sats Terminal, serial entrepreneur, inventor, and Bitcoin builder with a proven track record of creating great technologies. Winner of 50 international hackathons, awarded by Steve Wozniak at 15 for BCI tech and exited Web2 startup at 21.To learn more about the project visit the website, and follow the team on X.

Kevin Carlson is a rare blend of technologist, strategist, and coach who bridges the gap between executive vision and operational execution. Drawing from his experience as a CTO, CISO, and Executive Coach, he aligns technological frameworks, security protocols, and leadership development strategies, enabling leaders to enhance both their organizational infrastructure and their personal effectiveness. Listen NOW to discover, The AI Leadership Gap That Nobody Talks About

Construction is one of the least digitized industries in the world, and not because it resists technology. It resists bad technology. In this episode of Eye on AI, Craig Smith sits down with Olek Paraska, CTO of Togal AI, to break down why construction productivity has barely improved in 50 years and why pre-construction is the real bottleneck holding the industry back. Olek explains how most estimating and takeoff work is still done manually, why automating this phase can unlock massive efficiency gains, and how AI works best in construction when it acts as a perception and reasoning layer rather than a replacement for human judgment. The conversation explores computer vision, agentic AI, human-in-the-loop systems, and why respecting real-world constraints is essential for AI to deliver real ROI. It also looks ahead to a future where floor plans, materials, costs, and constructability can be reasoned about together, long before construction begins. This episode is a deep dive into how AI can finally move construction forward by solving the right problems, in the right order. Stay Updated: Craig Smith on X: https://x.com/craigssEye on A.I. on X: https://x.com/EyeOn_AI (00:00) Why Construction Is Desperate for Better AI (01:06) Olek's Path From Software to Construction (02:17) Why Construction Productivity Has Stalled for Decades (04:33) The Pre-Construction Bottleneck No One Talks About (06:17) How Takeoffs Are Still Done Manually (09:15) Why Construction Rejects Bad Technology (11:18) How Togal Found the Right Problem to Solve (12:14) From Computer Vision to Reasoning AI (17:44) What Agentic AI Looks Like in Pre-Construction (20:59) Turning Floor Plans Into Materials and Costs (28:18) The Real ROI of AI for Contractors (47:11) The Long-Term Vision for AI in Construction

Main pointsOpenAI's Financial Instability: OpenAI is facing a catastrophic financial burn of approximately $15 million daily, with projected losses exceeding $14 billion in 2026. This is coupled with a mass exodus of key leadership (CTO, Chief Research Officer, and Chief Scientist) and a massive $134 billion lawsuit from Elon Musk.The Component Crisis & Market Saturation: OpenAI's hoarding of GPUs, RAM, and SSDs has caused consumer prices to skyrocket (e.g., DDR5 RAM jumping from $300 to over $1,000). Despite this, newer models like GPT-5 are reportedly disappointing users, while Google's Gemini has surged to 650 million monthly active users.The "Agent" Marketing Myth: An internal Google playbook reveals that 99% of "AI Agents" currently on the market are merely "marketing buzzword packaging" consisting of simple API calls. True autonomous agents require a rigorous "AgentOps" infrastructure—including four-layer evaluation frameworks and security protocols—that most startups currently lack.Unsustainable Infrastructure & Economics: Experts warn that the AI bubble mirrors the 2008 housing crash. The "fundamental math" is failing: energy and capital costs are quintupling while performance gains diminish, requiring OpenAI to generate $2 trillion in annual revenue (15x current growth) just to remain viable.The AI Layoff Wave: Significant job cuts are being attributed to AI restructuring and automation, with 245,000 tech jobs lost in 2025. Major 2026 layoffs include 48,000 at UPS due to automation and 30,000 corporate roles at Amazon, signaling a shift from human capital to AI integration.Referenced X Users @BoringBiz_@nitinthisside_ @anon_opin

Lee Zen, CTO of Yahoo, joins Tobias to unpack what it takes to modernize one of the internet's most iconic consumer portfolios—Mail, Finance, Sports, News, and Search—while operating with real legacy constraints at massive scale. We talk about Yahoo's evolution from its public days to private equity ownership, how modernization actually happens (cloud, platform bets, experimentation), and why shipping velocity becomes the most honest forcing function when you're rebuilding the engine mid-flight. Finally, we go deep on AI: where it meaningfully improves consumer experiences (mail catch-up, news takeaways, fantasy insights), how teams should avoid “AI labels” without user value, and what it means when AI becomes a tool—and increasingly a coworker.

Software engineering is being transformed by AI faster than any other domain. Unpacking how this transformation is playing out may offer a glimpse into the future Greg Foster's journey into software engineering began in an unlikely place: a Nevada high school where he couldn't land a job at Starbucks. Instead of serving coffee, he taught himself software development. Foster developed what he calls "a lifelong obsession with the craft of software engineering". That obsession evolved from building apps to building for other builders. From Airbnb cofounding Graphite, where he now serves as CTO running what he calls "a dev tools team for the entire industry". Foster is now building the future of software development with Cursor. Foster doesn't just have a front seat to watch how AI is changing software engineering - he gets to shape the change. We caught up and talked about the past, present and future of software engineering. The takeaway? There is a world of difference between vibes and solid foundations for software engineering at scale. Article published on Orchestrate all the Things: https://linkeddataorchestration.com/2026/01/29/foundations-or-vibes-lessons-learned-from-using-ai-in-software-engineering/

At CES in Las Vegas,Meredith Perry, Co-Founder and CEO, and Dr. David Wang, Co-Founder and CTO of Elemind  talk about how their wearable sleep headband uses real-time brainwave monitoring and precisely timed acoustic stimulation to help users fall asleep faster. By "noise-canceling" wakeful brainwaves, the device calms racing thoughts without drugs. Chuck had a chance to try it out and discusses his positive experience in spite of a noisy, distracting environment.  Show Notes: Chapters: • [0:03] Introduction to EleMind and CES demo • [0:40] How acoustic neuromodulation works • [1:20] The neuroscience behind falling asleep faster • [2:27] First-hand sleep experience and impressions • [4:46] Clinical validation and future applications • [7:22] Why sleep is foundational to overall health • [8:03] Pricing, availability, and closing thoughts Support:      Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon      http://patreon.com/macvoices      Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect:      Web:      http://macvoices.com      Twitter:      http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner      http://www.twitter.com/macvoices      Mastodon:      https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner      Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner      MacVoices Page on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/      MacVoices Group on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice      LinkedIn:      https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/      Instagram:      https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe:      Audio in iTunes      Video in iTunes      Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:      Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss      Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

Welcome back to Practically Pastoring. In this episode, we pull two real questions from Reddit and get painfully practical.Question 1: A rural Methodist pastor has seen real growth, but the “old guard” is wearing him down with constant complaints and unreasonable expectations.Question 2: A bi-vocational pastor/CTO is overloaded and torn between an IT master's (paid for by work) and a doctorate in Bible exposition, while trying to protect his health and family time. Timestamps / Chapters00:00 — Intro + why Reddit questions hit so hard00:29 — Question 1: “The old guard is making me miserable” (rural Methodist church)01:14 — The complaint list (and why some of it is wild)02:42 — Committees, bureaucracy, and the shadow side of church systems05:16 — “They want a chaplain” and resetting expectations for pastoral care07:10 — Perception is reality: communication, tone, and leadership clarity09:32 — The 80/20 rule: it feels like “everyone,” but it's usually not10:49 — Leverage you don't realize you have (and who to call)12:30 — Ad: Practically Pastoring Conference (Feb 9–11, 2026)14:50 — Ad: Church Merch (quality merch people actually want)15:53 — Question 2: Bi-vocational pastor/CTO overwhelmed and choosing degrees18:25 — Stewardship, margin, health, and family: what can you actually carry?19:38 — Prioritizing earning potential and ministry margin21:27 — Andrew's offer: email if you want to talk doctorates at Liberty23:26 — Frank's take: bi-vocational life has limits, and that's okay26:09 — Free learning options (seminary resources, YouTube, Greek tools)28:25 — Closing + subscribe + conference reminderLinks from the show:Listen anywhere: ⁠⁠https://practicallypastoring.com/⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/practicallypastoring⁠⁠Follow us in Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/practicallypastoring⁠⁠Church Merch - https://www.promotionsguy.com/churchmerchHosts:

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Calvin Hendryx-Parker, CTO and co-founder of Six Feet Up.Calvin shares the origin story behind Six Feet Up's unforgettable name—drawn from his family's mortuary business—and how servant leadership, community involvement, and trust became foundational principles for building a durable software consultancy. From hosting websites on a literal coffee-table server in a San Francisco apartment to becoming an AWS Hero and Tech Executive of the Year, Calvin's story is anything but conventional.Calvin delves into community-driven growth, long-tail relationship sales, and why he believes genuine connection beats aggressive pipelines every time. He explains how building and nurturing developer communities like Indie Py shaped both his leadership style and Six Feet Up's talent strategy, why introspection and self-awareness matter more than hustle culture, and how staying agenda-free has led to consistent, sustainable growth. Calvin also shares his outlook on leadership, optimism, global empathy, and why helping people come together may be the most powerful business strategy of all.Join us in the Hoosier State to explore Calvin Hendryx-Parker's approach to leadership, learning, and creating momentum without forcing it in this episode of The First Customer!Guest Info:Six Feet Up, Inc.http://www.sixfeetup.comCalvin Hendryx-Parker's LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/calvinhp/Connect with Jay on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jayaigner/The First Customer Youtube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@thefirstcustomerpodcastThe First Customer podcast websitehttps://www.firstcustomerpodcast.comFollow The First Customer on LinkedInhttp://www.linkedin.com/company/the-first-customer-podcast/

Send us a textManav Gupta, Vice President & CTO at IBM Canada, returns to the podcast to unpack the fast-changing landscape of artificial intelligence. From keeping a technical edge to navigating the rise of sovereign AI, Manav shares insights on how emerging trends are shaping both industry and society.Timestamps 01:25 – Manav Gupta is back! 02:39 – Maintaining your technical edge 04:38 – Ship AI 05:58 – The state of AI 19:37 – Reason for concern? 30:35 – Does the U.S. lead the race? 41:30 – LLMs or SLMs? 44:22 – Sovereign AI 46:05 – The social impactPrevious episode: How to Choose, Use, and Trust AI Models with Manav Gupta Connect with Manav on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mgupta76#SovereignAI #AISocialImpact #AITrends #FutureOfAI #EthicalAI #AIPodcast #TechPodcast #SpotifyPodcast #ApplePodcasts #TechLeaders.Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us a textManav Gupta, Vice President & CTO at IBM Canada, returns to the podcast to unpack the fast-changing landscape of artificial intelligence. From keeping a technical edge to navigating the rise of sovereign AI, Manav shares insights on how emerging trends are shaping both industry and society.Timestamps 01:25 – Manav Gupta is back! 02:39 – Maintaining your technical edge 04:38 – Ship AI 05:58 – The state of AI 19:37 – Reason for concern? 30:35 – Does the U.S. lead the race? 41:30 – LLMs or SLMs? 44:22 – Sovereign AI 46:05 – The social impactPrevious episode: How to Choose, Use, and Trust AI Models with Manav Gupta Connect with Manav on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mgupta76#SovereignAI #AISocialImpact #AITrends #FutureOfAI #EthicalAI #AIPodcast #TechPodcast #SpotifyPodcast #ApplePodcasts #TechLeaders.Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

In this episode of Future Finance, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper sit down with Kevin A.Thomas and Drew Hyatt, the co-founders of Omniga, to discuss the often-overlooked but critical challenges facing small business finance teams. While enterprise companies get most of the attention, Kevin and Drew are focused on the backbone of the economy, businesses under $30 million in revenue—and the unique struggles they face when it comes to closing the books, managing data, and generating strategic insight.Kevin A.Thomas, CFA, is the founder of Omniga and a seasoned strategic finance leader focused on scaling digital businesses. Kevin is passionate about rebuilding the back office to help businesses make smarter decisions, faster. Drew Hyatt is the Co-Founder and CTO of Omniga. He plays a key role in architecting Omniga's infrastructure, translating complex workflows into scalable technology for finance teams.In this episode, you will discover:Why clean books are the foundation for strong financial decisionsThe hidden risks in small business bookkeeping and how to fix themThe difference between replacing tasks and supporting human judgmentHow to expand from bookkeeping to full finance strategy supportHow to structure a finance workflow that scales with your businessKevin and Drew leave us with a clear message: better finance starts with a stronger foundation. By focusing on clean books and scalable workflows, Omniga is reshaping how small businesses manage finance. It's not about replacing people, it's about empowering them to do more with less.Join hosts Glenn and Paul as they unravel the complexities of AI in finance.Follow Kevin:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-a-thomas/Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/omniga-ai/Follow Drew:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-a-hyatt/Follow Glenn:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiiiFollow Paul:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguyFollow QFlow.AI:Website - https://bit.ly/4i1EkjgFuture Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai. Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.In Today's Episode:[00:00] –Trailer[03:39] – Why They Started Omniga[07:11] – Drew's Tech Journey[09:28] – What...

With electricity prices on the rise, the future of our power grid is attracting a lot more attention. Surging demand is at the center of the story, but the power sector is also grappling with supply chain bottlenecks and aging infrastructure – all while trying to balance capacity growth with reducing emissions. This isn't just a technical challenge. Energy affordability and equity are reshaping debates about energy policy, permitting reform, and climate goals.  So, what's really behind rising prices? What are the best ways to balance the need to build capacity with the interests of communities? What role can research play when it comes to steering energy policy? And what lessons can Texas teach us about all of these concerns? Today on the show, Jason Bordoff speaks with Michael Webber about the costs of energy; the challenges of permitting reform; and the need to build more energy faster. Michael Webber is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. He's the author of multiple books on energy, including Power Trip and Thirst for Power, both of which were adapted into award-winning PBS documentary series. In addition to his academic post, Michael previously served as CTO of the venture fund Energy Impact Partners, and as chief science and technology officer at ENGIE. Note: This conversation was recorded in early December. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.  

Are there some things that can come off your strategic planning radar for IT and cybersecurity in 2026? If you ask AI, you'll get some surprising answers. Johna and John take a critical look at this AI-generated list to see which ones may or may not be “solved enough” to fall off the strategic planning... Read more »

Murat Erder, CTO for Financial Services at Valtech in Europe, and Eoin Woods, independent consultant in the field of software architecture, join host Giovanni Asproni to talk about Continuous Architecture—an approach to software design where architectural decisions are made and refined continuously throughout the lifecycle of a system, instead of up front in a big design phase. The show starts with a definition of Continuous Architecture and a description of the six principles underpinning it. Following that is an explanation of the main reasons and advantages of this approach, which finishes with some hints on how to get started using it. During the conversation, they explore several key points, including how to empower teams to take architectural decisions and recording those decisions; using feedback loops to refine the architecture; the role of software architects and architectural governance; the importance of focusing on quality requirements; and the impact of artificial intelligence on the field. Brought to you by IEEE Computer Society and IEEE Software magazine.

Are there some things that can come off your strategic planning radar for IT and cybersecurity in 2026? If you ask AI, you'll get some surprising answers. Johna and John take a critical look at this AI-generated list to see which ones may or may not be “solved enough” to fall off the strategic planning... Read more »

Rails upgrades don't have to feel like crossing a minefield. We sit down with Ernesto, founder and CTO of FastRuby and Ombu Labs, to unpack a pragmatic path from legacy Rails to Rails 8.1 and how AI can accelerate the work without sacrificing quality. From Ruby 4.0 landing over the holidays to a near-release of RubyCritic 5.0, we dig into the tools, the traps, and the test-suite realities that make or break an upgrade.Ernesto walks us through a free AI-powered upgrade roadmap that analyzes your repo, dependencies, and code to chart a step-by-step plan—covering everything from Rails 2.3 onward. We compare it to their paid roadmap that adds time and cost estimates for stakeholders who need budgets before they commit. Along the way, we talk strategy: why 5.2 marked a turning point for smoother jumps, where major versions still bite, and how to avoid the “big bang” deployment that topples fragile apps.AI shows up as a sharp tool, not an autopilot. Ombu is experimenting with agent-driven PRs that draft changes while humans review and refine. We assess hallucinations (better, not gone), verbose code that bloats review cycles, and the mixed evidence on productivity. Then we get practical about safe AI adoption: organization licenses, editor integrations, and enforcing your existing quality gates like RuboCop, Reek, RubyCritic, and coverage checks so “faster” still means “safer.”We also celebrate community. Philly.rb is back in person at Indy Hall with talks on AI agents and Hotwire Native, and we swap tips on discoverability, speaker sourcing, and venues. Rails remains a strong choice for startups and teams because convention over configuration helps both humans and AI produce sane, testable code. If you care about getting upgrades right and using AI responsibly, this conversation offers clear steps and real-world guardrails.Enjoy the episode? Subscribe, share it with a teammate wrestling an upgrade, and leave a quick review so more Rubyists can find us. Have a talk idea for Philly.rb? Reach out—we'd love to host you.Send us some love.JudoscaleAutoscaling that actually works. Take control of your cloud hosting. HoneybadgerHoneybadger is an application health monitoring tool built by developers for developers.JudoscaleAutoscaling that actually works. Take control of your cloud hosting.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

If you've ever worried that an unconventional career path in tech leadership might hold you back — that your background isn't "technical enough," linear enough, or traditional enough — this episode will fundamentally challenge that belief. In this conversation, Toni Collis is joined by Lisa Ferrante-Walsh, SVP of Engineering at Native Instruments, whose career journey spans music, computer science, engineering leadership, mergers and acquisitions, and even stepping into an acting CTO role. Lisa's story is a powerful example of how a nonlinear career path in tech can become a strategic advantage rather than a liability. Toni & Lisa discuss what it really takes to move from individual contributor to people leader, how to lead engineering teams through M&A without losing trust or momentum, and why executive confidence, decision-making, and visibility matter even more when your background doesn't fit the "expected" mould. This episode is essential listening if you're a woman in tech navigating a career transition into senior leadership, leading through organizational change, or questioning whether you truly belong at the executive table.   Connect with today's guest and sponsor, Lisa Ferrante-Walsh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaferrantewalsh/ This episode was sponsored by our guest, Lisa Ferrante-Walsh. Thank you Lisa for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!  

Moments Lab co-founders and identical twins, Frederic & Philippe Petitpont, realized they were in the wrong role. The CEO became CTO. The CTO became CEO. As a result, the business got stronger. In this episode, they break down how to spot role misalignment and how putting the company first can unlock real scale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your host, Sebastian Hassinger, talks with Alumni Ventures managing partner Chris Sklarin about how one of the most active US venture firms is building a quantum portfolio while “democratizing” access to VC as an asset class for individual investors. They dig into Alumni Ventures' co‑investor model, how the firm thinks about quantum hardware, software, and sensing, and why quantum should be viewed as a long‑term platform with near‑term pockets of commercial value. Chris also explains how accredited investors can start seeing quantum deal flow through Alumni Ventures' syndicate.Chris' background and Alumni Ventures in a nutshellChris is an MIT‑trained engineer who spent years in software startups before moving into venture more than 20 years ago.Alumni Ventures is a roughly decade‑old firm focused on “democratizing venture capital” for individual investors, with over 11,000 LPs, more than 1.5 billion dollars raised, and about 1,300 active portfolio companies.The firm has been repeatedly recognized as a highly active VC by CB Insights, PitchBook, Stanford GSB, and Time magazine.How Alumni Ventures structures access for individualsMost investors come in as individuals into LLC‑structured funds rather than traditional GP/LP funds.Alumni Ventures always co‑invests alongside a lead VC, using the lead's conviction, sector expertise, and diligence as a key signal.The platform also offers a syndicate where accredited investors can opt in to see and back individual deals, including those tagged for quantum.Quantum in the Alumni Ventures portfolioAlumni Ventures has 5–6 quantum‑related investments spanning hardware, software, and applications, including Rigetti, Atom Computing, Q‑CTRL, Classiq, and quantum‑error‑mitigation startup Qedma/Cadmus.Rigetti was one of the firm's earliest quantum investments; the team followed on across multiple rounds and was able to return capital to investors after Rigetti's SPAC and a strong period in the public markets.Chris also highlights interest in Cycle Dre (a new company from Rigetti's former CTO) and application‑layer companies like InQ and quantum sensing players.Barbell funding and the “3–5 year” viewChris responds to the now‑familiar “barbell” funding picture in quantum— a few heavily funded players and a long tail of small companies—by emphasizing near‑term revenue over pure science experiments.He sees quantum entering an era where companies must show real products, customers, and revenue, not just qubit counts.Over the next 3–5 years, he expects meaningful commercial traction first in areas like quantum sensing, navigation, and point solutions in chemistry and materials, with full‑blown fault‑tolerant systems further out.Hybrid compute and NVIDIA's signal to the marketChris points to Jensen Huang's GTC 2025 keynote slide on NVIDIA's hybrid quantum–GPU ecosystem, where Alumni Ventures portfolio companies such as Atom Computing, Classiq, and Rigetti appeared.He notes that NVIDIA will not put “science projects” on that slide—those partnerships reflect a view that quantum processors will sit tightly coupled next to GPUs to handle specific workloads.He also mentions a large commercial deal between NVIDIA and Groq (a classical AI chip company in his portfolio) as another sign of a more heterogeneous compute future that quantum will plug into.Where near‑term quantum revenue shows upChris expects early commercial wins in sensing, GPS‑denied navigation, and other narrow but valuable applications before broad “quantum advantage” in general‑purpose computing.Software and middleware players can generate revenue sooner by making today's hardware more stable, more efficient, or easier to program, and by integrating into classical and AI workflows.He stresses that investors love clear revenue paths that fit into the 10‑year life of a typical venture fund.University spin‑outs, clustering, and deal flowAlumni Ventures certainly sees clustering around strong quantum schools like MIT, Harvard, and Yale, but Chris emphasizes that the “alumni angle” is secondary to the quality of the venture deal.Mature tech‑transfer offices and standard Delaware C‑corps mean spinning out quantum IP from universities is now a well‑trodden path.Chris leans heavily on network effects—Alumni Ventures' 800,000‑person network and 1,300‑company CEO base—as a key channel for discovering the most interesting quantum startups.Managing risk in a 100‑hardware‑company worldWith dozens of hardware approaches now in play, Chris uses Alumni Ventures' co‑investor model and lead‑investor diligence as a filter rather than picking purely on physics bets.He looks for teams with credible near‑term commercial pathways and for mechanisms like sensing or middleware that can create value even if fault‑tolerant systems arrive later than hoped.He compares quantum to past enabling waves like nanotech, where the biggest impact often shows up as incremental improvements rather than a single “big bang” moment.Democratizing access to quantum ventureAlumni Ventures allows accredited investors to join its free syndicate, self‑attest accreditation, and then see deal materials—watermarked and under NDA—for individual investments, including quantum.Chris encourages people to think in terms of diversified funds (20–30 deals per fund year) rather than only picking single names in what is a power‑law asset class.He frames quantum as a long‑duration infrastructure play with near‑term pockets of usefulness, where venture can help investors participate in the upside without getting ahead of reality.

Jason Cohen is a four-time founder (including two unicorns, one being WP Engine) and an investor in over 60 startups, and has been sharing his lessons on company building at A Smart Bear for nearly 20 years. In this episode, Jason shares his methodical five-step framework for diagnosing stalled growth—a problem that faces almost every team.We discuss:1. Jason's five-step framework: logo retention, pricing, NRR, marketing channels, target market2. A small tweak that'll double response rates on your cancellation surveys3. Why “it's too expensive” is almost never the real reason customers cancel4. The “elephant curve” of growth5. How repositioning the same product can increase revenue 8x6. When to reconsider if growth is even the right goal for your business—Brought to you by:10Web—Vibe coding platform as an APIStrella—The AI-powered customer research platformBrex—The banking solution for startups—Episode transcript: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/why-your-product-stopped-growing—Archive of all Lenny's Podcast transcripts: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/yxi4s2w998p1gvtpu4193/AMdNPR8AOw0lMklwtnC0TrQ?rlkey=j06x0nipoti519e0xgm23zsn9&st=ahz0fj11&dl=0—Where to find Jason Cohen:• Preorder Jason's book: https://preorder.hiddenmultipliers.com/• X: https://x.com/asmartbear• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncohen• Blog: https://longform.asmartbear.com• Website: https://wpengine.com—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction to Jason Cohen(05:19) Jason's writing journey(08:25) Questions to ask when your product stops growing(18:17) Getting real customer feedback(20:27) Analyzing cancellation reasons(26:54) Onboarding and activation(29:35) Quick summary(35:46) Revisiting pricing strategies(41:46) Positioning strategies(47:52) Why pricing is inseparable from your strategy(52:06) The importance of net revenue retention (NRR)(01:00:25) Asking whether or not this is good for the customer(01:04:34) Leveraging existing customers(01:06:42) Are your acquisition channels saturated? The “elephant curve”(1:09:41) Why all marketing channels eventually decline(01:12:04) Direct vs. indirect marketing channels(1:13:36) Getting creative with new channels(01:19:04) Do you actually need to grow?(01:25:57) Deciding when to quit(01:29:27) Book announcement(01:33:21) AI corner(01:34:35) Contrarian corner(01:37:43) Lightning round and final thoughts—Referenced:• Tyler Cowen's website: https://tylercowen.com• How to Perform a Customer Churn Analysis (and Why You Should): https://www.groovehq.com/blog/learn-from-customer-churn• Linear: https://linear.app• Jira: https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira• Patrick Campbell's post on X about pricing: https://x.com/Patticus/status/1702313260547006942• The art and science of pricing | Madhavan Ramanujam (Monetizing Innovation, Simon-Kucher): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-art-and-science-of-pricing-madhavan• Pricing your AI product: Lessons from 400+ companies and 50 unicorns | Madhavan Ramanujam: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/pricing-and-scaling-your-ai-product-madhavan-ramanujam• Pricing your SaaS product: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/saas-pricing-strategy• M&A, competition, pricing, and investing | Julia Schottenstein (dbt Labs): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/m-and-a-competition-pricing-and-investing• “Sell the alpha, not the feature”: The enterprise sales playbook for $1M to $10M ARR | Jen Abel: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-enterprise-sales-playbook-1m-to-10m-arr• Buffer: https://buffer.com• AG1: https://drinkag1.com• How to find hidden growth opportunities in your product | Albert Cheng (Duolingo, Grammarly, Chess.com): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-find-hidden-growth-opportunities-albert-cheng• How Duolingo reignited user growth: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-duolingo-reignited-user-growth• The Elephant in the room: The myth of exponential hypergrowth: https://longform.asmartbear.com/exponential-growth• HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com• Zigging vs. zagging: How HubSpot built a $30B company | Dharmesh Shah (co-founder/CTO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-30-years-of-building• Adjacency Matrix: How to expand after PMF: https://longform.asmartbear.com/adjacency/• Ecosystem is the next big growth channel: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/ecosystem-is-the-next-big-growth• ChatGPT apps are about to be the next big distribution channel: Here's how to build one: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/chatgpt-apps-are-about-to-be-the• 10 contrarian leadership truths every leader needs to hear | Matt MacInnis (Rippling): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/10-contrarian-leadership-truths• Breaking the rules of growth: Why Shopify bans KPIs, optimizes for churn, prioritizes intuition, and builds toward a 100-year vision | Archie Abrams (VP Product, Head of Growth at Shopify): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/shopifys-growth-archie-abrams• Geoffrey Moore on finding your beachhead, crossing the chasm, and dominating a market: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/geoffrey-moore-on-finding-your-beachhead• ER on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/ER-Season-1/dp/B0FWK5WJQ4• The Pitt on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/The-Pitt-Season-1/dp/B0DNRR8QWD• Wispr Flow: https://wisprflow.ai• Anker: https://www.anker.com—Recommended books:• Will: https://www.amazon.com/Will-Smith/dp/1984877925• Monetizing Innovation: How Smart Companies Design the Product Around the Price: https://www.amazon.com/Monetizing-Innovation-Companies-Design-Product/dp/1119240867• Hidden Multipliers: Small Things That Accelerate Growth: https://preorder.hiddenmultipliers.com• On Writing Well: The Essential Guide to Mastering Nonfiction Writing and Effective Communication: https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Well-Classic-Guide-Nonfiction/dp/0060891548• Crossing the Chasm, 3rd Edition: The Updated Version of the Insightful Guide on Bringing Cutting-Edge Products to the Mainstream: https://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Chasm-3rd-Disruptive-Mainstream/dp/0062292986—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com

Ricky Blanco Saavedra is a Sr. Executive Assistant at Viva Exec, supporting the CTO and Head of Go-to-Market at Shippo.In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, Ricky talks about discarding the “I'm just the EA” mindset, and stepping into a leadership mindset, how to fight impostor syndrome, and more.Show Notes -> leaderassistant.com/360 --In-person meeting planning can be a lot to manage. That's where TROOP Planner comes in. TROOP Planner is built to make life easier for busy assistants like yourself. Whether you're organizing an executive offsite, department meeting, or team retreat, TROOP keeps it simple, fast, and organized.Visit leaderassistant.com/troop to learn more! --Are you ready to level up? Enroll in The Leader Assistant Academy at leaderassistant.com/academy to embrace the Leader Assistant frameworks used by thousands of assistants. --Eliminate manual scheduling with YouCanBookMe by Capacity's booking links, automated reminders, and meeting polls. Sign up for a FREE trial -> leaderassistant.com/calendar.More from The Leader Assistant... Book, Audiobook, and Workbook -> leaderassistantbook.com The Leader Assistant Academy -> leaderassistantbook.com/academy Premium Membership -> leaderassistant.com/membership Events -> leaderassistantlive.com Free Community -> leaderassistant.com/community

BONUS: Thinking Like an Architect in the Age of AI-Assisted Coding How can engineers leverage AI to write better code—and think like architects to build systems that truly scale? In this episode, Brian Childress, a CTO and software architect with over 15 years of experience, shares hard-won lessons from teams using AI coding tools daily, and explains why the real challenge isn't just writing code—it's designing systems that scale with users, features, and teams. The Complexity Trap: When AI Multiplies Our Problems "Most engineering projects and software engineers themselves lean more towards complexity, and I find that that complexity really is multiplied when we bring in the power of AI and its ability to write just tons and tons and tons of code."   Brian has observed a troubling pattern: AI tools can generate deeply nested components with complex data flows that technically work but are nearly impossible to understand or maintain. When teams don't guide AI through architectural decisions, they end up with code that becomes "a little too complex for us to understand what is actually going on here." The speed at which AI produces code makes understanding the underlying problem even more critical—we can solve problems quickly, but we must ensure we're solving them the right way. In this segment, we mention our longer AI Assisted Coding podcast series. Check that out for further insights and different perspectives on how our software community is learning to make better use of AI Assisted Coding tools.  Vibe Coding Has Its Place—But Know Its Limits "Vibe coding is incredibly powerful for designers and product owners who want to prompt until they get something that really demonstrates what they're trying to do."   Brian sees value across the entire spectrum from vibe coding to architect-driven development. Vibe coding allows teams to move from wireframes and Figma prototypes to actual working code much faster, enabling quicker validation with real customers. The key distinction is knowing when to use each approach:   Vibe coding works well for rapid prototyping and testing whether something has value Architect thinking becomes essential when building production systems that need to scale and be maintained What Does "Thinking Like an Architect" Actually Mean? "When I'm thinking more like an architect, I'm thinking more around how bigger components, higher level components start to fit together."   The architect mindset shifts focus from "how do I work within a framework" to "what is the problem I'm really solving?" Brian emphasizes that technology is actually the easiest part of what engineers do—you can Google or AI your way to a solution. The harder work is ensuring that the solution addresses the real customer need. An architect asks: How can I simplify? How can I explain this to someone else, technical or non-technical? The better you can explain it, the better you understand it. AI as Your Thought Partner "What it really forces us to do is to be able to explain ourselves better. I find most software engineers will hide behind complexity because they don't understand the problem."   Brian uses AI as a collaborative thought partner rather than just a code generator. He explains the problem, shares his thought process, and then strategizes back and forth—looking for questions that challenge his thinking. This approach forces engineers to communicate clearly instead of hiding behind technical jargon. The AI becomes like having a colleague with an enormous corpus of knowledge who can see solutions you might never have encountered in your career. Simplicity Through Four Shapes "I basically use four shapes to be able to diagram anything, and if I can't do that, then we still have too much complexity. It's a square, a triangle, a circle, and a line."   When helping colleagues shift from code-writing to architect-thinking, Brian insists on dead simplicity. If you can diagram a system—from customer-facing problems down to code component breakdowns, data flow, and integrations—using only these four basic shapes, you've reached true understanding. This simplification creates that "light bulb moment" where engineers suddenly get it and can translate understanding into code while in flow state. Making AI Work Culturally: Leading by Example "For me as a leader, as a CTO, I need to show my team this is how I'm using it, this is where I'm messing up with it, showing that it's okay."   Brian addresses the cultural challenge head-on: mid-level and senior engineers often resist AI tools, fearing job displacement or having to support "AI slop." His approach is to frame AI as a new tool to learn—just like Google and Stack Overflow were in years past—rather than a threat. He openly shares his experiments, including failures, demonstrating that it's acceptable to laugh at garbage code while learning from how it was generated. The Guardrails That Make AI Safe "If we have all of that—the guardrails, the ability to test, automation—then AI just helps us to create the code in the right way, following our coding standards."   The same engineering practices that protect against human errors protect against AI mistakes: automated testing, deployment guardrails, coding standards, and code review. Brian sees an opportunity for AI to help teams finally accomplish what they've always wanted but never had time for—comprehensive documentation and thorough automated test suites. Looking Ahead: More Architects, More Experiments, More Failures "I'm going to see more engineers acting like architects, more engineers thinking in ways of how do I construct this system, how do I move data around, how do I scale."   Brian's 2-3 year prediction: engineers will increasingly think architecturally because AI removes the need to deeply understand framework nuances. We'll have more time for safeguards, automated testing, and documentation. But expect both sides of the spectrum to intensify—more engineers embracing AI tools, and more resistance and high-profile failures from CEOs vibe-coding production apps into security incidents. Resources for Learning Brian recommends staying current through YouTube channels focused on AI and developer tools. His top recommendations for developer-focused AI content:   IndyDevDan NetworkChuck AI Jason   His broader advice: experiment with everything, document what you learn as you go, and be willing to fail publicly. The engineers who thrive will be those actively experimenting and learning.   About Brian Childress   Brian Childress is a CTO and software architect with over 15 years of experience working across highly regulated industries including healthcare, finance, and consumer SaaS products. He brings a non-traditional background to technology leadership, having built his expertise through dedication and continuous learning rather than formal computer science education. Brian is passionate about helping engineers think architecturally and leverage AI tools effectively while maintaining simplicity in system design.   You can link with Brian Childress on LinkedIn.

A los 25 años, Alejandro Casas dejó su trabajo como CTO convencido de que sabía todo sobre emprender. La primera semana quedó paralizado. No sabía nada.Pasó por 11 ideas diferentes. Recibió decenas de "no" de fondos de inversión. Vivió un accidente grave que lo obligó a repensar todo.Hoy es CEO de Simetrik, una empresa presente en 28 países que procesa más de 80 mil millones de dólares al año para clientes como Mercado Libre, NuBank y Rappi.En este episodio descubrimos:•    Por qué las ideas no tienen valor (y qué sí lo tiene)•    Cómo transformar los "no" en combustible•    Qué nos falta a los latinoamericanos para construir empresas globales•    Por qué en la era de la IA tenemos que soñar más grande"Creía que sabía todo sobre emprender. La realidad me enseñó humildad”, confesó Alejandro.Cambia cómo ves. Todo lo demás sigue.

S1E8: Killing Passwords, Building Trust: Modern Identity Security in Healthcare On this episode of We Have Trust Issues, our hosts dive into the intersections of modern identity security and clinician workflows with Joel Burleson-Davis, CTO of Imprivata. Joel discusses transformative strategies like passwordless authentication, mobile workflows, and AI-powered solutions that enhance both clinician productivity and security. Discover how healthcare organizations can build trust and improve efficiency without sacrificing data protection. For more insights, listen to Imprivata's podcast, Access Point, exploring cybersecurity and operational strategies in critical industries. To stream our Station live 24/7 visit www.HealthcareNOWRadio.com or ask your Smart Device to “….Play Healthcare NOW Radio”. Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen

Pirelli CTO Piero Misani

Microwave Journal editors Pat Hindle and Del Pierson review the products in the Jan Radar/Antenna themed issue, talk with Ian Dunn, CTO of Spectrum Control, about RF architecture evolution and review industry news/events. Sponsored by RFMW and Spectrum Control.

Ian Dunn, CTO of Spectrum Control, talks with Pat Hindle about their evolution into subsystems to meet the changing military customer needs. Ian talks about RF integration, system responsibility, open systems and reducing time to deployment. Sponsored by Spectrum Control.

Lior Gavish, CTO and co-founder of Monte Carlo Data, joins Ben Lorica to discuss the critical transition from data observability to agent observability in production environments. Subscribe to the Gradient Flow Newsletter

Matt is joined by Karell Ste-Marie, founder of The Serious CTO YouTube channel. Together, they tackle one of the biggest hidden challenges in software companies: the language and cultural barrier between engineers and executives.Karell and Matt break down why innovation is so rare in large organizations, why engineers and business leaders often talk past each other, and how the CTO role often becomes the critical bridge between the two worlds.Key Discussion PointsThe cultural resistance to change inside enterprisesHow introversion and communication style shape engineering cultureWhy the best CTOs speak “both languages”Lessons from mistakes made on the path to leadershipResources & LinksThe Serious CTO on YouTube – Karell's channel where he shares insights on engineering leadershipProduct Driven - Get the BookSubscribe to the Product Driven NewsletterWhat Smart CTOs Are Doing Differently With Offshore Teams in 2025Subscribe to the Global Talent SprintFull Scale – Build your dev team quickly and affordably

Como a inteligência artificial pode ajudar a identificar COMPORTAMENTOS em VÍDEO? No episódio 19 do Hipsters.Talks, PAULO SILVEIRA , CVO do Grupo Alura, conversa com RUBENS RODRIGUES , CTO da School Guardian sobre VISÃO COMPUTACIONAL, detecção de objetos com YOLO e PYTHON e como treinar MODELOS DE IA PARA IDENTIFICAR COMPORTAMENTOS específicos em vídeos. Descubra a diferença entre usar bibliotecas prontas e treinar seus próprios modelos, APIs de cloud vs processamento local e o futuro dos desenvolvedores na era da IA! Sinta-se à vontade para compartilhar suas perguntas e comentários. Vamos adorar conversar com você!

In this episode, we discuss the 'Drupal in a Day' initiative, aimed at introducing computer science students to Drupal and invigorating the community with new energy. Martin Anderson-Clutz and Hilmar Hallbjörnsson talk about its origins, development, and the specifics of condensing a comprehensive university course into a single-day curriculum. They also cover the enthusiasm and logistics behind the events, insights from past sessions in Vienna and Drupal Jam, and future plans for expanding the scope of this program. Tune in to hear the vision for bringing more students into the Drupal community and the benefits for universities and organizations alike. For show notes visit: https://www.talkingDrupal.com/cafe013 Topics What is Drupal in a Day? Origins and Development of Drupal in a Day Target Audience and Curriculum Teaching Methodology and Community Impact Student Engagement and Event Comparisons Momentum and Future Plans for Drupal in a Day Logistics and Volunteer Involvement Open Source and Community Contributions Personal Stories and Final Thoughts Hilmar Hallbjörnsson Hilmar Kári Hallbjörnsson is a senior Drupal developer, educator, and open-source advocate based in Iceland. He works as a Senior Drupal Developer at the University of Iceland and is the CEO/CTO of the Drupal consultancy Um að gera. Hilmar is also an adjunct professor at Reykjavík University, where he teaches "Designing open-sourced web software with Drupal and PHP." Deeply involved in the Drupal ecosystem, Hilmar is an active contributor and community organizer, with a particular focus on Drupal 11, modern configuration management, and the emerging Recipes initiative. He is a co-founder of the Drupal Open University Initiative and Drupal-in-a-Day, and has served on the organizing committee for DrupalCon Europe. His work bridges real-world engineering, teaching, and community leadership, with a strong interest in both the technical evolution and philosophical direction of Drupal as an open-source platform. Martin Anderson-Clutz Martin is a highly respected figure in the Drupal community, known for his extensive contributions as a developer, speaker, and advocate for open-source innovation. Based in London, Ontario, Canada, Martin began his career as a graphic designer before transitioning into web development. His journey with Drupal started in late 2005 when he was seeking a robust multilingual CMS solution, leading him to embrace Drupal's capabilities. Martin holds the distinction of being the world's first Triple Drupal Grand Master, certified across Drupal 7, 8, and 9 as a Developer, Front-End Specialist, and Back-End Specialist. (TheDropTimes) He also possesses certifications in various Acquia products and is UX certified by the Nielsen Norman Group. Currently serving as a Senior Solutions Engineer at Acquia, Martin has been instrumental in advancing Drupal's ecosystem. He has developed and maintains several contributed modules, including Smart Date and Search Overrides, and has been actively involved in the Drupal Recipes initiative, particularly focusing on event management solutions. His current work on the Event Platform aims to streamline the creation and management of event-based websites within Drupal. Beyond development, Martin is a prominent speaker and educator, having presented at numerous Drupal events such as DrupalCon Barcelona and EvolveDrupal. He is also a co-host of the "Talking Drupal" podcast, where he leads the "Module of the Week" segment, sharing insights on various Drupal modules. Martin's dedication to the Drupal community is evident through his continuous efforts to mentor, innovate, and promote best practices within the open-source landscape. Guests Hilmar Hallbjörnsson - drupalviking Martin Anderson-Clutz - mandclu

Deric Rosenbaum, President and CTO of Groucho's Deli, a legendary brand celebrating 85 years in business, shares his journey from a commercial construction background to leading the brand's growth and technological evolution, emphasizing a philosophy of "adapt, not change" to modernize systems while preserving the core essence of community and hospitality. He discusses the strategic decision to prioritize controlled, concentric growth through franchising, the importance of fostering human connection in an increasingly digital world, and how leveraging data and a robust tech stack (including Square for restaurants, Ovation, and Bikky) helps optimize operations and enhance customer loyalty without sacrificing the personal touch.10 Key Takeaways "Adapt, Don't Change": Modernize systems (technology, operations) while retaining the core brand identity and legacy (e.g., original recipes). Community and Hospitality are Core Assets: Building community and genuine hospitality is crucial for customer loyalty and takes time and investment. Controlled Growth Strategy: Groucho's prefers slow, measured, and concentric growth to maintain quality, brand recognition, and efficient distribution, avoiding rapid, capital-intensive expansion common in private equity models. Technology as an Enabler, Not a "Shiny Object": Tech should enhance guest experience and simplify operations, not just be used for its own sake. Prioritize Retention Over Acquisition: Focusing on retaining existing guests drives frequency, which in turn leads to organic new guest acquisition and revenue growth, even during economic pressures. The Importance of an Open API: A robust and open POS API (like Square's) allows for seamless integration with "best of fit" third-party tools (like Ovation for feedback and Bikky for data) to create a unified commerce ecosystem. Data-Driven Decisions: Utilizing a customer data platform (CDP) like Bikky allows for deep understanding and segmentation of guests to tailor marketing and improve operational efficiency. Consistency Creates Loyalty: Standardizing processes across the chain and delivering consistent experiences fuels success in the long term. Invest in Training and Culture: Especially in a franchise model, training operators (not just money partners) on the fundamentals of hospitality is key to maintaining brand standards and a positive guest experience. Listen to Your Guests: Use feedback mechanisms (like Ovation's text-based system) to engage in two-way conversations and make targeted operational adjustments based on sentiment analysis.

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Northwest Registered Agent - www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistCrusoe Cloud - https://crusoe.ai/savingsLinkedIn Jobs - http://linkedIn.com/twistToday's show: On today's TWIST episode, Alex interviews two of the top startup co-founders: Keller Cliffton of Zipline and Anastasis Germanidis of Runway. Zipline announced its $600 million raise at a $7.6 BILLION valuation. Kellers breaks down the origins, economics, and future of Zipline's contrarian bet in drone delivery. What was science fiction a decade ago is now a regular part of life for many. In fact, Zipline operates more flights than United!Zipline is set to leapfrog the car delivery apps AND self driving cars with the superior economics of drone delivery. It is much cheaper to transport your burrito in a lightweight drone than a 6,000 pound self driving car!Then, Alex is joined by Anastasis Germanidis, the CTO and co-founder of Runway, to explain why the next frontier of generative AI is world models! Runway  is looking to build a universal simulation, which will unlock massive gains in robotics, autonomy, and simulations. The world model would be able to simulate rare edge cases that could take years to find naturally! Check out how this cutting edge AI startup's NYU Tisch School of Art's originsThen, See Jason's answer to the question: “When should founders pivot or give up?”Timestamps: (00:00) The Drone revolution is here!(02:46) Inside Zipline's factory to build 20K drones a year(04:40) American dynamism Vs. Chinese manufacturing dominance(09:00) How Zipline is growing 75% month on month(9:50) Northwest Registered Agent. Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity —  Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist(11:15) Zipline teleports food and goods to your house(21:54) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/savings to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.(23:02) Is it affordable to use a drone to deliver a burrito?(29:18) Zipline DOUBLES United's flight numbers(31:11) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs new AI assistant.(32:21) Anastasis break's down Runway's AI modeling(35:24) Runway's Gen 4.5 and the world model(40:57) Why do robotics companies need a world model?(43:04) Using AI to simulate robot laundry folding(52:37) Runway's origins at NYU's art school(55:46) Founder Q/A: When to pivot or give up on your startup*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com)Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(9:50) Northwest Registered Agent. Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity —  Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist(21:54) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/savings to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.(31:11) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs new AI assistant.Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

From graduate engineer to CTO, Andrew Phillips' 16-year journey at Skyscanner is a story of continuous reinvention. He didn't chase titles—he chased growth, deliberately stepping out of his comfort zone and unlearning the habits that no longer served him. What's kept him at the company for over a decade isn't status, but challenge: new teams, unfamiliar problems, and the chance to stay close to the work, even as his scope of leadership expanded.In this episode, we explore how Andrew is now applying that same mindset to leading in the AI era—personally and professionally. He shares how he's built a personal AI stack to stay more present, how Skyscanner is blurring traditional team roles to unlock speed, and why “directed autonomy” is more important than ever. For leaders navigating scale, technology, and the desire to make meaningful impact without burning out, Andrew offers a powerful perspective.Key TakeawaysGrowth through discomfort: Andrew's biggest accelerations came from switching roles and leaving his comfort zone—not climbing a predefined ladder.AI as a leadership enabler: He uses AI tools to be more present, thoughtful, and effective—especially during high-stakes meetings.From feature factory to outcome focus: Leaders must reconnect people to impact, not just output.Directed autonomy: Empowering teams with AI means giving clear goals—not micromanaging the execution.Unlearning process overreach: Traditional roles, ticketing systems, and rigid handoffs are ripe for reinvention in AI-native organizations.Additional InsightsThe personal AI stack Andrew uses includes ChatGPT, Otter, Cursor, and SpecKit—enabling him to ideate on walks, build apps during board meetings, and maintain strategic presence.Skyscanner's senior engineers are back coding, using AI to close the gap between architectural thinking and execution.AI-driven productivity unlocks don't just mean faster work—they mean better work-life balance, deeper engagement, and more human leadership.Episode Highlights00:00 – Episode RecapAndrew Phillips shares how stepping into uncertainty—and building his own AI stack—transformed his leadership at Skyscanner. From personal growth to organizational reinvention, he's leading the charge on what modern technology leadership looks like.01:35 – Guest Introduction: Andrew PhillipsBarry introduces Andrew Phillips, CTO of Skyscanner, reflecting on their 15-year relationship and Andrew's rise from graduate engineer to technology leader.05:45 – The One Trick Pony MomentAndrew recalls the pivotal moment when a CEO challenged him to move teams and stop playing it safe—triggering his real leadership evolution.12:33 – Starting with Yourself in AIBefore transforming your company with AI, Andrew urges leaders to start by experimenting personally and learning from the ground up.15:15 – Writing Better Prompts, Building Better SpecsAI tools thrive on clear direction. Andrew realized that better prompting and crisp product requirements accelerated his results dramatically.20:01 – Directed Autonomy in the AI EraGiving AI tools (and people) the “why” rather than micromanaging the “how” builds trust, speed, and better outcomes.24:56 – Parallel Productivity and Boardroom AppsHow Andrew built an entire app—during a board meeting—by offloading work to AI and staying fully present in the room.27:13 – Reclaiming Work-Life BalanceAI allows Andrew to unload his mental backlog—using...

Robert Blumofe: a CTO on Technical InfluenceCTO Robert Blumofe oversees areas like edge computing, zero trust, 5G, and IoT, while working closely with customers and internal leaders on digital transformation. In this conversation, we will explore how technical professionals can better communicate with nontechnical audiences, why technical excellence alone is not enough to influence outcomes, and what organizations can do to close that gap.To learn more about Robert, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-blumofe-258233/.__TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com) Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.comGet Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Mek Stittri, CTO at Stuut, breaks down a leadership skill that sounds simple but gets messy fast, trust, then verify. You will learn how to delegate without losing control, how to stay close to the work without becoming a micromanager, and how AI is changing what it means to review and own technical outcomes. Key takeaways• Trust and verify starts with alignment, define success clearly, then keep a real line of sight to outcomes• Verification is not micromanagement, it is accountability, your team's results are your responsibility as a leader• Use lightweight mechanisms like weekly reports, and stay ready to answer questions three levels deep when speed matters• AI is pushing engineers toward system design and management skills, you will manage agents and outputs, not just code• Fast feedback prevents slow damage, address issues early, praise in public, give direct feedback in privateTimestamped highlights00:41 Stuut in one minute, agented AI for finance ops, starting with collections and faster cash outcomes01:54 Trust without verification becomes disconnect, why leaders still need to get close to the details03:42 The three levels deep idea, how to keep situational awareness without hovering06:33 The next five years, engineers managing teams of agents, system design as the differentiator11:40 Feedback as a gift, why speed and privacy matter when coaching16:54 The timing art, when to wait, when to jump in, using time and impact as your signal19:43 Two leaders who shaped Mek's leadership style, letting people struggle, learn, and then win23:29 Curiosity as the engine behind trust and verificationA line worth repeating“Feedback is a blessing.” Practical coaching moves you can borrow• Set the bar up front, define the end goal and what good looks like• Build a steady cadence, short weekly updates beat occasional deep dives• Calibrate your involvement, give space early, step in when time passes or impact expands• Make feedback faster, smaller course corrections beat late big confrontations• Use AI as a reviewer, get quick context on unfamiliar code and decisions so you can ask better questionsCall to actionIf you found this useful, follow the show and share it with a leader who is leveling up from IC to manager. For more leadership and hiring insights in tech, subscribe and connect with Amir on LinkedIn.

Carter and Payton Bradsky—siblings, co-founders, and the CEO/CTO team behind LymeLess Health—join Dr. Karlfeldt to share a deeply personal and practical conversation about navigating Lyme+ illness and how they're using technology to change the patient experience. With Carter's lived experience battling Lyme disease, Babesia, Bartonella, and mold toxicity—and Payton's background as a former Google software engineer and product manager—this episode connects real-world patient pain points to a new kind of solution: Ella, an AI-powered companion built specifically for Lyme+ patients. Learn more (and find the app) at https://lymeless.com/.You'll hear how their family's journey began with their mother being dismissed after years of symptoms and dozens of doctors—until one chance conversation led to Lyme testing and answers. Carter and Payton break down what it was like to be kids and caregivers, how symptoms can show up differently in each person (from brain fog and anxiety to seizure-like episodes and misdiagnosis), and what actually helped them move toward remission. They also explain why Lyme care is so difficult to manage day-to-day—and how Ella helps patients track symptoms, treatments (including pulsing protocols), and lifestyle factors, then turn that data into actionable insights and shareable reports to improve doctor visits.If you've ever felt overwhelmed trying to remember what changed, what helped, or what triggered a flare—this episode offers a new framework: reduce the burden of “managing Lyme” so you can focus on living again. From weekly insights to provider-ready summaries and a future vision for research breakthroughs driven by patient data (with patient privacy and ownership at the core), this conversation is packed with hope, clarity, and next-step tools.Key Topics CoveredThe Bradsky family's “Lyme was a family affair” origin story—and how diagnosis finally happenedMedical gaslighting and dismissal: “It's all in your head” and the toll it takes on familiesBeing a child/caregiver while a parent becomes bedridden: trauma, coping, and shifting family dynamicsCarter's symptoms (brain fog, anxiety, dissociation) and the impact on athletics and college lifePayton's seizure-like episodes, epilepsy misdiagnosis, loss of license, and eventual Lyme/Babesia/Bartonella diagnosisWhy Lyme recovery is rarely linear: flare patterns, stress effects, and measuring progress when memory is impairedIntegrative treatment approaches: herbals + antibiotics, detox support, probiotics, and pulsing protocolsThe “appointment gap” problem: forgetting symptoms, underreporting, and losing clinical time to catch-upHow Ella works: daily check-ins, trend detection, symptom/treatment tracking, and weekly insightsProvider-facing reporting (“warrior report”) and the long-term goal of precision medicine + research breakthroughs via opt-in anonymized data _______________________________The Karlfeldt Center offers the most cutting-edge and comprehensive Lyme therapies. To schedule a Free 15-Minute Discovery Call with a Lyme Literate Naturopathic Doctor at The Karlfeldt Center, call 208-338-8902 or email info@TheKarlfeldtCenter.comCheck out Dr. K's Ebook: Breaking Free From Lyme: A Comprehensive Guide to Healing and Recovery here: https://store.thekarlfeldtcenter.com/products/breaking-free-from-lymeUse the code LYMEPODCAST for a 100% off discount!

Sourcegraph's CTO just revealed why 90% of his code now comes from agents—and why the Chinese models powering America's AI future should terrify Washington. While Silicon Valley obsesses over AGI apocalypse scenarios, Beyang Liu's team discovered something darker: every competitive open-source coding model they tested traces back to Chinese labs, and US companies have gone silent after releasing Llama 3. The regulatory fear that killed American open-source development isn't hypothetical anymore—it's already handed the infrastructure layer of the AI revolution to Beijing, one fine-tuned model at a time. Resources:Follow Beyang Liu on X: https://x.com/beyangFollow Martin Casado on X: https://x.com/martin_casadoFollow Guido Appenzeller on X: https://x.com/appenz Stay Updated:If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends!Find a16z on X: https://x.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zListen to the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYXListen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see http://a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated:Find a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Show on SpotifyListen to the a16z Show on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Tacos & Tech, Neal Bloom sits down with longtime friend, founder, and self-described “Maine Melon,” Jared Ruth, founder of Ripcurrent. What starts as a walk down memory lane through San Diego's early startup ecosystem turns into a wide-ranging conversation about entrepreneurship, marketing, AI, and the human moments technology should protect - not replace.Jared shares his journey from decades in telecom and corporate innovation to building Ripcurrent, a marketing and automation agency focused on Main Street businesses. Together, Neal and Jared unpack how generative AI and no-code tools have radically lowered the barrier to building, why small businesses are both overwhelmed and empowered by tech, and how the next era of marketing isn't about shouting louder - it's about removing friction so humans can show up where it matters most.Key Topics Covered* Jared's path from telecom and corporate innovation to founding Ripcurrent* Early days of San Diego's startup ecosystem, Founder Dinners, and CTO roundtables* Building “startups inside big companies” and why that experience matters* The moment GenAI unlocked solo building and rapid experimentation* Vibe coding, no-code tools, and the rise of AI-native workflows* Why small and Main Street businesses struggle with modern marketing tech* Google Business Profiles, search, and what visibility means in an LLM-driven world* Automation as a way to remove transactional work - not human connection* Where AI agents help brands and where they can quietly destroy trust* Why trust and brand moments matter more than the underlying technology* Parallels between AI adoption and autonomous driving trust curves* Using technology to give business owners their time - and humanity - back* The optimism (and responsibility) that comes with building in the AI eraLinks & Resources* RipcurrentConnect with Jared & Neal* Jared Ruth* Neal Bloom This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Dmitri chats with Russell Wedelich, the President and CTO of Eventide Audio. Eventide has been shaping Eventide has been shaping recorded music since 1971, and Russell has used his background in both electrical engineering and musical engineering to help create products like the Space Stomp box, H9000, Physion, and Temperance reverb just to name a few.  They talk about Eventide's history and philosophy of creating audio tools, re-releasing legacy software, and why Russell believes fear and creativity are opposite's when it comes to AI's impact on music. They also talk about NAMM and why it is still worth going in 2026 (if you're going this week, make sure to check us out at Booth 10607 in Hall A.   The news Spotify hikes price for Premium subscribers in the US, other markets Music streaming platforms now host quarter of a BILLION tracks. Where does it end? Matthew McConaughey tackles deepfakes with trademark filings   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

David Li is the CTO at Washington University Investment Management Company, where he's led a lean, data‑driven build of the endowment's tech stack. David's path runs from Harvard Management Company to independent consulting to WashU, bringing a builder's mindset to the role.For those not familiar with WashU's concentrated, co-invest heavy approach, Ted sat down with CIO Scott Wilson a while back, and that conversation is replayed in the feed.David shares how a modular architecture with Snowflake at the center gives his team cleaner data, faster changes, and less technical debt; and how clear governance and practical security can make for efficient workflows.We also get into AI adoption in the endowment world - where to use “walled gardens,” and how to spot tools that look great in demos but fall down on data quality. For emerging and seasoned institutions, David shares concrete advice on buy‑versus‑build, vendor selection, and running pilots that surface issues early, plus how to set expectations and give business owners real responsibility so technology actually matches how investors see their portfolios.Learn More Follow Capital Allocators at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tseides⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Access transcript with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Premium Membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Listener Tom says, I'm a software developer with six years experience, mostly at small startups with engineering teams anywhere between 2 and 10 developers. Because these startups have been small, most of the interviews were really casual. I'd speak to either the CEO, or CTO about my past experience, and we would talk about the direction the company was heading, and whether I'd be interested in joining. They felt less like interviews, and more like free-flowing conversations. I'm now back on the market, and I'm looking at larger, more established tech companies. I can get past the tech interviews just fine, but I'm struggling with the soft-skills interviews. Compared to what I'm used to they're a lot more structured and it feels like they're looking for answers that fit a certain criteria and format. What advice would you give to someone used to interviewing at small startups, but now interviewing at larger companies? I took an unpaid full stack internship role at a new non-profit, and it turned out to be a team completely made of other interns. There isn't a single experienced engineer on the team. I have gone way deeper than originally intended and am now functionally a founding engineer where the founder pretends I'm a lead engineer and calls me an intern. The founder is also hellbent on having the highest development velocity, and sometimes will contribute their own AI-generated code, often bypassing the review process especially for things I'm not comfortable signing off on like an AI-generated TOS and user agreement. I recently learned that the founder is not viewed highly in their local area after a scandal where they were accused of scamming a large sum of money, which is likely why they are doing their free community projects they started now in order to save face. This has backfired, and now people are calling their projects “AI generated schemes” despite the services being completely free. I'm not sure if I should continue contributing to these projects anymore. Since the founder rushes things to get done, walks through legal areas with their AI “lawyer,” and has a bad image, I'm worried about whether my resume will be taken seriously by potential future employers. Should I continue working for this person or is the experience not worth it?

Product management is being rewritten in real time, and AI is doing the editing.Matt sits down with Jerel Velarde, product manager at Full Scale Ventures, to discuss how AI is reshaping the relationship between PMs and engineering. We dive into what Jerel calls prompt prototyping, how expectations for product velocity have changed, and why the best PMs today are blending design, strategy, and code—all while staying laser-focused on validation over output.If you're a founder, CTO, or product leader trying to navigate the new frontier of product development, this one's for you.Key Discussion PointsIs “Product Manager” even the right title anymore?The new definition of PM: focused on outcomes, not artifactsHow PMs are using AI to validate fasterHow to lead product in a startup vs. a scale-upHow to think about MVPs when AI can build anythingResources & LinksConnect with Jerel on LinkedInProduct Driven - Get the BookSubscribe to the Product Driven NewsletterWhat Smart CTOs Are Doing Differently With Offshore Teams in 2025Subscribe to the Global Talent Sprint

THIS is how you keep your infrastructure costs from spiraling out of control. Today, we're talking to Albert Strasheim, CTO at Rippling. We discuss the cost crisis facing CTOs in the age of AI, how he reduced infrastructure costs by 30% while growing traffic by 25%, and why holding back feedback is actually the most selfish thing a leader can do. All of this right here, right now, on the Modern CTO Podcast!  To learn more about Rippling, check out their website here.

Plus: Airbnb appoints former Meta AI executive as CTO. And Coca-Cola creates a new chief digital officer position. Julie Chang hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The industry has pivoted from scripting to automation to orchestration – and now to systems that can reason. Today we explore what AI agents mean for infrastructure with Chris Wade, Co-Founder and CTO of Itential. We also dive into the brownfield reality, the potential for vendor-specific LLMs trained on proprietary knowledge, and advice for the... Read more »