The Innovators & Investors Podcast

FinStrat Management, Inc.
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Investing
  • Weekly

The Innovators & Investors Podcast: Connecting the Startup Ecosystem. We are on a mission to bridge the gap between founders, investors, and industry leaders across the early-stage ecosystem. By bringing together visionaries from cutting-edge startups, venture capitalists, family offices, angel investors, accelerators, and studios, we offer a platform for sharing invaluable insights, market trends, and first-hand experiences. Whether you’re an entrepreneur navigating the challenges of building a business or an investor seeking opportunities in emerging technologies, our podcast provides a front-row seat to the dynamic world of innovation and investment. Tune in to gain a comprehensive understanding of the startup landscape, stay ahead of the curve, and benefit from the collective wisdom of those shaping the future. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply at https://finstratmgmt.com/innovators-investors-podcast/

  1. 2d ago

    Building the AI Cluster Operating System with Christian Ondaatje of Aranya

    Christian Ondaatje, co-founder and CEO of Aranya, joins Kristian Marquez to explain why the future of AI inference may run on hundreds of smaller data centers rather than a few gigawatt campuses. He breaks down the supply chain and financing forces behind data center buildouts, explains why AI clusters need an operating system the way personal computers needed Windows, and shares the founder journey that took him from an eGPU startup shut out by Apple to Crusoe, Hyperbolic, and Aranya. Resources Mentioned: ClusterdOS waitlist (Aranya): https://aranya.tech/#waitlistCrafting Interpreters by Robert Nystrom (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0990582930Crafting Interpreters (free online edition): https://craftinginterpreters.comPeopleware: Productive Projects and Teams by Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0321934113 Learn more about Aranya’s work at: https://aranya.tech/ Connect with Christian Ondaatje on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianondaatje Want to learn more about Kristian Marquez’s work? https://finstratmgmt.com

    Building the AI Cluster Operating System with Christian Ondaatje of Aranya

  2. Nov 5

    Building a "GPS for Underwater" with Sanket Deshpande and Aishwarya Das of Dirac Labs

    While satellite GPS powers every modern logistics network on land and in the air, it is completely inoperable underwater. In this episode of The Scout Series, host Gabrielle Marquez sits down with Sanket Deshpande (Co-Founder & CEO) and Aishwarya “Ash” Das (Co-Founder & COO) of Dirac Labs to discuss how they are commercializing quantum sensing to build an unjammable, passive "GPS for underwater". Sanket and Ash share their journey from building Hyperloop pods for SpaceX and launching India's first student-led microsatellite to spinning out Dirac Labs from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They break down how quantum magnetometers detect minuscule anomalies in Earth’s magnetic field to navigate Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) without surface tethers, the unit economics of subsea operations, and why quantum sensors are ready for commercial prime time today. Key Topics Covered in This Episode: From student rocketry and Hyperloop competitions to spinning out of UW-MadisonThe physical limitations of radio waves, acoustics, and visual tracking underwaterWhy traditional tethered subsea inspections run up bills of $100,000+ per dayHow quantum sensors read variations in Earth's geomagnetic field for drift-free localizationMapping subsea telecom fiber optic cables, offshore energy, and critical seabed mineralsTerrestrial and defense applications: solving GPS-denied environments from Chicago's Wacker Drive to active electronic warfare zonesLessons from closing a $1.8M pre-seed round with Balaji Srinivasan, TitletownTech, and Automotive VenturesContrarian truths: Quantum sensing vs. quantum computing timelines Resources Mentioned: Founders Podcast by David Senra: https://www.founderspodcast.comAcquired, “NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang” episode (October 2023): https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/jensen-huangNautilus Live (Ocean Exploration Trust, E/V Nautilus): https://nautiluslive.orgNautilus Live on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nautiluslive Learn more about Dirac Labs work at: https://www.diraclabs.com/ Connect with Sanket Deshpande on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanket550/ Connect with Aishwarya Das on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aishwarya-praveen/ Want to learn more about Kristian Marquez’s work? https://finstratmgmt.com

    Building a "GPS for Underwater" with Sanket Deshpande and Aishwarya Das of Dirac Labs

  3. Nov 3

    Unlocking 100% of Patient Data with Eli Ben-Joseph of Regard

    Host Kristian Marquez sits down with Eli Ben-Joseph, Co-Founder and CEO of Regard, to discuss the intersection of clinical intelligence, venture building, and enterprise health systems. Ben-Joseph unpacks the origin story of Regard, detailing how his early bioengineering and Stanford studies revealed an alarming reality: doctors regularly review only 3% of available medical chart data. Discover how Regard built an integrated platform on top of Epic and Cerner, scaled from a 3-person garage startup to an $80M Series B company, and mastered the 9- to 12-month enterprise healthcare sales cycle. In this episode, you will learn: Why doctors miss critical diagnoses due to EHR information overload.How Regard normalizes disparate FHIR data into reliable clinical documentation.The importance of accelerators like Cedars-Sinai in overcoming healthcare sales barriers.Why clinical AI adoption depends entirely on maintaining physician trust.How automated upfront documentation prevents insurance claim denials. Learn more about Regard work at: https://regard.com Connect with Eli Ben-Joseph on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elibenjoseph Want to learn more about Kristian Marquez's work? https://finstratmgmt.com

    Unlocking 100% of Patient Data with Eli Ben-Joseph of Regard

  4. Oct 27

    De-Risking Higher Education and Scaling Embedded Insurance with John Fees of GradGuard

    College is typically the second-largest investment a family will ever make, yet one in four freshmen fail to return for their sophomore year. In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez sits down with John Fees, Co-Founder and CEO of GradGuard, to unpack how embedded tuition and renters insurance are de-risking higher education for millions of students. John walks through the 15-year journey of scaling GradGuard across more than 750 colleges and universities, the mechanics of university sales and "negative power," why distribution moats outperform product features, and practical frameworks for managing co-founder relationships. In this episode, you’ll discover: The core problem GradGuard solves: de-risking higher education investments.The real drivers behind student dropouts: medical, financial, and family interruptions.The program manager model: embedding tuition coverage directly into university portals.Expanding into student renters insurance to mitigate dorm liabilities and campus risks.The early pivot from student loan credit insurance to university-embedded distribution.Managing "negative power" and navigating university procurement hurdles.Why distribution moats beat product features against venture-backed and incumbent rivals.Navigating startup lows, co-founder alignment, and personal resilience.The "two to hire, one to fire" rule and early startup spending thresholds.How AI will influence university credentials, liberal arts, and future workforce demands. Learn more about GradGuard work at: https://gradguard.com/ Connect with John Fees on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntfees Want to learn more about Kristian Marquez's work? https://finstratmgmt.com

    De-Risking Higher Education and Scaling Embedded Insurance with John Fees of GradGuard

  5. Oct 20

    Evaluating AI Valuations and Startup Growth with Kevin Jiang of Mangusta Capital

    How should venture investors and founders navigate elevated AI valuations and unprecedented startup growth benchmarks? In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez speaks with Kevin Jiang, Founder & CEO of Mangusta Capital. Kevin breaks down how top-tier AI companies are scaling to $1 billion in revenue faster than ever before, how Mangusta Capital applies its "4 Ms" investment framework (Market, Model, Management, Money), and why a strategic partnership with the family office behind Luxottica offers portfolio companies a distinct cross-border advantage. Show Notes References: • Bay Area venture capital & AI funding data — Kristian referenced research backing up the concentration of venture capital and AI investment in Silicon Valley. Source: Carta, State of Private Markets: Q1 2026 — AI companies captured over 60% of all venture capital raised in Q1 2026, the highest share on record. - https://carta.com/data/state-of-private-markets-q1-2026/ Learn more about Mangusta Capital work at: https://www.mangustacap.com/ Connect with Kevin Jiang on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jiangkevin/ Want to learn more about Kristian Marquez's work? https://finstratmgmt.com

    Evaluating AI Valuations and Startup Growth with Kevin Jiang of Mangusta Capital

  6. Oct 13

    Master Capital Efficiency and AI-Driven Venture Sourcing with Garrett Marsilio

    In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez welcomes Garrett Marsilio, Partner at Delta-v Capital. Garrett shares how Delta-v breaks away from the high-burn venture capital model by investing in capital-efficient, profitable technology businesses. He breaks down how Delta-v uses proprietary AI agentic sourcing engines to find 50% of its deals, how they execute structured "Flight Plans" to drive post-investment value, and why aligning on exit strategies early is critical for long-term equity growth. Key Topics Covered: The harsh math of VC returns and power law distributions.Capital efficiency vs. blitzscaling in software and tech services.How Delta-v uses AI agents for automated founder outreach and deal pipeline scoring.Delta-v’s core investment sectors: Vertical software, AI security, and technology services.Operational value creation through the "Delta-v Flight Plan" and programmatic M&A. Resources Mentioned A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015XEWZHIRocky Mountain Venture Capital Association (RMVCA): https://www.rockymountainvca.com/ Learn more about Delta-v Capital work at: https://deltavcapital.com Connect with Garrett Marsilio on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrettmarsilio/ Want to learn more about Kristian Marquez's work? https://finstratmgmt.com

    Master Capital Efficiency and AI-Driven Venture Sourcing with Garrett Marsilio

  7. Oct 8

    Building Institutional Infrastructure for Prediction Markets with Oscar Levy & Antonin Parrot of River Markets

    On this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast: The Scout Series, host Gabrielle Marquez sits down with Oscar Levy and Antonin Parrot, co-founders of River Markets, the prime brokerage built for institutions and professional traders in prediction markets. Oscar and Antonin met at UC Berkeley, went on to careers as quants on Wall Street, and started trading prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket as a nights-and-weekends hobby before realizing the infrastructure gap they'd stumbled into was a real business. In this conversation, they break down why prediction markets are operationally unlike any other asset class, how River Markets built its execution moat, what it's like going through Y Combinator almost by accident, and the biggest lessons they've learned as first-time founders — from co-founder dynamics to hiring to staying focused on the next few moves instead of the endgame. Books, essays, and tools referenced in this episode: "Zero to One" by Peter Thiel — cited by both founders as their most recommended read. Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804165254Essays by Paul Graham — referenced by Antonin as an ongoing source of learning for running the company. Official archive: https://www.paulgraham.com/articles.html Learn more about River Markets' work at: https://www.rivermarkets.com Connect with Oscar Levy on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscar-levy/ Connect with Antonin Parrot on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonin-parrot-a16625196/ Want to learn more about Gabrielle Marquez's work? https://finstratmgmt.com

    Building Institutional Infrastructure for Prediction Markets with Oscar Levy & Antonin Parrot of River Markets

  8. Oct 6

    Transforming Telemedicine and Hospital Workforce Efficiency with Dr. Alan Pitt of VitalChat

    In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez interviews Dr. Alan Pitt, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of VitalChat. Dr. Pitt reflects on his 25-year career as an attending neuroradiologist at the Barrow Neurologic Institute and shares how he transitioned into a serial physician entrepreneur. The discussion covers workforce optimization in hospitals, the economics of healthcare transfers, capital efficiency versus mega-fundraising, and the operational balance required between CEOs and CFOs. Key Topics Covered: The structural incentives of American healthcare and workforce shortages.The story behind VitalChat and its open smart-room collaboration architecture.A clinical study detailing 1,000 annual unnecessary hospital transfers driven by anxiety.Why raising under $10M can outperform $100M+ raised by competitors.How AI is shifting startup moats from code generation to clinical context and active listening.Practical advice for physician founders and executive coaching. Learn more about VitalChat work at: https://www.vitalchat.com/ Connect with Dr. Alan Pitt on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanpitt/ Want to learn more about Kristian Marquez's work? https://finstratmgmt.com

    Transforming Telemedicine and Hospital Workforce Efficiency with Dr. Alan Pitt of VitalChat
See All (200)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

The Innovators & Investors Podcast: Connecting the Startup Ecosystem. We are on a mission to bridge the gap between founders, investors, and industry leaders across the early-stage ecosystem. By bringing together visionaries from cutting-edge startups, venture capitalists, family offices, angel investors, accelerators, and studios, we offer a platform for sharing invaluable insights, market trends, and first-hand experiences. Whether you’re an entrepreneur navigating the challenges of building a business or an investor seeking opportunities in emerging technologies, our podcast provides a front-row seat to the dynamic world of innovation and investment. Tune in to gain a comprehensive understanding of the startup landscape, stay ahead of the curve, and benefit from the collective wisdom of those shaping the future. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply at https://finstratmgmt.com/innovators-investors-podcast/

Information

  • Creator
    FinStrat Management, Inc.
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    200
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 FinStrat Management, Inc.
  • Show Website
    The Innovators & Investors Podcast