TechVibe Pittsburgh

Jonathan Kersting

Curious about Pittsburgh's growing technology and innovation industry and the opportunities it has for you? This podcast gives you a front-row seat to the companies, people, and institutions that are making Pittsburgh's tech industry thrive. Discover the newest tech startups emerging from Pittsburgh; Meet dynamic entrepreneurs driving innovation and creating a rich landscape for tech company growth; and Stay on top of the latest trends from recognized industry experts and thought leaders. Audrey Russo and Jonathan Kersting of the Pittsburgh Technology Council have interviewed thousands of tech entrepreneurs and business experts across the tPittsburgh region's tech and innovation ecosystem. Get an inside look at the companies, people, and trends that are making Pittsburgh a worldwide center of technology innovation. Start by diving into Pittsburgh's tech ecosystem with a fan-favorite episode: "Meet the New Head of CMU's Machine Learning Department." Don't miss out—click to listen now! TechVibe Pittsburgh is produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council to explore the Pittsburgh region's technology, entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem. Tune in Sundays at 6 AM 10 100.1 FM AM 1020 KDKA.

  1. 1d ago ·  Video

    Pittsburgh's Echelon Risk + Cyber Cracks the Inc. 5000 at 433! Learn How They Did it

    Want some amazing business-building insights to crack the Inc. 5000?  Jonathan Kersting of the Pittsburgh Technology Council and TechVibe sits down with Dan Desko, founder of Echelon Risk + Cyber, to talk about the company's rapid growth and Inc. 5000 ranking at #433. Desko explains Echelon as a full-service cybersecurity firm offering professional and managed services, including governance, risk and compliance, pen testing, defensive engineering, and security team-as-a-service led by virtual CISOs, with partners like CrowdStrike. He credits their success to intentionally defined core values: being client-centric, prioritizing teamwork, hiring people with personality (not clones), facing issues head-on through trust and leader modeling, keeping culture fun with "more cowbell," and a sixth value, "turning pro," meaning continual improvement with no mountaintop. They also discuss "Echelon," the company's annual remote-first team gathering, including hikes in places like Asheville, to sustain culture and celebrate wins. The Pittsburgh Technology Council, produces TechVibe to explore Pittsburgh's technology and Innovation ecosystem.

    22 min

  2. 2d ago

    Pittsburgh's SoftWriters Brings AI to Long-Term Care Pharmacy

    What happens when AI moves beyond buzzwords and starts helping pharmacists get critical medications to patients faster, safer and more accurately? On this episode of TechVibe Radio, we welcome LiAna Tschen, VP of Platform Operations at SoftWriters, and Danielle Greer, VP of Product, to explore how the Pittsburgh-based company is bringing intelligent automation into long-term care pharmacy. SoftWriters powers pharmacy operations for facilities where accuracy, speed and scale are mission-critical, with some customers processing thousands of prescriptions every day. LiAna and Danielle detail how SoftWriters built its AI implementation around one of the most labor-intensive and error-prone parts of pharmacy workflow: order entry. They explain why the company created an internal AI innovation center, how customer feedback shaped the project, and why keeping humans in the loop remains essential when patient safety is on the line. They also share how SoftWriters balanced its core platform work with AI experimentation, spending more than a year testing, validating and building trust before going live. Listen to learn how SoftWriters is using AI to tackle staffing shortages, margin pressure and growing demand in long-term care pharmacy, while keeping the patient at the center of every decision. The Pittsburgh Technology Council produces TechVibe to explore Pittsburgh's technology and innovation ecosystem.

    22 min

  3. Jun 8

    AHN President Mark Sevco on Tech, AI and the Future of Health Care in Pittsburgh

    It is not every day you get to sit down with someone helping shape the future of health care across Western Pennsylvania. In this special TechVibe conversation, Jonathan Kersting of the Pittsburgh Technology Council talks with Mark Sevco, President of Allegheny Health Network, ahead of his upcoming Breakfast Briefing on June 11. Sevco brings deep Pittsburgh roots, decades of health care leadership experience and a clear focus on how AHN can use technology, innovation and community partnerships to create better outcomes for patients across the region. Listeners will hear how AHN is thinking about some of the biggest opportunities in health care technology, including AI, ambient listening, chatbots, Epic, predictive analytics and more personalized care pathways. Sevco explains why health systems must become obsessed with patient satisfaction and use technology to make health care simpler, faster, more reliable and easier to navigate. The conversation also explores how AHN works with startups and entrepreneurs through its innovation efforts, including ways emerging companies can bring ideas forward to solve real-world problems in care delivery, operations, research and patient experience. Sevco also previews how AHN and Highmark are thinking about affordability, access and quality as part of a payer-provider model built for the future. Beyond technology, Sevco digs into AHN's role as a community anchor, from addressing health disparities to supporting prevention, wellness, screenings, education and partnerships with schools, churches and local organizations. Attend the Breakfast Briefing to hear Sevco go deeper on AHN's vision for the next decade of health care, including the rise of outpatient care, home health, AI-powered access, predictive analytics, precision medicine and what it will take to keep Western Pennsylvania healthier for generations to come. Register here. The Pittsburgh Technology Council Produces TechVibe to explore Pittsburgh' technology and innovation ecosystem.

    12 min

  4. Jun 7

    Pittsburgh's Ecotone Renewables Turns Food Waste Into Fertilizer

    Can food waste become one of Pittsburgh's next big innovation stories? On this episode of TechVibe, we're talking with Dylan Lew, Co-Founder of Ecotone Renewables, a Pittsburgh company turning discarded food into data, fertilizer and serious climate impact. Ecotone's Zeus biodigesters are built inside reused shipping containers, powered by smart automation and designed to transform food scraps into a locally produced fertilizer called Soil Sauce. We'll dig into how Ecotone got its start, why food waste is a bigger greenhouse gas problem than most people realize, how AI helps customers understand what they're throwing away, and why these colorful containers are popping up with companies, hospitals and campuses. Give it a listen! This is Pittsburgh innovation with dirt under its fingernails and data in its engine room. The Pittsburgh Technology Council produces TechVibe to explore Pittsburgh's technology and innovation ecosystem.

    22 min

  5. Jun 4

    AlphaLab Demo Day Returns With 21 Pittsburgh Startups

    What happens when 21 startups spend five months getting sharpened, challenged and prepared for the real world? Innovation Works' AlphaLab Demo Day is back for the first time since COVID, and TechVibe takes you inside the room where Pittsburgh's next wave of startups stepped into the spotlight. Hear from Aaron Tainter on how AlphaLab helps founders de-risk their businesses, sharpen their go-to-market strategies and connect with the region's startup ecosystem. Then meet four companies from the cohort building across batteries, health care, agtech and consumer intelligence: SeaLion Energy, which is developing battery technology designed to last up to 10 times longer; MedMiro, which is creating better ways to secure and manage surgical tubes; Hermes Vision, which is using drones and AI for precision weed management; and Gratis Intelligence, which is digitizing product sampling for consumer brands. From robotics and life sciences to AI and real-world customer discovery, this episode captures why AlphaLab Demo Day remains one of Pittsburgh's most important startup showcases, and why the region's innovation pipeline is humming again.

    21 min

  6. Jun 2

    Comcast's Goal: A Better Way to Watch the World Cup

    What if the best seat for the 2026 FIFA World Cup isn't in the stadium, but right on your couch? In this episode of TechVibe, Jonathan Kersting talks with Vito Forlenza, VP of Sports and Entertainment at Comcast, and Kelly Wright, Director of Sports Marketing at Comcast, about how Xfinity is preparing to turn World Cup viewing into a full-on immersive experience. With the largest World Cup ever kicking off across North America, featuring 48 teams and 104 games, Comcast is bringing serious technology to the pitch. Vito and Kelly detail how Xfinity is making matches easier to find, faster to watch and more exciting to experience, whether fans are tuning in English or Spanish, watching live, catching up on highlights or building their own sports command center at home. Hear how Comcast is using AI-powered catch-up highlights to help fans jump straight to goals, penalties, corners and other big moments. They also explain how multi-view lets viewers watch up to four live events at once, so you can follow World Cup action without missing MLB, WNBA, golf, F1 or other favorite sports. And yes, the tech gets even cooler. Comcast is delivering all 104 matches in real-time 4K with Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Atmos sound and low latency, plus a new Smart Boost Wi-Fi feature designed to keep your stream from getting tackled by busy home internet traffic. From kickoff to extra time, this episode scores big for anyone who loves sports, technology and a front-row seat without the sunburn.

    15 min

  7. May 31

    The Wild West of AI: Cybersecurity Lessons from Pittsburgh's CUSTOS IQ

    Artificial intelligence is racing into every corner of business, but too many organizations are still treating it like a shiny productivity toy instead of a serious cybersecurity and business-risk issue. On this episode of TechVibe Radio, Jonathan Kersting talks with Isabelle Syring and Robert Ragan of CUSTOS IQ about how AI is changing the cybersecurity landscape, especially for companies using large language models, Microsoft Copilot, browser-based AI tools and AI-powered systems in critical industries like energy, manufacturing, oil and gas. CUSTOS IQ breaks down why the "Wild West" phase of AI adoption is creating real exposure for organizations: employees using personal accounts, confidential data being fed into AI tools, weak or nonexistent policies, unpatched browsers, supply chain pressure and a lack of oversight around AI-generated outputs. The conversation also explores deeper risks like model poisoning, data accuracy problems, prompt hijacking and the danger of relying on AI without human expertise in the loop. Isabelle and Robert also explain how CUSTOS IQ helps companies move from reactive cybersecurity to a business-aligned, turnkey approach that blends secure systems engineering, compliance, legal considerations and practical AI usage policies. Their message is clear: AI can be an incredible tool, but only when it is built on a strong cybersecurity foundation and guided by people who know how to question, verify and control the outputs. From protecting intellectual property to securing OT/IT systems powering the next wave of data centers, this episode is a smart, timely look at how businesses can embrace AI without letting it run feral through the server room. The Pittsburgh Technology Council produces TechVibe Radio to explore Pittsburgh's technology and innovation ecosystem.

    22 min

  8. May 28

    Circling Back With Pittsburgh's Cybersecurity Super Force: Qintel

    What happens when national security, advanced data technology and a culture of "people first, mission always" all collide inside one fast-moving Pittsburgh company? That is exactly what we're digging into on this episode of TechVibe as we welcome back Damon Mathews of Qintel. The last time Damon joined us, we only scratched the surface of what Qintel is building, and we knew we had to go deeper. This time, we're pulling back the curtain on the secret sauce behind Qintel's global threat intelligence work, from helping government partners track and disrupt serious threats to using data, analytics, visualization and AI to save precious time when every second matters. We'll also talk about Qintel's unique culture, why the company hires for people as much as positions, and how Damon's 22 years as a Marine intelligence officer make this mission feel like a natural next chapter. The Pittsburgh Technology Council produces TechVibe to Explore Pittsburgh's Technology and innovation ecosystem.

    21 min
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About

Curious about Pittsburgh's growing technology and innovation industry and the opportunities it has for you? This podcast gives you a front-row seat to the companies, people, and institutions that are making Pittsburgh's tech industry thrive. Discover the newest tech startups emerging from Pittsburgh; Meet dynamic entrepreneurs driving innovation and creating a rich landscape for tech company growth; and Stay on top of the latest trends from recognized industry experts and thought leaders. Audrey Russo and Jonathan Kersting of the Pittsburgh Technology Council have interviewed thousands of tech entrepreneurs and business experts across the tPittsburgh region's tech and innovation ecosystem. Get an inside look at the companies, people, and trends that are making Pittsburgh a worldwide center of technology innovation. Start by diving into Pittsburgh's tech ecosystem with a fan-favorite episode: "Meet the New Head of CMU's Machine Learning Department." Don't miss out—click to listen now! TechVibe Pittsburgh is produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council to explore the Pittsburgh region's technology, entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem. Tune in Sundays at 6 AM 10 100.1 FM AM 1020 KDKA.

Information

  • Creator
    Jonathan Kersting
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    210
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    TechVibe Pittsburgh