Born In Silicon Valley

Match Relevant
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Born In Silicon Valley is a podcast that features founders’ stories. Each episode highlights the journey of success, pivots, and what entrepreneurs have learned when building from the ground up. Host Jake Aaron Villarreal interviews founders, discussing their struggles, triumphs, and their progress along the way. Listeners will gain insight into leadership and the operations of a startup. This podcast is supported by Match Relevant, a company that helps startups find top talent to grow their businesses.

  1. 22H AGO

    What Salesforce Won't Tell You

    In this episode of Born in Silicon Valley, host Jake Aaron Villarreal sits down with Prasanna Venkatesan, the Founder and CEO of Petavue, to discuss the structural inefficiencies currently crippling enterprise data teams. Prasanna reveals why traditional BI tools like Tableau and Snowflake are being replaced by agentic native architectures that prioritize 100% accuracy over non-deterministic AI fluff. Previously, Prasanna sold his company to ZoomInfo, where he scaled operations from 15 to 500 people. Now, he is on a mission to deliver breakthrough productivity gains for data teams by bridging the gap between business context and technical execution. We dive deep into the spiritual nature of startups, the "business of giving hope," and why the future of software relies on forward-deployed engineers to ensure AI truly delivers on its promises. Key Topics Covered: • The transition from startup founder to VP of a public company. • Why "piecemeal AI" in legacy tools is failing the enterprise. • The Petavue origin story: Solving the 10X productivity gap in data analytics. • The critical role of Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) in AI adoption. • Prasanna’s journey from a family of priests to Silicon Valley innovator. • Predicting the data stack of 2030: Consolidation vs. Deconsolidation. Chapters 02:39 From India to Silicon Valley Founder 05:29 Faith, Hope, and the Psychology of Building Startups 09:52 What Startup Acquisitions Actually Feel Like 14:56 The Shock of Becoming a VP at a Public Company 18:55 Why Data Teams Are Failing Inside Enterprises 23:30 The Broken Data Stack No One Talks About 28:44 Why Tableau, Looker, and BI Tools Are Losing 36:58 Why AI Must Be 100% Accurate in Enterprise 38:05 The Truth About Forward Deployed Engineers Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal leads the top AI recruitment firm in Silicon Valley, www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and going behind the scenes to tell their founders’ journeys. If you are growing an AI startup or have a great story to tell, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

    46 min

  2. 2D AGO

    Why Caregivers Need This

    After losing his daughter in a tragic accident where he was just five minutes too late, Deepak Arora vowed to ensure no other family endures that pain. In this emotional and inspiring episode, the Founder and CEO of Wearable Technologies Inc. reveals how he turned personal grief into a revolutionary AI startup dedicated to saving lives. Deepak discusses the creation of Wearable Technologies Inc, a screen-free wearable device designed to predict hazards and prevent accidents for vulnerable populations like toddlers and the elderly. From leveraging his experience at IBM Watson to building the "Mahi" AI engine named after his late daughter, this is a story of resilience, innovation, and the relentless drive to protect our loved ones. Tune in to learn how this technology is monitoring safety, detecting falls, and providing peace of mind to caregivers across the nation. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 04:51 Personal Tragedy and Motivation 10:55 Technology Development and Features 16:39 User Experience and Safety Features 19:19 Building a Reliable Product with Expert Guidance 21:16 Pivoting to Serve the Elderly Population 23:38 Gaining Traction and Funding Challenges 26:37 Distribution Strategies for Market Entry 28:16 Pricing Model and Device Adoption 30:26 Future Innovations and Roadmap 33:14 Navigating Regulatory Approvals 34:20 Hiring for Company Culture and Growth 38:23 Legacy and Purpose Behind the Product Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey. If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

    34 min

  3. JAN 29

    AI Without Context Fails

    In this episode we sit down with Tom Firth from Cotera to talk about how modern financial infrastructure is being built for today’s digital businesses Tom shares insights on scaling fintech platforms building payment and treasury products and what startups need to get right when operating in highly regulated markets We dive into product strategy leadership lessons and how companies like Cotera think about reliability security and growth in the evolving fintech ecosystem This conversation is packed with value for founders operators product leaders and anyone interested in fintech startups SaaS and the future of payments Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

    42 min

  4. JAN 27

    AI Sells While You Sleep

    Joe Gagnon joins the show to explore what it truly means to live and lead intentionally in a world driven by speed, pressure, and constant disruption From ultra endurance races like Badwater 135 to serving as a six time CEO, Joe shares how resilience, focus, and energy alignment have shaped his journey from burnout to peak performance in both life and business As co founder and CEO of Raynmaker, Joe is building an AI native sales platform designed to help small and medium sized businesses compete at an enterprise level while staying deeply human in how they connect with customers In this episode, we dive into intentional living as a daily practice, the mindset required to embrace discomfort, and how leaders can design their lives and companies with purpose rather than default settings Joe also discusses his new book Living Intentionally and the framework behind sustainable success, fulfillment, and growth across leadership, entrepreneurship, and personal development This conversation is for founders, executives, athletes, and ambitious professionals looking to elevate performance, avoid burnout, and unlock more of their potential through clarity and intention.  Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

    40 min

  5. JAN 6

    How Non-Tech Founders Win

    In this episode we sit down with Liz Connoly from Katsu to explore how modern learning platforms are reshaping education and professional growth Liz shares insights into Katsu mission how LearnKatsu helps individuals and teams build real world skills and how learning design is evolving in a fast changing digital landscape We talk about education technology career development upskilling and what it takes to create learning experiences that actually work If you are interested in EdTech lifelong learning startups or the future of education this conversation with Liz Connoly from Katsu is for you Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

    56 min

  6. 12/17/2025

    AI Saves Cancer Lives

    In this episode, we sit down with Simon Arkell, an experienced AI software company founder whose work sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence, biopharma, and cancer research. Simon is the co-founder of multiple venture-backed companies including Deep Lens, Predixion Software, and Versifi, which together raised over $100M and were all successfully acquired. Simon shares the story behind his latest company, Ryght, an agentic AI platform transforming how biopharma companies and CROs accelerate drug development. Ryght connects sponsors to a real-time, global network of AI-powered research sites known as AI Site Twins, enabling faster site selection, smarter feasibility, reduced costs, and compressed clinical timelines across all therapeutic areas and geographies. Beyond technology and startups, Simon’s journey is remarkable. From arriving in the United States on a pole vaulting scholarship to becoming an Olympian representing Australia at two Olympic Games, three World Championships, and more, he explains how elite athletics shaped his mindset for entrepreneurship, leadership, and resilience. We also explore Simon’s philanthropic work with Megan’s Wings, supporting families of children diagnosed with cancer, and his initiative Olympians in Business, a growing community helping elite athletes transition into successful business careers. This conversation dives deep into AI in healthcare, venture-backed startups, drug development innovation, founder lessons, and how world-class performance in sports translates into building impactful companies. Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

    45 min

  7. 12/10/2025

    Grammy Family Builds AI for Artists

    In this episode, we sit down with Idan Dobrecki from AIODE — a company that’s transforming the future of music production with groundbreaking AI technology. Discover how AIODE is helping musicians and creators produce emotionally authentic and technically advanced music faster than ever before. AIODE is redefining the way music is made by merging real musicianship with AI-powered tools, giving artists access to human-like sounds and creative freedom beyond traditional workflows. Learn how their proprietary technology empowers creators to bridge the gap between artistry and innovation, making music production more intuitive, expressive, and limitless. Join us as we explore how AIODE’s mission — “No limits. Just music.” — is shaping the next generation of creators and revolutionizing the soundscape of tomorrow. Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

    42 min

  8. 11/11/2025

    Diagnose before deals die

    In this episode, we sit down with Christina Brady, a powerhouse with over 18 years of SaaS sales experience and 13+ years in executive leadership. Christina shares how she’s helping transform how revenue teams learn, grow, and perform through data-driven strategy and people-first leadership. We also explore how Luster AI is redefining sales enablement through its groundbreaking Predictive Enablement™ platform — an AI-powered skill proficiency mapping engine that turns your go-to-market team into a predictive force. By analyzing skill data and calendar intelligence, Luster identifies gaps before they impact revenue and provides personalized enablement solutions to close them. Christina’s insights blend creativity, analytics, and leadership to uncover what the next generation of high-performing SaaS teams looks like — and how AI is powering that evolution. Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

    46 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Born In Silicon Valley is a podcast that features founders’ stories. Each episode highlights the journey of success, pivots, and what entrepreneurs have learned when building from the ground up. Host Jake Aaron Villarreal interviews founders, discussing their struggles, triumphs, and their progress along the way. Listeners will gain insight into leadership and the operations of a startup. This podcast is supported by Match Relevant, a company that helps startups find top talent to grow their businesses.

Information

  • Creator
    Match Relevant
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Born In Silicon Valley