TechSurge: Deep Tech VC Podcast

Celesta Capital | Deep Tech Venture Capital Firm
  • 4.9 (22)
  • 科技
  • 两周一更

The TechSurge: Deep Tech VC Podcast explores the frontiers of emerging tech, venture capital, and business trends, with conversations tailored for entrepreneurs, technologists, and investment professionals. Presented by Celesta Capital, and hosted by Founding Partners Nic Brathwaite, Michael Marks, and Sriram Viswanathan. Send feedback and show ideas to techsurge@celesta.vc. Each discussion delves into the intersection of technology advancement, market dynamics, and the founder journey, offering insights into the vast opportunities and complex challenges ahead. Episode topics include AI, data center transformation, blockchain, cyber security, healthcare innovation, VC investment trends, tips for first-time founders, and more. Tune in to hear directly from Silicon Valley leaders, daring new founders, and visionary thinkers. Past guests include investor Vinod Khosla, former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, the Global Head of McKinsey, and executive leaders from Microsoft, OpenAI, and other leading tech companies. New episodes release every two weeks. Visit techsurgepodcast.com for more details and to sign up for our newsletter and other content!

  1. Season 1 Finale: Risks, Rewards, and Realities of Open vs. Closed AI

    7月1日

    Season 1 Finale: Risks, Rewards, and Realities of Open vs. Closed AI

    In TechSurge’s Season 1 Finale episode, we explore an important debate: should AI development be open source or closed?  AI technology leader and UN Senior Fellow Senthil Kumar joins Michael Marks for a deep dive into one of the most consequential debates in artificial intelligence, exploring the fundamental tensions between democratizing AI access and maintaining safety controls. Sparked by DeepSeek's recent model release that delivered GPT-4 class performance at a fraction of the cost and compute, the discussion spans the economics of AI development, trust and transparency concerns, regulatory approaches across different countries, and the unique opportunities AI presents for developing nations. From Meta's shift from closed to open and OpenAI's evolution from open to closed, to practical examples of guardrails and the geopolitical implications of AI governance, this episode provides essential insights into how the future of artificial intelligence will be shaped not just by technological breakthroughs, but by the choices we make as a global community. If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits and news about Season 2 of the TechSurge podcast. Thanks for listening!  Links: Slate.ai - AI-powered construction technology: https://slate.ai/ World Economic Forum on open-source AI: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/02/open-source-ai-innovation-deepseek/ EU AI Act overview: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/european-approach-artificial-intelligence

    26 分钟
  2. Betting Early on Zoom, Canva, and Crypto: Inside the Playbook of Visionary Solo VC Bill Tai

    6月18日

    Betting Early on Zoom, Canva, and Crypto: Inside the Playbook of Visionary Solo VC Bill Tai

    Legendary technologist and investor Bill Tai joins our latest episode for a wide-ranging conversation spanning decades of Silicon Valley innovation. Bill shares his remarkable journey from being employee #1 at TSMC to becoming one of the first seed investors in Zoom and Canva, and his early embrace of Bitcoin when it was priced at just 7 cents. The conversation explores Bill's unique investment philosophy shaped by mentorship from Don Valentine of Sequoia Capital, his innovative approach to building entrepreneurial communities through kiteboarding, and his insights into the intersection of AI, energy infrastructure, and cryptocurrency. Bill discusses the massive energy crisis facing AI data centers, drawing parallels to the telecom infrastructure buildout of the 1980s. From his early days as a kid reverse-engineering electronics to his current role as Chairman of Hut Eight Mining and his partnership with the Trump organization on American Bitcoin Corp, Bill provides invaluable insights into recognizing structural market changes and backing the right entrepreneurs and emerging technologies at the right time. LinksLearn more about Bill’s blockchain companies Hut Eight Mining and BITFURY - Hut 8 Corp, BITFURY Bill’s original tweet from 2010 about the potential of bitcoin: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb7QQ8GHN12/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D  Read Bill’s founding stories on Zoom and Canva: https://medium.com/@billtai/30b-stress-test-on-necker-island-814553c7f520 Bill’s early memo detailing his conviction about Zoom’s technology: https://www.instagram.com/p/BwcaZjFpNrs/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==  Article: Design start-up Canva raises $3 million after kitesurfing in Hawaii: https://www.smartcompany.com.au/startupsmart/design-start-up-canva-raises-3-million-after-kitesurfing-in-hawaii  Canva now tops the list of most popular AI tools: https://explodingtopics.com/blog/most-popular-ai-tools  Learn about TSMC's history - Taiwan Semiconductor Read the article that changed Bill’s life - Secrets of the Little Blue Box More fun items mentioned during the discussion 2600 Hacker Quarterly: https://www.2600.com/ The Cap’N Crunch whistle used by early hackers: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/capn-crunch-whistle The Radio Shack 100-in-one electronics kit: https://www.rcgrabbag.com/radio-shack-100-in-1-electronic-project-kit/

    1 小时 2 分钟
  3. Blueprint for an AI Future: OpenAI Chief Economist on How AI Will Shape the Global Economy

    6月5日

    Blueprint for an AI Future: OpenAI Chief Economist on How AI Will Shape the Global Economy

    Will AI displace more jobs than it creates? How can the U.S. win the AI race? How can AI benefits be evenly distributed across businesses and society? We explore these questions and more as Sriram Viswanathan sits down with Ronnie Chatterji, Chief Economist at OpenAI, for an in-depth exploration of AI's economic impact and policy implications. Ronnie brings a unique perspective, having served as an economic advisor in both the Obama and Biden administrations as a senior economist, supply chain advisor, and architect of the CHIPS Act. The conversation dives into the economic opportunities and challenges of AI adoption, from productivity gains and job market transformation to the critical need for workforce retraining and AI upskilling in schools. Ronnie also delves into America's competitive position in the global AI race, the critical need for infrastructure investment in order to continue scaling this emerging technology, and the lessons learned from implementing major industrial policy like the CHIPS Act. Links: Learn more about OpenAI's economic research and policy work - OpenAI Read OpenAI's Economic Blueprint for the US - OpenAI’s Economic Blueprint Explore the CHIPS and Science Act - CHIPS.gov Ronnie Chatterji's academic work at Duke University - Duke Fuqua School of Business

    52 分钟
  4. Inside Nokia’s Strategy: CSTO Nishant Batra on Telecom’s Future, Brand Reinvention, and Betting on Bell Labs

    5月22日

    Inside Nokia’s Strategy: CSTO Nishant Batra on Telecom’s Future, Brand Reinvention, and Betting on Bell Labs

    In this episode of TechSurge, host Sriram Viswanathan sits down with Nishant Batra, Chief Strategy and Technology Officer at Nokia, for a deep dive into the evolving landscape of telecom and wireless technology. Nishant shares insights into the seismic shifts transforming network infrastructure—from core networks to edge computing—and discusses how Nokia leverages artificial intelligence to optimize performance and drive innovation.  The conversation also highlights Nokia's unique innovation framework, spanning its corporate venture investments, internal incubator, and expansion of the legendary Bell Labs. Today Nokia leverages Bell Labs’ groundbreaking research into emerging technology for internal innovation and new venture spinouts in collaboration with venture capital firms, including recently announced inaugural spinout startup, Astranu. Links: Discover the groundbreaking Nokia-Celesta spinout advancing healthcare imaging technology - Astranu  Learn about the legendary innovation powerhouse - Nokia Bell Labs

    48 分钟
  5. Leading Through Chaos: John Chambers on Tariffs, Cyber Threats, & the AI Supercycle

    5月8日

    Leading Through Chaos: John Chambers on Tariffs, Cyber Threats, & the AI Supercycle

    Competition, growth, tariffs, hacks, AI – what does it take to be an effective leader today? John Chambers, former CEO and Executive Chairman of Cisco and founder of JC2 Ventures, joins TechSurge host Sriram Viswanathan to share valuable wisdom on leading and growing businesses through times of significant change. As a leader who has transitioned from the c-suite to venture capital and now mentoring founders in emerging technology sectors, John has seen it all.  He shares lessons from his time leading one of the world’s most influential networking companies at Cisco (the most valuable company in the world at the time), revealing what he learned while growing it from a challenger networking company into a $50 billion tech powerhouse, sharing how Cisco achieved and maintained its market leadership, particularly his bold M&A strategies.  John offers hard‑won insights on navigating major technology shifts in AI, cloud, security, and more. Today’s founders and executives will find practical frameworks, real‑world war stories, and counterintuitive advice to help survive and thrive in an era of continual disruption.  If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for exclusive insights and updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits. Links: Explore John Chambers' family office and venture firm at JC2 Ventures Read John Chambers' book “Connecting the Dots” on Amazon Discover the organization John chaired for eight years US-India Strategic Partnership Forum Learn about the company John and Sriram have invested in together at ParkourSC Find out about the deep fake detection company Pin Drop Learn about the cybersecurity company Rubrik

    40 分钟
  6. China, Funding Cuts, & Campus Controversy: Is U.S. Tech Leadership Falling Behind?

    4月24日

    China, Funding Cuts, & Campus Controversy: Is U.S. Tech Leadership Falling Behind?

    MIT President Emeritus Dr. Rafael Reif joins host Michael Marks for a discussion about the state of U.S. competitiveness in technology, university research funding, current immigration policy, and more. Reif explains why universities remain the innovation engines of economies, educating top talent and generating the foundational research that powers emerging tech and creates new industries. He candidly assesses U.S.-China competition, warns that Chinese research output is rapidly outpacing our own, and urges renewed federal investment. The discussion explores how restrictive immigration policies threaten the flow of global talent into the U.S and his own impression of current policies as an immigrant from Venezuela himself. As a TSMC board member, Reif also touches on the strategic need for domestic semiconductor fabs, Intel’s path forward, and TSMC’s edge in advancing cutting-edge nodes. Lastly, he addresses gaps in the venture capital funding space and why he created MIT’s The Engine incubator model to fund “tough tech” startups, which helped launch breakthroughs like Commonwealth Fusion Systems. If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for exclusive insights and updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits. Connect with Rafael Reif on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/l-rafael-rief-b8977b231 Dive deeper into Reif’s career, publications, and awards. Read his full biography https://reif.mit.edu/biography  Read Rafael's recent op-ed about government R&D funding: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/17/opinion/science-technology-research-development/ Read Rafael's speech about the role of universities in building a strong U.S. economy: https://reif.mit.edu/speeches-writing/strong-universities-make-strong-united-states Explore how MIT’s Engine incubator is fueling “tough tech” startups like fusion power. Learn about The Engine https://engine.xyz/ Watch Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ plan to deliver commercial fusion energy. Discover CFS https://cfs.energy/ Understand the roadmap to a 400 MW fusion pilot plant. Read the MIT News report https://news.mit.edu/2024/commonwealth-fusion-systems-unveils-worlds-first-fusion-power-plant-1217

    42 分钟
  7. Inside Microsoft's Trillion Dollar Playbook with Chief Strategy Officer Bobby Yerramilli-Rao

    4月10日

    Inside Microsoft's Trillion Dollar Playbook with Chief Strategy Officer Bobby Yerramilli-Rao

    Bobby Yerramilli-Rao, Chief Strategy Officer at Microsoft, joins TechSurge host Sriram Viswanathan to offer a rare glimpse into the strategic playbook of one of the world’s most powerful tech companies. Bobby shares how the company navigates today’s biggest technology paradigm shifts, placing bets with trillion-dollar implications. Touching on Microsoft’s AI strategy, OpenAI partnership, quantum computing, its approach to acquisitions, and much more, this candid and wide-ranging conversation is not to be missed.  If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for exclusive insights and updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits.

    48 分钟
  8. Scaling the AI Era: Next-Gen Data Storage Solutions with Pure Storage CEO Charlie Giancarlo

    4月1日

    Scaling the AI Era: Next-Gen Data Storage Solutions with Pure Storage CEO Charlie Giancarlo

    In this episode of TechSurge, host Sriram Viswanathan sits down with Charlie Giancarlo, Chairman and CEO of Pure Storage, to discuss the evolution and future of data storage in the digital age. Charlie shares insights from his career spanning his pivotal role in Cisco's success as a networking pioneer, to his leadership in transforming Pure Storage into a leader in innovative storage solutions. They explore the evolution of data center infrastructure, and the critical role of storage architecture in enabling AI and cloud technologies. Charlie also explains how Pure Storage's software-driven approach is creating new efficiencies and opportunities for enterprises, offering a compelling vision for a unified "data cloud" that breaks down data silos and unlocks new insights. This episode delves into the intersections of networking, compute, storage, and AI, providing an essential perspective for anyone interested in the future of technology infrastructure. If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for exclusive insights and updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits. Links: Pure Storage Official Website: Explore Pure Storage's innovative data storage solutions. Pure Storage DataCharlie Giancarlo's Biography: Learn more about Charlie Giancarlo, Chairman and CEO of Pure Storage. ​Charlie GiancarloPortworx by Pure Storage: Discover Portworx, the Kubernetes data services platform acquired by Pure Storage. ​Wikipedia Portworx ASBIS – IT Distributor FlashBlade//EXA Announcement: Read about Pure Storage's FlashBlade//EXA, designed for high-performance computing and AI workloads. FlashBlade//EXA: The Future of AI and HPC Storage Performance

    59 分钟
查看全部 26 集

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关于

The TechSurge: Deep Tech VC Podcast explores the frontiers of emerging tech, venture capital, and business trends, with conversations tailored for entrepreneurs, technologists, and investment professionals. Presented by Celesta Capital, and hosted by Founding Partners Nic Brathwaite, Michael Marks, and Sriram Viswanathan. Send feedback and show ideas to techsurge@celesta.vc. Each discussion delves into the intersection of technology advancement, market dynamics, and the founder journey, offering insights into the vast opportunities and complex challenges ahead. Episode topics include AI, data center transformation, blockchain, cyber security, healthcare innovation, VC investment trends, tips for first-time founders, and more. Tune in to hear directly from Silicon Valley leaders, daring new founders, and visionary thinkers. Past guests include investor Vinod Khosla, former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, the Global Head of McKinsey, and executive leaders from Microsoft, OpenAI, and other leading tech companies. New episodes release every two weeks. Visit techsurgepodcast.com for more details and to sign up for our newsletter and other content!

信息

  • 创作者
    Celesta Capital | Deep Tech Venture Capital Firm
  • 活跃年份
    2024年 - 2025年
  • 单集
    26
  • 分级
    儿童适宜
  • 版权
    © Celesta Capital | Deep Tech Venture Capital Firm
  • 节目网站
    TechSurge: Deep Tech VC Podcast

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