Polyweb

In this episode of Polyweb, host Sara Landi Tortoli interviews Hugo Amsellem, founder and general partner at IntuitionVC, an early-stage fund dedicated to consumer and culture startups across Europe and the U.S. The conversation covers Hugo's experience advising hundreds of startups and his perspective on why the consumer space is primed for innovation after years of focus on B2B. 00:00 Introducti...

In this episode of Polyweb, host Sara Landi Tortoli and guest David Shapiro, popular YouTuber, AI researcher, content creator, and writer, explore the profound implications of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and its potential impact on various aspects of our lives, including employment, economics, and the very nature of human existence. 00:00 Intro 01:43 David's background 02:32 The concept...

In this episode of Polyweb, host Sara Landi Tortoli interviews Oliver Klingefjord, the co-founder and technical lead at the Meaning Alignment Institute. The Institute won an OpenAI grant to explore "democratic fine-tuning" as an approach that differs from Constitutional AI. During the conversation, Oliver and Sara discuss the process of creating a "moral graph" based on people's discussions of val...

Host Sara Landi Tortoli interviews Janna Bastow, who is the co-founder and CEO of ProdPad, Mind The Product, and ProductTank. In the product management space, Janna is known for introducing the "Now-Next-Later" roadmap, which is a more sustainable way to build products than the traditional timeline roadmap. During the interview, Janna shared valuable insights from her journey as a product manager...

In this episode of Polyweb, host Sara Landi Tortoli and guest Georgiana Laudi, Co-founder and CEO of Forget the Funnel, explore the concept of customer-led growth and how it differs from product-led growth. They delve into the importance of deeply understanding customers, operationalizing their experiences, and making data-informed decisions to optimize their journey from problem recognition to lo...

In this episode of Polyweb, host Sara Landi Tortoli and guest Itamar Gilad explore the concept of evidence-guided product development. Itamar is a seasoned product coach and leader with extensive experience at tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and YouTube, and the author of "Evidence Guided." The key takeaways from this episode include the importance of setting clear goals aligned with the compa...

In this episode, Sara talks about the challenges and realities of startup entrepreneurship with guest Megan Murphy, a former product manager turned founder. Megan shares her journey from the corporate world to launching her own startup, focusing on the pitfalls, learning curves, and eventual decision to shut down her venture. Megan has held the VP Product role at Hotjar, where she led and scaled i...

In this episode of Polyweb, host Sara Landi Tortoli and guest Div Garg, discuss the future of AI agents and assistants. Div is a computer scientist, AI researcher, and entrepreneur. His latest company, MultiOn, is a general-purpose AI similar to JARVIS that executes digital tasks and brings it to everyday consumer use, from booking flights to ordering your food. Div has lectured and given talks at...

Nick Gray is a successful entrepreneur and author of "The 2 Hour Cocktail Party." During the interview, Nick discusses his approach to making new friends and building a strong network through hosting small gatherings. Hundreds of people have used his "NICK party formula" to host their first happy hour or networking event. Nick has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and N...

What if AI could make life better, freer, more creative? According to Alexander Manu, AI could make us all happier than we have ever been. This conversation is a deep exploration of the relationship between technology and humanity, and in particular, how technology can enhance human creativity and the transformational impact it has on our lives. Alexander Manu is a strategic foresight practitioner...

Scott Britton is an entrepreneur, content creator and consciousness explorer. His most recent startup Troops was acquired by Salesforce in 2022 where he received the Forbes 30 Under 30 award for enterprise technology. He is the host of the EvolutionFM podcast and author of the substack blog Consciousness: The Doorway to Human Evolution. During the episode, Scott shares how, after creating a succes...

Join the host, Sara Landi Tortoli, and product marketing expert Jason Oakley as they explore the nitty-gritty of ensuring a successful product launch. Jason is a product marketing coach, consultant, and creator with 10+ years experience building PMM functions from scratch. During the episode, Jason provides a comprehensive playbook for launching products successfully, from research and positioning...

In this episode of Polyweb, Sara Landi Tortoli interviews Eche Emole, founder of Afropolitan, the first digital nation designed to empower all Africans to live abundant lives. Eche shares his personal journey, the inspiration behind Afropolitan, and the four phases involved in realizing this digital nation that transcends traditional geographic boundaries. 00:00 Introduction 01:47 Eche introduces...

In this episode of Polyweb, host Sara Landi Tortoli interviews Dave Kline. Dave is an accomplished writer, business advisor, executive coach, and co-founder of the MGMT Accelerator - a program dedicated to developing system-focused leaders. With over a decade of experience as the COO of multiple divisions at Bridgewater Associates, the world's largest hedge fund, and a former managing director at...

Tony is the pioneer of Jobs-to-be-Done Theory, the inventor of the Outcome-Driven Innovation® (ODI) process, and the founder of strategy and innovation consulting firm Strategyn. Tony has applied his ODI process at some of the world’s leading companies and across nearly all industries to inform breakthrough innovations—achieving a success rate that is 5 times better than the industry average. Tony...

This episode of Polyweb is a real masterclass in the world of startup investing, James Church is co-founder and COO of Robot Mascot, a global award-winning investment readiness agency, and the author of the best-selling book “Investable Entrepreneur”, Together with our host Sara Landi Tortoli, James shares his unique methodology for convincing investors and delves into the intricacies of startup f...

In this episode of Polyweb, host Sara Landi Tortoli and guest Robert Scoble explore the new frontiers of spatial computing and AI, discussing the potential threats and opportunities these technologies present. They delve into the transformative potential of AI, the challenges of data privacy, and the integration of technology into our daily lives. Robert Scoble, a renowned technology evangelist an...

We all know it, even if we try our best not to dwell on it: one day, we will age and eventually die. Or will we? Sara engages in a conversation with Sebastian Brunemeier to explore the potential reversal of aging and the prospect of avoiding death. Sebastian Brunemeier is a General Partner at Healthspan Capital, a venture fund focused on longevity biotech and regenerative medicine. He is also CEO...

In this week's episode, Sara explores how augmented reality and spatial computing will redefine the boundaries and opportunities of interaction between humans and machines with Pierluigi Dalla Rosa. Pierluigi Dalla Rosa is an accomplished designer who is at the forefront of shaping the future of computing. He has a proven track record at renowned companies such as Apple, NIO, Panasonic, and Philip...

How will your job be affected by artificial intelligence? What skills do you need to learn to remain relevant? Is AI a threat to humanity, or is it just the next step in humane evolution? In this interview, Sara sits down with Theo Priestley to find answers to these questions and get a glimpse of what the future will look like. Theo Priestley is a globally recognized and sought-after futurist, int...

How can we make better decisions? In this age of constant technological innovation, the ability to make better decisions is more than just a skill; it's a matter of survival. So, how can we improve our decision-making abilities? Join Sara in this insightful conversation with marketing and decision-making expert, Prof. Dr. Koen Pauwels. Prof. Pauwels is a Distinguished Professor at Northeastern Uni...

My guest today is Sumeet Ahuja, investor, advisor, product leader, ex-PayPal, AT&T, and most recently former VP of Product at Circle, the company that issues USDC stablecoin. Sumeet is a seasoned technology and product leader that has an impressive track record of building and launching innovative products that have made a lasting impact. During his time at Circle, Sumeet led the product strat...

Building a business with ChatGPT as a CEO and managing to close a seed round of 100K in 40 days? That’s precisely what João Ferrão dos Santos has managed to do, making him an overnight social media sensation. João is a chief experimenter, testing how far AI can go in building a business. He is the founder of AIsthetic Apparel, a viral fashion label where ChatGPT serves as its CEO, and Underdog Fou...

Can we become a multi-planetary species? If this question seems straight out of a sci-fi movie, it isn't. In fact, it is already happening. Technologies are being developed that will enable us to colonize and inhabit other planets, and they are more advanced than we commonly believe. Ben Hadelman, a space entrepreneur and the founder of Lifeship, is at the forefront of this movement. His company's...

Psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA, have long been associated with counterculture and recreational drug use. However, recent research has shown that these substances could have tremendous medical potential for treating mental health conditions, addiction, and even potentially preventing physical ailments. To debunk myths and misconceptions from reality, Sara is joined by Marvin D...