Tech Talks

Buying a house is really, really hard. It took our host David 15 years of renting until he was in a position to get on the career ladder. It's a huge milestone, but it comes with debt, and interest. But does it have to? Former career banker Chris Smith chats to David about his mission to expose how the traditional financial system has failed home ownership, turning the market into a "game...

Today David is join by Michael Tefula (of Ada Ventures) to discuss how we can power inclusion in venture capital, and how proprietary technology fits into the picture. As an investor who can code, Michael reveals how they utilize tools like their internal investment memo software and Deck Genius (formerly Ada GPT) to source high-potential, overlooked founders and run AI-driven bias checks. Crucial...

Recording on Tuesday (Day One) of Web Summit 2025, David Savage talks to leaders about what truly matters on the ground. Louise Thomas shares her successful fundraising round, confirming AI and health tech are capturing investor attention. Janine Luk and Katerina Chantzi reveal how they navigate the overwhelming conference strategically, prioritizing quality over quantity. The conversation turns s...

Today's show features a conversation recording at Web Summit with two future (and present) leaders : Raya Mardani and Aarav Sharma. They are 15 and 16 respectively and already building incredible solutions with a real mission and purpose. They joined me on stage for a talk called "Young Minds, Bright Futures" and it was too good not to follow up and record with them both whilst here. As Web Summit...

On today's podcast David is talking to Nancy Beaton, President of Uphold, to discuss the high stakes for banks and fintechs entering the fragmented crypto space. She explains that younger generations demand instant, 24/7, borderless financial tools, viewing assets like Bitcoin as superior savings technology. We explore how leveraging Uphold’s compliant, battle-tested API platform allows traditiona...

In today's episode David is joined by founder and entrepreneur Megan Caywood Cooper. Starling Bank and Barclays veteran Megan (Forbes 30 Under 30) details banking’s shift to Agentic AI. She explains why AI agents are moving beyond prediction to take autonomous action, becoming the "CFO in your pocket" for consumers and managing complex tasks like liquidity for banks. We discuss the c...

The criteria for choosing a cloud partner has fundamentally changed: AI is trumping all previous discussions. On today's podcast Google Cloud’s Chief Revenue Officer Matt Renner joins David to explain why the underlying technology is the real story in financial services. We explore why 90-95% of early generative AI proofs of concept failed, why compliance is the primary regulatory focus for ba...

David is joined by three FinTech leaders to unpack the urgent themes emerging at Money20/20 in Las Vegas.  Richard Winston (Slalom), Sonya Cléroux (Interpolitan Money) and Joseph Dormani (Thomson Reuters Ventures) discuss AI governance, tokenization, and the Gen Z imperative. The podcast delves into why building trust is central to AI adoption, requiring systems with consistent, reliable, and pred...

“Banking is 100% of the time business. You've got to get it right. It's got to be compliant and you have to have a sure delivery of movement of funds if that's the business that you're in.” On today's show David talks to Global Financial Services leader Richard Winston (Slalom Consulting) to unpack a shift at Money20/20 Las Vegas, where the biggest players now hunt for payment...

Today Openbrix founder Shahad Choudhury details his PropTech company's foundational pivot! Originally aiming to revolutionize the rental sector with blockchain, Openbrix abandoned the tech (and the fight against giants like Rightmove) to focus on the later stages of the tenant lifecycle. Shahad explains how this shift, coupled with a government-backed partnership, led to rapid growth (20,000 n...

In today's show I'm chatting to a founder, board member, mentor, and fellow podcaster! Kimberley Waldron, founder of Started (the FinTech brand and PR specialists), argues that poor communication, not technology failure, is the biggest threat to FinTech adoption. Together we unpack why the industry must shift focus from internal jargon to tangible end-user benefits. Kimberley explains that...

Co-founder of CyLon, Grace Cassy, reveals why Europe struggles to scale cyber talent and challenges the industry's focus on prevention. She discusses the human cost of complacency and what "bouncing back" looks like practically; from immutable backups to prioritizing critical systems. A vital conversation on moving from throwing up high walls to building true organizational resilienc...

Willem Ave, Square's Global Head of Product, joins host David Savage to discuss Square's evolution from a card reader to an ecosystem of banking and software. Together they unpack the strategy behind bringing advanced AI tools (like virtual CFOs and CMOs) to small, independent businesses helping drive economic empowerment. Willem explains how Square balances rapid feature growth with the commitmen...

On today's podcast Georgie Steele (CTO and Co-founder of Maven) discusses turning complex climate policy into actionable business intelligence. She reveals how Maiven navigates resistence/indifference towards sustainability by focusing on commercial ROI and adapting to shifting local regulations. Georgie also shares insights on fostering an 'AI-first' culture, enabling non-technical te...

Filmmaking is being democratised, with the barrier to entry lowered by affordable tech. Chris Elliott, co-founder of Sound & Colour Films, explores the high-stakes trade-off: how generative AI allows in-house teams to achieve more, but simultaneously threatens to cannibalise the professional creative industry. Ultimately, Chris argues that the enduring value lies not in the tools, but in the h...

In today's episode Adclear co-founder Joe Jordan reveals how AI is helping to automate compliance for regulated firms like PensionBee and Plum. He addresses the fundamental tension between marketing's push for speed and creativity and the crippling risks of regulatory investigations. With David he discusses how Adclear builds deep trust, manages internal risk tolerances, and why resilience...

Nicky Tozer (NetSuite SVP EMEA) joins us to discuss the "exciting evolution" of their platform and chat about how AI is moving from a vague promise to a purposeful, productivity engine. She reveals how concentrated use cases, like the autonomous close, deliver real, tangible benefits for growing businesses. As she chats to David, we also explore the challenge of adopting a single source...

Senior VP Brian Chess reveals NetSuite’s architectural bet with transparency in their AI: moving beyond quick wins to build trust into the core ERP system. We explore the leadership decision to enable external models (like ChatGPT/Claude) via the AI Connector Service. Brian also discusses the challenge of proving AI ROI to the CFO and why organizational experimentation is key in a rapidly evolving...

Cyrus Vantoch-Wood launched Insurgent to create investment-ready ventures in the regenerative space. He explains why the sustainable sector suffers from a lack of trust and political headwinds. For Cyrus, the only solution to the climate crisis is profit. He reveals how Insurgent applies "impact design" to ensure that businesses (even those operating in unusual verticals, like death) can meet the...

Founder Matthew Jones discusses Haven, a crypto security solution using continuous facial recognition to eliminate passwords and identifiers. Matthew explains how tackling the UK's staggering $3.8 billion crypto fraud requires taking away the data points fraudsters seek, because data is the "center of breach". This episode explores the tension between crypto anonymity and verified ownership, revea...

From a chance decision made while one co-founder was stuck cycling in Georgia, SimpleStudy was born. Founders Phillip Mckenna and Oisin Devoy (childhood friends from rural West Cork) share how they built an exam platform serving over 60 exams in countries from Brazil to Australia. They discuss rejecting B2B advice to focus on students, leveraging AI to scale, and how their contrasting skills as &q...

The decision for thousands of women to leave UK tech has a £3.5 billion price tag. This isn't a pipeline problem; it's a retention crisis. In this episode, we unpack the Lovelace Report to reveal why women are leaving—and it's not for the reasons you think. The full report can be found  here. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent so...

What shapes a global tech leader? ARM's CCO Will Abbey shares his journey from Ghana to the UK and California. He discusses ARM's role in a fragmented world, the challenge of closing the AI skills gap, and how technology can deliver real impact in Africa. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions...

Veronica (founder of Valumia) is a seasoned entrepreneur who has returned to the startup world after a previous venture came to an end. In this candid conversation, she shares the untold story of her journey, from the emotional toll of being a founder to her new mission to expose sustainability risks like modern slavery, conflict, and biodiversity loss. This episode unpacks the hidden vulnerabilit...

“The 100% tariffs have poured fuel on an already raging fire… it’s put this whiplash effect into every sourcing manager and production team.” Kathleen Chan, CEO & Founder of Calico Global apparel supply chains are “very, very broken.” Kathleen Chan is out to fix them. As founder of Calico, she’s building an AI-driven “force multiplier” to bring resilience, speed, and clarity to one of the worl...