Innovation Unplugged

In this episode, Jim sat down with Ryan Calkins, Presidentof the Port of Seattle Commission and longtime leader across maritime operations, public policy, and infrastructure innovation. Together, they explore the critical role ports play in global trade, national security, and regional competitiveness - and why the last several years exposed just how essential modern port infrastructure has become...

In this episode, Jim sat down with Stephen Leotis from MosoNetworks to explore how private 5G is transforming enterprise connectivity. Stephen shares the origin story behind Moso Networks, theevolution of CBRS and private cellular adoption, and why simplifying deployment and management is critical for enterprise-scale success. Together, Jim and Stephen break down the challenges that have historica...

In this episode, Jim speaks with Jags Kandasamy, Co-Founder and CEO of Latent AI, about how enterprises are moving artificial intelligence from the cloud to the edge. Jags shares how Latent AI is helping organizations deploy and optimize AI models across edge devices - reducing infrastructure costs while enabling real-time decision-making. The conversation explores the rise of edge AI and physical...

In this episode, Jim sits down with Cameron Waite, Founder and CEO of Real Life Robotics, to explore what it really takes to make autonomy work in the real world. With over two decades of experience in robotics, Cameron shares his journey from building physical robots to recognizing a much bigger challenge: scaling and managing autonomy across complex, messy, real-world environments. What started...

In this episode, Jim is joined by leading wireless industry analyst Chetan Sharma for a candid conversation on what really held 5G back - and what operators must get right before 6G. They unpack why 5G was never a technology challenge, but a business model and execution problem, especially in Western markets where strong consumer ARPU reduced urgency to pursue enterprise innovation. In contrast, o...

What if deploying to the cloud were as simple as running an app on your laptop? In this inspiring episode, Jim sat down with Prakash Sundaresan , Founder of Defang , to unpack one of the most persistent challenges in modern software development: cloud complexity. With nearly 30 years of experience spanning Microsoft, AWS, and Workday, Prakash has seen the cloud from every angle - as a builder, an...

For our Season 2 and 2025 finale, Innovation Unplugged welcomes Alex Smith, CEO and co-founder of Nectar Edge - a company redefining how AI workloads are processed at the edge. Jim and Alex explore why AI’s future depends on distributed compute, the inefficiencies of today’s centralized cloud model, and the massive opportunity emerging for telcos and enterprises. Alex shares Nectar’s founding stor...

AI may be everywhere, but getting it into production is still painfully hard. In this episode of Innovation Unplugged , Jim talks with Darren Kimura, CEO of AI Squared , about why enterprises struggle to turn AI investments into real results - and what it takes to change that. Darren reveals the surprising government origins of AI Squared, the real reasons most AI POCs stall, and how bringing inte...

In this episode of Innovation Unplugged , Jim sat downwith telecom visionary Glenn Lurie, whose leadership helped usher in one of the most transformative moments in technology history - the launch of the first iPhone with AT&T. As a veteran of the wireless industry and now a General Partner at Stormbreaker Ventures, Glenn reflects on his remarkable journey - from negotiating with Steve Jobs an...

The edge is no longer a future promise - it’s becoming plug-and-play. In this episode, Jim sat down with Peter Thomson , CEO of Nedge , to explore how the company is expanding cloud computing seamlessly to the edge. Nedge’s platform optimizes cloud applications for remote and end-user computing by offloading and accelerating them at the edge - giving enterprises the speed, security, and scalabilit...

In this episode of Innovation Unplugged , we sat down with Caroline Chan , a longtime Intel executive and industry visionary shaping the future of networking, AI, and edge innovation. From her early role driving Intel’s edge and telecom strategy to her most recent leadership in advancing AI-enabled connectivity, Caroline shares how 5G has evolved beyond consumer applications to power the next wave...

In this episode, we sat down with Michael Maxey, VP of Business Development at Zededa, to explore the rapidly evolving world of edge computing. Maxey shares how Zededa is making edge infrastructure effortless, open, and secure—bringing the simplicity of the cloud to some of the most distributed, rugged, and complex environments on the planet. The conversation covers the origins of Zededa, why the...

Discover how Embeint is making networks smarter at the edge! In this episode of Innovation Unplugged , host Jim talks with co-founder Phil Valencia about AI-native wireless networks, ultra-low power IoT devices, and real-world deployments that are transforming industries from smart cities to industrial operations. Learn how Embeint is keeping devices connected, adaptive, and intelligent - all whil...

In this powerful episode of Innovation Unplugged, Jim sits down with Khalid Raza, a legendary pioneer in networking and the mind behind Graphiant, to explore why traditional network models are breaking under the pressure of today’s AI-enabled, edge-driven world. With a track record that includes co-founding Viptela (acquired by Cisco) and CloudGenix, Khalid unpacks why yesterday’s MPLS and SD-WAN...

In this episode of Innovation Unplugged , host Jim Brisimitzis sits down with Somi Agarwal , Co-founder and CEO of Synthefy , a groundbreaking startup transforming how enterprises harness the power of time series data. As data floods every corner of industry, Synthefy is unlocking new frontiers in predictive intelligence—forecasting outcomes, detecting anomalies, and making sense of chaotic, numbe...

In this episode, Jim sat down with Rishabh Agarwal, CEO and co-founder of Peer Robotics, to explore how the company is transforming the way humans and robots work together. Rather than replacing workers, Peer Robotics builds collaborative robots that learn directly from humans and adapt to existing workflows —making automation more accessible, scalable, and efficient for manufacturers of all sizes...

In this episode of Innovation Unplugged , Jim sits down with David Aronchick, co-founder and CEO of Expanso, to discuss the future of data management at the edge. Expanso is revolutionizing how enterprises handle distributed data, enabling real-time processing and smarter decision-making without the need for massive data transfers. David shares insights from his experience with Kubernetes and Kube...

In this episode of Innovation Unplugged , Jim Brisimitzis sits down with Kalon Welch from FastSensor to explore the cutting-edge world of location intelligence and behavioral analytics. From retail to warehousing, FastSensor is revolutionizing how businesses understand and engage with customers in physical spaces. Learn how their real-time tracking technology helps optimize layouts, improve custom...

In this episode of Innovation Unplugged, we sit down with Yoav Amitai, CEO of Elsight, to explore how the company is reshaping mission-critical connectivity for drones, robotics, and autonomous vehicles. Elsight’s Halo platform ensures seamless, secure connectivity across multiple networks, enabling uncrewed systems to maintain reliable communication in any environment. Learn how Elsight is drivin...

In this episode of Innovation Unplugged , host Jim Brisimitzis sits down with Alon Ascher, Chief Business Officer at Blue White Robotics, to discuss the transformative power of autonomous technology in agriculture. From addressing global labor shortages to retrofitting existing farm equipment with cutting-edge robotics, Alon shares how they are revolutionizing farming operations by enhancing produ...

In this episode of Innovation Unplugged , host Jim Brisimitzis sits down with Amir Haramaty, founder and CEO of Aiola, to explore how AI-driven speech technology is transforming frontline workflows. Amir shares his journey from identifying the untapped potential of unstructured data to developing cutting-edge solutions that elevate efficiency and accessibility in challenging environments. Discover...

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Innovation Unplugged , where we spotlight game-changing startups driving innovation and solving real-world challenges. In this debut episode, we sit down with Somya Kapoor, CEO of The Loops , a cutting-edge platform redefining enterprise intelligence through operationalized AI. Tune in to hear how The Loops is making a tangible impact on industries and communiti...