Opto Sessions – Invest in the Next Big Idea

In this episode, Ed is joined by Ben Taylor, Chief Financial Officer and President of Recursion UK, to discuss how AI is reshaping drug discovery, biotech, and the future of medicine. Ben explains how Recursion uses AI, lab automation, biological data, and machine learning to improve the way new medicines are discovered and developed. They explore why drug discovery has such a high failure rate, h...

April is rethinking tax as something that should happen year-round, not just at filing time. In this episode, co-founder and CEO Ben Borodach explains how April embeds AI-powered tax filing, planning and estimation tools into financial platforms, why tax can become a more useful part of everyday financial decision-making, and how the company is building trusted infrastructure for banks, fintechs a...

What can Kratos Defense do that larger defense primes can’t? In this episode of Opto Sessions, CEO Eric DeMarco explains the company’s low-cost approach to AI drones, hypersonic systems and space infrastructure, and makes the case that the future of defense belongs to scalable, software-enabled, affordable systems.

AI agents are targeting the biggest problem in healthcare: slow, expensive operations. In this episode, Autonomize AI founder & CEO Ganesh Padmanabhan breaks down why approvals like MRIs can take weeks and how AI agents streamline prior authorisation workflows to deliver faster decisions and lower costs in healthcare.

In this AI Christmas special of OPTO Sessions, we revisit standout moments from this year’s conversations on how AI is changing products, cost bases and competitive moats, from Better.com and Upstart in lending, to Box and Intercom in enterprise workflows and customer service, and SoundHound in voice AI. We look at near-term execution over the next year, longer-term positioning over five years, an...

Leah Price, VP of the Tinman AI platform at Better.com, joins OPTO Sessions to unpack the company’s pivot to a full-stack GenAI mortgage OS and Betsy, the chat- and voice-based assistant embedded across the experience - delivering up to 75% faster cycle times, 45% lower fulfilment costs, and 10× volume, plus a first look at a pre-release avatar advisor. ----- The content in this podcast is for inf...

Intercom co-founder and CSO Des Traynor joins OPTO Sessions to unpack the company’s AI-first shift and Fin, the 27-part AI customer service agent that delivers better, faster answers up to 94% of the time. ----- The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only. Opto Markets LLC does not recommend any specific securities or investment strategies. Investing involves risk & investme...

QuantumScape CFO Kevin Hettrich joins OPTO Sessions to unpack solid-state EV batteries, why this tech could enable faster charging, more range and improved safety for electric vehicles, and what Volkswagen’s partnership means for QS stock.  ----- The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only. Opto Markets LLC does not recommend any specific securities or investment strategies. Inv...

Upstart co-founder and CTO Paul Gu joins OPTO Sessions to explain how AI underwriting powers 92% fully automated loans and lifts conversion to approximately 24% as the AI lending marketplace returns to profitability with triple digit revenue growth. He unpacks fraud controls, the Upstart Macro Index, and expansion into HELOC and auto.  ----- The content in this podcast is for informational purpose...

Box CEO and co-founder Aaron Levie returns to OPTO Sessions to reveal how AI agents are turning 90% of unstructured corporate data into instant answers, powering automation across roles. He maps where enterprise AI is headed, the real obstacles to adoption, and Box’s strategy for scaling AI workflows that deliver measurable business value. If you enjoyed this interview, consider subscribing to our...

Andy Marsh, Plug Power CEO, joins OPTO Sessions to discuss the current state and future of green hydrogen, emphasizing how hydrogen production can free up scarce grid electricity for other uses while accelerating national sustainability goals. He explains the company’s playbook to profitability - scaling electrolyzers, locking in offtake, and driving costs down - highlighting real-world deployment...

Charlie Youakim, CEO and Co-Founder of Sezzle, joins OPTO Sessions to discuss company’s journey from startup to a leading public company in the fintech space, the evolution of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) model and record growth in the past 12 months. If you enjoyed this interview, consider subscribing to our Substack channel for more in-depth insights designed to help you invest smarter: https://opt...

Nitesh Sharan, CFO of SoundHound AI, returns to OPTO Sessions to discuss the company’s accelerating momentum and why Voice AI is fast becoming the default interface of the future. As pioneers in the space, with deep AI roots, a strong patent portfolio, and an agnostic architecture spanning cloud, edge, and agentic AI, SoundHound is leading the evolution of natural human-machine interaction. *$50B...

Victor Basta, Managing Partner and Co-founder of Artis Partners, joins OPTO Sessions to share his two-stage exit preparation process - designed to ensure companies are bought, not sold. He delves into why success often comes to those who exit uncomfortably early, the critical roles of boards and CEOs, and what it truly means to be prepared for an exit.  If you enjoyed this interview, consider subs...

Sir Peter Beck, CEO and Founder of Rocket Lab, returns to OPTO Sessions a year after our first conversation to delve deeper into the company’s evolution as an end-to-end space provider, its growing role in national security, record financial performance following Q1 earnings, and the transformative impact of AI on the future of space exploration.  If you enjoyed this interview, consider subscribin...

Dr. Alan Baratz, D-Wave CEO, joins OPTO Sessions to discuss the current state and future of quantum computing, emphasizing the unique capabilities of D-Wave's quantum annealing technology. He explains how quantum computing can solve complex problems more efficiently than classical computers, highlighting real-world applications and the growing momentum in customer bookings.  If you enjoyed this in...

In this week’s OPTO Sessions, Ashley Johnson, President and CFO of Planet Labs, explains how the company is using satellites and AI to deliver real-time insights about life on Earth. She breaks down Planet’s evolving business model, the move into satellite services, and how its data is helping governments, agriculture, and disaster response teams make faster, smarter decisions.  If you enjoyed thi...

In this week’s OPTO Sessions, Craig Bealmear, CFO of Oklo, shares how the company is transforming nuclear energy with small modular reactors. He discusses Oklo’s unique business model model, rising demand from data centers, and the future of reliable, clean energy. If you enjoyed this interview, consider subscribing to our Substack channel for more in-depth insights designed to help you invest sma...

This week, Sebastian Schroetel, Senior VP of Product Management at UiPath, joins OPTO Sessions to explore the future of AI-driven automation. He shares how UiPath has evolved from robotic process automation (RPA) to end-to-end automation, integrating AI agents to enhance efficiency.  If you enjoyed this interview, consider subscribing to our Substack channel for more in-depth insights designed to...

In this week’s episode, James Campanini, Head of B2B at Logitech, shares how the company is enhancing smart meeting experiences and hybrid work. He discusses AI-powered solutions for seamless collaboration, room monitoring for better workplace efficiency, and Logitech’s vision for the future of digital workspaces.  If you enjoyed this interview, consider subscribing to our Substack channel for mor...

This week on OPTO Sessions, Compounding Quality’s founder, Pieter, shares his insights on quality investing. His newsletter, read by LeBron James and Bill Ackman, focuses on investing in the world's best companies. In this episode, he discusses his shift from value to quality investing, defines quality stocks, and outlines key selection criteria. We also explore valuation techniques, significance...

Christian Magoon, CEO of Amplify ETFs, joins OPTO Sessions to share expert insights into blockchain investing. We dive deep into performance of blockchain-related stocks in 2024 and analyze the impact of the Bitcoin halving cycle on the market. Christian discusses key investment opportunities within the blockchain space, trends among Bitcoin miners, and the future of blockchain technology beyond c...

This week, Michael Gayed joins Opto Sessions to discuss the current state of the global economy, from the implications of the reverse carry trade to 2025 market predictions and Trump’s policies. He explores Bitcoin’s role in modern finance, the challenges posed by high valuations & why China’s stock market could surpass the US in the coming years. 📲  *Invest in stocks & ETFs with OPTO* _I...

In this week’s OPTO Sessions, Aaron Levie, CEO and co-founder of Box, shares how the company has grown into a billion-dollar enterprise by revolutionizing content management in the cloud. He discusses Box’s innovative AI integrations, strategies in a competitive tech landscape, and the future of enterprise technology. 📲  *Invest in stocks & ETFs with OPTO* _Install app for free_ (🇺🇸 US only):...

In this week’s OPTO Sessions, Julian Brigden, Co-Founder and President of Macro Intelligence 2 Partners (MI2), shares his insights on the US macroeconomic landscape as the country adjusts to a second Trump presidency. He examines key trends and challenges facing investors, including the outlook for bonds, equities, employment, and inflation. 📲  Find top-performing stocks & ETFs Install app fo...