Silicon Oasis Spotlight

On this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight , we sit down with Merl Martin, founder of Benu Systems , to discuss Enki, an AI-powered networking and lead capture platform built to solve one of the most common problems in business: actually following up. Merl shares his journey from teaching physics to software and entrepreneurship, how Enki turns business cards and conversations into organized conta...

Michael Santore, founder of BlockSkunk , joins the podcast to talk about his journey from teaching himself to code in high school to building technology companies and tackling one of blockchain’s biggest challenges: trust and compliance. Michael shares lessons from his first startup in the early days of fantasy sports, how Ethereum and Bitcoin ordinals pulled him into blockchain, and why he believ...

In this episode of the Silicon Oasis Spotlight , we sit down with Leah Walczak, founder of GemHaus , to discuss how technology is changing the way investors evaluate real estate opportunities. After working in real estate sales, short-term rental management, and brokerage, Leah saw firsthand how much time investors spend manually underwriting properties. That experience led to GemHaus—a platform d...

In this episode of the Silicon Oasis Spotlight , we sit down with Martin Dominguez, founder of Tlaza , to talk about Arizona’s rapidly evolving technology ecosystem and how Tlaza is rethinking one of the most fundamental pieces of drone technology: the airframe. Martin shares how his search for a lower-cost, trainable drone led him to develop lightweight cardboard airframes designed to dramaticall...

Silicon Oasis sits down with Jordan Fourcher, founder of CryoX and Silicon Oasis Ambassador , to discuss the company’s passive daytime radiative cooling technology and its potential applications in Arizona and beyond. CryoX has developed a water-based radiative cooling paint designed to cool surfaces below ambient air temperature by radiating heat toward the sky — without relying on traditional me...

What if plastic could perform exactly the same—but naturally disappear at the end of its life? In this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight , we sit down Joe Wicker with the founder of GreenMatter Biotech to discuss how the Arizona-based company is rethinking one of the world's biggest environmental challenges. From a breakthrough plant-based polymer that biodegrades in natural environments to a...

Silicon Oasis Spotlight | Rebecca & Lucky Sandhu, Founders of Vouched.fyi What if finding your next job was transparent, accountable, and built for the AI era? In this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight , Rebecca and Lucky Sandhu share how personal experiences with layoffs and broken hiring systems inspired them to build Vouched.fyi —an HR tech platform reimagining the job search through verif...

In this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight , we sit down with Guru Raj Kolipakula , Founder of Build Nation , to explore his journey from India to Arizona and the experiences that inspired him to build a platform focused on connecting founders, builders, and innovators in real time. Guru Raj shares how a defining moment during his school years sparked his dream of studying in the United States, wh...

Mike Maunu has spent more than five decades building companies across dozens of industries — from early financial software and internet ventures to healthcare technology. In this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight, he shares the entrepreneurial lessons that have shaped his career and the vision behind VITAEUM™, a North Scottsdale medtech company building the measurement infrastructure layer for sp...

In this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight , Josue Romero sits down with Jessica Cadavid, Founder and Principal of Smart Surface Robotics, to discuss her journey from practicing immigration law to building an Arizona robotics startup tackling one of the built environment's most persistent challenges. Jessica shares how Smart Surface Robotics is developing autonomous technologies for mold detec...

In this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight, we sit down with Sam Bertram, founder and CEO of OnePointOne, a Phoenix-based company reimagining how the world grows food. Sam shares the story behind Opollo Farm, the world's first fully robotic cubic vertical farm, and how OnePointOne is combining AI, aeroponics, and warehouse-scale automation to produce organic food using a fraction of the land a...

In this episode of the Silicon Oasis Spotlight, we sit down with Zach Brooks, founder and CEO of Eugenome, to discuss the journey that shaped both his life and his company. From traveling across seven countries and working as a Hollywood actor to building a healthtech startup, Zach shares how resilience, rejection, and purpose became the foundation of his entrepreneurial journey. We explore Eugeno...

In this episode of the Silicon Oasis Spotlight, we sit down with Tejas Gupta to explore the future of AI-native software development and the rise of intelligent developer tooling. Tejas shares the vision behind Clean AI — a platform building an AI-powered coding workspace designed to help developers and engineering teams manage context across increasingly complex codebases. We discuss the evolutio...

Kinjal Chatterjee is the co-founder of Navia, an AI-powered productivity platform designed to support neurodivergent college students. He led the company from concept to a live pilot at Arizona State University’s GATE program, building both the product and the underlying technical architecture from the ground up. Kinjal architected Navia’s full stack using Next.js, React, TypeScript, Node.js, Post...

In this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight, Josue Romero sits down with Justin Kuehn, Founder of TryDrobe, to discuss the future of retail, technology, and consumer experience. Justin shares the story behind building TryDrobe, the challenges of launching in a competitive market, and how his team is rethinking how people discover and try products. The conversation dives into entrepreneurship, produ...

We sat down with Raghav Bansal, a 3x founder and CEO of GitHired, to break down what it actually takes to build in today’s startup landscape. From launching AI-driven platforms to helping place top engineering talent, Raghav shares lessons on speed, execution, and validating ideas before you build. We dive into his journey as a repeat founder, his perspective on the future of hiring and AI, and wh...

The Silicon Oasis Spotlight interviews serial entrepreneur Kentarou, who discusses his background, including writing books, doing a TED Talk, and mentoring startups at Harvard. Kentarou also talks about leading the TEDx ASU initiative, which is planned to be the largest TEDx event in history, bringing in 12,500-plus attendees, and focusing on showcasing innovation and providing opportunities for A...

In this episode of the Silicon Oasis Spotlight, Josue sits down with Michael Melichar, co-founder of Triptimize, to talk about his journey as a startup leader and the vision behind his company. Triptimize is an AI-powered travel platform designed to eliminate the overwhelm of trip planning—no endless tabs, no guesswork, just a smarter and more personalized way to plan your travel. Michael shares:W...

In this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight, we’re joined by Emini Offutt , CEO of Grangou , an app designed to help people form meaningful connections—starting with a shared meal. Grangou was built on a simple belief: the best conversations don’t happen through endless swiping or awkward small talk, but around the table. Emini shares how Grangou matches people over meals to take the pressure out o...

In this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight, we sit down with Corey Powell , Founder and CEO of Hubble. GOLF , to talk about how his company is transforming the way golfers discover, plan, and experience tournaments around the world. Born out of firsthand frustration with fragmented booking systems and endless research, Hubble. GOLF brings tournament discovery, planning, and logistics together into...

In this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight, we sit down with Dhanush Vardhan, Founder and President of DevLabs, to talk about the organization’s journey, mission, and growing impact on Arizona’s tech ecosystem. DevLabs began as a student-led initiative and has evolved into a thriving community that supports students, founders, and companies through hands-on competitions, collaboration, and real-wo...

In this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight, Josue sits down with Mat Sherman — founder of MAT Capital — to explore his journey in Arizona’s tech and startup ecosystem. Mat shares insights on building community, supporting founders, and creating opportunities for early-stage entrepreneurs through capital, mentorship, and guidance. Together, they discuss the challenges startups face, what strong fou...

In this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight, Josue sits down with Don Fotsch for a deep conversation about Arizona’s growing tech sector and the forces shaping its innovation economy. Don shares his perspective on ecosystem development, the evolution of the state’s tech landscape, and what’s driving momentum for founders, technologists, and community builders across Arizona. Together, they discuss...

In this episode of Silicon Oasis Spotlight, we sit down with Zach Hawley and Will Aja , the co-founders and leaders of Steerco AI , to explore how they’re transforming the way teams manage projects through artificial intelligence. They share insights on: The inspiration behind launching Steerco AI How their backgrounds shaped the company’s vision Challenges faced while scaling a tech startupThe fu...

In this inspiring Silicon Oasis Spotlight episode, Shane Martin opens up about his path to launching B Ventures — the wins, the lessons, and the mindset that keeps him moving forward. Tune in as we talk about: Turning bold ideas into actionable ventures Staying grounded while scaling a business The importance of community and innovation in entrepreneurship 💡 Catch more stories like this on the Si...