The Innovators & Investors Podcast

In this episode, Kristian Marquez sits down with Craig Kaplan, the CEO of iQ Company and founder of superintelligence.com. With over 30 years of experience in the field, Craig breaks down the transition from rule-based AI to the "black box" of modern machine learning. They discuss the critical need for transparency in AI, the "alignment problem," and Craig’s innovative "Democratic AI" model. Wheth...

In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, Kristian Marquez hosts Peter Walker, Head of Insights at Carta, to explore the evolving landscape of venture capital, startup growth, and the transformative impact of AI on fundraising and hiring. Drawing on Carta’s unique position atop data from over 60,000 startups and thousands of venture funds, Peter shares how emerging technologies ar...

In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez sits down with Caroline Winnett, Executive Director of Berkeley Skydeck, to explore the evolution and impact of one of the nation’s leading university accelerators. Caroline shares the journey of transforming Skydeck from a modest program into a powerhouse accelerator with a unique funding model that aligns private ve...

In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, Kristian Marquez hosts Mathew Lewis, U.S. General Manager and Chief Revenue Officer at Darrow, a company dedicated to uncovering large-scale legal violations and helping plaintiffs, plaintiff firms, insurance companies, and corporates manage risk. Mathew shares Darrow’s unique approach to identifying risks in areas such as data privacy, an...

In this episode of the Innovators and Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez interviews David Cross, a venture partner at Rain Capital. David discusses his journey into venture capital, the importance of cybersecurity, the influence of AI on the industry, and key factors in evaluating startups. David emphasizes the need for passion in founders, the significance of market understanding, and the i...

In this episode of the Innovators and Investors podcast, host Kristian Marquez interviews Scott Garber, managing partner of Early Light Ventures. Scott shares his unconventional journey to venture capital, emphasizing his focus on backing hungry first-time founders in second-tier cities. He discusses the importance of founder tenacity, the nuances of fundraising, and the current investment landsca...

In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, Kristian Marquez sits down with Antoni Kaniowski, COO of GoodFutures, a Carnegie Mellon-affiliated venture builder focused on the future of work and AI-driven transformations. They explore how GoodFutures develops startups by quickly validating and launching AI-native solutions that address evolving workforce challenges, particularly in th...

In this episode of the Innovators and Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez interviews Melissa Kozak, founder of Citus Health. Melissa shares her journey from being a nurse to launching a successful healthcare startup. She discusses the challenges of raising capital, the importance of aligning with investors, and the value of her nursing background in identifying and solving industry problems....

In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez sits down with Ari Newman, co-founder and managing director of Massive VC, a Boulder-based venture firm specializing in deep tech investments. They explore Massive’s unique investment thesis focused on early commercial inflection points across four critical domains: the new space economy, energy transformation, 10x da...

In this episode of the Innovators and Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez interviews Nick Mastronardi, co-founder and CEO of Polco. They discuss Nick’s background in data science and economics, the inspiration behind Polco, and the company’s mission to enhance civic participation through data-driven decision-making for public sector officials. Nick emphasizes the importance of passion in entr...

In this episode of the Innovators and Investors podcast, host Kristian Marquez interviews Sarah Dusek, Managing Partner of Enygma Ventures. Sarah shares her journey from entrepreneur to investor, emphasizing the importance of supporting female founders, particularly in Africa. She discusses the unique strengths of female entrepreneurs, the need for emotional intelligence in leadership, and the sig...

In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez sits down with Martin van Kroenenburg, founder of BW Ventures, to explore the nuanced journey of building a venture fund focused on early-stage innovation. Martin shares his experiences navigating startup programs, corporate innovation, and investor relations, emphasizing the critical importance of validating value pr...

In this episode of the Innovators and Investors podcast, host Kristian Marquez interviews Nick Jane, CEO of IdeaScale and Content Hurricane. Nick discusses his background in investing and leadership, the founding of IdeaScale, and the importance of innovation management. He shares insights into building a resilient company culture, effective marketing strategies, and the advantages of being a boot...

In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Christian Marquez sits down with David Rolf, head of Visa Ventures, to explore how Visa’s corporate venture arm strategically invests in fintech and commerce startups worldwide. David shares how Visa Ventures aligns investments with the company’s long-term strategy, their global approach including significant activity outside North Am...

In this episode of the Innovators and Investors podcast, host Kristian Marquez interviews Karl Seelbach, founder of Skribe and law firm Doyle & Seelbach. Karl discusses his journey from aspiring attorney to innovator in legal technology. He emphasizes the challenges and opportunities in modernizing deposition processes through AI, which makes them faster and more cost-effective. His insights o...

In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez sits down with Andrew Hoag, co-founder and CEO of Dash Labs and creator of Workstation, a productivity app designed to enhance how employees leverage AI in the workplace. Andrew shares his entrepreneurial journey, reflecting on lessons learned from founding multiple startups, including the importance of maintaining a...

In this episode of the Innovators and Investors podcast, host Kristian Marquez talks with Joel Martin, Chief Operating Officer at Medsense and Operating Partner at HealthX Ventures. Joel discusses his career journey and the challenges in healthcare technology. He emphasizes the importance of accurate provider data, the transition from fee-for-service to value-based care, and the need for strong fo...

In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez sits down with Shane Emmons, founder and CEO of Swept, to explore the complexities and challenges surrounding AI trust and reliability. Shane explains why AI systems can behave unpredictably due to their probabilistic nature and the inherent uncertainty in their predictions. He delves into how Swept tackles these chal...

In this episode of the Innovators and Investors podcast, host Kristian Marquez interviews Katerina Axelson, founder of Tastry. Katerina shares her journey from aspiring scientist to entrepreneur, highlighting the importance of understanding consumer preferences through chemistry. She discusses the challenges of introducing innovative technology in traditional industries, the significance of iterat...

In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez sits down with Nathan Rosenberg, founder and CEO of FarmBlox, to explore how technology is addressing critical labor shortages in agriculture. Nathan shares the origin story of FarmBlox, highlighting their modular IoT platform designed to automate specialty crop farming tasks such as irrigation monitoring and theft pr...

In this episode of the Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez speaks with the CEO and Founder of FirmPilot, Jake Soffer. Jake shares his journey of creating FirmPilot to help law firms with marketing and SEO challenges, inspired by assisting his attorney brother. Jake covers the value of using AI and data-driven strategies, focusing on niche markets, and understanding Google sea...

In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez sits down with Jonathan Lowenhar, founder and managing partner of Enjoy the Work, to explore the challenges founders face as their startups grow. Jonathan shares his perspective on why successful founders often lose control of their companies, the gap between founding a startup and effectively running one, and how a l...

In this episode of the Innovators and Investors podcast, host Kristian Marquez interviews Zach Posner, Co-Founder and Managing Director of The Legal Tech Fund. They discuss the fund’s investment thesis, focusing on companies transforming the legal industry. Zach also shares insights on their approach to identifying startups, the importance of founder experience, and the evolving landscape of legal...

In this episode of The Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez sits down with Andrew Duffell, President of Research Park at Florida Atlantic University, to explore how the park fosters innovation and entrepreneurship in South Florida. They discuss the park’s 40-year history, its unique focus on supporting second-stage companies beyond the typical startup phase, and its role in br...

In this episode of the Innovators & Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez speaks with the Founder and CEO of GAGE, Justin Henshaw. Justin shares his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting his military background and transition into business. He discusses the inspiration behind GAGE, a platform designed to recognize and score the contributions of hourly and shift  workers. The conversati...