The Silicon Valley Podcast

For decades, investing in high-growth private companies was reserved for venture capital firms and institutional investors. Today, the rapidly evolving secondary market is changing that landscape—creating new opportunities for founders, employees, early investors, and institutions to access liquidity long before an IPO. In this episode, we sit down with Brianne Lynch, a venture and private markets...

Investing Beyond the Pitch & Building Great Companies with Alex Chompff What separates legendary venture capital firms from everyone else? How do experienced angel investors identify startups with the greatest potential before everyone else sees it? In this episode, we sit down with Alex Chompff, an accomplished entrepreneur, angel investor, and venture capital executive whose career has inclu...

Guest: Carrie Freeman Title: CEO, Eden Radioisotopes Company: Eden Radioisotopes, LLC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-freeman/ Episode Overview In this episode, we sit down with Carrie Freeman, CEO of Eden Radioisotopes, to explore the intersection of deep science, commercialization, and leadership. After spending 15 years at Intel and serving as a multi-time CEO, Carrie has built a c...

In this episode, we sit down with entrepreneur, investor, and fintech innovator Joshua Summers to discuss startups, venture capital, private credit, artificial intelligence, and what founders need to know to survive today's fundraising environment. Josh is a serial entrepreneur with successful exits to PayPal and AT&T, and the co-founder of EnFi, a company modernizing credit risk assessment fo...

Episode Summary What does selling used cars have to do with leading a world-class AI translation platform? More than you might think. In this episode, we sit down with Bryan Murphy, the CEO of Smartling, to pull back the curtain on executive leadership in the age of AI. Bryan shares his fascinating journey from large-scale e-commerce and retail operations (including senior roles at eBay and Serta...

What happens when you apply deep operational experience to the massive, complex budget of the world’s fifth-largest economy? In this episode, we sit down with California gubernatorial candidate, author, and political commentator Steve Hilton. We dive into the structural inflection points that shaped modern California, the true multi-generational fallout of controversial tax policies like the propo...

What happens when you apply the raw, unfiltered mindset of a seasoned serial entrepreneur to the rigid world of state governance? In this episode, we sit down with designer, developer, and California gubernatorial candidate Elaine Culotti to pull back the curtain on the harsh realities of high-level business and public policy. We dive deep into the the distinct blend of financial acumen required t...

Episode Title: Artificial Organizations  Host: Shawn Flynn Guest: Barry O’Reilly – Co-Founder of Nobody Studios, Author, and Executive Coach Episode Summary In this episode of The Silicon Valley Podcast, host Shawn Flynn sits down with Barry O’Reilly to discuss a fundamental shift in the corporate world: the transition from "doing more" to "deciding better." As AI dominates boardrooms, many leader...

In this episode of The Silicon Valley Podcast, we’re joined by Hussein Fazal, serial entrepreneur, investor, and the visionary behind Super.com (formerly SnapCommerce). With a track record that includes founding AdParlor (acquired by AdKnowledge), Hussein brings a wealth of insight into what it takes to build, pivot, and scale tech companies to massive success. Over the last eight years, Hussein h...

Guest: Matthew Le Merle, CEO & Managing Partner, Blockchain Coinvestors About the Guest: Matthew Le Merle is a leading figure in early-stage venture capital, having previously managed Keiretsu, the world's largest angel network. In 2014, he made a strategic pivot into the digital asset space, co-founding Blockchain Coinvestors. The firm is now dedicated to the vision that digital monies, commo...

Guest: Dan Fineberg, CTO and Co-founder, The Fusion Syndicate About the Guest: Dan Fineberg is a veteran technologist with over 40 years of experience working at the intersection of technology and marketing, including leadership roles at Intel Corp. and FEI Co. As CTO of The Fusion Syndicate, Dan now specializes in leveraging emerging technologies, particularly generative AI, to accelerate content...

 Podcast Show Notes: Alex Dantas (Circuit Launch & Mechlabs) Guest: Alex Dantas, CEO of Circuit Launch and Mechlabs Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrfdantas/ About the Guest & Companies Alex Dantas is the CEO of two organizations that define the hardware and robotics ecosystem in the San Francisco Bay Area: Circuit Launch (The "Cofacturing" Space): A coworking and physical...

Podcast Show Notes Guest: Doug Merritt – CEO of Aviatrix, former CEO of Splunk Host: Shawn Flynn- Managing Director os SVH Capital 🔹 Episode Summary In this episode, we sit down with Doug Merritt, one of the most respected leaders in enterprise technology. Doug discusses the emotional journey of stepping down from a CEO role, what pulled him back into leadership at Aviatrix, and how AI is reshapi...

Guest: Dr. Bijna Kotak Dasani, Founder of ArthAum Group Dr. Bijna Kotak Dasani is a global leader in venture capital, strategic partnerships, and capital formation. As the Founder of ArthAum Group, she has built a firm that helps funds and companies scale smarter—through tailored launch strategies, operational excellence, and global investor networks. In this episode, Dr. Bijna shares her journey...

Guest: Tim Koller, Partner at McKinsey & Company and Co-Author of Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies For over three decades, Valuation has been the definitive guide to corporate value creation. Called “the best practitioners’ guide to valuation” by the Financial Times and one of “the most influential contemporary books about the world economy” by The Economist, the book h...

Guest: Lori Rosenkopf – Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship, Wharton School Bio Lori Rosenkopf is the Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship and the Simon and Midge Palley Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. As Wharton’s Faculty Director for Venture Lab, she supports student entrepreneurs across the university. She previously served as Vice Dean and Director of Wharton’s 2,500-stud...

 How AI is Changing Deals & Global Development with Jeff Kafka and Brian Rogers     Jeff Kafka Bay Area entrepreneur, cybersecurity startup founder, and medical device/supply chain import partner. Internationally renowned professional kiteboarder and big wave safety expert. Brian Rogers Design and business thinker, expert in AI/ML, IoT, big data, fintech, and platform development. Author of pa...

Guest: Waseem Daher – Founder & Executive Chairman of Pilot LinkedIn: Waseem Daher Pilot: pilot.com | Founder Salary Report 2025   Bio Waseem Daher is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Pilot, a modern finance team offering bookkeeping, tax, and CFO services for startups, e-commerce businesses, and professional services firms. Backed by Sequoia Capital and Bezos Expeditions, Pilot has becom...

Guest: Shawn Villaron, Vice President of Customer and Strategic Initiatives, Office Product Group at Microsoft | Former VP & GM of PowerPoint | Bay Area Site Leader | Executive Sponsor of HOLA   Episode Overview In this episode, we sit down with Shawn Villaron, a 29-year veteran at Microsoft who has helped shape some of the company’s most widely used products and strategies. Now serving as Vic...

Podcast Show Notes: Pankaj Patel – Redefining Networking and Security in the Age of AI Guest: Pankaj Patel, Founder and CEO of Nile | Former EVP and Chief Development Officer at Cisco | Partner at JC2 Ventures | Senior Advisor at March Capital Episode Overview In this episode, we sit down with Pankaj Patel, one of the most influential leaders in enterprise technology. As the former engineering hea...

Join us for an insightful conversation with Taylor Brandt, a Partner at Headline, where we dive into the world of venture capital and B2B software. Taylor specializes in vertical SaaS, B2B marketplaces, and commerce infrastructure as a Partner in Headline’s In this episode, we explore Taylor's unique perspective, shaped by her background in marketing and analytics engineering: We cover key topics...

Mercedes Bent, formerly a Partner at Lightspeed, and a leading investor in fintech, AI, and consumer companies. Guest Bio: Mercedes Bent is a seasoned investor with a background that spans venture capital, startups, and institutional finance. As a former Partner at Lightspeed, she spent over five years leading investments in companies like Stori, Mexico's first tech unicorn co-founded by a woman....

Bio: Ross is a founder, engineer, and early-stage technology investor who focuses on helping significant ideas scale up. He believes in working with "amazing people who build products indistinguishable from magic." His unique strength lies in connecting people. Episode Summary: In this episode, we sit down with Ross Fubini to discuss his journey from building companies to investing in them. Ross s...

Episode Summary: In this episode, we sit down with Ben Van Roo, CEO and Co-Founder of Legion Intelligence and a seasoned leader whose career spans building cutting-edge AI solutions for both the public and private sectors. From working with the Department of Defense at RAND to leading data science at Chegg, serving as EVP of National Security at Primer AI, and now driving innovation at Yurts, Ben...

Guest: George Panagiotakopoulos, Innovation Ecosystem Development -Advisor, Berkeley SkyDeck Episode Summary: Join us as we sit down with George Panagiotakopoulos, who works with UC Berkeley who has a unique vantage point from his work in Europe, Asia, and beyond, George shares his insights on building global innovation ecosystems and the nuances of cross-border collaboration. We'll explore how Be...