Wharton Tech Toks

Join Nicholas Stevens, VP of Product (AI) at Zillow, and Manasi Patwa, Wharton MBA Class of 2025, as they discuss Zillow's approach to creating and implementing AI-based products. Tune in to this episode for an in-depth discussion on Zillow's key AI features and the tech infrastructure needed to support a growing AI-focused product group. Nicholas Stevens is a Vice President of Product foc...

Join Quincy Lee, CEO and Founder of Electric Era to talk about how he and his team applied learnings from Space X to help reinvent electric vehicle chargers. If you are interested in electric vehicles or just how to build a hardware based startup, this episode is for you! If you are interested in learning more about Electric Era you can follow them on the following platforms: Linkedin   𝕏 Website

Join Emily Bennett, Principal at Owl VC, and Manasi Patwa on this episode of Wharton Tech Toks. Owl VC is the largest education technology-focused investment firm with $2B in assets under management and 79 portfolio companies invested in to-date. Emily and Manasi delve into key differences among edtech business models, the role of SPACs in the sector, and the impact of recent AI/data analytics adv...

Technology growth equity combines deep market research, proactive prospect sourcing, and thorough due diligence - all targeted at rapidly-developing, innovative sectors. Lead Edge Capital, named a GrowthCap Top Growth Equity Firm in 2023, has $5B in assets under management and counts visionary companies such as Toast, Alibaba, and Figs within its portfolio. Listen as Manasi Patwa speaks with Mitch...

Join Manasi Patwa and Julien Guiot in a conversation with Cassie Miao, Director of M&A and Ventures at Databricks. In this episode, we dive into sourcing and due diligence best practices in corporate venture and discuss the fastest-growing areas within data infrastructure and data intelligence. Cassie also sheds light on skills associated with a successful career in tech corporate development.

Employee acquisition, retention, and management are top-of-mind objectives across SMBs and enterprises alike. AI offers an opprotunity to dramatically improve companies' abilities to respond to employee needs and proactively drive better employee experiences--and Eightfold AI is at the forefront of this. Join Manasi Patwa and Cynthia Zhou as they speak with Matias Spinetta, Global Vice Preside...

For those interested in the intersection of tech and entertainment, join Steph Kim in this exciting episode as she dives into YouTube creator empowerment with Monica Khan (EVP, Creator Team) and Tyler L. Woods (Director, Creator Experience Strategy & Programs) of Spotter, named one of TIME100's Most Influential Companies in 2023. In addition to providing top creators — from MrBeast to Airr...

In this episode, we're excited to host Akhil Iyer from Shield Capital, a venture fund specializing in dual use technologies. From AI and cybersecurity to autonomy and space, Akhil shares how these innovations serve both commercial and defense sectors. We’ll also discuss emerging trends and the future landscape of dual-use tech, offering valuable insights into how these advancements are set to...

In this episode, Steph Kim chats with Oscar Höglund, Co-Founder and CEO of Epidemic Sound, the leading platform for world-class music and sound effects for brands and creators, with an expansive catalog seen and heard over 2.5 billion times a day worldwide. They discuss Epidemic Sound's innovative subscription-based model that simplifies music licensing and offers transparency and simplicity f...

Join Daniel Berkovits, the VP of Strategy of Via, to talk about how Via is digitizing the historically analog world of public transit to improve the experience of riders around the world.

Join Steph Kim as she chats with Camille Van Horne, Instacart's Director of Product Management, as they discuss the evolution and expansion of Instacart's services, including the launch of Instacart Platform. She shares insights on how Instacart is adapting to changing consumer behavior and the demand for convenience and personalization in grocery retail. They also discuss Instacart's...

In this episode, we are joined by the VP and Head of Corporate Development at LinkedIn, Benjamin Orthlieb. We explore what corporate development entails at LinkedIn, build vs. buy decisions, and themes in the future of work that Ben is personally excited by.

In this episode, we're joined by Mike Collett, founder and managing partner of Promus Ventures, a VC firm focused on deep tech. We explore the evolving world of robotics, discussing everything from robotics-as-a-service to AI integration. Mike shares insights from his over two decades in venture capital on how robotics is transforming industries and impacting investors. Tune in to gain a uniqu...

In today’s episode we are joined by Elisha Jacobs, Senior Associate at RedBlue Capital. Elisha helps unpack the complexities of venture capital within the mobility sector. Discover the future of transportation through investments in groundbreaking technologies and models that could redefine how we move goods and people around the globe. For anyone interested in the mobility sector, this episode se...

“We think about ways where we can combine human insight together with ML models that are able to think about the world around them and really expand the scope of what humans can do.” In this episode, Emma is joined by Vijay Karunamurthy, Field CTO at Scale AI, a company at the heart of the AI revolution. This episode focuses on the integral processes of AI testing and evaluation, highlighting the...

"The biggest mistake we can make is saying space is only separate industry. Space crosses absolutely everything we do nowadays." In this episode we are joined by Melissa Quinn, General Manager of Seradata, a Slingshot Aerospace company. We discuss the pivotal role of data in ensuring space safety, sustainability, and the vital collaboration across global space markets. Melissa also sheds...

"Today it's become easier to build a product and harder to get distribution and awareness... think distribution much more than your product." In this episode, Cynthia and Sophie interview Sean Regan, former Global Head of Product Marketing at Atlassian and serial entrepreneur, for a deep dive into the growth story of Atlassian and insights into how to 10x a product. Sean also provide...

In this episode, join ⁠Stephanie Kim⁠ as she chats with ⁠Laura (Gentile) Danforth⁠, Director of Global Partnerships at ⁠Discord⁠. They discuss the evolving role of developers in the Discord ecosystem, exciting new developer monetization opportunities, the integration of AI in Discord apps, and more. Laura also provides insights into her dynamic career that spans across roles in finance, product, s...

“During the highs of the 2020-2021 era, a lot of companies were encouraged to grow at any cost. We’ve always been much more oriented around trying to grow but making sure you are thinking about your profitability and building a sustainable business.” Join  ⁠Spandana Bhattacharya⁠  and  ⁠Javier Torres⁠  on  ⁠Wharton Tech Toks⁠  as they talk to  ⁠AJ Jangalapalli⁠ , Principal on the Discover team at...

“My two biggest competitors are the two wealthiest people on the planet. And capital is a giant tool and a giant weapon, especially in the space industry.” In this episode Emma Robinson sits down with Peter Beck, the CEO of Rocket Lab, who shares how the company is facing off against the giants and the decision to go public.  We also discuss Rocket Lab's unique approach to vertical integration...

In this Valentine’s Day special, Zoë sits down with current Wharton students Annie Xu and Chloë Ahle. After hearing both friends and therapy clients discuss the challenges of dating, Annie used her experience in social work to start Pairfect. Chloë joined the team, using her experience as a logistics officer to support the development of the purpose-driven platform. Tune in to learn more about com...

In the latest episode of Wharton Tech Toks, join Steph Kim as she speaks with Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera. They discuss the launch and reception of Coursera’s generative AI-powered Coach, his contrarian thoughts on the value of bite-sized content, his very first job, his advice on life itself, and more.

“We want clients to use our service in whatever way that’s best for you, your needs, your unique exposure to styling. In the longer term, we want to build a better way to shop that will change the retail paradigm and to become the blueprint for the industry to follow. ” Join Spandana Bhattacharya and Cynthia Zhou on Wharton Tech Toks as they talk to Janiece Okpobiri, Director of Product and Growth...

In this episode, Leon Zhang and Steph Kim interview John Nack, Principal Product Manager at Adobe, about the future of AI in creative experiences. They discuss the use cases for generative AI across Adobe, AI ethics, and his vision on the future of AI. With over 20 years of experience in PM at Adobe and Google, John reflects on the role of PM and shares insights about his career journey.

"To maintain your position as a market leader in the tech space means that you have to constantly innovate...you can't rest on your laurels. So we have to constantly push the envelope in what we do in this space. What we've been doing is really being a tech partner for educators and school systems... we have many educators in our app and many schools want that help. They want to under...