Heavybit Podcasts

In episode 45 of Generationship, Rachel Chalmers speaks with Allegra Guinan of Lumiera about the trust dynamics and design ethics of voice-based AI. Together they explore how human tendencies to anthropomorphize voice systems can both build and erode trust, underscoring the need for responsible design and diverse perspectives.

In episode 23 of Open Source Ready, Brian Douglas and John McBride sit down with Davanum “Dims” Srinivas to discuss the health and future of the Kubernetes community. They explore how corporate changes impact open source contributions, the importance of onboarding programs, and the challenge of sustaining long-term contributors. Dims also shares insights into Kubernetes’ evolving role in AI and GPU workloads. The discussion is equal parts career advice, technical insight, and open source storytelling.

Amrit Dhangal, founder of Aero and former operator of the venture-backed Acquire, shares his entrepreneurial journey. He candidly discusses the struggles of scaling his companies, the emotional toll of being an immigrant founder, and the challenges of raising capital in San Francisco. Amrit unveils his manifesto for Aero, aiming to tackle the fragmentation of CRM systems and implement innovative ways to harness customer data. He emphasizes the importance of work-life balance and the lessons learned through a decade of startup life.

In episode 22 of Open Source Ready, Brian and John sit down with Benji Kalman, co-founder of Root, to explore the intersection of AI, software development, and security. They unpack "vibe coding," its impact on API proliferation, and the hidden costs of increased technical debt. Learn why a security vulnerability is just a bug with a purpose, and discover how AI agents can be used not just to write code, but to automatically find and remediate vulnerabilities in open-source containers.

In episode 44 of Generationship, Rachel speaks with Felipe Huici, CEO and co-founder of Unikraft, about the powerful world of unikernels. Felipe breaks down how these lightweight, specialized VMs can achieve millisecond cold starts, enabling services to truly "scale to zero" without users noticing a delay. Learn how this efficiency is not just about saving money, but also about providing a secure and scalable foundation for the next wave of AI-generated applications.

On episode 14 of Platform Builders, Christine Spang and Isaac Nassimi speak with Anthony Presley. Anthony walks through his journey from early consulting to creating workforce management SaaS, highlighting how persistence and customer-driven development shaped his companies. Together, they dig into the complexities of restaurant software, the importance of open ecosystems, and where dining tech is headed.

In episode 21 of Open Source Ready, Brian and John sit down with Chad Metcalf, CEO of Continue, to explore the rise of continuous AI. Chad shares his journey from early embedded systems and platform engineering to leading an open-source-focused company building coding agents. They discuss automation, developer trust, open source attribution, and how AI is reshaping workflows across the entire software lifecycle.

In episode 13 of Platform Builders, Christine and Isaac explore the intersection of AI and medicine with ER physician Nathan Murray. Nathan shares how and why he founded DocAssistant, an AI-powered scribe and decision-support tool for emergency medicine. This conversation examines the challenges of integrating AI into clinical workflows and offers a unique perspective on the future of healthcare tech.

In episode 43 of Generationship, Rachel explores the frontier of AI-driven cybersecurity with John Amaral, co-founder of Root.io. Together they unpack the promise and challenges of agentic systems that detect, patch, and remediate vulnerabilities automatically. This installment offers a mix of technical deep dives, AI optimism, and a vision of security that works more like an immune system than a fire alarm.

In this fascinating discussion, Vasilije Markovic, a data engineering and cognitive science expert from Cognee, delves into the world of AI memory. He tackles challenges like 'context rot' and emphasizes the need for effective data organization to enhance AI’s decision-making capabilities. Markovic shares insights on AI's practical applications across industries like construction and education, while humorously illustrating the complexities of context and relational data. The conversation also touches on the intricate relationship between creativity and technology in today's landscape.