Wharton Tech Toks

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 advances on how students, educators, and educational institutions will evolve.

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 Mitchell Green, Founder and Managing Partner at Lead Edge. The two discuss Lead Edge's founding history, differentiators of a successful growth equity firm, and lessons learned from some of Lead Edge's key transactions.

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 President of Revenue Operations at Eightfold. If you were curious about drivers of go-to-market success and creative strategy in a fast-growing enterprise AI leader, this episode provides a deep-dive into this arena - along with an insightful discussion around what will define differentiated B2B AI companies in the long-term.

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 Airrack — with upfront capital, Spotter offers support through innovative AI tools, community, insights, and more. Monica and Tyler share their favorite creator success stories and offer advice for breaking into the industry.

Akhil Iyer from Shield Capital joins the discussion, bringing his expertise in dual-use technologies after eight years in the Marines. He explores the intricate balance between military and commercial tech, emphasizing the pivotal role of AI, cybersecurity, and drones. Akhil highlights how government contracts are shaping venture capital dynamics and the importance of innovation in defense. The conversation also delves into future trends, particularly in the competitive US-China landscape, predicting significant impacts on technology deployment and logistics.

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 for both musicians and creators. Oscar opens up about his CEO role that has evolved from obsessing over ideas and product-market fit to focusing on scale. He emphasizes the importance of balancing paranoia and ambition in entrepreneurship.

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.

Camille Van Horne, Director of Product Management at Instacart and a Stanford MBA grad, shares her insights on the grocery delivery giant's evolution. She discusses the launch of Instacart Platform, emphasizing in-store innovations like caper carts and electronic shelf labels. Camille also reveals how Instacart is leveraging AI for personalized experiences and fulfillment solutions while partnering with grocers. Her perspective on product management highlights the importance of emotional intelligence and long-term vision in navigating the complexities of grocery retail.

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.