The VentureFuel Visionaries

In this special re-release, we dive into the ever-evolving world of artificial intelligence with Rudina Seseri, Managing Partner at Glasswing Ventures, as she reflects on AI investment and innovation. Rudina provides an analysis of the AI industry, addressing pressing questions on the technology's evolution and her assessment of its long-term potential to impact the enterprise.

Natalia Rodriguez-Hilt is the Senior Director of UnidosUS Affiliate Development and Small Business Strategies at Raza Development Fund. Natalia is a seasoned expert in economic and community development, with a passion for driving economic opportunity for entrepreneurs in underrepresented communities. We discuss how RDF unleashes unleash the power, potential and promise of Latino and other under-resourced communities to accelerate the $2.1 Trillion Dollar incremental revenue potential of Latino-owned business. WE talk about the need for creative financing to enable that growth (such as Equity-Like revenue-based loans), the role of CDFIs and how to empower entrepreneurs to ignite change.

Elizabeth Bieniek, author of Cake on Tuesdays: 25 Lessons To Unlock Corporate Innovation, shares her blueprint for executing change within complex organizations. She co-founded Webex Hologram, the industry’s first holographic collaboration system, while at Cisco and here explores the intricacies of innovation and leadership, offering valuable insights for aspiring innovators inside and outside of large companies with gems like “find the angel in the marble,” “add oil and reduce friction,” “nobody cares until you make them” and the hilarious “don’t be a flat squirrel.”

We are thrilled to announce the re-release of one of our more popular podcast episodes, featuring a captivating conversation on collaboration and growth with industry leaders from PepsiCo and the California Milk Advisory Board. Hosted by Fred Schonenberg, founder and CEO of VentureFuel, this episode delves deep into innovative strategies and real-world examples of successful partnerships.

GlobalWafers is a global leader in semiconductor technology, providing innovative, advanced silicon wafer solutions to integrated chip manufacturers worldwide. Brent Omdahl, Executive Vice President for Government Affairs, has over 20 years of deep experience counseling U.S. firms on international market entry strategies and advising foreign firms on U.S. greenfield investment. We talk about Silicon Prairie, how to navigate international innovation (specifically Asian and African markets), the role of regulation, industrial policy, and the semiconductor industry's future. There will also be some fun innovation conversations around supply chain strategy, fixed-wing drones, microfinancing, nanometers, and advanced packaging.

In this episode, Vanessa Rosato sits down with Kylan Gibbs, CEO and Co-founder of Inworld AI. They delve into the groundbreaking work of Inworld AI, a platform that's transforming gaming and media by making virtual characters more lifelike and interactive. Kylan shares insights on the unique value proposition of Inworld, their innovative approach to AI in gaming, and what the future holds for the company. From the impact of interactive characters on storytelling to the social benefits of immersive AI, this conversation explores the cutting edge of technology and its potential to reshape our digital experiences.

The Roberts Innovation Fund was launched in 2022 to provide funding, mentoring, and strategic support for Yale faculty-led projects to assist in the commercialization of breakthrough inventions that solve real-world problems. New methods to purify our water, advance quantum computing, democratize artificial intelligence, and deliver life-saving drugs are just some of the projects funded by the 2024 Roberts Innovation Fund Awards, providing $1 million in accelerator funding to support 10 new inventions led by faculty from Yale’s School of Engineering & Applied Science. Director Claudia Reuter shares her insights on how to commercialize emerging technologies, how to innovation within a large organization.

Corporate Venture Capital to Corporate Venture Partnerships, we examine the evolving role of CVC, why it matters for startups and investors + trade secrets on sourcing and vetting the best startup investment opportunities. Featuring: Elias Chavarria of TDK Ventures, Min Park of J.P. Morgan Sustainable Growth Equity, and Joshua Di Frances of LG Electronics

Mike Jackson, Managing Partner of Earthshot Ventures. Earthshot Ventures invests in entrepreneurs making a dent in climate change. Collectively, their team has invested in 200+ startups over the last fourteen years and Mike’s investments have collectively raised over $1.1 billion in follow-on funding from Sequoia Capital, Benchmark, BlackRock, Microsoft, Google, Patagonia, and the like. We talk about the business models and playbooks that work, “what can go right” thinking, specific areas of climate tech that are most interesting, the future of sustainable entrepreneurship and the role of large corporations in the clean tech.

Ben Colman is the founder of Reality Defender, the leading deepfake detection platform helping enterprises flag fraudulent users and content. In this episode, join us as we dive deep into the world of AI, cybersecurity, and the innovative solutions being developed to protect our reality in an increasingly digital age.