The Bear Roars

In a captivating conversation, Horace Zona, Managing Director at DigitalBridge and veteran dealmaker, shares his insights on the dynamic world of telecom and digital infrastructure. He recounts pivotal transactions like AboveNet and Zayo, revealing the strategy behind price discovery as both art and science. Horace discusses competitive bidding, the importance of building relationships with investors, and how the current AI and robotics wave mirrors the late '90s boom. His tales from the boardroom highlight the skill of navigating complex negotiations and fostering long-term partnerships.

Seth Levine, co-founder and Partner at Foundry, is a key figure in Colorado's venture landscape, shaping its startup ecosystem. He discusses his journey from telecom in the 1990s to the rise of collaborative ventures post-dot-com bust. Seth highlights upcoming opportunities in defense tech, quantum research, and advanced energy, emphasizing Colorado's unique role in these areas. He also addresses the balance between local and outside capital, dives into AI's impact on GovTech and healthcare, and shares insights on the state’s ambitions as an innovation hub.

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Judge Andy Hartman—a Boulder District Court judge appointed in 2013, former Big Law partner, and devoted civic leader.Andy reflects on his journey: from chairing the Colorado litigation practice at Cooley LLP and serving as general counsel for Keen, to being appointed to the bench by Governor Hickenlooper in 2013. He’s handled felony criminal cases, civil disputes, domestic relations, probate, juvenile, mental health, and treatment court cases.  Dan and Andy explore how he shaped legal education by serving as the first Director of Experiential Learning at CU Law, teaching there for 12 years and serving on the Leeds Business School’s Deming Center Venture Fund board.  Andy shares how Boulder has evolved and how civic engagement, trust in the justice system, and community institutions like Sundance underscore the evolving role of the bench in a polarized era.Learn more about Colorado’s 20th Judicial District: https://www.coloradojudicial.govOrder Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Chris Pearson—CEO of Agile Space Industries, for a wide-ranging conversation on propulsion, defense tech, and Colorado’s rise as a space hub.Chris explains how falling launch costs and the explosion of mega-constellations are transforming the space economy, why propulsion and mobility in orbit are critical to both national security and commercial growth, and how Agile is meeting the moment with thrusters built through advanced additive manufacturing.They dive into Agile’s roots in Durango as a propulsion test company, its expansion into full engine design and production, and the upcoming Tulsa facility that will help ease one of the industry’s biggest choke points. Learn more about Agile Space Industries: https://agilespaceindustries.com/Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

Molly Bloom, bestselling author and former poker entrepreneur, shares her riveting journey from high-stakes games to personal redemption. She reveals the adrenaline-fueled chaos of running underground poker for billionaires and facing threats from organized crime. With candor, Molly discusses pivotal moments of choice and resilience, including her transformative dive into meditation. She reflects on the challenges of navigating family relationships during legal battles and the catharsis of seeing her life story adapted for the screen, underscoring the power of authenticity and risk.

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Michael Zeisser, founder of FMZ Ventures and one of the most globally seasoned investors in tech and media.Michael reflects on a career shaped by transformation—beginning in a small village in France, earning a scholarship to Kellogg, and rising through the ranks at McKinsey to become a partner. He then joined Liberty Media, where he worked alongside John Malone on digital strategy and acquisitions, before leading U.S. investments at Alibaba Group during one of its most expansive global phases. Today, he runs FMZ Ventures, a $300 million growth equity firm focused on companies that enable, stage, or distribute experiences.The conversation explores the four types of experiences FMZ targets—kinetic, psychotherapeutic, functional, and virtual—and how these align with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Dan and Michael also discuss how AI, AR, and changing work-life dynamics are reshaping the way people pursue connection, meaning, and purpose.Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with John Siegel—Partner at Columbia Capital and telecom dealmaker—for a candid conversation about collapse, conviction, and the fiber-fueled comeback of digital infrastructure.John reflects on how Columbia navigated the “nuclear winter” following the dot-com and telecom crashes, why investing in ICG felt like career suicide at the time, and how that bold bet led to Columbia’s most successful infrastructure play.They unpack how trust between investors and operators unlocked unprecedented value, the strategic chess match behind acquiring AboveNet, and the broader implications of Zayo’s massive rollout. John also shares stories from European deals like EU Networks and GTS Central Europe, and weighs in on how the AI-driven infrastructure boom feels eerily familiar to the fiber land rush of 20 years ago.Learn more about Columbia Capital: https://www.colcap.com/Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Steve Redfearn—Chief of Police for the City of Boulder—for a candid conversation about trauma, transition, and the evolving role of law enforcement in a post-2020 world.Steve shares what it was like responding to the Aurora theater shooting as a young officer, how that experience—and the years that followed—shifted his views on officer wellness and the culture of policing, and why coming to Boulder offered a different way forward. They dive into how the Boulder Police Foundation helped rebuild morale, and the impact of newer tools like drones, AI, and license plate readers. Steve also talks openly about the complexities of homeless policy, the pressure of oversight boards, and the ongoing challenges surrounding unsolved cases like JonBenét Ramsey.This episode offers an inside look at a police chief navigating political headwinds, cultural shifts, and a city in transition—while staying committed to building trust, transparency, and a department that meets the moment.Learn more about the Boulder Police Foundation: https://boulderpolicefoundation.org/Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Ben Bloom—founder and CEO of Atom Computing—to unpack the future of quantum technology and the unlikely rise of Boulder as a global quantum epicenter.Ben shares how he went from academia to founding one of the most advanced quantum startups in the world, why Atom is betting on neutral atoms, and how their partnership with Microsoft and record-setting sale to Denmark are shaping the next wave of tech leadership. They discuss the real-world potential of quantum computing—from inventing new materials and unlocking more efficient energy to redefining national security and economic strategy.Ben also breaks down how quantum and AI could work symbiotically, what a “utility-scale” quantum computer actually looks like, and why the race to access this scarce technology could mirror the early days of cloud and GPUs.Learn more about Atom Computing: https://www.atom-computing.com/Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Aaron Ginn—founder of Hydra Host is reimagining how the world’s compute infrastructure gets built.Aaron shares why he believes GPUs are becoming the new oil, and how sovereign AI infrastructure is transforming what it means to own and control data. He reflects on his journey from San Francisco to Colorado, where a better quality of life and a more pragmatic culture inspired him to rethink where innovation happens.Their conversation explores the forces driving decentralization—from power constraints and geopolitics to the rise of distributed, resilient data centers in unexpected places like El Salvador and even active volcanoes.Aaron also draws from historical lessons, including previous industrial revolutions, to frame this moment in tech—and explains why freedom and responsibility must go hand in hand for entrepreneurs bold enough to shape it.To learn more about Hydra Host: https://hydrahost.com/Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com