What does it take to build an AI startup that actually solves real problems? In this episode of The AI Space Podcast, host Sanjay Kalluvilayil, founder and CEO of Stonehaas Advisors, sits down with Greg Michaelson, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Zerve. Greg shares his unconventional journey—from Baptist preacher to Ph.D. in applied statistics to early DataRobot executive and now AI platform innovator. His insights into product-led growth, startup execution, and the state of AI tooling are sharp, candid, and highly actionable.
Greg opens up about Zerve’s mission to redefine data science and AI development environments for code-first users. From grappling with the inefficiencies of notebooks to designing an architecture that’s collaborative, serverless, and built for scale, Greg explains how Zerve is eliminating roadblocks for AI practitioners. He also discusses the company’s $7.6M seed round, the realities of venture capital in a post-2020 funding landscape, and why ideas are cheap but execution is everything.
This episode covers critical ground: startup strategy, ethical AI, business scaling, compute cost management, and the real challenges of democratization. Whether you're a founder, engineer, investor, or AI enthusiast, you’ll leave with fresh clarity and renewed drive.
🎧 Watch the full episode of The AI Space Podcast hosted by Sanjay Kalluvilayil on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/kVZGi6m-quc
Ready to start building your AI advantage? Make sure to use the affiliate links in the episode description below to sign up for DataCamp and start building your AI Advantage today.
🔗 https://datacamp.pxf.io/theaispacepodcast-ai-apps1
🔗 https://datacamp.pxf.io/theaispacepodcast-ai-eng-1
#AI #MachineLearning #StartupStrategy #TechStack #Entrepreneurship #DataScience #SaaS #ProductLedGrowth #AIInnovation #EthicalAI #TheAISpacePodcast #StonehaasAdvisors #Zerve #GregMichaelson #LLM #Founders #ai #aiml #aipodcast #artificialintelligence #ethicalai #founders #innovation #innovators #inspiration #leadership #podcast #startup #scaling #strategy #techinnovation #technology #video #youtube
00:00 Execution Over Ideas
01:56 Trends in AI for 2025
05:14 Scaling Businesses in a Tight Market
07:12 Greg's Journey to AI
10:51 Building for Experts in AI
19:23 Entrepreneurial Strategy and Mindset
24:09 Navigating Seed Funding Challenges
28:51 The Value of Accelerators in Startup Growth
35:33 Navigating Revenue and Product Development
36:01 Essential Tools for AI and ML Architecture
43:09 Scaling the Business Without Complexity
45:30 Democratizing AI for Diverse Industries
51:20 Balancing Innovation with Ethical AI Practices
54:08 Encouragement for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
AI, Artificial Intelligence, AI Podcast, AI News, Tech News, GPTJoin the AI Revolution - Artificial Intelligence Insights for AI Startups & Founders!
Website: https://stonehaasadvisors.com/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaykalluvilayil/Linkedin
Podcast: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-aispace-podcast-with-host-sanjay-kalluvilayil/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qslUXvSicQgGezUPcIs88Linktree: https://linktr.ee/theaispacepodcast
IHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-aispace-podcast-236280407/
Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fb885ab0-1559-45ec-b3ed-5a3f15ef2553/the-aispace-podcast
Host Bio:
Sanjay Kalluvilayil is a visionary leader with 30+ years of experience with a specialty in Go-to-Market Strategy & Execution. He is the Founder of Stonehaas Advisors, The AI Space Podcast, and working on some stealth AI start-ups.
Company Bio:
Stonehaas Advisors provides a Comprehensive Portfolio of Consultancy & Fractional CXO Services to Guide Companies Across the Full Cycle of Business & Technology Initiatives. The company empowers Founders and businesses struggling with cash flows to grow, transform, and scale to new levels and dimensions.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.