The Silicon Valley Podcast

The Silicon Valley Podcast

We open a window into the minds of the most successful leaders, investors, creators, and inventors — sharing Silicon Valley business acumen with entrepreneurs around the world. Silicon Valley ”Podcast Must Follow” - Feedspot

Episodes

November 29, 2025 37 mins
 Podcast Show Notes: Alex Dantas (Circuit Launch & Mechlabs)

Guest: Alex Dantas, CEO of Circuit Launch and Mechlabs

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrfdantas/

About the Guest & Companies

Alex Dantas is the CEO of two organizations that define the hardware and robotics ecosystem in the San Francisco Bay Area:

  • Circuit Launch (The "Cofacturing" Space): A coworking and physical c...
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Podcast Show Notes

Guest: Doug Merritt – CEO of Aviatrix, former CEO of Splunk Host: Shawn Flynn- Managing Director os SVH Capital

🔹 Episode Summary

In this episode, we sit down with Doug Merritt, one of the most respected leaders in enterprise technology. Doug discusses the emotional journey of stepping down from a CEO role, what pulled him back into leadership at Aviatrix, and how AI is reshaping companies, cloud security, and ...

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Guest: Dr. Bijna Kotak Dasani, Founder of ArthAum Group

Dr. Bijna Kotak Dasani is a global leader in venture capital, strategic partnerships, and capital formation. As the Founder of ArthAum Group, she has built a firm that helps funds and companies scale smarter—through tailored launch strategies, operational excellence, and global investor networks.

In this episode, Dr. Bijna shares her journey from financial services leadership ...

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Guest: Tim Koller, Partner at McKinsey & Company and Co-Author of Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies

For over three decades, Valuation has been the definitive guide to corporate value creation. Called “the best practitioners’ guide to valuation” by the Financial Times and one of “the most influential contemporary books about the world economy” by The Economist, the book has sold over one million copies wor...

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Guest: Lori Rosenkopf – Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship, Wharton School

Bio

Lori Rosenkopf is the Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship and the Simon and Midge Palley Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. As Wharton’s Faculty Director for Venture Lab, she supports student entrepreneurs across the university.

She previously served as Vice Dean and Director of Wharton’s 2,500-student Undergraduate Division from 201...

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 How AI is Changing Deals & Global Development with Jeff Kafka and Brian Rogers    

Jeff Kafka

Bay Area entrepreneur, cybersecurity startup founder, and medical device/supply chain import partner. Internationally renowned professional kiteboarder and big wave safety expert.

Brian Rogers

Design and business thinker, expert in AI/ML, IoT, big data, fintech, and platform development. Author of patents, guest lecturer...

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Guest: Waseem Daher – Founder & Executive Chairman of Pilot LinkedIn: Waseem Daher Pilot: pilot.com | Founder Salary Report 2025  

Bio

Waseem Daher is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Pilot, a modern finance team offering bookkeeping, tax, and CFO services for startups, e-commerce businesses, and professional services firms. Backed by Sequoia Capital and Bezos Expeditions, Pilot has become the go-to back office solution ...

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Guest: Shawn Villaron, Vice President of Customer and Strategic Initiatives, Office Product Group at Microsoft | Former VP & GM of PowerPoint | Bay Area Site Leader | Executive Sponsor of HOLA

 

Episode Overview

In this episode, we sit down with Shawn Villaron, a 29-year veteran at Microsoft who has helped shape some of the company’s most widely used products and strategies. Now serving as Vice President of Customer and Strateg...

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Podcast Show Notes: Pankaj Patel – Redefining Networking and Security in the Age of AI

Guest: Pankaj Patel, Founder and CEO of Nile | Former EVP and Chief Development Officer at Cisco | Partner at JC2 Ventures | Senior Advisor at March Capital

Episode Overview

In this episode, we sit down with Pankaj Patel, one of the most influential leaders in enterprise technology. As the former engineering head of Cisco’s $38 billion portfolio ...

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Join us for an insightful conversation with Taylor Brandt, a Partner at Headline, where we dive into the world of venture capital and B2B software. Taylor specializes in vertical SaaS, B2B marketplaces, and commerce infrastructure as a Partner in Headline’s

In this episode, we explore Taylor's unique perspective, shaped by her background in marketing and analytics engineering:

We cover key topics for founders and aspiring VCs, incl...

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Mercedes Bent, formerly a Partner at Lightspeed, and a leading investor in fintech, AI, and consumer companies.

Guest Bio: Mercedes Bent is a seasoned investor with a background that spans venture capital, startups, and institutional finance. As a former Partner at Lightspeed, she spent over five years leading investments in companies like Stori, Mexico's first tech unicorn co-founded by a woman. Before her time in VC, she served a...

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Bio: Ross is a founder, engineer, and early-stage technology investor who focuses on helping significant ideas scale up. He believes in working with "amazing people who build products indistinguishable from magic." His unique strength lies in connecting people.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, we sit down with Ross Fubini to discuss his journey from building companies to investing in them. Ross shares how he developed the thesis ...

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Episode Summary:

In this episode, we sit down with Ben Van Roo, CEO and Co-Founder of Legion Intelligence and a seasoned leader whose career spans building cutting-edge AI solutions for both the public and private sectors. From working with the Department of Defense at RAND to leading data science at Chegg, serving as EVP of National Security at Primer AI, and now driving innovation at Yurts, Ben brings a rare perspective on AI, le...

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Guest: George Panagiotakopoulos, Innovation Ecosystem Development -Advisor, Berkeley SkyDeck

Episode Summary:

Join us as we sit down with George Panagiotakopoulos, who works with UC Berkeley who has a unique vantage point from his work in Europe, Asia, and beyond, George shares his insights on building global innovation ecosystems and the nuances of cross-border collaboration. We'll explore how Berkeley is expanding its accelerator...

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Guest: Dr. Tom Coughlin, President, Coughlin Associates, IEEE Past President (2025)

Website: https://tomcoughlin.com

FMS Conference: https://futurememorystorage.com/

Episode Summary: Join us for an enlightening conversation with Dr. Tom Coughlin, a seasoned digital storage analyst and consultant with over 40 years in the industry. Tom, the President of Coughlin Associates and former IEEE President, shares unparalleled insights into...

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“Buying a Business the Right Way — Lessons from the Front Lines” Guest: Jed Morris — Acquisition Entrepreneur, Operator, and Advisor Connect with Jed on LinkedIn

In this episode of The Silicon Valley Podcast, we sit down with Jed Morris, a seasoned acquisition entrepreneur with firsthand experience navigating the highs and lows of buying and operating businesses. Jed shares candid lessons from his own journey — including what wen...

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🎧 Episode Summary:

In this episode, we sit down with Arto Bendiken, a self-taught polymath, technologist, and entrepreneur whose journey spans building custom software in Finland at 13, contributing to defense communications for the U.S. Navy, scaling blockchain infrastructure at Aurora Labs, and now launching Haltia.AI in Dubai.

We dive deep into the evolution of Web3, the intersection of AI and crypto, real-world blockchain appl...

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Guest: Anita Koimur, Co-founder & COO of LiveFlow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anitakoimur/

Episode Summary: Join us as we sit down with Anita Koimur, a seasoned entrepreneur and the brilliant mind behind LiveFlow. Anita shares her compelling journey from a successful career in Business Development to co-founding a groundbreaking company. We delve into her experiences, including her time at the prestigious Y Combinator...

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In this episode, we sit down with Ron Petrinovich, a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Freedom Equity Group (FEG). With deep roots in Silicon Valley and a legacy shaped by family, faith, and business acumen, Ron shares pivotal moments from his entrepreneurial journey—including multiple business restarts, scaling a company to national success, and eventually exiting in 2024.

Ron offers candid insights into what it takes to bui...

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In this episode of The Silicon Valley Podcast, we sit down with Rick Otton, author of How to Sell Without Ever Saying a Word, and a global expert in communication, influence, and what he calls Subliminal Science.

Rick has built a career challenging traditional sales tactics, instead unlocking the power of subconscious communication and emotional decision-making. Introduced through M&A strategist Craig Keegan, Rick shares the le...

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