Best VentureBeat Podcasts (2024)

1
Following the Rising Tide of AI with VentureBeat’s Michael Nuñez 45:12

4h ago45:12

45:12

AI is the moment, and Michael Nuñez, editorial director at VentureBeat, unravels the tension between journalism and the business of technology in this episode of Politely Pushy. Inspired by the early development of large language models (LLM) and AI, Michael sought a way to break into the space. Enter VentureBeat. Michael’s regular conversations wi…

1
Venture Games Episode 46: Matt Ball, Epyllion 57:57

2d ago57:57

57:57

In Episode 46 of Venture Games, my guest Matt Ball, CEO at Epyllion, discusses the current state of the gaming industry, with “black hole games” capturing a large share of players’ time and spend; how advancements in AI could potentially help disrupt the status quo in the industry; and his current views on the metaverse, ahead of the highly-anticip…

1
Make Digital Transformation Your Core Competency with StarCIO’s Isaac Sacolick 43:01

10d ago43:01

43:01

In the age of tech disruption, who is responsible for leading a company through digital transformation? Isaac Sacolick, founder and president of StarCIO, identifies these leaders as “digital trailblazers.” In this Politely Pushy episode, Isaac quiets the buzz around generative AI advancement by comparing its hype cycle to the expansion of mobile te…

1
Venture Games Episode 45: Anton Bernstein, Pocket Worlds 44:02

19d ago44:02

44:02

In Episode 45 of Venture Games, my guest Anton Bernstein, co-founder and CEO at Pocket Worlds discusses his company's avatar-focused virtual world, Highrise; the evolution of metaverses and virtual worlds over the past decade; the roles that User-generated content, commerce, and AI play in the metaverse and on Highrise today; and some thoughts on t…

1
Venture Games Episode 44: Kristian Segerstrale, Super Evil Megacorp 1:07:49

1M ago1:07:49

1:07:49

In Episode 44 of Venture Games, my guest Kristian Segerstrale, CEO at Super Evil Megacorp discusses his decades-long career in gaming; co-founding Glu Mobile and Playfish; leading the seed investment round in Supercell; and the learnings from Vainglory.By Venture Games

1
Venture Games Episode 43: Tim Train, Second Dinner 47:58

2M ago47:58

47:58

In Episode 43 of Venture Games, my guest Tim Train, GM of Marvel Snap at Second Dinner discusses his decades-long career in gaming; founding multiple companies, including Big Huge Games; leveraging popular IPs as a user acquisition strategy in today's competitive mobile gaming environment; and how Marvel Snap has innovated to achieve breakthrough s…

1
Venture Games Episode 42: Trip Hawkins, Serial Entrepreneur & EA Founder 1:16:09

3M ago1:16:09

1:16:09

In Episode 42 of Venture Games, my guest Trip Hawkins discusses founding Electronic Arts, 3DO, and Digital Chocolate; collaborating with legendary sports figures such as Dr. J, Larry Bird, and John Madden; stories and lessons learned throughout his decades-long career in tech and gaming; and advice for entrepreneurs building companies today.…

1
Venture Games Episode 41: Uri Marchand, Overwolf 43:47

5M ago43:47

43:47

In Episode 41 of Venture Games, my guest Uri Marchand, CEO & Co-Founder at Overwolf discusses the evolution of modding and User-Generated Content (UGC) in games; how large IP owners could benefit from embracing creator platforms; how GenAI might impact UGC; and advice for founders building in the UGC space today.…

1
Venture Games Episode 40: John Fazio, Nerd Street 1:05:28

6M ago1:05:28

1:05:28

In Episode 40 of Venture Games, my guest John Fazio, CEO & Founder at Nerd Street, discusses why in-person esports venues and events are still necessary in the post-COVID world; his vision for the future of the esports industry; and his candid advice for founders navigating the ups and downs of building a venture-backed business.…

1
"We need to focus on the long game," with ESG & CSR specialist, Michelle Crozier 40:23

6M ago40:23

40:23

Sustainability is arguably one of the largest threats facing humanity today. You may have heard the terms CSR and ESG thrown around increasingly in the past few years. CSR refers to “corporate social responsibility,” and ESG refers to “environmental, social, and corporate governance.” Both are critical to brands striving to capture consumer loyalty…

1
Behind the Scenes of Generative AI in Healthcare With DrFirst’s Anthony Brooke 35:53

7M ago35:53

35:53

Imagine this: You’re at a physician appointment. In the background, innovative technology documents your conversation and creates accurate notes for your physician to reference later. Need a prescription? Ambient clinical intelligence (ACI) works alongside a generative AI program to deliver appropriate and available prescription treatments that mat…

1
The Art of Winning PR and Creative Awards 53:01

7M ago53:01

53:01

The 2024 awards season is right around the corner, and winning is on the brain. If you’re preparing to submit for upcoming industry awards, there’s no one better to consult than PR industry veteran and awards secret weapon Betsy Quinn. Betsy has dedicated her career to zeroing in on the “why” behind the work. Her expertise in informing and directin…

1
Leading the way into 2024 with Certified Leadership Coach Ken Jacobs 30:03

8M ago30:03

30:03

And with that, the 2023 season comes to an end. But what’s the benefit of jumping into the new year without proper reflection of the past 365 days? Ken Jacobs returns to the Politely Pushy podcast to give a masterclass in leadership. In his conversation with Eric, Ken discusses the steps to lead through a downturn expertly – something many leaders …

1
Venture Games Episode 39: Mark Otero, Azra Games 52:36

9M ago52:36

52:36

In Episode 39 of Venture Games, my guest Mark Otero, CEO & Founder at Azra Games, discusses his 15-year career building and leading RPG games, including Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes; the process he uses to bring deep, captivating RPG universes to life; and some advice for founders building and fundraising in today’s more challenging environment…

1
View from the top with KinectAir Founder, Jonathan Evans 57:20

9M ago57:20

57:20

When Jonathan Evans, Founder of KinectAir, isn’t building software that charters Pilatus PC-12 aircraft on a KinectAir flight, he’s chatting with Eric on a new Politely Pushy episode. Jonathan dives into the novelty of regional air mobility and the niche KinectAir occupies in on-demand private charter: accessibility and decreased environmental impa…

1
Venture Games Episode 38: Dean Takahashi, Venturebeat 43:29

10M ago43:29

43:29

In Episode 38 of Venture Games, my guest Dean Takahashi, Lead Writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat, discusses his 25+ year career as a gaming journalist; his infamous Cuphead video; and some of the many trends he has covered throughout his career.By Venture Games

1
AI: Threat or Opportunity? 26:32

10M ago26:32

26:32

Data privacy, ESG, AI? Laurence Evans of Reputation Leaders and Eric cover it all and more on today’s Politely Pushy episode! AI has veered its head once more, this time as a major ESG issue - I know, we’re as surprised as you are. According to Laurence, AI has proven to be more of an opportunity than a threat with limitless possibilities, but the …

1
Venture Games Episode 37: Austin Woolridge, Players Lounge 52:02

10M ago52:02

52:02

In Episode 37 of Venture Games, my guest Austin Woolridge, CEO at Players' Lounge, discusses raising capital from leading institutional investors and individual investors like Strauss Zelnick, Drake, & Marissa Mayer; why skill-based gaming is a massive opportunity today; and why Players' Lounge's new product, which allows players to bet against the…

1
Hours into his job, Phrasee’s new CEO Dan Head joins us 38:41

10M ago38:41

38:41

Dan Head is the brand new CEO of Phrasee, the AI-based digital marketing company. One of the first things on his to-do list: a sit down with Politely Pushy. Dan tells Eric why he took the job, what his role as CEO will be, and the priorities he’ll be focusing on. He also explains where he thinks the future is for brands and AI companies alike, alon…

1
Venture Games Episode 36: Tim Morten, Frost Giant Studios 59:58

11M ago59:58

59:58

In Episode 36 of Venture Games, my guest Tim Morten, Production Director & CEO at Frost Giant Studios, discusses Stormgate, the company's upcoming RTS game; building a new IP universe; why the RTS genre is ripe for innovation; and some thoughts on the fundraising environment for startups building PC and console games today.…

1
Run, Don't Walk, to Listen to WalkMe’s Adriel Sanchez on Politely Pushy 35:23

11M ago35:23

35:23

We’re joined today by Adriel Sanchez from WalkMe. Adriel is ready to talk shop…and how we should view the hype around AI. He shares the concerns of many about what all-automated-everything might mean for our future. Adriel explains that we’re not that far off from a very transformative experience. That’s where WalkMe comes in. The company has been …

1
Venture Games Episode 35: Joe Schaeppi, Solsten 1:41:17

1y ago1:41:17

1:41:17

In Episode 35 of Venture Games, my guest Joe Schaeppi, CEO and Co-Founder at Solsten, discusses the battle for player attention, the power of player psychology in game development, and the future of personalization.By Venture Games

1
“So you’ve been hacked…hold my beer,” With Ryan Lasmaili, Vaultree 35:56

1y ago35:56

35:56

If you’ve ever been a victim of data hacking or a privacy leak, this one’s for you! Today we’re talking about data privacy with Ryan Lasmaili, CEO of Vaultree. Ryan is driven to solve major cybersecurity problems with his biggest undertaking to date: solving today’s and tomorrow’s data encryption and protection challenges. With a background in fina…

1
A REAL Solution for Real Estate Problems, with Thomas Ma 28:08

1y ago28:08

28:08

After years of working in the real estate industry, Thomas Ma saw the shift toward large proptech and decided to develop a new way for agents to showcase their listings. REAL Messenger (REAL) is the No. 1 social app for real estate, and Thomas’ goal, he says, is to make agents’ lives easier. One way that REAL is shaking up the space is adding a vid…

1
Venture Games Episode 34: Christian Facey, Audiomob 43:02

1y ago43:02

43:02

In Episode 34 of Venture Games, my guest Christian Facey, CEO & Co-Founder at Audiomob, discusses the current and future audio advertising landscape in gaming; the benefits of audio ads compared to alternatives; and why audio advertising is particularly attractive in emerging markets like Africa and India.…

1
Thinking Bigger with Columbia's Sheena Iyengar 39:33

1y ago39:33

39:33

Our conversation with Sheena Iyengar is a lesson in creativity and power. Sheena is an author, professor and “expert on choice and decision-making.” Her book "Think Bigger: How to innovate" has just been released, after her breakthrough award-winner "The Art of Choosing". Today she speaks with Eric about how to maximize your potential, the importan…

1
Cannes Lions Preview: The backlash against LGBTQIA+ brand support with Bospar’s Curtis Sparrer and Cannes #1 Drag Artist 17:02

1y ago17:02

17:02

Bospar’s Curtis Sparrer and Cannes’ most famous drag queen Michael Sanchez AKA Holly White are both joining us on today’s episode of Politely Pushy. When Curtis attended Cannes Lions last year, he noticed there wasn’t any LGBTQIA+ nightclubs for attendees. This year, he took a page from Bospar’s tech clients (who are always looking to meet a need) …

1
Debunking Fertility Myths with HRC Fertility’s Tamar Knoller 34:18

1y ago34:18

34:18

Today we’re tackling a new subject for Politely Pushy: fertility and family planning. “It’s a human experience,” says Tamar Knoller when speaking about infertility. It’s not just for the LGBTQIA+ community, or for 40-year old women, and that’s a myth that HRC Fertility is fighting to debunk. Other myths: IVF is expensive and inaccessible, and infer…

1
Empowering your Team from Afar, with Brendon Craigie, Tyto 39:36

1y ago39:36

39:36

We’re joined this week by Brendon Craigie, founder of Tyto PR. Tyto is an international PR agency, and much like Bospar, has operated as a remote agency even before COVID. So what made Brendon decide to build a fully remote company? He knew he could create a better way of running a business. He also found that the best way to make his employees car…

1
Venture Games Episode 33: Shawn Foust, Fortis Games 1:04:02

1y ago1:04:02

1:04:02

In Episode 33 of Venture Games, my guest Shawn Foust, COO & Co-Founder at Fortis Games, discusses his career as a serial entrepreneur; his company's focus on design advancement; why he's still optimistic about innovation in the gaming industry; and his thoughts on major tech trends impacting the gaming landscape.…

1
Understanding the banking crisis is as easy as Web1, 2, 3, with Cogni's Simon Grunfeld 40:09

1y ago40:09

40:09

Wondering what’s going on with the banking crisis? Thankfully, Simon Grunfeld is here to shed some light on the situation, including some of the differences between the various bank closures. In this episode of Politely Pushy, he talks about Web3 and what it means for our money. According to Simon, Web3 is the “digital version of sticking it in the…

1
Tricks of the Trade, with Elena Davidson, Liberty Comms CEO 29:30

1+ y ago29:30

29:30

Elena Davidson, CEO of UK-based Liberty Comms and long-time Bospar friend, joins us this week in a long-overdue conversation about tech PR and how she’s preparing to face the upcoming economic crisis. The key to withstanding challenges, Elena says, is equal parts sticking to what you do best, but always being willing to adjust to changes. And while…

1
Word of Mouth with John Merrifield, WOM Global 50:01

1+ y ago50:01

50:01

Aloha from Hawaii, with this week’s guest John Merrifield. Hailed as the “Don Draper of Asia,” John’s journey to working with brands like Adidas and Singapore Airlines actually started on the waves of the California coast. Though he’s done a lot of world-famous work in the ad world, he’ll tell you that he’s a surfer with an advertising problem, not…

1
Venture Games Episode 32: Arseny Lebedev, Original Games 51:17

1+ y ago51:17

51:17

In Episode 32 of Venture Games, my guest Arseny Lebedev, CEO at Original Games, discusses his company's flagship merge game, Merge Inn; navigating the challenges he and his team faced due to the war in Eastern Europe; maintaining good mental health as a startup founder; and raising VC funding in a challenging macroeconomic environment…

1
Make Work Better, With Betterworks’ CEO Doug Dennerline and VP of HR Transformation Jamie Aitken 35:35

1+ y ago35:35

35:35

What motivates people to do good work? That’s the question on Jamie Aitken and Doug Dennerline’s mind as they tackle some of the American workforce’s most challenging problems. The answer, they discovered, is quickly changing due in large part to the pandemic. Luckily for us, they compiled their research in their new book “Make Work Better,” chroni…

1
Silicon Valley who?, with tech columnist and advisor Hillel Fuld 28:42

1+ y ago28:42

28:42

We’re joined today by Israel's “top marketer” Hillel Fuld, here to talk about working with tech startups and giants alike. Hillel says there’s only one thing he looks for before he embarks on a new journey with a company: good people. How quickly can he tell if people are good?, our host asks. “Within 30 seconds.” That, plus injecting humor into hi…

1
What’s a nice guy like you doing in a job like this?: with Juda Englemayer 31:18

1+ y ago31:18

31:18

Juda Englemayer is the crisis communications expert who takes on a lot of taboo clients that many people won’t touch. You have heard their famous names in the media. They are controversial and, dare we say, “unsavory” (our host says it for us) individuals. Juda doesn’t take these well-known, shunned people on as clients willy nilly; he sits down wi…

1
Bots can get a bad rep, but they can also be your friends!: with Alex Zekoff, CEO, Thoughtful 34:58

1+ y ago34:58

34:58

Today we have a fascinating discussion with Alex Zekoff, the CEO of Thoughtful. It’s interesting because bots have often gotten a bad or questionable rep. But here’s the thing: bots can be your friends in automation and helping humans organize and streamline their tasks, tackling that process and more at scale. Alex founded Thoughtful to employ int…

1
Venture Games Episode 31: Denis Dyack, Apocalypse Studios 51:41

1+ y ago51:41

51:41

In Episode 31 of Venture Games, my guest Denis Dyack, CEO at Apocalypse Studios, discusses his 30-year career in gaming, including founding Silicon Knights in the 90s; working with gaming industry legends including Hideo Kojima and Shigeru Miyamoto; and Apocalypse's upcoming narrative-driven Action RPG game, Deadhaus Sonata.…

1
Every company needs a powerful ‘people person’: with Katie Banks, VP of global people and workplace, Nitro 36:54

1+ y ago36:54

36:54

Today we welcome Katie Banks to the podcast. Based out of Dublin, Katie is Nitro's vice president of global people and workplace. Nitro helps accelerate businesses globally through digital documents resulting in powerful productivity for all. Katie discusses how important it is for companies to look out for their employees and handle the most chall…

1
No matter how you pronounce it, think of Sila for its strength!: With Shamir Karkal, Chief Strategy Officer of payment platform Sila 44:19

1+ y ago44:19

44:19

Today we welcome Shamir Karkal, Chief Strategy Officer of Sila, to the podcast. Sila means “strength” in Russian, and Shamir wants you to know that having a secure payments platform (using robust APIs) is vital in a world where software is delivered over the Internet. How does Sila ensure that this payment platform is entirely secure? How does it p…

1
RKVST spells traceability?!: Jon Geater, chief technology and product officer, RKVST 41:45

1+ y ago41:45

41:45

As they say in the U.K., today’s episode of Politely Pushy would best be accompanied by a “cuppa.” That is because Jon Geater sits down with our host and speaks to us in the most elegant Queen’s English (the royal majesty’s accent, that is – no reference to that borough in New York). Jon discusses how complexities related to the supply chain can co…

1
The eternal optimist: Shekar Ayyar, CEO of Arrcus 47:16

1+ y ago47:16

47:16

Shekar Ayyar is a CEO committed to delivering the best network architecture for clients, the “plumbing” underneath their 5G architecture. Words like “inflation” and “recession” don’t scare him; he considers himself an eternal optimist committed to meeting the needs of companies that have to keep up with 5G networks. He founded Arrcus to enhance bus…

1
Women who are building worlds: Stacy Quackenbush and Paige Dansinger, Dynamite Labs 31:41

1+ y ago31:41

31:41

Today we are joined by Stacy Quackenbush and Paige Dansinger, two women building “worlds” in the metaverse, providing people with the opportunity to learn and engage through virtual reality spaces. The metaverse hasn’t exactly gotten the greatest rep since Facebook changed its name. But Stacy and Paige explain how there is a lot of misinformation t…

1
Say goodbye to “death by a thousand spreadsheets”: Sri Ganesan, CEO of Rocketlane 26:09

1+ y ago26:09

26:09

When an organization buys a product from a vendor, its journey does not end with the purchase. Instead, it has just begun. That’s because several steps must take place as the company onboards the product and it becomes a part of the business. Today, we are joined by Sri Ganesan, co-founder and CEO of Rocketlane, a purpose-built project delivery and…

1
The intelligent man’s Forrest Gump: Ahmed Reza, founder, and CEO of Yobi 49:36

1+ y ago49:36

49:36

Today’s guest is Ahmed Reza, who has quite an exciting story! Ahmed started his journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur as a child actor in Bangladesh. From there, he would become a Milken scholar at Cornell University while homeless, an engineer at NASA, and eventually a successful small business entrepreneur multiple times. Ahmed founded Yo…

1
Compelling communications to elevate companies with StoryCo Founder and CEO Mario Juarez 36:46

1+ y ago36:46

36:46

Today’s guest had our host circling back, wondering how he could have begun the episode more fascinatingly. That is because Mario Juarez specializes in compellingly communicating messages as the founder and CEO of StoryCo. Companies seek Mario’s counsel on how to share their stories – their communications – most effectively and transformatively. He…

1
Venture Games Episode 30: Jeremy Born, NFT Genius 46:30

1+ y ago46:30

46:30

In Episode 30 of Venture Games, my guest Jeremy Born, CEO at NFT Genius, discusses his company's recent fundraise; his optimism around the future of the Flow blockchain; building the Gaia NFT marketplace; the future of the Ballerz NFT collection; and why NFTs aren't dead.By Venture Games

1
Reducing risks of the remote work world With Rick Hammell, founder and CEO of Atlas 25:58

1+ y ago25:58

25:58

Today's guest is Rick Hammell, founder and CEO of Atlas. He has visited 117 countries, lived in Barcelona, and manages the most extensive direct employer of record (EOR) company with entities in over 160 countries. Rick discusses the idea behind Atlas, a tech platform supported by experts, delivering flexibility for companies to expand across borde…

1
When companies want to brag, sometimes it’s all about the bag: Global Strategist Lisa Bankston 30:47

1+ y ago30:47

30:47

Today’s guest is Lisa Bankston, an award-winning global strategist who works with companies to market products so that the messaging around them fits into cultural norms. This means she may modify imagery and branding, provide translation services, source vendors and materials, and all other things that help to create the marketing and market expan…

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