Explore every episode of the podcast Tacos and Tech Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
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| This Week on San Diego Tech News – Oct 9, 2025 | 09 Oct 2025 | 00:22:42 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast. My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!
10/10 SD Startup Week debrief State of Biotech Ecosystem Funding News
Snapdragon Summit - Qualcomm announcements & Eyepop AI announcements Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote SD Founders Hike - Oct 10 Stocktoberfest Oct 20-22 Carlsbad Industry Exchange - Biotech - Oct 22 | |||
| Fintech, Forecasts, and Stocktoberfest: A Conversation of Social Leverage | 09 Oct 2025 | 00:28:40 | |
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, we sit down with Matt Ober, Managing Partner at Social Leverage, to unpack the future of fintech, the evolving landscape of wealth tech, and what it means to build and invest with long-term conviction. Matt shares his journey from hedge funds and quant trading to early-stage venture capital, with stops at Bloomberg, WorldQuant, and Third Point before joining Social Leverage. We talk about the firm’s investing thesis, from Robinhood and Alpaca to the social side of investing with Stocktwits and the upcoming Stocktoberfest event in San Diego. From deep dives on compliance tooling and wealth advisor rollups to the convergence of trading, crypto, and sports betting - this episode maps the edges of where fintech is headed next. Key Topics covered:
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| How Natilus is Designing the Future of Cargo and Passenger Planes from the Ground Up | 01 Oct 2025 | 01:03:58 | |
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom sits down with Aleksey Matyushev, co-founder and CEO of Natilus, the San Diego-based aerospace company reinventing air freight and passenger travel with next-gen aircraft. With over $39 billion in orders and a growing footprint in South County, Natilus is bringing cutting-edge manufacturing back to San Diego. Aleksey shares his journey from growing up near a Soviet airfield to becoming an aerodynamicist at Piper and Kratos. He walks us through the founding story of Natilus, early pivots from seaplanes to blended wing bodies, and how customer feedback (and cold emails) helped shape the company’s strategy. Plus, we dive into capital efficiency, certification pathways, and how Natilus is carving out space in a market long dominated by Boeing and Airbus. Key Topics Covered:
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| This Week in San Diego Tech – Sep 19, 2025 | 19 Sep 2025 | 00:30:01 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast. My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!
9/19 Broader Defense Tech: Harpoon x Firestorm Mixer Debrief El Segundo Defense Tech Mixer Debrief Firestorms Labs opens 60,000 SFT Facility in Mira Mesa
Biotech: Treeline Biosciences emerges from stealth with $200M backed by ARCH Venture. Arnatar Therapeutics focused on precision RNA therapies emerges from stealth. Debut Bio raises and expands to Asia Yatiri - acquired another startup Luna Diabetes raises a Series A
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote Sept 26 - Defense Tech Gathering Oct 3-5 Startup Weekend Oct 6-10 SD Startup Week | |||
| Navigating Regulation and Startup Investing | 11 Sep 2025 | 00:47:21 | |
This week on Tacos & Tech, Neal sits down with Rose Bowlus - lawyer, founder, and angel investor - whose journey from trading floors to startup boardrooms brings a rare blend of Wall Street experience and founder empathy. Rose shares how her legal career evolved from the capital markets and energy sectors to launching her own firm, Rose Bowlus Law, where she now advises early-stage startups and funds. They talk legal tech, Web3, fintech moats, and what founders often overlook when raising capital. Plus, Rose unpacks her growing role as an investor, how she’s empowering other lawyers through her Angels in the Law network, and what she looks for in the next generation of legal innovation. Key Topics
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| From Failed Kickstarter to Exit with ShredLights’ Eric Birkemeier | 02 Sep 2025 | 01:02:27 | |
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom sits down with Eric Birkemeier, founder of ShredLights and now part of Meepo Electric Skateboards. Eric’s story is a wild ride - from 3D-printing in the SDSU ZIP Launchpad and selling Jordans out of thrift stores, to building a niche hardware company and ultimately exiting to a global electric skateboard brand. They unpack how Eric turned an early failed Kickstarter into a business with over $1M+ in revenue (with zero ad spend!), the importance of discovering product-market fit through real customer feedback, and the emotional rollercoaster of running and eventually selling a hardware startup during a downturn. From bootstrapping to navigating COVID, tariffs, and copycats - Eric shares what it really takes to get to the finish line (and how the finish line is just another beginning). Key Topics Covered:
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| The Return of a North County Builder | 26 Aug 2025 | 00:36:35 | |
This week on Tacos & Tech, Neal sits down with Drew Wilson, longtime North County founder, designer, engineer, and community builder. From launching products solo to landing a GoDaddy acquisition, Drew’s track record speaks for itself. Now he’s back with a new company, Opacity, and relaunching his beloved creative conference, ValioCon, right in the heart of Oceanside. In this episode, Drew shares his journey from early design days and Flash websites to building Plasso, navigating acquisition, and diving headfirst into GenAI-powered product development. He also gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what’s coming with Opacity, why he’s bullish on version control for designers, and how tools like Midjourney and Claude are shaping his build stack. Key Points
Links & Resources Connect with Drew & Neal | |||
| This Week in San Diego Tech – Aug 22, 2025 | 21 Aug 2025 | 00:28:45 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners, building and investing in community. My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!
Aug 22 Defense Tech Founders Event Recap of autonomous tech and military end-users New org leaders: Naturally San Diego - Renee Solares Techstars - Misti Cain BuyBack Ventures launches
Funding Ilundent - $4M Seed Round
M&A
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote Defense Tech Build Day - Aug 28 Gaming Gathering Build Day - Sept 2 SD Defense at SoCal Deep Tech - Sept 16 | |||
| Investing in the Freedom Stack with Larsen Jensen of Harpoon Ventures | 19 Aug 2025 | 00:30:02 | |
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, Neal Bloom sits down with Larsen Jensen, former Olympian, Navy SEAL, and now Managing Partner of Harpoon Ventures, an early-stage venture firm backing founders building in the national interest. Larsen shares the journey from serving Team USA to launching a venture fund focused on what he calls the Freedom Stack - critical technologies like AI, autonomy, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing that shape not just industry, but national security and global stability. They explore how Harpoon was early to the intersection of tech and geopolitics, why San Diego is uniquely positioned to lead in hardtech and defense innovation, and how founders can better navigate the path to working with the U.S. government through Harpoon’s new initiative: Black Flag Incubator. Key Topics Covered:
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| This Week in San Diego Tech – Aug 15, 2025 | 15 Aug 2025 | 00:26:20 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast. My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!
Aug 15 Biotech layoffs: Thermo, Poseida Therapeutics Scale Bio acquired by 10X Genomics Plantible opens a 100-acre manufacturing module in Texas BAE Shipyard Gains Defense Build Contracts Prebys Foundation Donates $1M to support grant medical research
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote Defense Tech Build Day - Aug 28 Gaming Gathering Build Day - Sept 2 SD Defense at SoCal Deep Tech Week - Sept 16 | |||
| Why Gemist Is Betting Big on Customization, AI, and Scalable Design | 13 Aug 2025 | 00:43:51 | |
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, Neal Bloom sits down with Madeline Fraser, the dynamic founder and CEO of Gemist, a B2B SaaS and AI company revolutionizing the jewelry industry. Madeline shares how a frustrating search for a custom engagement ring sparked the idea for Gemist, which now powers customization, stone sourcing, and hyper-realistic rendering for jewelry brands and retailers. With deep product insight and two previous startups under her belt - including an appearance on Shark Tank and an exit into the gaming space - Madeline unpacks how her creative background and startup experience led her to build scalable tech that’s reshaping a centuries-old industry. They talk about her time on The Pitch (where she met Neal and landed Gemist’s first investment round), her vision for modernizing the jewelry shopping experience, and why customization is no longer optional for today’s customers. Key Topics Covered:
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| This Week in San Diego Tech – Aug 8, 2025 | 08 Aug 2025 | 00:24:13 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast. My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community! August 8 Debrief Startup SD 1st Mondays event at KILN Rancho Bernardo AI products: Fundings:
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote SD Defense Build Day - Aug 28 Gaming Build Day - Sept 2 SD Defense at SoCal Deep Tech - Sept 16 | |||
| Live from the Innovation Stage: Burbank Startup Pitch Fest 2025 | 06 Aug 2025 | 01:00:12 | |
In this special episode of the podcast, host Neal Bloom takes us inside the Burbank Startup Pitch Fest - an exciting evening of innovation, capital, and community hosted in partnership with the City of Burbank and Rising Tide Partners. We kick things off with a welcome from Burbank’s Economic Development team, highlighting why the city is fast becoming a tech and media hub. Neal then moderates a candid conversation with early-stage investors Amy Harmon (Innovent Capital) and Ben Kahan (Pegasus Angel Accelerator) about today’s venture landscape - from what they look for in a pre-seed deal to how AI and founder-market fit are shaping startup success. Then, five founders take the stage to pitch their startups:
From pitch insights to early-stage investing frameworks, this episode is packed with startup wisdom and a strong dose of real talk from the entrepreneurial front lines. Recorded live at Burbank Startup Pitch Fest 2025. | |||
| How Puesto Built a Taco Empire by Blending Tradition, Tech, and Family Roots | 22 Jul 2025 | 00:28:57 | |
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom sits down with Alex Adler, co-founder of Puesto, to talk about how a family with no restaurant background built one of the most beloved modern taco brands in the country. From its La Jolla beginnings to an expanding restaurant group that includes Marisi and Romana Norte, Puesto has grown through a mix of culinary authenticity, operational innovation, and cultural conviction. Alex shares the origin story of Puesto, early pivots that reshaped their entire concept, how Toast and DoorDash changed the game for their operations, and how they’ve kept taco trends and consumer tastes at the heart of their menu. Plus, we talk about non-alcoholic innovation, building culture at scale, and yes—his all-time favorite taco. Key Topics Covered
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| This Week in San Diego Tech – July 19, 2025 | 18 Jul 2025 | 00:33:28 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms.
Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast. My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!
July 11
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote | |||
| Friendraising: Angel Academy Conference Keynote by Cody Barbo | 18 Jul 2025 | 00:50:00 | |
In this special recorded event episode, Neal Bloom sits down with Trust & Will co-founder and CEO Cody Barbo in front of a live audience at SDSU’s Angel Academy. It’s an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation on what it really takes to back founders at the earliest of stages especially when they are bouncing back from tragedy. Cody and Neal reflect on startup missteps, co-founder breakups, raising from friends and angels, and how real trust (and real checks) get built over breakfast, not pitch decks. From being fired from his last venture to scaling Trust & Will to tens of millions in ARR, Cody shares a decade's worth of hard-won lessons with humor, humility, and insight. Whether you're a first-time founder, active angel, or just startup-curious, this candid session is packed with real talk about how relationships, not just revenue, power great companies. Key Topics Covered
Links & Resources Connect with Cody Connect with Neal | |||
| The Future of Podcast Production | 16 Jul 2025 | 00:42:18 | |
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom sits down with Arman and Andrew, of Podhaus, a full-service podcast production studio based in Burbank, CA. From launching just before COVID to building one of LA’s most sought-after recording spaces, the duo shares how they went from music engineering and tech backgrounds to building a creative business in the heart of the media capital, Burbank, CA. We dive into what makes a podcast studio succeed, how to think about production versus authenticity, and why audio always matters more than video. Plus, we get real about gear recommendations for on-location podcasting, changes in podtech like Substack and Spotify, and what it takes to attract the right clients - from beginners to corporate teams. Key Topics Covered
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| This Week in San Diego Tech - July 7, 2025 | 07 Jul 2025 | 00:29:14 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast. My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!
July 7 Events debrief - Andy Ballester/SD Tech Founders event Macro market is feeling positive Aquacycl - International expansion through MetroConnect Blossomhill Therapuetics moves in new HQ
Fundings: Gallant Therapeutics - $18M Arialys Therapeutics - $14M Kelly Slater moved his brand to SD
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote July 8 - Afternoon Founders Hike July 29 - Dev & Data x CTO Talks: Healthtech Night - link coming soon | |||
| The Future of Pool Care | 03 Jul 2025 | 01:02:34 | |
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom chats with Jeremy Yamaguchi, Founder and CEO of Cabana. A longtime builder in the home services space, Jeremy is now focused on modernizing the pool care industry, one of the largest yet most overlooked service sectors in the U.S. Jeremy shares how his product and marketing background led him to build Cabana with a blend of operational efficiency, software tooling, and local team empowerment. He dives into his strategy around vertical SaaS, customer experience, and the importance of trust and taste when scaling service-based businesses. Key Topics Covered
Connect with Jeremy Connect with Neal Bloom
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| This Week in San Diego Tech - June 27, 2025 | 27 Jun 2025 | 00:30:21 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast. My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community! June 27 Dr Squatch acq again, this time for $2B IPOs - Chime, Coreweave, eToro, Circle doing well and Wealthfront just filed. Fundings: Clearspeed series D Firestorm raised new funds, according to SEC filing Lilo of Carlsbad wins a Michelin Star Deloitte Fast 500 nominations open
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote June 27 - Pitch Night at Bermuda Club July 1 - SD Tech Founders with Andy Ballester, GoFundMe and Eyepop AI co-founder July 4 - Founders Hike July 8 - Afternoon Founders Hike | |||
| Building Intentional Capital for B2B SaaS | 24 Jun 2025 | 00:45:08 | |
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom chats with Andrew Albert, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Channel Equity Partners. Andrew brings decades of investing experience - from public markets to private software equity - to the table. He shares how his journey from the East Coast to San Diego led to launching a new kind of early growth equity firm focused on bootstrapped or lightly funded B2B SaaS companies. Andrew unpacks his investment strategy, discusses founder-alignment, thesis-driven sourcing, and how Channel Equity delivers capital with intention. Plus, he reflects on the power of long-term partnerships, why market cycles don't shake his thesis, and of course, his favorite San Diego burrito spot.
Key Topics Covered
Links & Resources
Connect with Andrew Connect with Neal Bloom LinkedIn: Neal Bloom Twitter: @NealBloom | |||
| This Week in San Diego Tech | 20 Jun 2025 | 00:37:03 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms.
Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!
I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital. My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!
June 20 Recent events debrief: MedTech, AI, GP/LP BIO in Boston Recent Carta funding data in relation to San Diego and by stage Fundings Seaside Equity raises $723M for two funds
Cadre AI coming out of stealth Qualcomm acquisition of AlphaWave Semi for $2.4B
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote July 1 - SD Tech Founders with Andy Ballester, GoFundMe and Eyepop AI co-founder July 4 - Founders Hike July 8 - Afternoon Founders Hike July 29 - Dev & Data x CTO Talks: Healthtech Night
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| Building the Future of Sports + Entertainment, One Stadium at a Time | 17 Jun 2025 | 00:41:29 | |
What does it take to design a flawless fan experience for 75,000 people on game day, and millions more watching from home? In this episode, Neal Bloom sits down with Vikrant Bodalia, Vice President of Technology Operations at Allegiant Stadium, to unpack the strategy, innovation, and pressure behind the world's biggest live events. From Super Bowl infrastructure to facial-recognition ticketing, Vikrant shares how he reverse engineers every event from the fan perspective first. With a career that spans NBA, NHL, NFL, and the rapid rise of Las Vegas as a sports tech capital, Vikrant offers a front-row look at how venue technology is evolving and why immersive, secure, and seamless experiences are now the industry benchmark. Key Topics Covered: • Vikrant’s journey from IT help desk to VP of tech at world-class venues Links & Resources:
Connect with Vikrant: Connect with Neal: | |||
| Rewiring Real Estate from the Inside Out | 10 Jun 2025 | 00:58:02 | |
In this episode of Tacos & Tech, Neal welcomes a longtime friend, Andy Taylor, Co-Founder and CEO of RetroRate. to talk about building a company around an idea few people even know exists: assumable loans. They dig deep into Andy’s journey from building software at Electronic Arts and Apple to leading product at Redfin, launching mortgage startup Approved, and now tackling a hidden opportunity in real estate finance: assumable loans. Andy shares his personal founder journey, lessons learned across big tech and startups, and why he's committed to building in San Diego.
Key Topics:
Links & Resources: Connect with Andy:
Connect with Neal:
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| This Week in San Diego Tech - June 6, 2025 | 06 Jun 2025 | 00:44:11 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Rising Tide Partners. My co-hosts in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. June 6 Tech News We recorded this week’s pod live on LinkedIn here. What did you think? General Atomics Fusion Reactor Tour
Executive Moves
AI Spotlight
Microsoft x Activision Blizzard
Consumer Brand News
Robotics on the Big Stage
Events Roundup – June Highlights For full list, check out The Social Coyote newsletter
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| Inside the rise of real-time diagnostics and the promise of proteomics | 03 Jun 2025 | 00:26:23 | |
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom sits down with CEO of Pictor, a diagnostics company transforming healthcare through proteomics-the science of understanding what the body’s proteins are doing right now. They explore how this next-generation technology is shifting the medical world from slow, reactive testing to real-time, accessible diagnostics for both humans and animals. From Jamie’s early days at Quest Diagnostics to Pictor’s move from New Zealand to San Diego, this episode is a front-row seat to how health innovation really happens. Whether you’re building a biotech startup or just curious about how your body actually works, this conversation reveals what’s next for diagnostics-and why it matters now more than ever.
Key Topics Covered
Links & Resources
Connect with Jamie Connect with Neal Bloom | |||
| Exploring Identity, AI, and Leadership | 28 May 2025 | 00:39:57 | |
Episode Summary: In this episode of the, Neal Bloom chats with Jesse Taylor, Senior Manager of Identity and Middleware Services at UNLV. Jesse shares his journey from early exposure to technology with Atari and Apple II to becoming a technical leader in higher education. They discuss the evolution of technology, the role of AI in augmenting human capabilities, and Jesse’s approach to authentic leadership and team development. Jesse also highlights his work in identity management at UNLV, his involvement in the Las Vegas tech community, and his recognition as a Top Tech Vegas award recipient. Key Topics Discussed:
Links & Resources: UNLV’s identity and middleware services Society for Information Management (SIM) Las Vegas Chapter Nominate a leader for the Top Tech Awards Connect with Jesse: Connect with Neal: LinkedIn: Neal Bloom Twitter: @NealBloom | |||
| Building San Diego's Product Management Community | 14 May 2025 | 00:27:47 | |
Dive into San Diego's evolving product management landscape with Vidya Dinamani as she announces the inaugural Product Management Summit. Learn how the local tech ecosystem has matured and why bringing world-class product leadership to San Diego matters. Key Topics: • San Diego Product Management Summit (June 5-6) • Evolution from Intuit leadership to Product Rebels • Building Product Tank's 2,500+ member community • Customer-centric product development methodologies • San Diego's maturing tech ecosystem
Links & Resources:
Connect with Vidya: LinkedIn: Vidya Dinamani Connect with Neal: LinkedIn: Neal Bloom Twitter: @NealBloom | |||
| Techstars San Diego Powered by San Diego State Year 3 with Misti Cain | 05 May 2025 | 00:34:54 | |
Applications are open for the next accelerator program! In this episode, Neal Bloom chats with Misti Cain, the new Managing Director of Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU. They discuss the upcoming Year 3 of the program, the application process, and what makes an ideal founder and company for the accelerator. Misty shares insights into the benefits of the SDSU partnership, the updated investment terms, and the importance of community and mentorship in the Techstars ecosystem. Key Topics: - Introduction of Misty Cain as the new Managing Director - Overview of Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU Year 3 - Application details: Open from April 8 to June 11, 2024 - Ideal founder and company profile - Benefits of the SDSU partnership - Updated investment terms: $220,000 total with $200,000 uncapped MFN safe - Importance of community and mentorship - Shoutout to Ryan Kuder for his contributions to Techstars in San Diego - Misty's favorite taco spot: Puesto in Del Mar
Links and Resources: - Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU Information
Connect with Misty Cain: - LinkedIn: Misti Cain https://www.linkedin.com/in/misticain/ Connect with Neal Bloom: - LinkedIn: Neal Bloom https://www.linkedin.com/in/nealbbloom - Twitter: @NealBloom https://twitter.com/NealBloom | |||
| 🎙️ This Week in San Diego Tech (4/21/25 Edition) | 21 Apr 2025 | 00:37:20 | |
🔊Listen & Subscribe: Available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and other major platforms. 👋 Welcome!Welcome to This Week in San Diego Tech! I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital. Joining me as always is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego Substack, covering startups, funding, and M&A across the region. 🗞️Top Headlines This Week: 🎶 Music Tech Meets the Symphony - link
💬 Final Shoutouts
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| From Cables to Cloud: Floyd Auten’s Top Tech Journey of Innovation | 16 Apr 2025 | 00:36:46 | |
How a third-generation builder turned a storage-unit startup into a national infrastructure powerhouse—and what’s next for tech’s invisible backbone. Floyd Auten, COO and co-founder of TechNet Partners, joins Neal for an episode that digs deep into the literal and figurative foundations of tech. From punchdowns in high school to powering stadiums and data centers across the country, Floyd shares how his family legacy in electrical work turned into a career designing the infrastructure that keeps the digital world running. They talk about life safety systems, the rise of AI tools in design, the Padres’ Wi-Fi network, and how Floyd’s team at TechNet is scaling services across all 50 states. Floyd also shares what it meant to win the Top Tech Award in 2024—and why he’s excited to help spotlight other behind-the-scenes innovators this year. 🔑 Key Takeaways & Timestamps:
Floyd was recognized at the 2024 Top Tech Awards - and now he’s helping select the next generation of unsung tech heroes. 👉 Know someone making tech magic happen behind the scenes? Nominations are now open for the 2025 Top Tech Awards! Submit yours before May 2 at toptechawards.com 🔗 Links:
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| Living in Your Greatness: Building Empires Through Relationships with Jeff Fenster | 08 Apr 2025 | 00:55:20 | |
Meet Jeff Fenster, a serial entrepreneur, problem solver, and relationship builder who’s scaled multiple businesses by identifying problems worth solving - and assembling the right team to tackle them. Inspired early on by A Shark Never Sleeps, Jeff set out to become a sports agent, only to pivot right after law school and dive into entrepreneurship. His first venture began with a bold move - calling his employer’s bluff and walking out to start his own company, only to face a major hiccup when payroll checks were accidentally sent to clients. Through trial, error, and big wins, Jeff has honed his entrepreneurial philosophy: “If you can live in your greatness, success is guaranteed.” That philosophy was put to the test when he dreamed up what would become Everbowl. Despite critics pointing out he wasn’t a chef - and that most restaurants fail - Jeff saw the opportunity. Why? Because business owners, not chefs, build successful restaurant brands. From that insight, he coined: “Experience is the most overrated prerequisite to starting a company.” From the lessons of building Everbowl, Jeff launched his latest venture - WeBuild - a company that helps others bring their physical business ideas to life by streamlining construction and buildouts. Jeff also shares insights weekly on his podcast, The Jeff Fenster Show, where he interviews top performers, athletes, entrepreneurs, and creators about what makes them great.
In this episode, we talk about: • How Jeff approaches building multiple businesses at once • The role of self-awareness in entrepreneurial success • His 5 core principles for life and business • His latest book, Relationship Capital, which dives into the power of networking, mentorship, and building value through people • Business relationships with names like Neil Patel, Drew Brees, Shaq, and the GoFundMe founders • Why he believes investing in people is the ultimate multiplier • His new venture, WeBuild, and what he’s solving next • And the power of storytelling through The Jeff Fenster Show
Plus, we get into tacos (of course): Jeff’s favorite taco spot: Casero Taqueria His taco order: The al pastor, shrimp, and whatever the weekly special is. | |||
| This Week in San Diego Tech Podcast - April 4, 2025 | 04 Apr 2025 | 00:32:10 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital. My co-hosts in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. April 4, 2025
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote
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| Building Together: Growing San Diego's Startup Scene Podcast | 28 Mar 2025 | 01:00:05 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Join us for a roundtable with three longtime builders of San Diego’s startup scene: Jonah Peake of The Social Coyote and The Career Coyote In this episode, we dive into the elements that actually make an event meaningful—from location and check-in experience to dress code and follow-up community building. We also talk about the growing energy around co-working gatherings and the potential for turning pop-up events into permanent spaces that foster connection, creativity, and collisions. • What it would look like to convene the region’s top CEOs—and lessons learned from the OC CEO Leadership Alliance • The evolution from North County Startup Mixer to San Diego County Startup Mixer • How events like March Mingle, Indie Hackers, Launchpad San Diego Founders & Investors, and 1 Million Cups are shaping the ecosystem • Why details like venue vibe, entrance flow, and even what people wear can set the tone for true connection Whether you’re an event host, startup founder, or just love showing up to meet great people, this episode is packed with insights on how we can all keep building together. | |||
| This Week in San Diego Tech - March 27, 2025 | 27 Mar 2025 | 00:30:46 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital. My co-hosts in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. 3/27 We recorded this week’s pod live on LinkedIn Live here. What did you think? Neal speaking at Escondido City Council in support of the new AgX Hub NCAA update Pura Vida sold for $1m 23&Me bankruptcy Events.com buying spree Natalie Rocha leaving the UT for NYT Fellowship Entos Pharmaceuticals Expands in Canada Natilus 250,000 sq. ft. facility
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote Marching Mingle - March 26 StartupSD Co Working Day - March 28 Bootstrappers Event April 1
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| This Week in San Diego Tech - March 20, 2025 | 20 Mar 2025 | 00:26:07 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital. My co-hosts in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. On with the show!
3/20 UCSD/SDSU Basketball in the brackets! Exits: ServiceNow - made an acquisition Fundings:
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote Dev & Data Night x CTO Talks - March 20 SD Startup Mixer - March 24 SD Hardware Meetup - March 25 Marching Mingle - March 26 | |||
| This Week in San Diego - March 7, 2025 | 07 Mar 2025 | 00:26:37 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital. My co-hosts in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.
In this episode we talk about: Top Funding and Ecosystem News from Fred’s Business of San Diego newsletter San Diego publicly traded life science companies had a 86% increase performance in 2024 compared to 10-20% in SF & Boston - Fred’s post about this Recent fundraises First IPO in SD of 2025! Acquisitions New venture fund from the Prebys Foundation and leadership changes at Connect
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote Debrief - defense tech dinner & pre-sneak of San Diego Defense Day Founder Build Days on March 19 & 20 Dev & Data Night x CTO Talks on March 20 | |||
| Building Together: Growing San Diego's Startup Scene | 26 Feb 2025 | 00:51:19 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. In Part Two of this roundtable discussion, we go deeper into why tech ecosystem builders Jonah Peake of The Social Coyote and The Career Coyote and Hussein Yahfoufi of Startup Beach, are building their platforms. We discuss their founder journeys, the problems they each saw worth solving, and how the local startup ecosystem looks different—and better—thanks to their solutions. Highlights:
February’s North County Mixer - Feb 26 Pack of One: Solopreneurs, Remote from HQ, and Han-Solos - March 6 March SD Founders Hike - March 7
Help shape our community: fill out this short survey and tell us what events you think San Diego still needs!
Other links referenced on the pod: | |||
| Building Together: Growing San Diego’s Startup Scene | 18 Feb 2025 | 00:50:29 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. In this special roundtable episode, we dive into the power of in-person events in building and strengthening the San Diego startup ecosystem. I’m joined by two of my ecosystem-building besties: Jonah Peake of The Social Coyote and The Career Coyote and Hussein Yahfoufi of Startup Beach. Together, we discuss why community-driven events are essential, how they fuel startup growth, and what it takes to build a thriving local network. Jonah Peake has been a driving force in centralizing and curating San Diego’s startup events through his Social Coyote newsletter. His passion for making connections easy has led him to compile the “Who You Need to Know in San Diego” list and build a resource hub for founders, job seekers, and ecosystem players. Hussein Yahfoufi saw a gap in the local event landscape and built Startup Beach, a platform that makes it easier for organizers and attendees to discover, share, and engage with events. The platform just hit 100 live events and recently launched the Asks & Offers feature to help the community better support one another. Links & Resources Mentioned: 📌 Jonah’s Who You Need to Know in San Diego List: LinkedIn Post 📌 Startup Beach – Your hub for local startup events: Website 📌 Startup Beach Asks & Offers – A new way to connect: Check it out! Action Item! What events don’t exist in San Diego but should? Let’s make them happen! Submit your event ideas here: Event Ideas Form 🎧 Tune in to hear how we're building together as Jonah and Hussein are shaping San Diego’s startup scene—one event at a time! | |||
| Scaling Impact: Scot Chisholm on Evolving from Founder to Leader | 05 Feb 2025 | 01:14:48 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, Neal Bloom sits down with Scot Chisholm, the founder of Highland and co-founder of Classy, to discuss what it truly takes to scale leadership alongside a growing company. After leading Classy from a small startup to its acquisition by GoFundMe, Scot saw firsthand that scaling a company is only possible if you scale its leaders. That insight led to the creation of Highland—a community-driven leadership experience designed for high-growth founders to navigate the challenges of leadership, build better teams, and sustain long-term success. Scot shares the key inflection points in his own journey, the biggest lessons learned, and how founders can avoid the leadership pitfalls that stall growth.
🔥 In This Episode, We Cover: • The hardest challenges Scot faced as a founder and how they shaped his leadership. • Why scaling a company is impossible without scaling leadership. • How Highland is redefining leadership development for high-growth founders. • The “Founder Mode vs. Leader Mode” framework and how to transition effectively. • The mindset shift from running a company to empowering teams to run it with you. • And of course, his favorite taco spots! 🌮
🚀 Resources & Mentions: 🔗 Classy 🔗 Highland 🔗 How to Scale Your Company in Founder Mode 🔗 Previous Tacos & Tech Episode with Scot Chisholm
🌮 Tune in to hear how Scot turned leadership challenges into a playbook for growth—and why Highland is the community every founder needs. | |||
| This Week in San Diego Tech - January 30, 2025 | 30 Jan 2025 | 00:44:19 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital. My co-hosts in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. AND Jonah Peake Jonah Peake, runs The Social Coyote & the Career Coyote newsletters , promoting events and jobs in the San Diego tech ecosystem. Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!
1/30/2025 Fred’s trip debrief Any SD Super Bowl ad sighting predictions? Fundings: Take on 2025 already - new administration, opportunities for SD Iridia sends crypto wallet to the moon
Howlin’ Jobs! By Career Coyote Top clicked jobs and companies
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote North County Startup Mixer breaks 200! Founders Institute San Diego applications due this Sunday - Feb 2 Feb Founders Hike - Feb 7 | |||
| This Week in San Diego Tech - January 24, 2025 | 24 Jan 2025 | 00:43:05 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital. My co-host in this episode is guest host Jonah Peake, who previously co-hosted with me and runs The Social Coyote newsletter, promoting events in the San Diego tech ecosystem. Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.
1/24/2025 TechCon SoCal debrief Future of Healthcare debrief Fundings AskTuring Seed $1M Deep Vector Seed $1.5M Xilo Series A $7.2M Sonocharge Energy $23.5M Netradyne Series D $90M Biggest deal of 2024 - Vuori Biggest VC fund raise of 2024 - Neos and StepStone
Howlin’ Jobs! By Career Coyote Top clicked jobs and companies Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote Carlsbad Life Action Tech/Sports and Active Lifestyle Gathering - Feb 4
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| This Week in San Diego Tech - January 16, 2025 | 16 Jan 2025 | 00:38:30 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital. My co-host in this episode is guest host Jonah Peake, who previously co-hosted with me and runs The Social Coyote newsletter, promoting events in the San Diego tech ecosystem. Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Tech Community. 1/16/2025 Sending love to our friends and family in LA Carlsbad revives commercial flights Fundings Timberlyne Therapeutics $180M Series A Light Horse Therapeutics $62M Series A Rybodyn $4M PreSeed CES Announcements Qualcomm - a lot of diverse chip use cases and AI ecosystem building Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote TechCon SoCal Preview - Jan 17 & 18 The Future of Healthcare - Jan 22 Carlsbad Life In Action Fashionphile - Feb 4 How to Angel Invest? - Feb 6 SD Founders Hike - Feb 7 From the Pack: | |||
| Energizing the Carlsbad & North County Startup Scene | 14 Jan 2025 | 00:28:02 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Tacos and Tech Podcast – Episode with Alexandra Renee Poelstra of Startup Grind Carlsbad
🎙️ Guest: Alexandra Renee Poelstra, Chapter Director of Startup Grind Carlsbad 📅 Episode Date: [Insert Date] 📍 Event Mentioned: Startup Grind Carlsbad - SG Global Pitch Battle Carlsbad (Neal will be a pitch judge) 🔗 Links: • Alexandra Renee Poelstra on LinkedIn • SG Global Pitch Battle - Carlsbad Event This Tuesday Jan. 14 • Startup Grind San Diego - Neal’s Past Interview
Episode Overview: In this episode of the Tacos and Tech Podcast, Neal sits down with Alexandra Renee Poelstra, the dynamic Chapter Director of Startup Grind Carlsbad, to discuss the exciting return of Startup Grind events in Carlsbad. Alexandra shares insights into how Startup Grind is reigniting the local entrepreneurial spirit and dives into details about their upcoming SG Global Pitch Battle Carlsbad event, where Neal will be serving as a pitch judge. They talk about the role Startup Grind plays in fostering startup communities globally and locally and how the Carlsbad chapter plans to support founders in the region. Alexandra also shares her own journey into entrepreneurship and community building. Neal reflects on his own past experience being interviewed by Startup Grind San Diego, bringing the conversation full circle as he now returns to the community in a new role supporting emerging founders.
Topics Covered: • Alexandra’s journey into the startup world and Startup Grind • Reviving Startup Grind Carlsbad after a hiatus • Details about the SG Global Pitch Battle Carlsbad and how founders can get involved • The importance of community in supporting founders • Neal’s previous experience as a guest on Startup Grind San Diego and now serving as a pitch judge
Upcoming Event Details: 📅 Event: SG Global Pitch Battle - Carlsbad - Jan. 14 📍 Location: Event Link 📝 Pitch Application Form: Apply Here Also mentioned Carlsbad Life In Action event on Feb. 4
Connect with Startup Grind Carlsbad: 🌐 Startup Grind Carlsbad Website 📲 Follow Alexandra on LinkedIn
Thank You to Our Partners: This episode is brought to you by Fresh Brewed Tech, serving up tech insights with a side of San Diego flavor, for everyone to savor. Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the Tacos and Tech Podcast on your favorite streaming platform! | |||
| This Week in San Diego Tech - January 9, 2025 | 09 Jan 2025 | 00:24:52 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital. My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community. HAPPY NEW YEAR! 1/9/2025 Top headlines Predictions 5 VC Investors Share Hot Takes and Predictions Neal’s predictions - IPO market, M&A, Fundings, In person M&A news Poseida deal closed, up $500m in purchase price. $1b to $1.5b Funding Gaming Startup Simulation Theory Raises $2M Seed Funding Crop Diagnostix raises $3.5M Seed Round Developments $85M film studio under construction in Chula Vista
Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote Startup Grind Carlsbad is back Jan 14 Angel Conference events on Jan 14 and Feb 18 Rumi AI HH - Jan 16 TechCon SoCal - Jan 17-18 The Future of Healthcare - Jan 22 ACG San Diego | CapCon24 - Feb 21-22
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| This Week in San Diego Tech - January 2, 2025 | 03 Jan 2025 | 00:27:53 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital. My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! 1/2/2025 Top Headlines V.C. Activity Tops $6 Billion in 2024 Join the conversation on Fred’s LinkedIn post Neal bets Luke Sophinos of Coursekey on number of IPOs in 2025 Fundings Janux Therapeutics - $350m Pleno - $25m growth round Hauler Hero - $10m seed round Teradata & Amazon partner on Gen AI GKN Aerospace opens new facility Heron Therapeutics Moves HQ From San Diego to North Carolina
Events – For full list – check The Social Coyote SD Founders Hike - Jan. 3 CES - San Diego showcase - let us know if you’ll be at CES Join me on Tuesday at this event or Wednesday at this event JP Morgan Healthcare conference January 13-16 (SF/Bay Area) TechCon SoCal - Jan 17-18
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| Bridging Silicon Valley and San Diego Through TechCon SoCal with Faisal Mushtaq | 20 Dec 2024 | 00:37:41 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. In this episode of the Tacos and Tech Podcast, we sit down with Faisal Mushtaq, a visionary CTO, serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and the founder of TechCon SoCal, one of the region’s fastest-growing tech summits. Faisal shares his inspiring journey from the San Francisco Bay Area to San Diego and how his mission to connect the two thriving ecosystems culminated in the creation of TechCon SoCal. What We Covered: • Faisal’s Career Path: From building and scaling Fortune 500 companies to leading startups to successful exits, Faisal shares insights from his extensive experience in digital transformation, operational excellence, and global team leadership. • The Founding of TechCon SoCal: What inspired Faisal to move to San Diego and create a tech summit that bridges the innovation of Silicon Valley with the collaborative spirit of San Diego. • Building Communities Through Tech: How events like TechCon SoCal are fostering partnerships, attracting talent, and sparking innovation between two of California’s most dynamic tech hubs. • Emerging Technologies: Faisal’s thoughts on the transformative potential of IoT and AI, and how these technologies are shaping the future of industries. • Advice for Entrepreneurs: Faisal’s strategies for scaling businesses, building strategic partnerships, and driving impactful go-to-market strategies. • Personal Vision: Faisal’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs through angel investing and mentorship. Key Quotes from Faisal: • “TechCon SoCal is about building bridges—between people, ideas, and ecosystems—to create something larger than any one of us can achieve alone.” • “San Diego is a hidden gem for innovation, and I’m passionate about amplifying its voice on a global stage.” About Faisal Mushtaq: With decades of experience as a technology leader, Faisal has driven transformative growth for public and private companies. His expertise in IoT, AI, and health and wellness innovations, combined with his dedication to fostering the startup ecosystem, makes him a key figure in advancing technology and entrepreneurship. Resources Mentioned: • TechCon SoCal Website: techconsocal.com • Connect with Faisal on LinkedIn: Faisal Mushtaq Join us for this exciting conversation with Faisal as we dive into his journey and his vision for connecting the Silicon Valley and San Diego tech communities! | |||
| From Ice to Innovation: How Hockey Happens with Colin Loveless of the Vegas Golden Knights | 16 Dec 2024 | 00:34:48 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. In this episode of the Tacos and Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom sits down with Colin Loveless of the Vegas Golden Knights, and recent winner at the Top Tech Awards Presented by Cox Business in Las Vegas. Colin shares the behind-the-scenes story of how technology drives performance, fan engagement, and operations for one of the NHL’s most exciting teams.
From IT systems to cybersecurity and innovation, Colin explains how he and his team use cutting-edge tools to keep the Golden Knights skating toward success, both on and off the ice.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode 1. Colin’s Career Journey: How he went from IT enthusiast to managing the tech infrastructure for an NHL team. 2. Tech Innovations in Hockey: Insights into the tools and systems that power the Vegas Golden Knights’ operations and fan experience. 3. Winning a Top Tech Award: Colin discusses the projects and contributions that earned him the prestigious recognition. 4. Challenges in Sports IT: Balancing cybersecurity, operational excellence, and real-time performance demands in a high-stakes environment. 5. Future of Sports Technology: Colin’s take on how AI, machine learning, and data-driven tools are transforming professional sports. And of course Colin's favorite taco spot!
Thanks to our friends at Cox Business for powering these technology conversations! | |||
| This Week in San Diego Tech News - December 11, 2024 | 11 Dec 2024 | 00:21:13 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital. My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community.
12/11 News Techstars SD by SDSU Demo Day Debrief San Diego GDP ($261B) bigger than 50% of US States and many countries
Fundings: CoachIQ - $1.3m preseed AI Chip Startup Kneron Seeks Funds at $1 Billion Valuation
Events – For full list – check The Social Coyote North County Startup Mixer - Dec 17 CES - San Diego showcase - let us know if you’ll be at CES JP Morgan Healthcare conference January 13-16 (SF/Bay Area) TechCon SoCal - Jan 17-18 | |||
| This Week in San Diego Tech News - December 5, 2024 | 05 Dec 2024 | 00:22:23 | |
Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m Neal Bloom from Fresh Brewed Tech, the Tacos and Tech Podcast, and Interlock Capital. My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter. Before we dive in, we wanted to ask our listeners and SD Tech fans to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community. 12/4 News Funding - SD VC funding through Q3 & Fred’s tweet Carlsbad’s Vuori secures $825M in funding, reaches $5.5B valuation Acquisitions/M&A -Kate Therapeutics acquired by Novartis for $1.1B -Roche Acquires Poseida for $1.5B -Lundbeck acquires Longboard Pharmaceuticals in $2.6B Neos Partners new fund - $1.37B
Events – For full list – check The Social Coyote SD Founders Hike - Dec 6 Tech The Halls - Dec 6 - THE tech holiday party! JP Morgan Healthcare conference January 13-16 (SF/Bay Area) TechCon SoCal - Jan 17-18
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