The Tech Blog Writer Podcast - Inspired Tech Startup Stories & Interviews With Tech Leaders, Entrepreneurs And Innovators

Are you getting what you need from Tech Talks Daily? Or is there something missing? In this episode, I’m stepping back from interviews to check in with you—my incredible listeners. I know I’m guilty of keeping my head down, recording back-to-back conversations, and pushing out episodes without stopping to ask: What do you want to hear more of? What should I cover less? Are there industries or tech trends you think deserve more attention? This show is all about exploring the impact of technology in and outside the workplace, breaking down the ROI and measurable impact of every innovation in a way that everyone can understand. But I want to make sure I’m asking the right questions and featuring the right voices.  So, tell me—what’s on your mind? I’m also taking Tech Talks Daily on the road! If you’re attending IGEL Now & Next 2025 in Miami or the Qualtrics X4 Summit in Salt Lake City or the Bay Area, why not grab a coffee or a beer and chat in person? Beyond the podcast, I work with businesses, leaders, and

How can brands leverage emerging technologies to drive real business results? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sit down with Sarah Salter, Global Head of Innovation and Platforms at Wavemaker, to explore how companies can move beyond hype and apply AI, AR/VR, and other innovations in ways that truly engage consumers and deliver measurable impact. With a background spanning 15 years and work on groundbreaking projects for brands like P&G, Nationwide, and the NHS, Sarah brings a unique perspective on digital transformation across industries. Innovation isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about solving real business challenges. Sarah shares how Wavemaker helps brands set clear KPIs and use emerging tech strategically, from AI-driven personalization to immersive brand experiences in gaming and the metaverse. We discuss key lessons from major tech initiatives, including the NHS’s COVID-19 WhatsApp response and Nationwide’s Local Voices campaign on Alexa and Google, and how these projects balanced agility, ac

How can AI transform project management without adding unnecessary complexity? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sit down with Miya McClain, VP of Product Management at Smartsheet, to explore how embedded AI tools are reshaping the way teams collaborate, manage data, and deliver successful projects.  With an engineering background and deep product expertise, Miya shares how Smartsheet is tackling some of the biggest challenges in project management, from data overload to team burnout. AI in project management isn't about replacing human decision-making—it's about enhancing it. Miya explains how Smartsheet’s AI-driven insights help teams cut through the "data mess," turning scattered information into clear, actionable intelligence. With 63% of eligible Smartsheet plans already leveraging AI tools, businesses are seeing improved efficiency, better decision-making, and a significant reduction in manual work. We also discuss how AI can proactively identify risks before they derail a project, providing manage

What is the future of document generation in 2025, and how should businesses navigate the risks of AI? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sit down with Christian Lund, co-founder of Templafy, to explore how AI-powered document automation is reshaping productivity, compliance, and security in modern enterprises. As companies push for greater efficiency, many are adopting AI tools to streamline workflows. But AI's effectiveness depends heavily on context—and context is something you can't always rely on users to provide. Christian shares why most people approach AI like a search engine, entering a handful of keywords and expecting the right results. But would you brief a colleague with just a few disjointed words? Better briefs lead to better outputs, whether you're working with humans or AI.  This is where Templafy steps in, delivering AI-powered document generation solutions that integrate seamlessly with platforms like Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and Salesforce. Trusted by over 800 enterprises, i

Is your organization prepared for an era in which AI does more than just offer a helping hand, but actively partner with human teams? In this episode of the Tech Talks Daily Podcast, I sit down with Randy Weakly, Chief AI Architect at ImageSource, to explore the fast-changing world of agentic AI and how it’s shaping the future of intelligent automation. After years of working in fields ranging from aerospace engineering to NASA, Randy now leads the AI efforts at ImageSource, a company that has spent decades refining enterprise content and customer experience products. He shares how ImageSource incorporates natural language processing and computer vision to manage documents across finance, healthcare, and government, showing how AI can tackle everything from scanning hundreds of forms to transcribing hours of audio. Randy highlights the importance of a human-in-the-loop approach, insisting that while AI can automate countless tasks, oversight keeps projects accurate and ethically grounded. He talks about Image

Are we ready for a hedge fund world where machine learning guides trading decisions and data scientists outnumber traditional traders? In this Tech Talks Daily Podcast episode, I sit down with Gary Collier, CTO of Man Group, to find out.  Man Group traces its roots back more than two centuries to its days supplying rum, yet it now stands at the forefront of AI-driven finance. Gary explains how the firm’s open-source platforms, Alpha and Rosa, power everything from signal generation to automated execution, all while keeping a firm grip on the art of human oversight. I found it intriguing how their internal ManGPT system used by over half the organization proves that large language models and neural networks aren’t just hyped. They’re part of daily operations in purely systematic strategies and supporting discretionary portfolio managers who want real-time insights from a sea of unstructured data. We also explore ArcticDB, Man Group’s open-source data science database, enabling it to process billions of rows qu

What will the future of AI accessibility look like when Big Tech no longer dominates the infrastructure? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I explore this question with Dr. Seena Rejal, the Chief Commercial Officer at NetMind.AI. Seena brings over 15 years of experience in deep tech ventures across the US and UK. As a two-time founder, investor, and now CCO of NetMind.AI, his mission is clear: democratize access to AI by breaking the centralized control of high-performance computing. NetMind.AI is pioneering a decentralized GPU computing platform through its blockchain-enabled NetMind Power, making AI affordable and accessible for everyone. But how exactly does decentralization level the playing field in an AI landscape dominated by major players? Seena shares his insights on how this approach not only empowers startups and researchers but also tackles some of the industry's most pressing challenges, such as GPU shortages, environmental costs, and Big Tech’s increasing appetite for nuclear energy. Our conve

Have you ever wondered how technology could help solve the growing challenges in the UK’s water industry? With increasing cost pressures and rising consumer demands, the water sector is at a critical juncture. In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I’m joined by Sandeep Bhattarai, Utilities Value Advisor at SAP UKI, to explore how digital solutions can help water companies navigate these turbulent times. SAP’s latest research reveals that 34% of water company leaders are grappling with challenging cost pressures, with 94% believing that investment must rise to meet customer expectations. Sandeep shares his insights into the root causes of these financial strains and how a lack of digital infrastructure is slowing progress. He explains how technology adoption, or the lack thereof, is impacting the industry's ability to meet the stringent requirements of AMP8, a five-year regulatory framework starting in 2025. As we unpack the complexities of the water network, Sandeep highlights how digital transformation can st

What does it take to transform a men’s health start-up into one of the fastest-growing digital healthcare providers in the UK? In this episode of The Tech Talks Daily Podcast, I explore this question with Sokratis Papafloratos, founder and CEO of Numan. Since launching Numan in 2018, Sokratis has overseen its remarkable journey from offering solutions for erectile dysfunction to becoming a full-scale digital healthcare provider supporting over 500,000 patients. The business generated £30 million in revenue in 2023 and more than doubled in 2024, while building a team of over 150 professionals. But Numan’s evolution isn’t just about scaling services—it’s about leading the future of health tech. Sokratis shares how Numan is setting new benchmarks by integrating AI, predictive analytics, and data science into its operations. We discuss the company’s latest innovation: the AI Health Assistant, a groundbreaking tool designed to offer personalised, real-time health guidance while adhering to rigorous safety and regu

What happens when AI agents begin to outnumber humans? In this episode of The Tech Talks Daily Podcast, I sit down with Steve Lucas, CEO of Boomi, to explore this thought-provoking prediction and what it means for businesses, the workforce, and society. With extensive experience leading companies through transformative journeys, Steve brings invaluable insights into how organizations can prepare for a future dominated by AI. Steve delves into the concept of the “AI big bang,” where AI agents are set to fundamentally reshape workforce dynamics and decision-making processes. He highlights how these agents are rapidly evolving, influencing everything from customer service and supply chain management to market analysis. But with this growth comes the pressing need for transparency, explainability, and control. How can businesses avoid being overwhelmed by this AI influx? Steve argues that companies must reimagine work processes and establish robust AI governance frameworks to ensure human oversight and ethical AI

What does it take to revolutionize the dining experience for a generation that holds $7.6 trillion in annual spending power? As America’s largest contingent of Baby Boomers approaches retirement, the demand for elevated dining in senior living communities has never been higher.  In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I’m joined by Joseph Cuticelli, CEO of Restaura, a company poised to disrupt the $45.1 billion foodservice contracting industry. Restaura is not just changing what’s on the menu—it’s redefining how technology, data science, and hospitality converge to create personalized dining experiences that cater to the evolving expectations of the Longevity Economy. During our conversation, Joseph shares how Restaura is setting new industry standards by leveraging artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and real-time data to gather resident feedback, optimize operations, and reduce food waste. With dining costs representing up to 20% of a senior living community’s operating expenses, Restaura’s tech-dri

The demand for seamless connectivity continues to grow as industries, businesses, and consumers increasingly rely on digital infrastructure. In today’s conversation, I’m joined by Christian Hillbrandt, CEO of Vantage Towers, to discuss how one of Europe’s largest tower companies is shaping the future of mobile networks. With 86,000 towers spread across 10 European markets, Vantage Towers is at the center of expanding 5G coverage and enhancing network reliability. Christian shares insights on the progress of 5G rollout across Europe, the challenges of building sustainable and scalable infrastructure, and why connectivity across transportation networks—such as highways, railways, and airports—is becoming a priority. We also explore the company’s efforts to drive efficiency through shared infrastructure, the shift toward renewable energy, and how Europe’s approach to connectivity compares to the U.S. As the demand for faster, more reliable networks increases, how will companies like Vantage Towers support innova

The internet is evolving, but so are the threats that come with it. The latest Bad Bot Report from Imperva, a Thales company, reveals a staggering statistic: nearly 50% of internet traffic now comes from non-human sources, with bad bots making up almost one-third of all online activity. These bots are no longer just simple scripts running in the background; they have become more advanced, leveraging AI to mimic human behavior and evade traditional detection methods. The consequences? A surge in transaction fraud, web scraping, data harvesting, and account takeovers, affecting industries across the board. In this episode, I'm joined by Lynn Marks, Senior Product Manager at Imperva, who returns to the podcast to break down the key findings of the 2024 Bad Bot Report. We explore how bot activity is evolving, why businesses need to rethink their approach to security, and what proactive steps can be taken to mitigate these threats. Lynn explains how attackers are shifting their focus from technical vulnerabilities

Are businesses truly prepared for the evolving world of AI regulations? As artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries, organizations face mounting challenges in managing data integrity, balancing compliance with innovation, and ensuring ethical implementation. In this episode, I welcome Juan Orlandini, CTO North America at Insight, to explore the shifting AI regulatory landscape and how companies can navigate the road ahead. With so much hype surrounding AI over the last two years, many businesses rushed to adopt new technologies, eager to stay ahead of the curve. But as the dust settles, a new focus emerges—responsibility, regulation, and long-term strategy. Juan breaks down AI into three broad categories: creators, adapters, and consumers. Each faces distinct challenges, particularly as global policymakers attempt to establish clear frameworks for responsible AI use. The conversation dives into why businesses should begin by focusing on internal AI applications, where the risks are lower, and t

In today’s episode, I welcome Ricardo Ferreira, EMEA Field CISO at Fortinet, to discuss how the UK's proposed Cybersecurity and Resilience Bill compares to the EU's NIS2 directive. Ricardo brings a wealth of experience in cybersecurity strategy and regulation, and he shares why he believes the UK's bill is missing key components that could make it truly effective. With Brexit allowing the UK to take an independent approach, Ricardo argues that there is a unique opportunity to cherry-pick the most effective elements from NIS2 while avoiding its potential pitfalls. But is the current bill providing enough clarity?  Ricardo highlights how the legislation introduces buzzwords like "digital supply chain" without actually outlining a clear path for addressing cyber threats. In contrast, NIS2 lays out a prescriptive approach that includes risk profiling, supply chain security frameworks, and post-breach recovery strategies. We also explore the growing need for board-level accountability in cybersecurity. Should exec

At the intersection of Web3, IoT, and AI, we're witnessing a technological shift that promises to redefine business, connectivity, and the metaverse itself.  In today’s episode, I’m joined by David Palmer, Chief Product Officer of PeerPoint by Vodafone, to explore the convergence of these technologies and what it means for the future of enterprise and digital interactions. David brings a wealth of experience in emerging technologies, and his new book, The Business of Metaverse, provides a roadmap for organizations looking to navigate and capitalize on the opportunities within this evolving digital landscape. He shares insights into how Web3 and AI are revolutionizing industries, enabling device-to-device transactions, and fueling new AI-driven business models. One of the most intriguing developments is Vodafone’s PeerPoint platform, the world’s first Web3 IoT platform, designed to give digital identities to IoT devices, allowing them to transact autonomously. Imagine in-car payments that don’t require additio

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Marco Fattori, CTO and co-founder of MicroAlign, to explore a groundbreaking innovation in fiber optics that could reshape quantum computing, data centers, AI, and space communication. The foundation of MicroAlign’s technology was laid during Marco’s Ph.D. research at Eindhoven University of Technology, where he tackled one of the biggest challenges in photonics—achieving ultra-efficient fiber-to-chip connectivity. With quantum computing advancing rapidly, every photon counts. Traditional fiber alignment methods struggle with precision, but MicroAlign’s micro-actuator technology achieves 100-nanometer accuracy, vastly improving photon transmission efficiency. This advancement is critical for quantum computers, where precise photon management directly impacts computational power and scalability. But the implications go far beyond quantum computing. We discuss how this technology can revolutionize data centers by supporting co-packaged optics, improve AI processing efficiency,

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Kristina Hloptsidis, Chief Innovation Officer at Signify, to explore how AI is streamlining compliance workflows in the manufacturing sector. With regulatory requirements constantly evolving and global supply chains growing more complex, companies are under increasing pressure to ensure compliance without sacrificing efficiency. Kristina and her team at Signify are tackling this challenge head-on by using AI to automate compliance checks, reduce manual effort, and provide real-time insights for manufacturers. Signify, a startup that recently spun out of the AI2 Incubator, has raised $2.1 million to develop its AI-powered platform designed to analyze regulatory documentation and reduce risk across the product lifecycle. But while AI holds immense promise, integrating it into legacy systems and established workflows isn’t always straightforward. Kristina shares the common challenges manufacturers face when adopting AI-driven compliance solutions, the strategies for overcoming

AI is everywhere, yet scaling it remains a serious challenge for many enterprises. Organizations are eager to move beyond pilot projects, but they quickly run into obstacles—cloud costs spiral out of control, GPUs sit idle due to inefficiencies, and infrastructure bottlenecks slow down innovation. If AI is supposed to be the future, why is the underlying infrastructure still holding it back? In this episode, I’m joined by John Blumenthal, Chief Product Officer at Volumez, and Diane Gonzalez, Senior Director of Business Development and Product, to unpack the hidden inefficiencies of AI infrastructure and explore whether Data Infrastructure as a Service (DIaaS) is the answer. They explain why traditional AI infrastructure models are failing and why manual optimization simply can’t keep up with modern AI workloads. John argues that the problem is beyond human management, stating, “No human being is going to be able to answer that question—to actually arrive at that optimization. So you have to turn it over to a

What happens when an industry as heavily regulated and historically slow-moving as pharma is forced to accelerate digital transformation? In today’s episode, I welcome Florian Schnappauf, Vice President of Enterprise Commercial Strategy at Veeva Systems, to discuss how Chief Digital Officers (CDOs) are reshaping the pharmaceutical landscape and why their role is now more critical than ever. The pharmaceutical sector faces mounting pressure to innovate faster, manage costs, and compete with digital-first biotechs. Research predicts the industry will spend $4.5 billion on digital transformation by 2030, a shift that has led to the emergence of CDOs in the pharma C-suite. But what does this role actually entail, and how does it help companies navigate the complexities of drug development, clinical trials, and commercialization? Florian shares insights on how CDOs are not just supporting digital initiatives but actively orchestrating, building, and operating them. From managing the sheer volume of data generated