The Tech Trek

In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir Bormand sits down with Shang Wang, Co-founder and CTO of CentML, to explore the dynamic landscape of open source AI technologies and how enterprises are rapidly adapting to this growing ecosystem. Shang offers expert insights into why open source solutions are becoming essential in AI development, the advantages in security and privacy, and how CentML strategically contributes to this evolution.🌟 Key Takeaways:Open Source Dominance in AI: Open-source technologies have become foundational to AI development, promoting innovation, transparency, and faster problem-solving.Enterprise Adoption Shift: Enterprises are increasingly embracing open source solutions in AI, driven by the need for greater transparency, data privacy, and community-driven innovation.CentML’s Impact: CentML leverages open source through developing tools and infrastructure that optimize AI model deployment, training, and performance at scale.Security and Privacy Advantages: Open-source AI solutions provide enterprises with enhanced control over data privacy and security, challenging traditional assumptions that closed-source means more secure.💬 Notable Quote:"Open source gives you more control. If there’s a security flaw, you can fix it. If there’s a privacy issue, you can build safeguards. Closed source leaves you hoping nothing goes wrong.” – Shang Wang⏰ Timestamped Highlights:00:00: Introduction to Shang Wang and CentML01:28: Origins of open source AI in academia03:30: Differences in developing with open vs. closed-source solutions05:10: Impact of open-source tools on talent development and recruitment07:16: Predictions on the future of open-source AI10:05: Deep dive into CentML’s tools and open-source integrations19:46: Real-world applications of CentML, exemplified through banking22:57: Addressing misconceptions about open source security27:42: How to connect with Shang Wang📞 Connect with Shang Wang:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shang-sam-wang-52851489🎙️ Subscribe, Rate, and Review: Let us know your thoughts and stay updated with future episodes of The Tech Trek!

In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir sits down with Andrew Levy, CEO and Co-founder of AirCover.ai, to explore how agentic AI is transforming the sales landscape. Andrew shares how AirCover builds real-time digital assistants that empower sales teams, the role of humans in AI-driven workflows, and how enterprises—both nimble and traditional—are adopting these tools to leap ahead. From change management to trust-building and the rise of “little language models,” this conversation unpacks what it really means to bring AI into the heart of go-to-market strategies.🔑 Key Takeaways1. Real-Time AI for Real-World Sales AirCover.ai builds AI agents that operate in real time alongside sales reps, surfacing the right information at the right moment, and helping teams scale more effectively with digital counterparts.2. Scaling Expertise, Not Replacing Teams Rather than replacing humans, agentic AI amplifies expertise—like turning one sales engineer into six through virtual counterparts, unlocking growth, not cuts.3. Human-in-the-Loop Is the Bridge Especially in regulated industries, “human-in-the-loop” AI design helps companies automate workflows while maintaining control, transparency, and trust.4. Model Confidence Matters for Adoption Andrew emphasizes trust-building in AI by surfacing high-confidence data and leveraging behavior signals to continually improve user experience and relevance.5. Little Language Models Are the Future Expect a shift from massive models to specialized ones—“little language models”—tailored per team or even per individual, making AI more personalized and effective.⏱️ Timestamped Highlights00:00 – Meet Andrew Levy Intro to Andrew and AirCover.ai – building digital agents for live sales calls.02:21 – The Origin of AirCover Andrew shares the story behind the idea, influenced by challenges scaling sales enablement at VMware.06:50 – Spotting the Market Gap When tech and market timing intersect: how AI-native thinking unlocked new possibilities.08:53 – Change Management From Day One Why ease of use and seamless workflow integration were key in early product design.11:26 – Enterprise AI Adoption Trends Big companies are leapfrogging past previous tech gaps by going all-in on AI.13:55 – AI as an Extension, Not a Replacement How AI fills capability gaps without threatening job loss—and why that’s a key adoption driver.16:47 – Agentic Workflows in Action Examples of tasks AI handles autonomously vs. where human oversight is essential.20:07 – Confidence, Trust, and Adoption Andrew talks about how AirCover builds trust through transparency, high-confidence responses, and adaptive learning signals.22:34 – The Shift to Smaller, Smarter Models A peek into the near future of AI: narrow, task-specific models that are ultra-personalized.23:24 – Final Thoughts & How to Connect Andrew’s contact info and closing takeaways from Amir.💬 Featured Quote“This isn't about replacing your team with AI—it's about giving them superpowers. Imagine taking your best solution engineer and scaling their expertise across your entire team.” — Andrew Levy, CEO of AirCover.ai

Guest: Viraj Narayanan, CEO of Cornerstone AI🔑 Key TakeawaysHealthcare data is messy by default. It's generated by countless sources with different standards—think EMRs, Apple Watches, and pharmacy systems—making research data fragmented and hard to use.AI can clean up the mess. Cornerstone AI applies automation to standardize and improve the fidelity of clinical research data, significantly cutting down manual effort.Productivity > Replacement. Rather than replacing jobs, AI is helping PhDs and data scientists focus on higher-value tasks, enabling more research and faster discovery.Standardization is foundational. Without clean, consistent data, the insights drawn—even with AI—are limited or flawed.Trust is earned. The biggest mindset shift is seeing your own messy data cleaned instantly by AI, not a polished demo set.Patients win too. Cleaner, faster data means more reliable research, potentially more personalized medicine, and better access to understandable information.💬 Quote of the Episode“We’re going to look back in 10 years and think—‘I can’t believe we had PhDs doing that kind of manual data work.’”— Viraj Narayanan⏱ Timestamped Highlights00:00 – Intro to Viraj and Cornerstone AI: Automating healthcare data quality01:54 – The "plumbing problem" of healthcare data and what no one thinks about04:48 – Why AI in healthcare often starts with admin—not research05:35 – Steph Curry and SNOMED: How basketball shows us the need for standardization08:58 – Wild West of research data: From 2% lift to 40%+ with AI11:41 – Why research is built on redundancy and how AI rewires the model14:43 – Change management: From trust to technical buy-in to leadership alignment18:42 – Will AI take jobs? No—but it will transform what we do with talent21:03 – What patients will see: Cleaner, faster, more understandable data23:49 – Where to reach Viraj and final thoughts📢 Like what you heard?Share this episode with a friend in tech or healthcareSubscribe, rate & review The Tech Trek wherever you listen

On this episode of The Tech Trek, we're diving deep into the intersection of engineering, product, and business thinking with Vineet Goel — Co-Founder and Chief Product & Technology Officer at Parafin, a fast-growing fintech startup powering small businesses on platforms like DoorDash, Amazon, and Walmart.We unpack what it really means to build a company where engineers are product thinkers, why bringing in product managers too early can backfire, and how AI is reshaping what it means to write code — and who’s best positioned to thrive in this new world.Vineet shares how Parafin scaled with just two PMs to 25 engineers, why every engineer shadows customer support calls, and how GenAI might collapse the wall between product and engineering entirely.Whether you're an engineer, product leader, founder, or just curious where the future of tech orgs is headed — this conversation is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.🧠 Key TakeawaysDon’t hire PMs too early. Founders should own product-market fit before bringing on a product leader.Engineers need a business mindset. At Parafin, engineers are ruthlessly customer-focused — many even shadow support calls.GenAI will change everything. Writing code is becoming a commodity. Future engineers will need to blend product and technical skills.The product org evolves with scale. Vineet shares when and why Parafin added a Head of Product, and how it shifted org dynamics.PMs should create leverage, not just roadmaps. When engineers are stretched thin, PMs help teams stay focused and effective.⏱️ Timestamped Highlights00:46 – What is Parafin?A fintech startup empowering small businesses on platforms like Amazon and DoorDash with embedded financial services.02:35 – Org Design at ParafinWhy they built a structure that’s neither product- nor engineering-led, but customer-obsessed.05:09 – 25 Engineers, 2 PMsHow a product-minded engineering culture powers massive output and scale.06:40 – Customer Empathy as CultureEngineers shadow support calls—and sometimes ship fixes within the hour.08:50 – When to Hire a Head of ProductWhat prompted the shift, and how it solved growing pains around complexity and speed.11:59 – PMs Create LeverageBringing in PMs at the right time accelerates decision-making and keeps engineers focused.14:28 – Dual Hat of CPTOHow Vineet balances strategy, execution, and organizational leadership.16:34 – GenAI’s Impact on EngineersCode is getting commoditized. Engineers must evolve—or risk becoming obsolete.19:14 – What Happens to Product Roadmaps?AI will speed up delivery—product teams need to dream further ahead, faster.21:11 – The ‘Shift Left’ of EngineeringEngineers are moving closer to the business—Vineet predicts a product-tech hybrid role will dominate.💬 Quote Worth Sharing“Being product and business minded will become a necessity—not a nice to have. Code is becoming a commodity. The future belongs to those who can build and think.”— Vineet Goel, CPTO at Parafin

In this episode, Amir sits down with Meg Henry, Head of People & Talent at Companyon Ventures, to unpack a critical—yet often overlooked—aspect of growing technical teams: onboarding.Engineering leaders spend weeks hiring top talent, only to fumble the first 90 days. Meg shares a tactical, startup-friendly approach to onboarding that actually helps new hires ramp faster, become productive sooner, and stick around longer. If you’ve ever onboarded a dev by tossing them a laptop and saying "Good luck," this one’s for you.🗝️ Key Takeaways for Tech Leaders:Weak onboarding kills productivity. Even A+ hires won’t thrive if they don’t know how to succeed.You’re losing time, not saving it. A 30-minute onboarding plan can prevent months of confusion.Hybrid makes things harder. Without structure, async teams sink.Consistency beats chaos. No two roles are the same, but every new hire should feel supported.AI can help you scale onboarding. Especially when documentation is scattered across Slack, Notion, and Drive.🕒 Timestamped Highlights:[00:02:00] Why startups obsess over hiring—but ignore onboarding[00:04:30] That awkward new hire phase, and how to design around it[00:05:45] Hybrid onboarding: Why access > answers[00:07:15] The two onboarding tracks every company needs: company-wide + role-specific[00:09:30] Founders want plug-and-play hires—but that doesn’t work without a plan[00:10:45] "Here’s your map": how tech leads can shortcut the ramp-up curve[00:13:30] Using ChatGPT to build lightweight onboarding flows? Yes, here’s how[00:15:45] Spotting weak onboarding when you inherit a team[00:18:15] Customization vs. consistency: how much is too much?[00:20:00] Time investment: just 2.5 hours over 3 months💬 Quote of the Episode:“Before GPS, you wouldn’t invite someone over and just say, ‘Figure out how to get here.’ Even your most autonomous hires need directions.” — Meg Henry📬 Connect with Meg:Meg’s helping early-stage B2B startups scale smarter. Connect with her on LinkedIn (Meg Henry, Companyon Ventures) and ask for her free onboarding template—it’s lightweight, practical, and startup-tested.

In this episode, Carlos Peralta returns to The Tech Trek to dive deep into data culture in the wearable tech space, sharing how WHOOP turns petabytes of real-time biometric data into personalized, actionable insights. We explore the technical complexities behind data ingestion, transformation, and delivery, and how the mission-driven nature of WHOOP influences both their engineering decisions and company culture.🔑 Key TakeawaysWearable tech = real-time big data: WHOOP processes petabytes of multimodal data from edge devices to deliver insights to users in near real time.Data must be actionable, not just abundant: It's not about the quantity of data collected, but how that data is translated into meaningful guidance for users.ML Ops is central to product success: The data and ML infrastructure team plays a critical role in feature development, roadmap planning, and performance optimization.Mission fuels motivation: WHOOP’s internal culture is deeply driven by its impact on human performance—employees are often users of the product themselves.Scalability ≠ just growth: Cost-efficiency, forecasting, and cloud infrastructure readiness are vital to scaling responsibly in a global market.⏱️ Timestamped Highlights00:00 – Intro to Carlos & the mission behind WHOOP02:19 – Data culture at WHOOP vs. traditional companies04:15 – Scale of data in wearables: petabytes, not megabytes05:52 – Complexity of ingesting, transforming, and delivering personalized data08:53 – Striking a balance: Real-time feedback vs. cloud cost efficiency11:14 – Scaling the platform as the member base expands globally13:43 – Internal motivation and culture driven by positive impact stories15:56 – Why data teams are involved early in the product roadmap17:59 – Carlos’ journey from WHOOP user to WHOOP employee20:40 – How to connect with Carlos + final thoughts💬 Quote of the Episode“You can have petabytes of data, but if you can’t make it queriable, understandable, and actionable—it’s just noise.” — Carlos Peralta

In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir Bormand sits down with Max Mergenthaler-Canseco, CEO and co-founder of Nixla, to explore the nuanced reality behind startup success. A multi-time founder with experience as both CEO and CTO, Max shares hard-earned lessons from his entrepreneurial journey—including why theoretical knowledge often clashes with real-world execution, how to build a resilient startup team, and the underestimated danger of survivorship bias in startup lore.From balancing optimism with statistical failure rates to knowing when to focus on strengths over weaknesses, Max delivers practical wisdom for anyone navigating the startup grind. Whether you're a first-time founder or on your third venture, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about what it really takes to succeed in tech.🔑 Key TakeawaysExperience is not a blueprint, it's a lens. Max breaks down how startup learnings aren’t always repeatable but instead shape the founder’s decision-making over time.Passion is the sustainability engine. You have to love what you're building, not just what the market wants—otherwise, you won’t last through the inevitable startup grind.Founders vs. early employees. Understanding the difference in motivation and expectations is crucial to building and managing a startup team effectively.Survivorship bias is everywhere. Max cautions against building a startup playbook based only on outlier success stories.Know your lane. Instead of leveling up all weaknesses, focus on doubling down where your strengths make the biggest impact.⏱️ Timestamped Highlights00:44 – What is Nixla? Max introduces his company, a time series forecasting and anomaly detection startup with deep roots in research.01:34 – Serial founder life Max gives a quick snapshot of his startup journey, from NLP experiments to YC-backed fintech.03:21 – Startup experience ≠ shortcut to success Why practical experience matters more than theoretical frameworks, and how each startup is its own universe.07:59 – Playing the startup game because you love it Max explains why loving the problem you’re solving is essential for long-term survival and sanity.10:53 – Hiring the right people early What Max looks for in early-stage team members—and why founders shouldn't expect employees to grind the same way they do.13:24 – CEO vs. CTO: Vision vs. Execution A thoughtful breakdown of the distinct roles and responsibilities between CEO and CTO, especially in early-stage companies.16:27 – Strengths over Weaknesses Why Max believes in focusing on what you do well, rather than fixing every flaw.20:25 – The trap of survivorship bias A fascinating conversation about how the startup ecosystem overemphasizes success stories and ignores the valuable lessons of failure.How to reach Max LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mergenthaler/💬 Featured Quote“The only way to keep playing the startup game is to actually enjoy the game.” — Max Mergenthaler-Canseco

In this episode, I sit down with Jason Rogers, CEO & Co-Founder of Invary, to explore an unconventional approach to building a cybersecurity startup—leveraging a tech transfer agreement with the NSA. Jason shares his journey of launching a company around licensed technology, the benefits and challenges that come with it, and why runtime system integrity is becoming a crucial factor in modern security strategies.We also dive into how AI is changing the cybersecurity landscape, the importance of real-time security validation, and how companies can better protect their systems against evolving threats.Key Takeaways🔹 Tech transfer provides a competitive edge – Licensing government-developed technology can offer startups a head start with validated, battle-tested IP.🔹 Security needs to be proactive, not reactive – Real-time validation of system integrity can prevent breaches before they escalate.🔹 Collaborative research fuels innovation – Invary works with the NSA and academic institutions to advance security capabilities.🔹 AI is expanding the attack surface – As AI adoption grows, ensuring system and data integrity will be more critical than ever.🔹 Zero trust applies to machines too – It’s not enough to verify users—organizations must continuously verify their systems.Timestamped Highlights⏳ 00:01 – Introduction to Jason Rogers and Invary’s mission⏳ 00:49 – How NSA-licensed technology is securing critical systems⏳ 01:36 – The journey from research-backed tech to startup success⏳ 02:56 – The challenges and benefits of building a business around licensed IP⏳ 05:32 – Collaborating with government research teams for innovation⏳ 09:33 – How engineers adapt to the tech transfer model⏳ 14:06 – Why runtime integrity is the missing piece in security⏳ 16:34 – The shift from traditional security models to real-time validation⏳ 19:27 – AI’s growing attack surface and what it means for security⏳ 23:28 – Predicting future cybersecurity challenges in an AI-driven world⏳ 24:00 – How to connect with JasonQuote from the Episode“The bad guys collaborate all the time. It’s time for the good guys to do the same.” – Jason RogersConnect with Jason Rogers🔗 Website: Invary.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonlrogers/Stay Connected with The Tech Trek!🎧 Like what you heard? Subscribe, rate, and review on your favorite podcast platform!📩 Have feedback or guest suggestions? Connect with Amir on LinkedIn.🔔 Follow for more deep dives into technology, security, and innovation.

In this episode, Amir sits down with Kaustav Das to discuss one of the most critical yet challenging aspects of analytics—asking the right questions. They explore how analytics leaders can better navigate conversations with stakeholders, ensuring they gather the correct requirements and deliver actionable insights. The conversation touches on the evolving role of analytics, the impact of generative AI in business intelligence, and how decision-making is shifting toward more conversational data engagement.Key TakeawaysThe Power of Asking the Right Questions: The quality of analytics is only as good as the questions being asked. Stakeholders’ intent must be fully understood before diving into solutions.Balancing Speed with Thoughtfulness: Quoting Einstein, Kaustav highlights the importance of preparation: “If I were to chop a tree down in an hour, I would spend 55 minutes sharpening my blade.” Rushing to a solution without understanding the problem leads to inefficiencies.Technology vs. Process: Not all business challenges require a technology-driven solution. Often, simpler process optimizations can be more effective.Conversational Analytics & AI: Generative AI is shaping analytics by making data interactions more intuitive, but expertise in asking the right questions remains critical.Roadmapping for Success: The PTP (Present-To-Path) framework helps stakeholders clarify their goals, define a roadmap, and create an execution timeline for analytics projects.The Art vs. Science of Analytics: Analytics is more of an art than a science. Understanding business goals, managing multiple stakeholders, and iterative questioning are key to driving value.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] Introduction to the episode and guest, Kaustav Das.[01:08] Why asking the right questions is critical in analytics.[04:58] Do technologists jump to solutions too quickly?[06:01] The balance between planning and execution in a fast-paced environment.[07:28] The high failure rate of technology projects—why intent matters.[10:52] The five “whys” technique and getting to the core of business problems.[12:24] The future of analytics—can it become more conversational?[17:03] Measuring ROI in marketing and media analytics.[20:29] Where to connect with Kaustav Das.Quote of the Episode"If I were to chop a tree down in an hour, I would spend 55 minutes sharpening my blade." – Albert Einstein, referenced by Kaustav DasConnect with Kaustav DasLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaustavanalytics/Enjoyed the episode?Share this with your network!Subscribe, rate, and review The Tech Trek on your favorite podcast platform.Connect with us on social media and let us know what you think!

What happens when you build a business around what you genuinely love? In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir sits down with Michael Farb, CEO of Boatsetter — the Airbnb of boats — to unpack how passion can be a strategic advantage in tech entrepreneurship.Michael shares his journey of launching multiple businesses rooted in personal interests, from college sports to global philanthropy to now, outdoor water adventures. Together, they explore what it really takes to turn a personal obsession into a scalable business, how to identify real opportunities in your hobbies, and why solving a specific problem matters more than chasing a massive market.Whether you're dreaming about launching your own thing or leading product inside a startup, this conversation is packed with insights on product-market fit, customer discovery, and building teams who care as much as you do.🧠 Key TakeawaysPassion is a superpower: When you’re obsessed with a hobby or space, you naturally develop deep insights others don’t see — and that can unlock serious business potential.Solving problems > chasing scale: Michael shares how the best businesses often start by solving a very specific problem — even if that solution doesn't scale at first.Inspiration is everywhere: Whether it’s boats, black cars, or model airplanes, there’s almost always a business idea hiding in what people love to do.Team alignment is critical: Boatsetter thrives by hiring people who live and breathe outdoor adventure — passion isn't just a founder trait, it's company-wide.Don’t overthink TAM: Many aspiring founders kill ideas too early worrying about market size. Start small, build value, and the market might grow with you.⏱️ Timestamps & Highlights00:00 – IntroductionMichael Farb joins Amir to talk about building businesses around personal passions and how that philosophy led to Boatsetter.01:00 – What is Boatsetter?A two-sided marketplace for boat rentals in 700+ global locations. No boating license? No problem.02:20 – Michael’s Entrepreneurial JourneyFrom sports recruiting tech to nonprofit fundraising platforms — every business tied back to something he personally cared about.04:45 – How to See the Business in Your Passion“If you’re obsessed with a space, you’ll know more than anyone else. That’s your edge.”08:00 – Advice for Aspiring Passion-Driven EntrepreneursLook for friction points in your hobby — that’s where business opportunities are born.10:50 – Employees with PassionBoatsetter hires people who love the water. They even get boating credits as part of their benefits.14:00 – Working with Product Teams as a Passionate CEOMichael partners closely with product to scale both sides of the marketplace — consumers and boat owners.16:00 – Would He Ever Build a Business Without Passion?Short answer: No. The passion + business combo has worked too well to ditch.19:00 – Do You Need Market Research to Start?Michael skips the spreadsheets — he talks to real people and builds MVPs to validate problems.21:30 – “Do Things That Don’t Scale”The early Boatsetter days were scrappy. Human-powered logistics and manual processes — until the model was proven.24:40 – How to Connect with MichaelFind him on LinkedIn or visit Boatsetter.com.💬 Quote to Share“Don’t get paralyzed trying to figure out how big the market is — just solve a real problem. Everything big started small.” – Michael FarbWant more stories like this?Follow, rate, and share The Tech Trek wherever you get your podcasts. Got feedback or guest suggestions? Hit up Amir on LinkedIn or drop a comment.