TechSurge: Deep Tech VC Podcast
Exploring topics at the intersection of emerging technology, venture capital, and business trends.
Hosted by Celesta Capital.
The TechSurge: Deep Tech VC Podcast shares the latest insights directly from legendary Silicon Valley leaders, daring new founders, and visionary technologists.
Join us as we examine the factors shaping the next major technology cycle shift of AI, examine emerging global tech hubs, and analyze where investment dollars are flowing next.
Each discussion delves into the intersection of technology advancement, market dynamics, and the founder journey, offering insights into the vast opportunities and complex challenges ahead.
For entrepreneurs, investors, or anyone interested in where we're headed next, this is your guide to understanding the technologies and companies poised to transform the future.
Inside Nokia’s Strategy: CSTO Nishant Batra on Telecom’s Future, Brand Reinvention, and Betting on Bell Labs
In this episode of TechSurge, host Sriram Viswanathan sits down with Nishant Batra, Chief Strategy and Technology Officer at Nokia, for a deep dive into the evolving landscape of telecom and wireless technology. Nishant shares insights into the seismic shifts transforming network infrastructure—from core networks to edge computing—and discusses how Nokia leverages artificial intelligence to optimize performance and drive innovation.
The conversation also highlights Nokia's unique innovation framework, spanning its corporate venture investments, internal incubator, and expansion of the legendary Bell Labs. Today Nokia leverages Bell Labs’ groundbreaking research into emerging technology for internal innovation and new venture spinouts in collaboration with venture capital firms, including recently announced inaugural spinout startup, Astranu.
Join host Michael Marks as he discusses the transformative potential of technology in the construction industry with leaders from three innovative companies: Ash Bhardwaj, CEO and co-founder of Onx Homes; Trevor Schick, CEO of Slate.ai; and Camilo Restrepo, CEO of Biomason. The conversation delves into the challenges of disrupting the construction sector, the roles of AI and data in improving productivity, and novel approaches to sustainability and affordability in home building. Explore the future of construction technology and the strides these companies are making towards resilient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly construction solutions.
In this episode of TechSurge: The Deep Tech Podcast, host Nicholas Brathwaite of Celesta Capital speaks with Christian Mitchell, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Northwestern Mutual, about the profound digital transformation happening in the financial services and insurance sectors. The discussion covers how legacy systems are being modernized, the role of AI in enhancing underwriting and customer experiences, and the increasing importance of cybersecurity in safeguarding sensitive data.
Christian also shares insights on the evolution of FinTech startups and Northwestern Mutual’s approach to investing in and partnering with innovative tech companies, providing a deep dive into how technology is reshaping long-established industries while balancing innovation with regulatory and customer needs.
In this episode, we explore the future of mobility and AI with Aicha Evans, CEO of Zoox, a leading developer of autonomous robotaxis and an Amazon company. Joining Celesta Capital’s founding partner Sriram Viswanathan, Aicha shares her journey from Senegal to Silicon Valley, where she led groundbreaking innovations at Intel before taking the helm at Zoox.
Together, they discuss the challenges and opportunities in autonomous transportation, the evolving role of AI in various industries, and the critical importance of safety, customer experience, and scaling in the robotaxi space.
Tune in for insights on the future of transportation and the transformative potential of AI in shaping our daily lives.
Will AI will take away all of our jobs? Is technology eroding privacy? Is the pace of technology advancement too fast?
We address these questions and more topics around global science and technology policy with Rob Atkinson, founder and president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. Speaking with Celesta Capital founding partner Nic Brathwaite, Rob dives into the intersection of technology, innovation, and public policy, covering topics such as ethical AI, the role of China in the global innovation race, and the realities facing smaller economies in blossoming into tech hubs. Rob shares his insights on innovation economics, government policy, and the critical role of entrepreneurs in shaping the future of tech.
Fred Thiel, Chairman and CEO of Marathon Digital, dives us into the world of blockchain and cryptocurrency mining. Fred discusses the technological advancements in Bitcoin mining, including significant improvements in energy efficiency, and provides insights into the future of Bitcoin, predicting substantial growth in its value and its linkages with AI inference data centers. He also explains the relationship between Bitcoin and global economic factors, the potential for regulatory changes, and the evolving role of cryptocurrencies in both developed and developing markets, highlighting Bitcoin’s growing role as a store of value and a driver of financial sovereignty in the digital age.
Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra discusses his journey in the semiconductor industry and the growing strategic importance of the memory industry in the age of AI. He highlights innovation in high bandwidth memory (HBM), which enables faster data access and lower power consumption. Sanjay also discusses Micron’s plans to build new U.S. semiconductor factories and the role of the CHIPS Act in bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S. He shares his insights on the resurgence of hardware innovation and what it takes to drive technological leadership in a rapidly evolving industry.
Celesta Capital is a global deep tech venture firm enabling visionary founders at the forefront of scientific and engineering breakthroughs.
The pace and scale of technological discovery has never been greater. Celesta investments seek to capitalize on this opportunity, targeting companies that enable mass adoption of emerging tech, radically improve health outcomes, and transform large industries.
Celesta was founded by Silicon Valley veterans with decades of operating experience building and running global technology businesses. We deploy this intellectual capital to help guide and mentor founding teams to navigate complex business challenges, commercialize early-stage technologies, create new markets, and scale companies globally.
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