Wharton Tech Toks

In this episode, Steph Kim chats with Oscar Höglund, Co-Founder and CEO of Epidemic Sound, the leading platform for world-class music and sound effects for brands and creators, with an expansive catalog seen and heard over 2.5 billion times a day worldwide. They discuss Epidemic Sound's innovative subscription-based model that simplifies music licensing and offers transparency and simplicity for both musicians and creators. Oscar opens up about his CEO role that has evolved from obsessing over ideas and product-market fit to focusing on scale. He emphasizes the importance of balancing paranoia and ambition in entrepreneurship.

Join Daniel Berkovits, the VP of Strategy of Via, to talk about how Via is digitizing the historically analog world of public transit to improve the experience of riders around the world.

For those interested in the intersection of tech and entertainment, join Steph Kim in this exciting one-hour episode as she dives into YouTube creator empowerment with Monica Khan (EVP, Creator Team) and Tyler L. Woods (Director Creator Experience Strategy & Programs) of Spotter, named one of TIME100's Most Influential Companies in 2023. In addition to providing top creators — from MrBeast to Airrack — with upfront capital, Spotter offers support through innovative AI tools, community, insights, and more. Monica and Tyler share their favorite creator success stories and offer advice for breaking into the industry.

Join Steph Kim as she chats with Camille Van Horne, Instacart's Director of Product Management, as they discuss the evolution and expansion of Instacart's services, including the launch of Instacart Platform. She shares insights on how Instacart is adapting to changing consumer behavior and the demand for convenience and personalization in grocery retail. They also discuss Instacart's approach to AI and the importance of long-term thinking and emotional intelligence in the product management role.

In this episode, we are joined by the VP and Head of Corporate Development at LinkedIn, Benjamin Orthlieb. We explore what corporate development entails at LinkedIn, build vs. buy decisions, and themes in the future of work that Ben is personally excited by.

In this episode, we're joined by Mike Collett, founder and managing partner of Promus Ventures, a VC firm focused on deep tech. We explore the evolving world of robotics, discussing everything from robotics-as-a-service to AI integration. Mike shares insights from his over two decades in venture capital on how robotics is transforming industries and impacting investors. Tune in to gain a unique perspective on where the technology is headed and how it's reshaping our world.

In today’s episode we are joined by Elisha Jacobs, Senior Associate at RedBlue Capital. Elisha helps unpack the complexities of venture capital within the mobility sector. Discover the future of transportation through investments in groundbreaking technologies and models that could redefine how we move goods and people around the globe. For anyone interested in the mobility sector, this episode serves as a great overview of the sector.

“We think about ways where we can combine human insight together with ML models that are able to think about the world around them and really expand the scope of what humans can do.” In this episode, Emma is joined by Vijay Karunamurthy, Field CTO at Scale AI, a company at the heart of the AI revolution. This episode focuses on the integral processes of AI testing and evaluation, highlighting the importance of ethical frameworks in the development of AI. Vijay shares examples from his work, illustrating the practical applications of these processes in ensuring AI technologies are both effective and responsible. A great listen for those interested in the intersection of AI, ethics, and practical applications!

"The biggest mistake we can make is saying space is only separate industry. Space crosses absolutely everything we do nowadays." In this episode we are joined by Melissa Quinn, General Manager of Seradata, a Slingshot Aerospace company. We discuss the pivotal role of data in ensuring space safety, sustainability, and the vital collaboration across global space markets. Melissa also sheds light on the emerging challenges and opportunities within the space insurance sector, the integration of AI in space data management, and the pressing need for diverse talents in this rapidly evolving industry.

"Today it's become easier to build a product and harder to get distribution and awareness... think distribution much more than your product." In this episode, Cynthia and Sophie interview Sean Regan, former Global Head of Product Marketing at Atlassian and serial entrepreneur, for a deep dive into the growth story of Atlassian and insights into how to 10x a product. Sean also provides valuable advice about career development and navigating the AI landscape, as well as his bets on the changes that this new wave of technological innovation is going to bring to the world.

In this episode, join ⁠Stephanie Kim⁠ as she chats with ⁠Laura (Gentile) Danforth⁠, Director of Global Partnerships at ⁠Discord⁠. They discuss the evolving role of developers in the Discord ecosystem, exciting new developer monetization opportunities, the integration of AI in Discord apps, and more. Laura also provides insights into her dynamic career that spans across roles in finance, product, strategy, and partnerships, and offers advice for those looking to break into the tech industry.

In this episode, join ⁠Stephanie Kim⁠ as she chats with ⁠Laura (Gentile) Danforth⁠, Director of Global Partnerships at ⁠Discord⁠. They discuss the evolving role of developers in the Discord ecosystem, exciting new developer monetization opportunities, the integration of AI in Discord apps, and more. Laura also provides insights into her dynamic career that spans across roles in finance, product, strategy, and partnerships, and offers advice for those looking to break into the tech industry.

“During the highs of the 2020-2021 era, a lot of companies were encouraged to grow at any cost. We’ve always been much more oriented around trying to grow but making sure you are thinking about your profitability and building a sustainable business.” Join ⁠Spandana Bhattacharya⁠ and ⁠Javier Torres⁠ on ⁠Wharton Tech Toks⁠ as they talk to ⁠AJ Jangalapalli⁠, Principal on the Discover team at Thoma Bravo. Listen in to learn more about Thoma Bravo’s investments in Mailgun and Greenphire, the recent tech market pullback, enterprise software industry and value creation initiatives.

“My two biggest competitors are the two wealthiest people on the planet. And capital is a giant tool and a giant weapon, especially in the space industry.” In this episode Emma Robinson sits down with Peter Beck, the CEO of Rocket Lab, who shares how the company is facing off against the giants and the decision to go public. We also discuss Rocket Lab's unique approach to vertical integration, making it a one-stop-shop for building, launching, and even operating spacecraft. This episode also offers a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of competing in the space race, underscored by the reality that success hinges on avoiding that “one tiny error” that could lead to disaster. Learn about the passion, the pressure, and the precision needed to succeed in space, straight from the heart of one of its most ambitious players.

In this Valentine’s Day special, Zoë sits down with current Wharton students Annie Xu and Chloë Ahle. After hearing both friends and therapy clients discuss the challenges of dating, Annie used her experience in social work to start Pairfect. Chloë joined the team, using her experience as a logistics officer to support the development of the purpose-driven platform. Tune in to learn more about combining the scalability of technology with the personalization of a matchmaking service.

In the latest episode of Wharton Tech Toks, join Steph Kim as she speaks with Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera. They discuss the launch and reception of Coursera’s generative AI-powered Coach, his contrarian thoughts on the value of bite-sized content, his very first job, his advice on life itself, and more.

“We want clients to use our service in whatever way that’s best for you, your needs, your unique exposure to styling. In the longer term, we want to build a better way to shop that will change the retail paradigm and to become the blueprint for the industry to follow. ” Join Spandana Bhattacharya and Cynthia Zhou on Wharton Tech Toks as they talk to Janiece Okpobiri, Director of Product and Growth at Stitch Fix. At Stitch Fix, Janiece focuses on client onboarding and loyalty. Prior to Stitch Fix, Janiece was a senior PM on the Customer and Loyalty team at Abercrombie & Fitch and also held roles at Hilton. Listen in to learn more about Janiece’s product management philosophy, her perspective on how to build customer loyalty in retail, and her insights on how to build a successful career in product management.

In this episode, Leon Zhang and Steph Kim interview John Nack, Principal Product Manager at Adobe, about the future of AI in creative experiences. They discuss the use cases for generative AI across Adobe, AI ethics, and his vision on the future of AI. With over 20 years of experience in PM at Adobe and Google, John reflects on the role of PM and shares insights about his career journey.

"To maintain your position as a market leader in the tech space means that you have to constantly innovate...you can't rest on your laurels. So we have to constantly push the envelope in what we do in this space. What we've been doing is really being a tech partner for educators and school systems... we have many educators in our app and many schools want that help. They want to understand what can they do with all these AI [tools] and it's changing every day... so [we're] pairing [up] with schools to help them deploy AI safely in the classroom and evolve their coursework, homework, and assessment... and we're very glad to be the partner in all this." Join Sophie Wang for an interview with Dr. Minh Tran, Vice President of Operations at Goodnotes, as they delve into the transformative journey of this beloved note-taking app. Minh reveals how Goodnotes is turning its visionary ideas into reality, empowering students, professionals, and educators alike with innovative AI tools and a dedication to serving as a thought leader in the field. Minh also offers invaluable advice on navigating the entrepreneurial landscape, drawing from his own rich career path.

“It ends up being about: is this truly a venture investable business? You need to be in a massive market and have the ability to scale quickly…the company should grow with speed and accelerate.” Join Manasi Patwa in her conversation with Arjun Arora, Founder and Managing Partner at Format One, where he advises transformational companies on their growth strategies through hands-on and impactful collaboration. Prior to starting FormatOne, Arjun was a Partner at 500 Startups, where he invested in technology companies at the pre-seed and seed stages. In this interview, Manasi and Arjun discuss valuable tips for founders at the earliest stages of their journeys, common challenges faced by entrepreneurs and ways to address them, and what tech investors look for as differentiators of success.