Silicon Zombies Podcast

"Potential exists everywhere, but access to opportunity determines how it develops and is realized." Since we are not all dealt the same hand, should we be putting our finger on the scale? If so how much, and by what means? Tune in Feb 19 at 5pm PST for this and more with 3 wonderful humans on SZ BrainWaves – Pirate Cat Radio: KPCR 92.9FM Thats right! SZ 160: Breaking Barriers, Take 2 – Championing Change for Equality, because it's not a one-and-done effort—it’s an ongoing mission that demands bold leadership, innovative solutions, and relentless action. 🎙️ Guests: 🔹 Yvonne Schwab – CEO, ACG SV 🔹 Dwayne Campbell – CEO, Medallion XLN 🔹 Natalie Pan – Founder, FundingBreakthrough Lab From reshaping corporate culture to creating funding pathways for underrepresented founders, we’ll dive into what it really takes to drive meaningful change. How can leaders move beyond performative action? What strategies actually shift the landscape for equality in business and beyond? 💡 Tune in for hard-hitting insights, real stories, and a roadmap for turning ambition into impact. 📅 Date: Feb 19, 2025 @ 5pm PST 📍 Where: KPCR 92.9FM / Live Stream #SiliconZombies #ChampioningChange #BreakingBarriers #EqualityMatters Brought to you by: Necodex, Silicon Valley Magazine, and Tejava Tea

Has a Silicon Zombies Podcast guest ever profoundly changed my perspective? 🧐 Great question from Matt McCoy's 60 Second Podcast - I mentioned Chip Conley (ep. 119) where he connects our longevity to the quality of our social relationships. #longevity #insights #deepthoughtsbyjackhandey #60secondpodcast

Wow, what a week in AI! 🚀 From Macron’s big AI investment to DeepSeek’s rise as China’s OpenAI competitor, the global AI landscape is shifting fast. But is Europe doing enough to stay competitive? 💡 Macron’s AI Push – A step in the right direction, but can it truly help Europe catch up? Over-regulation could be its Achilles' heel. ⚖️ DeepSeek vs. OpenAI – Faster, cheaper, and better? The AI playing field is no longer just a U.S. game. 🔍 Stargate & the $500B AI Bet – AI regulation is no longer a debate—it’s a global power move. To unpack all of this, we're thrilled to host Lutz Finger for a no-nonsense (and slight pithy) discussion for... SZ 159: AI, Innovation, & Risk Lutz is a leading AI product builder, CEO of R2Decide, Visiting Senior Lecturer at Cornell, and a Forbes contributor. With past leadership roles at Google, LinkedIn, and Snap Inc., he brings deep expertise in making data actionable and driving real change. We’ll cut through the noise and dive into what’s hype vs. reality in AI, how businesses should adapt, and why governments keep missing the mark on regulation. #AI #Innovation #Risk #FutureTech #Insights #communityradio #KPCR #piratecatradio #brainwaves Thanks to our sponsors: Necodex, Career Pathway Institute, and Tejava Tea

👽 Space Zombies 🧟♀️ Last night was out-of-this-world! The Silicon Zombies Podcast community gathered at the Park James Hotel for another mind-expanding conversation, this time with Dr. Franck Marchis from the SETI Institute (that’s the *Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence* Institute). The standing-room-only crowd was evidence of the growing appetite in our community for deep, meaningful discussions about humanity's future among the stars. Dr. Marchis shared a perspective that resonated for me: "I have a personal conviction that there is intelligent civilization elsewhere. That's a belief as a human being; it's not a scientific belief. And the reason I think it's important we find them is because when we find aliens, we will know that we have a future as a civilization." This isn't just about finding extraterrestrial life – it's about understanding our place in the cosmos and our potential as a species. The questions we're asking today about our future in space are fundamentally questions about humanity's path forward. The conversation bridged pure scientific research with practical innovation. From discussing SETI's search for technosignatures to exploring how private industry is democratizing space access, the talk highlighted how the entrepreneurial spirit is transforming space exploration. Dr. Marchis shared that we can now send a satellite to space for $20,000-$40,000, making our options for space research available to a much broader set of innovators. The Silicon Zombies community is such a special group. Where else would you find a room full of people equally comfortable discussing adaptive optics technology and philosophical questions about humanity's future? From startup founders to scientists, from students to seasoned investors, everyone brought their curiosity and engagement to the conversation. Special thanks to Dr. Marchis for sharing his expertise and vision. Through his work with both SETI and UNISTELLAR, he's not just searching for extraterrestrial life – he's helping reconnect humanity with the wonder of the night sky. We finished the evening in the hotel courtyard, looking for Jupiter through UNISTELLAR's telescope (unfortunately, there was too much cloud cover). I was reminded that the greatest value of our community isn't just in the knowledge shared, but in the connections forged and the possibilities imagined #together. The search for extraterrestrial intelligence might be our greatest adventure as a species. But the journey itself – the innovation, collaboration, and shared sense of purpose it inspires – might be equally valuable for humanity's future. Anitha Beberg, Phil Brattain, Gabriela Dominguez, Franky (Hoang) Dong, David Fernandez, Kari G., Niki Gastinel, Brian Goldenberg, Cynthia Karr, HOOMAN KHALILI, Valerie Korol, Leslie Lang, Nick Larson, Franck Marchis, Stanley Mei, Piyush Malik, Jason Nyeh, Cesar Plata, Arnie Roberts, Oana Singa, Daphne Royse, Paul M. Russo, Bill Sautter, Melinda Yormick

SZ 158: Beyond the Stars 🚀 Innovation, Discovery (& Yes, Aliens!) Join us for an unforgettable night as the Zombies go interstellar! We'll jettison beyond the stars with Dr. Franck Marchis — a trailblazing astronomer at the SETI Institute and co-founder of Unistellar & SkyMapper. 🔭 We’ll have a high-end telescope on-site, so get ready for some real-time stargazing and some other surprises. What’s in store? 🔹 The cutting edge of space exploration 🔹 The future of decentralized sky observation* 🔹 The search for alien life! 🔹 How citizen science is shaping the New Space Era With 600+ scientific publications, discoveries like the first triple-asteroid system, and an asteroid named in his honor, Dr. Marchis is a true pioneer in making space accessible to all. Big thanks to our sponsors for making this possible: The Park James Hotel Necodex Tejava Tea If you can join us in person, we'll be at: 1400 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA 94025 #SiliconZombies #SpaceExploration #BeyondTheStars #SETI #CitizenScience #DopeSpace #Astronomy

🧟 🧠 🌧️ 🧟♂️ 🧠 🌧️ 🧟♀️ 🧠 🌧️ Zombies, Brains, & Rain. Zombies, Brains, & Rain. Zombies, Brains, & Rain. 🧠 What an incredible evening at Silicon Zombies Podcast with "The Brain Explained" panel at the Park James Hotel ! Despite the downpour, our community showed up in full force, eager to dive deep into the fascinating world of neuroscience and brain health. (We're Zombies meeting about Brain Health... of course it was a full house!) Thanks to Nick Larson and HOOMAN KHALILI for creating fun AND insights with a great panel: 🧠 Kevin Blakley, CHC Hydro 🧠 Cindy Reynolds, NeuroFit @ Jyzen 🧠 Arbella Sarkis, MD, Chief Medical Director of Gentle Touch Medical Group The discussions were absolutely mind-blowing (pun intended! 😉). One of the most intriguing threads explored how creativity actually works in our brains - it's not just about "thinking outside the box," but literally breaking out of established neural pathways. Imagine your brain as a snow-covered hill, where thoughts carve deeper channels the more you use them. True creativity happens when we find ways to leap between the channels! We also discussed groundbreaking developments in dementia treatment, particularly a new FDA-approved therapy targeting galectin-3, a protein that plays a critical role in neuroinflammation. What's fascinating is how this treatment is showing promise not just for dementia, but unexpectedly helping with conditions like Parkinson's and even certain cancers. This kind of cross-disciplinary insight makes these panels so valuable! The brain mapping discussion was enlightening, learning how QEEG technology can now identify invisible disabilities and trauma patterns that traditional scans might miss. It's amazing how far we've come in understanding the electrical patterns of our brains and what they tell us about everything from creativity to chronic conditions. The Q&A session was 🧠 BRAINY🧠 , with our community asking insightful questions about everything from microplastics in the brain (yep, that's a thing!) to the role of nutrition in mental health. The diversity of perspectives - from neuroscientists to creativity experts to medical practitioners - created such a rich dialogue. Huge thanks to our brilliant panelists, the wonderful Park James Hotel for hosting, and especially to our engaged community who braved the rain to be part of this important conversation. These are the kinds of discussions that move science forward and help us all better understand the most complex organ in our bodies. P.S. For those who couldn't make it - we've got more exciting events coming up, including our two-year anniversary show on March 6th featuring some amazing guests from Mongolia! 🎉 Kuldip K. Ahluwalia, Vivek Chawla, David Fernandez, Kari G., Hesam Jafari, Cynthia Karr, HOOMAN KHALILI, Nick Larson, Sandra Larson, Abduce Luong, Stanley Mei, Daphne Royse, Tim Schulze, Anitha V., Jordan Wahbeh, Melinda Yormick

Tomorrow is gonna be the most happening tech + music soirée around! 🎬 Live Silicon Zombies Podcast in partnership with Founders Bay and TheAgentic - Come join the action with investors from Andreessen Horowitz, SoftBank, and more! Special guest Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer. We'll be celebrating the first 25 years of the 21st century—and glimpse the next 75! Over 2,000+ founders, VCs, and tech leaders are coming together for an unforgettable evening of futuristic experiences, forward-thinking conversations, immersive art, cutting-edge demos, and non-stop music! 🎶 🎟️ Some VIP tickets still available, reach out to Mariane Bekker / Kristopher Floyd for more info. Gargi Kand Josh Constine David Carvalho, Darwinian Ventures, Nicolas Khonaysser, MBA, Nima Capital LLC