For the third year running, Boston Speaks Up took over the Startup Boston Week stage for a three-hour live podcast marathon. 

This year, we dove into three big themes: raising capital the right way, modern venture studio models, and the evolving role of AI in product building.

In our final segment, we closed with a live version of our recurring AI Happy Hour, featuring Justin Bingham, Clay Unicorn and Marc Gigliotti. Beers in hand, we explored the promise and pitfalls of today’s AI tools.

Justin summed up the shift in a single arc:

“Three years ago, no one even knew what you meant by generative AI. Now we’re in full-blown agentic coding, where you can just say ‘I want this’ and something gets created.”

But both he and Clay stressed the limits:

“AI is like a team of brilliant junior developers. They can do incredible things, but you still need senior oversight.”

The group also mused on hackathons, with Justin noting how much more impactful they’ve become:

“The amount you can build in 24-48 hours now is almost hilarious. I’m surprised there isn’t a hackathon every week.”

We ended with a conversation about fundraising in the AI era — where the “napkin sketch” has been replaced by weekend prototypes, radically changing how founders show traction to investors.


109: Justin Bingham, Clay Unicorn & Marc Gigliotti, AI Happy Hour

Middle East AI News by Carrington Malin brought to you by Qualcomm – 40 years of global innovation! Qualcomm continues to push boundaries, bringing intelligent computing to the Middle East’s fast-evolving digital landscape. In this podcast: New $100m Presight-Shorooq AI fund backs global startups; Kuwait rolls out AI-powered security patrols; G42 unveils new Future of Sport AI report

Sign-up for the weekly email news digest here:
https://www.middleeastainews.com

#MiddleEastAINews

New $100m Presight-Shorooq AI fund backs global startups

Chris Holman welcomes Pete Martin, Director of Portfolio Management, MSU Research Foundation, East Lansing, MI.

Welcome Pete tell us a little about the MSU Research Foundation and the PitchMI Startup Competition?

Michigan’s Innovation Showcase

PitchMI is now one of the nation’s richest state-based startup competitions, offering $4 million in investment. How does this expanded competition elevate Michigan’s position as a leader in startup innovation and funding?

Regional & Statewide Strategy

The competition features four regionally themed events—healthcare in Grand Rapids, clean tech in Traverse City, mobility in Detroit, and AI/software in Ann Arbor—each awarding $250,000, with finalists moving on to compete for a $1 million prize. What’s the strategic intent behind aligning region with specific startup industries, and how does it benefit both local ecosystems and statewide momentum?

Building Momentum & Ecosystem Engagement

Regional winners receive funding and, importantly, time to grow before the statewide finals—an intentional six-month runway for impact and support.
Why is this momentum-building phase so critical, and what role do regional networks and ecosystems play in supporting startup trajectories?

Long-Term Vision & Scalability

With $3 million from the Michigan Innovation Fund and $1 million from Michigan Rise ensuring this is a multi-year initiative, PitchMI aims to run through 2026 and potentially become annual. How does this level of long-term funding and planning reflect Michigan’s broader economic development priorities?

Equity & Access in Startup Support

Although each region focuses thematically, startups from anywhere in Michigan can enter any regional event that matches their focus.
How does PitchMI’s open and inclusive structure help break down geographic silos and create equitable opportunities across the state’s innovation ecosystem?

» Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/
» Subscribe to MBN’s YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN
» Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork
» Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/
» MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

Michigan Business Beat | Pete Martin, MSU Research Fdn. – PitchMI $4M Statewide Startup Competition!

Episode 398 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Izzat Jarudi, Co-Founder & CEO at Edifii.

This episode was recorded live at Startup Boston Week at Suffolk University which is the third year that I’ve hosted it onsite.  Thank you to Stephanie Roulic for the invitation, as it's a lot of fun and great to be involved in such a meaningful conference.  And, since it was hosted live, this episode is audio only.

In this interview, we start out discussing a topic that Izzat is uniquely qualified to cover that being the potential impact of AI on our cognitive brain function.  AI is very powerful and it has so many amazing use cases, but what are the risks in terms of how it is being adopted for the human element?  Will things like our desire to solve problems or leverage our creative abilities decline over time? Izzat has a background in brain and behavioral science from MIT and Yale, plus his company, Edifii, is an AI and Neuroscience-based mentor for students, counselors, and parents.  It’s definitely something to think about and I was excited to hear Izzat’s point of view.

In this interview, we also cover:

* Izzat’s background story and how he got his career starting in management consulting.
* How he landed in Product management and his rise to a VP of Product Management role at Cambridge Mobile Telematics.
* How he made the leap to entrepreneurship.
* All the details about Ediffi and the impact its platform is making.
* What makes a great Product Manager.
* And so much more.

Episode 398: Izzat Jarudi - Co-Founder & CEO, Edifii

Какво предлагат пазарите в Югоизточна Азия и как се навлиза в тях, чуйте в епизода на стартъп подкаста "От нула до еднорог" 

S2E3: Как растеш на Изток с Боян Стоянов, Veda Works

Middle East AI News by Carrington Malin brought to you by Qualcomm – 40 years of global innovation! Qualcomm continues to push boundaries, bringing intelligent computing to the Middle East’s fast-evolving digital landscape. In this podcast: Saudi AI startup DOO raises $1.7 million; Abu Dhabi unveils AI-native government strategy; Qatar Foundation universities launch new AI degrees

Sign-up for the weekly email news digest here:
https://www.middleeastainews.com

#MiddleEastAINews

Saudi AI startup DOO raises $1.7 million

Produced by Foundersuite (for startups: www.foundersuite.com) and Fundingstack (for VCs: www.fundingstack.com), "How I Raised It" goes behind the scenes with startup founders and investors who have raised capital.

This episode is with with Mark Phillips of 11 Tribes, an early stage VC fund that invests in the care and resilience of its founders. Another notable difference is that the fund focuses on businesses and founders that are pursuing profitability within their business model and comfortable seeking exit opportunities between $75M-$250M. Learn more at https://11tribes.vc/

In this episode, we discuss Mark’s journey to getting into VC and how his previous (failed) startup shaped his vision, how he had over 200 Zoom pitches to get to his first yes, why selling the vision and passion worked well for Fund I, how the narrative changed for Fund II, the critical importance of resilience, tips for landing Family Offices, and more. 

11 Tribes most recently raised a $46 million for Fund II from 220 HNW investors and Family Offices.  That follows a Fund I that was $11 million and largely sourced from around 80 HNW LPs.  

How I Raised It is produced by Foundersuite, makers of software to raise capital and manage investor relations. Foundersuite's customers have raised over $21 Billion since 2016.

If you are a startup, create a free account at www.foundersuite.com.

If you are a VC, venture studio or investment banker, check out our new platform, www.fundingstack.com

Ep. 309 How I Raised It with Mark Phillips of 11 Tribes Venture Capital

In this heartfelt scene turned song, Kai shares a quiet moment with his mom while tinkering with a broken speaker. As they talk, it becomes clear that his startup dreams have hit a wall—his latest funding application has been rejected. Despite the disappointment, Kai is preparing to move to California for a job at Booglinee, a major tech company. The scene captures the tension between ambition and practicality, parental concern and youthful idealism, as Kai vows to keep hustling toward his dream.

Always Plan For The Best

The US is a breeding ground for startups, and California has been the center of that universe since the dot-com boom in the late 1990s. But rising costs, tighter quarters, and increasing bureaucracy have many tech innovators seeking greener pastures, well beyond Silicon Valley. Princeton University’s Swati Bhatt has been studying the evolution of America’s startup boom in recent years and has uncovered a surprising trend toward rural communities, better known for raising cattle than for high-tech infrastructure. In this podcast, Bhatt talks to journalist Rhoda Metcalfe about these new entrepreneurs opting for a different lifestyle. 

Where Startups Do Roam: Swati Bhatt

This week's episode of the Business Brief podcast looks at how some farmers are using solar panels to help provide better growing conditions for their crops. Then, it features a former startup founder who just took on a new role helping Missouri entrepreneurs.

Produce meets power with agrivoltaics

The Middle East AI News Minute gives you a daily one-minute daily briefing on the top AI-related stories coming out of the Middle East. If you are a busy technology, business or government leader who want to get a quick update, then this is the podcast for you.

Най-влиятелната бизнес медиа в България от повече от 30 години. Тук можете да слушате качествени бизнес истории и смислени разговори.

The Home of Business in Michigan. Get on-demand access to audio programs, articles and resources presented by savvy business leaders and industry experts.

Listen to IMF economists and other experts discuss key economic and financial issues of the day.

Missouri Business Alert’s Business Brief is a podcast covering business news and issues shaping the state.

The VentureFizz Podcast is the flagship podcast of VentureFizz.com, the leading authority for jobs & careers in tech. In this podcast, VentureFizz Founder Keith Cline interviews the top founders and investors in the tech industry.

Produced by Foundersuite.com, makers of the leading software stack for raising capital: Investor CRM + VC/Angel database + Pitch Deck Hosting + Investor Update tools. Used by startups to raise > $2.5 Billion.

Leaders, entrepreneurs, creators, innovators and artists from all over the globe join Boston Speaks Up to share their stories of inspiration. Recommend a guest: team@valuecreationlabs.co. Learn more and sign up for the newsletter: www.valuecreationlabs.co.

New tracks tagged #StartUps