DARE

Hosted by Darwoft

Technology

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Episodes

136

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

The show for innovators, entrepreneurs, and startup leaders who dare to shape the future. In each episode, we dig into the journey of innovation -- traveling through doubt, failure, and experimentation on the path toward success and fulfillment. A master-class on innovation, creativity, leadership, and how you too can dare to dream big. New episodes every Tuesday.

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60 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 2033 min

S4E20 | How Audible Cone is revolutionizing worker safety tech

Nearly 500 construction workers die in roadway incidents every year in the US. Gordon Larson, CEO of Audible Cone Alert Systems Inc., has been working to change that number since 1996 — and he's finally got the product, the patent, and the traction to do it.In this episode of the #DAREwithDarwoft podcast — in collaboration with the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network — Gordon shares how he built a life-saving tech company from one of the most remote counties in Oregon, the challenges of scaling hardware in a world that favors software, and what it means to build a business that's quite literally saving lives.Follow us!TikTok/@darwoftInstagram/@darwoftLinkedIn/@DarwoftCompany

June 9, 202622 min

S4E19 | From Nuclear Power to Scaling a Global Consumer Startup

Most founders look for gaps in software. Ricky Lee, co-founder and CEO of VYE, found his in a nicotine pouch, and decided to rebuild the category from the ground up.In this episode of the #DAREwithDarwoft podcast, hosted by Ned Hayes in collaboration with the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, Ricky shares how AI tools compressed years of R&D into months, why they're launching in the UK before the US, and what it actually takes to scale a physical consumer product with a lean team and a global vision.Follow us!TikTok/@darwoftInstagram/@darwoftLinkedIn/@DarwoftCompany

June 2, 2026Episode 1824 min

S4E18 | Water is the new Oil: How a Commodity market can save the planet

Water is the most essential resource on Earth, and one of the least understood by capital markets. That's the gap Michael Ulwelling, CEO of Kreneon, is determined to close.In this episode, Michael explains how creating a commodity market for water — similar to how energy markets work — could unlock the private investment needed to solve the global water crisis. With 70% of water basins in decline and 2 billion people without access to clean water, the urgency is real. But so is the opportunity.Follow us:TikTok/@darwoftInstagram/@darwoftLinkedIn/@DarwoftCompany

May 26, 2026Episode 1734 min

S4E17 | Modern heirloom: The secret to building a product that lasts forever

In this episode of #DAREwithDarwoft, Ned Hayes sits down with Ron Khormaei, PhD, Founder & CEO of STEELPORT Knife, a Portland-based company redefining what American-made manufacturing can look like.Ron shares how a gap in the market, no U.S.-made kitchen knives in retail stores, sparked a mission to build heirloom-quality cutlery designed to last a lifetime. Drawing on his background at HP and Logitech, he brings a tech executive's precision to an ancient craft.This is a conversation about quality over speed, community over competition, and building products that people pass down, not throw away.🎙️ Watch and listen to the full episode on all platforms.Instagram/@darwoftLinkedIn/@DarwoftCompanyTikTok/@darwoft

May 19, 2026Episode 1624 min

S4E16 | The VC truth about AI, SaaS Valuations & why most startups won't survive

In this episode of #DAREwithDarwoft, Ned Hayes sits down with Jim Ferry, Partner at Volition Capital, to get the unfiltered VC perspective on AI, SaaS valuations, and what it really takes to survive the current funding landscape.Jim shares why every company today is either AI-native or at risk, why inflated AI valuations worry experienced investors, and what founders must bring to the table before walking into a Series A or B conversation. This isn't just an investor story — it's a reality check for anyone building in 2026.🎙️ Watch and listen to the full episode on all platforms.TikTok/@darwoftInstagram/@darwoftLinkedIn/@DarwoftCompany

May 12, 2026Episode 1524 min

S4E15 Charity Andrews | Your team doesn't need more tools, it needs better workflows

In this episode of #DAREwithDarwoft, Ned Hayes sits down with Charity Andrews, CEO & Founder of Stellify, a company that helps growing organizations turn operational chaos into structured, scalable workflows.This conversation dives into the gap between buying tools and actually making them work: the behavior change, the process design, and the human elements most teams overlook. Charity shares why the real problem is rarely the software, and what it takes to build systems where technology handles the manual work, so people can focus on what actually matters.🎙️ Watch and listen to the full episode on all platforms.TikTok/@darwoftInstagram/@darwoftLinkedIn/@DarwoftCompany

May 5, 2026Episode 1426 min

S4E14 | The Safest Battery in Data Centers? Zinc Five's CEO on powering the AI revolution

In this episode of #DAREwithDarwoft, Ned Hayes sits down with Tim Hysell, Co-Founder & CEO of Zinc Five Inc., the world leader in nickel-zinc battery technology with over 80 patents and nearly 2 gigawatts deployed globally.This conversation dives into the infrastructure behind AI: the batteries that power data centers through outages, millisecond spikes, and the growing demands of machine intelligence. Tim shares the company's journey from backup power for traffic stoplights to becoming a critical piece of the AI revolution, and why safety, sustainability, and speed are not trade-offs. They're the product.🎙️ Watch and listen to the full episode on all platforms.TikTok/@darwoftInstagram/@darwoftLinkedIn/@DarwoftCompany

April 28, 2026Episode 1332 min

S4E13 | Silicon Forest: The Plan to Keep Oregon Ahead in Semiconductors

What does it take to keep a tech ecosystem alive when the rules of the industry are changing? 🤔💭In this episode of #DAREwithDarwoft, Ned Hayes sits down with Soley Azer, Executive Director of Silicon Forest Partnership and former Intel leader, to explore what’s really at stake in the future of semiconductors.This conversation dives into the real challenges behind the chip industry—from Moore’s Law hitting physical limits to the fragmentation of talent and resources—and what it takes to build something resilient in response. Because the future of technology doesn’t just depend on chips. It depends on the ecosystems that make them possible.🎙️ Watch and listen to the full episode on all platforms.Social Media.TikTok/@darwoft Instagram/@darwoft LinkedIn/@DarwoftCompany

April 21, 2026Episode 1227 min

S4E12 Santosh Kaveti | AI Security Is no longer a cost center, it's a business transformation engine

What does it really take to make AI work in the real world?In this new episode of #DAREwithDarwoft, Ned Hayes sits down with Santosh Kaveti, CEO & Founder of ProArch, to explore what happens after the AI hype, when companies actually try to implement it.This episode is about building technology that works in the real world, and using AI not just to optimize systems, but to solve meaningful challenges for humanity. Watch and listen to the full episode on all platforms.Social Media.TikTok/@darwoft Instagram/@darwoft LinkedIn/@DarwoftCompany

April 14, 2026Episode 1128 min

S4E11 Haresh Patel | How AI Could Transform Healthcare

What if your symptoms weren’t the problem, but the clue?In this thought-provoking episode of #DAREwithDarwoft, Ned Hayes sits down with Haresh Patel, Founder of DiagnosticMD AI, to explore a new approach to healthcare, one that goes beyond treating symptoms to uncovering root causes.This is a conversation about redefining diagnosis, embracing a more human approach to health, and daring to ask better questions.Watch and listen to the full episode on all platforms.Social Media.TikTok/@darwoft Instagram/@darwoft LinkedIn/@DarwoftCompany