Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders (ETL)

Hosted by Stanford eCorner

Entrepreneurship EducationInterviews guestsExplicit

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523

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Each week, experienced entrepreneurs and innovators come to Stanford University to candidly share lessons they’ve learned while developing, launching and scaling disruptive ideas. The Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Series (ETL) is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) and published on eCorner by STVP. ]]>

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60 recent

October 21, 202646 min

Vineet Edupuganti (Cogent Security) - First Principles in the AI Era

Vineet Edupuganti is the CEO and co-founder of Cogent Security, which uses AI systems to investigate and resolve cybersecurity vulnerabilities. With a background in machine learning and product management, Edupuganti brings a product-first mindset to solving complex security challenges for modern enterprises. In this conversation with Stanford Adjunct Lecturer Ravi Belani, Edupuganti explores how his journey from Stanford undergraduate to AI cybersecurity entrepreneur taught him to base his thinking on first principles. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations. CONNECT WITH US YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORE STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/ .

October 14, 202646 min

Eric Ries (The Lean Startup) - Be the Human Spark

Eric Ries is an entrepreneur, author, and creator of the Lean Startup methodology. He is the founder of the Long-Term Stock Exchange and the author of The Lean Startup , The Startup Way , and Incorruptible . In this conversation with Saikat Chaudhuri, faculty director of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) and a professor of Management Science and Engineering, Ries urges aspiring entrepreneurs not to outsource their learning and creativity, while advising them how to benefit customers, avoid corruption, and create mission-driven companies. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations. CONNECT WITH US YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORE STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/ .

October 8, 202646 min

Adam Nash (Daffy) - Making Great Products

Adam Nash is the co-founder and CEO of Daffy, a modern donor-advised fund (DAF) built to help people be more generous, more often. Under his leadership, Daffy has grown into one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, recently surpassed $2 billion in charitable assets under management, and became one of the fastest-growing DAF platforms in the country. In this talk, Nash uses examples from throughout his career to share five practical lessons for being a great product leader. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations. CONNECT WITH US YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORE STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/ .

June 3, 202646 min

Ryan Nece (Next Legacy Partners) - Learning from Achievement and Adversity

Ryan Nece is co-founder and managing partner of Next Legacy Partners, a multi-strategy venture platform investing in established venture firms, emerging venture firms, and select technology companies. A former Super Bowl champion, Nece transitioned from professional sports to entrepreneurship, founding and scaling multiple businesses before co-founding Next Legacy. In this conversation with Adjunct Lecturer Emily Ma, Nece shares the lessons he has learned about resilience, generosity, authenticity, and thoughtfulness from both painful experiences and huge successes. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations. CONNECT WITH US YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORE STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/ .

May 27, 202649 min

Jake Miller (Fellow) - Designing Products Around Customer Experience

Jake Miller founded Fellow coming out of Stanford’s d.school Launchpad course, starting with the Duo Coffee Steeper. Fellow products are now in 50 countries. In this conversation with Launchpad instructor and Adjunct Professor Perry Klebahn, Miller shares how he built a roadmap for his company, a portfolio of products, and a distribution plan by focusing on customer experience. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations. CONNECT WITH US YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORE STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/ .

May 20, 202650 min

Ellen Ochoa (NASA) - Leadership Lessons from Space

Ellen Ochoa is the first Hispanic woman astronaut to go into space, serving on four space shuttle missions. She served from 2013 to 2018 as the first Hispanic director and the second female director of Johnson Space Center. She earned her MS in electrical engineering and her PhD in electrical engineering with a focus in optical information processing from Stanford. In this conversation with Adjunct Lecturer Emily Ma, Ochoa shares insights she learned in space and on Earth about exploration, resilience, purpose, and teamwork. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations. CONNECT WITH US YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORE STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/ .

May 13, 202646 min

Elizabeth Weil (Scribble Ventures) - A People-Centered Journey

Elizabeth Weil is the founder and general partner at Scribble Ventures, the seed fund where builders from OpenAI, Meta, Twitter, Instagram, and a16z channel their operator DNA into backing the next generation of AI‑native companies. In this conversation with Adjunct Lecturer Emily Ma, Weil shares the life lessons she’s learned over her career as an operator and investor, emphasizing the importance of connecting with others and planning activities for yourself outside of work. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations. CONNECT WITH US YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORE STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/ .

May 6, 202646 min

Tracy Chou (Block Party) - Founding a Mission-Driven Startup

Tracy Chou is a product-minded engineering leader and exited founder with more than 15 years of experience building and scaling consumer and enterprise products. She is best known for her work advocating for diversity and inclusion in tech, and for being founder and CEO of Block Party, a platform for online safety, privacy, and anti-harassment, which was recently acquired by DeleteMe. In this conversation with Adjunct Lecturer Emily Ma, Chou explains how her early experiences working at tech startups inspired her to found a mission-driven company and how Block Party balanced mission and profitability. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations. CONNECT WITH US YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORE STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/ .

April 29, 202649 min

Harry Tannenbaum (Mill) - Setting the Goal at Delight

Harry Tannenbaum is the co-founder and president of Mill, a technology company combining hardware and AI to reduce waste and recover value from everyday materials, starting with food. Mill’s residential food recycler is now in tens of thousands of homes, creating the foundation for Mill Commercial, which pre-processes and analyzes food waste streams on-site, helping organizations reduce waste, gain operational efficiencies, and unlock new value from what was once discarded. In this conversation with Adjunct Lecturer Emily Ma, Tannenbaum explains his approach to creating products that customers rave about and companies that scale to the point of changing entire systems. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations. CONNECT WITH US YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORE STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/ .

April 22, 202649 min

Kit Rodgers, Ben Jun, and Paul Kocher (Cryptography Research, Inc.) - Complementary Co-Founders in Cryptography

Stanford alumni Kit Rodgers, Paul Kocher, and Ben Jun co-founded Cryptography Research, Inc. (CRI), where they built and deployed some of the world’s most impactful security technologies. CRI was acquired by Rambus in 2011 for $342 million. Kocher is a cryptography and data security researcher best known as a co-author of the SSL 3.0/TLS 1.0 protocols. Jun is an engineer who most recently served as the vice president of livestream and video at Diamond Kinetics, which acquired his company sidelineHD, a livestreaming platform for sports. Rodgers is the senior vice president of technology partnerships and corporate development at Rambus. In this conversation, Kocher, Jun, and Rodgers discuss how CRI’s business model evolved and how they built their uncommon level of trust in each other throughout the process. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations. CONNECT WITH US YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORE STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/ .