Born In Silicon Valley

Hosted by Match Relevant

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100

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Born In Silicon Valley is a podcast that features founders’ stories. Each episode highlights the journey of success, pivots, and what entrepreneurs have learned when building from the ground up. Host Jake Aaron Villarreal interviews founders, discussing their struggles, triumphs, and their progress along the way. Listeners will gain insight into leadership and the operations of a startup. This podcast is supported by Match Relevant, a company that helps startups find top talent to grow their businesses.

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60 recent

October 23, 2026Episode 26352 min

Stop Leaving Settlement Money Behind

Every year, billions of dollars in investment settlements are left unclaimed by everyday investors who have no idea they are owed money. Discover how 11th is using AI to automatically recover these lost funds from massive corporate lawsuits involving giants like Apple and Google. In this episode of Born in Silicon Valley, we sit down with George Semashko, Co-founder and CPO of 11th. George shares the incredible origin story of his fintech startup, which skyrocketed after a single viral Reddit post. Today, his lean team of 22 has successfully helped over 150,000 users automatically claim their rightful share of the $9.3 billion in annual class action settlements. Tune in as George dives deep into the complex world of financial recovery, explaining why the traditional claims process is broken and how 11th utilizes advanced AI agents to scan court documents and SEC filings. By seamlessly integrating with brokerages like Charles Schwab, 11th ensures retail investors receive their funds directly without compromising private data. Beyond the technology, George opens up about the personal challenges of his founder journey. He shares valuable lessons on stepping out of your comfort zone, the reality of cold-calling billion-dollar financial institutions, and the hard truths about hiring the right salespeople to scale an AI startup. Whether you are an angel investor, a tech enthusiast, or a rising entrepreneur, this conversation is packed with actionable insights on building a resilient business. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to George Semashko and 11th 02:07 George's background and journey into fintech 09:20 The origin of 11th and the problem it solves 13:30 Going viral on Reddit and discovering demand 15:22 Building the claim automation system 17:34 Examples of major legal settlements 20:22 Challenges in navigating legal claims for investors 25:39 The role of AI in automating data scraping and claim processing 30:01 Scaling the platform and future growth plans 35:07 Partnerships with financial institutions 40:25 Insights on hiring and team building 47:12 Lessons learned from sales and outreach 55:40 The importance of diverse teams and hiring strategies 01:02:29 Future opportunities and expansion plans Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal leads the top AI recruitment firm in Silicon Valley, www.matchrelevant.com , uncovering stories of funded startups and going behind the scenes to tell their founders’ journeys. If you are growing an AI startup or have a great story to tell, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

October 22, 2026Episode 26236 min

AI Finds Compliance Violations Faster

Did you know a simple text message sent on a personal phone recently cost a major financial institution 50 million dollars in SEC fines? In this episode, we uncover how AI is solving the massive compliance headache that is tearing through Wall Street and the fintech industry. Join us as we sit down with Larry Shumbrus, the visionary Founder and CEO of Archive Intel. Larry shares his fascinating journey from IBM and Wall Street to building an AI-powered compliance platform that streamlines archiving processes for off-channel communications like texting, social media, and email. We explore the explosive growth of Archive Intel, driven by their innovative approach to allowing financial advisors to seamlessly use their own phones while staying fully compliant with SEC and FINRA regulations. Beyond the product, Larry drops incredible insights on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the startup workforce. Discover why young engineers are rapidly outpacing traditional talent, the rising importance of forward-deployed engineers, and how forcing his own team to embrace AI workflows triggered a massive leap in productivity. Whether you are building a fintech startup or trying to integrate AI into your daily operations, this episode is packed with actionable advice on scaling a modern business. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Larry and his background 04:09 Larry's journey from Wall Street to fintech 08:46 The inception of Archive Intel and its mission 09:24 Challenges in compliance and how AI addresses them 19:02 The impact of regulatory fines and how AI helps 22:47 Implementing AI internally and team adoption 26:27 Talent acquisition and the AI skills gap 34:38 Product onboarding and automation strategies 37:41 Future product developments and market expansion 41:07 Company growth, hiring, and culture 43:15 The importance of culture and team fit 45:16 How to connect with Archive Intel Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal leads the top AI recruitment firm in Silicon Valley, www.matchrelevant.com , uncovering stories of funded startups and going behind the scenes to tell their founders’ journeys. If you are growing an AI startup or have a great story to tell, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

October 14, 2026Episode 26133 min

AI Fights Every Denied Claim

Discover how one venture-backed startup is actively saving hospital emergency rooms from bankruptcy by recovering millions of dollars in denied insurance claims. Join us as we go behind the scenes with the CEO of CombineHealth to reveal the future of healthcare revenue cycle management. Sourabh Agrawal transitioned from building self-driving cars at Mercedes-Benz to tackling one of the biggest financial crises in the US healthcare system. In this episode, he explains how his fleet of specialized AI agents acts as a hybrid workforce for emergency departments. These intelligent systems automatically handle complex medical coding, fight insurance denials, and ensure frontline doctors actually get paid for the life-saving work they do every single day. Listen in to learn the exact founder-led sales strategies that secure enterprise healthcare clients without relying on traditional relationship selling. If you want to understand how artificial intelligence is creating real financial outcomes and preventing rural hospitals from closing, this conversation delivers actionable insights for any tech founder or builder. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Sourabh Agrawal and his background 03:30 Sourabh's journey from Goldman Sachs to healthcare AI 07:36 Lessons from first startup and pivot to healthcare 12:25 Focus on emergency department revenue cycle issues 16:37 How AI agents transform hospital billing and claims 20:32 Success story: Recovering revenue and reducing denials 25:12 Building a team and attracting top AI talent 29:48 Sales strategy: Problem-led, customer-focused approach 38:24 Future plans and growth opportunities for Combined Health AI 41:19 Closing remarks and how to connect with Sourabh Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal leads the top AI recruitment firm in Silicon Valley, www.matchrelevant.com , uncovering stories of funded startups and going behind the scenes to tell their founders’ journeys. If you are growing an AI startup or have a great story to tell, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

October 9, 2026Episode 26040 min

Eight Hours Done In Minutes

What happens when a $100 million startup is forced to reinvent itself? David Abbey shares how he scaled Penny AI across 60 countries, raised more than $30 million, and navigated a difficult pivot that ultimately led to Endless. David explains how Endless helps DTC brands manage creators, affiliates, UGC, and ambassador programs with AI. He also explores startup resilience, the creator economy, influencer marketing, venture capital, and the growing demand for AI infrastructure, data centers, and energy. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and guest background 02:54 David's entrepreneurial journey and early startups 08:36 Scaling Penny AI and market impact during COVID-19 14:33 Transition from Penny AI to Endless and market evolution 20:29 Endless platform for creator and influencer programs 27:21 AI integration and business intelligence features 31:42 Supply Capital and AI infrastructure investments 35:44 The future of data centers and power needs 43:02 Company growth, team building, and future plans Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal leads the top AI recruitment firm in Silicon Valley, www.matchrelevant.com , uncovering stories of funded startups and going behind the scenes to tell their founders’ journeys. If you are growing an AI startup or have a great story to tell, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

October 7, 2026Episode 25943 min

Stop Vision AI Failures

Why do most enterprise vision AI projects fail? Plainsight CEO Jonathan Simkins joins Jake Aaron Villarreal to explain how VizOps helps companies deploy faster, more reliable, and cost-efficient computer vision solutions. Discover how Plainsight uses open-source models, predictable pricing, and scalable AI infrastructure to transform software engineers into computer vision experts. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Jonathan Simkins and Plainsight 02:25 Jonathan's background in investment banking and tech startups 05:15 The origin story of Plainsight and vision AI infrastructure 13:55 Why Plainsight's infrastructure software is unique 20:48 Market opportunities and customer use cases for Vision AI 29:39 Business model, pricing, and cost advantages 45:27 Growth plans and future vision for Plainsight Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal leads the top AI recruitment firm in Silicon Valley, www.matchrelevant.com , uncovering stories of funded startups and going behind the scenes to tell their founders’ journeys. If you are growing an AI startup or have a great story to tell, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

September 29, 2026Episode 25844 min

Stop Losing Non-Technical Customers

AI is moving fast, but non-technical founders and legacy businesses are being left behind. Discover how GoAccelovate is changing the game by turning ideas into functional AI prototypes in just 48 hours without writing a single line of code. Muhammad Owais Awan shares his journey from an industrial engineering background to launching a tech agency alongside his sister and technical co-founder. Together, they are empowering retired executives, traditional industries, and non-technical entrepreneurs to leverage artificial intelligence effectively. In this episode, we dive into the challenges of introducing automation to legacy institutions and how a visual prototype can overcome the ego of outdated processes. Muhammad also discusses building specialized AI recruitment tools for heavy industries and what he looks for when hiring AI-fluent talent for his own team. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and guest background 06:52 Mohammed's early experiences and entrepreneurial journey 19:41 Market landscape and AI opportunities for non-technical businesses 26:04 How rapid prototyping with AI works in practice 37:40 Business model and pricing strategies for AI solutions 45:40 Targeting legacy industries and overcoming resistance 52:25 Final advice: Embracing your inner champion Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal leads the top AI recruitment firm in Silicon Valley, www.matchrelevant.com , uncovering stories of funded startups and going behind the scenes to tell their founders’ journeys. If you are growing an AI startup or have a great story to tell, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com GoAccelovate Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goaccelovate/2 . Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goaccelovate/3 . YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GoAccelovate/shorts4. TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@goaccelovate Owais Awan Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/royalowaisawan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/royalowaisawan/

September 23, 2026Episode 25735 min

End Manual Access Requests

What happens when you combine Amazon-level operational efficiency with cutting-edge AI automation? You get a total transformation of how modern companies handle their internal support and ticketing systems. In this episode of Born in Silicon Valley, Jake Aaron Villarreal sits down with Kevin Coleman, co-founder of Ravenna, to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of Enterprise Service Management. Kevin shares his incredible journey from Wall Street to Silicon Valley, detailing how his experiences at AWS inspired him to rethink internal IT and HR support structures. Ravenna is leveraging AI agents to automate the most repetitive tasks within mid-market and enterprise companies, such as software access requests and onboarding workflows. Kevin unpacks the immense value of Forward Deployed Engineers, explaining why having highly technical professionals deeply embedded in a customer environment is the ultimate growth hack for B2B SaaS startups. Learn how agile startups can consistently outperform legacy incumbents by prioritizing rapid iteration and unparalleled customer service. Discover why building backwards from customer demand remains the most reliable strategy for achieving product-market fit. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and guest background 02:23 Kevin's journey from finance to tech 05:39 What is Ravenna and its mission 09:54 The impact of ChatGPT and AI in enterprise support 15:20 Target companies and customer profiles 18:25 The sales process and proof of concept 21:12 Platform overview and technical integrations 27:13 Startups vs. incumbents: speed and service 33:22 The future of AI agents in organizations 37:30 Lessons learned and advice for founders 41:06 Company growth and hiring plans Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal leads the top AI recruitment firm in Silicon Valley, www.matchrelevant.com , uncovering stories of funded startups and going behind the scenes to tell their founders’ journeys. If you are growing an AI startup or have a great story to tell, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

September 16, 2026Episode 25642 min

Building Beyond Dashboards

Legacy business intelligence dashboards are dying rapidly as artificial intelligence steps in to revolutionize how companies take proactive action on their data. Join us as we sit down with Lucas Thelosen to uncover how his autonomous AI analyst is fundamentally changing the landscape of enterprise data strategy. In this episode, we dive deep into the remarkable founder journey of Lucas Thelosen, who previously built a massive consulting firm around Looker before its monumental acquisition by Google. After leading data and AI strategy at Google, he made the bold decision to leave his dream job and co-found Orion by Gravity. We explore the limitations of legacy BI tools and the critical difference between merely viewing data and actually executing decisions based on intelligent insights. Lucas explains the mechanics of building a collaborative AI analyst that seamlessly integrates into your team, gathers crucial business context, and cleans up its own data environment autonomously. Whether you are scaling a fast-paced startup or managing complex data structures at an enterprise level, this conversation offers invaluable insights into the future of autonomous systems and context-aware technology. Discover the framework for maximizing engineering productivity and why implementing tailored analytical experiences will give your company an unprecedented competitive edge. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and guest background 04:55 Lucas's journey from Germany to Silicon Valley 08:55 How Lucas got into data analytics and Looker 12:46 Building Orion's AI and its unique features 22:13 The collaborative AI approach of Orion 26:56 The future of dashboards and actionable insights 34:03 Implementation and ease of use for Orion 39:16 Pricing strategy and market positioning 43:57 Building a team and company growth 49:43 Future opportunities and Lucas's vision for AI roles Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal leads the top AI recruitment firm in Silicon Valley, www.matchrelevant.com , uncovering stories of funded startups and going behind the scenes to tell their founders’ journeys. If you are growing an AI startup or have a great story to tell, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

September 8, 2026Episode 25538 min

One Professor's $24M Bet

Are soaring AI compute costs slowing down your startup scaling efforts? Join us as we sit down with Junchen Jiang, CEO of TensorMesh, to reveal how his groundbreaking KV cache optimization can slash your AI inference expenses by up to 80 percent. In this highly technical and insightful episode of Born in Silicon Valley, we explore the rapidly evolving landscape of self-hosted large language models. Junchen explains the mechanics behind KV cache, why traditional GPU memory limitations bottleneck AI performance, and how offloading this data can dramatically improve efficiency for enterprise applications, coding agents, and chatbots. We also dive into Junchen’s personal journey transitioning from leading a PhD research group at the University of Chicago to building a venture-backed startup in the Bay Area. He shares valuable leadership lessons, the differences between motivating academic researchers versus industry engineers, and what it takes to build a world-class team in today's competitive tech ecosystem. Whether you are a tech founder, a forward-deployed engineer, or an enterprise leader looking to optimize your AI infrastructure, this conversation is packed with actionable insights on building the next big data layer for artificial intelligence. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Junchen Jiang and TensorMesh 02:00 The origin story of KV cache technology 10:07 How KV cache reduces inference costs by 10x 14:54 Building industry-ready systems from research 19:59 Open source community and industry adoption 25:11 Business model and monetization strategies 29:47 Team building and leadership lessons 40:06 Market opportunities and customer segments 44:55 Future vision for AI data layers Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal leads the top AI recruitment firm in Silicon Valley, www.matchrelevant.com , uncovering stories of funded startups and going behind the scenes to tell their founders’ journeys. If you are growing an AI startup or have a great story to tell, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

September 3, 2026Episode 25436 min

AI Agents Fight Your Denials

How is artificial intelligence eliminating the massive process debt embedded in the US healthcare system? Join us as we explore how autonomous AI agents are turning complex insurance claim battles into simple API calls for healthcare providers. In this episode of Born in Silicon Valley, we sit down with Jofin Joseph, CEO and Co-Founder of Needletail AI. Jofin shares his fascinating transition from a venture capitalist evaluating deals to jumping back into the trenches as an operator tackling a 250 billion dollar problem in medical administration. We dive deep into how Needletail AI is revolutionizing the dental industry by deploying agentic systems to handle insurance verification, claims submissions, and follow-ups. Jofin explains why taking a micro-niche approach to dentistry allowed his team to build an outcome-based platform that gets medical practices paid faster without the traditional overhead. Beyond the technology, we discuss the reality of selling B2B software in relationship-driven industries and why every single team member in a modern startup needs to be a highly curious builder using generative AI tools. Whether you are an aspiring founder looking for a design partner or a tech enthusiast curious about the future of healthtech, this conversation is packed with actionable insights. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Jofin Joseph and Needletail AI 04:08 Jofin's background and journey into startups 11:31 Why healthcare and dentistry? The opportunity in revenue cycle management 23:21 How Needletail AI automates revenue cycle processes 26:24 The importance of industry understanding and design partners 38:30 Vision for the next 3 years and growth plans 40:22 Building a curious and system-thinking team 44:39 How to connect with Jofin and Needletail AI Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal leads the top AI recruitment firm in Silicon Valley, www.matchrelevant.com , uncovering stories of funded startups and going behind the scenes to tell their founders’ journeys. If you are growing an AI startup or have a great story to tell, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com