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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STVP Podcasts
The team at Stanford eCorner believes in the powerful combination of evidence and imagination. We share original stories from informed leaders in academia and industry that focus on innovation, startups, culture, and strategy. The goal: empower you to bring bold ideas to life. Stanford eCorner is led by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center in Stanford University’s School of Engineering.
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Stanford Innovation Lab, produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), brings you conversations on the leading edge of entrepreneurship, featuring Stanford faculty and other experts on strategy, creativity, technology and smart growth.
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LEAP! is a podcast series hosted by Tina Seelig, Professor of the Practice in Stanford's Department of Management Science and Engineering. Each episode takes a deep dive into how to launch your career by unpacking the often overlooked and under-taught soft skills critical to the success of every entrepreneur.
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Part organizational design. Part therapy. Organizational psychologist and Stanford Professor Bob Sutton is back to tackle friction, the phenomenon that frustrates employees, fatigues teams and causes organizations to flounder and fail. Loaded with raw stories of time pressure, courage under ridiculous odds and emotional processing, FRICTION distills research insights and practical tactics to improve the way we work. Listen up as we take you into the friction and velocity of producing made-fo ...
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Sergey Brin (Google & Alphabet) - Google Origins and AI Futures
1:09:34
1:09:34
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1:09:34Recorded live at the capstone celebration of the Stanford School of Engineering Centennial, this ETL episode features Sergey Brin, the American computer scientist and entrepreneur who co-founded Google with Larry Page and revolutionized global information access. Brin remains an active co-founder and board member of Google’s parent company, Alphabe…
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Sergey Brin (Google & Alphabet) - Google Origins and AI Futures
1:09:34
1:09:34
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1:09:34Recorded live at the capstone celebration of the Stanford School of Engineering Centennial, this ETL episode features Sergey Brin, the American computer scientist and entrepreneur who co-founded Google with Larry Page and revolutionized global information access. Brin remains an active co-founder and board member of Google’s parent company, Alphabe…
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1
Eric Volmar (Stanford University) - A New Entrepreneurship Playbook
48:43
48:43
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48:43Eric Volmar is teaching lead at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford. His work focuses on connecting defense, academia, and entrepreneurship to accelerate innovation for national security, supporting new ventures at the intersection of technology and policy. In this presentation – followed by a conversation with Tina…
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Eric Volmar (Stanford University) - A New Entrepreneurship Playbook
48:43
48:43
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48:43Eric Volmar is teaching lead at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford. His work focuses on connecting defense, academia, and entrepreneurship to accelerate innovation for national security, supporting new ventures at the intersection of technology and policy. In this presentation – followed by a conversation with Tina…
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Steve Cousins (Stanford University) - Real-World Robotics
45:52
45:52
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45:52Steve Cousins is the executive director of the Stanford Robotics Center and founder of Relay Robotics (formerly Savioke), which builds autonomous service robots for hotels and healthcare. Cousins’ career reflects a commitment to advancing robotics from research to real-world applications. In this presentation, he shares stories of his time in resea…
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1
Steve Cousins (Stanford University) - Real-World Robotics
45:52
45:52
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45:52Steve Cousins is the executive director of the Stanford Robotics Center and founder of Relay Robotics (formerly Savioke), which builds autonomous service robots for hotels and healthcare. Cousins’ career reflects a commitment to advancing robotics from research to real-world applications. In this presentation, he shares stories of his time in resea…
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Jane Chen (Embrace Global) - Doing the Inner Work
30:48
30:48
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30:48Jane Chen is the co-founder of Embrace Global, which created a low-cost infant warmer that has helped more than one million babies in low-resource settings. Her new book, Like a Wave We Break: a Memoir of Falling Apart and Finding Myself, tells the story of her globe-spanning journey to break free of the narratives that once defined her and confron…
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Jane Chen (Embrace Global) - Doing the Inner Work
30:48
30:48
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30:48Jane Chen is the co-founder of Embrace Global, which created a low-cost infant warmer that has helped more than one million babies in low-resource settings. Her new book, Like a Wave We Break: a Memoir of Falling Apart and Finding Myself, tells the story of her globe-spanning journey to break free of the narratives that once defined her and confron…
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1
Sanjit Biswas (Samsara) - Making a Real-World Impact
45:24
45:24
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45:24Sanjit Biswas is the co-founder and CEO of Samsara, a global leader in allowing physical operations organizations to harness data, AI, and the Internet of Things. He started the company with the mission to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy. In this presentation, Biswas tells the stor…
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Sanjit Biswas (Samsara) - Making a Real-World Impact
45:24
45:24
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45:24Sanjit Biswas is the co-founder and CEO of Samsara, a global leader in allowing physical operations organizations to harness data, AI, and the Internet of Things. He started the company with the mission to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy. In this presentation, Biswas tells the stor…
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1
Drew Endy (Stanford University) - A Synthetic Biology Dream
47:30
47:30
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47:30Drew Endy is an associate professor of bioengineering at Stanford University and a pioneer of synthetic biology. A co-founder of the BioBricks Foundation, Endy helped launch the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition to democratize biotechnology for student innovators worldwide. In this presentation, Endy gives a primer on …
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Drew Endy (Stanford University) - A Synthetic Biology Dream
47:30
47:30
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47:30Drew Endy is an associate professor of bioengineering at Stanford University and a pioneer of synthetic biology. A co-founder of the BioBricks Foundation, Endy helped launch the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition to democratize biotechnology for student innovators worldwide. In this presentation, Endy gives a primer on …
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Grant Lee (Gamma) - Finding Early-Stage Energy
47:28
47:28
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47:28Grant Lee is the CEO and Co-founder of Gamma, an AI-powered presentation and website design tool that has scaled to 50 million customers and $50 million in annual recurring revenue with fewer than 50 employees. In this conversation with Adjunct Lecturer Ravi Belani, Lee shares how his search for energizing projects and partnerships shaped Gamma’s p…
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Grant Lee (Gamma) - Finding Early-Stage Energy
47:28
47:28
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47:28Grant Lee is the CEO and Co-founder of Gamma, an AI-powered presentation and website design tool that has scaled to 50 million customers and $50 million in annual recurring revenue with fewer than 50 employees. In this conversation with Adjunct Lecturer Ravi Belani, Lee shares how his search for energizing projects and partnerships shaped Gamma’s p…
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Tina Seelig (Stanford University) - Catching the Winds of Luck
43:26
43:26
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43:26Tina Seelig is an educator, entrepreneur, and bestselling author who has spent decades teaching creativity, innovation, and leadership at Stanford. She is the executive director of Knight-Hennessy Scholars and director emerita of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program. In this presentation, inspired by her forthcoming book What I Wish I Knew abou…
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Tina Seelig (Stanford University) - Catching the Winds of Luck
43:26
43:26
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43:26Tina Seelig is an educator, entrepreneur, and bestselling author who has spent decades teaching creativity, innovation, and leadership at Stanford. She is the executive director of Knight-Hennessy Scholars and director emerita of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program. In this presentation, inspired by her forthcoming book What I Wish I Knew abou…
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Samir Vasavada (Vise) - From Teenage Founder to Tech CEO
52:59
52:59
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52:59Samir Vasavada, co-founder and CEO of Vise, shares his inspiring journey from launching an AI-powered asset management startup as a teenager to raising more than $130M from top VCs like Sequoia and Founders Fund. Vasavada discusses navigating the “dark side” of venture funding, the lessons learned from hiring seasoned executives too early, and why …
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Samir Vasavada (Vise) - From Teenage Founder to Tech CEO
52:59
52:59
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52:59Samir Vasavada, co-founder and CEO of Vise, shares his inspiring journey from launching an AI-powered asset management startup as a teenager to raising more than $130M from top VCs like Sequoia and Founders Fund. Vasavada discusses navigating the “dark side” of venture funding, the lessons learned from hiring seasoned executives too early, and why …
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Osi Imeokparia (Kode with Klossy) - Training Tech’s Next Gen [Entire Talk]
45:59
45:59
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45:59Founded by supermodel Karlie Kloss, Kode With Klossy teaches young women and gender expansive youth how to code. The organization supports a community of 11,000 from 100-plus countries over more than a decade to ensure their education is effective. CEO Osi Imeokparia shares how long-term support and mentorship for diverse young coders can lead to s…
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Osi Imeokparia (Kode with Klossy) - Training Tech’s Next Gen [Entire Talk]
45:59
45:59
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45:59Founded by supermodel Karlie Kloss, Kode With Klossy teaches young women and gender expansive youth how to code. The organization supports a community of 11,000 from 100-plus countries over more than a decade to ensure their education is effective. CEO Osi Imeokparia shares how long-term support and mentorship for diverse young coders can lead to s…
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1
Garrett Lord (Handshake) - The Network Effect
49:07
49:07
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49:07Garrett Lord started Handshake to make it easier for students from all backgrounds to find internships. Lord discusses his own experience studying computer science at Michigan Tech and the disparities that leave so many students without exposure to recruiters at their campuses. In democratizing the job search, Lord talks about identifying a two-way…
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Vinay Hiremath - Vinay Hiremath (LoomAI) - The Uncertainty After Success [Explicit]Audio only
48:50
48:50
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48:50Vinay Hiremath shares his entrepreneurial journey as the co-founder of LoomAI, a video messaging platform that grew to 30 million users and was acquired by Atlassian for nearly $1 billion. Vinay chronicles his entrepreneurial journey and its many pivots and adaptations – as well as his post-acquisition period of profound questioning and self-discov…
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1
Vinay Hiremath (LoomAI) - The Uncertainty After Success [Explicit]
48:50
48:50
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48:50Vinay Hiremath shares his entrepreneurial journey as the co-founder of LoomAI, a video messaging platform that grew to 30 million users and was acquired by Atlassian for nearly $1 billion. Vinay chronicles his entrepreneurial journey and its many pivots and adaptations – as well as his post-acquisition period of profound questioning and self-discov…
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1
Stanley Tang (DoorDash) - Scaling the Unscalable
47:55
47:55
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47:55Stanley Tang was a junior at Stanford when he started to explore technology solutions for small businesses. Working with local shops got him thinking about food delivery, and while at first the idea didn’t seem scalable, the ingredients for DoorDash began to come together. Recounting how DoorDash’s growth spanned many ups and downs including global…
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Stanley Tang (DoorDash) - Scaling the Unscalable
47:55
47:55
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47:55Stanley Tang was a junior at Stanford when he started to explore technology solutions for small businesses. Working with local shops got him thinking about food delivery, and while at first the idea didn’t seem scalable, the ingredients for DoorDash began to come together. Recounting how DoorDash’s growth spanned many ups and downs including global…
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1
Bonny Simi (Jet Blue & Joby Aviation) - An Entrepreneurial Mindset—Applied to You [ETL Looks Back]
55:26
55:26
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55:26In this 2016 conversation, Bonny Simi—Olympian, airline pilot, venture capitalist, and entrepreneur—explains how success is built on curiosity, creativity, and the courage to take risks. While in her role with JetBlue, Simi shared how setting bold intentions, building transferable skills, and leveraging parallel career moves shaped her unconvention…
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1
Bonny Simi (Jet Blue & Joby Aviation) - An Entrepreneurial Mindset—Applied to You [ETL Looks Back]
55:26
55:26
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55:26In this 2016 conversation, Bonny Simi—Olympian, airline pilot, venture capitalist, and entrepreneur—explains how success is built on curiosity, creativity, and the courage to take risks. While in her role with JetBlue, Simi shared how setting bold intentions, building transferable skills, and leveraging parallel career moves shaped her unconvention…
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1
Payal Kadakia (ClassPass) - Bringing Your Whole Self to Your Venture [ETL Looks Back]
55:20
55:20
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55:20Payal Kadakia's 2022 conversation feels as relevant as ever, highlighting the enduring importance of authenticity in strong leadership. In this episode, the founder of ClassPass and the Sa Dance Company shares how integrating her full identity—as both a dancer and a business leader—was crucial to her success. Kadakia discusses the importance of lis…
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Payal Kadakia (ClassPass) - Bringing Your Whole Self to Your Venture [ETL Looks Back]
55:20
55:20
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55:20Payal Kadakia's 2022 conversation feels as relevant as ever, highlighting the enduring importance of authenticity in strong leadership. In this episode, the founder of ClassPass and the Sa Dance Company shares how integrating her full identity—as both a dancer and a business leader—was crucial to her success. Kadakia discusses the importance of lis…
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1
Justin Kan (Twitch) - Finding Fulfillment in Entrepreneurship [ETL Looks Back]
57:35
57:35
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57:35Justin Kan is an entrepreneur and investor best known as the co-founder of Twitch. In this conversation from 2021, Kan shares candid insights on the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of resilience, self-awareness, and personal well-being. Reflecting on his journey—from founding Twitch to reassessing his motivations—he d…
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Justin Kan (Twitch) - Finding Fulfillment in Entrepreneurship [ETL Looks Back]
57:35
57:35
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57:35Justin Kan is an entrepreneur and investor best known as the co-founder of Twitch. In this conversation from 2021, Kan shares candid insights on the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of resilience, self-awareness, and personal well-being. Reflecting on his journey—from founding Twitch to reassessing his motivations—he d…
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1
Astro Teller (Alphabet’s X) - Celebrating Failure Fuels Moonshots [ETL Looks Back]
54:32
54:32
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54:32In this compelling talk from 2016, Astro Teller, director of Alphabet’s moonshot factory, X, explores how embracing failure fuels groundbreaking innovation. He shares how a culture that rewards audacity and transparency can systematically drive progress, turning ambitious ideas into reality. Teller discusses the importance of pre-mortems, rewarding…
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Sarah Friar (Nextdoor) - Building Better Online Communities [ETL Looks Back]
45:48
45:48
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45:48In December 2018, Sarah Jane Friar became CEO of Nextdoor, the world’s largest private social network for neighborhoods. In her conversation with Stanford professor Tom Byers, she discussed her passion for fostering a sense of community amid the challenges of misinformation and social disconnection. Friar highlighted that Nextdoor uniquely leverage…
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Sarah Friar (Nextdoor) - Building Better Online Communities [ETL Looks Back]
45:48
45:48
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45:48In December 2018, Sarah Jane Friar became CEO of Nextdoor, the world’s largest private social network for neighborhoods. In her conversation with Stanford professor Tom Byers, she discussed her passion for fostering a sense of community amid the challenges of misinformation and social disconnection. Friar highlighted that Nextdoor uniquely leverage…
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1
Astro Teller (Alphabet’s X) - Celebrating Failure Fuels Moonshots [ETL Looks Back]
54:32
54:32
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54:32In this compelling talk from 2016, Astro Teller, director of Alphabet’s moonshot factory, X, explores how embracing failure fuels groundbreaking innovation. He shares how a culture that rewards audacity and transparency can systematically drive progress, turning ambitious ideas into reality. Teller discusses the importance of pre-mortems, rewarding…
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1
Aicha Evans (Zoox) - Driving Innovation [ETL Looks Back]
48:10
48:10
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48:10As autonomous vehicles continue to evolve, we’re revisiting our 2021 conversation with Aicha Evans, CEO of Zoox. At the time, Zoox had recently been acquired by Amazon, and Evans was leading the charge in developing fully autonomous, purpose-built robotaxis. In this discussion with Stanford adjunct lecturer and former Zoox board member Heidi Roizen…
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Aicha Evans (Zoox) - Driving Innovation [ETL Looks Back]
48:10
48:10
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48:10As autonomous vehicles continue to evolve, we’re revisiting our 2021 conversation with Aicha Evans, CEO of Zoox. At the time, Zoox had recently been acquired by Amazon, and Evans was leading the charge in developing fully autonomous, purpose-built robotaxis. In this discussion with Stanford adjunct lecturer and former Zoox board member Heidi Roizen…
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Debbie Sterling (GoldieBlox) - Disrupting the Pink Aisle [ETL Looks Back]
58:02
58:02
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58:02Much has shifted in the landscape of gender representation in STEM fields, with women making gains in recent decades. There is an increased interest among girls in pursuing STEM fields, and a growing awareness of how to support them as men continue to make up a majority of the field. Debbie Sterling, founder and CEO of GoldieBlox, exemplifies this …
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Debbie Sterling (GoldieBlox) - Disrupting the Pink Aisle [ETL Looks Back]
58:02
58:02
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58:02Much has shifted in the landscape of gender representation in STEM fields, with women making gains in recent decades. There is an increased interest among girls in pursuing STEM fields, and a growing awareness of how to support them as men continue to make up a majority of the field. Debbie Sterling, founder and CEO of GoldieBlox, exemplifies this …
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1
Alberto Savoia (Google) - Build the Right It [ETL Looks Back]
46:15
46:15
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46:15Revisit timeless insights from Alberto Savoia, Google’s first engineering director and the driving force behind the launch of AdWords, in this re-released 2019 ETL episode. As the creator of “pretotyping” and author of The Right It, Savoia tackles one of innovation’s greatest challenges: ensuring you’re building a product the market truly wants. Wi…
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Alberto Savoia (Google) - Build the Right It [ETL Looks Back]
46:15
46:15
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46:15Revisit timeless insights from Alberto Savoia, Google’s first engineering director and the driving force behind the launch of AdWords, in this re-released 2019 ETL episode. As the creator of “pretotyping” and author of The Right It, Savoia tackles one of innovation’s greatest challenges: ensuring you’re building a product the market truly wants. Wi…
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1
Josh Wolfe (Lux Capital) - Investing at the Cutting Edge [ETL Looks Back]
49:09
49:09
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49:09For the winter 2025 installment of ETL Looks Back, we asked the team at the Stanford Technology Ventures Program to recommend some of their favorite ETL episodes from the past. Our first pick comes from Ravi Belani and features Josh Wolfe, co-founder of Lux Capital, which funds scientists and entrepreneurs who pursue counter-conventional solutions …
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Josh Wolfe (Lux Capital) - Investing at the Cutting Edge [ETL Looks Back]
49:09
49:09
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49:09For the winter 2025 installment of ETL Looks Back, we asked the team at the Stanford Technology Ventures Program to recommend some of their favorite ETL episodes from the past. Our first pick comes from Ravi Belani and features Josh Wolfe, co-founder of Lux Capital, which funds scientists and entrepreneurs who pursue counter-conventional solutions …
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1
Returning With Real-World Wisdom [ETL Looks Back]
59:20
59:20
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59:20How do graduates of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program’s entrepreneurship fellows programs apply their skills in the real world? STVP’s Tina Seelig spoke with four alumni about how they have used their academic experiences to address some of the world's most challenging problems. In this episode: Etosha Cave, Opus 12 Jonah Greenberger, Bright…
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Returning With Real-World Wisdom [ETL Looks Back]
59:21
59:21
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59:21How do graduates of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program’s entrepreneurship fellows programs apply their skills in the real world? STVP’s Tina Seelig spoke with four alumni about how they have used their academic experiences to address some of the world's most challenging problems. In this episode:Etosha Cave, Opus 12Jonah Greenberger, Bright, …
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Clara Shih - What No One Tells You About Entrepreneurship [ETL Looks Back]
47:00
47:00
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47:00Clara Shih is the CEO of Salesforce AI and has received recognition as one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs and TIME’s Most Influential People in AI. In this episode, she emphasizes the importance of maintaining pre-existing friendships for mental health and support during her entrepreneurial journey at Hearsay Systems, particularly w…
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Clara Shih - What No One Tells You About Entrepreneurship [ETL Looks Back]
47:00
47:00
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47:00Clara Shih is the CEO of Salesforce AI and has received recognition as one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs and TIME’s Most Influential People in AI. In this episode, she emphasizes the importance of maintaining pre-existing friendships for mental health and support during her entrepreneurial journey at Hearsay Systems, particularly w…
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Maria Barrera (Clayful) - Mental Health for Entrepreneurs [ETL Looks Back]
48:15
48:15
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48:15As an entrepreneur in education, Maria Barrera, founder of Clayful, started to apply her training as a mechanical engineer to thinking about mental health and the challenges young people were facing in schools post-pandemic. In true Stanford d.school fashion, Barrera says she went into a lot of need-finding, talking to everyone she could, finding “…
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Mental Health for Entrepreneurs [ETL Looks Back]
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48:15Maria Barrera uses her background as a mechanical engineer to focus on preventative mental health support for youth.By Stanford eCorner
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Gabriel Parisi-Amon (Nebia Shower) - A Burnout Manifesto [ETL Looks Back]
53:24
53:24
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53:24Burnout is familiar to all entrepreneurs and takes its toll. Gabriel Parisi-Amon, founder of Nebia, which was acquired by Brondell, takes on the “perfect founder” myth and asks us to reconsider the system that inevitably leads to burnout. Parisi-Amon offers practical advice on priorities and perspectives for founders at any stage. Through examples …
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