Born In Silicon Valley

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.

Born In Silicon Valley is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 0 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Born In Silicon Valley, a business show with 0 episodes published.

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  Episode #250

  Never Miss A Customer Again

  Aug 18, 202642 min

  Missed phone calls are costing the restaurant industry millions of dollars every year, but conversational AI is completely changing the game. In this episode, we explore how cutting-edge voice technology is transforming front-of-house operations and recovering lost revenue for operators nationwide. Christian Wiens, CEO and Co-Founder of Loman AI, shares his journey from working in a beachside barbecue joint to developing the leading voice AI platform for the restaurant sector. He explains the immense operational challenges inherent in the industry and how an intelligent phone agent can seamlessly take orders, process payments, and integrate directly with existing POS systems. Beyond the technology, Christian provides a tactical masterclass on go-to-market strategies for B2B startup founders. From leveraging cold email and paid advertisements to building a powerful organic pipeline, he breaks down exactly what it takes to scale a software business in 2026. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Setup 04:56 Christian Wiens Introduces Lohman AI 06:32 Christian's Background and Entrepreneurial Journey 14:41 The Core Problem in Restaurant Phone Operations 17:10 How AI Solves Restaurant Call Misses 20:25 Surprising Customer Impact Stories 25:11 Customer Skepticism and AI Acceptance 32:19 Data Insights from Voice AI 37:32 Go-to-Market Strategies for AI Startups 44:22 The Role of Content and SEO in Growth 47:11 Hiring and Building an AI-Driven Team 50:12 Current Hiring and Growth at Lohman 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

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  Episode #249

  68 Hours For One Quote

  Aug 6, 202644 min

  Discover how artificial intelligence is quietly revolutionizing the five trillion dollar construction supply chain and accelerating the massive data center boom. In this episode, Forest Flager reveals how Parspec leverages agentic AI to cut quoting times from days to seconds, driving billions in electrical product sales. Since our last conversation, Parspec successfully secured a $31 million Series A and expanded its reach beyond electrical into mechanical and plumbing construction materials. Forest shares his insider perspective on how leading distributors are navigating modern procurement, overcoming manual workflow bottlenecks, and capturing new revenue in the rapidly growing data center market. Beyond the product, we dive deep into how Parspec has completely restructured its own engineering teams to maximize the 3x to 5x development speed unlocked by AI coding tools. Forest provides actionable advice for founders on building an AI forward company culture that rewards experimentation over hoarding knowledge. Whether you are building a venture backed startup, managing a global supply chain, or seeking ways to integrate AI into your daily operations, this conversation offers an unfiltered look at enterprise AI adoption that actually drives hard ROI. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Paraspect and AI in Construction 05:00 Expanding Product Offerings and Market Reach 09:46 The Role of AI in Procurement and Workflow Automation 15:04 Sales Strategy and Market Adoption 19:39 Trends in Data Center Construction and Procurement 24:49 Labor Dynamics in Data Center Construction 25:56 Enhancing Construction Efficiency with Real-Time Data 28:30 The Impact of AI on Startup Operations 32:36 Navigating the AI Talent Landscape 35:36 Fostering a Collaborative AI Culture 38:30 Personal AI Tools for Leadership 42:30 Future Directions and Team Expansion 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

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  Episode #248

  Stop Factory Blind Spots Now

  Aug 4, 202639 min

  Discover how physical artificial intelligence is transforming the manufacturing industry by giving the real world a voice and solving complex operational problems in record time. In this episode, Dave Copps, CEO of Worlds, reveals the groundbreaking shift from static data to live spatial models that allow factories to literally speak to their managers. We explore the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence in physical spaces, highlighting why the days of waiting years for operational technology to show a return on investment are officially over. Dave breaks down how his team deploys intelligent agents to turn environments into continuous streams of spatial data, ensuring safety and massive efficiency gains within just days. You will also learn about the rise of Forward Deployed Engineers and why insatiable curiosity combined with advanced tools like Claude is creating uniquely powerful developers. As companies pivot from simple automation to complex, multi-agent architectures, understanding this transition is crucial for any tech leader or startup founder looking to scale effectively. We also get an exclusive sneak peek into Iris, a revolutionary new system launching soon that enables a facility to communicate directly with its operators during critical events. Tune in to understand why bolting artificial intelligence onto existing software is obsolete and how building native, agentic ecosystems is the true future of enterprise technology. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome Back 02:26 The Rapid Evolution of Physical AI 04:57 Transforming Manufacturing with Live Spatial Data 08:45 Operational Intelligence versus Traditional Dashboards 12:45 Drastically Reducing Time to Value 15:22 The Role of Forward Deployed Engineers 20:53 The Shift to Native Agentic Software 23:25 Delivering Health and Safety Outcomes 26:10 Augmenting Human Safety in the Workplace 28:46 Introducing Iris: Giving Environments a Voice 32:30 Fostering a Culture of Curiosity and Innovation 35:43 New Strategies for Interviewing Tech Talent 39:01 Open Roles and Career Growth at Worlds 42:28 How to Connect with Worlds and Conclusion 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

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  Episode #247

  Stop Using Basic AI Bots

  Jul 31, 202639 min

  Discover how AI is transforming enterprise contact centers from massive cost centers into intelligent command centers. Ali Merchant, CEO of Orvera AI, reveals how his bootstrapped voice AI platform is outperforming billion-dollar competitors with unprecedented resolution rates. With 18 years of experience building a 2000-person contact center firm, Ali shares his insider perspective on why context is the ultimate competitive advantage in generative AI. He breaks down how Orvera AI automates up to 84 percent of complex customer conversations, dramatically improving the lives of contact center leaders and shifting human agents to higher-value roles. This episode dives deep into the future of conversational AI in healthcare, the strategic decision to bootstrap rather than raise venture capital, and actionable hiring advice for startup founders scaling their sales teams. Whether you are building an AI startup or looking to optimize your enterprise operations, this conversation offers a masterclass in product-market fit and sustainable growth. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Ollie Merchant and Orvera AI 01:53 Ollie's Journey in Technology and AI 04:00 The Role of AI in Contact Centers 07:50 Use Cases of AI in Various Industries 12:38 Outperforming Competitors with Contextual Understanding 14:55 The Future of Voice AI and Market Competition 19:05 AI's Impact on Human Roles in Contact Centers 22:02 Bootstrapping vs. Raising Capital 24:44 Hiring Strategies for Growing Companies 36:11 Mainstream Adoption of AI Voice Technology 38:29 Future Roadmap for Orvera 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

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  Episode #246

  Why NASA Backed Space Copy

  Jul 28, 202632 min

  Ever wondered what it takes to build a manufacturing plant on the moon? Madison C. Feehan is revolutionizing the multi-billion dollar aerospace supply chain by creating rapidly deployable 3D printers that turn raw dirt and scrap into critical infrastructure. In this episode of Born in Silicon Valley, we sit down with the visionary founder and CEO of Space Copy. Starting her career with NASA at just sixteen years old, Madison has broken barriers in hard tech and lunar resource utilization. She walks us through the monumental challenges of expeditionary manufacturing and how her autonomous robotic systems operate in the most extreme environments, from remote disaster zones on Earth to the lunar surface. We dive deep into the fascinating realities of hard tech fundraising, the vital role of AI in streamlining small startup operations, and the ultimate roadmap for commercializing space exploration. Madison also unpacks how Space Copy achieves construction that is up to seventy percent cheaper and twenty percent faster than traditional methods, ultimately saving lives and pioneering a new frontier in human expansion. Chapters 00:00 Technical Difficulties and Introduction 03:07 Madison Feehan's Journey to Space Copy 05:11 Understanding Space Copy's Mission 08:21 Explaining Space Copy's Technology 11:31 Diverse Applications of Space Copy 12:27 Surprises in Building Space Copy 14:21 Exploring the Scale of 3D Printing Technology 16:32 Understanding the 3D Printing Process 18:57 Business Models in 3D Printing 21:16 Defining Competitive Moats in Hard Tech 25:31 Personal Journey and Milestones 27:56 The Role of AI in 3D Printing 31:16 Challenges of Fundraising in Hard Tech 33:52 Future Opportunities in Space Data Centers 35:51 Exciting Upcoming Launches and Projects 38:10 Building a Culture and Future Team 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

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