Most of the capital chasing AI is flowing to the same places: large enterprises, well-funded infrastructure plays, and recognizable names.
Meanwhile, the businesses actually deploying AI on the ground—small and mid-sized operators quietly creating real efficiencies and measurable outcomes—are often overlooked by institutional investors. That gap continues to widen.
At the same time, tariffs are reshaping the economics of AI infrastructure in ways many investors have not fully priced in. The divergence between what large enterprises can absorb and what smaller businesses can afford is growing. How capital is allocated in this environment reveals a great deal about conviction, risk tolerance, and where investors believe durable value will ultimately be created.
Joining us is Afsheen Afshar, institutional investor and Founder of Pilot Wave Holdings, a firm focused on quantum computing and frontier technologies. Afsheen brings a unique perspective at the intersection of early-stage investing, AI deployment, and the emerging quantum security risks facing the data infrastructure that many AI companies depend on today.
In This Episode David J. Goecke and Afsheen Afshar will explore:
Funding — Why institutional capital continues to overlook small-business AI opportunities
Faith — Tariffs, rising AI infrastructure costs, and the conviction required to deploy capital during uncertainty
Future — Quantum security, AI infrastructure exposure, and the next wave of technological disruption
Together, they'll examine where the most compelling AI deployment opportunities exist today, how investors should think about capital allocation as infrastructure costs shift, and what quantum computing means for organizations building on potentially vulnerable data systems.
These are not theoretical discussions. They are real-world decisions founders, operators, and investors are making right now.