BetterTech

In this episode of the BetterTech podcast, host Colin McCarthy sits down with Roberto Galdamez, Chief Information Security Officer at Kovac Financial Network. Roberto shares his remarkable journey from working with the Miami Dolphins to leading cybersecurity efforts in the financial sector. He dives into key leadership lessons for aspiring CISOs, the growing impact of AI-powered threats, and why soft skills are just as vital as technical expertise. Roberto also unpacks how the role of the CISO is rapidly evolving, shifting from technical oversight to a strategic, board-level influence. Whether you're early in your cybersecurity career or aiming for leadership, this episode is full of insight.

In this episode, host Jocelyn Houle welcomes, Bennett Borden, CEO of Clarion AI Partners, shares his unique journey merging law, data science, and AI development. Bennett discusses how Clarion combines legal expertise with cutting-edge AI technology to help organizations build compliant, responsible AI systems. Drawing on decades of experience, including his work with government agencies and top law firms, Bennett explains the critical importance of "compliance by design" and the challenges companies face navigating AI regulation in a rapidly evolving landscape. He emphasizes that AI is a transformative opportunity, urging leaders to lean into innovation rather than resist change. Bennett also highlights how AI can augment human expertise, driving efficiency and new business value.

In this episode of Better Tech, host Jocelyn Houle interviews Marc-Antoine Auger, AVP of AI Data Governance and Business Architecture at iA Private Wealth. Marc-Antoine dives deep into how financial institutions can modernize legacy systems by aligning business architecture, data governance, and AI to drive scalable transformation and value. He emphasizes the importance of understanding business capabilities, managing technical debt, and fostering collaboration across business, technology, and risk teams. Marc-Antoine also shares insights on data quality being “fit for purpose” rather than perfect and highlights the challenges and opportunities of AI adoption in finance. Listeners gain practical guidance on navigating complex AI projects and managing up effectively in fast-changing environments.

In this episode of PetrTech, host Haseeb Khan welcomes Eze Lanza, an Open Source AI Evangelist and Developer Advocate at Intel. With over a decade of experience in AI, including classical NLP and modern AI developments, Eze shares insights on the evolution of AI from traditional machine learning to large language models and AI agents. He explains how AI agents are transforming business automation by connecting AI models to external systems, enabling practical workflows with controlled execution. Eze also discusses the future of work shaped by AI, the challenges around ethics and responsibility, and the growing adoption of AI tools among developers. The conversation highlights real-world applications in healthcare, finance, and customer experience, emphasizing an agentic future powered by AI’s evolving senses.

In this episode of BetterTech, Haseeb Khan sits down with Chris Traylor, Global Executive for Employee Experience at ServiceNow, to explore how AI agents are reshaping the modern workplace. Chris shares insights on the evolution from chatbots to fully autonomous AI agents capable of executing complex workflows, enhancing productivity, and transforming employee experience. He emphasizes the importance of integrating AI with governance, contextual awareness, and structured data to ensure relevance and reliability. From explaining AI agents as digital twins, not replacements, to offering a practical roadmap for AI adoption, Chris provides a clear, experience-driven perspective on how businesses can unlock value from AI, starting small but scaling smart.

In this episode of BetterTech, Ismail, CTO and Co-founder of Superagent, joins Haseeb Khan for a deep dive into the evolving role of AI agents in modern work environments. Backed by Y Combinator, Superagent is building a platform where humans and AI collaborate like real teammates. Ismail shares how their approach replaces bloated tools with a single, intelligent agent that operates autonomously across systems. He discusses the shift from “human-in-the-loop” to “agent-in-the-loop,” the importance of context in AI performance, and how lean teams can now achieve massive scale. A must-listen for anyone building in AI, SaaS, or enterprise productivity.

In this episode of BetterTech, Haseeb Khan sits down with Alan Wepener, CEO of Svantero, to dive deep into the future of transforming sustainability. Alan takes us through his remarkable journey from investment banking to founding Svantero, a groundbreaking platform that combines fintech, blockchain, and decarbonization projects. He sheds light on the growing carbon markets and reveals why carbon credits are projected to become a $4.7 trillion industry. Alan also highlights how blockchain and AI are revolutionizing carbon trading and discusses the rise of green finance. Furthermore, Alan explains how Svantero is democratizing carbon neutrality, making it accessible to individuals and businesses, enabling them to offset emissions easily—without needing to change their lifestyle. Tune in for a compelling conversation on how innovation is reshaping sustainability and paving the way for a greener future.

In this episode of BetterTech, Luke Arrigoni, Founder and CEO of Loti, joins Umair Javed to explore how AI is redefining online reputation and identity protection. With a background in data science and a decade of consulting for giants like AT&T and Goldman Sachs, Luke now leads Loti, an AI-powered platform that scans and cleans the internet by detecting and removing deepfakes, impersonations, explicit content, and false endorsements. Luke dives into the tech
behind partial face recognition, takedown automation, and how Loti processes the “daily internet.” Tune in to hear how Loti is helping celebrities, creators, and everyday users regain control over their digital presence.

In this episode of BetterTech, host Umair Javed is joined by Dr. Holger Bartel, Founder of RealRate, to explore how AI is fueling fintech innovation, especially in the domain of financial ratings. With a PhD in statistics and deep expertise in economics, Holger discusses how RealRate is setting a new standard in the industry by combining explainable AI, causal graphs, and small data to build transparent, conflict-free rating models. Unlike traditional black-box systems or GPT-based tools, RealRate’s approach emphasizes clarity, logic, and credibility. The company benchmarks entire industries using publicly available financial data, offering fintech leaders a scalable and ethical path to automation. This episode offers bold ideas and actionable insights for anyone building or investing in next-generation fintech solutions. A must-listen for anyone passionate about driving real change through fintech innovation.

In this episode of BetterTech, host Umair Javed sits down with Umut Eser, Co-founder and CTO of Weave, to explore how AI is transforming the regulatory side of drug development. With a PhD in applied physics and deep experience across biotech, AI, and healthcare, Umut shares how Weave is simplifying FDA submissions using LLMs, document classification, and agentic workflows. He discusses the challenge of hallucination in regulatory AI, the importance of UX-driven verification, and the balance between automation and human oversight. Whether you're a healthtech founder or building AI-first products, this episode offers sharp insights into verticalized innovation and product-market fit.