Solving for Tomorrow: Tales from the Tech Frontier

In this episode, Brian sits down with Mike Zeppieri, Vice President of Emerging Technology at Skanska, to explore how construction is evolving through a wave of quiet but powerful innovation. From drones and 3D coordination models to AI copilots and the resurgence of sustainable materials like mass timber, Mike shares how his background in the military and aerospace informs a systems-driven approach to transforming one of the world’s most risk-conscious industries.

The conversation explores:

• How construction evolved from blueprints to 3D coordination models and virtual design
• Why drones and 360 cameras became essential tools in the field, not just by leadership
• What slows innovation in construction (hint: it's not the builders)
• How AI copilots and data lakes are changing project planning, without replacing people
• Why mass timber is back and how blockchain is helping certify its sustainability

Mike also dives into the culture clash between Silicon Valley startups and on-site crews, why some “disruptive” ideas fail before the building is even finished, and how to partner with industry rather than just pitch to it.

In the Post-Fix Brian unpacks the lessons from construction tech adoption:

• Why “move fast and break things” doesn’t work when you’re building hospitals and airports
• How real-world constraints shape responsible, scalable innovation
• What tech founders and investors need to learn from this industry’s approach to risk

This episode is a must-listen for product leaders, venture-backed founders, innovation teams, and anyone trying to scale technology in complex, legacy industries.

Time Stamps:

• * () 
• *(00:51) Rapid Fire Questions: Technology and Nostalgia
• *(10:58) The Evolution of Construction Technology
• *(23:06) Sustainability in Construction: Wood vs. Steel
• *(32:39) Controlling Material Waste in Construction
• *(36:48) Adoption of Drones and 360 Cameras
• *(46:40) Challenges in Technology Adoption
• *(57:26) Balancing Disruption and Practicality
• *(01:05:38) The Double-Edged Sword of AI Content
• *(1:19:13) The Post-Fix

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Solving for Tomorrow is sponsored by Geisel Software. We help you create products that seamlessly automate the physical and virtual worlds using robotics, machine learning, and so much more. Find out more at Geisel Software.

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Links

Follow Mike Zeppieri on LinkedIn

Follow Brian Geisel on LinkedIn

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In this episode, Brian talks with Tobias Kraft, Co-Founder and CEO at  Teren, about how AI-powered environmental twins are reshaping our ability to predict and mitigate natural disaster risk. With firsthand experience surviving wildfires and a deep background in geospatial data systems, Tobias now leads efforts to digitize Earth's terrain and make climate intelligence actionable.

The conversation explores:

• How Teren builds real-time, high-resolution environmental twins to model land-based threats
   
• Why traditional risk models are breaking down in a world of five-year, hundred-year storms
   
• How hyperlocal terrain and soil data enhance decision-making for infrastructure and insurance
   
• What it takes to make climate risk data operational for landowners, utilities, and policymakers
   
• The unexpected impacts of clean energy projects on land resilience and runoff patterns

Tobias shares how his team combines satellite imagery, LiDAR, and soil physics to train AI systems that can forecast events like landslides and wildfires, and why this shift from reactive to predictive infrastructure could reshape everything from insurance underwriting to where we choose to live.

In the Post Fix, Brian and Harriet unpack the “environmental twin” concept:

• What a digital twin is and how it's evolving beyond buildings to the planet itself
   
• Why data accuracy, computational modeling, and boots-on-the-ground validation still matter
   
• How these technologies might help individuals, not just institutions, make smarter decisions

This episode is a must-listen for climate-conscious engineers, infrastructure planners, insurance leaders, and anyone working at the intersection of AI, earth systems, and natural disaster resilience.

Time Stamps:

• *(05:08) Rapid Fire
• *(15:27) Environmental Twin: Revolutionizing Natural Disaster Management
• *(23:53) The Role of Data in Predicting Environmental Threats
• *(33:51) Human Impact on the Environment
• *(49:24) Global Expansion and Data Challenges
• *(53:18) Measuring Predictive Technologies and AI
• *(1:06:39) The Post-Fix

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Solving for Tomorrow is sponsored by Geisel Software. We help you create products that seamlessly automate the physical and virtual worlds using robotics, machine learning, and so much more. Find out more at Geisel Software.

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Links

Follow Tobias  on LinkedIn

Follow Brian Geisel on LinkedIn

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In this episode, Brian talks with Dr. Spencer Schaefer, CTO of Lunar Analytics and former Chief AI Officer for a federal agency, about deploying agentic AI to solve some of healthcare’s most entrenched challenges. With 25+ years at the VA and deep experience across clinical informatics, enterprise architecture, and AI governance, Spencer now leads innovation in automated claims processing, agentic orchestration, and AI-powered decision systems.

The conversation explores:

• The technical architecture behind multi-agent AI models in healthcare
  
   
• How agentic systems extract clinical data with contextual accuracy
  
   
• Why prompt engineering and semantic control matter for reliability
  
   
• How agent-based claims automation can recover billions of dollars in lost revenue
  
   
• The barriers to adoption: regulation, leadership inertia, and trust
  
   

Spencer shares how his team used open-source models and internal compute to prototype agentic systems capable of transforming both medical workflows and administrative overhead, without compromising care.

In the Post Fix, Brian and Harriet break down the future of patient surrogates:

• What does it mean to have an AI managing your healthcare interactions
  
   
• How LLM reasoning works behind the scenes
  
   
• And why transparency, governance, and incentives will shape adoption
  
   

This episode is a must-listen for healthcare CTOs, AI architects, policy leaders, and anyone building enterprise systems where accuracy, context, and trust are mission-critical.

Time Stamps:

• *(01:08) Rapid Fire
• *(09:00) Inside Agentic AI: Definitions, RAG, and LLM Training
• *(15:35) How VA Teams Built Multi-Agent AI Systems
• *(31:00) The Issue Around Hallucinations 
• *(40:55) Billing Bots and the $1.2 Trillion Opportunity
• *(58:00) Looking For 10-Year Outlooks to Solve a Problem 
• *(1:15:40) The Agentic Health Future
• *(1:28:23) The Post-Fix

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Solving for Tomorrow is sponsored by Geisel Software. We help you create products that seamlessly automate the physical and virtual worlds using robotics, machine learning, and so much more. Find out more at geisel.software.

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Links

Follow Spencer on LinkedIn

Follow Brian Geisel on LinkedIn

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In this episode, Brian speaks with Aaron Horowitz, Founder and CEO of Empath Labs, about how innovative technology can shape the future of pediatric care. Drawing from his background 

In creative design and personal experience with chronic illness, Aaron leads the development of interactive therapeutic devices—like robotic ducks and AI-enhanced teddy bears—that support children through cancer, diabetes, anxiety, and clinical trials.

The discussion explores how Aaron and his team are advancing pediatric healthcare through technology by:

• Co-designing with children and clinicians to develop interactive tools that reflect real emotional and clinical needs
• Engineering therapeutic play experiences that improve treatment adherence and reduce procedural anxiety
• Applying anticipatory design principles to enhance pediatric participation in clinical trials and long-term care
• Using embodied ideation methods like improv and body-storming to prototype emotionally aware hardware
• Centering empathy as a design constraint, ensuring every device is not only functional but deeply human-centered

Aaron shares what it takes to translate imaginative ideas into real-world impact—and why the future of healthcare innovation lies in merging cutting-edge tech with human insight.

Time Stamps:

• *(6:35) From Theater to Therapy: Aaron’s Creative Journey into Pediatric Tech
• *(9:35)  How Kids Taught Us the Power of Play in Medical Design
• *(16:45) Co-Designing Thin-Sliced Medical Companions with Children and Families
• *(21:50) Comforting for the Future Through Interaction 
• *(40:50) Modeling Creativity and Play in Team Culture
• *(49:30) The Post-Fix

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Solving for Tomorrow is sponsored by Geisel Software. We help you create products that seamlessly automate the physical and virtual worlds using robotics, machine learning, and so much more. Find out more at geisel.software.

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Links

Follow Aaron on LinkedIn

Empath Labs

Follow Brian Geisel on LinkedIn

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In this episode, Brian talks with Matt Casella, President of Richtech Robotics, about the engineering and systems thinking behind automation in hospitality. With a background in finance and restaurant operations, Matt now leads the development of robots like Adam, a dual-arm, AI-enabled humanoid built to work seamlessly alongside people as a barista and mixologist.

The conversation explores:

• The technical challenges of building robots for real-world service environments
• Designing for both efficiency and user engagement
• Why human-robot interaction (HRI) matters in commercial adoption
• The role of robotics in solving labor shortages and reducing operational waste
• How autonomy and accessibility intersect in robots designed for aging populations
• Matt shares what it takes to go from functional to user-friendly, and why successful hospitality robots must deliver not just output, but experience.

In the Post Fix, Brian and Harriet dig into the psychology behind HRI:

• Why people expect social cues from machines
• Whether adding eyes to a robot really improves usability
• And Brian's not-so-secret hope for a bed-making robot

This episode is a must-listen for robotics engineers, system designers, and AI professionals interested in practical, real-world applications of human-centered robotics.

Time Stamps:

• *(00:41) The Rapid Fire 
• *(16:20) Automating for Waste Efficiency
• *(26:10) Keeping the Human Touch in Hospitality
• *(36:25) Providing Life Value for the Elderly Through Robotics
• *(45:20) Safety, Security & AI Ethics
• *(53:14) The Post-Fix

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Solving for Tomorrow is sponsored by Geisel Software. We help you create products that seamlessly automate the physical and virtual worlds using robotics, machine learning, and so much more. Find out more at geisel.software.

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Links

Follow Matt on LinkedIn

Richtech Robotics

Follow Brian Geisel on LinkedIn

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In this insightful episode, Brian chats with Tony Campbell, Vice President of SRE and Platform Engineering at iManage. With a career spanning Google, Microsoft, and HubSpot, Tony has spent years at the intersection of AI, robotics, and software engineering—bringing a deep understanding of what it takes to build and scale modern technology.

The discussion explores the evolution of software development, the role of pull requests in team collaboration, and why the best developers often think like musicians—constantly iterating and refining. Tony shares hard-earned lessons on mentorship, effective code reviews, and what the industry must do to bridge the AI-driven talent gap. He also unpacks his thoughts on the future of robotics and whether AI is truly a game-changer or just another tool we haven’t quite mastered.

Then, in the Post Fix, Harriet makes an unexpected analogy between coding and music that makes perfect sense!

Time Stamps:

• *(4:05) Diving into Telepresence and Robotics
• *(17:48) The Evolution of Software Development
• *(32:23)  Hiring Practices in Tech
• *(38:43) Understanding SRE and Reliability
• *(39:27) The Future of Robotics and Software
• *(44:59) The Post-Fix

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Solving for Tomorrow is sponsored by Geisel Software. We help you create products that seamlessly automate the physical and virtual worlds using robotics, machine learning, and so much more. Find out more at geisel.software.

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Links

Follow Tony on LinkedIn

iManage

Follow Brian Geisel on LinkedIn

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In this insightful episode, Brian chats with Vall Herard, CEO of Saifr.ai, a Fidelity Labs company. 

The discussion explores how Saifr.ai leverages advanced AI models to enhance content compliance and detect risks in the financial sector. Vall describes how the technology ensures financial content aligns with regulations, addressing compliance and identifying potential bad actors. 

The conversation also touches on AI hallucination issues, the importance of high-quality data, and the potential future of personalized AI in finance.

Then, in the Post Fix, Harriet mistakes a lightsaber for a pencil!

Time Stamps:

• *(10:28) Complying with Compliance
• *(15:44) New Fields Emerging Through AI
• *(19:19) Correcting an AI Model vs. Creating a New One
• *(28:53) We're Running Out Of Data!
• *(32:11) More About "Small" Language Models
• *(35:28) Defense Against The Bad Actors
• *(37:58) Deep Fakes Over The Phone
• *(41:39) A Look Into The Future
• *(48:55) The Post-Fix

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Solving for Tomorrow is sponsored by Geisel Software. We help you create products that seamlessly automate the physical and virtual worlds using robotics, machine learning, and so much more. Find out more at geisel.software.

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Links:

Follow Vall on LinkedIn

Saifr.ai

Follow Brian Geisel on LinkedIn

In this episode, Brian sits down with Martin Goodson, CEO and Chief Scientist of Evolution AI, to discuss his journey into the field of data science and AI, the evolution of AI methodologies, and the future challenges and opportunities. 

Martin shares insights into his childhood fascination with AI, his professional path, and the development of machine learning technologies at Evolution AI. The discussion also delves into the limitations of LLMs, the impact of hallucinations in AI, and the critical importance of handling errors and maintaining high accuracy, especially in financial applications. 

The conversation concludes with thoughts on the future of AI, the need for better-trained professionals, and how technology might transform business processes in the coming years.

Time Stamps:

• *(01:12) How Martin Got Here
• *(05:02) ML and Proto-organisms
• *(08:43) LLMs and How Animals Learn
• *(12:30) Not-so-conventional Neural Networks
• *(16:09) Making Models "Happy"
• *(21:56) Adapting to the Next New Thing
• *(25:11) No Errors, Ever?
• *(30:18) Hallucinations and Confidence Scores
• *(38:00) Resolution Issues
• *(45:30) If you had a magic wand…
• *(51:41) The Post-Fix

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Solving for Tomorrow is sponsored by Geisel Software. We help you create products that seamlessly automate the physical and virtual worlds using robotics, machine learning, and so much more. Find out more at geisel.software.

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Links:

Follow Martin on LinkedIn

Evolution AI

Follow Brian Geisel on LinkedIn

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In this episode, Brian chats with Amit Ganjoo, CEO and Founder of ANRA Technologies. 

Amit's journey is packed with over 20 years of excitement in aviation, telecom, and wireless. From building his own airplane as a passion project to working with the U.S. Department of Defense on cutting-edge drone technology, Amit has done it all. 

They dive into how he got started in aviation, the thrill of constructing an experimental aircraft, and the innovative solutions ANRA Technologies is bringing to air traffic management. The conversation covers the future of flying cars, the challenges of scaling drone operations, and Amit's dream of seeing autonomous air travel become a reality. 

Then, in the Post-Fix, Brian and Harriet chat about the future of drones at the consumer level, and what they would order for drone–delivery!

Time Stamps:

(00:47) Amit's First "Flight"

(05:43) What makes it all fly?

(10:58) The Hardware and Software of Air Traffic Control

(15:49) Does An Automated Airspace Play Well With Humans?

(19:02) The Flying Car Conundrum

(22:03) ANRA Technologies

(26:12) NASA, not just about space!

(32:26) The Mobile Airport

(35:40) Amit's Crystal Ball

(50:07) The Post-Fix

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Solving for Tomorrow is sponsored by Geisel Software. We help you create products that seamlessly automate the physical and virtual worlds using robotics, machine learning, and so much more. Find out more at geisel.software.

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Links:

Follow Amit on LinkedIn

ANRA Technologies

Follow Brian Geisel on LinkedIn

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In this episode, Brian sits down with Russ d’Sa, Founder and CEO of LiveKit. Russ is the co-founder and CEO of LiveKit, the network backbone for multimodal AI applications like ChatGPT and Character.ai. He started his first company in the 2007 batch of YC and was the 30th engineer at Twitter.

Russ shares candid stories about his initial rejection from YC, and how persistence led to eventual acceptance. Russ opens up about the trials, errors, and learnings from his previous startups, highlighting the importance of failure in the entrepreneurial journey. 

Russ also details the birth and evolution of LiveKit, an exciting company providing open-source infrastructure for real-time communications. He explains LiveKit’s integration with GPT-4, and how LiveKit powers voice interactions for ChatGPT, allowing it to feel more like a natural conversation. 

Brian and Russ also touch on larger themes like the importance of focus, healthy competition, and the potential of AI to revolutionize fields like education and mental health. Russ believes in the transformative power of technology, envisioning a future where humanoid robots and sophisticated AI interfaces are part of everyday life.

Then, in the Post-Fix, Harriet Koramoah joins Brian, where they figure out how to use a walkie-talkie, ask ChatGPT a few questions, and discuss what it means to be “multimodal”.