From Tech to Bananas: A New Investment Horizon

This week, Ed Barker sits down with Luni Libes, one of Seattle’s most quietly influential entrepreneurs and investors. Luni built and ran multiple software companies before launching Fledge, the accelerator network that helped more than 120 founders around the world. His current focus is Africa Eats, an investment company backing a portfolio of food-focused African businesses that are growing far faster - and surviving at rates far higher - than the typical American tech startup.

Luni explains why the standard venture playbook misses the realities of most global markets and walks through the alternatives he has built: hands-on company building, growth financing instead of burn financing, and a long-term model that aims for durability rather than quick exits. We dig into the structural advantages of food and agriculture ventures in Africa, how Africa Eats has navigated scaling in fragmented markets, and what he has learned during a year living and working from Mauritius.

If you’re interested in alternative venture models, operator-led investing, or the next wave of African market growth, this conversation offers a set of insights you won’t hear in typical VC discussions.

Chapters

00:00 Introducing Luni Libes

02:13 How Africa Eats began

02:57 Building Fledge and its global network

04:48 How Fledge expanded internationally

06:44 Lessons from decades of entrepreneurship

12:32 Africa Eats and the model behind its success

19:45 The value and timing of early stage capital

20:06 How living abroad reshaped his perspective

20:58 The plan for public listing and market participation in Africa

21:56 Breaking down the realities of African venture capital

23:15 Scaling the Africa Eats portfolio

25:36 What comes next

33:12 Personal reflections on the sabbatical

39:51 Closing thoughts

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.

Luni Libes, Managing Partner, Pioneer Square Labs

Luni is a serial entrepreneur and investor with more than three decades of experience founding and scaling companies in software, social enterprise, and impact investing. He founded the global accelerator network Fledge and is the CEO of Africa Eats, an investment holding company building resilient food and agriculture businesses across the African continent. He also co-founded Realize Impact, a public charity that channels philanthropic capital into mission-driven ventures. Luni previously served as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of Washington’s CoMotion centre and has taught entrepreneurship at multiple institutions. He is the author of The Next Step series and creator of the Pinchot Impact Index, a framework for measuring aggregated impact across portfolios.

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Navigating Tech Optimism and AI Innovation with TA McCann of Pioneer Square Labs

In this episode, Ed Barker sits down with TA McCann, Managing Partner at Pioneer Square Labs, to explore what it takes to build ambitious companies in an era defined by artificial intelligence. TA’s background spans founding and scaling startups, leading high-performing teams, and backing the next generation of founders across the Pacific Northwest. That range gives him a clear view of where the opportunity is – and where the hype sits.

We dig into the PSL model and how its combination of startup studio, venture fund, and corporate innovation practice creates a uniquely high-leverage environment for company building. TA walks through how the team uses AI to accelerate ideation and validation, why their scoring framework matters for founders, and what he’s seeing in the application layer where real value is emerging.

Throughout the conversation, TA comes back to a theme that feels core to the region: optimism as a discipline. We talk about how to build with AI without losing sight of the human problem, why geography remains a strategic advantage, and why the Pacific Northwest continues to punch above its weight in frontier technologies. He also shares the areas he’s personally watching next, from agent-driven workflows to quantified health.

Chapters

00:00 Introductions


01:22 TA’s path into entrepreneurship and PSL


08:31 How the PSL model works across Studio, VC, and corporate innovation


13:57 Equity structures and building aligned founder partnerships


18:13 The PSL scoring rubric for evaluating new companies


24:56 Focus areas and where the AI application layer is maturing


33:36 Practicing optimism and keeping a long horizon in AI


39:44 Why geography still matters in tech and the PNW advantage


45:33 What’s next: Lev, quantified health, and emerging frontier themes

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.

T.A McCann, Managing Partner, Pioneer Square Labs

T.A is a Seattle-based entrepreneur, investor, and Managing Partner at Pioneer Square Labs. Before entering tech he competed in two America’s Cup campaigns and the Whitbread Round the World Race, then went on to found and lead companies including Gist (acquired by BlackBerry), Rival IQ, and Senosis (acquired by Google). At PSL he helps build and fund new startups through the studio and venture model, with a focus on AI, emerging technologies, and company creation. TA also teaches entrepreneurship at UW and is a long-time mentor across the Pacific Northwest startup community.

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Harnessing Innovation: How CoMotion Turns Research into Real-World Impact

In this episode of Sound Investments, we talk with François Baneyx, Vice Provost for Innovation and Director of CoMotion at the University of Washington. François shares his journey from growing up in southwestern France to leading one of the nation’s most forward-thinking university innovation hubs.

We explore how CoMotion helps UW researchers, faculty, and students transform world-class research into real-world startups - from early-stage IP protection to innovation training, gap funding, and incubation through CoMotion Labs.

François discusses how CoMotion bridges academia, industry, and venture capital to strengthen the Pacific Northwest innovation ecosystem. He explains why interdisciplinary collaboration is the real driver of innovation, and how corporate partnerships amplify the social and economic impact of university-led research.

This conversation offers a rare look inside the machinery of university innovation - and how UW’s model is helping shape the future of the region’s startup landscape.

00:00 Meet François Baneyx: From France to UW innovation leader

01:42 Universities as startup catalysts

02:27 Academic path and leadership roles

05:39 Inside CoMotion’s model and services

09:06 IP, commercialization, and translating research

11:53 Supporting startups from idea to market

18:23 UW’s role in the Pacific Northwest innovation ecosystem

24:29 Corporate partnerships and future direction

34:13 Challenges and opportunities in university innovation

37:40 Looking ahead: perspective on the future

39:26 Closing reflections

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.

François leads many of the university’s collaborative innovation initiatives and a professor of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering. His research spans protein engineering, nanotechnology, and synthetic biology. Over three decades at UW, he has led the Department of Chemical Engineering and directed the Center for Nanotechnology. A former founder himself, François bridges academic research and entrepreneurship, helping transform breakthrough science into startups with real-world impact.

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Building the Future: Space Tech, Startups, and the Seattle Advantage with Chris Le

Seattle might not shout the loudest, but it’s quietly becoming one of the most important cities in the space tech revolution. In this episode, Chris Le - Managing Partner at Actuate Ventures - joins Ed Barker to explore how deep-tech founders are reshaping aerospace, why Seattle has the world’s highest concentration of satellite talent, and how “accidental discoveries” from orbit could change everything from communications to earthquake prediction.

Key takeaways

• Space tech is no longer distant or theoretical - it’s commercial and happening now.
• Seattle’s ecosystem rivals LA and San Francisco but lacks visibility and local capital.
• Actuate Ventures backs practical deep-tech startups with near-term paths to market.
• The next breakthroughs may come from unexpected discoveries in orbit.
• Local investors hold the key to turning Seattle’s engineering strength into momentum.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:57 Meet Chris Le

03:07 Chris’s journey from founder to Blue Origin to VC

07:23 Inside Actuate Ventures - mission and model

15:01 Mapping the growing space tech market

20:47 Why Seattle matters for the future of space

23:22 Seattle vs San Francisco - two ecosystem cultures

24:07 The satellite capital of the world

31:08 What makes a great space tech founder

35:07 The future - global connectivity and new discoveries

43:48 Closing thoughts

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.

Chris Le, Managing Partner, Actuate Ventures

Chris was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, he previously founded three startups and then worked at Blue Origin where he immersed himself in aerospace product design and engineering. At Actuate, he positions the firm as “co-founders in a box,” combining capital and operational support for early-stage founders in novel hardware, software, and frontier tech domains. His investment sweet spot is pre-seed and seed deep tech startups - typically checks around $500K, focused on commercializable space-adjacent opportunities rather than billion-dollar moonshots. 

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What makes a great angel investor - and how do you build a startup funding ecosystem from scratch?

In this episode of Sound Investments, Ed Barker talks with John Sechrest, Managing Director of the Seattle Angel Conference, about the mechanics of early-stage investing and what it takes to create a thriving investor community.

John breaks down the difference between funding a project and funding a business, why accountability matters more than hype, and how the Seattle Angel Conference trains new investors while connecting them to founders ready to grow. They also discuss how the model is expanding beyond Seattle and what it would take to design the ideal angel investment system for the next generation of startups.

Takeaways:

• The fundamentals of angel investing - what new investors get wrong and how to start smart
• How the Seattle Angel Conference works: training, syndication, and investor collaboration
• The difference between investing in a business vs. a project
• What makes a strong lead investor and how to run effective due diligence
• How angel investing builds startup ecosystems beyond the check itself
• The future of angel networks and how policy could accelerate local investment

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

02:21 John’s Journey to Angel Investing

04:16 How Seattle Angel Conference Works

07:22 Building Angel Investment Infrastructure

11:06 The State of Angel Investing in Seattle

13:27 Expanding Beyond Seattle

16:57 What Makes a Good Lead Angel

18:08 What Companies Succeed Through the Program

22:53 Advice for Aspiring Angel Investors

31:19 Designing the Ideal Investment System

37:18 Government Funding and Tax Incentives

40:31 Future Vision for Seattle Angel Conference

43:00 Busting Angel Investing Myths

44:59 Close

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.

John Sechrest, Managing Partner, Seattle Angel Conference

Sierra leads strategy, investment, and commercialization for frontier technologies including quantum computing, AI, and next-generation infrastructure. Her career spans Microsoft, EY, and global blockchain startups, where she built programs in ecosystem development, go-to-market strategy, and emerging tech adoption. A graduate of Columbia University, Sierra combines corporate experience with startup execution to bridge the gap between research breakthroughs and real-world revenue. She is also an active mentor and speaker on critical technology, innovation ecosystems, and the future of deep tech in the Pacific Northwest.

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Bridging Tech Breakthroughs with Sierra Clouse

Ed Barker sits down with Sierra Clouse to unpack Barclo Venture Studio’s model for moving deep tech from research to market in the Pacific Northwest. They cover why “research → roadmap → revenue” beats slideware, how to score opportunities across the future tech stack, and where sovereign security, post-quantum cryptography and data-center realities collide. Sierra traces her path from Microsoft to global ecosystem building, and lays out what it will take for Cascadia to become a true hub for critical technologies.

Key Takeaways:

• Critical tech > category labels – Governments think in mandates, not “SaaS vs deep tech.” Funding and competition follow that lens.
• Research → Roadmap → Revenue – Barclo venture studio creates proof with design partners, pilots and testbeds, not coursework.
• The future tech stack – Compute and infrastructure set the ceiling for intelligence (AI) and apps; you can’t outrun your compute.
• Readiness matters – Use TRL-style scoring to separate science projects from products, features, and true companies.
• Near-term quantum wins – Security and simulations are already commercial, with post-quantum resilience moving fast.
• Cascadia’s opening - Untapped university pipelines + under-served founders + venture studio flywheel = PNW advantage - if we act.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:39 Sierra’s path to Barclo

05:40 Barclo Venture Studio - elevator pitch

08:59 Partnering with Qubits Ventures

11:31 The 4 Cs: Cohort, Content, Community, Coaching

16:05 Mapping the future tech stack (compute → intelligence → apps)

22:15 Scoring opportunities: TRLs and “product vs science project”

25:47 Universities, tech transfer and founder sourcing

29:13 Why hard tech founders struggle with traditional VC

32:04 AI bubble vs infrastructure reality

36:35 Near-term quantum use cases (security, simulations, data)

39:40 Why the Pacific Northwest - and what’s missing

43:48 Sovereign security, geopolitics and “you can’t SaaS your way to sovereignty”

49:19 Barclo’s 2030 vision

51:41 Wrap

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.

Sierra Clouse, Managing Partner, Barclo Venture Studio

Sierra leads strategy, investment, and commercialization for frontier technologies including quantum computing, AI, and next-generation infrastructure. Her career spans Microsoft, EY, and global blockchain startups, where she built programs in ecosystem development, go-to-market strategy, and emerging tech adoption. A graduate of Columbia University, Sierra combines corporate experience with startup execution to bridge the gap between research breakthroughs and real-world revenue. She is also an active mentor and speaker on critical technology, innovation ecosystems, and the future of deep tech in the Pacific Northwest.

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The Future of AI and Corporate Innovation with Taylor Black

What happens when one of the world’s biggest tech companies leans into the AI boom - while staying connected to the scrappy, risk-taking energy of startups?

In this episode of Sound Investments, Ed Barker sits down with Taylor Black, Director of AI and Venture Ecosystems at Microsoft, to explore the shifting landscape of artificial intelligence, corporate innovation, and venture creation.

Taylor shares his journey from developer in Seattle to a key figure shaping Microsoft’s approach to AI and startups. Along the way, he offers a candid look at the challenges of driving innovation inside a global enterprise, the opportunities for founders building alongside tech giants, and how AI is rewriting the rules of work and strategy.

From portfolio theory to vertical AI plays, design choices in model evolution to the unique strengths of the Pacific Northwest ecosystem, this conversation maps where the next wave of AI-powered companies might emerge. Whether you’re a founder, investor, or technologist, you’ll come away with new perspectives on the bets worth making - and the future being built right now.

Chapters

00:00 - Cold Open | Taylor Black, Microsoft

01:32 - Introduction & Background

02:05 - From Developer to AI Venture Leader

04:36 - Inside Microsoft’s Venture Studio & the AI Shift

06:55 - Innovation Challenges in Large Enterprises

11:41 - AI as a Fundamental Shift in Computing

13:16 - Startups in Microsoft’s Ecosystem

16:36 - Strategic Bet-Making & Portfolio Theory

20:08 - Competing with Platform Giants

24:55 - Vertical AI Solutions & Market Opportunities

27:49 - AI Thought Partners & Cognitive Collaboration

30:56 - Design Choices & Model Evolution

34:53 - New Startup Categories & Bootstrap Models

36:33 - The Pacific Northwest Tech Ecosystem

40:55 - The Future of AI: Optimism & Challenges

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.

Taylor Black, Director of AI & Venture Ecosystems, Microsoft

Taylor works in Microsoft’s Office of the CTO, where he leads cross-company innovation, internal venture studio efforts, and strategic startup partnerships. He earned a BA in philosophy & classics at Gonzaga University, and both an MA in philosophy and a JD from Boston College. Early in graduate school, he co-founded a web development and product business and never practiced law. Since joining Microsoft in 2021, he has focused on scaling internal incubation models and mentoring founders. Taylor is also the founding director of a new interdisciplinary AI institute at The Catholic University of America, and serves as a deacon candidate and foster/adoptive parent. 

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Startup Haven: Bob Crimmins on Poker, Founders, and Funding

In this episode, serial entrepreneur and investor Bob Crimmins, the force behind Startup Haven, shares his journey from growing up in an entrepreneurial family to creating a unique networking platform where poker and startups meet. Bob discusses the importance of curiosity and discipline in founders, the decision-making parallels between poker and startups, and the origins and future of Startup Haven Ventures. He also touches on the challenges of running a fund and his optimistic outlook for the startup ecosystem. Bob's insightful examples and experiences make this episode a valuable listen for founders, investors, and anyone interested in the dynamics of startup success.

00:00 Introduction

02:14 Bob's Early Entrepreneurial Journey

07:07 The Accidental Birth of Startup Haven

10:35 Why Poker Works for Startup Networking

31:01 Decision Making in Poker and Startups

37:47 The Seattle Investment Landscape

46:12 Challenges of Running a Venture Fund

48:48 Market Outlook and Future of Startup Haven

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.

Bob Crimmins, General Partner, Startup Haven Venture

Bob is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and the founder of Startup Haven — a unique community that began around a poker table in Seattle and has since grown into a national network supporting thousands of founders and investors. Over the past two decades, Bob has built and led startups in multiple industries, launched a venture fund, and created an accelerator program to help early-stage founders. At the heart of his work is a belief that real relationships drive the startup ecosystem — and that the skills of risk, resilience, and decision-making apply as much at the poker table as they do in building companies.

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Championing Neurodiversity: Brett Greene’s Journey from Music to Tech

Brett Greene has worn a lot of hats - music industry insider, executive coach, community builder - but around Seattle, he’s best known as the founder of New Tech Seattle. For more than a decade, Brett’s been at the heart of the region’s startup community, creating spaces where people can connect, share ideas, and spark new ventures. In this conversation, Brett talks about his path from music into tech, why community events matter, and how Seattle’s startup scene has changed over the years. He also digs into the role of ADHD and neurodiversity in tech — how it shows up, how teams can better support it, and why it’s often a hidden strength for entrepreneurs.

00:00 Introduction

02:01 From Music to Community Building

08:33 COVID’s Impact on Seattle’s Tech Gatherings

14:21 The Philosophy Behind Building Community

16:04 ADHD in the Tech World

21:08 Coaching Neurodivergent Teams

26:07 Why Neurodiverse Founders Thrive in Startups

30:22 The State of Seattle’s Startup Scene

40:51 What’s Next for NewTech

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.

Brett Greene, Founder, New Tech Northwest

Brett is a community builder, executive coach, and founder of New Tech Northwest - a 60,000-strong community connecting technologists and entrepreneurs across the region. He launched New Tech Seattle in 2013 after earlier work in marketing and the music industry, and has been a central organizer of monthly meetups and ecosystem events ever since. As a coach, Brett specializes in ADHD and neurodiversity, drawing on a master’s in counseling psychology to help founders and teams improve focus, communication, and outcomes. His work has been featured by GeekWire and in national ecosystem spotlights, and he continues to advise leaders on creating inclusive, high-performance cultures.

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How HP's Incubation Director Sees the Future of AI and Innovation

In this episode Ed Barker talks to Elizabeth Scallon, Director of Incubation at HP. Elizabeth discusses the current state of AI adoption, the potential for robots in various settings, and the challenges and opportunities of corporate innovation. She shares her journey from biotech startups to major tech companies like Amazon and HP, emphasizing the importance of iterative development, cross-functional collaboration, and customer validation. Elizabeth also highlights the vibrant startup ecosystem in Seattle and the role of the University of Washington in fostering innovation.

00:00 Introduction

01:02 Introduction to Elizabeth Scallon

02:29 Career Journey from Biotech to Corp Innovation

07:05 Corporate Innovation and Incubation at HP

16:00 Strategic Framework for Innovation

22:59 Seattle's Tech and Startup Ecosystem

27:00 University of Washington's Role in Innovation

31:04 AI Applications 

39:38 Closing Thoughts

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.

Elizabeth Scallon, Director of Incubation Enablement at HP

Elizabeth is responsible for helping internal founders and teams launch innovative ventures and bringing new business ideas to life within the company. Her background spans founding and scaling incubation programs, venture ecosystems, and academia. She co-founded Find Ventures, a nonprofit focused on non-dilutive funding and support for under-represented entrepreneurs in Washington State. Prior to HP, Elizabeth held leadership roles at Amazon (working with Alexa Startups, the Alexa Fund, and its Grand Challenge / startups team), directed WeWork Labs for the US West & LATAM region, and ran CoMotion Labs at the University of Washington. She teaches entrepreneurship at the University of Washington Foster School of Business. Her academic background includes a Global Executive MBA in Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Emerging Markets.

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