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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