Tacos and Tech Podcast

In this special edition of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, we recorded live from Snapdragon Stadium during the 2025 Top Tech Awards San Diego.

We set up shop right on the concourse and captured conversations with the builders, technologists, students, and community leaders shaping the region’s innovation economy. From cybersecurity to community impact, from AI in education to employee scheduling powered by LLMs—this episode captures the real pulse of San Diego tech, one voice at a time.

Oh, and plenty of taco recommendations.

Episode Highlights:

* Julie Oliveira, Director of Tech at South Bay Union School District, shares how COVID reshaped education and why student creation over consumption is key.

* RingCentral’s Erica and Natalie talk AI, seamless work-life blending, and mobile-first sales workflows.

* John Stern (Ringpin) shares how location-based QR tech is transforming retail hiring.

* Bill Smith (Chrome Roads) explains how a smart ID badge is changing how workers log in, stay secure, and get help fast.

* Cal State San Marcos and SDSU students reflect on entering the workforce during the AI boom - and how they’re already using AI to job hunt.

* Citroen Cooperman leaders dive into fractional CFO services, ERP upgrades, and what happens when AI + accounting get serious.

* Jeff Blanton (Conscious Curiosity SD) breaks down how B Corps and values -driven leadership are shaping a new tech economy.

* Marco Thompson (Arcus Nexus) recaps a decade of cross-border startup support and nearshoring before it was cool.

* Cheryl Goodman (Mind the Machine podcast) explores AI’s human implications and why the next big thing isn’t the tool - but the culture shift it forces.

* European founders visiting via the YTILI program reflect on their first impressions of San Diego’s startup scene.

* Ron Nielakes and Shirin Alipana highlight how the YMCA of Escondido is evolving to serve its community with purpose, tech, and tacos.

Taco Intel You Didn’t Know You Needed:

* Anaheim’s Tacos Los Cholos and Escondido’s TJ Tacos made the list

* Learn about the loaded fries that may or may not have been invented in North County

* Where to find the best post-party tacos near Snapdragon Stadium (hint: Tacos El Gordo and Puesto)

🔗 Connect & Explore:

* Top Tech Awards San Diego

* Mind the Machine podcast

* Arcus Nexus

* Citroen Cooperman

* YMCA Escondido

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms.

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

11/21

BlueTech Week / UCSD Space Symposium

Defense Tech in SD is going

Prebys Ventures writes 5 checks

Brainstorm Thera wins NVIDIA Award

Technology Fundings

Fabric8Labs Raises $50M

Muse Software Raises $4.5M

Infracost Raises $15M Series A

Biotech Fundings

Iambic Therapeutics $100M Series B

Model Medicines Raises $3M

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

On this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, Neal Bloom sits down with Julie Sokol, Chief Technology Officer of OC Sports & Entertainment, to explore the intersection of immersive fan experiences, smart infrastructure, and placemaking through technology. Julie shares her journey from nearly 25 years in management consulting with Accenture to real estate with the Irvine Company, and now helping shape the ambitious 100+ acre OC Vibe sports and entertainment district surrounding the Honda Center in Anaheim.

From making parking frictionless to redefining what it means to be a digital concierge, Julie and her team are building more than a venue - they’re crafting a next-generation, tech-enabled community destination. Neal and Julie discuss everything from women’s sports and live entertainment to infrastructure partnerships with Cox and supporting local chefs and rising performers.

Key Topics Covered:

* Julie’s career journey from Accenture to real estate to OC Sports & Entertainment

* What OC Vibe is and how it’s reshaping the Southern California experience

* Building a “smart” sports + entertainment district from the ground up

* How tech enables seamless, immersive guest experiences

* Collaborating with Cox and other partners on broadband and infrastructure

* Supporting women’s sports, the 2028 Olympics, and the World Volleyball Championship

* Launching a curated food hall and investing in local culinary talent

* The role of data in powering the digital concierge and connected community

* What it’s like building tech leadership on a greenfield project

About Julie Sokol:

Julie is the Chief Technology Officer of OC Sports & Entertainment, leading the digital and tech transformation of OC Vibe - a 100+ acre mixed-use sports, entertainment, hospitality, and residential district built around the Honda Center in Anaheim. Previously, she held senior leadership roles at Accenture and the Irvine Company.

Resources & Links:

* OC Vibe Website

* Learn more about the Honda Center

* Connect with Julie Sokol on LinkedIn

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

This week on the Tacos & Tech Podcast, Neal sits down with Mike Sims, Marine Raider turned venture builder, to talk about how his experience across the military, VC, and global battlefields shaped his mission with Imperium, a trusted marketplace for critical goods and the industrial base.

They explore how modern warfare is redefining innovation cycles, why our national supply chain needs a rethink, and how San Diego is quietly becoming the epicenter of U.S. defense tech.

Key Topics Covered:

* Mike’s journey from blue-collar trade school to Marine Corps Special Operations

* What most people misunderstand about military tech adoption and procurement

* How frontline innovation - like in Ukraine - reveals deeper supply chain insights

* Why the defense supply base is aging, fragmented, and missing credit infrastructure

* The role of marketplaces and automation in rebuilding America’s industrial edge

* How Imperium is working to reduce friction and increase trust between buyers and suppliers

* Why we need more engineers at the front lines, not just HQ

* San Diego’s unique strengths: hard tech talent, military end-users, and lifestyle advantage

* The difference between building tech for persistent problems vs. fleeting missions

* Thoughts on labor, robots, AI, and the human cost of “re-industrialization”

* What’s next for the defense tech ecosystem and how founders, veterans, and investors can plug in

Links & Resources:

* Learn more about Imperium

* Read more about Lux Capital

Connect with the Guest:

* Mike Sims: LinkedIn

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms.

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

11/8

Eric Topol AI x Healthcare talk debrief

GA launches new drone

Scripps and UCSD win $4M grant for stem cell research

GSK pens a $750M deal with SD-based Empirico

Qualcomm Ventures Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Tide Rock Reaches $1B in Acquisition Capital

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

This week on the Tacos & Tech Podcast, we dive into San Diego’s growing Bluetech ecosystem with Vanessa Scott, Director of Industry Relations, Innovation, and the StartBlue Accelerator at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD. Vanessa shares how StartBlue helps launch and scale ocean-focused startups - from wave-powered sensor platforms to coral reef restoration biotech - and why San Diego is uniquely positioned to lead the future of the blue economy.

From mentoring early-stage companies to securing a $14M NOAA grant, Vanessa is building the bridge between science, startups, and global sustainability right here on the California coast.

Key Topics

* What is Bluetech? And why it goes far beyond just the ocean

* The origin and evolution of the StartBlue Accelerator

* Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s century-long legacy of innovation

* Why Bluetech needs business minds and scientists

* How San Diego became a hub for ocean startups and blue data infrastructure

* The importance of community, collaboration, and programs like I-Corps

* What to expect at Blue Tech Month, including in-water demos and tall ship meetups

* Startup highlights: Hybrid Reef, Del Mar Oceanographic, Ocean Motion, Kaipono, and more

Links & Resources:

* StartBlue Accelerator

* Scripps Institution of Oceanography

* Blue Tech Month Events via TMA BlueTech

* BlueNalu – Cultivated Seafood Innovation

Connect with Vanessa:

* LinkedIn – Vanessa Scott

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms.

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

10/30

Uncharted : Pitches Debrief

M&A News

Avidity Acquired by Novartis for $12B

Hologic Acquired by Blackstone and TPG

State of Life Sciences

The SD Investor List goes live

Fundings

Walla raise $5M

Unigrid Battery Receives $2.9M Grant

Wildcat Discovery Technologies $4.9M

ASML / Cymer competitor comes out of stealth

Qualcomm AI chip

EDC Recognizes 30 Top Companies in San Diego: Nautilus, LENZ Therapeutics, etc.

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

SD Founders Hike - Nov 7

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, Neal sits down with Faisal Mushtaq - tech exec, startup scaler, author, and community builder - to explore the lessons learned from operating at every level of the tech stack: from startups in stealth to global public companies.

Faisal shares how his engineering roots led him into roles scaling teams of three to three thousand, the value of building across verticals, and why he sees writing, mentorship, and convening not as extracurricular, but essential to long-term impact.

He also unpacks the origin story of TechCon Global, and what’s next as the cross-regional tech summit expands from San Diego to Austin and beyond.

Key Topics:

* The difference between being an operator and being a scaler and why you need both

* What startups can learn from big companies (and vice versa)

* How blogging became Faisal’s medium for frameworks, reflection, and teaching

* The importance of building bridges between startup ecosystems and the design of TechCon as that connective tissue

* Why giving first is the only real long-term strategy for community leadership

* How AI tools are changing how we write, work, and relate but not how we connect

Links & Resources:

* TechCon Global

* TechCon Southwest – Feb 12–13, AustinTechCon Global

* TechCon SoCal 2026 – May 22–23, San Diego

* Use the special discount code SOCAL26RTP at the link here to get 15% off regular tickets

* Find all books here → Faisal Mushtaq on Amazon

Connect with Faisal

* Follow Faisal on LinkedIn

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms.

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

10/10

SD Startup Week debrief

State of Biotech Ecosystem

Funding News

* Turnout $21M Seed

* Crystalys Therapeutics $205M Series A

* Once Upon a Farm IPO

Snapdragon Summit - Qualcomm announcements & Eyepop AI announcements

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

SD Founders Hike - Oct 10

Stocktoberfest Oct 20-22

Carlsbad Industry Exchange - Biotech - Oct 22

SD Defense Tech Coffee / Build Day Oct 23

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms.

Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!

I'm Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners and the Tacos and Tech Podcast.

My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.

Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!

10/10

SD Startup Week debrief

State of Biotech Ecosystem

Funding News

• Turnout $21M Seed

• Crystalys Therapeutics $205M Series A

• Once Upon a Farm IPO

Snapdragon Summit - Qualcomm announcements & Eyepop AI announcements

Curated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote

SD Founders Hike - Oct 10

Stocktoberfest Oct 20-22

Carlsbad Industry Exchange - Biotech - Oct 22

SD Defense Tech Coffee / Build Day Oct 23