If You’re Not Using AI in Dev, You’re Already Behind

AI is now a standard part of software development—at least for Aperiam’s portfolio. Every single company we surveyed is already using it. But only 9% have formal policies in place.

In our latest Aperiam Podcast, Joe Zawadzki and Corey Ferengul dive into what that tells us—and what it doesn’t. They cover:

• The real impact of AI on developer productivity
• Why vibe coding is more than a trend
• How tools like Cursor are reshaping prototyping
• The rise of agents as business infrastructure
• And why some execs are treating AI like 100 enthusiastic ninth graders

They also dig into what’s next: the governance gap, the changing role of the executive, and whether 2025-born companies are structurally advantaged in an AI-native world.

Listen and let us know: How are you rolling out AI in your company? Are you a player-coach or still watching from the sideline?

On the latest episode of the Aperiam Podcast, Corey Ferengul and Joe Zawadzki are joined by Erica Chriss to unpack why “attention” is more than a buzzword—it's continuing to become the new currency of advertising.

They cover:
 What attention metrics really mean
Why omni-channel chaos demands a normalized metric
How attention bridges brand, performance, and publisher value
Where AI helps (and where it doesn’t—yet)

If you care about outcomes, creative quality, or modern measurement, this episode is worth your full attention.

What do agencies, AI, and Domino’s pizza have in common?

In our latest episode of the Aperiam Podcast, we sit down with Jay Friedman—former CEO of Goodway Group—for a wide-ranging, unfiltered conversation about the future of marketing, agency reinvention, and what bold leadership really looks like.

From offshoring and AI-driven disruption to the broken brand/agency model and why most boards ignore $1.75B marketing budgets while obsessing over $50M factory build, lots to discuss!

What really goes into building a custom algorithm? Tylynn Pettrey, VP of Data Science at Chalice, joins us to unpack how marketers are shifting from out-of-the-box algos to precision-built decision engines.

We cover:
 ✅ The path to becoming a VP of Data Science (spoiler: it's rarely linear)
 ✅ How Chalice builds reusable AI microservices
 ✅ When to use platform algorithms vs. custom models
 ✅ The rise of containerized RTB and sell-side decisioning
 ✅ Why inclusion/exclusion lists might be killing your scale
 ✅ And yes... a horror story involving hallucinated LLM sales personas

How do brands really think—and what do startups get wrong when selling to them?

In this episode of The Aperiam Podcast, Joe and Corey sit down with our partner Danilo Toro, who brings a rare perspective as a marketer-turned-technologist with experience at P&G, Amazon, and Uber.

The team discusses:

• What’s actually top of mind for CMOs in 2025 (spoiler: it’s not just AI)
• Why the “job to be done” always trumps the tech specs
• How brands make decisions about switching vendors (hint: your pitch probably isn’t as unique as you think)
• The massive opportunities around media and creative supply chain integration
• Why startups must position themselves as part of a broader ecosystem—not just a point solution

If you had a blank slate—what kind of AdTech company would you build?

On this episode of the Aperiam Podcast, Joe and Corey kick around startup concepts, inspired by a little help from ChatGPT. From closed-loop attribution in Canada to influencer infrastructure, orchestration platforms, and agentic media buying—we cover the real whitespace in today’s adtech landscape.

We talk:

• What LLM-native ad formats might look like
• Why influencer tech is underbuilt—and underestimated
• Why orchestration and AI middleware are must-build categories
• What it takes to reassemble a fractured media ecosystem

Joe and Corey give their thoughts on this year's Cannes Lion conference and unpack the many retail media announcements.  From Amazon’s partnerships with Roku and Disney to the rise of verticalized commerce stacks, it’s clear: retail media is no longer a niche—it’s the connective tissue of modern advertising.

We explore:

• Was AI the only theme in Cannes?
• Whether "retail media" is still a useful term
• The role of AI in empowering indie agencies
• How marketers should rethink audience, measurement, and branding in an outcomes-driven world
• Why every company is becoming an ad business

If you’re trying to make sense of the chaos, this one's for you.

On the latest episode of The Aperiam Podcast, Corey Ferengul moderates…sort of a debate…between Joe Zawadzki and Erica Chriss on whether cookie deprecation was a crisis or a catalyst.

Was identity always essential—or have retail media and curation shown us a better path?

Smart, fast-paced, and full of insights for CMOs, investors, and adtech insiders.

On this episode of The Aperiam Podcast, Corey Ferengul and Joe Zawadzki go deep on what really drives investment decisions and even surface some disagreements.  From exit potential and market understanding to founder grit and AI integration, what factors into the thinking.

No checklists. Just real talk on how VCs actually evaluate opportunities—and why trust, logic, and the route to market matter more than you think.

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or just curious how the venture sausage gets made, this one’s for you.

M&A in AdTech: Dead or Just Sleeping?

In this week's Aperiam Podcast, Corey and Joe dive into what’s really happening in the M&A market, why being “ready” matters even when you're not for sale, and how founders should think about story, data, and the art of the soft pitch.  Get an indepth view on how Corey and Joe think about running an M&A process.

Plus, an Easter egg offer for our listeners…