The Tech Glow Up - Fabulous conversations with innovative minds.

Live from HLTH 2025, Nathan C sits down with six healthcare innovation leaders to discuss the technologies reshaping patient care, clinical operations, and prevention. This rapid-fire speed round captures emerging themes across the industry—from AI-driven diagnostics to workforce transformation and patient-centered design.

The Guests:

•  00:26 Dave Wessinger | PointClickCare – Care coordination
• 06:50 Dr. Patricia Hayes | Imagine Pediatrics – Pediatric primary care innovation
• 13:46 Dr. John Showalter | Linus Health – Early detection and cognitive health AI
• 20:30 Kent Dicks | Life365 – Social determinants of health & elderly care
• 27:40 Dr. Lior Rauschberger | Gene by Gene – Genomic sequencing & precision medicine
• 34:24 Dr. Colin Banas | DrFirst – Medication data & clinical decision support

Key Insights:

AI & Prevention Over Reaction
The collective view is clear: healthcare is shifting from treating disease to predicting it. Early detection tools, cognitive health AI, and genomic analysis are moving the needle on prevention—but only if clinicians actually use them. The challenge isn't the technology; it's adoption and trust.

Workforce Is the Bottleneck
Every leader pointed to the same problem—clinician burnout, staffing shortages, and fragmented workflows. Technology that reduces documentation burden and improves efficiency at the point of care wins. Technology that adds steps loses.

Data Silos Block Better Outcomes
Medication data, genomic data, social determinants—it all lives in different systems. The winners are those connecting these dots, giving clinicians a 360-degree view of the patient. Fragmented data = fragmented care.

Long-Term Care & Seniors Are Underserved
Senior living, pediatrics, and geriatric care all face unique challenges. The organizations innovating here are building for the realities of these populations—not applying one-size-fits-all solutions from acute care.

Patient Activation Is the Missing Ingredient
Data and tools mean nothing if patients don't engage. The leaders bridging clinical innovation with patient behavior change are seeing real outcomes—and real revenue growth.

Why This Moment Matters:

HLTH 2025 revealed a field at an inflection point. The leaders doing well aren't chasing hype. They're solving real problems—clinician time, patient outcomes, data access—with pragmatic solutions. 

They're also candid about what AI can and can't do, and how organizational adoption (not just technology) drives impact.

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success. 

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Julie Smithson, Karen Alexander, and Sophia Moshasha are the co-founders of XR Women, a groundbreaking organization celebrating five years of empowering women in extended reality. What started as a pandemic-era virtual meetup has evolved into a global movement spanning 60+ countries with 1,500 members and nearly 240 consecutive weekly immersive events in the metaverse.

Key Takeaways:

• Consistency Builds Community: XR Women has produced nearly 240 consecutive weekly immersive events—not Zoom calls, but full avatar experiences in virtual worlds—creating an unparalleled space for learning and collaboration in spatial computing.
• Global Impact from Day One: Within months of launching, XR Women attracted members from around the world. The community now spans 60+ countries with 4-9 different nations represented at every weekly event, demonstrating the universal hunger for inclusive XR education and connection.
• Five Pillars of Impact: XR Women operates on five core pillars—Leadership, Education, Innovation, Collaboration, and Impact—which guide everything from weekly programming to student chapters, showcasing how structured values drive organic community growth.
• Learning by Doing: The founders emphasize that mastering emerging technology requires constant experimentation. By hosting events across multiple metaverse platforms weekly, they've built expertise in large-scale virtual production that doesn't exist elsewhere in the industry.
• Newly Minted 501(c)(3): XR Women recently achieved nonprofit status, opening doors for expanded programming, partnerships, government collaboration, and educational initiatives including student chapters in Kenya and beyond.

Throughout November 2025, XR Women is celebrating "The Power of Five" with special events highlighting their five pillars, showcasing speakers from their 240+ event archive, and demonstrating the behind-the-scenes magic of producing weekly events across multiple metaverse platforms.

The organization proves that consistent, values-driven community building creates lasting impact. By showing up weekly for five years, by prioritizing education and collaboration over competition, and by building an inclusive space where expertise is shared freely, XR Women has created something rare: a genuinely global community advancing an entire industry.

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success. 

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Please join me in celebrating the 44th, and final episode of Season 1, with a very, very special guest. We'll be back soon with more stories of innovation and entrepreneurship from founders, CEO's and Product Leaders of disruptive and innovative products. - Nathan C. 

Leslie Shannon, Head of Trend and Innovation Scouting at Nokia, reveals how a 160-year-old company continues to lead by relentlessly adapting, trend-spotting, and cultivating innovation. 

From sawmills and rubber boots to Bell Labs AI and immersive virtual meeting agents, Leslie shows why the “pipes and infrastructure” backstage of global connectivity are more innovative—and more fun—than most people imagine.

Key Takeaways

• Reinvention DNA: Nokia constantly reinvents itself by leveraging core expertise, enabling pivots from sawmills to global telecom infrastructure and beyond.
• Enterprise Innovation: Leslie’s trend scouting bridges the worlds of customers, executives, and technologists by bringing outside insights directly into product and network strategies.
• AI With Safety Nets: Nokia’s unique approach to generative AI—using models for internal efficiency while assuring staff they’ll never be replaced by AI—demonstrates a future-forward, humane corporate playbook.
• Infrastructure as Opportunity: True innovation—whether in network tech, XR, or AI—is built on the patient, modular assembly of “building blocks” and is tested through customer feedback, not just internal enthusiasm.
• Tools for Human Collaboration: Shannon spotlights Arthur, a VR meeting tool with an AI moderator that streamlines feedback, crystallizes friction points, and helps teams focus on creative solutions instead of wasting time on consensus-building.

Leslie’s journey weaves together Nokia’s multi-generational legacy with modern foresight. She surfaces blind spots, diffuses hype with real customer needs, and ensures Nokia (and its customers) make bets that prepare them for what’s next, not just what’s now.

About Leslie Shannon

Leslie Shannon is the Head of Trend and Innovation Scouting for Nokia. A Silicon Valley-based futurist, she focuses on identifying connectivity-related tech disruptions and opportunities, including developments in robotics, drones, visual analytics, cloud gaming, generative AI, and especially augmented and virtual reality, the foundations of the Metaverse. 

Leslie has a BA from the University of Virginia, a Master’s Degree from Yale University, and was a five-time champion on Jeopardy!. She does all her daily fitness work in virtual reality. 

Leslie is the author of Interconnected Realities, a look at the current and future development of the Metaverse, and, with Catherine D. Henry, Virtual Natives, an examination of how Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s use of digital technologies is revolutionizing how humans relate to both computers and each other.

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success. 

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

With over a decade in XR and a career that began in marketing and product development, Thaisa Yamamura is dedicated to bridging the gap between complex engineering and creative user needs, bringing innovative 3D, XR, and spatial computing technologies from prototype to market.

Thaisa Yamamura is the Head of XR Products and Business Development at Sony Electronics, where she leads the creation and launch of XYN, Sony’s new end-to-end ecosystem of 3D tools for creators. 

Key Takeaways:

• End-to-End 3D Ecosystem: Thaisa spearheaded the launch of XYN, a suite of creator-first tools including easy 3D capture (using Gaussian splatting, iPhone & Sony cameras), real-time motion capture (mocopi sensors), and high-resolution glasses-free 3D spatial displays—a pipeline designed to bring 6DoF content creation to professionals and beginners alike.
• Customer-Obsessed Product Development: From conducting on-the-ground CES research to incorporating real user feedback (like PC streaming for mocopi), Thaisa’s approach is deeply user-driven and iterative, often involving direct partnerships with engineers, the creative community, and early adopters.
• Versatile Applications: The XYN ecosystem not only supports creators in entertainment and gaming, but is already impacting industries such as virtual production and healthcare (e.g., using Sony’s Spatial Reality Display to view medical DICOM files in true 3D).
• Collaboration & Partnerships: Thaisa advocates for leveraging industry partners and existing tech—rather than “solutioning” for its own sake—to deliver integrated, rapidly evolving products. She sees her role as “the messenger and connector,” translating user insights into engineering action and aligning stakeholders for maximum impact.
• Empowering Women in Tech: As one of the only women at the table for much of her career, Thaisa is committed to mentoring globally and creating more opportunities for women in XR and tech—while celebrating her diverse, women-led team at Sony.

Thaisa’s current focus is on gathering feedback for XYN’s spatial capturing solution and broadening its real-world adoption from virtual film sets to next-gen indie content, with plans for expanded collaboration and community engagement in the near future.

About Thaisa Yamamura - Sony Electronics. 

Thaisa Yamamura is the Director of XR Business and Product Development for Sony Electronics, with a career spanning over 20 years across Brazil, Japan, and the United States. She currently leads XR initiatives from Los Angeles, focusing on immersive technology,  strategic product and business development.

She played a central role in launching the new 3DCG solution XYN™ (/zin/)—an integrated software and hardware platform that supports the creation of spatial content. Thaisa introduced XYN™ on the main stage at Sony CES 2025, marking a milestone not only for the technology but also for representation, as her presence inspired a new generation of women in tech.

Thaisa is a driving force in the XR space, blending deep technical expertise with a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and mentorship. Her team includes a diverse group of talented women who are helping reshape the future of immersive experiences.

She leads projects across spatial computing and enterprise XR. Her approach is bold, strategic, and deeply human—making her a standout voice in the future of immersive technology.

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success. 

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Aidan Wolf is the Co-Founder and CEO of DreamPark, a company reinventing the future of theme parks by bringing massive, multiplayer, mixed-reality experiences anywhere—malls, parks, or even your own backyard. 

With a background spanning games, social apps, and AR, Aidan and his team are proving that immersive play can spark joy, community, and real-world revitalization.

Key Takeaways:

• Downloadable Theme Parks: DreamPark turns any large space into a "downloadable" theme park—no physical props, just a handful of headsets and compelling digital worlds. Experiences range from whimsical coin-collecting adventures to wizard duels and mixed-reality races.
• Designing for Immersive Play: The magic is in the details: seamless onboarding (no headset straps), worlds that feel alive whether you’re observing or playing, and player-driven, non-linear exploration inspired by theme park and classic video game design.
• Serious Growth, Real Impact: From all-in bets like forgoing rent to buy more headsets, DreamPark landed a commercialization breakthrough with successful public tests, a Shark Tank appearance, enthusiastic VCs, and rapid expansion into malls and parks in Seattle, LA, and soon, Long Island.
• Community and Accessibility: DreamPark is on a mission to revitalize real communities—bringing families and kids to empty malls and parks and creating new opportunities for play, learning, and belonging in overlooked spaces.
• Lessons in Iteration: The team credits their success to relentless user testing, honest feedback, and learning from customer behaviors in live settings. DreamPark’s vision is about lowering barriers for both players and aspiring creators—the next goal is to let anyone build and launch their own DreamPark.

Aidan’s personal journey—from childhood world-builder to AR founder, to DreamPark CEO—shapes every product decision around creativity, accessibility, and the belief that play can transform both places and lives. 

With a growing suite of games and partners, DreamPark is shaping the future of spatial entertainment and the power of collective imagination.

About Aidan Wolf 

Aidan Wolf is the award-winning creator behind hit viral AR apps like DoodleLens, Blue Sky Paint, and RPG for Snap Spectacles and is now on a mission to make an Earth Worth Playing at DreamPark, the downloadable theme park company.

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success. 

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Meet the humble leader who used AR to send women to the moon and saved millions along the way! (And that's just one of the impressive things she's done with XR and AI!) Shelley Peterson is the founder of Wizard Wells and a pioneering leader in applying augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and AI to solve real-world enterprise problems. 

Drawing from her deep experience in aerospace and immersive tech, Shelley focuses on removing barriers to adoption so organizations can harness these tools for measurable impact.

Key Takeaways:

• Bridging the Gap: Shelley helps enterprises move XR and AI initiatives from pilot experiments to full-scale deployment, addressing both technical and organizational hurdles.
• User-Centered Design: Successful adoption starts by understanding the needs of frontline workers, creating intuitive tools that integrate seamlessly into their workflows.
• Proof Through Value: She advises starting with a specific, high-impact use case to generate measurable ROI — building momentum and internal champions for broader rollout.
• Change Management: Technology alone is not the answer; leadership buy-in, training, and cultural readiness are critical for lasting transformation.

Her mission with Wizard Wells is to demystify emerging tech for leaders, help them identify where these tools can solve real problems, and remove the friction points that keep innovations stuck in “pilot purgatory.”

About Shelley Peterson, Wizard Wells 

Shelley Peterson is a pioneer in the XR industry, with decades of experience demonstrating the power of immersive technology across civil, commercial, and defense programs, including Lockheed Martin’s space initiatives. As a former Director in Microsoft’s Mixed Reality organization, she developed strategies to drive ROI and impactful outcomes for industry, government, and education.

Shelley’s career began early—earning her mathematics and physics degree young and teaching college math at just 20. She went on to lead innovations in military aircraft training, electronic warfare, and satellite systems, and today serves on the Barbara Bush Foundation Technology Advisory Board, the AWE Advisory Committee, SMU's Advisory Council, and the HarvardXR Advisory Board.

Her work has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, and The Wall Street Journal, and she continues to inspire the next generation through STEM outreach.

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success. 

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Dr. Diane Bowser is Senior Manager of Emerging Technologies at Lenovo and founder of CodeReal, bringing a rare blend of R&D leadership, arts background, and startup hustle to the world of XR (extended reality) and wearables. 

Key Takeaways:

• Bridging Startup and Enterprise: Diane operates at the intersection of nimble startup energy (CodeReal) and scale-driven corporate innovation (Lenovo). She encourages founders to blend creative, non-technical perspectives with technical knowhow.
• Making Innovation Human: Her goal is building technologies (especially wearables and XR) that respect users' privacy, data, and trust—extending Lenovo’s reputation for security into new product lines.
• From Arts to Tech: Diane credits her arts background for resilience, negotiation skills, and a user-centric approach—highlighting how creative, non-traditional founders can thrive in tech if paired with the right collaborators.
• Focus & Letting Go: She shares the importance of time-blocking, realistic metrics, and having the humility to let go of bad ideas (or mismatched team members) to focus on what works, both for individual startups and within global R&D.

Diane’s journey spans classical music, philosophy, teaching, and company-building, united by a drive to break barriers and make technology human-centric. Her story is one of continual reinvention, boundary-crossing, and championing both technological progress and the people behind it.

About Dr. Diane Bowser, PhD

Dr. Diane Bowser, PhD is a Senior Manager guiding Lenovo’s Emerging Software UX Team. The Emerging Software UX Team designs experiences for new technologies, AI, and XR hardware products from inception to two years as they enter Lenovo’s commercial product portfolio.

For 2025-26, her work centers on building next-generation AI and Spatial XR technologies. The Emerging Software UX team looks forward to new lighter spatial form factors in XR and agentic AI in spatial computing with integration into the commercial Think Series hardware. 

Before joining Lenovo, Diane was, and is, a co-founder of CodeReal, LLC, a company that develops augmented reality (AR), mixed-reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR) applications for companies, institutions, and manufacturers that require targeted spatial components.

As an academic (Ph.D. in Philosophy, AOC - Technology), Diane spent 20 years teaching in various public and private institutions at the university level. Most notably Clarion University and the University of Pittsburgh where a technology prototyping class inspired her to work exclusively with start-ups over the last decade to seed business growth in 3D design, augmented reality, mixed reality, and virtual reality enterprise-level ventures.

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success. 

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Christina Heller is an Senior Producer at Meta Reality Labs Entertainment and multimedia producer with over 11 years of experience in XR innovation.

From launching two startups—VR Playhouse and Meta Stage—to producing indie film "Unexpected Treasures," Christina embodies the creative spirit that drives breakthrough storytelling across emerging media platforms. 

Key Takeaways:

• Technology as Enhancement, Not Escape: Christina focuses on how VR can improve people's real-world experiences—from fitness and meditation to front-row concert access—rather than providing mere escapism.
• The Builder's Advantage During Troughs: While markets fluctuate through hype cycles, builders consistently see technology improving. Christina emphasizes that "troughs of disillusionment" are actually when the most meaningful innovation happens.
• Collaborative Leadership in Creative Media: Whether producing VR experiences or indie films, Christina prioritizes team dynamics, good vibes, and appreciation throughout the creative process, recognizing that impact happens in the journey as much as the destination.
• Embrace Strategic Naivete: Christina's approach combines confidence with comfort in the unknown—diving into new mediums knowing she'll become an expert through the doing, while being smart enough to accept help where needed.
• Community-Driven Storytelling: Her latest film "Unexpected Treasures" is rooted in local Joshua Tree alien folklore and shot entirely in her community, demonstrating how authentic stories emerge from what you know and where you belong.

Christina's work spans from helping millions find wellness through VR fitness apps like Fit XR and meditation through Tripp, to bringing fans closer to their favorite artists through immersive concerts. Her indie film represents a return to "flatties" (2D films) while maintaining her commitment to community-centered storytelling and the XR creator ecosystem she calls "absolutely obsessed with."

About Christina Heller

Christina is a multimedia producer and entrepreneur with a passion for creative technology. For the past decade she has led teams and created projects for virtual and augmented reality. She is currently a Senior Producer at Meta for the Reality Labs Entertainment team.

Christina was the founding CEO of Metastage from 2018 - 2023. During that time, Metastage completed over 200 productions with major brands and award winning projects, including two Emmy nominations. Prior to leading Metastage, Christina was the CEO of VR Playhouse, an immersive content company with projects featured at SXSW, Sundance, and Festival de Cannes. 

She is a recipient of the Advanced Imaging Society's Distinguished Leadership in Technology Award (2018), an AWE XR Hall of Fame inductee (2024), one of 2024's top "Women of the Future" and was named in the Huffington Post as one of 5 women changing the virtual reality scene. 

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success. 

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Jim Keyes, bestselling author of “Education is Freedom” and former CEO of Blockbuster and 7-Eleven, is a living example of how access to knowledge can transform a life. Jim’s journey began in a tumultuous, disrupted household, where independence was forced on him at an early age. 

Rather than letting these disadvantages define him, Jim embraced education—not to climb the professional ladder, but as the ultimate pathway to freedom: freedom of choice, freedom to chart his own course, and freedom from obligation to anyone or anything.

Key Takeaways

• Education = Freedom: Learning isn’t just for jobs or money; it provides the ultimate freedom to choose your own path and live adventurously.
• Turning Disadvantage into Agency: Growing up in a disrupted home gave Jim a unique drive for independence, realized through continual self-education.
• Self-Reliance through Knowledge: The more you learn, the less you depend on others’ approval or authority, especially in uncertain times.
• Resilience Over Resentment: Facing public criticism and hardship (even at the Fortune 500 level) is easier with a mindset focused on learning and adaptability.
• The Power of Curiosity: The single “secret code” to success is staying curious and committed to personal growth at every stage of life.

Jim credits his resilience and self-reliance to his pursuit of learning. He explains that education allowed him to sustain his independence, providing the flexibility to navigate both personal and professional obstacles. Jim’s perspective reframes adversity as a kind of advantage: growing up with less meant greater agency, drive, and the realization that knowledge—and not just money or titles—enables a truly adventurous and autonomous life.

About James Keyes

James W. Keyes is known internationally as a business and social change agent. Currently spearheading several initiatives in the tech, art, and education space, his career has included serving as Chief Executive Officer of two Fortune 500 companies, 7-Eleven, Inc. and Blockbuster, Inc., and serving on numerous civic boards. Now, a best-selling author, Keyes has written Education is Freedom: The Future is In Your Hands.  

Coming from humble beginnings in the small town of Grafton, Massachusetts, Jim’s father taught him “the absolute key to freedom is to learn as much as you can, every day of your life”. Keyes majored in political science at College of the Holy Cross, and graduated cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He earned a MBA degree from Columbia University in New York, and went on to establish himself in corporate America.  

On his quest of lifelong learning, and passionate about aerospace and aviation, Keyes has been a pilot for over 40 years. He is “single-pilot” certified in Textron C525 series Citation Jets, and is also certified to fly helicopters and floatplanes. He is a skilled sculptor, painter, musician, and composer. 

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success. 

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.

Nils Pihl is the CEO and founder of Auki Labs, a deep-tech company redefining how augmented reality (AR) can power meaningful social and business experiences. What started in 2019 as a passion project to create AR overlays for tabletop games like Warhammer quickly evolved into a multimillion-dollar company at the forefront of spatial computing. Nils shares his conviction that new business models and decentralized technology will fundamentally reshape software—and even capitalism itself.

Key Takeaways

• Start Small, Think Big: Auki Labs began with playful AR overlays for games but scaled quickly by focusing on community ownership and decentralized models.
• Decentralization is the Future: True value creation in software will come from platforms owned and operated by their users, not just corporations.
• Augmented Reality, Real Impact: AR is at its best when it enhances live, shared experiences—turning the virtual into a collaborative tool for everyday life and business.
• Innovation Through Openness: Embracing open-source and collective funding accelerates innovation and broadens the impact of new technology.

Beyond the technology, Nils’s philosophy challenges traditional business frameworks: he explores open-source, collective governance, and decentralized funding models as the future of innovation. He remains motivated by the “software upgrade of capitalism,” aiming to empower people—not just companies—through technology that invites participation, not just passive consumption.

About Nils Pihil

Nils Pihl is an entrepreneur, behavioral engineer, and social transhumanist with a deep focus on the intersection of modern technology and human behavior. Nils founded Auki Labs which is advancing the development of the Auki Network and posemesh protocol, a decentralized machine perception network designed to help devices, robots, and embodied and physical AI perceive and interact with the world around it through a shared understanding of space. 

A thought leader in the realms of technology and memetics, Nils applies his expertise in meme theory, game theory, and behavioral psychology to craft compelling narratives that shape the path of the AI revolution, future of augmented reality, and the acceleration of robotic technologies. 

About The Glow Up

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.

In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success. 

If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.