Author: dojo.live

Dan Schmerin is an operating executive, investor, and entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in finance, corporate strategy, and public policy.

He is the Co-Founder and President of Metaversal, a Web3-native company focused on the acquisition and production of iconic intellectual property across the NFT ecosystem. Metaversal seeks to unlock the vast potential of the metaverse while fueling the brands and businesses that will naturally follow in Web3.

Prior to founding Metaversal, Dan was the Chief Executive Officer of UOVO, the leading fine art, fashion, and collectibles storage and logistics provider in the United States. Dan previously served as the Director of Investment Research at Fairholme Capital Management, a multi-billion dollar value-oriented investment firm.

The discussion revolves around the topic of the digital world and its connection to the physical world. Aethelion is a company that uses fingerprinting technology to identify and track physical products without the need for physical contact. They aim to combat counterfeiting and the gray market by providing a secure way to authenticate and trace physical items. The conversation explores how optical AI can improve security and trust by bridging the gap between the digital and physical realms. Ganzarski explains the challenges of counterfeiting and the importance of having a direct link between the digital and physical aspects of a product to ensure authenticity. The technology developed by Aethelion involves taking a picture of the product, which generates a unique fingerprint that can be compared to identify the item. The conversation also touches on the development process of the technology, its applications beyond luxury goods, and the cultural openness within Aethelion.

Roei Ganzarski, CEO of Alitheon®, a Bellevue, WA-based Optical AI company, shares more on how they are providing the missing link between the physical and digital worlds with solutions for the authentication, identification and traceability of parts and products. Alitheon’s FeaturePrint® solution creates for objects, what fingerprints are for people – a one of a kind, unique identifier that does not require you to modify or add anything. Using just a camera, FeaturePrinting enables authentication, identification, and traceability of individual items out of millions of similar objects.

Prior to Alitheon, Roei was CEO of magniX, an electric aviation propulsion company. Under Roei’s leadership, magniX developed industry leading propulsion systems, were the first in the world to fly multiple all-electric commercial aircraft, achieved world’s first FAA Special Conditions publication, and won a lucrative $75M NASA contract to develop a large scale 40-passenger electric aircraft. In addition to his magniX role, Roei also served as executive chairman of Eviation, the electric aircraft manufacturer bringing a newly designed all-electric aircraft to market.

Roei was invited to testify in front of US Congress on the future of aviation and was recognized by Business Insider as one of ‘100 People Transforming Business’.

This interview features Eddie Moler, the VP of Data Science at Juvenile Therapeutics, discussing the role of AI and machine learning in the discovery of biologic therapeutics. Moler explains his background in science and technology, transitioning from quantitative physical science to biology and life science applications. He highlights the impact of cloud technology and AI/ML in accelerating the discovery of new biological phenomena and developing therapies for various diseases. Juvenile Therapeutics, an early-stage biopharma startup, focuses on leveraging stem cell biology to identify and develop new treatments based on naturally secreted proteins. Moler discusses how AI and machine learning contribute to accelerating the discovery of biomedical insights with high therapeutic potential. He emphasizes the automation of drug discovery processes and the analysis of complex biological data, such as genomics and proteomics. Moler also mentions the challenge of examining hundreds of thousands of proteins and the role of AI in identifying key factors and patterns. He discusses the proprietary nature of technology and methods used but acknowledges the importance of sharing discoveries for scientific credibility. Moler concludes by highlighting the need for domain expertise and continuous learning in this rapidly evolving field.

Eddie Moler has over 20 years of experience leading pharmaceutical and clinical diagnostics R&D, data-science/algorithm/software intensive platform development, gene-target and biomarker discovery and validation, establishing and scaling high-performing data-science & software teams, and collaboration management.

Previously, Eddie led Quest Diagnostics’ Bioinformatics organization, leading the development and launch of dozens of advanced clinical genomic diagnostic tests while more than quadrupling the size of the team across multiple sites. He has led clinical/biological research projects and the development of production-scale clinical and research platforms at Quest Diagnostics, GE Healthcare, Tethys Bioscience, Novartis, and the US Department of Energy.

Eddie has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers including clinical and molecular medicine, population health, and health economics, and has 7 issued patents on clinical risk algorithms, biomarkers, automated histopathology image analysis, drug targets, and discovery technology. Eddie received a PhD in Chemistry from UC Berkeley and a BS in Chemistry from Texas A&M University.

Summary

Madhav Khurana, the head of data science and analytics at Rebuy, discusses the role of AI in sustainability. Rebuy is a used products marketplace that aims to combat overconsumption and waste by revolutionizing the perception of pre-owned goods. They use AI to dynamically price products, forecast demand and supply, and optimize operations costs. By leveraging AI, Rebuy ensures a seamless customer experience and promotes the circular economy. Madhav also emphasizes the importance of being data-driven and proactive in decision-making. The interview highlights the shift in consumer mentality towards sustainability and the increased demand for used products. Additionally, Madhav explains the significance of failure in the development of AI projects and advises starting with minimum viable products to test feasibility. The hosts also mention a recap show that will discuss Madhav’s interview and other topics.

Adrian Marquez is the founder of a company called Agaru. The episode focuses on helping talent rise in the context of gratitude, technology, and hospitality for social impact. Adrian shares his story of being involved in the hospitality industry for 20 years and his realization that many talented individuals in the industry lack access to education and opportunities. This realization led him to found Agaru, a platform where customers can vote for staff members and provide them with ratings. These ratings serve as a record of their skills and can open doors to new opportunities and career growth. The platform aims to address the challenge of assessing soft skills in the hospitality industry and help individuals showcase their talents. The conversation also explores the impact of soft skills on hospitality management, the potential to challenge the focus on monetary gain, and the role of gratitude in human interactions. The episode ends with an invitation for viewers to visit Agaru’s website and vote for individuals who have provided them with a positive experience.

Bill Santana Lee discusses the rise of friendly robots and explains that Night Scope aims to address the problem of crime and its negative economic impact by providing robotic solutions for public safety and security. Lee emphasizes the lack of federal jurisdiction and innovation in law enforcement agencies and private security firms. He highlights the limitations of human officers and guards in terms of their numbers and capabilities. Lee describes Night Scope’s autonomous robots, which can operate 24/7, observe their surroundings, read license plates, and collect evidence. He explains how the presence of these robots can deter criminal behavior and provide valuable data for prosecution. Lee expresses the need for advancements in technology, such as improved communication capabilities, to enhance the effectiveness of these robots. He asserts that traditional policing and security methods are costly and ineffective, and Night Scope’s robots offer a scalable and real solution to the problem. Lee mentions the positive response they have received from communities and the potential for further expansion.

Debarghya Das, the founding engineer of Gleam, discusses building AI for enterprise. He shares his background, passion for technology, and his transition from working at Google to joining Gleam. Gleam aims to solve the problem of information retrieval in the workplace by providing a search engine for all consumer apps used in an enterprise setting. The goal is to create a smart search box that allows users to find documents and information quickly and efficiently. Das also discusses the challenges and potential of AI in various business applications, such as customer support and conversational AI. He emphasizes the importance of understanding AI as a tool and leveraging human knowledge and understanding alongside it. Gleam focuses on providing answers grounded in real information and sources, promoting trust and enabling users to perform real work tasks effectively.

Dr. Irv Lustig, the optimization principal at Princeton Consultants, discusses the essential role of optimization in the AI revolution. He highlights the need for comprehensive thinking in applying optimization, from understanding the problem to deploying the solution and changing decision-making processes. Princeton Consultants focuses on management consulting and information technology, applying optimization to help customers make better decisions. The convergence of optimization and AI is driven by the availability of data, which enables improved decision-making. Optimization can automate processes and solve business problems efficiently. Skills required for optimization include a background in operations research, data science, and business analytics. Dr. Lustig emphasizes the importance of communication and considering downstream effects when implementing optimization solutions. He suggests pursuing degrees or programs in operations research, business analytics, or data science and attending conferences to learn more about optimization and its applications.