Podcast · Business

TechSurge: Deep Tech Podcast

by Celesta Capital | Deep Tech Venture Capital Firm · English · Business

The TechSurge: Deep Tech VC Podcast explores the frontiers of emerging tech, geopolitics, and business, with conversations tailored for entrepreneurs, technologists, and investment professionals. Presented and hosted by the Celesta Capital team. Send feedback and show ideas to [email protected].

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 57 min
Latest: 29 Sep 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

29 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 1 min

Gaming Chip Pioneer Raja Koduri on China's AI Cost Advantage and Moving Beyond the GPU

In this episode, host David Goldman speaks with legendary graphics chip architect Raja Koduri, who explains why every gigawatt of AI infrastructure now costs $50 to $60 billion, and why China's goal of doing it for under $10 billion is the real threat to Western AI. Raja twice led graphics at AMD, directed Apple's graphics architecture and was chief architect at Intel. He argues that the real AI race isn't Nvidia vs. Google vs. Broadcom but China vs. the rest of the world, and that the new bottleneck isn't compute. It's memory. In this conversation, Raja joins TechSurge to talk about his new…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S2 · E16 · 16 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
The Race to Build the Next Trillion-Dollar AI Chip Company
Almost 2% of U.S. GDP will be spent on AI infrastructure this year, nearly double 2025's figure. But beneath those headline numbers, the composition of that spending has quietly flipped: for the first time, dollars spent on running models in production now outweigh dollars spent training them. In this episode of TechSurge, host David Goldman speaks with Austin Lyons, a semiconductor analyst at Creative Strategies, co-host of the Semi Doped podcast, and author of the Chipstrat newsletter. Lyons previously worked as a hardware engineer at Intel and as a product manager on John Deere's…
S2 · E15 · 1 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
The Nobel Winner Behind Google's Quantum AI Lab: Why I'm Building the NVIDIA of Quantum
In this episode, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Dr. John Martinis reveals how his breakthrough in superconducting qubits made quantum physics real at macroscopic scale and what it means for the future of technology. The former lead of Google's Quantum AI lab explains why quantum computing is so fragile, why a lot of hype has a low chance to work, and why his fabless company Qolab could be the Nvidia of quantum computing In this conversation, Dr. Martinis joins TechSurge to explain the science behind macroscopic quantum coherence, the engineering challenges of scaling quantum computers, and…
S2 · E14 · 11 Aug 2026 · 36 min
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan on 40 Years of Contrarian Bets in Semiconductors
Silicon Valley was built on semiconductors, but for nearly two decades, venture capital shifted its attention towards software. Today, AI is changing that as the demand for compute, memory and networking explodes, hardware is once again at the centre of the industry's biggest bets. In this episode of TechSurge, host Michael Marks speaks with Lip-Bu Tan, CEO of Intel and one of the semiconductor industry's most influential investors and executives. The conversation traces Tan's journey from studying nuclear engineering at MIT to leading Cadence's turnaround, investing in more than 500…
S2 · E13 · 28 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 11 min
The Moving Bottleneck: Networking, Power, Memory, and the Race to Win AI
Artificial intelligence is often discussed through models and GPUs. This episode looks beneath that surface, at the power delivery and networking required to make AI work at scale. Host Sriram Viswanathan speaks with Rajiv Khemani, a serial deep tech entrepreneur whose career has tracked several major infrastructure cycles: internet networking, cloud switching, blockchain compute and now AI networking. Khemani reflects on his early work at NetBoost and Intel, his operating role at Cavium, and the founding of Innovium, which Marvell agreed to acquire for $1.1 billion in 2021. He also explains…
S2 · E12 · 15 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
Physical AI, Quantum, and Bio-Innovation: Inside Canada’s Research Frontier
Canada produces world-leading science, engineering, and AI research. So why does so much of that research still commercialize outside of Canada? In this episode of TechSurge, host Nic Brathwaite puts that question to four leaders at two of Canada's top research universities: Mary Wells (Dean of Engineering) and Chris Houser (Dean of Science) at the University of Waterloo, and Heather Sheardown (Dean of Engineering) and Gianni Parise (VP Research) at McMaster. At Waterloo, Mary Wells traces how the university's origin produced one of the world's most influential co-op programs and a…
S2 · E10 · 30 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 18 min
Google's Chief Technologist on Intelligent Search in the Age of AI
TechSurge is sponsored by Notion. From product roadmaps to investor updates, Notion is where modern teams plan, write, and ship together. Get started at http://notion.dev/techsurge . Search began as a way to find pages. AI is turning it into a way to ask, reason, decide, and act. Search has always been more than a technical problem. It is a way of organising knowledge, connecting intent with information, and increasingly, turning questions into actions. In the age of artificial intelligence, that basic function is being redefined. In this episode of TechSurge, host Sriram Vishwanath speaks…
S2 · E9 · 16 Jun 2026 · 53 min
Battle for the AI Data Center: Deep Dive on the Semiconductor Supercycle
Semiconductors have moved from the background of the technology stack to the center of the AI economy. What used to be a specialized industry discussed mostly by engineers and investors is now shaping the speed, cost, and strategic direction of modern computing. In this episode of TechSurge, host Michael Marks speaks with Stacy Rasgon, Managing Director and Senior Analyst covering U.S. semiconductors and semiconductor capital equipment at Bernstein Research. Stacy has spent years analyzing the chip industry across cycles, but argues that the current moment feels different in scale: AI demand…
S2 · E8 · 2 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 29 min
In-Orbit Manufacturing, AI Data Centers, and the New Space Economy with MIT’s Ariel Ekblaw
For most of human history, space has been a place we visited. The next chapter may be about building there. For decades, space was the domain of governments, astronauts, and science fiction. Today, falling launch costs, reusable rockets, and a new generation of ambitious founders are turning orbit into something else entirely: a place to build. The question is no longer whether humanity can construct large-scale infrastructure in space, but what we should build first—and why. In this episode of TechSurge, host Sriram Vishwanath speaks with Dr. Ariel Ekblaw, Founder and CEO of Aurelia…
S2 · E7 · 21 May 2026 · 48 min
The U.S. – China Deep Tech Arms Race
For years, the United States told itself a reassuring story: China could manufacture and copy, but it couldn't innovate. That story is no longer credible. From DeepSeek's compute-efficient AI model to BYD's dominance of the global EV market, China is producing both volume and quality across sectors that matter. The question is no longer whether China can compete — it's whether the United States is playing its own hand well. In this episode of TechSurge, host Michael Marks speaks with Vivek Chilukuri, Senior Fellow at CNAS, where he focuses on U.S.–China technology competition, AI policy, and…
S2 · E6 · 7 May 2026 · 57 min
Rare Earth Rush: Strategic Minerals and Tech's New Resource Wars
For thirty years, the United States largely ignored critical minerals. We mined less, processed less, and stockpiled less — while China quietly built the most dominant mineral supply chain in modern history. When China imposed rare earth export restrictions in 2024, manufacturers from Detroit to Tokyo scrambled. The invisible inputs powering electric vehicles, semiconductors, AI data centers, and defense systems had suddenly become visible — and vulnerable. In this episode of TechSurge, host Sriram Viswanathan speaks with Dr. Gracelin Baskaran, Director of the Critical Mineral Security…
S2 · E5 · 16 Apr 2026 · 57 min
The US Crypto Awakening
For years, crypto policy in the United States was defined less by clear rules than by the threat of enforcement. Startups and institutions building in the space operated in a gray zone: no clear guidance, no path to compliance, and always the possibility of a regulatory hammer coming down. In 2025, that began to change. In this episode of TechSurge, host Sriram Viswanathan speaks with Commissioner Hester Peirce of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission — one of Washington's most closely watched voices on digital asset policy. Known informally as "Crypto Mom" for her consistent advocacy…
S2 · E4 · 7 Apr 2026 · 51 min
Pixels to Intelligence: The Next Era of Imaging
Digital imaging is so ubiquitous today that it’s easy to forget how improbable it once was. In this episode of TechSurge , guest host Nic Brathwaite sits down with Dr. Eric Fossum, inventor of the CMOS active pixel image sensor, to unpack the breakthrough that made it possible to embed cameras into billions of devices and the deeper lessons behind it. Eric explains how his work began not with consumer electronics, but with a NASA constraint: how to shrink a refrigerator-sized space camera into something small enough for spacecraft. The solution required a fundamental shift in architecture.…
S2 · E3 · 19 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Sovereign AI Stacks: The New Strategic National Resource
As artificial intelligence becomes a strategic capability for nations as well as companies, questions of governance, safety, and geopolitical competition are moving to the forefront. In this episode of TechSurge, host Sriram Viswanathan speaks with Helen Toner, Interim Executive Director of the Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) at Georgetown and a former OpenAI board member, about the rise of sovereign AI stacks and the global implications of increasingly powerful AI systems. Helen brings a rare vantage point from both inside the frontier AI ecosystem and the policy world.…
S2 · E2 · 5 Mar 2026 · 58 min
Governing AI Before It Outpaces Us: Safety for Critical Infrastructure
As generative AI systems move from novelty to infrastructure, questions of safety, trust, and governance are becoming urgent. In this episode of TechSurge, host Sriram Viswanathan is joined by Dr. Rumman Chowdhury, CEO of Humane Intelligence PBC and responsible AI Pioneer, about what AI safety really means and why the industry may be focusing on the wrong problems. Rumman argues that the most overlooked lever in AI development is evaluation. While companies emphasize model training and capabilities, far less attention is paid to how systems are assessed in real-world contexts, who defines…
S2 · E1 · 19 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 20 min
India: The Next Tech Global Superpower?
As global supply chains fracture, AI reshapes productivity, and technology becomes a core instrument of national power, India is making an ambitious push to redefine its role in the world economy from IT services provider to deep tech superpower. In the season 2 premiere of TechSurge, host Sriram Viswanathan brings together three defining perspectives to examine how India is positioned to become a global leader in frontier technologies, and what must go right for that vision to succeed. The episode begins with S. Krishnan, Secretary at India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information…
S2 · 12 Feb 2026 · 2 min
TechSurge: Season 2 Trailer
TechSurge returns for an all-new season exploring the forces reshaping the future of deep tech, where breakthrough innovation meets real-world market dynamics. In season 2, we dive deeper into the intersection of emerging technology, market forces, and entrepreneurial discovery, featuring candid conversations with Silicon Valley leaders, visionary founders, investors, and bold builders shaping the future of deep tech. From AI and advanced computing to energy, biotech, and beyond, we explore what it really takes to turn breakthrough ideas into scalable companies. New episodes release every…
S1 · E25 · 1 Jul 2025 · 26 min
Season 1 Finale: Risks, Rewards, and Realities of Open vs. Closed AI
In TechSurge’s Season 1 Finale episode, we explore an important debate: should AI development be open source or closed? AI technology leader and UN Senior Fellow Senthil Kumar joins Michael Marks for a deep dive into one of the most consequential debates in artificial intelligence, exploring the fundamental tensions between democratizing AI access and maintaining safety controls. Sparked by DeepSeek's recent model release that delivered GPT-4 class performance at a fraction of the cost and compute, the discussion spans the economics of AI development, trust and transparency concerns,…
S1 · E24 · 18 Jun 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
Betting Early on Zoom, Canva, and Crypto: Inside the Playbook of Visionary Solo VC Bill Tai
Legendary technologist and investor Bill Tai joins our latest episode for a wide-ranging conversation spanning decades of Silicon Valley innovation. Bill shares his remarkable journey from being employee #1 at TSMC to becoming one of the first seed investors in Zoom and Canva, and his early embrace of Bitcoin when it was priced at just 7 cents. The conversation explores Bill's unique investment philosophy shaped by mentorship from Don Valentine of Sequoia Capital, his innovative approach to building entrepreneurial communities through kiteboarding, and his insights into the intersection of…
S1 · E23 · 5 Jun 2025 · 52 min
Blueprint for an AI Future: OpenAI Chief Economist on How AI Will Shape the Global Economy
Will AI displace more jobs than it creates? How can the U.S. win the AI race? How can AI benefits be evenly distributed across businesses and society? We explore these questions and more as Sriram Viswanathan sits down with Ronnie Chatterji, Chief Economist at OpenAI, for an in-depth exploration of AI's economic impact and policy implications. Ronnie brings a unique perspective, having served as an economic advisor in both the Obama and Biden administrations as a senior economist, supply chain advisor, and architect of the CHIPS Act. The conversation dives into the economic opportunities and…
S1 · E22 · 22 May 2025 · 48 min
Inside Nokia’s Strategy: CSTO Nishant Batra on Telecom’s Future, Brand Reinvention, and Betting on Bell Labs
In this episode of TechSurge, host Sriram Viswanathan sits down with Nishant Batra, Chief Strategy and Technology Officer at Nokia, for a deep dive into the evolving landscape of telecom and wireless technology. Nishant shares insights into the seismic shifts transforming network infrastructure—from core networks to edge computing—and discusses how Nokia leverages artificial intelligence to optimize performance and drive innovation. The conversation also highlights Nokia's unique innovation framework, spanning its corporate venture investments, internal incubator, and expansion of the…
S1 · E21 · 8 May 2025 · 40 min
Leading Through Chaos: John Chambers on Tariffs, Cyber Threats, & the AI Supercycle
Competition, growth, tariffs, hacks, AI – what does it take to be an effective leader today? John Chambers, former CEO and Executive Chairman of Cisco and founder of JC2 Ventures, joins TechSurge host Sriram Viswanathan to share valuable wisdom on leading and growing businesses through times of significant change. As a leader who has transitioned from the c-suite to venture capital and now mentoring founders in emerging technology sectors, John has seen it all. He shares lessons from his time leading one of the world’s most influential networking companies at Cisco (the most valuable company…
S1 · E20 · 24 Apr 2025 · 42 min
China, Funding Cuts, & Campus Controversy: Is U.S. Tech Leadership Falling Behind?
MIT President Emeritus Dr. Rafael Reif joins host Michael Marks for a discussion about the state of U.S. competitiveness in technology, university research funding, current immigration policy, and more. Reif explains why universities remain the innovation engines of economies, educating top talent and generating the foundational research that powers emerging tech and creates new industries. He candidly assesses U.S.-China competition, warns that Chinese research output is rapidly outpacing our own, and urges renewed federal investment. The discussion explores how restrictive immigration…
S1 · E19 · 10 Apr 2025 · 48 min
Inside Microsoft's Trillion Dollar Playbook with Chief Strategy Officer Bobby Yerramilli-Rao
Bobby Yerramilli-Rao, Chief Strategy Officer at Microsoft, joins TechSurge host Sriram Viswanathan to offer a rare glimpse into the strategic playbook of one of the world’s most powerful tech companies. Bobby shares how the company navigates today’s biggest technology paradigm shifts, placing bets with trillion-dollar implications. Touching on Microsoft’s AI strategy, OpenAI partnership, quantum computing, its approach to acquisitions, and much more, this candid and wide-ranging conversation is not to be missed. If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your…
S1 · E18 · 1 Apr 2025 · 59 min
Scaling the AI Era: Next-Gen Data Storage Solutions with Pure Storage CEO Charlie Giancarlo
In this episode of TechSurge, host Sriram Viswanathan sits down with Charlie Giancarlo, Chairman and CEO of Pure Storage, to discuss the evolution and future of data storage in the digital age. Charlie shares insights from his career spanning his pivotal role in Cisco's success as a networking pioneer, to his leadership in transforming Pure Storage into a leader in innovative storage solutions. They explore the evolution of data center infrastructure, and the critical role of storage architecture in enabling AI and cloud technologies. Charlie also explains how Pure Storage's software-driven…
S1 · E17 · 13 Mar 2025 · 42 min
Why AI Isn't Ready to Make Medicines
Many in venture capital and biopharma are anointing artificial intelligence the savior of drug discovery—but what can AI actually do? In this eye-opening episode, Michael Marks sits down with Mike Nohaile, CEO of Prellis Biologics, to explore the hype versus reality in AI-enabled drug discovery. Mike details why, despite significant breakthroughs like AlphaFold and recent Nobel Prize win for computational protein design, fully AI-generated medicines still present challenges. He also discusses why we urgently need more effective medicines and details Prellis’ unique system which combines…
S1 · E16 · 27 Feb 2025 · 1 hr 15 min
Understanding the Elegant Math Behind Modern Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence is evolving at an unprecedented pace—what does that mean for the future of technology, venture capital, business, and even our understanding of ourselves? Award-winning journalist and writer Anil Ananthaswamy joins us for our latest episode to discuss his latest book Why Machines Learn: The Elegant Math Behind Modern AI . Anil helps us explore the journey and many breakthroughs that have propelled machine learning from simple perceptrons to the sophisticated algorithms shaping today’s AI revolution, powering GPT and other models. The discussion aims to demystify some…
S1 · E15 · 13 Feb 2025 · 45 min
21st Century Warfare: The Nexus of Technology, Economy, & National Security
With global economic alliances shifting and new threats emerging, will the U.S. maintain its dominance in an increasingly complex world? From chips to cyberterrorist threats to cryptocurrency, battles for global dominance are no longer only fought on the battlefield—they're playing out in markets, boardrooms, and cyberspace. In this episode, we sit down with Juan Zarate, a key member of the post-9/11 Bush Administration team who architected how we combat terrorist financing and think about modern financial warfare. We explore how the U.S. has used its economic dominance as a powerful…
S1 · E14 · 30 Jan 2025 · 51 min
Adapting to AI & Geopolitical Disruption with Global Head of McKinsey Bob Sternfels
The world is evolving faster than ever – how will we keep up? From AI breakthroughs to global supply chain disruptions, the forces shaping business and technology today are relentless. In this episode of the TechSurge Deep Tech VC Podcast, we sit down with Bob Sternfels, Global Managing Partner of McKinsey & Company, the global consulting firm who has been on the frontlines of helping businesses and industries navigate relentless change for the past 100 years. We explore the shifting landscape of venture capital and opportunities for VCs, startups, and consultancies to explore new…
S1 · E13 · 16 Jan 2025 · 53 min
The Future of Wireless, Academia, & Intel: A Conversation With Dr. Andrea Goldsmith
The future of wireless technology is unfolding, are you ready for what's next? How can Intel regain market dominance? How will AI and IOT shape the next generation of wireless? What are the challenges in transitioning to 5G, NextG, and beyond? How will academia and the startup world intersect in the 21st century economy? We explore these questions and more in our latest episode of the TechSurge Deep Tech VC Podcast, as we sit down with Dr. Andrea Goldsmith, Dean of Princeton University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and a pioneer in wireless communication. Dr. Goldsmith shares…

About TechSurge: Deep Tech Podcast

TechSurge: Deep Tech Podcast is a English business podcast from Celesta Capital | Deep Tech Venture Capital Firm. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Celesta Capital | Deep Tech Venture Capital Firm
Language: English
Category: Business
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 57 min
Latest episode: 29 Sep 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1755173852
Rights: Celesta Capital | Deep Tech Venture Capital Firm

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