Best Mehmet Gonullu Podcasts (2025)

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#491 Scaling Engineering Teams for the AI Era: Insights from Mary Moore-Simmons 41:31

2d ago41:31

41:31

In this episode, Mehmet Gonullu sits down with Mary Moore-Simmons, VP of Engineering at Keebo AI, to unpack what it really takes to scale high-performing engineering teams in today’s AI-powered environment. From DevOps and ML Ops to building team culture that lasts, Mary shares hard-won insights from over a decade in engineering leadership across s…

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#490 From Data to CTO: Keith Cassar’s Evolution in Tech Leadership 43:36

4d ago43:36

43:36

In this episode of The CTO Show, Mehmet welcomes Keith Cassar, CTO at Game Lounge, who shares his journey from SQL developer to tech leader, and what it takes to evolve from a data specialist into a cross-functional CTO. Together, they explore how to make data genuinely useful, what AI can and can’t solve, and how to scale high-performing tech team…

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#489 Why Silicon Valley Still Wins: Dr. Andrey Kunov on What Emerging Markets Miss 1:02:56

7d ago1:02:56

1:02:56

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, Dr. Andrey Kunov — serial entrepreneur, founder of Silicon Valley Innovation Center, and AI advisor — joins us from the heart of Silicon Valley to dissect what truly makes the Valley unbeatable. We explore why other ecosystems struggle to replicate it, what founders in emerging markets should focus on in…

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#488 The Inside-Out Entrepreneur: Mohamed Ahmed on Startup Mindset and Emotional Readiness 1:03:27

9d ago1:03:27

1:03:27

In this episode, host Mehmet Gonullu sits down with Mohamed Ahmed, an engineer-turned-founder and author of The Inside-Out Entrepreneur. Together, they unpack the mental, emotional, and strategic conditioning required for engineers to become successful startup founders. From navigating early-stage chaos to managing the emotional rollercoaster of st…

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#487 From Dream to Done: Cheryl Cunningham on Creating the Agentic OS for Solopreneurs 46:14

11d ago46:14

46:14

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with Cheryl Cunningham, CEO of Huro AI, to explore how agentic AI is reshaping entrepreneurship as we know it. From her early days in the food industry to building a quantum-informed AI company, Cheryl shares the journey behind Huro’s mission: enabling solopreneurs and SMBs to go from vision …

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#486 The Brave Leap: Michael Cutajar on Automating Accounting with AI Agents & Building with Purpose 40:38

14d ago40:38

40:38

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with Michael Cutajar, CEO of AI Partners, who’s on a mission to fix the broken world of accounting through the power of AI agents. From his early days as a PwC accountant in Malta to founding multiple startups—including a VR venture and now an AI-driven automation company—Michael shares what …

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#485 Scaling Starts with People: Nahed Khairallah on Building Teams That Don’t Break 1:02:38

16d ago1:02:38

1:02:38

Mehmet sits down with Nahed Khairallah, founder of Organized Chaos, to discuss why startups that reach initial traction often stall or fail due to people-related blind spots. With experience advising over 150 startups globally, Nahed unpacks the tactical, cultural, and strategic layers of building scalable teams that last. 🔑 Key Takeaways • 🚫 The r…

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#484 The CTO as Orchestrator: Naga Vadrevu on Leading Tech with First Principles 42:33

18d ago42:33

42:33

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, Naga Vadrevu, Chief Technology Officer at Wonderschool and former engineering leader at Square, Adobe, and Autodesk, shares his journey from big tech to startup disruption. Naga dives deep into how he applies AI and machine learning to revolutionize childcare access in the U.S., and why modern CTOs must …

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#483 Bootstrapping in Motion: Nelson Nigel’s Blueprint from Yellow Cab to Kidmoto 35:14

21d ago35:14

35:14

In this episode, Mehmet Gonullu sits down with Nelson Nigel, the founder of Kidmoto, a ride-hailing service designed specifically for families traveling with young children. From driving a yellow cab in New York to building a tech-enabled transportation service operating in 64+ cities, Nelson shares how he bootstrapped his company past $1M in reven…

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#482 The Browser Is the New Battleground: John Carse on Securing the Modern Endpoint 49:37

23d ago49:37

49:37

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we’re joined by John Carse, Field CISO at SquareX, to explore a fast-emerging shift in cybersecurity: the browser as the new endpoint. John shares why traditional tools like EDR and CASB are no longer sufficient, how modern threats are bypassing enterprise defenses, and what CISOs need to prioritize in a…

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#481 Go-to-Market Clarity in a Noisy World: Jan van Schuppen’s GTM Wisdom 45:22

25d ago45:22

45:22

In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Jan van Schuppen, a seasoned sales entrepreneur and founder of Ideas in Spades, who has led global B2B sales teams for over 30 years. They explore the biggest myths in go-to-market (GTM) strategy, the traps of founder-led content, how to balance automation with authenticity, and why selling before building is …

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#480 The Dangerous Gap: Why Startups Fail After MVP – Insights from Ali Hafizji 35:58

28d ago35:58

35:58

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we’re joined by Ali Hafizji, founder of the product development agency Wednesday, for a candid look into one of the most overlooked phases in startup growth: the dangerous gap between MVP and Product-Market Fit (PMF). We explore why many startups lose momentum after MVP, how to avoid premature scaling, t…

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#479 Rewriting the Music Playbook: Jeremy Sirota on Innovation, AI, and Artist Empowerment 44:54

30d ago44:54

44:54

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive into the transformation of the global music industry with Jeremy Sirota, CEO of Merlin, the world’s leading digital licensing partner for independent music labels. Jeremy unpacks how Merlin is leveling the playing field for indie artists, leveraging tech and AI to streamline music licensing, and …

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#478 100x Outcomes, Not 10x Hype: AI Execution Strategies with Matt Leta 55:03

1M ago55:03

55:03

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive deep into what it really takes to implement AI that works—not just experiments, but systems that scale. Joining us is Matt Leta, founder & CEO of Future Works, an AI-native company built alongside generative AI as his co-founder. 🔑 Key Takeaways • AI alone isn’t enough—without workflow integratio…

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#477 The Singularity of Hope: Sam Sammane on Amplifying Humanity with AI 54:33

1M ago54:33

54:33

In this thought-provoking episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we welcome Sam Sammane, physicist, serial entrepreneur, and author of The Singularity of Hope. With a background in nanotechnology, life sciences, and AI, Sam offers a rare mix of technical depth and philosophical insight. Together, we explore how AI is reshaping business, creativity, a…

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#476 Stop Pitching Tech, Start Selling Outcomes: Josh Dorfman’s Advice for Climate Founders 57:15

1M ago57:15

57:15

In this episode, Mehmet is joined by Josh Dorfman, CEO of Supercool and host of the Supercool podcast. Josh is a serial sustainability entrepreneur, former investor, and media trailblazer with two decades of experience scaling climate-focused ventures. From founding The Lazy Environmentalist to helping build a company that landed a 10M panel deal w…

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#475 Focus, Grit, and Product-Market Fit: Lessons from Anya Cheng’s Startup Journey 50:43

1M ago50:43

50:43

In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Anya Cheng, the founder and CEO of Taelor, a fashion-tech startup revolutionizing how busy men dress—without shopping or doing laundry. With past leadership roles at Meta, eBay, and McDonald’s, Anya brings a unique product mindset and startup resilience that shines through her journey from MVP to raising milli…

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#474 Execution Over Ideas: Andy Cwik on Building and Scaling 58:52

1M ago58:52

58:52

Episode Overview In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, Andy Cwik—co-founder and CEO of Hubub—shares his lessons from three startups, including the painful failures and meaningful wins. From crashing his first startup to exiting a telehealth company, Andy now leads Hubub, a SaaS platform that automates client entertainment for B2B teams. He o…

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#473 AI Won’t Replace Jobs, It Will Replace Companies — Anthony Franco Breaks It Down 55:47

1M ago55:47

55:47

In this episode of The CTO Show, serial entrepreneur and podcast host Anthony Franco joins Mehmet to unpack how AI is fundamentally reshaping how businesses operate—beyond the hype. With six exits under his belt and decades of experience launching and scaling ventures, Anthony shares what it really takes to operationalize AI in today’s organization…

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#472 Reinventing Cooling: Faizan Ahmed’s Solid-State Revolution 51:11

2M ago51:11

51:11

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive into the world of deep tech and hardware innovation with Faizan Ahmed, founder and CEO of Invensify. From solving his father’s insulin storage problem to building a patented solid-state cooling module, Faizan walks us through the journey of reinventing refrigeration and building a product-as-a-se…

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#471 The Future Needs Soul: Mona Bavar on Human-Centered AI and Branding 44:52

2M ago44:52

44:52

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive into the intersection of technology, creativity, and brand authenticity with Mona Bavar — founder of DLISH and BlueApples.ai. From a childhood shaped by cultural resilience to building borderless brands rooted in storytelling, Mona shares why the future of innovation needs more than algorithms — …

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#470 Solving Your Own Problem at Scale: Rahul Swaminathan’s Journey with Desertcart 44:30

2M ago44:30

44:30

What happens when a developer in Dubai decides to solve his own problem—and ends up building a 300M SKU e-commerce engine? In this episode, I speak with Rahul Swaminathan, the founder of Desertcart, one of the region’s most iconic tech-native e-commerce platforms. We dive deep into Rahul’s 11-year journey: from building Desertcart with Ruby on Rail…

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#469 From SDRs to AI Agents: Frank Sondors on Redefining Outbound Sales 48:29

2M ago48:29

48:29

In this episode, I sit down with Frank Sondors, founder of Salesforge, to explore how AI is reshaping outbound sales, why traditional sales hiring models are broken, and how modular tools are empowering leaner, more efficient GTM motions. Frank shares his journey from Google to launching a multi-product startup that hit $3M ARR in just 12 months—wi…

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#468 Scaling Smarter: Tyler Dunagin on Building 7-Figure Service Businesses with Purpose 54:28

2M ago54:28

54:28

In this episode, Mehmet is joined by Tyler Dunagin, Founder & CEO of Turnserv, a platform powering multiple tech-enabled service brands in the multifamily housing sector. Tyler has scaled five brands to 7-figure revenue, secured private equity backing, and earned a spot on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing U.S. companies. From building within ar…

1
#467 From Engineer to Entrepreneur: Tom Basey on Reinventing Career Paths Through Insurance & Impact 45:52

2M ago45:52

45:52

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with Tom Basey, a former engineer and project manager turned entrepreneur, to unpack what it really takes to pivot from corporate life to a lean, scalable business in an unexpected space—insurance. Tom shares lessons from 30+ years in tech and telecom, why he believes insurance is a smart ent…

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#466 What Founders Miss Most: Moataz Mukhaimer on Strategy, Pricing, and Funding Readiness 1:04:24

2M ago1:04:24

1:04:24

In this episode, Mehmet sits down with strategy and finance advisor Moataz Mukhaimer, joining from Jordan, to unpack the most overlooked blind spots in early-stage startups. From pricing pitfalls to financial illiteracy, Moataz reveals the top three areas founders consistently ignore—and why getting these right can be the difference between scaling…

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#465 Building Startups That Outlive You: Steve Endacott on AI, Legacy, and Bold Innovation 49:20

2M ago49:20

49:20

In this bold and thought-provoking episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, UK-based serial entrepreneur and investor Steve Endacott joins the show to discuss the intersection of AI, entrepreneurship, and legacy. From backing disruptive startups to launching Neural Voice, a conversational AI platform for the travel industry, and Life’s Echo, a digital …

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#464 The Resume is Dead: Garrett Rice & Philippe Cailloux on Reinventing Job Hunting with AI 1:30:49

2M ago1:30:49

1:30:49

In this episode, I’m joined by two tech veterans, Garrett Rice (former Apple) and Philippe Cailloux (former Head of Product Design at Adobe), co-founders of Callings.ai—a platform that’s rethinking how we search for jobs in the AI era. We dive into how the traditional job-hunting process is broken, what’s wrong with the resume as we know it, and ho…

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#463 From Corporate to Startup: How DXwand is Driving AI-Powered Business Growth from MENA to the World 52:32

2M ago52:32

52:32

In this inspiring episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, I sit down with Ahmed Mahmoud (Founder & CEO) and Ahmed Elshahawy (CTO) of DXwand, a MENA-born AI startup reshaping how businesses unlock growth with generative AI, knowledge mining, and document intelligence. The conversation takes you through their courageous leap from successful corporate ca…

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#462 Framed by the Algorithm: Tim O’Hearn on the Dark Psychology of Social Media 52:30

2M ago52:30

52:30

What happens when the very platforms meant to connect us instead manipulate us? In this eye-opening conversation, Tim O’Hearn — former black-hat growth engineer, bestselling author of Framed: A Villain’s Perspective on Social Media — joins Mehmet to expose the hidden mechanisms behind social media addiction, fake engagement, and the dark psychology…

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#461 Investing in the Future of Healthcare: Cameron Sabet on AI, Space, and the VC Edge in MedTech 43:55

2M ago43:55

43:55

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive into the unique intersection of venture capital, healthcare innovation, and frontier tech with Cameron Sabet, a Georgetown medical student and Principal at Multifaceted Capital. Cameron shares his unconventional path from academia to venture capital, and how he evaluates startups through both a c…

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#460 Radical Reconnection: Sam Rad on Thriving in a Post-Human World 56:12

2M ago56:12

56:12

In this deeply reflective episode, Mehmet welcomes futurist, bestselling author, and technologist Sam Rad to explore how we navigate—and thrive—in a world reshaped by exponential tech. From AI and quantum computing to deepfakes and biotech, this conversation is less about predicting the future and more about reclaiming what it means to be human. 🔑 …

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#459 Hiring Like a Poker Pro: Joel Quintela’s POKER Framework for Better Decisions 59:11

3M ago59:11

59:11

In this thought-provoking episode, Mehmet sits down with Joel Quintela, a business psychologist and former computer systems engineer, to break down the biggest hiring blind spots—and how to fix them. Joel shares how psychology, structured assessments, and poker strategies can help founders and leaders hire better, retain top talent, and create winn…

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#458 Lucas Lovell on SaaS Growth, Global Payments, and the Future of Product 43:15

3M ago43:15

43:15

🔍 Episode Overview In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Lucas Lovell, VP of Product at Paddle, to unpack the powerful yet often overlooked role of payments in SaaS growth. From navigating tax compliance and pricing localization to optimizing for global expansion, Lucas shares product leadership insights and the future of billing in an AI-powered …

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#457 Why Founder-Led Growth Isn’t Optional: Jess Schultz on Early-Stage GTM, Metrics, and Startup Scaling 49:41

3M ago49:41

49:41

In this high-impact episode, Mehmet sits down with Jess Schultz, a fractional CRO/CMO and angel investor, to unpack what truly drives early-stage startup success. From the importance of founder-led sales to building a go-to-market (GTM) motion that actually works, Jess shares practical advice that bridges theory and execution. Whether you’re a tech…

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#456 Colin Fitzpatrick on AI Agents, Vibe Coding, and the Future of Web3, Robotics, and Work 54:14

3M ago54:14

54:14

🔍 Episode Overview In this forward-looking conversation, Mehmet welcomes Colin Fitzpatrick, founder of Griffin AI and long-time tech leader, to unpack the convergence of artificial intelligence, Web3, and robotics. From “vibe coding” and AI agents to programmable avatars and robotic personal assistants, Colin paints a vision of a world being reshap…

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#455 Engineering the Future: Steven Zeller on AI, Longevity, and Human 2.0 50:49

3M ago50:49

50:49

In this mind-expanding episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, futurist investor and international entrepreneur Steven Zeller joins us to explore the cutting edge of human advancement through technology. From genetic engineering and health tech breakthroughs to brain-computer interfaces, quantum computing, and the philosophical questions of immortalit…

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#454 Scaling the Blockchain: Srini Parthasarathy on Fixing Gas Fees and Decentralization 31:36

3M ago31:36

31:36

In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Srini Parthasarathy, CTO of Shardeum, a Layer 1 EVM-compatible blockchain that’s rewriting the rules of scalability, decentralization, and transaction efficiency. Srini shares his journey from building NFT platforms and working at AWS to leading a project that’s tackling the blockchain trilemma head-on. Whethe…

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#453 From FMCG to AI: Prashant Agrawal on Rethinking Marketing in the Age of LLMs 50:41

3M ago50:41

50:41

“AI won’t replace marketers—but marketers who use AI will replace those who don’t.” – Prashant Agrawal In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with veteran marketer and educator Prashant Agrawal to explore how AI is transforming the marketing function. From his roots in traditional FMCG marketing to his deep dive into the world of …

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#452 Vikas Panchal on AI, Automation, and the Financial Future of MENA’s SMEs 34:49

3M ago34:49

34:49

“The cost of non-compliance is much higher than the cost of getting it right from day one.” – Vikas Panchal In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Vikas Panchal, General Manager – MENA at Tally Solutions, and a seasoned leader with two decades of experience in helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) modernize their operations. Together, they di…

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#451 Two Startup Games, One Entrepreneur: Allan Abbas on Playing to Win in Fintech 44:33

3M ago44:33

44:33

“You either earn or you learn — both are wins.” – Allan Abbas In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, Allan Abbas joins us to explore the world of fintech innovation, startup growth, and what it takes to build a game-changing product in the Middle East. Allan, a former Amazon leader turned founder, shares his personal journey from bootstrappin…

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#450 Peter Bonney on How AI Is Disrupting the RFP and B2B Sales Process 44:51

3M ago44:51

44:51

“My grand vision is to make the RFP obsolete — and I believe AI can make that happen.” — Peter Bonney, CEO & Founder of Fastbreak In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we’re joined by Peter Bonney, CEO and Founder of Fastbreak, to discuss how AI is transforming one of the most painful processes in enterprise sales: responding to RFPs. With o…

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#449 Smarter Ad Spend with AI: Zeke Camusio’s Attribution Playbook for Founders and CMOs 40:34

3M ago40:34

40:34

In this episode, Mehmet speaks with Zeke Camusio, founder of Data Speaks, an AI-powered platform helping marketers and founders finally solve the attribution puzzle. From cutting through vanity metrics to deploying machine learning for media mix modeling, Zeke shares a tactical playbook for maximizing return on every marketing dollar—without increa…

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#448 The AI-Driven Consumer: How Businesses Must Adapt with Shahar Boyayan 43:53

4M ago43:53

43:53

AI is reshaping consumer behavior like never before, creating both opportunities and challenges for businesses. In this episode, I sit down with Shahar Boyayan, an expert in consumer psychology and AI-driven behavior, to discuss how businesses—especially small businesses and entrepreneurs—must adapt to this shift. We explore hyper-personalization, …

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#447 Islamic Finance Meets Blockchain: Ethical DeFi with Haqq Network’s Alex Malkov & Andrey Kuznetsov 53:10

4M ago53:10

53:10

In this episode, I sit down with Alex Malkov and Andrey Kuznetsov, co-founders of Haqq Network, to explore how Islamic finance and blockchain are merging to create ethical DeFi solutions. Haqq Network aims to bring Sharia-compliant financial products into the Web3 space, addressing fairness, transparency, and financial inclusion. We discuss real-wo…

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#446 Are Human-Led Interactions Dead? Nadav Boaz on AI’s Disruptive Future 42:22

4M ago42:22

42:22

In this episode, I sit down with Nadav Boaz, a seasoned entrepreneur and AI-driven product builder, to explore how AI is reshaping business, product development, and sales. Nadav shares his insights on launching AI-powered startups, the evolving landscape of human-to-AI interactions, and why competitive advantages are shifting away from technology …

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#445 AI vs. Cyber Threats: Alec Crawford on Governance, Risks, and the Future of Security 42:43

4M ago42:43

42:43

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, I sit down with Alec Crawford, an AI and cybersecurity expert with decades of experience in financial institutions like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Deutsche Bank. Alec is now leading AI-driven cybersecurity solutions, focusing on AI Governance, Risk, Compliance, and Cybersecurity (AI GRCC). We div…

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#444 From MIT to IPOs: John Cousins on Mastering Money, Startups, AI, and the Future of Learning 53:13

4M ago53:13

53:13

In this episode, I sit down with John Cousins, a serial entrepreneur, investor, and educator, to discuss financial literacy, startup success, AI’s impact on learning, and the future of solopreneurship. With experience spanning MIT, IPOs, hedge funds, and AI-driven education, John shares powerful insights on navigating the world of business, investm…

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#443 AI in Healthcare: Dr. Robert Toth on Medical Imaging, Robot Surgeons, and Predictive Medicine 40:51

4M ago40:51

40:51

AI is transforming healthcare at an unprecedented pace, from medical imaging advancements to the potential of robotic-assisted surgeries and predictive medicine. In this episode, Dr. Robert Toth, Founder of Thetat Tech AI, joins us to discuss how AI is revolutionizing radiology, diagnostics, and patient care, the ethical and regulatory challenges a…

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#442 From Davos to DeFi: Agne Linge on Blockchain, AI, and the Future of Money 43:29

4M ago43:29

43:29

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive deep into the future of finance with Agne Linge, Head of Growth at WeFi. Fresh from Davos, Agne shares insights into the latest trends in DeFi, AI-powered fintech, and the evolving global economy. We explore how blockchain and AI are reshaping banking, why traditional financial institutions are f…

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