92. Brian Modoff | From Destroyer to Wall Street to VC: AI, Tech Trends & Never Giving Up

In this episode, Klara Jagosova speaks with Brian Modoff, founder and CEO of MC3 Ventures, Advisory Partner at Summit Partners, and former EVP of Corporate Strategy at Qualcomm. Brian's journey spans enlisting in the US Navy at 17, eight years of night school while working full time, 23 years as one of Wall Street's most consistently top-ranked technology analysts, a pivotal role at Qualcomm leading M&A and venture strategy, and now investing in the next generation of breakthrough companies as a venture capitalist.From a cryptology-equipped destroyer off the coast of Iran to the boardrooms of Deutsche Bank and Qualcomm, Brian's path is a masterclass in persistence, pattern recognition, and never crawling under your desk when things go wrong.The conversation explores:How Brian built a 23-year career on Wall Street, outlasting an average analyst lifespan of 8 yearsSpotting Qualcomm's rise before anyone else — and having the courage to put a sell rating on them firstThe $30 billion conversation with Steve Mollenkopf that led to joining Qualcomm as EVPWhy the right idea matters more than the perfect founding team in early-stage investingWhy putting a CFO in charge of a tech company is an automatic sell signalWhy America's venture capital community is its most important economic assetThe one piece of advice Brian would give every young person entering the workforce today🎙️ Watch Brian's 6G Keynote (B6GS 2025): https://ieeetv.ieee.org/channels/communications/keynote-brian-modoff-summit-partners-b6gs-2025Key themes: venture capital, Wall Street, Qualcomm, MC3 Ventures, Summit Partners, tech investing, startup investing, innovation, persistence, leadership, AI, engineering careers, wireless technology, mosaic theory, M&A strategy.Send us Fan MailLEORÊVER COMPRESSION AND ACTIVEWEARGet 10% off Loerêver Balanced Compression and Activewear to elevate your confidence and performance8 EIGHT SLEEPSave $200 on 8Sleep and get better quality and deeper sleep with automatic temperature adjustmentDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.This content is also available in a video version on YouTube.If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who may enjoy it as well, and consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can also submit your feedback directly on my website. Follow @GrandSlamJourney on Instagram, Facebook,  Twitter, and join the  LinkedIn community.