Build, Rebuild, Scale: Founders Forged in Fire and AI

On this week's episode of Silicon Valley Impact we speak with Jing Kuang, Founding Partner of Y Plus Ventures; David Sarabia Founder / CEO at inRecovery - Addiction Recovery Platform, serial entrepreneur with an incredible story on how to build and “recover;” and David Menard, Co-Founder & CTO at The Care Connxion, General Partner at Invaluable labs, and investor. Listening as they bring a fresh perspectives on building, “rebuilding," investing, and scaling in the age of AI.   Jing, Founding Partner of Y Plus Ventures, is a modern VC fund investing in consumer AI startups at the earliest stages. With 20 years of experience spanning consumer brand-building, entrepreneurship, and global capital markets, Jing brings a rare blend of operating and investment expertise. Her “Radical Duality—Human-Centered, AI-Partnered” philosophy guides Y+ Ventures’ proprietary sourcing and diligence tools, delivering strategic value to both founders and LPs. Previously, she was President & CEO of Yongjia Capital, where she led over $50B in cross-border M&A and capital markets transactions for Fortune 500 and high-growth tech clients. Jing holds an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, chairs the Stanford GSB VC Alumni Club, and serves on the Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurship investment committee.   David S. is a serial entrepreneur with three successful exits, including UPrinting (acquired by Insight Partners, now valued at $1.4B) and eMobileCart (sold to Magento). He also held leadership roles at US Auto Parts (NASDAQ: PRTS) and advised early on at Tradesy, which went on to raise $75M. After overcoming his own battle with addiction, David founded inRecovery in 2017 — a health-tech platform using blockchain, machine learning, and data-driven care to modernize addiction treatment. Backed by StartupHealth and multiple funding rounds, inRecovery serves as an operating system for treatment centers and individuals, offering personalized therapy, engagement tools, and long-term support for recovery.   David M. is a patented inventor, software engineer, and business developer focused on digital assets, agentic workflows, and decentralized systems. A builder at the intersection of AI, Web3, and fintech, he drives innovation where automation meets ownership. After a successful startup exit, David is now scaling new ventures that are redefining how we interact with technology, assets, and legal frameworks.   This and much more on Silicon Valley Impact!   Follow us on and listen to all our episodes on: 🎙️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/68L4RPfMizjxnKBsmcFb1J 🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/silicon-valley-impact/id1776876823 📺 Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@siliconvalleyimpact   Silicon Valley Venture, LLC, the parent company of Silicon Valley Impact, is a proud global venture partner to great companies, like TheAgentic, and STAK Ventures, and 1900 Broadway Tower - Oakland. Check out https://www.theagentic.ai/ and https://stakspace.com/ to gain access to the worlds largest full stack venture ecosystem. It's over 1.2 million square feet of Live, Work, Play, Go; everything innovators, investors, ecosystem influencers, institutional partners, and global talent needs to gain a global advantage, access, alignment, and accelerate your venture.   Event Partnerships: Join us in Napa, October 22nd-24th for the Opal Group Family Office & Private Wealth Management Forum. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gjeSSHTP.   Join us in San Francisco October 27th-29th, for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Get your tickets here (use promo code: siliconvalley25 to get 25% off your ticket purchase): https://tcrn.ch/41JLNgv   Join us October 27th, following Day 1 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, for the "Venture Partner 'Unofficial TechCrunch Disrupt 2025' Afterparty: Silicon Valley's Best!" Get you tickets here while they last: https://luma.com/3w4qt0r2   Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the host and guests on Silicon Valley Impact are for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered financial advice or a solicitation. Listeners are encouraged to consult with a professional before making any financial or business decisions.