Tech Connect Podcast by SoCal Tech Forum

In this TechConnect episode, Andy Oliva, Founder of Lucky Day Labs, breaks down what product design looks like when AI becomes a core interface. The conversation covers why businesses need to design for agents as well as humans, how prompt-driven workflows are changing software expectations, and why voice and text experiences may become central to customer engagement. Andy also discusses the pressure on SaaS companies, the importance of rapid experimentation, and how leaders can create a culture that embraces AI without losing sight of user value.

In this episode of the TechConnect Podcast, Chris Daden speaks with Ben Schreiner, Head of AI and Modern Data BD at AWS, about what it takes to compete in the AI era. The discussion covers AI adoption, data readiness, intelligent organizations, evolving workforce skills, leadership, and why the companies that think bigger while enabling safe experimentation will be best positioned to scale.

In this episode, Andy Gryc from QNX joins the SoCal Tech Forum to explore the future of embedded systems and real-time computing. Andy breaks down what embedded systems really are, why determinism and reliability matter in mission-critical environments, and how QNX’s microkernel architecture helps power everything from vehicles and robotics to medical and industrial systems. The conversation also dives into the growing demand for embedded developers, the rise of AI at the edge, and how the QNX Everywhere initiative is opening the door for students, hobbyists, and professional developers to get hands-on with the same platform used in production environments.

In this episode of TechConnect, Alex Esterly from iT1 shares how modern infrastructure is changing in a world shaped by cloud, AI, and rising cybersecurity risk. Drawing on more than 30 years in IT leadership, Alex explains why infrastructure can no longer be treated as a cost center, and why technology leaders need to think of it as a business strategy that drives resilience, efficiency, and growth.The conversation also explores how organizations can modernize incrementally, design for failure, strengthen cyber resilience, and prepare for the real-world pressures of AI, from smarter security operations to the growing demands on data center power and cooling.

Footwear has always been personal, but mass production forces everyone into averages. In this episode, Eugene Wang, Co-founder and CEO of Fitasy, explains why he believes shoes are the next big “precision engineering” category for spatial, 3D-first AI, and how a digital workflow can replace rigid, slow-moving manufacturing cycles. He shares his path from mechanical engineering and computation to building an AI-driven system that turns individual foot morphology into manufacturable designs, not just a better size chart.You’ll also hear how additive manufacturing enables comfort tuning at the structure level, why single-material 3D-printed shoes can simplify recyclability, and what “printing locally” could mean for inventory, waste, and CO2. The conversation closes with a look at how shopping might change as production becomes distributed, plus the emerging questions around IP and design files in a world where products start as shareable digital assets.

In this episode of the Tech Connect podcast, host Chris Daden sits down with healthcare AI leader Nadaa Taiyab to unpack what “AI in healthcare” actually looks like in practice. After two decades across clinics, healthcare IT, population health, and data science, Nadaa offers a grounded view of where AI is delivering real value today, and why the biggest wins are often on the administrative side, not in replacing clinicians.They dig into why generative AI changed the game compared to traditional machine learning, especially for messy, unstructured clinical notes and document-heavy workflows. The conversation also zooms out to the macro trends pushing healthcare toward automation and augmentation, from provider shortages and burnout to growing chronic disease burden. Along the way, Nadaa shares hard-earned lessons on HIPAA realities, vendor risk, governance guardrails, evaluation and monitoring, and why “move fast and break things” is a dangerous mindset in regulated care environments. If you build or buy AI for healthcare, this one is a practical blueprint for where to start and what not to skip.

Join our discussion with Francesco Fabbrocino, a fintech technology leader, AI practitioner, and instructor with more than two decades of experience building and scaling large scale systems. In our discussion, we discuss the rapidly evolving world of fintech fraud detection where artificial intelligence is reshaping both how fraud is committed as well as how it’s prevented.We explore how impersonation sits at the core of most fraud, how traditional trust signals are breaking down, and what technology and business leaders must do to stay ahead in an environment where attackers continuously adapt.

In this Tech Connect episode, we explore how emerging technologies are reshaping manufacturing in the United States. Hans, founder of Tentacle and Stuff MFG, shares firsthand insights on using automation, AI, and modern production techniques to reduce risk, improve margins, and bring manufacturing closer to home. The conversation covers scaling physical products, supply chain control, and why technology is making domestic manufacturing viable again for startups and growing brands.

In this episode, we’re joined by Andy Oliva, founder of Lucky Day Labs and an OpenAI Forum leader, for an in-depth conversation on the future of work and what it really takes to build and adopt AI in the real world.Andy shares his unconventional path from big-box retail and “street-smart” product intuition to building AI solutions for founders and operators who know they need to move fast but don’t want to get trapped by vendor lock-in. We dig into the practical tradeoffs of buy vs. build, why context engineering is becoming more important than prompt engineering, and how multi-agent workflows (and multi-model stacks) are changing how software gets shipped.We also explore what AI means for the workforce: how leaders can build an AI-first culture without fear-driven adoption, why redeploying talent beats replacing it, and how creativity may become more accessible than ever. If you’re building AI products, scaling a team, or trying to keep up with the pace of change, this one is for you.

Carey shares what he’s learned from working with hundreds of founders and banks, and why adaptability, speed, and clarity remain the core traits of successful entrepreneurs. He also highlights how AI and DeFi will redefine what customers expect from fintech in the decade ahead.

The SoCal Tech Forum turns two! Chris, Jason, and Jordan reflect on how far the community has come — and how AI has evolved since the forum’s first session. Then, they dive into Modern AI Architecture and MCP — the next wave of intelligent systems shaping our future.

This episode is hosted by Jason Martin with featured guest Drew Mabry of Fast + Light. Today's episode dives into the disruptive technology in the digital marketing landscape.   Learn more at https://www.socaltechforum.org.

Today's episode dives into the fast changing world of cybersecurity. We talk about what's shifting, what's breaking, and what's next. We talk about ransomware and supply chain attacks to AI driven threats and zero trust strategies. We're unpacking how the threat landscape has evolved and how defenders are adapting. In this episode, we're joined by Chris Daden, Dave Alton, Dr. Victor Monga, and Tiernan O'Malley to help us make sense of it all. Whether you're technical or just curious, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. 

In this episode, Marcelo Lewin, Chris Daden, and Jason Martin dive into vibe coding, a new approach that uses AI to transform ideas into prototypes at speed. We'll explore how vibe coding is reshaping developers, product teams and marketing and what it means for the future of building and launching products.

In this episode, Alexander Silkin, Co-Founder and CTO of Survios, shares his perspective on the current state of game development, drawing from his experience leading teams in immersive and interactive media. This episode will explore the practical realities of building games today—how trends, technology, and user expectations shape the process, and where those expectations meet (or miss) the realities of game development.

In this conversation, we dive into the transformative world of AI assisted development with our special guest, Chris White. Together, we explore the concept of vibe coding, how AI is revolutionizing the developer experience, the challenges and opportunities it brings, and how to navigate this paradigm shift effectively. Join us as we unpack the emotional and technical nuances of integrating AI tools into development and how the future of coding is evolving right before our eyes. All right, good morning.

In this episode, Chris Daden sits down with Jai Jayaraman to dive into the world of technology and electric utilities. Jai is a solutions delivery manager at a mid-sized engineering firm, with more than 20 years leading the charge in technologies and utilities. We'll explore the entire utility value chain from generation to distribution and unpack the challenges and innovations that are shaping the future of this critical industry. We also discuss how emerging technologies like digital twins and AI are being used to improve grid resilience, customer experience and overall efficiency.

In this episode, Chris Daden sits down with Dan, Walt, and Laura to discuss the evolving role of AI across design, data science, and business operations. We look at how AI is changing the way teams collaborate, what the biggest misconceptions are in the business world, and how we balance AI efficiency with human creativity. 

In this episode, Jason Martin sits down with Shawn Hsu to discuss topics relating to neurotechnology, brain-computer interfaces (BCI) and how it ties into software and development.

In this episode, Chris Daden sits down with Hannah Dose, co-founder and CEO of AUGenomics, to discuss the power of genomics, current applications, and the road ahead for AUGenomics and the technology that powers the genomics industry.

Chris Daden sits down with Brian Stein, this month's guest speaker at Rancho Cucamonga Tech Forum, to discuss his experiences and observations when it comes to the interview process within the world of tech.