# TechSurge: the investor podcast, by episode

> TechSurge: Deep tech investing: semiconductors, AI infrastructure and the funds behind them. 44 episodes, each linked to the investors in it.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/podcasts/techsurge (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

Investors · new episode 21 Oct 2026

# TechSurge

Hosted by **Celesta Capital**

Deep tech investing: semiconductors, AI infrastructure and the funds behind them.

Follow on Apple PodcastsBrowse the episodes

**44** episodes

**8** investors heard as guests

**51 min** an average episode

18 in the last 12 months

## The regulars

Investors named as guests in the most episode titles on TechSurge.

[AE *1* **Aicha Evans** 1 episode](https://millionrounds.com/person/aicha-evans)[BS *1* **Bob Sternfels** McKinsey & Company](https://millionrounds.com/person/bob-sternfels)[BY *1* **Bobby Yerramilli-Rao** Hermes Growth Partners](https://millionrounds.com/person/bobby-yerramilli-rao)[FT *1* **Fred Thiel** Navigate Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/person/fred-thiel)[IN *1* **Indra Nooyi** 1 episode](https://millionrounds.com/person/indra-nooyi)[JC *1* **John Chambers** JC2 Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/person/john-chambers)[NB *1* **Nishant Batra** Nokia](https://millionrounds.com/person/nishant-batra)[SM *1* **Sanjay Mehrotra** Micron Technology](https://millionrounds.com/person/sanjay-mehrotra)

## Every episode 44 · page 1 of 2

- 44 **The Path to Superintelligence: Alberta Plan Co-Author On Reinforcement Learning & AI-Powered Prosthetics** 21 Oct 2026 · 58 min About this episode In this episode, Dr. Patrick Pilarski, co-author of the Alberta Plan alongside Richard Sutton and Michael Bowling, makes the case for a radically different kind of AI: one that never stops learning, builds its own understanding from raw experience, and gets more out of limited compute rather than more data centers. A… ▶Show page
- 43 **Gaming Chip Pioneer Raja Koduri on China's AI Cost Advantage and Moving Beyond the GPU** 29 Sept 2026 · 1h 1m [Google](https://millionrounds.com/fund/google-assistant-investments) About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 42 **The Race to Build the Next Trillion-Dollar AI Chip Company** 16 Sept 2026 · 1h 12m About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 41 **The Nobel Winner Behind Google's Quantum AI Lab: Why I'm Building the NVIDIA of Quantum** 1 Sept 2026 · 1h 9m [Google](https://millionrounds.com/fund/google-assistant-investments) About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 40 **Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan on 40 Years of Contrarian Bets in Semiconductors** 11 Aug 2026 · 36 min [Lip-Bu Tan](https://millionrounds.com/fund/lip-bu-tan) About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 39 **The Moving Bottleneck: Networking, Power, Memory, and the Race to Win AI** 28 Jul 2026 · 1h 11m [Rajiv Khemani](https://millionrounds.com/person/rajiv-khemani) About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 38 **Physical AI, Quantum, and Bio-Innovation: Inside Canada’s Research Frontier** 15 Jul 2026 · 1h 9m About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 37 **Google's Chief Technologist on Intelligent Search in the Age of AI** 30 Jun 2026 · 1h 18m [Google](https://millionrounds.com/fund/google-assistant-investments) About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 36 **Battle for the AI Data Center: Deep Dive on the Semiconductor Supercycle** 16 Jun 2026 · 53 min About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 35 **In-Orbit Manufacturing, AI Data Centers, and the New Space Economy with MIT’s Ariel Ekblaw** 2 Jun 2026 · 1h 29m About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 34 **The U.S. – China Deep Tech Arms Race** 21 May 2026 · 48 min About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 33 **Rare Earth Rush: Strategic Minerals and Tech's New Resource Wars** 7 May 2026 · 57 min About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 32 **The US Crypto Awakening** 16 Apr 2026 · 57 min About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 31 **Pixels to Intelligence: The Next Era of Imaging** 7 Apr 2026 · 51 min About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 30 **Sovereign AI Stacks: The New Strategic National Resource** 19 Mar 2026 · 1h 1m [Sovereign AI](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sovereign-ai) About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 29 **Governing AI Before It Outpaces Us: Safety for Critical Infrastructure** 5 Mar 2026 · 58 min About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 28 **India: The Next Tech Global Superpower?** 19 Feb 2026 · 1h 20m About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 27 **TechSurge: Season 2 Trailer** 12 Feb 2026 · 2 min About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 26 **Season 1 Finale: Risks, Rewards, and Realities of Open vs. Closed AI** 1 Jul 2025 · 26 min About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 25 **Betting Early on Zoom, Canva, and Crypto: Inside the Playbook of Visionary Solo VC Bill Tai** 18 Jun 2025 · 1h 2m [Bill Tai](https://millionrounds.com/fund/bill-tai)[Sequoia Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sequoia-capital) About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 24 **Blueprint for an AI Future: OpenAI Chief Economist on How AI Will Shape the Global Economy** 5 Jun 2025 · 52 min About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 23 **Inside Nokia’s Strategy: CSTO Nishant Batra on Telecom’s Future, Brand Reinvention, and Betting on Bell Labs** 22 May 2025 · 48 min [Nishant Batra](https://millionrounds.com/person/nishant-batra) About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 22 **Leading Through Chaos: John Chambers on Tariffs, Cyber Threats, & the AI Supercycle** 8 May 2025 · 40 min [John Chambers](https://millionrounds.com/person/john-chambers)[JC2 Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/jc2-ventures) About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 21 **China, Funding Cuts, & Campus Controversy: Is U.S. Tech Leadership Falling Behind?** 24 Apr 2025 · 42 min [The Engine](https://millionrounds.com/fund/the-engine) About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 20 **Inside Microsoft's Trillion Dollar Playbook with Chief Strategy Officer Bobby Yerramilli-Rao** 10 Apr 2025 · 48 min [Bobby Yerramilli-Rao](https://millionrounds.com/person/bobby-yerramilli-rao) About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 19 **Scaling the AI Era: Next-Gen Data Storage Solutions with Pure Storage CEO Charlie Giancarlo** 1 Apr 2025 · 59 min About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 18 **Why AI Isn't Ready to Make Medicines** 13 Mar 2025 · 42 min About this episode 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,… ▶Show page
- 17 **Understanding the Elegant Math Behind Modern Machine Learning** 27 Feb 2025 · 1h 15m About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 16 **21st Century Warfare: The Nexus of Technology, Economy, & National Security** 13 Feb 2025 · 45 min About this episode 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… ▶Show page
- 15 **Adapting to AI & Geopolitical Disruption with Global Head of McKinsey Bob Sternfels** 30 Jan 2025 · 51 min [Bob Sternfels](https://millionrounds.com/person/bob-sternfels)[McKinsey & Company](https://millionrounds.com/fund/mckinsey-and-company) About this episode 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,… ▶Show page

## Who the show talks about

Firms named in its episodes, and people named in descriptions: talked about, rather than on the show.

[**Celesta Capital** *3*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/celesta-capital)[**Google** *3*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/google-assistant-investments)[**Revolution** *2*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/revolution)[A **Anand Chandrasekaran** *1*](https://millionrounds.com/person/anand-chandrasekaran)[A **Ash Bhardwaj** *1*](https://millionrounds.com/person/ash-bhardwaj)[B **Bill Tai** *1*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/bill-tai)[**JC2 Ventures** *1*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/jc2-ventures)[**Khosla Ventures** *1*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/khosla-ventures)[L **Lip-Bu Tan** *1*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/lip-bu-tan)[M **Mark McLaughlin** *1*](https://millionrounds.com/person/mark-mclaughlin)[**McKinsey & Company** *1*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/mckinsey-and-company)[**Northwestern Mutual** *1*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/northwestern-mutual-future-ventures)

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