Bringing you a very special edition of the Data Powered Innovation Jam podcast, recorded live during a tech road trip through San Francisco and Silicon Valley. This episode blends the city’s musical heritage with cutting-edge innovation, exploring how creativity and technology intersect. Hosts Robert Engels, together with our ‘tech guy’ Alex Bulat dive into conversations with pioneers shaping the future. From AI-driven space situational awareness at Aerospace Corporation to infrastructure-as-code improvization with Pulumi, and groundbreaking health-tech like LogMeal’s nutrition tracking and Uganda’s AI-powered malaria diagnostics at MariTest. Along the way, we uncover trends from TechCrunch Disrupt, GitHub Universe, and Google Cloud AI, highlighting the shift from AI hype to realism, the rise of physical AI, and the global push for purpose-driven AI for Good.

Packed with insights on generative AI, edge computing, and sustainability, this episode is a jam session of ideas where data meets rhythm, and innovation meets impact. Turn the volume up!

Time Stamps:

[ 00:34 ] - Introducing the special start up edition with some San Francisco music talks and swinging to startups

[ 04:15 ] - Starting with orbital altitude with Sean Sloan from the Aerospace Corporation

[ 14:11 ] - Miles Davis meets git commit, the future of coding - meeting James Connell from Pulumi

[ 21:13 ] - tracking food waste with AI - meeting Marc Bolanos from Log Meal

[ 29:26 ] - low cost malaria test devices - meeting Hakim Kakooza from MariTest (https://www.maritestafrica.com)

[ 36:37] - Post TechCrunch Therapy Session - wrapping up the Startup Roadtrip with Alex Bulat

[ 52:10 ] - Concluding the Jam San Fancisco

In this genre-blending episode of Data Powered Innovation Jam, hosts Ron Tolido, Robert Engels, and Arne Rossman welcome Stephen Brobst, CTO of Ab Initio and former CTO of Terradata, for a deep dive into the art of mixing data, AI, and music. From punk rock roots and stage-diving legends to the reinvention of enterprise data platforms, Stephen shares insights on metadata-driven architectures, generative AI, and the future of data mesh. The conversation flows through analog double basses, digital beats, and the soul of sound—drawing parallels between musical creativity and data engineering. Whether you're a data architect, AI enthusiast, or music lover, this episode hits all the right notes.

Tune in for a jam-packed session on mastering data, building resilient platforms, and embracing reinvention in tech and tune.

Timestamps

00:00:00 – 01:11 - Blooper Beats & Introductions

01:11 – 01:54 Introducing our guest Stephen Brobst, CTO of Ab Initio, and teasing the themes of mixing, mastering, and data.

01:54 – 16:02 - Reimagining GenAI as an Operating System

16:02 – 23:05 - Talking about Data Mesh and Metadata

23:05 – 28:45 - Metadata and the importance of context (for AI)

28:45 – 39:10 - look into the future of Architecture, Data Engineering and Ab Initio

50:38 – 51:57 - Closing Reflections: Final thoughts, and a punk-inspired send-off—“If the music’s too loud, you’re too old.”

Welcome to the latest episode of the Data Powered Innovation Jam, where data meets disco and AI grooves with funk. After a long summer break, our hosts return with fresh stories, musical nostalgia, and cutting-edge insights into the world of supply chain superintelligence. In this vibrant and eclectic episode, we’re joined by Guillaume Waline, Senior Manager of Alliances at Prewave, a company pioneering AI-driven supply chain transparency and resilience.

From reminiscing about summer holidays and funk band glory days to exploring how Diana Ross’s “Chain Reaction” might secretly be about logistics, the episode blends humor, music, and serious tech talk. Guillaume shares how Prewave uses AI to monitor global supply chain risks in real time—scanning the web in over 400 languages to detect disruptions, compliance issues, and ESG concerns. We dive into the challenges of predicting unseen risks, the evolution of AI from manual tagging to custom LLMs, and the importance of human accountability in AI systems.

The conversation also highlights our partnership with Capgemini Ventures, the role of data integration across ERP systems, and the future of sourcing intelligence. Whether you're a data enthusiast, supply chain strategist, or just here for the Bee Gees impressions, this episode promises insight, innovation, and a touch of groove.

Your hosts Ron Tolido, Weiwei Feng, and Robert Engels riff on:

· The metaphor of Diana Ross’s song “Chain Reaction” as a segue into the complexities and interconnectedness of global supply chains.

· From Risk Detection to Action: Turning Intelligence into Resilience

· The Human Behind the AI: Prewave’s Origin Story and AI in Action: Language, Semantics, and Real-Time Risk Monitoring across 200 types of supply chain risks.

· Predictive Analytics and the Wisdom of Ancient Chinese Medicine

· Accountability in AI: Humans, Agents, and Ethical Decision-Making

· Capgemini Ventures and the Power of Partnership

· Beyond ERP: Integrating External Intelligence for Holistic Supply Chain Insight

· Myth Busting: Accountability, Punishment, and Systemic Improvement

So tune in, jam with us, and discover how AI is turning supply chains upside down—in the best way possible.

Timestamps:

[ 08:14] - introduction of our guest and Prewave

[ 15:35 ] - how to find and classify risk types?

[ 23:07 ] - how to sell something that prevents

[ 28:20 ] - Prewave as a startup

[ 36:11 ] - looking ahead the roadmap of Prewave

[ 41:27 ] - Myth-busting with Weiwei

Connect with our guest Guillaume Waline and our hosts Ron Tolido, Robert Engels, and Weiwei Feng on LinkedIn.

Ready for your Hour of (Data) Power with some Radioactive and Electric Feel thrown in? Ok, so hang tight, get your coffee or lemonade (depending on how your summer looks like!), as we bring you a double whammy from your newest Data-powered Innovation Jam to celebrate the anniversary launch of the 10th edition of the Data Powered Innovation Review. This jam packs in the "power" of music, as always. But this time drawing connections to what “power” really means - from John Lennon's "Power to the People" to Robert Palmer banding up with Duran Duran’s John Taylor (bass) and Andy Taylor (guitar) for Power Station and heavy metal crews like Power Trip. This eclectic musical journey serves as a metaphor for the unexpected and powerful combinations that arise when diverse elements mix, a theme that underpins the episode's core discussions.

Your hosts Ron Tolido and Robert Engels drum to the beats of two special pieces from the latest Data Powered Innovation Review 10: "The Serendipity Engine" and "Nature Engineered" with Neerav Vyas, VP Customer First, Insights and Data, Capgemini discovering rock music in a video store by accident and Franziska Wolf, Head of Quantum Chemistry for Capgemini Engineering playing the trombone in a band. While Neerav explains the "post-personalization world" where the goal is to achieve serendipity at scale – moving beyond mere recommendations based on known desires to surprising customers with things they didn't even know they wanted, Franziska talks of metallo-enzymes and how AI and quantum computing combined can help us understand nature better and create full stack simulation environment for biology.

The episode sets the stage for a deep dive into how AI and data are enabling unexpected discoveries and innovations, much like the serendipitous musical journeys shared by the hosts and guests. So do tune in and enjoy!

Timestamps:

00:00 - 02:29 – Ron takes a "Power" trip flexing the 10th edition of the Data-powered Innovation Review

02:29 - 06:25 – Ron and Dr. Bob explores their individual take on "Power" Through Music

06:25 - 07:44 – Introduction to the Data-powered Innovation Review and two of its authors from Edition 10

10:41 - 25:37 – Neerav takes us back to a serendipitous musical journey in 1995 and subsequent revelations

25:58 - 41:58 - Franziska Wolf dives into "Nature Engineered" with Quantum and AI

42:58 - Weiwei busts her last myth before the summer break.

Connect with our guests Neerav Vyas and Franziska Wolff and our hosts Ron Tolido, Robert Engels, and Weiwei Feng on LinkedIn.

From punk rock to process automation, from Blondie to BSON — it’s a genre-defying episode of the Data-Powered Innovation Jam where we grab a virtual bench in Central Park with Andrew Davidson, SVP of Products at MongoDB, and let the data conversation run wild. What follows is an improvisational jam session on the evolution of data, the art of distributed architectures, and why NoSQL was the punk rebellion against the symphonic pomp of relational databases. But wait, that was then. Now, MongoDB is no longer the scrappy garage band. With MongoDB Atlas, best-in-class vector search, and AI-native memory architectures, it’s headlining the main stage of general-purpose data platforms in the GenAI era.

Your hosts Ron Tolido, Weiwei Feng, and Robert Engels riff on:

• Why document models might just be the new lingua franca of AI
• How vector search is redefining “relationship status”
• What vibe coding really means (yes, that’s a thing now)
• And how social science might hold the key to truly intelligent systems

Oh, and there’s Sting, and Talking Heads, and a band called Kobus Gaat Naar Appelscha. Because this is still a jam. In a world of LLMs and memory-centric platforms, “every doc you take” is part of something bigger.

Tune in. This one’s electric.

Timestamps:

07:55 – Introduction to MongoDB and guest Andrew Davidson

14:01 – Exploring social sciences, graph databases, and database storage choices

21:39 – Strategies for identifying optimal relationships within documents

29:23 – With natural language interfaces, is SQL still necessary?

34:31 – The concept of “vibe coding” and understanding programming fundamentals

38:01 – Weiwei debunks myths about diversity, inclusion, and data

Connect with our guest Andrew Davidson and our hosts Ron Tolido, Robert Engels, and Weiwei Feng on LinkedIn.

Ready for the remix? You might have already listened to one of the most recent episodes of the Cloud Realities podcast, where six dynamic voices from two podcast teams came together to unpack Capgemini’s TechnoVision 2025. From infrastructure and applications to collaboration, user experience, automation, and — naturally — a heavy dose of data and AI, it was an episode packed to the brim. Think you’ve heard it all? Think again.

But why stop at one listen? This time, we’re bringing it back with a data-powered twist — sharper, deeper, and just as bold. Discover what “Silent Letter Day” really means, vibe with “vibe coding,” explore alternate cloud realities, rethink RPA vs. Agents, and maybe even stumble into a Dutch punk band or two along the way.

Join Esmee van de Giessen, Dave Chapman, Rob Kernahan, Weiwei Feng, Robert Engels, and Ron Tolido spin the turntables of technology.

Tune in. Remix on.

Timestamps:

11:23 – Rob kicked things off with the ‘Invisible Infostructure’ container

18:59 – Ron reflected on his early work and shared insights on the ‘Applications Unleashed’ container

33:01 – Dr. Bob kept the energy high with ‘Thriving on Data’

42:45 – Weiwei delivered a dynamic overview of ‘Process on the Fly’

55:33 – Dave offered a thoughtful introduction to the ‘We Collaborate’ container

01:05:25 – Esmee wrapped up with the final container: ‘You Experience’

What happens when Professor Erik Proper of the Technical University of Vienna teams up with the ever-inquisitive ‘Dr. Bob’ Robert Engels – modestly supported by co-hosts Weiwei Feng and Ron Tolido - to discuss AI, models, semantics, ontologies, and context? A true PhD Fest? Or a practical exploration of the synergies between the academic and business words? Well, how about a bit of both.

Our latest episode ‘Models on the Dancefloor’ dives deep into core topics around models and their renewed urgency and importance in a world that rapidly seems to hand over control to breakthrough, yet often poorly understood AI technologies. Models provide context and a common language between AI and humans, maybe not in a perfect or unambiguous way, but certainly paving the way for more reliable and trustworthy outcomes. It’s about collaborating engineering, enabled by a variety of ‘thinklets’ that urge to think about what type of intelligence is need at what step of decision-making.

Other key issues are addressed as well, as you would expect from this podcast, such as could ChatGPT have come up with Einstein’s relativity theory, will LLMs invent time travel and how did Robert make money while pogoing on punk rock, back in the days? Talking about a dancefloor filler: you don’t want to miss this one.

Hit play. You’ll never look at AI models – or dancefloors – the same way again.

Timestamps:

06:29 – Erik delves into the major conversations shaping academia today

11:05 – How AI is transforming the craft of architecture, modeling—and nearly everything else

15:25 – Why semantics matter: modeling, meaning, and the roots of bias

21:07 – Unpacking the dynamic between academia and industry

28:25 – The crucial role of high-complexity work in an AI-driven landscape

34:57 – Myth busted! Weiwei challenges a widely held belief in the data world

Connect with our guest Henderik Proper and our hosts Ron Tolido, Robert Engels, and Weiwei Feng on LinkedIn.

Much like a hammer sees every problem as a nail, data experts tend to see opportunity in every single data field. Collaboration on data is still one of the best ways to bring data to life and build business value on top of it.

Sharing data across organizations is one of the most powerful ways to spark innovation. But when data needs to stay private, sovereign, and secure—from competitors, unauthorized users, or cyber threats—the challenge multiplies.

Enter Roseman Labs: a deep-tech startup turning heads with its encrypted data collaboration platform. Built for speed, usability, and zero trust, and endorsed by the Dutch National Cyber Security Centre, they bring quite some credentials to the data & AI table, backed up by no less than 8 cryptography PhDs in their team, all focused on making secure data collaboration not just possible, but practical.

In this episode of Data-powered Innovation Jam, hosts Weiwei, Robert, and Ron are joined by Ian Wachter, Senior Commercial Advisor at Roseman Labs and an advisory board member of several other startups, to unpack how secure collaboration is reshaping the data landscape. From platform design to real-world use cases, they explore what’s next for organizations that need to collaborate—without compromise.

And because no innovation jam is complete without a big-picture take, the exec perspective is on the table too.

All of this, and more, in our brand-new podcast episode named “You Can’t Touch This (Data)”. Tune in, if only to find out why MC Hammer is an Internet mogul and an early adapter of social media.

Stop, Hammer Time: you don’t want to miss this one!

Timestamps:

05:23 – Ian shares the origin story of Roseman Labs and how it’s redefining secure data collaboration

13:35 – The hurdles deep learning still faces—especially when data privacy enters the picture

16:43 – Gaia-X data spaces vs. Roseman Labs: where they align, and where they diverge

20:23 – Why data collaboration isn’t just a tool—it’s a mindset shift

30:31 – Myth busted! Weiwei takes down a common misconception in the data world

Connect with our guest Ian Wachters and our hosts Ron Tolido, Robert Engels, and Weiwei Feng on LinkedIn.