In this episode, I sit down with Greg Marlin, the CTO of ZKcandy, to explore the evolving intersection of AI agents, blockchain infrastructure, NFTs, and the gaming world. We dive deep into how Greg is building seamless onboarding for Web3 gaming, how AI agents are redefining non-player characters and companions, and why encrypted AI agent NFTs might just be the future of user-owned digital experiences.

Whether you’re a founder building in Web3, an investor watching the AI frontier, or just curious about where gaming is headed—this one’s packed with insights.

💡 Key Takeaways

• What AI agents actually are—and why they matter in gaming

• The vision behind encrypted AI companion NFTs

• How ZKcandy simplifies Web3 authentication and onboarding

• Why composability and simplicity are keys to developer adoption

• The role of blockchain in preserving ownership and memory in AI

• Founder tips on staying resilient in a copycat-prone startup environment

⸻

🎧 What You’ll Learn

• How AI agents will revolutionize NPCs and game companions

• Why ERC-7662 is critical for privacy-first AI agents on-chain

• Practical strategies for founders building in AI + gaming + blockchain

• A preview of Raid Quest and ZKcandy’s upcoming game features

About Greg Marlin

Greg is a serial entrepreneur and technologist with a track record across SaaS, crypto, AI, and developer platforms. As the CTO of ZKCandy, a layer-2 blockchain built on the ZK Stack, he’s building tools that simplify Web3 onboarding for developers and gamers alike. Greg is also the author of ERC-7662, the emerging standard for encrypted AI agent NFTs.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregmarlin/

https://zkcandy.io/

https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-7662

⏱️ Episode Highlights

00:00 – Intro

01:00 – Greg’s journey from SaaS to AI to blockchain

04:00 – Breaking down what an AI agent actually is

09:30 – How AI companions will reshape gaming experiences

13:00 – AI in “raid” environments and social quests

15:00 – Addressing hallucinations and unpredictability in AI

20:00 – What ERC-7662 is and why it matters for AI NFTs

26:00 – Who owns your AI? How blockchain can protect user memory

28:00 – Developer experience: Plug-and-play SDKs for Web3 games

32:00 – Advice for founders building at the intersection of AI and gaming

36:30 – Final thoughts + where to find Greg

In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Mauro Battellini, co-founder of Black Unicorn PR, to break down why PR is no longer optional for startups—and how the rise of AI-powered search is changing what investors and customers see first.

From fundraising strategy to media perception, Mauro explains how to build legitimacy, earn visibility, and outperform better-funded competitors—even if you’re not in Silicon Valley.

Whether you’re a first-time founder or a repeat entrepreneur, this episode will shift how you think about storytelling, credibility, and why “earned media” may be your strongest asset in the AI era.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• When PR matters: The signals investors, regulators, and enterprise clients look for beyond the pitch deck

• AI’s impact on perception: How tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity influence investor research and due diligence

• Personal branding vs. thought leadership: Why founders must be discoverable—before the product is

• PR in emerging markets: How startups from Central & Eastern Europe or MENA can play the global media game

• Fundraising and credibility: How the right PR at the right time can shorten investor cycles

⸻

📚 What You’ll Learn

• How to identify your startup’s PR timing based on traction and stakeholder needs

• Why earned media is becoming more powerful than paid ads in the AI era

• The difference between “spray & pray” and strategic media outreach

• How journalists evaluate startups—and how founders can become go-to voices

• Real-world examples of how PR directly impacted fundraising outcomes

🧑‍💼 About Mauro Battellini

Mauro is the co-founder of Black Unicorn PR, an agency laser-focused on early-stage tech startups. With a background in sales, market research, and e-commerce, Mauro brings a unique lens to PR that aligns brand perception with business outcomes. His mission: help founders from non-traditional ecosystems punch above their weight in global markets.

https://www.blackunicornpr.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauro-alexis-battellini/

Episode Highlights & Timestamps

00:00 – Intro and Mauro’s journey from sales to startup PR

04:30 – Why Black Unicorn PR was founded to fix broken agency models

06:45 – When founders should start thinking about PR

10:15 – The mindset shift: PR isn’t about vanity—it’s about trust

14:00 – Thought leadership vs. personal branding in founder visibility

18:20 – Why emerging markets struggle with global media presence

22:40 – How PR helped Lithuanian startups get into international coverage

26:30 – What PR looks like during a fundraising round

30:45 – AI’s disruption of SEO and search discovery

33:10 – Why PR is becoming essential in the AI discovery layer

36:00 – The rise of solo journalists, niche media, and credibility loops

38:20 – Practical advice: what AI sees when someone Googles you

42:00 – Why PR is your startup’s trust layer in the noisy digital world

45:00 – Final tips: how to map stakeholders, focus outreach, and treat journalists like investors

In this episode of The CTO Show, Mehmet Gonullu sits down with Cosmin Ivan, CEO of Platinumlist, the leading event and ticketing platform in the MENA region. From selling tickets by hand to building a platform used for the biggest concerts and sporting events, Cosmin shares his 18-year journey and how Platinumlist became a trusted tech partner for global entertainment brands.

They unpack the power of secure, scalable event tech, what it takes to expand across culturally diverse markets, and why trust, transparency, and customer experience drive long-term success.

💡 What You’ll Learn

• How Platinumlist evolved into MENA’s most trusted ticketing tech platform

• The role of security, dynamic QR codes, and anti-scalping measures

• Why a great user experience begins before the event

• Strategies for scaling across culturally diverse countries

• Cosmin’s leadership approach to change management and team building

• The future of AI, blockchain, and Web3 in entertainment tech

• Opportunities for startup founders in the MENA event ecosystem

⸻

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Tech alone isn’t enough—simplicity and trust are critical.

• 85% drop in ticket fraud after adopting dynamic QR and bank-grade encryption.

• Customer experience is an end-to-end journey, not a single touchpoint.

• The GCC’s mobility and transparency offer a unique opportunity for entertainment startups.

👤 About the Guest

Cosmin Ivan is the CEO of Platinumlist, the region’s leading event discovery and ticketing platform. With nearly two decades in the industry, Cosmin helped grow the company from a scrappy 3-person operation to a regional tech powerhouse operating across the GCC. He’s an advocate for customer-centric design, ethical reselling, and event tech innovation.

https://platinumlist.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosmin-ivan-38546582/

Episode Highlights

00:00 – Intro and welcome

02:00 – Cosmin’s journey from Europe to Platinumlist

06:00 – Defining a great event experience

10:00 – Leveraging tech to eliminate fraud and scalping

15:00 – Behind the scenes: Dynamic QR and secure ticketing

20:00 – Scaling Platinumlist across MENA

25:00 – Leading change and adapting to regional nuances

30:00 – The future of event tech: AI, Web3, crowd analytics

36:00 – What’s next for Platinumlist

39:00 – Advice for entertainment tech entrepreneurs in MENA

42:00 – Final thoughts on leadership and team culture

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with Eric Müller, Product Engineering Associate Director at Work & Co, to unpack the evolving intersection of AI adoption, digital security, and empathetic leadership.

With a career that spans cybersecurity, product architecture, and agency collaboration, Eric shares how to lead engineering teams through complexity without losing the human touch—especially in today’s AI-driven landscape.

Whether you’re a founder, CTO, product leader, or advisor, this conversation is packed with practical insights and leadership wisdom

💡 What You’ll Learn

• Why AI should augment, not replace, your dev team

• The real risks of trusting LLM output blindly (including “slopjacking”)

• How to balance speed and security in fast-paced product teams

• The overlooked power of psychological safety in engineering culture

• Why technical debt is just business debt—and how to manage it

• Practical ways to communicate security to non-technical leaders

• How to spot and mentor emerging engineering leaders

⸻

🔑 Key Takeaways

• AI is not a silver bullet. Use it to accelerate boilerplate and QA, but keep human oversight for anything mission-critical.

• Security must start early. You can’t patch it in the final sprint—bake it into your culture from day one.

• Empathy wins. In client work and internal leadership, understanding before advising changes everything.

• Trust your inner voice. As a leader, self-trust is a vital compass—don’t let indecision erode confidence.

👤 About Eric Müller

Eric Müller, is an Associate Director focusing on Product Engineering and Digital Security at Work & Co, part of Accenture Song, where leads engineering teams and supported automated processes to deliver high-quality digital products for the past decade. With over 20 years of experience in engineering and security, Eric has worked across various industries including banking, social media, B2B, retail, fashion, and online gaming. His extensive background includes significant roles at Wells Fargo Bank, Charles Schwab, Razorfish, and Mekanism, where he delivered award-winning projects for clients such as Microsoft, Business Wire, Anza, and Vibrant Planet. Eric fosters empathetic leadership and transparent communication to build resilient, high-performing tech teams.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmullersf/

https://work.co/

Episode Highlights

00:00 – Intro & Eric’s journey from Gen X hacker to engineering leader

04:00 – AI adoption: Hype vs. Doomerism, and where the real value lies

07:00 – Finding the sweet spot for GenAI in engineering

10:00 – The tension between speed, usability, and secure code

12:30 – LLM risks: hallucinations, outdated data, slopjacking

15:30 – Explaining AI risk & security to non-technical executives

18:00 – Making clients feel heard: the “make them writer” mindset

22:00 – Coaching engineering teams through compromises and deadlines

29:00 – Psychological safety and what leaders get wrong

33:00 – Leading in a hybrid world: Slack, trust, and async culture

38:00 – Spotting and mentoring the next generation of leaders

41:00 – Why mentorship vs management books

44:00 – Final advice: Trust yourself, and trust your team

In this episode, Mehmet Gonullu sits down with Mary Moore-Simmons, VP of Engineering at Keebo AI, to unpack what it really takes to scale high-performing engineering teams in today’s AI-powered environment. From DevOps and ML Ops to building team culture that lasts, Mary shares hard-won insights from over a decade in engineering leadership across startups and high-growth tech companies.

This is a must-listen for founders, CTOs, and venture investors seeking clarity on where engineering, AI, and culture intersect.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• The shift from traditional DevOps to ML Ops and its impact on team structure

• Why data engineering is no longer optional, even for product-focused engineers

• How to balance velocity with sustainable engineering culture

• The real difference between a CTO and a VP of Engineering

• Why culture must be owned—and modeled—by the CEO to scale

• How Mary mentors future leaders through transparency and structure

⸻

📘 What You’ll Learn

• The traits Mary looks for when hiring for early-stage engineering teams

• How to scope early features in a fast-moving startup environment

• Strategies to shield your team from “firefighting” and maintain focus

• The importance of infrastructure automation in the age of AI

• Mary’s thoughts on whether company culture can truly scale

👤 About the Guest

Mary Moore Simmons is the VP of Engineering at Keebo.ai, where she has been instrumental in shaping the company's innovative approach to data warehouse optimization. A seasoned engineering leader with 10+ years in software, her background includes Director of Engineering at Github and Zcash as well as VP of Engineering at AgentSync. She focuses on building high-performing teams that sustain a healthy culture and growth mindset. She is passionate about authentic and transparent leadership, and building a culture where people can bring their authentic selves to work, where DEIB is table stakes.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmooresimmons

http://keebo.ai/

https://github.com/mmsthepizzathief

Episode Highlights & Timestamps

00:01 – Mary’s journey: from chemical engineer to VP of Engineering

03:20 – What Keebo AI does and how they optimize Snowflake & Databricks

05:10 – The evolving intersection of software and data engineering

07:00 – Why Mary prioritizes hiring with data and ML experience

08:30 – DevOps, ML Ops, and keeping engineers happy and efficient

10:50 – The CTO vs VP of Engineering: What really separates the two

13:30 – Balancing velocity vs long-term stability in startup engineering

18:45 – How Mary shields her team from noise and burnout

22:00 – The traits Mary looks for when hiring

23:30 – Authentic and transparent leadership in practice

25:30 – Does culture scale? What Mary has seen work

28:30 – What goes wrong when companies scale too fast

33:00 – Coaching future leaders and creating career ladders

37:00 – Tools, books, and blog posts Mary recommends

38:00 – AI, automation, and what tech excites Mary today

40:00 – Where to connect with Mary

In this episode of The CTO Show, Mehmet welcomes Keith Cassar, CTO at Game Lounge, who shares his journey from SQL developer to tech leader, and what it takes to evolve from a data specialist into a cross-functional CTO.

Together, they explore how to make data genuinely useful, what AI can and can’t solve, and how to scale high-performing tech teams without overengineering.

📌 Key Takeaways

• The shift from developer to data leader to CTO — and what changes at each level

• Why availability, accuracy, and speed of data are key to data usability

• How to turn raw data into decision-ready insights

• Embracing AI for empowerment, not replacement

• Building cross-functional, agile teams without overhiring

• How to lead during crisis: the importance of being “first to know”

• Leadership advice for aspiring CTOs — from imposter syndrome to team design

⸻

📚 What You’ll Learn

• How to structure data systems that support business decisions

• Practical use cases of AI in affiliate marketing and tech operations

• How to scale infrastructure with limited resources

• The CTO’s evolving role in hybrid and remote work culture

• Personalization as the next AI frontier

👤 About Keith Cassar

Keith Cassar is the CTO of Game Lounge, an affiliate marketing company operating globally. With a strong background in data engineering, Keith previously held roles as Chief Data Officer and Head of Data. He began his career as a developer, later joining King (makers of Candy Crush) during its early growth. Now based in Malta, he focuses on bridging the gap between tech and business, using data and leadership to build resilient organizations.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithcassar/

https://www.gamelounge.com/

Episode Highlights

00:00 – Introduction and Keith’s background

03:00 – Transitioning from data to CTO

07:00 – What “making data usable” really means

11:00 – Raw data to insight: The transformation journey

14:00 – Real-world AI applications and limitations

18:00 – Scaling infrastructure with limited resources

21:00 – AI in development teams: Productivity vs. replacement

25:00 – Frameworks for high-performing tech teams

28:00 – Remote culture and trust in hybrid environments

33:00 – Crisis leadership and data observability

37:00 – Trends in personalization and AI

39:00 – Advice for aspiring CTOs and tech leaders

42:00 – Final thoughts + where to find Keith

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, Dr. Andrey Kunov — serial entrepreneur, founder of Silicon Valley Innovation Center, and AI advisor — joins us from the heart of Silicon Valley to dissect what truly makes the Valley unbeatable. We explore why other ecosystems struggle to replicate it, what founders in emerging markets should focus on instead, and how AI is reshaping the rules of startup creation and capital.

🧠 What You’ll Learn

• Why disruption doesn’t start with capital — it starts with conviction

• The real reason Silicon Valley can’t be copied

• How AI agents will reshape startup teams (and reduce early hiring needs)

• Why execution matters more than knowledge in today’s innovation economy

• How emerging hubs can build their own innovation flywheel

• Why venture capital isn’t always a blessing — and when to delay raising

⸻

✨ Key Takeaways

• Disruption = growth without profit: Startups win by operating in uncertain markets large companies avoid.

• Execution is the differentiator: Ideas are common — what matters is putting them into motion, despite risk.

• AI is shifting the capital equation: Solo founders can now build with fewer resources by deploying intelligent agents.

• Silicon Valley’s edge lies in compounding effects: Talent, capital, IP protection, early adopters, and open markets fuel each other.

• Emerging markets should stop copying and start localizing innovation using their own unfair advantages.

🎙️ About the Guest

Dr. Andrey Kunov is the founder of Brio Link and Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC), with over two decades of experience in innovation, AI, and technology adoption. At Brio Link, he develops fully automated, AI-powered marketing solutions for enterprises. Through SVIC, he has helped global corporations and governments accelerate innovation by connecting them with Silicon Valley’s ecosystem of startups, R&D labs, and venture capital. His clients include Toyota, ExxonMobil, Deutsche Bank, and SAP. A Stanford Ph.D. holder, Dr. Kunov specializes in generative AI, automation, and bridging Silicon Valley with global markets.

https://briolink.com/

https://svicenter.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kunov/

Episode Highlights & Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction and Dr. Kunov’s journey from Kazakhstan to Stanford

04:30 – Common thread between science, startups, and execution

07:50 – Defining real technological disruption

13:10 – Why large companies can’t build disruptive products

18:00 – How Google and Amazon became monopolies without being first

22:30 – Execution vs. knowledge in the age of abundant AI

28:10 – How Silicon Valley Innovation Center helps global founders

34:00 – Startup scouting and strategic acquisitions for corporates

38:45 – Why no one can replicate Silicon Valley

47:30 – Advice for emerging markets: build your own version, don’t copy

53:00 – The rise of AI agents and how founders should use them

58:00 – Sam Altman, superintelligence, and the path to post-VC innovation

1:00:00 – Final thoughts and where to find Dr. Kunov online

In this episode, host Mehmet Gonullu sits down with Mohamed Ahmed, an engineer-turned-founder and author of The Inside-Out Entrepreneur. Together, they unpack the mental, emotional, and strategic conditioning required for engineers to become successful startup founders. From navigating early-stage chaos to managing the emotional rollercoaster of startup life, Mohamed offers frameworks, stories, and tools that every founder needs to hear.

🎯 Key Takeaways

• Why building a business is radically different from building a product

• How emotional resilience and mental robustness can make or break your startup

• The difference between mentors, advisors, and the right kind of friends

• Fundraising reality checks: what first-time founders often get wrong

• How to avoid “startup identity crisis” and separate your self-worth from your venture

• Tactical tips for expanding your founder support system and filtering noise

⸻

🎓 What You’ll Learn

• A practical mindset framework to prepare for the ups and downs of entrepreneurship

• How to validate your idea without getting stuck in tech hype

• The role of storytelling, support systems, and self-awareness in founder success

• How to build real VC relationships without falling into transactional traps

⸻

⏱️ Episode Highlights & Timestamps

00:00 – Intro and Mohamed’s journey from Egypt to AWS to entrepreneurship

03:00 – Why engineers often misunderstand what it takes to build a business

06:00 – Emotional resilience: the invisible edge founders need

14:00 – Fundraising psychology and how to avoid burnout from rejections

19:00 – The support system: mentors, family, friends, and the role they each play

28:00 – Filtering noise: how to avoid time-wasters and empty advice

36:00 – How Mohamed overcame a failed acquisition hours before signing

44:00 – Fundraising done right: how to build investor trust before the ask

47:00 – Talking tech vs. solving problems: building the right narrative

52:00 – What “Boundless Founder” means and how Mohamed is giving back

👤 About Mohamed Ahmed

Mohamed Ahmed is an AI infrastructure leader, entrepreneur, and author of The Inside-Out Entrepreneur. He has built and scaled AI-driven ventures across startups and Fortune 1000 companies, with leadership roles at Intel, Amazon, and Microsoft. As the founder of Boundless Founder, he helps technical founders develop the mental resilience and strategic clarity needed to scale high-growth businesses.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamedfahmed/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Out-Entrepreneur-Become-entrepreneur-were/dp/B0DN25TW7H

⏱️ Episode Highlights & Timestamps

00:00 – Intro and Mohamed’s journey from Egypt to AWS to entrepreneurship

03:00 – Why engineers often misunderstand what it takes to build a business

06:00 – Emotional resilience: the invisible edge founders need

14:00 – Fundraising psychology and how to avoid burnout from rejections

19:00 – The support system: mentors, family, friends, and the role they each play

28:00 – Filtering noise: how to avoid time-wasters and empty advice

36:00 – How Mohamed overcame a failed acquisition hours before signing

44:00 – Fundraising done right: how to build investor trust before the ask

47:00 – Talking tech vs. solving problems: building the right narrative

52:00 – What “Boundless Founder” means and how Mohamed is giving back