Podcast
Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders (ETL)
Hosted by Stanford eCorner · EN
Each week, experienced entrepreneurs and innovators come to Stanford University to candidly share lessons they’ve learned while developing, launching and scaling disruptive ideas. The Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Series (ETL) is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) and published on eCorner by STVP.
28episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Tracy Chou (Block Party) - Founding a Mission-Driven Startup
2w ago00:46:53Tap to summarizeTracy Chou is a product-minded engineering leader and exited founder with more than 15 years of experience building and scaling consumer and enterprise products. She is best known for her work advocating for diversity and inclusion in tech, and for being founder and CEO of Block Party, a platform for online safety, privacy, and anti-harassment, which was recently acquired by DeleteMe. In this conversation with Adjunct Lecturer Emily Ma, Chou explains how her early experiences working at tech startups inspired her to found a mission-driven company and how Block Party balanced mission and profitability.Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.CONNECT WITH USYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORESTVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/.
Transcribe →Harry Tannenbaum (Mill) - Setting the Goal at Delight
3w ago00:49:49Tap to summarizeHarry Tannenbaum is the co-founder and president of Mill, a technology company combining hardware and AI to reduce waste and recover value from everyday materials, starting with food. Mill’s residential food recycler is now in tens of thousands of homes, creating the foundation for Mill Commercial, which pre-processes and analyzes food waste streams on-site, helping organizations reduce waste, gain operational efficiencies, and unlock new value from what was once discarded. In this conversation with Adjunct Lecturer Emily Ma, Tannenbaum explains his approach to creating products that customers rave about and companies that scale to the point of changing entire systems.Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.CONNECT WITH USYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORESTVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/.
Transcribe →Kit Rodgers, Ben Jun, and Paul Kocher (Cryptography Research, Inc.) - Complementary Co-Founders in Cryptography
4w ago00:49:34Tap to summarizeStanford alumni Kit Rodgers, Paul Kocher, and Ben Jun co-founded Cryptography Research, Inc. (CRI), where they built and deployed some of the world’s most impactful security technologies. CRI was acquired by Rambus in 2011 for $342 million. Kocher is a cryptography and data security researcher best known as a co-author of the SSL 3.0/TLS 1.0 protocols. Jun is an engineer who most recently served as the vice president of livestream and video at Diamond Kinetics, which acquired his company sidelineHD, a livestreaming platform for sports. Rodgers is the senior vice president of technology partnerships and corporate development at Rambus. In this conversation, Kocher, Jun, and Rodgers discuss how CRI’s business model evolved and how they built their uncommon level of trust in each other throughout the process.Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.CONNECT WITH USYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORESTVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/.
Transcribe →Brendan Foody (Mercor) - Agentic Data and the Future of AI
Apr 1500:47:19Tap to summarizeBrendan Foody co-founded Mercor, a recruiting startup that helps Silicon Valley's top AI labs train their models to do professional-level reasoning by matching skilled workers with enterprise projects. Foody and his co-founders, Surya Midha and Adarsh Hiremath, became the world's three youngest self-made billionaires in October 2025. In this conversation with Adjunct Lecturer Emily Ma, Foody shares how he and his co-founders identified agentic data as the next leap in AI training and benchmarking and built Mercor around it; predicts how the AI revolution will reshape work and the economy; and gives advice to aspiring entrepreneurs looking for a way into the AI market.Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.CONNECT WITH USYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanford_stvp LEARN MORESTVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/.
Transcribe →Sergey Brin (Google & Alphabet) - Google Origins and AI Futures
Dec 1201:09:34Tap to summarizeRecorded live at the capstone celebration of the Stanford School of Engineering Centennial, this ETL episode features Sergey Brin, the American computer scientist and entrepreneur who co-founded Google with Larry Page and revolutionized global information access. Brin remains an active co-founder and board member of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, and he has been involved in Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence efforts. In this conversation with Stanford President Jonathan Levin and School of Engineering Dean Jennifer Widom, Brin tells stories from his Stanford years, shares insights from throughout Google’s history, and gives advice for students and aspiring entrepreneurs – including his perspective on the AI landscape.Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders and other Stanford eCorner content is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.CONNECT WITH USYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social LEARN MORESTVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/.
Transcribe →Eric Volmar (Stanford University) - A New Entrepreneurship Playbook
Nov 2400:48:43Tap to summarizeEric Volmar is teaching lead at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford. His work focuses on connecting defense, academia, and entrepreneurship to accelerate innovation for national security, supporting new ventures at the intersection of technology and policy. In this presentation – followed by a conversation with Tina Seelig, executive director of Knight-Hennessy Scholars and director emerita of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program – Volmar advises entrepreneurs about how to navigate a new landscape shaped by a shift to deep tech, blended capital, and governments reengaging with technology innovation.Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders and other Stanford eCorner content is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.CONNECT WITH USYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social LEARN MORESTVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/.
Transcribe →Steve Cousins (Stanford University) - Real-World Robotics
Nov 1900:45:52Tap to summarizeSteve Cousins is the executive director of the Stanford Robotics Center and founder of Relay Robotics (formerly Savioke), which builds autonomous service robots for hotels and healthcare. Cousins’ career reflects a commitment to advancing robotics from research to real-world applications. In this presentation, he shares stories of his time in research, startups, and academia to illustrate practical advice about hiring, developing robotics products, and bringing robotics into new industries.Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders and other Stanford eCorner content is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.CONNECT WITH USYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social LEARN MORESTVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/.
Transcribe →Jane Chen (Embrace Global) - Doing the Inner Work
Nov 1200:30:48Tap to summarizeJane Chen is the co-founder of Embrace Global, which created a low-cost infant warmer that has helped more than one million babies in low-resource settings. Her new book, Like a Wave We Break: a Memoir of Falling Apart and Finding Myself, tells the story of her globe-spanning journey to break free of the narratives that once defined her and confront the long-buried truths of a traumatic past. In this conversation with Adjunct Lecturer Emily Ma, Chen encourages entrepreneurs to focus on journeys instead of outcomes, sharing her experiences with burnout and healing to illustrate the importance of self-compassion and finding the worthiness within.Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders and other Stanford eCorner content is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.CONNECT WITH USYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social LEARN MORESTVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/.
Transcribe →Sanjit Biswas (Samsara) - Making a Real-World Impact
Nov 500:45:24Tap to summarizeSanjit Biswas is the co-founder and CEO of Samsara, a global leader in allowing physical operations organizations to harness data, AI, and the Internet of Things. He started the company with the mission to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy. In this presentation, Biswas tells the story of how he co-founded his first company as a graduate student and pivoted to a new industry to found Samsara, sharing advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on finding meaningful problems to solve, building a team, and running feedback loops to understand what customers need.Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders and other Stanford eCorner content is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.CONNECT WITH USYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social LEARN MORESTVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/.
Transcribe →Drew Endy (Stanford University) - A Synthetic Biology Dream
Oct 2900:47:30Tap to summarizeDrew Endy is an associate professor of bioengineering at Stanford University and a pioneer of synthetic biology. A co-founder of the BioBricks Foundation, Endy helped launch the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition to democratize biotechnology for student innovators worldwide. In this presentation, Endy gives a primer on synthetic biology and the obstacles it has encountered in the United States, shares where he hopes the field is going, and explains how aspiring entrepreneurs can adapt his framework to imagine their own futures.Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders and other eCorner content is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.CONNECT WITH USYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner X: https://x.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stanfordstvp.bsky.social LEARN MORESTVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ eCorner by STVP: https://stvp.stanford.edu/ecorner Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://stvp.stanford.edu/giving-to-stvp/.
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