Randall Ward

🚀 Buckle up, folks! It’s time to step into the future at SF Tech Week 2024. I’ll drop some mind-bending insights at ‘The Future of Immersion’ panel. 🤯 🗓 Wednesday, October 9th 🕕 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm 📍 540 Howard St, San Francisco We’re diving into how AR, VR, and AI will flip industries upside down — from streaming your favorite shows to saving lives in surgery. Here’s a peek at what we’re breaking down: 🔥 Making the digital world so real, you won’t know what’s what (seriously mind-bending) 🔥 AI making immersion smarter than the smartest of us 🔥 Using VR to heal and save lives (outside of video games) 🔥 Building a metaverse worth living in 🔥 Navigating the ethics of tech without ending up in a Black Mirror episode 🔥 Haptic tech — because who doesn’t want to feel the future 🔥 Immersive entertainment so deep, you’ll never want to leave (we warned you!) I’ll be alongside some of the biggest innovators in the game, hosted by the legendary Rachel Brissenden and backed by Future Factory, Onchain Media, and Bright Beam. 🌟 Miss this, and you might as well live in the past. 😉 Don’t be that person. 👉 Get your RSVP's here: https://lnkd.in/gg7vEMkR #SFTechWeek #FutureIsNow #ImmersiveTech #AR #VR #AI #Metaverse #TechTalks #IlliaPashkov #DigitalDisruption

315

51 Comments

Ascend just released this new interview about why I love investing in Seattle/Pacific Northwest (PNW) startups at Ubiquity Ventures. Ascend is the most active pre-seed investor in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Portland, and more) and is run by Kirby Winfield. Thanks to Ascend's Nate Bek for the interview! Check it out the full interview: https://lnkd.in/giU2Wy3V A few snippets of what I said: ⭐️ On investing in Seattle (vs the Bay Area) "Companies like Auth0, Esper, Remitly, and others have demonstrated that they can start, grow, and thrive in Seattle. This is thanks to the continuous growth of hometown giants like Amazon and Microsoft, whose employees might outgrow the cultures at those companies." ⭐️ Why I fell in love with VC "First is about following new trends, nerding out on technologies, and getting inspired by new ideas .. resonates with the nerd engineer and the 5-year-old in me that used to love reading about new technologies ... [Next is] the innards of how companies are run, being in those pivotal meetings and discussions that change the direction of a company. These hard conversations about pivots, understanding metrics, and trying to separate the storytelling around startups from internal operations. That was the meat of building an exciting startup, which is quite different from just nerding out on cool new technologies. " And thank you to all the Pacific Northwest startups I've been privileged to invest in and work with: Eugenio P. and Jon Gelsey at Auth0 by Okta, Yadhu Gopalan at Esper, Fredrik Rydén at Olis Robotics, Claire Watts at ThruWave Inc., Adam Schoenfeld & Aviel Ginzburg at Simply Measured, Milkana Brace at Jargon, Yuriy Bulygin & Alex Bazhaniuk at Eclypsium, Inc. #seattle #seattletech #pacificnorthwest #pnwtech #portland

62

6 Comments

How did you meet your co-founder at LendAPI? It’s one of the most frequently asked questions, and I truly believe the stars were aligned at that time. I feel blessed to have Tim as a partner on this journey. Here is the story: https://lnkd.in/gDeFYQG8 #fintech #startup

22

Employee terminations: they're a topic no one wants to discuss but that every company has to navigate. Thankfully, Melanie Naranjo and wonderful Ethena advisor (& Gusto's former People Leader) Jess Yuen are tackling this tricky topic for the next Ethena webinar. Register if you want to learn more about these topics: How to pressure test whether or not termination is the right course of action Best practices for communicating termination decisions How to minimize risk and choose the best course of action when things get tricky Critical pitfalls to avoid

30

5 Comments

Should we prioritize people, or tech innovation in our large-scale development projects? The strategy's slowly shifting to people. And that’s exactly how California Forever CEO Jan Sramek wins over skeptics like Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway. Not bad. “There’s a lot of baggage that tech has created in building new cities that, unfortunately, we are at the receiving end of”, explains Sramek. So smart cities and tech libertarian network states aren't the focus here. Quite the contrary. He calls the project (in this context) “really, really boring.” The focus: ∙ More housing ∙ Walkable cities ∙ Affordable by design* ∙ Improving the country for residents *(housing prices to start at $400k) I recently covered California Forever, dubbing it a future ‘Tech Utopia’ given its massive Silicon Valley backing. So it’s exciting to see Sramek's positioning and skillful handling of the grilling. Is the era of the smart city over due to its 'baggage'? Time will tell. More on California Forever and other visionaries designing new cities from scratch here: https://lnkd.in/e9-i386q Full interview: https://lnkd.in/eMnT8QhU #futureofcities #urbandevelopment

1

1 Comment

The funding landscape for founders has been tough over the past two years—but for female founders, it's been even tougher. At Fierce Foundry, we're stepping up to change that. Like the trailblazing organizations How Women Invest and WE Global Studios, we’re fueling the flywheel of female investment. Our innovative approach isn’t just about making noise—it’s about making measurable impact. Join me at my info session today (and every other week - register via the link below) to learn how you can help drive meaningful change for female founders. Let’s make it happen! 🌟 https://lnkd.in/e9FUg9Uj

9

San Francisco's political landscape is taking an innovative turn as mayor-elect Dan Lurie appoints OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to his transition team. This strategic move signals a fresh approach to bridging the gap between city government and the tech sector at a crucial time for San Francisco. What makes this particularly noteworthy is how it represents a shift in how cities might leverage tech leadership to address urban challenges - from public safety to economic revitalization. The inclusion of both Altman and former Twitter CFO Ned Segal suggests a deliberate strategy to reconnect with the tech community while maintaining the city's position as a global innovation hub. Key developments to watch: ▶️ How this tech-government partnership influences public safety initiatives ▶️ Impact on downtown revitalization efforts ▶️ Response from other tech leaders and companies ▶️ Potential new policies to attract and retain tech talent ▶️ Balance between innovation and traditional urban governance https://lnkd.in/gMJ3yvk9

11

1 Comment

🚀 Attending SaaStr Annual in San Mateo this week? Let's connect and elevate your networking strategy! I'm excited to host 1-on-1 Braindates to discuss how Leads Caddy is improving lead information collection at in-person networking events. 🔍 Discover how our AI powered assistant can: - Streamline your networking process - Boost your conversion rates - Maximize your ROI from events - Save tons of time during and post event 👉 Click the link and grab a slot, or simply DM me! See you soon at SaaStr Annual! #SaaStrAnnual #LeadsCaddy #Networking #LeadGeneration #StartupLife

17

Appreciate the great conversationn, Gamiel Gran! The real win is turning the great tech into something that customers truly need and value. Looking forward to sharing more insights in future posts! #AILeadership #Innovation #CXOJourneytotheAIFuture”

7

Three things I love. 1. Modernizing legacy software. 2. Doing things right. 3. Learning from people much smarter than myself. Next Tuesday I'm diving headfirst into all three during the panel discussion at Disruption Forum Engineering Horizons event by Netguru. We set up an exclusive panel with: Kamala Manju Kesavan, Transformational Engineering Leader at Visa Jiří Brunclík, Principal Engineering Manager at Microsoft Usama Shamma , MBA, PMP, TOGAF9, Director of Software Engineering at Mastercard And, of course, yours truly! – How to manage technical debt more efficiently? – How to move fast with legacy systems? – What’s the best way to approach modernization? – How does low-code come into the picture? 📍Register here: https://lnkd.in/dzW_3nFj

8

Starting a company is one of the boldest moves anyone can make, and after a decade of working with early-stage founders from Google to Sequoia, I’ve learned the hardest part is often taking that first leap. It’s terrifying to share your idea and face the question, “Is this worth working on?” But that initial feedback is what transforms uncertainty into action, and every great company began with someone brave enough to ask for it. That’s why I’ve teamed up with Afore Capital (the folks who originally popularized the "pre-Seed" category) to launch a Rapid-Fire Idea Pitch Session—a chance for tech builders to get quick, actionable feedback and build the confidence to move forward or pivot. If you’re tinkering on an idea, waiting for the right moment to share it—this is it. Apply here: https://lu.ma/3bt43xi5

47

3 Comments

Worthwhile. Can you help?

6

Happy #FlexFriday. [From the #CAIO desk] FlexFriday reflections while savoring English Victoria Sponge cake and hot Earl Grey tea with wild #California honey: I'm genuinely #grateful for the privilege of living in California, where the weather is great, the people are brilliant, and the honey, well, it's as wild as the ideas we brew here. But above all, I'm #thankful for the accessibility to Generative #AI (#GenAI), most of which is free. GenAI is more than just a tool; it's a gateway to unlocking human potential, an enabler of creativity, and a catalyst for progress. It #empowers us to #dream bigger, solve problems faster, and push the boundaries of what we once thought possible. The #younger generation, in particular, stands at the forefront of this movement. With their innate curiosity and willingness to experiment, they are poised to accomplish wondrous feats, combining technical prowess with social intelligence to create an innovative and #compassionate future. These privileges come with #responsibilities. We must use AI for good, to make it more understandable, and to include everyone in the era of GenAI. CEOs, students, engineers, artists, and everyone in between: let's not just read about AI in reports or watch it on TikTok. Let's get our hands on the tools, explore, and play. Let's make and live this AI revolution in our image and challenge the few who wish to control it. I'm a CAIO, and I say this with a smile: without GenAI, it would take me an entire week just to get through Monday's tasks. GenAI is a partner, an accelerator, and a democratizer, but only if we choose to engage. #Active learning is more powerful than passive watching. Imagine a world where the younger generation uses GenAI to address climate change, find cures for diseases, bridge cultural gaps, and promote social justice. This is not just a distant dream. It's a real future that we can create together. GenAI empowers us to improve not only our technical skills but also our #empathy, creativity, and collective intelligence. So, this FlexFriday, I encourage you to dive in. Use it, learn it, and contribute to making GenAI accessible and meaningful for all. Together, we're creating a world where technology serves everyone, not just the few. And that, my friends, is the power of FlexFriday in your company. This article is in compliance with The First Law of AI Collaboration: https://lnkd.in/gVDfgq4R Please #repost, #follow, and give it a #thumbs-up. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. #grateful, #innovation, #DucHaba

6

“We really focus on building community power because over the last four years, and really, my whole life. If we don't figure out how to work together, we are not going to be successful. I've been doing entrepreneurial ecosystem building for 10 years, but before that, for 20 years, I worked with young people, I worked with communities, and I did youth development education. What I've seen in my 30 years of work is if you're fragmented, you're weak. We need to figure out how to get fragmented and siloed groups of people to work together as a larger entity. This is the crux of this Summit. How do we get people doing great work connected and pooling resources? How do we advocate for more resources from the federal government, from our state governments, from our local governments? How do we actually work as a group with JP Morgan Chase and get some actual funding that can be systemic and long-term to actually grow small businesses? I think we have to create a space where we can all win together,” This is the vision behind the Building Community Power Summit the ESO Foundation is hosting with Startup Champions Network 10/30-11/1... check out the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/gGAmUdq6 #SCNBayArea #Buildwhereyouare #Communitypower #startupecosystem #nexteconomy #ecosystembuilders

10

1 Comment

"Why are we using 1990s technology? Why can't we just have a Zoom meeting?" This question from Duolingo’s CEO captures their innovation mindset perfectly. No more sticking with outdated practices just because that's how it's always been done. Deborah Belevan, IRC, CPA, VP of IR at Duolingo, manages the company's IR program as a team of one. I was lucky to speak with her on #WinningIR, and she shared how this simple question led to a big shift. Moving from traditional audio calls to engaging video earnings calls might sound like a minor tweak, but it changed how they engage with investors. Deborah also talks about their quarterly shareholder letters. Instead of lengthy, complicated reports, they keep things clear and concise. This has made another huge difference in how they connect with investors—more impact, less fluff. Duolingo’s culture is at the heart of these changes. A mission-driven mindset doesn't only influence product development. It shapes Duolingo's IR strategy and communication. By embracing operating principles like "take the long view" and "strive for excellence", Deborah has created a more effective IR program. If you're looking to shake up your IR strategy or just curious about how Duolingo does it, this episode is full of real insights. Listen now: https://lnkd.in/gREwV8q3

36

2 Comments

Best moments at #bbcon Seattle (thus far): 1. Reconnecting with friends and partners (too many to list) 🙋🏻‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🙋🏻 2. Insightful conversations about challenges and solutions for helping #nonprofits be more successful 🚀 3. Discovered my article on stock gifting is now live on the Blackbaud Engage blog 😯 DonateStock #bbcon24

21

1 Comment

Experiencing the Unstoppable Energy of SF's Tech Ecosystem at #SFTechWeek! Wow, what an incredible time to be in the Bay Area! The velocity of innovation here is absolutely electrifying. I'm thrilled to share that I'm currently in San Francisco for Stackbooster's fundraising and to expand our customer base during this amazing #SFTechWeek. The ecosystem here is buzzing with ideas and opportunities. Every meeting and event has been a gateway to new possibilities. We've connected with some of the most visionary minds and forward-thinking investors—it's humbling to see the excitement around what we're building with Stackbooster. For those who might not know, Stackbooster is dedicated to helping startups save money, time, and resources. We're empowering our customers to launch faster and more efficiently while seamlessly adopting AWS solutions. The positive feedback and success stories from startups we've partnered with have been incredibly inspiring. If you're around and want to chat about accelerating growth, optimizing your tech stack, or just share insights about the vibrant SF tech scene, let's connect! This week has been a whirlwind of inspiration, and I can't wait to see what's next. Feeling grateful and energized by the amazing community here! #Stackbooster #StartupGrowth #Innovation #AWS #Entrepreneurship #TechEcosystem #SFTechWeek

25

1 Comment

Are we helping or hurting? That is a question many residents of San Francisco ask ourselves in the midst of a stark and increasing equity gap. As a parent, community member, and incoming board member of the Horizons at San Francisco Friends School, I’m keenly aware of the potential learning loss our public school students in the Mission District experience in the summer months without our support. Our city is undergoing another crisis - looming budget cuts threaten vital programs like Horizons at SFFS that provide equitable learning for Mission youth. We urgently need your support to secure bridge funding and ensure our summer enrichment continues. Our scholars and families are relying on Horizons' high-quality academics and social-emotional growth.  Horizons has been successfully leveraging the months when students are out of school to stem summer learning loss for children in San Francisco for ~10 years. The program has also intentionally increased impact by supporting their scholars through their educational journey during the school year and into High School. Last year, Horizons impacted 150+ scholars with targeted small classroom instruction, confidence-building, and joyful community enrichment experiences- thanks to our dedicated summer education workforce. But we can't continue without you. Please join me in supporting Horizons at SFFS today to expand partnerships, engage more crisis-impacted families, and grow our supportive community stronger. In past years, the SF Department of Children, Youth and Families has been a partner to increase access to education for our students. This summer, as we face a potential 40% loss to our summer program due to DCYF funding cuts that have impacted so many vital programs in our city, we’ve decided to celebrate Horizons Giving Day, the whole month of May. Please join me in our movement - your gift saves the summer for San Francisco scholars and helps bridge the educational equity gap in our city. Let’s help together. In gratitude, friendship and community, Aneesha #GiveTheGiftofSummer #SparkPassions #HorizonsGivingDay https://lnkd.in/gJAYnibC Links for reference: Horizons at SFFS: https://lnkd.in/gfsdugDX Impact Report: https://lnkd.in/gZc2jn85 Press Release on DCYF Loss of Funding: https://lnkd.in/gNprpSyB

12

2 Comments