Episode #66: Three Breakthroughs: Digitizing Smell Using AI
Tech Optimist Podcast — Tech, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation
Mike Collins and Naren Ramaswamy explore three pivotal technological advancements shaping our world in this Three Breakthroughs episode of the Alumni Ventures Tech Optimist Podcast. They begin with a groundbreaking achievement in neuroscience: the first-ever complete map of a fruit fly’s brain, shedding light on brain function and offering potential insights for AI and medical innovations.
Episode #66: Three Breakthroughs: Digitizing Smell Using AI
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This week on the Tech Optimist podcast, join Alumni Ventures’ Mike Collins and Naren Ramaswamy as they cover three exciting breakthroughs:
- They begin with a groundbreaking achievement in neuroscience: the first-ever complete map of a fruit fly’s brain, shedding light on brain function and offering potential insights for AI and medical innovations.
- Next, they discuss AI’s newfound ability to predict and create scents, opening up vast possibilities in health and environmental monitoring.
- Finally, they examine the societal implications of automation in industries like dock work and film, focusing on how technology-driven progress can spur both opportunity and disruption. Tune in to discover how these advancements are pushing the boundaries of innovation and what they mean for the future of society and technology.
Tune in for a deep dive into these cutting-edge developments.
Watch Time ~32 minutes
The show is produced by Alumni Ventures, which has been recognized as a “Top 20 Venture Firm” by CB Insights (’24) and as the “#1 Most Active Venture Firm in the US” by Pitchbook (’22 & ’23).
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Creators and Guests
HOST
Mike Collins
CEO, and Co-Founder at Alumni Ventures
Mike has been involved in almost every facet of venturing, from angel investing to venture capital, new business and product launches, and innovation consulting. He is currently CEO of Alumni Ventures Group, the managing company for our fund, and launched AV’s first alumni fund, Green D Ventures, where he oversaw the portfolio as Managing Partner and is now Managing Partner Emeritus. Mike is a serial entrepreneur who has started multiple companies, including Kid Galaxy, Big Idea Group (partially owned by WPP), and RDM. He began his career at VC firm TA Associates. He holds an undergraduate degree in Engineering Science from Dartmouth and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
GUEST
Naren Ramaswamy
Senior Principal, Spike & Deep Tech Fund, Alumni Ventures
Naren combines a technical engineering background with experience at startups and VC firms. Before joining AV, he worked with the investing team at venture firm Data Collective (DCVC) looking at frontier tech deals. Before that, he was a Program Manager at Apple and Tesla and has worked for multiple consumer startups. Naren received a BS and MS in mechanical engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In his free time, he enjoys teaching golf to beginners and composing music.
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