Born In Silicon Valley

Born In Silicon Valley is a podcast that features founders’ stories. Each episode highlights the journey of success, pivots, and what entrepreneurs have learned when building from the ground up. Host Jake Aaron Villarreal interviews founders, discussing their struggles, triumphs, and their progress along the way. Listeners will gain insight into leadership and the operations of a startup. This podcast is supported by Match Relevant, a company that helps startups find top talent to grow their businesses.

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Episodes

Tuesday Sep 09, 2025

In this episode of the Match Relevant Podcast, we sit down with Daniel Saks, founder of Landbase and co-founder of AppDirect. Daniel shares his journey of scaling SaaS companies from startup to unicorn, raising over half a billion in capital, and creating billions in equity value.
At Landbase, Daniel is pioneering a new category: AI-powered go-to-market. Landbase helps companies launch sales and marketing campaigns in minutes instead of months, transforming growth from a slow, linear grind into AI-driven exponential results.
We explore how AI is reshaping sales and marketing, the lessons Daniel learned scaling AppDirect into a leading subscription commerce platform, and why the next generation of unicorns will be built on AI-driven go-to-market strategies.
Daniel also reflects on leadership, fundraising, and the importance of aligning human performance with machine intelligence to accelerate business growth. If you’re a founder, investor, or business leader looking to scale faster and smarter, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.
Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

Thursday Aug 21, 2025

In this conversation, Jake Villarreal interviews Matt Bertulli, a serial entrepreneur and CEO of sustainable brands Pila and Lomi. They discuss Matt's journey from building a digital agency to creating innovative consumer products focused on sustainability. The conversation explores the challenges of manufacturing, the importance of working capital, and the role of AI in enhancing consumer goods. Matt shares insights on risk-taking in entrepreneurship and the future of AI in business, emphasizing the need for careful management at scale. In this conversation, Matt and Jake discuss various aspects of entrepreneurship, including strategies for bringing products to market, understanding consumer behavior, the evolution of podcasting, hiring strategies, and the dynamics of remote work versus on-site operations. They emphasize the importance of community among entrepreneurs and share insights on launching new products and building a successful business culture.
Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

Tuesday Aug 19, 2025

In this conversation, Jake Aaron Villarreal interviews Akshay Dodeja, co-founder and CEO of Terminal 49, exploring the intricacies of global trade and logistics technology. They discuss Akshay's journey from a tech enthusiast in India to a startup founder in Silicon Valley, the challenges faced in the logistics industry, and how Terminal 49 is revolutionizing container tracking. The discussion also touches on the importance of innovation, the competitive landscape, and the future roadmap for Terminal 49 as they aim to expand globally and automate workflows in logistics.Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

Tuesday Aug 12, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with Trey Sutten, CEO and Co-Founder of Siftwell Analytics, to explore how AI-powered prescriptive analytics is revolutionizing healthcare outcomes and reducing costs. With over 20 years of leadership in healthcare, Trey has led multimillion and multibillion-dollar transformations, specializing in Medicaid, behavioral health, and managed care.
Trey shares insights from his experience in enterprise-level turnarounds, offering valuable strategies for aligning people, assets, and goals to drive sustainable change. He also explains how Siftwell’s unique analytics-as-a-service model identifies at-risk members before diagnoses occur, enabling community health plans to take proactive, life-changing interventions.
If you’re a healthcare leader, data strategist, or innovator looking to improve patient outcomes while optimizing resources, this conversation will give you actionable insights to move from predictive to prescriptive analytics.
Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

Tuesday Aug 05, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with Amy Brown, founder and CEO of Authenticx, to discuss how she’s transforming the healthcare industry by listening—at scale. With over 20 years of experience in public and private sector healthcare leadership, Amy shares how she leveraged her expertise to build a company that uses AI and real human conversations to generate actionable insights for healthcare organizations.
From her time as COO at Seven Corners and Centerfirst, to leading government health initiatives, Amy brings a deep understanding of health policy, operations, and strategy. We explore how those experiences inspired the launch of Authenticx, a platform dedicated to solving communication gaps and uncovering transformational opportunities in healthcare.
We also dive into her entrepreneurial journey, including founding NOLAbles and her passion for improving the human experience in medical systems. Amy explains how Authenticx's AI technology is helping payers and pharma understand the voice of the customer, influence decision-making, and ultimately deliver better care.
If you’re a startup founder, healthcare leader, or AI enthusiast, you won’t want to miss Amy’s insights on growth, leadership, and the future of healthcare innovation.
Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

Thursday Jul 31, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with Luke Arrigoni, CEO and Founder of Loti AI, to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of deepfake detection, content protection, and digital identity security.
Loti AI protects celebrities, public figures, and corporate intellectual property by locating and removing real and AI-generated content online. With tools like Loti Watchtower, they enable clients to remove unwanted and impersonated content within hours.
We discuss the rise of deepfake threats, how Loti’s technology works across the open web including social media and adult sites, and what the future holds for content authenticity and digital autonomy.
Luke shares insights on the company’s founding mission, their work with top-tier clients, and upcoming consumer tools aimed at empowering everyday creators to take control of their online presence.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in AI, cybersecurity, content moderation, and the future of identity on the internet.
Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

Tuesday Jul 29, 2025

In this episode of the Match Relevant podcast, we sit down with Jesse Chen, Co-Founder & CEO of CoPilot AI — a Vancouver-based tech company transforming how sales teams connect with prospects using AI-powered tools. With over 20 years in the software industry, Jesse shares insights from his journey, including his early days as a software engineer on EA’s FIFA team to now leading one of the most innovative companies in AI-driven social selling.
Jesse dives deep into how CoPilot AI is changing the sales enablement landscape by blending artificial intelligence with human authenticity. From lead generation to meaningful engagement, discover how CoPilot AI helps recruiters, agencies, and sales professionals book more meetings, faster — all while building real connections.
If you’ve ever struggled with cold outreach, lead quality, or scaling a sales team, this episode is packed with valuable lessons. Learn about the power of prediction tools, personality insights, and the importance of aligning your values with your go-to-market strategy.
Tune in to hear Jesse’s take on:
- What makes AI-powered selling successful- The future of sales and human connection- Key strategies for consistent revenue growth- The bold moves that helped scale CoPilot AI
For more on CoPilot AI, visit: www.copilotai.com
Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

Tuesday Jul 22, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with Mark Doble, CEO of Alexi, to dive deep into how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the legal industry. Mark shares how Alexi is empowering law firms to work smarter, faster, and more effectively through AI-driven solutions that prioritize privacy, control, and performance.
We explore the current and future impact of AI on legal research, workflow automation, and how Alexi's platform is helping firms gain a competitive edge. Whether you're a legal professional, technologist, or just curious about the intersection of AI and law, this conversation delivers critical insights into one of the most important transformations happening today.
Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

Thursday Jul 17, 2025

In this episode, we interview Greg Selkoe, the co-founder and CEO of XSET, a gaming lifestyle brand. Greg shares his journey from urban planning to the gaming industry, explaining how XSET is redefining gaming culture by blending it with lifestyle and media. We discuss XSET's unique approach compared to traditional e-sports teams, the importance of authentic cultural connections, and insights into their business model and partnerships. Greg also opens up about the challenges and breakthroughs in building a gaming-focused company and his vision for XSET's future.
 
Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

Thursday Jul 03, 2025

In this conversation, William Chan, CEO and co-founder of Iodine, shares his journey from Malaysia to becoming an entrepreneur in the healthcare technology space. He discusses the challenges faced in the healthcare industry, particularly regarding efficiency and profit margins, and how Iodine aims to address these issues through AI-driven solutions. The conversation also touches on leadership evolution, company culture, and the future roadmap for Iodine as they continue to innovate and integrate AI into their processes.
 
Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal, leads the top AI Recruitment Firm in Silicon Valley www.matchrelevant.com, uncovering stories of funded startups and goes behinds to scenes to tell their founders journey.  If you are growing AI Startup or have a great storytelling, email us at: jake.villarreal@matchrelevant.com

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