Startup Shuk
Conversations about startups, technology and life.
Join host, Deo Arlo; as he explores on some of the most fundamental and interesting topics in the world of startups and technology – including entrepreneurship, hi-tech, science, philosophy, business, and more… together with world renowned experts from various domains.
Shay David is the CEO and co-founder of Retrain.ai. Shay leverages technology to ensure individuals can thrive alongside automation, not be replaced by it. His mission through Retrain.ai is ambitious: to skill and place 1 million people back in jobs within the first five years.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Mikko Mäntylä is the Co-founder & CEO of Realm, a Helsinki-based company building the Agentic AI layer for revenue teams. Realm transforms sales collateral, product documentation, and CRM data into AI agents that automate enablement, RFPs, and sales insights — helping teams win complex deals.
Previously, Mikko served as President of Slush, one of Europe’s leading startup conferences, where he led global startup and investor relations. He has also been a Fellow at Sigma Squared Society, Board Member at Swinghill, and host of Soaked by Slush, a podcast exploring company-building and startup culture.
He studied Industrial Engineering and Management at Aalto University and Engineering at the University of Cambridge.
Image Credits: Thadeo Arlo
Akira Dunham is an investor and engineer based in the New York City area, focusing on frontier technologies and advanced materials. He currently serves as a Board Observer at Natrion Inc., a company developing novel battery materials, and invests with Fundomo, where he backs early teams building in deep and frontier tech.
Previously, Akira was an investor at Connecticut Innovations, supporting startups from pre-seed to Series A, and worked at AECOM in civil and infrastructure engineering. He holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering (Transportation & Urban Engineering) from the University of Connecticut, where he also conducted research on public transit systems.
Leeho Lim is a repeat founder and tech entrepreneur with deep roots in both startups and venture capital. He’s currently building a new stealth venture and previously founded Encord (backed by YC, EF, CRV, and Next47) and Parlan (YC W23, backed by Sequoia, Index, and others). With a background in AI infrastructure, product, and investment banking, Leeho has experience spanning roles at Marcho Partners, Global Founders Capital, and IOST (which acquired his web3 project). An Oxford alum, he’s driven by building early-stage companies with global impact.
More on him at https://leeho.dev/
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Roman Lasker is a Studio and Venture Partner at AnD Ventures since 2021.
He’s a serial entrepreneur with a background in tech and consulting.
He co-founded iCapital (automated onboarding), Uppspace (AI monitoring), and BigWheel (early-stage fund).
He previously worked in business development and consulting roles.
He holds an Executive MBA from Northwestern and a BA from Tel Aviv University.
At AnD, he focuses on their “Super-Seed Studio” model to deeply support startups from the ground up.
Image Credits:
B. Thomas Edman is a tech entrepreneur, engineer, and student-athlete at Vanderbilt University, triple-majoring in Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mathematics, and Philosophy. As the Co-Founder & CEO of Alexandrian and CTO of the Vanderbilt Fusion Project, he’s pioneering advancements in high-performance computing and nuclear fusion research.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Tzach Horowitz is an experienced CISO with CISO, CISSP, CCSP, CDPSE certifications and international expertise in Cyber Security. Tzach provides CISO services for enterprises of all sizes, defining Cyber Security Strategy, budgets, prioritization, Governance, Risk management and Compliance (GRC) processes. He also provides expert level consulting services to Fintech, Critical Infrastructure and Manufacturing companies, advising on cyber security, and IT security project implementation to support business goals and compliance with international standards and policies.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Michael Polk, a visionary entrepreneur hailing from the resilient streets of Detroit, is the CEO and Founder of Stock Pal, Inc.
With an unwavering commitment to empowering individuals to take control of their financial data, Michael has become a champion for digital empowerment. His journey from waxing floors in Detroit to steering innovative fintech solutions is an inspiring testament to perseverance and ambition. Known for his mantra “Dream Bigger,” Michael is on a mission to reshape how we interact with financial technology, data privacy, and wealth creation.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Max is a product + sales leader, founder, and self-taught software engineer, featured in The Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine, TechCrunch, and more. After learning Apple’s Swift programming language on YouTube in 2015, he went on to exit his first app venture in 2017 (after half-a-dozen flopped games) and has since served ~1M total users in 140 countries. Max was one of the youngest CEOs to ever participate in the Techstars Accelerator and has raised/deployed millions in capital from strategic angels, UHNW family offices, and VCs. Experienced leader with a demonstrated track-record of going 0 to 1, Max has owned a 7-figure P&L, built/recruited amazing teams, and is a passionate storyteller.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Gal Dalali is the CEO & Founder of Oversight, a startup leveraging augmented reality to enhance collaboration among emergency response teams. Gal’s journey began at the Technion, where he graduated with honors in Aerospace Engineering. After a successful career working on advanced UAV technologies and image processing for top Israeli defense contractors, Gal ventured into entrepreneurship. We explore his transition from engineering to leading a tech startup, the challenges he faced along the way, and how Oversight is transforming life-saving operations through cutting-edge technology. Don’t miss this insightful conversation about innovation, resilience, and the future of emergency response.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Tali Gross is the CEO and co-founder of Dono, a company based in Miami Beach, Florida. Dono aims to transform real estate transactions by leveraging advanced AI and data technologies to provide greater transparency in property ownership. Before Dono, Tali founded and led SixtyFive, a company focused on helping American seniors access funds for their retirement using their homes as an asset. His entrepreneurial journey also includes founding Tene, a business that delivered freshly squeezed juices directly to homes. Tali has a background in business development, mergers and acquisitions, and capital raising, with past roles at Harris Computer and Cukierman & Co. Investment House. He holds a law degree (LLB) and an MBA from Tel Aviv University.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Uria Franko is the Co-Founder and CTO of Novacy, a company focused on uncovering prospects’ true intentions through advanced technology. A self-taught engineer and entrepreneur, Uria sold his first company at 23 and has since led several successful startups. With a background in the IDF special units, Uria brings a relentless drive and determination to all his ventures, continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Nadav Kemper is the Co-Founder and CEO of Quack AI, a company focused on reinventing customer support operations by transforming support tickets into opportunities. With extensive experience in product management and development, Nadav has held key roles in several tech startups, including Splitit and Jasper. He also co-founded the Future of CX podcast, where he discusses the latest trends in customer experience.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Dror Talisman is the Co-Founder and CEO of NeuroBrave, a company dedicated to turning signals into insights by helping individuals gain control over their mental wellness and health through neurotechnology. With a strong background in robotics, neurotechnology, and deep learning, Dror has also co-founded RAS Robotics and held senior roles in Israeli Military Intelligence, specializing in robotics and R&D.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Amir Haramaty is the CEO of aiOla, a pioneering company focused on bridging the gaps between human intelligence and artificial intelligence. Amir’s extensive career includes leadership roles in several high-impact companies such as SparkBeyond, Adallom, and Amobee, each of which has been acquired by industry giants like Microsoft and SingTel. His work has been instrumental in harnessing collective intelligence and solving complex business challenges through advanced AI technologies.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Adam Lazovski is the Co-Founder and CEO of Dealigence, a company focused on revolutionizing deal-making with AI-powered software that helps dealmakers break free from constraints and access actionable insights effortlessly. With a background in psychology and law from Reichman University, Adam has also co-founded projects aimed at supporting startup founders and has extensive experience in management consulting and innovation.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Dor Vardi is the Co-Founder and CEO of Samplead, a generative AI sales platform designed to help sales teams increase conversion rates by reigniting dormant leads with trigger-based outbound strategies. He previously founded Caricaturewall, where he bootstrapped the business and generated over $1M in sales. Dor also served as a commander in the Israeli Special Forces, gaining extensive experience in leadership and project management.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Eyal Gura is a venture investor and entrepreneur, known for founding Zebra Medical Vision and successfully launching startups like TheGiftsProject, Pic App, and Pic Scout, all of which were acquired. He has invested in companies like Appsflyer, Taboola, Payzen, and Talon (recently sold to Palo Alto Networks). Eyal also serves on the board of Reichman University and co-founded HealingOct7, a PTSD recovery initiative using MDMA therapy.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
Joseph is the Lead investor at Blockbuilders and a Member of Crypto Aid Israel. Early-stage project investor with a passion for understanding and applying socio-economic principles and insights into products.
Image Credits: Deo Arlo
