Tacos and Tech Podcast

Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube.Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners.My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!April 2Manifold Security Raised $8MRybodyn Raised $10 FundingShield AI Raises $2BCondor Software Series AQ1 2026 Funding Report2026 Cool CompaniesCurated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote2026 SD Hardtech 50 Release Event - April 30TechCon SoCal May 21-23 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

Blueprint Equity just closed a $333M Fund III - and they’re doubling down on a thesis that feels increasingly contrarian in today’s AI-fueled world.In this episode, Neal sits down with Sheldon Lewis and Bobby Ocampo, co-founders and managing partners of La Jolla-based Blueprint Equity, to unpack their “early growth equity” strategy - investing in bootstrapped SaaS companies doing $1–7M in ARR and growing fast.They share their journey from 2008 investment banking crash, near-billion-dollar exits, to building Blueprint from scratch. Along the way, they break down why they call themselves “anti-VC,” how AI is reshaping SaaS economics, and why raising less capital can actually create better founder outcomes.If you’re building in SaaS - especially outside Silicon Valley - this is one to study.Key Topics* What is Early Growth Equity?* From I Banking in 2008 to Building a Fund* The PayLease Story* Why They Call Themselves “Anti-VC”* How AI Is Changing SaaS (But Not Killing It)* Hands-On Portfolio Support* Fund III: $333M Closed* Why Great Companies Can Be Built AnywhereLinks & Resources* Blueprint EquityConnect on LinkedIn* Sheldon Lewis* Bobby Ocampo This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

Matt Holman, founder of Commerce Catalyst and Subscription Prescription, joins Neal to unpack what’s really happening inside modern e-commerce and subscription-driven CPG brands. From Utah’s fast-growing “Silicon Slopes” ecosystem to AI-powered personalization, Matt shares how founders are building durable revenue in a post-hype e-commerce world.They explore the tension between acquisition and retention, why subscription is often misunderstood, and how community-driven ecosystems accelerate operator learning faster than content ever could.In this episode, they cover:* Why the best subscription brands win on acquisition first* The difference between real personalization and surface-level tactics* How AI is improving research, CX, and performance marketing* Why e-commerce multiples compressed - and what that means for founders* The power of Utah’s Commerce Catalyst community* Balancing growth targets with long-term subscription LTVResources & Links:* Commerce Catalyst* Subscription Prescription* Sign up for Matt’s NewsletterConnect on LinkedIn* Matt Holman* Neal Bloom This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

Susie Harborth joins the pod to share her journey from refugee immigrant and first-generation college student to biotech operator, ecosystem builder, and now founder-investor behind Inspirafund and Sencie.After building early-stage life science companies, launching BioLabs in San Diego, and working across venture and banking, Susie is now placing focused bets in overlooked but meaningful spaces - starting with sleep, rest, and recovery in hospitality.We dive into why sleep is emerging as a foundational performance lever, how design and “invisible care” shape human experience, and why Susie is building at the intersection of science, hospitality, and wellness. We also unpack her next venture concept, SuperHRO - an offboarding support platform for professionals navigating career transitions.This episode is about investing with conviction, building from lived experience, and designing for how humans actually feel - not just how systems operate.Key Topics* Growing up in San Diego as a refugee immigrant and discovering venture capital during the dot-com era* Why Susie chose to support scientists curing disease instead of becoming a doctor herself* Building BioLabs and designing physical hubs for “maximum human collision”* The difference between luxury and “invisible care”* Why sleep is the most underleveraged performance tool in modern life* The science behind circadian rhythms, REM quality, and cognitive performance* Sleep tourism and the opportunity in hospitality wellness* Launching Sencie and partnering with The Bower in Coronado* Why some opportunities are too niche for traditional VC — but perfect for focused capital* Introducing SuperHRO: rethinking HR and support during job transitionsLinks & Resources* Inspirafund - Personal investment platform backing overlooked, high-impact ideas* Sencie - Sleep and well-being experiences for hospitality and travelConnect On LinkedIn* Susie Harborth* Neal Bloom This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube.Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners.My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!3/12* Seasats visit debrief* BlueNalu tasting debrief* SD Angel Academy Debrief* $100 Genome by Element Bio* New fundings:* Candid Therapeutics reverse merger of $500M+* Spinogenix * Qureator* NuFund Ventures Closes Most Successful Year Since 2021* BAE Systems wins support contract for F-16* Carlsbad proposed for undersea hub for cables between US and AustraliaCurated Events List – For full list – check The Social CoyoteLongevity Innovation Forum 2026 March 11San Diego AgTech Gathering March 19March Mingle March 25SD AI x Bio March 26 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

Episode SummaryIn this episode of the AI Builders Roundtable, the builders cross a line.Instead of just discussing AI-native companies, they use one - Polsia AI - to start new businesses live on the show.Neal, Craig, and Greg spin up real ventures, fund them, and watch agents begin executing tasks in real time. MVPs get scoped. Outreach campaigns get drafted. Websites get built. Autonomous execution starts.What begins as a demo turns into a deeper conversation about ownership, liability, trust, agent-to-agent commerce, and what happens when company creation becomes a commodity.This isn’t a thought experiment. It’s builders testing the edge.Key Topics* Launching AI-native companies live with Polsia AI* Funding autonomous agents to build and operate startups* When execution collapses toward zero* Agent-run outreach, marketing, and MVP development* Who holds liability when agents transact autonomously* Micro-venture economics and short business life cycles* Building for agents, not just humans* Why emotional trust may become more valuable in an autonomous worldLinks & Resources* Polsia AIConnect on LinkedIn* Neal Bloom* Craig Lauer* Greg Moser This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Tacos & Tech, Neal Bloom sits down with Peter Goldsborough, co-founder and CTO of Rune, to unpack one of the most overlooked but decisive factors in modern warfare: logistics.Peter shares how his background in software and defense tech led him to a simple realization-while billions have been spent on weapons and command systems, military logistics still runs on spreadsheets, whiteboards, and paper. The conversation explores why future conflicts will be won or lost on decision speed, not firepower, and how Rune is turning logistics into a real-time, data-driven decision system used by the Army and Marines today.This episode dives into defense innovation, software in degraded environments, and why fixing logistics isn’t just a military problem-it’s a cognitive one.Key Topics* Why logistics decides wars* The problem with spreadsheets and whiteboards in the DoD* Turning logistics into a real-time decision system* Defense tech speed vs legacy procurement* Software for disconnected and high-stress environments* Lessons from Ukraine and the Pacific theater* When logistics becomes the bottleneck* Building resilient software for the physical worldLinks* Rune Connect on LinkedIn* Peter Goldsborough* Neal Bloom This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

Episode SummaryIn Episode 3 of the AI Builders Roundtable, the conversation jumps right into deployment.Craig, Greg, and Derrick break down what it actually looks like to run AI agents inside real companies - from shipping production code with Cursor to publishing crowdsourced sports data on-chain, to experimenting with autonomous bots that learn in public.This isn’t a hype conversation. It’s builders comparing notes while actively rewiring their businesses around AI-native workflows.The throughline:The interface is changing. The architecture is changing. The buyer may not even be human anymore.Key Topics* Why founders can’t afford to “wait and see” on AI* Edge models vs. cloud models - and why local compute is resurging* OpenClaw, Claude Code, GLM, and the new agent toolchain* Publishing data to blockchain as an AI settlement layer* Turning APIs into agent-friendly microtransactions* How AI compresses feedback loops inside product teams* SEO in a world where agents, not humans, query first* Building for networks vs. building for agentsLinks & Resources* ScoreStreamConnect on LinkedIn* Neal Bloom* Craig Lauer* Greg Moser* Derrick Oien This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Neal sits down with Samantha Pantazopoulos, co-founder of Vizer, to unpack the company’s pivot from a consumer fitness rewards app to a B2B retail demand engine used by brands like Olipop and Health-Ade.What started as a mission-driven app tying workouts to food bank donations evolved - through COVID, retailer shutdowns, and customer pull - into a platform helping brands drive measurable retail velocity across Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, and beyond.This conversation dives into what it really takes to pivot, how offers power demand generation, and why grocery may be one of the most complex - and fascinating - battlegrounds in tech today.Key Topics* How Vizer pivoted from consumer app to enterprise CPG platform* Why COVID forced a rethink of the original marketplace model* The fragmented world of grocery offers: paper, rebate, retailer apps, and beyond* Turning marketing impressions into measurable retail conversions* Compressing the funnel with QR codes, paid media, and off-site offers* The tension between DTC, Amazon, and in-store retail strategies* Why data in CPG has historically lagged behind DTC* How brands are thinking about AI in retail* What drives trial and long-term retention in grocery* Creative campaigns: sweepstakes, surprise-and-delight, and experiential activationsLinks & Resources* VizerConnect on LinkedIn* Samantha Pantazopoulos This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

Listen & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube.Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News!I’m Neal Bloom from Rising Tide Partners.My co-host in this episode is Fred Grier, journalist and author of The Business of San Diego substack. He covers the ins-and-outs of the startup world including breaking news, IPOs, fundraising rounds, and M&A through his newsletter.Before we dive in, we wanted to thank and ask our listeners to help us grow the show, leave a review and share with one other person who should be more plugged in with the SD Tech Scene. Thank you for the support and for helping us build the San Diego Startup Community!2/22* SD Wind Tunnel Debrief* Biotech Mixer Debrief* Cal AI acquired* Atrium Spins out from Novartis with $270M* Tandem Diabetes bests $1B in sales* Software programs decline except at ucsd* https://x.com/aakashgupta/status/2024710361950384531?s=20* Fred named to SDBJ Black Leaders of InfluenceCurated Events List – For full list – check The Social Coyote* SDAC Founder Applications are due this Thursday March 5* SD Founders Hike March 6* SD Angel Academy March 6* Alliance Societal Impact - Family Office Summit March 15-16* March Mingle March 25 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe