FutureWork Playbook

About FutureWork Playbook

The FutureWork Playbook podcast explores the intersection between the workplace, technology and law. Hosted by Natalie Pierce, a partner in the San Francisco office and chair of employment and labor at Gunderson Dettmer, this podcast delivers a front-row seat to the latest trends and innovations that are transforming the future of work. The FutureWork Playbook podcast is your go-to resource for understanding how these technologies are changing the business landscape and how you can stay ahead of the curve. Each episode features an interview with a visionary leader, offering insights and strategies for navigating the evolving world of work. Whether you're a founder, investor, or legal professional, the FutureWork Playbook podcast will inspire you to develop new playbooks for success in the years ahead. Tune in and join the conversation today!

Publisher

Gunderson Dettmer

Category

business · business · technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 May 2021

Latest episode

16 Oct 2025

Latest episodes

38 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Oct 2025

   30 Under 30 with Jackson Block, Co-founder and CEO at LGBT + VC

   In his book about the history of LGBTQ venture capital, Jackson Block (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjblock/) keeps a card from Gunderson Dettmer that reads: “Nothing good comes out of just staying in your comfort zone. Be uncomfortable and create.” That philosophy has helped guide the (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjblock/)co-founder and CEO of LGBT + VC (https://www.lgbtvc.org/) as he bridges finance and social impact. With host Natalie Pierce (https://www.gunder.com/natalie-a-pierce/), Jackson shares how he created the first nonprofit dedicated to advancing LGBTQ+ representation in venture capital. From launching at Netflix to partnering with the New York Stock Exchange in under three years, Jackson discusses his mission to empower 10,000 LGBTQ+ and ally investors by 2030. He explores creative capital's role in reshaping venture investing, from art tech to Broadway tech, demonstrating how purpose and profit work in tandem to build inclusive innovation ecosystems. Episode Highlights While teaching venture capital at City College of New York, Jackson discovered that curricula across 20 universities referenced mostly male venture capitalists and excluded the 300 women-led VC firms documented by industry journals, inspiring him to write his book exploring the history of LGBTQ+ venture capital. Jackson partnered with Acrylic Robotics, founded by an LGBTQ+ entrepreneur, to commission custom art pieces using robots that replicate artists' painting strokes at scale, demonstrating how technology can enable artists to focus on creativity while expanding their reach and financial rewards. Jackson describes what he calls “creative capital” – encompassing user design, media, entertainment, and gaming – as sectors where LGBTQ+ communities find strong representation, noting that approximately 75% of LGBTQ+ people identify as gamers who often seek safer virtual worlds and forms of escapism. Jackson emphasizes that entrepreneurship requires stepping outside comfort zones, explaining that demographics drive destiny in venture capital and that intersecting creative fields with traditional finance brings fresh perspectives. 💡 Meet Your Host 💡 Name: Natalie Pierce (https://www.gunder.com/natalie-a-pierce/) Organization: Gunderson Dettmer (https://www.gunder.com/) Connect: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieapierce/) 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Jackson Block (https://www.lgbtvc.org/team/jackson-block) Organization: LGBT + VC (https://www.lgbtvc.org/) Connect: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjblock) Contact ☑️ Connect with us: LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/company/gunderson-dettmer) | X (http://www.twitter.com/GundersonLaw) | Gunderson Dettmer (http://www.gunder.com) ☑️ Subscribe to the FutureWork Playbook in your preferred podcast app so you never miss an episode. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal or investment advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an...

2. 

   10 Oct 2025

   30 Under 30 with Katherine Mizrahi Rodriguez, Co-founder and Chief Implementation Officer at Osmoses

   Even in high school, Katherine Mizrahi Rodriguez (https://osmoses.com/team/) was interested in arts, crafts – and chemistry. Now co-founder and Chief Implementation Officer at Osmoses (https://osmoses.com/), she is revolutionizing clean energy production through a breakthrough membrane technology. In this installment of “The FutureWork Playbook” series spotlighting founders on Forbes’ “30 Under 30,” Katherine discusses her past and looks to the future with host Natalie Pierce (https://www.gunder.com/natalie-a-pierce/). Osmoses has developed molecular filters 100,000 times smaller than human hair to replace century-old, energy-intensive gas separation processes. With pilot programs launching in Canada and partnerships with global petrochemical companies, Osmoses could reduce the 15% of global energy consumption currently devoted to industrial gas separations. “We’ve always seen that value and potential for the market, which is something that drives us,” Katherine says. Episode Highlights A native of Venezuela who immigrated to the United States at age 12, Katherine participated in – and founded – initiatives that support underrepresented minorities in science. At MIT, Katherine studied Material Science and Engineering, which allowed her to merge her interest in arts and crafts with her love of science and chemistry. Osmoses was born through the National Science Foundation’s iCorps program, where Katherine and her co-founders conducted over 100 customer interviews to validate market need for their membrane technology. Industrial gas separations consume 15% of the world's energy, creating an opportunity for Osmoses' molecular filters to reduce energy consumption in applications from medical oxygen generation to renewable natural gas production. The company has secured non-recurring engineering revenue from a global petrochemical company and has two pilot programs launching in Canada at landfill and anaerobic digester sites. Katherine emphasizes the importance of cross-functional collaboration and mentorship in cleantech, explaining that diverse expertise is needed “so that a common problem can be solved because the complexity of these challenges is just so large.” 💡 Meet Your Host 💡 Name: Natalie Pierce (https://www.gunder.com/natalie-a-pierce/) Organization: Gunderson Dettmer (https://www.gunder.com/) Connect: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieapierce/) 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Katherine Mizrahi Rodriguez (https://osmoses.com/team/) Organization: Osmoses (https://osmoses.com/) Connect: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmizrahirodriguez/) Contact ☑️ Connect with us: LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/company/gunderson-dettmer) | X (http://www.twitter.com/GundersonLaw) | Gunderson Dettmer (http://www.gunder.com) ☑️ Subscribe to the FutureWork Playbook in your preferred podcast app so you never miss an episode. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with...

3. 

   2 Oct 2025

   30 Under 30 with Megan Ruan, General Partner at Gold House Ventures

   Host Natalie Pierce (https://www.gunder.com/natalie-a-pierce/) updates listeners on two past guests and introduces them to a new one. First, she highlights Daniel Robinson, a guest from the first episode of “The FutureWork Playbook” in 2021. Daniel is the co-founder and CEO of Red 6, a company that has revolutionized pilot training by bringing live in-cockpit AR training to the US Air Force. Red 6 has been “outrageously successful” since Daniel’s visit, Natalie explains, including securing major contracts with the US Air Force and partnering with Northrop Grumman. Second, she spotlights Samir Menon, CEO at Dexterity AI. When he visited back in the first season, Dexterity AI was doing groundbreaking work on how robotics could support and power human capabilities. It has since “transformed from a promising robotic startup into a global leader in warehouse automation,” Natalie says. Earlier this year, for example, the company secured $95 million in funding, reflecting strong investor confidence and accelerating development. Finally, Natalie welcomes Megan Ruan (https://goldhouse.org/people/megan-ruan/) for the latest installment of the podcast’s series featuring 30 Under 30 industry partners. As the child of Asian immigrants, Megan remembers a pivotal early-career moment when she was invited to a dinner packed with leaders from across industries, all focused on elevating Asian entrepreneurs. That night, surrounded by changemakers from entertainment to publishing, she knew she wanted in. “I just wanted to join the movement—whatever that looked like,” she tells Natalie. Megan went on to help build Gold House Foundation’s venture arm, Gold House Ventures (https://goldhouse.org/). By championing founders from the Asian and Pacific Islander community, the team has invested in 78 startups, powered an accelerator supporting over 115 companies, and helped unlock more than $2 billion in follow-on capital. Tune in to hear Megan’s story and how she guides founders to tell their stories that generate investor commitment. Episode Highlights Gold House Ventures works hand-in-hand with Gold House Foundation, routing fund profits to support the nonprofit’s efforts to move the needle for Asian Pacific Islander and diverse communities. The team blends “cultural insight and distribution advantage” with the usual investment metrics, putting founder-market-culture fit front and center rather than just product-market fit. As AI streamlines product development, Megan is clear: Founders need to show traction before fundraising. "You need to go out and test and iterate. With so many prototyping tools at your disposal, raising a pre-seed round without having tested the market is near impossible." Portfolio companies like Weee! and ChowBus tap into cultural affinity and nostalgia, forging strong loyalty among underserved users. Gold House focuses on “hidden giant markets”— industries overlooked by others where startups can gain a foothold before the bigger players take notice. 💡 Meet Your Host 💡 Name: Natalie Pierce (https://www.gunder.com/natalie-a-pierce/) Organization: Gunderson Dettmer (https://www.gunder.com/) Connect: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieapierce/) 💡 Featured Guest 💡 Name: Megan Ruan (https://goldhouse.org/people/megan-ruan/) Organization: Gold...

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

16 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 31 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

42

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Contact FutureWork Playbook

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.