"Hard Software", by the bem.ai team, dives into the world of software built to solve the toughest problems in real-life industries. From logistics to fintech, healthcare to insurance, we uncover how engineering teams are transforming legacy systems, automating workflows, and building the next generation of software. Each episode features in-depth interviews with the innovators behind these solutions, exploring the challenges they face, the lessons they've learned, and the cutting-edge technologies that drive progress.
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Hard Software Episode 12: Infrastructure Evolutions with Maxim Fateev, Co-Founder + CTO @ Temporal
Maxim Fateev, Co-Founder and CTO of Temporal, examines the evolution of infrastructure and its impact on software development in this interview episode.
29 May 2025
Hard Software Episode 11: Dashboard Crashes, Streaming Needs, and Gen AI Pipeline Hype with Ricky Thomas, Co-founder + CTO @ Streamkap
Antonio interviews Ricky Thomas, Co-founder and CTO of Streamkap, exploring GenAI hype, cold starts, and the future direction of Streamkap in this insightful episode.
14 May 2025
Hard Software Episode 10: LLMs in High-Growth Supply Chain with Jorge Valdivia, CTO of Fleetio
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.bem.ai (https://blog.bem.ai?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
22 Apr 2025
Hard Software Episode 9: Is Big Data Dead? with Jordan Tigani, CEO @ MotherDuck
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.bem.ai (https://blog.bem.ai?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
8 Apr 2025
Hard Software Episode 8: Building principles + elimination of prod errors with Perla Gamez, Founder + CEO @ Foam
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.bem.ai (https://blog.bem.ai?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
20 Mar 2025
Hard Software Episode 7: All things webhooks with Tom Hacohen, Founder + CEO @ Svix
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.bem.ai (https://blog.bem.ai?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
3 Mar 2025
beminists: women in early stage startups- with Erica Clark, Co-founder + CTO at Riveter
In our first episode of new bem podcast series, beminists: women in early stage startups, Jenny Kwan, Founding Engineer at bem, chats with Erica Clark, Co-founder and CTO of Riveter (YC 24).
Jenny and Erica chat about everything from building products that are accessible for non-technical users, navigating early adopter and user experiences in the new LLM age, and Erica’s experience going through YC and finding a Co-founder.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.bem.ai (https://blog.bem.ai?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
18 Feb 2025
Series B, Upskilling Engineering, and Reinventing Insurance with Michael Mattheakis, Co-Founder + CTO at Comulate
In this episode of Hard Software, Upal chats about everything from funding to growth and product innovation with Michael Mattheakis, Co-Founder + CTO of Comulate, directly after their Series B announcement.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.bem.ai (https://blog.bem.ai?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
6 Jan 2025
Neuro-Symbolic AI and the Next Era of Codegen, with Nima Keivan, CEO and Co-founder of Durable
In this episode of Hard Software, Upal and Antonio delve into the revolutionary approaches to software creation with Nima Keivan, CEO and co-founder of Durable.
From the limits of traditional code generation to the emergence of neuro-symbolic AI, Nima sheds light on Durable’s mission to elevate software development beyond syntax—into actions, objectives, and real-world results. The conversation explores the challenges of coherence in AI agents, how robotics-inspired planning can reshape software workflows, and the potential of documents as dynamic interfaces for iterative development.
They also tackle the philosophy behind no-code, the future of AI-driven deployment, and the critical importance of trust and hypothesis-driven learning in building robust systems. With a unique perspective informed by a background in robotics and a vision for the future of AI, Nima shares insights into what it truly means to develop software that learns, evolves, and thrives in real-world complexity.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.bem.ai (https://blog.bem.ai?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
16 Dec 2024
Holiday Hot Takes: The AI Hype Cycle and Pragmatism for 2025
Bem cofounders Antonio Bustamante and Upal Saha share their sharp takes and pragmatic insights on the AI hype cycle, delivering a more realistic 2025.
19 Nov 2024
When AI hits the wall, with Viraj Mehta, Cofounder of TensorZero
In this episode of Hard Software, Upal Saha, co-founder & CTO of bem, dives deep into the unvarnished truths of AI development with Viraj Mehta, co-founder of TensorZero. From navigating the messy realities of deploying LLMs in production to the limits of scaling laws, Viraj unpacks the hard-earned lessons of building robust, resilient AI systems.
We explore why magic solutions are a trap, the fallacy of chasing perfection, and how engineering principles from nuclear fusion and control systems can redefine AI development. Viraj also shares insights on creating systems that thrive in real-world chaos, the untapped potential of robust preference optimization, and what’s next as AI outgrows its own training data.
If you’re tired of the hype and want to hear what it really takes to build AI that works in the wild, this episode is packed with bold insights and fresh perspectives on the future of the field.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.bem.ai (https://blog.bem.ai?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
28 Oct 2024
Fixing Enterprise Onboarding: A Chat with Manish Sinha, Co-Founder of Cadbury
In this episode of Hard Software, we sit down with Manish Sinha, co-founder of Cadbury, to explore the complexities of enterprise software onboarding. From streamlining data migrations to tackling the notorious QuickBooks to NetSuite leap, Manish shares his vision for simplifying how businesses implement tools like SAP and Salesforce.
Join us as we discuss the current challenges, the future of enterprise onboarding, and how Cadbury is revolutionizing a space bogged down by inefficiencies. If you’ve ever battled complex software setups, this one's for you.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.bem.ai (https://blog.bem.ai?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
14 Oct 2024
The Rise of the Anti-ERP ERP: A Conversation with Wiley Jones, Co-founder of Doss
In this episode of Hard Software, we sit down with Wiley Jones, co-founder of Doss, to explore their bold new approach to enterprise software—what they call the "Anti-ERP ERP." Wiley shares his journey from hardware engineering to building a platform that challenges the rigidity of traditional ERPs, offering businesses more flexibility and control over their systems of record.
We discuss the complexities of replacing legacy systems, the balance between flexibility and predictability, and how Doss is helping companies unlock innovation with a composable, modular approach to ERP software.
Whether you’re navigating enterprise tech, fascinated by the future of software, or just curious about shaking up old systems, this episode is filled with fresh insights on modernizing the backbone of business operations.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.bem.ai (https://blog.bem.ai?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
23 Sept 2024
Building AI for Logistics: A Conversation with Pablo Palafox, Cofounder of Happyrobot
Boom, achievement unlocked. We have a podcast. "Hard Software", by the bem team, dives into the world of software built to solve the toughest problems in real-life industries. From logistics to fintech, healthcare to insurance, we uncover how engineering teams are transforming legacy systems, automating workflows, and building the next generation of software. Each episode features in-depth interviews with the innovators behind these solutions, exploring the challenges they face, the lessons they've learned, and the cutting-edge technologies that drive progress.
In this episode of Hard Software, we sit down with Pablo Palafox, cofounder of Happyrobot, to dive into how AI is transforming the logistics industry. Pablo shares his journey from working on computer vision during his PhD to founding an AI-powered startup focused on automating freight brokerage processes.
We discuss the challenges of building mission-critical software, the decision to pivot from computer vision to logistics, and how Happyrobot is helping logistics companies automate repetitive tasks, negotiate better rates, and scale faster.
Whether you’re curious about AI, startups, or the future of logistics, this episode is packed with insights on what it takes to disrupt an industry with cutting-edge technology.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.bem.ai (https://blog.bem.ai?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
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