Technovation with Peter High (CIO, CTO, CDO, CXO Interviews)

What makes a founder truly exceptional?

In this episode of Technoventure, Peter High speaks with Paige Craig, Founder and Managing Partner of Outlander VC, about the founder characteristics that separate resilient entrepreneurs from persuasive storytellers. Drawing from his experience as a Marine sergeant, intelligence operator, entrepreneur, and early investor in companies like Lyft, Paige shares how leadership under chaos shaped his investment philosophy.

The conversation explores founder psychology, risk management, physical AI, robotics, deep tech, and why software alone may no longer be enough to create defensible businesses in the AI era.

Key topics include:

Why founder character matters more than ideas

How military leadership shaped Paige’s investing philosophy

What investors misunderstand about risk

Why physical AI and robotics are the next frontier

How AI is changing venture capital and startup creation

Steve Jobs’ greatest leadership lessons did not come during Apple’s rise, they came during exile.

In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with award-winning journalist and author Geoffrey Cain about Steve Jobs in Exile, his new book examining the overlooked NeXT Computer years that transformed Jobs from a volatile founder into one of the most influential business leaders in history.

Cain explores how failure, resilience, discipline, and leadership maturity shaped Jobs during a period widely misunderstood as a commercial detour.

Key discussion points include:

Why NeXT’s failures became foundational to Apple’s future success

The leadership lessons Jobs learned through adversity

How NeXTSTEP evolved into the backbone of modern Apple software

Why visionary thinking alone is not enough to build enduring companies

The role of trust, dissent, and elite talent in high-performing organizations

AI is quickly evolving from a productivity tool into a growth engine, and the organizations that can operationalize enterprise intelligence at scale will define the next era of competition.

In this summit panel episode of Technovation, Peter High and Andrew Krusell speak with Steve Bronson, CIO of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, and John Gigerich, SVP & CIO of Keurig Dr Pepper, about how leading enterprises are transforming data, AI, and machine learning into measurable revenue growth.

Key topics include:

Using AI-driven sales enablement to improve retail execution

Building trusted enterprise data foundations for scalable AI

Leveraging predictive intelligence to optimize ordering and inventory

Aligning business and technology teams around growth outcomes

Navigating acquisitions, organizational change, and AI governance at scale

AI productivity gains alone are no longer enough. The organizations creating real enterprise value are redesigning their operating models around data, decision advantage, and differentiated capability.

In this episode of Technovation, we feature a panel from our most recent Metis Strategy Summit where Peter High moderated a conversation with Alexandra Guenther, SVP & CIO at Leidos, and Kelly Fletcher, CIO of the U.S. Department of State, about how enterprise leaders are rethinking AI strategy, cybersecurity, and organizational transformation during an era of continuous disruption.

Key discussion points include:

Why AI value must extend beyond productivity metrics

How the State Department securely enables AI experimentation at scale

The role of enterprise data foundations in successful AI adoption

Using AI to improve cybersecurity visibility and decision advantage

Leading organizations through the psychology of transformation

As AI reshapes enterprise operating models, the profile of the modern technology leader is changing just as quickly.

In this special Technovation Summit May 2026 panel, Metis Strategy’s Steven Norton sits down with executive search leaders Tarun Inuganti of Korn Ferry, Ryan Bulkoski of Heidrick & Struggles, and Mike Doonan of SPMB Executive Search to discuss how AI is redefining executive hiring, leadership expectations, and boardroom dynamics.

The conversation explores why nonlinear career paths are becoming more valuable, how organizations are approaching Chief AI Officer roles, and why storytelling, influence, and change leadership are now essential executive capabilities.

Key topics include:

Why cross-industry experience is becoming a competitive advantage

The rise of AI-fluent boards and executive teams

How Chief AI Officer roles are evolving

Why leadership influence now matters more than technical expertise alone

What recruiters look for in next-generation CIOs and technology leaders