Buying a house is really, really hard. It took our host David 15 years of renting until he was in a position to get on the career ladder. It's a huge milestone, but it comes with debt, and interest. But does it have to?
Former career banker Chris Smith chats to David about his mission to expose how the traditional financial system has failed home ownership, turning the market into a "game of monopoly". He reveals Bloxx, a new financial architecture built on equity and Web3 infrastructure.
By connecting institutional capital directly to buyers, Bloxx enables home access with a 1% deposit and monthly payments up to 30% cheaper than a traditional mortgage, making renting a "dead cost" of the past. This is the generational shift required to get 1.2 billion renters into homes. Too good to be true? Surely the banks won't allow it? Listen in to today's interview to find out more!
Want to read the latest from David, his Substack (diving into ‘Tech Talks’ and more) is here.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
Today David is join by Michael Tefula (of Ada Ventures) to discuss how we can power inclusion in venture capital, and how proprietary technology fits into the picture.
As an investor who can code, Michael reveals how they utilize tools like their internal investment memo software and Deck Genius (formerly Ada GPT) to source high-potential, overlooked founders and run AI-driven bias checks. Crucially, he explains why, even with cutting-edge automation, AI must remain a co-pilot and the final investment decision must always be intensely human.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
Recording on Tuesday (Day One) of Web Summit 2025, David Savage talks to leaders about what truly matters on the ground.
Louise Thomas shares her successful fundraising round, confirming AI and health tech are capturing investor attention. Janine Luk and Katerina Chantzi reveal how they navigate the overwhelming conference strategically, prioritizing quality over quantity.
The conversation turns serious as they discuss whether algorithms are actively suppressing DNI and Women in Tech posts, and what builders must do to bring the human element back to technology.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
Today's show features a conversation recording at Web Summit with two future (and present) leaders : Raya Mardani and Aarav Sharma. They are 15 and 16 respectively and already building incredible solutions with a real mission and purpose.
They joined me on stage for a talk called "Young Minds, Bright Futures" and it was too good not to follow up and record with them both whilst here.
As Web Summit themselves put it, "Gen Z hold immense potential to solve some of the world's most pressing challenges". Listening to these two leaders, it's impossible to disagree.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
On today's podcast David is talking to Nancy Beaton, President of Uphold, to discuss the high stakes for banks and fintechs entering the fragmented crypto space.
She explains that younger generations demand instant, 24/7, borderless financial tools, viewing assets like Bitcoin as superior savings technology. We explore how leveraging Uphold’s compliant, battle-tested API platform allows traditional companies to move on-chain for efficiencies like instant cross-border payments, achieving speed-to-market in less than three months.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
In today's episode David is joined by founder and entrepreneur Megan Caywood Cooper.Starling Bank and Barclays veteran Megan (Forbes 30 Under 30) details banking’s shift to Agentic AI.
She explains why AI agents are moving beyond prediction to take autonomous action, becoming the "CFO in your pocket" for consumers and managing complex tasks like liquidity for banks.
We discuss the challenge of risk aversion in legacy institutions and why the people who use AI will take the jobs of those who don’t.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
The criteria for choosing a cloud partner has fundamentally changed: AI is trumping all previous discussions.
On today's podcast Google Cloud’s Chief Revenue Officer Matt Renner joins David to explain why the underlying technology is the real story in financial services.
We explore why 90-95% of early generative AI proofs of concept failed, why compliance is the primary regulatory focus for banks, and how Google Cloud is differentiating itself as a solution provider.
Download your copy of the Digital Leadership Report here
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
David is joined by three FinTech leaders to unpack the urgent themes emerging at Money20/20 in Las Vegas.
Richard Winston (Slalom), Sonya Cléroux (Interpolitan Money) and Joseph Dormani (Thomson Reuters Ventures) discuss AI governance, tokenization, and the Gen Z imperative.
The podcast delves into why building trust is central to AI adoption, requiring systems with consistent, reliable, and predictable outputs. We explore the rise of new payment rails and tokenized assets, contrasting this shift with the observation that young people are absent from the B2B conference floor.
The episode underscores the need for leaders to rethink every assumption about their business model.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
“Banking is 100% of the time business. You've got to get it right. It's got to be compliant and you have to have a sure delivery of movement of funds if that's the business that you're in.”
On today's show David talks to Global Financial Services leader Richard Winston (Slalom Consulting) to unpack a shift at Money20/20 Las Vegas, where the biggest players now hunt for payment innovation.
We dive into why banking remains a "100% business," with Richard arguing that human validation is essential because AI models still hallucinate. Richard explains how Millennials and GenZ are forcing legacy firms to digitise their experience, moving friction from the customer journey to critical regulatory checks.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
Today Openbrix founder Shahad Choudhury details his PropTech company's foundational pivot!
Originally aiming to revolutionize the rental sector with blockchain, Openbrix abandoned the tech (and the fight against giants like Rightmove) to focus on the later stages of the tenant lifecycle.
Shahad explains how this shift, coupled with a government-backed partnership, led to rapid growth (20,000 new users monthly) without spending on marketing or social activity. It's a discussion on why product focus trumps noise.
(Today's cover photo is taken from our last interview in 2021)
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
In today's show I'm chatting to a founder, board member, mentor, and fellow podcaster! Kimberley Waldron, founder of Started (the FinTech brand and PR specialists), argues that poor communication, not technology failure, is the biggest threat to FinTech adoption.
Together we unpack why the industry must shift focus from internal jargon to tangible end-user benefits. Kimberley explains that in times of economic turbulence, building trust requires authentic, sympathetic human communication.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
Co-founder of CyLon, Grace Cassy, reveals why Europe struggles to scale cyber talent and challenges the industry's focus on prevention.
She discusses the human cost of complacency and what "bouncing back" looks like practically; from immutable backups to prioritizing critical systems. A vital conversation on moving from throwing up high walls to building true organizational resilience.
We also discuss the new film Grace has contributed to Midnight in the War Room, you can watch the trailer here.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
Willem Ave, Square's Global Head of Product, joins host David Savage to discuss Square's evolution from a card reader to an ecosystem of banking and software.
Together they unpack the strategy behind bringing advanced AI tools (like virtual CFOs and CMOs) to small, independent businesses helping drive economic empowerment. Willem explains how Square balances rapid feature growth with the commitment to simple, design-led experiences that sellers can trust.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
On today's podcast Georgie Steele (CTO and Co-founder of Maven) discusses turning complex climate policy into actionable business intelligence.
She reveals how Maiven navigates resistence/indifference towards sustainability by focusing on commercial ROI and adapting to shifting local regulations. Georgie also shares insights on fostering an 'AI-first' culture, enabling non-technical teams with "vibe coding", and addresses the critical need for senior engineers to oversee emerging AI tools, which often act like "eager juniors".
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
Filmmaking is being democratised, with the barrier to entry lowered by affordable tech.
Chris Elliott, co-founder of Sound & Colour Films, explores the high-stakes trade-off: how generative AI allows in-house teams to achieve more, but simultaneously threatens to cannibalise the professional creative industry.
Ultimately, Chris argues that the enduring value lies not in the tools, but in the human fundamentals of connecting with people and telling a story.
To watch Chris, Rick and the teams work (and our latest Tech Flix film) follow this link: https://youtu.be/FQVvOMKxXJA?si=41kmJmtjsvMESX1O
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
In today's episode Adclear co-founder Joe Jordan reveals how AI is helping to automate compliance for regulated firms like Monzo and Plum.
He addresses the fundamental tension between marketing's push for speed and creativity and the crippling risks of regulatory investigations.
With David he discusses how Adclear builds deep trust, manages internal risk tolerances, and why resilience is the key soft skill needed to succeed in this high-stakes environment.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
Nicky Tozer (NetSuite SVP EMEA) joins us to discuss the "exciting evolution" of their platform and chat about how AI is moving from a vague promise to a purposeful, productivity engine.
She reveals how concentrated use cases, like the autonomous close, deliver real, tangible benefits for growing businesses.
As she chats to David, we also explore the challenge of adopting a single source of truth and why the EMEA market sees technology as a crucial growth agent, focusing on efficiency and empowering employees.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
Senior VP Brian Chess reveals NetSuite’s architectural bet with transparency in their AI: moving beyond quick wins to build trust into the core ERP system.
We explore the leadership decision to enable external models (like ChatGPT/Claude) via the AI Connector Service.
Brian also discusses the challenge of proving AI ROI to the CFO and why organizational experimentation is key in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
Cyrus Vantoch-Wood launched Insurgent to create investment-ready ventures in the regenerative space. He explains why the sustainable sector suffers from a lack of trust and political headwinds.
For Cyrus, the only solution to the climate crisis is profit. He reveals how Insurgent applies "impact design" to ensure that businesses (even those operating in unusual verticals, like death) can meet the needs of the planet and the demands of the market.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com
Founder Matthew Jones discusses Haven, a crypto security solution using continuous facial recognition to eliminate passwords and identifiers.
Matthew explains how tackling the UK's staggering $3.8 billion crypto fraud requires taking away the data points fraudsters seek, because data is the "center of breach".
This episode explores the tension between crypto anonymity and verified ownership, revealing why continuous biometrics is the future of theft-proof custody.
Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at www.nashsquared.com
The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: www.lemzi.com