From Cables to Cloud: Floyd Auten’s Top Tech Journey of Innovation
Release Date: 04/16/2025
From Failed Kickstarter to Exit with ShredLights’ Eric Birkemeier
Tacos and Tech Podcast
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom sits down with , founder of ShredLights and now part of Meepo Electric Skateboards. Eric’s story is a wild ride - from 3D-printing in the SDSU ZIP Launchpad and selling Jordans out of thrift stores, to building a niche hardware company and ultimately exiting to a global electric skateboard brand. They unpack how Eric turned an early failed Kickstarter into a business with over $1M+ in revenue (with zero ad spend!), the importance of discovering product-market fit through real customer feedback, and the emotional rollercoaster...
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The Return of a North County Builder
Tacos and Tech Podcast
This week on Tacos & Tech, Neal sits down with Drew Wilson, longtime North County founder, designer, engineer, and community builder. From launching products solo to landing a GoDaddy acquisition, Drew’s track record speaks for itself. Now he’s back with a new company, Opacity, and relaunching his beloved creative conference, ValioCon, right in the heart of Oceanside. In this episode, Drew shares his journey from early design days and Flash websites to building Plasso, navigating acquisition, and diving headfirst into GenAI-powered product development. He also gives us...
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This Week in San Diego Tech – Aug 22, 2025
Tacos and Tech Podcast
Listen & subscribe on , , , and Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m from , building and investing in community. My co-host in this episode is , journalist and author of 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...
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Investing in the Freedom Stack with Larsen Jensen of Harpoon Ventures
Tacos and Tech Podcast
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, Neal Bloom sits down with former Olympian, Navy SEAL, and now Managing Partner of Harpoon Ventures, an early-stage venture firm backing founders building in the national interest. Larsen shares the journey from serving Team USA to launching a venture fund focused on what he calls the Freedom Stack - critical technologies like AI, autonomy, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing that shape not just industry, but national security and global stability. They explore how Harpoon was early to the intersection of tech and geopolitics, why San...
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This Week in San Diego Tech – Aug 15, 2025
Tacos and Tech Podcast
Listen & subscribe on , , , and Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m from and the . My co-host in this episode is , journalist and author of 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! Aug 15 ...
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Why Gemist Is Betting Big on Customization, AI, and Scalable Design
Tacos and Tech Podcast
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, Neal Bloom sits down with Madeline Fraser, the dynamic founder and CEO of Gemist, a B2B SaaS and AI company revolutionizing the jewelry industry. Madeline shares how a frustrating search for a custom engagement ring sparked the idea for Gemist, which now powers customization, stone sourcing, and hyper-realistic rendering for jewelry brands and retailers. With deep product insight and two previous startups under her belt - including an appearance on Shark Tank and an exit into the gaming space - Madeline unpacks how her creative background and...
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This Week in San Diego Tech – Aug 8, 2025
Tacos and Tech Podcast
Listen & subscribe on , , , and Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m from and the . My co-host in this episode is , journalist and author of 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! August 8...
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Live from the Innovation Stage: Burbank Startup Pitch Fest 2025
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In this special episode of the podcast, host Neal Bloom takes us inside the Burbank Startup Pitch Fest - an exciting evening of innovation, capital, and community hosted in partnership with the City of Burbank and Rising Tide Partners. We kick things off with a welcome from Burbank’s Economic Development team, highlighting why the city is fast becoming a tech and media hub. Neal then moderates a candid conversation with early-stage investors Amy Harmon (Innovent Capital) and Ben Kahan (Pegasus Angel Accelerator) about today’s venture landscape - from what they look for in a pre-seed deal...
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How Puesto Built a Taco Empire by Blending Tradition, Tech, and Family Roots
Tacos and Tech Podcast
In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom sits down with Alex Adler, co-founder of Puesto, to talk about how a family with no restaurant background built one of the most beloved modern taco brands in the country. From its La Jolla beginnings to an expanding restaurant group that includes Marisi and Romana Norte, Puesto has grown through a mix of culinary authenticity, operational innovation, and cultural conviction. Alex shares the origin story of Puesto, early pivots that reshaped their entire concept, how Toast and DoorDash changed the game for their operations, and...
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This Week in San Diego Tech – July 19, 2025
Tacos and Tech Podcast
Listen & subscribe on , , , and Welcome everyone to the weekly San Diego Tech News! I’m from and the . My co-host in this episode is , journalist and author of 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...
info_outlineHow a third-generation builder turned a storage-unit startup into a national infrastructure powerhouse—and what’s next for tech’s invisible backbone.
Floyd Auten, COO and co-founder of TechNet Partners, joins Neal for an episode that digs deep into the literal and figurative foundations of tech. From punchdowns in high school to powering stadiums and data centers across the country, Floyd shares how his family legacy in electrical work turned into a career designing the infrastructure that keeps the digital world running.
They talk about life safety systems, the rise of AI tools in design, the Padres’ Wi-Fi network, and how Floyd’s team at TechNet is scaling services across all 50 states.
Floyd also shares what it meant to win the Top Tech Award in 2024—and why he’s excited to help spotlight other behind-the-scenes innovators this year.
🔑 Key Takeaways & Timestamps:
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[2:00] Floyd’s start: lessons from his grandfather’s Navy electrician days
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[5:30] How TechNet grew from a storage-unit office to 300+ employees
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[9:00] Life safety tech: upgrading USC’s 911 system and keeping infrastructure resilient
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[12:30] Data center growth + designing for sustainability
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[17:00] From Padres Wi-Fi to MLB partnerships and stadium-scale solutions
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[21:00] Floyd’s long-running partnership with Cox Business
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[26:30] Winning a Top Tech Award and inspiring the next wave of tech leaders
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[29:00] Advice for founders and future tech leaders: love the work, and find mentors
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[33:00] 🌮 Taco Talk: Floyd’s go-to spot is TJ Tacos in Escondido
🏆 Top Tech Awards:
Floyd was recognized at the 2024 Top Tech Awards - and now he’s helping select the next generation of unsung tech heroes.
👉 Know someone making tech magic happen behind the scenes?
Nominations are now open for the 2025 Top Tech Awards!
Submit yours before May 2 at toptechawards.com
🔗 Links:
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Floyd Auten on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/floyd-auten-rcdd-364a4410
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TechNet Partners: technetpartners.com
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Top Tech Awards Nomination: toptechawards.com
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TJ Tacos: Yelp link