3233: Inside Xsolla ZK and the Future of Blockchain Gaming
Release Date: 04/06/2025
3249: Atlassian: Rovo, ROI, and the Rise of the AI-Powered Workforce
Tech Talks Daily
In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, recorded live at Team '25 in Anaheim, I sit down with Jamil Valliani, Head of AI Products at Atlassian, to unpack the momentum behind Rovo, Atlassian’s bold move to reimagine collaboration through generative AI. But this conversation goes far beyond product features. It offers a glimpse into how AI is reshaping teamwork, decision-making, and even company culture. Jamil explains how Rovo brings together enterprise-grade search, secure contextual chat, and a new Agent Studio designed to help anyone, from engineers to HR teams, build their own AI teammates....
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3248: Atlassian - When AI Becomes a Teammate, Not Just a Tool
Tech Talks Daily
What does it take to lead with empathy in a world where AI transforms our work? In this episode, I sit down with Avani Prabhakar, Atlassian's Chief People Officer, to discuss how the company is creating a people-first culture while embracing rapid innovation. Avani shares how Atlassian is approaching AI not just as a technology shift, but as a mindset shift. When teams see AI as a collaborator instead of a task bot, 90 percent say it improves the quality of their work. That’s not a statistic about productivity. It’s a signal that mindset makes a measurable difference. We explore how...
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3247: Atlassian’s Sanchan Saxena Talks ROI, AI, and the Future of Teamwork
Tech Talks Daily
What happens when tools like Jira, Confluence, Loom, and AI-powered agents come together under one unified strategy? At Team 25 in Anaheim, I sat down with Sanchan Saxena, Atlassian’s Head of Product for Work Management, to explore the company’s new Teamwork Collection and what it means for the evolving nature of collaboration. With leadership experience at Coinbase, Airbnb, Instagram, and Microsoft, Sanchan brings a pragmatic lens to building products that meet teams where they are. In our conversation, we unpack the thinking behind the Teamwork Collection, a curated set of Atlassian...
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3246: Why Most Startups Fail and What to Do Differently with Tekyz Inc.
Tech Talks Daily
What does it really take to build a software startup that doesn’t crash before it can fly? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sit down with David Hirschfeld, founder of Tekyz Inc., a software veteran who’s spent over 35 years working across more than 90 startups. From his early days studying physics at UCLA to becoming the top national salesperson at Computer Associates, and later founding and selling his own successful software company, David has seen the full arc of startup life—success, failure, and the lessons in between. In our conversation, David unpacks the patterns he’s...
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3245: How Trello is Tackling Task Overload with AI and Design Thinking
Tech Talks Daily
What happens when one of the world’s most loved productivity tools decides to reinvent itself for the age of AI? At Team 25 in Anaheim, I sat down with Gaurav Kataria, Head of Product for Trello at Atlassian, to unpack the biggest release in Trello’s history and what it means for individuals and teams navigating the chaos of modern work. Gaurav describes the new Trello as “an AI-powered to-do list,” built not to replace project management tools like Jira but to complement them—especially for those personal tasks, scattered action items, and mental notes that get lost in a sea of...
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3244: From Mainframes to AI: Paula Paul on Building Software That Lasts
Tech Talks Daily
What happens when four decades of hands-on engineering experience meet today’s fast-moving AI and open-source ecosystem? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sit down with Paula Paul, Founder and Distinguished Engineer at Greyshore, to explore that intersection. Paula began her tech career in the early 1980s writing code for IBM mainframes and has since become a trusted voice in enterprise modernization, cloud adoption, and open-source governance. Today, she advises organizations on how to build with confidence in an era defined by complex software supply chains, generative AI, and...
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3243: How Atlassian CTO Turned Developer Joy Into a Performance Metric
Tech Talks Daily
What does it really mean to build software with joy? At the Team 25 event in Anaheim, I had the opportunity to sit down with Rajeev Rajan, CTO of Atlassian, to explore how one of the world’s most influential engineering organizations is redefining developer experience from the ground up. Rajeev shares how developer joy became a guiding principle for Atlassian, not as a feel-good initiative but as a core driver of performance and innovation. Rather than focusing solely on velocity or throughput, Atlassian measured how productive developers felt in their codebases. That metric has now improved...
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3242: L.E.K. Consulting on Using AI to Balance Speed, Risk, and Growth
Tech Talks Daily
What if most product launches fail not because of bad ideas—but because of broken processes? In today’s episode of Tech Talks Daily, I’m joined by Stuart Jackson, Vice Chair of L.E.K. Consulting and co-author of the forthcoming book Predictable Winners (Stanford University Press, 2025). Stuart brings nearly four decades of experience in strategic growth and innovation, and his insights offer a much-needed reframe for businesses navigating the high-stakes world of new product and service development. We sat down to explore a topic many leaders shy away from: why 70–90% of product...
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3241: Transparency, Trust, and AI: Atlassian’s Legal Framework in Action
Tech Talks Daily
At Team '25 in Anaheim, I had the unique opportunity to sit down with Stan Shepard, General Counsel at Atlassian, for a conversation that pulled back the curtain on how legal and technology are intersecting in the age of AI. Stan’s journey from journalism to law to shaping legal operations at one of the world’s most forward-thinking companies is as fascinating as it is relevant. What emerged from our discussion is a clear signal that legal teams are no longer trailing behind innovation—they’re often at the front of it. Stan shared how Atlassian’s legal function achieved 85 percent...
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3240: How Storadera Is Simplifying S3-Compatible Cloud Storage
Tech Talks Daily
What if cloud storage could be simple, transparent, and genuinely affordable? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sit down with Tommi Kannisto, founder of Storadera a company based in Estonia that's redefining the way businesses approach object storage. I first met Tommi during the IT Press Tour in London, where Storadera's fresh perspective on S3-compatible cloud storage stood out for all the right reasons. In our conversation, Tommi shares the journey behind building a hyper-converged cloud storage platform that challenges conventional thinking. From eliminating hidden fees to maximizing...
info_outlineI sit down with Chris Hewish, Chief Strategy and Communications Officer at Xsolla, and Lee Jacobson, Senior Vice President of Business Development for Web3 at the same company. Together, they share how Xsolla is helping game developers adapt to the rapidly shifting digital economy by bridging blockchain innovation with proven business models in the gaming world.
Xsolla is no stranger to transformation. With over two decades of experience and more than 2,500 games monetized through its platform, the company is once again stepping into a leadership role—this time at the intersection of Web3 and gaming commerce.
One of the headline announcements we discuss is the launch of Xsolla ZK, a new blockchain-powered solution built on ZKsync technology. It’s designed to scale Web3 experiences in a way that’s secure, accessible, and meaningful for developers and players alike.
We explore the "digital backpack" concept that sits at the core of this initiative. This isn't just a marketing buzzword—it’s a player-owned inventory system that gives gamers real control over their in-game assets. Whether it's transferring gear between games or monetizing collectibles in ways previously restricted by walled gardens, this feature signals a shift toward deeper engagement and lasting value.
Chris and Lee also offer a behind-the-scenes look at how direct-to-consumer models like Xsolla’s Web Shop are unlocking new revenue channels for developers. With a fee structure significantly lower than traditional app stores and tools for customized experiences, these platforms are helping studios build stronger relationships with their communities while boosting margins.
Security, transparency, and compliance remain central to the conversation, especially as blockchain adoption grows. We also touch on identity protection through zero-knowledge proofs and what interoperability might look like in a future where players and creators collaborate across an increasingly open ecosystem.
From creator monetization to the evolution of in-game economies, this episode is a must-listen for anyone watching the convergence of Web3, blockchain, and gaming.