Tacos And Tech Podcast

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 to how AI and founder-market fit are shaping startup success. Then, five founders take the stage to pitch their startups: KATSHID: A frictionless, passwordless biometric identity platform Geri Gadgets: Sensory tools supporting cognitive wellness in dementia and neurodivergent populations Blip Industries: Drone-powered logistics, imaging, and defense systems Health-e-Habits: Digital wellness programming helping familie