Shows
EOLessons from investing in 1000 startupsㅣSaeed Amidi & Alireza Masrour at Plug and Play | EOLessons from investing in 1000 startupsㅣSaeed Amidi & Alireza Masrour at Plug and Play
In this video, you will learn about the remarkable success story of Saeed Amidi, Plug and Play's CEO, a wellknown Silicon Valley accelerator. Along with him is Alireza Masrour, the general partner at Plug and Play.Plug and Play has emerged as one of the most active and successful accelerators, setting itself apart from competitors by serving as an open innovation bridge between large corporations and earlystage startups.0:00 Intro
1:18 A rich family that fell apart
04:18 Plug and Play's Investment Philosophy
10:23 Thoughts on mo...
2025-10-1818 min
Founders in FocusThe Founder Mindset: Why Obsession, Flexibility, and Resilience Matter More Than You ThinkMeet the innovators behind Pointer Health, ChemCode, and Green-On—three startups currently involved in the Plug and Play AgTech and Animal Health accelerator program based out of Topeka, Kan. Anna Agnello of Pointer Health is building an AI platform that predicts over 170 diseases in dogs with 96% accuracy; Selçuk Uğurlu of ChemCode makes lab-quality mycotoxin testing as simple as brewing coffee; and Annette Graneli of Green-On is bypassing agriculture completely by making fats and oils from electricity, water, and CO2. From predicting disease in dogs to detecting toxins in food to creating sustainable ingredients from thin air, these foun...
2025-10-1546 minFounders in FocusThree Founders, Two Truths, One Lie: The Future You Didn't See ComingMeet the innovators behind Pointer Health, ChemCode, and Green-On—three startups currently involved in the Plug and Play AgTech and Animal Health accelerator program based out of Topeka, Kan. Anna Agnello of Pointer Health is building an AI platform that predicts over 170 diseases in dogs with 96% accuracy; Selçuk Uğurlu of ChemCode makes lab-quality mycotoxin testing as simple as brewing coffee; and Annette Graneli of Green-On is bypassing agriculture completely by making fats and oils from electricity, water, and CO2. From predicting disease in dogs to detecting toxins in food to creating sustainable ingredients from thin air, these foun...
2025-09-1749 min
Founders' BackpackCleantech Open Accelerator: What You Need to KnowIn this episode of Founders’ Backpack, we dive into the Cleantech Open Accelerator — the world’s largest program for cleantech startups. With over 2,100 alumni and $3B raised, Cleantech Open offers early-stage founders hands-on training, expert mentorship, and access to top investors. Whether you're building in energy, transportation, water, or sustainable materials, this program could be a game-changer.We break down who should apply, what to expect, how the funding works, and tips for standing out in the application process. If you’re building a climate tech startup and want to scale fast, this episode is packed w...
2025-05-0604 min
Inside INdiana Business Television PodcastPlug and Play Grows, Big Pharma Bets, and Mellencamp WhiskeyIn this episode of Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick, global innovation arrives in a bigger way in Indiana. Silicon Valley-based Plug and Play is expanding to the new IU Launch Accelerator at 16 Tech, aiming to recruit and grow life sciences startups in Indianapolis and connect them with Warsaw’s growing medtech hub. CEO Saeed Amidi says Indiana’s combination of university talent and global companies like Eli Lilly makes it a powerful new frontier for innovation.
Plus:
How the new IU Health incubator at 16 Tech could transform Indianapolis into a national player in biosciences.
...
2025-04-2724 min
Barking MadFrom Seed to Success: How Saeed Amidi Built an Entrepreneurial Engine in Silicon ValleyEver wondered how startups turn bold ideas into industry-shaping innovations? In this episode, we team up with Plug and Play, a global accelerator powerhouse, to uncover the secrets behind their success in driving breakthroughs across agricultural technology, animal health, and beyond. Hear from visionary founder Saeed Amidi, the Plug and Play Topeka team, and trailblazing entrepreneur Rich Kelleman as they share how Plug and Play transforms ambitious dreams into thriving businesses. Plus, stick around for an exciting announcement about how this collaboration will continue in 2025! Helpful LinksLearn more about Plug and Play: https://www.p...
2024-12-1852 min
MooveMoove | Alle setzen auf KI - aber wann platzt die Blase?Saeed Amini von Plug & Play im New Mobility Podcast von auto motor und sport
Auto-Design mit Chat GPT. Verbrauchsberechnung mit einem KI-Algorithmus. Verbresserte Produktionsabläufe durch künstliche Intelligenz. Die Meldungen der Autobauer vom Einsatz von KI gehen längst über die Sprachassistenten im Auto hinaus. Denn die Hersteller, aber auch jede Menge Start-ups arbeiten an allen Ecken und Enden an Ideen zum Einsatz von KI.
Saeed Amini, der Gründer der Start-up-Plattform Plug & Play, sieht viele Potenziale im Einsatz von KI - vor allem für die Automobilindustrie. Seine Firma bringt nicht nur die Gründer mit gro...
2024-06-2129 min
The BetterYou PodcastSaeed Amidi - Founder & CEO, Plug and Play Tech CenterWhen Saeed Amidi was 19, he was forced to abandon the self-described spoiled childhood he had gotten used to. What followed was lesson after lesson in what he calls "hard work and priorities."Oh, and buying a little building at 165 University Avenue that has housed Google, Paypal, and more juggernauts. Pretty lucky, right?
2024-04-1633 min
Made IT - Storie Italiane di SuccessoInvestor Series #1: Alla Scoperta di Plug and Play con Borja Aznar, Managing Director Italia (EN)Benvenuti nella nostra nuova rubrica: Investor Series. Ogni mese vi porteremo un’intervista esclusiva con le figure principali dei piu grandi fondi di venture capital italiani e internazionali, ma anche di acceleratori, incubatori e club di angel investors.
Abbiamo deciso di lanciare questa nuova rubrica per farvi conoscere tutti i principali players di questo settore e portarvi dietro le quinte per scoprire quali sono le loro tesi di investimento, che tipo di founders e di startup cercano.
In questo primo episodio della serie vi presentiamo Plug and Play.
Per chi non conoscesse, Plug and...
2024-02-1523 min
Somi Arian Podcast#141 - Saeed Amidi - Saudi Arabia: The New Tech HubToday’s episode is a very special one. I sat down in person with Saeed Amidi, the Founder and CEO of Plug & Play. This is a global open innovation platform with a unique business model. I’ve been watching, learning, and taking inspiration from Plug and Play as I build the InPeak Network.
Saeed and I spoke about my upcoming documentary, centred around Saudi Arabia’s tech emergence. Saeed’s journey in Silicon Valley is both inspiring and intriguing and stands as a testament to being in the right place at the right time and dreaming big. With Sau...
2023-12-1238 min
Liftoff with Keith Newman: For Founders looking for a new growth playbook and further inspiration.Saeed AmidiThe Look Back welcomes the head of Plug and Play, Saeed Amidi, who takes us thru the 20+ year evolution and the new model @ PnP as an innovation platform. The VC firm-incubator with major companies and sponsors has touched 50,000 startups, 500+ world-leading corporations, and hundreds of venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies across multiple industries. Learn from the man himself how to climb aboard this rocket ship and leverage its power platform.
2023-11-1427 min
Innovation UnderCoverEpisode 21 - Uniting People for Success - Dominique Reese - Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Plug and Play Tech Center & Laura Miller- VP of Customer Success & VoxelInnovation Undercover loved chatting with Dominique Reese, Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Plug and Play Tech Center & Laura Miller, VP of Customer Success at Voxel. Plug and Play Tech Center is one of the most prominent venture capitalists in Silicon Valley and the world’s largest innovation platform.
According to Pew Research Center, most of the ethnic workforce other than Asians are underrepresented in the STEM industries, except for Asians. The share of Black employees in tech industries was 9%, and Hispanics were at 8%. Gender inequality also persists even among white workers. White females annually earn $30 000 less...
2023-05-2240 min
The Logistics of LogisticsSilicon Valley in a Box with Mike ZayoncMike Zayonc and Joe Lynch discuss Silicon Valley in a box, a nickname for Plug and Play Ventures, a global startup accelerator and venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley, California. Mike is a Partner at Plug and Play where he founded the firm's $25.5M Supply Chain Fund and Supply Chain accelerator program. About Mike Zayonc Mike Zayonc is a Partner at Plug and Play where he founded the firm's $25.5M Supply Chain Fund as well as the Supply Chain accelerators based in Silicon Valley, Savannah, Toronto, Northwest Arkansas, Hamburg, and Shanghai in partnership with 60+ corporate partners...
2023-05-0557 min
Entrepreneurs UnraveledEP.4 Expert Advice for Startup Entrepreneurs | Plug and Play CEO, Saeed AmidiSaeed Amidi is the CEO of Plug & Play, a venture capital firm that has invested in over 1000 startups. Saeed Amidi gives advice to entrepreneurs on perfecting elevator pitches, and talks about money's true meaning.
(01:41) "You should know Better than the Investors"
(04:01) How to Impress Investors in 3 Minutes
(09:52) "I Enjoy Making Money"
2023-04-2713 min
Entrepreneurs UnraveledEP.3 What I learned after investing in 1000 Startups | Plug and Play CEO, Saeed AmidiSaeed Amidi is the CEO of Plug & Play, a venture capital firm that has invested in over 1000 startups. Amidi is renowned for his ownership of the so called "Lucky Building", building at 165 University Avenue, which has housed many of Silicon Valley's top startups. This prime location allowed Amidi to become an early-stage investor in tech giants like Google and PayPal.
(00:00) Intro
(02:02) Life before Plug and Play
(03:41) Bottled Water business
(04:58) Real estate business
(06:18) Early investment in Google and Paypal
(08:02) Investment tips on startups
(11:24...
2023-04-2520 min
IMDaily - Innovate Marketing DailyPlug and Play Launches New Office in Arizona with the Arizona Commerce AuthorityGlobal Innovation Platform, Plug and Play, opens its latest office in Phoenix, Arizona, with the Arizona Commerce Authority. Plug and Play chose #Arizona for its newest location due to its robust #startup community, leading companies across targeted industries, and close collaboration among startups, industry, government, and education that fosters innovation and future growth. This location will focus on Advanced Manufacturing."I'm incredibly excited to launch Plug and Play Arizona and help accelerate the next generation of entrepreneurs in the Grand Canyon State," said Saeed Amidi, Founder and CEO of Plug and Play.Sandra Watson, President and...
2023-03-1604 min
Design Talk (dot IE)0180 - Growing an Innovation Ecosystem with Chris CurranHosts: Aditya Devulapalli and Mohamed Danish We are very pleased to welcome Chris Curran.First, Chris, could you give sketch of your career thus far to begin?1. It must be difficult to discover innovations and generate change in an established industry. What lessons have you learnt along the way?2. Let’s talk about the idea of innovation ecosystems…3. What advantages does Ireland offer?4. What do established companies get by mixing with startups?5. How do startups gain by mixing with established companies?6. Have you seen spinouts from internal projects...
2023-02-1634 min
My FX BuddiesThe Iraqi Parliament completes the cabinet of the Sudanese government by granting confidence to two ministersThe Iraqi Parliament completes the cabinet of the Sudanese government by granting confidence to two ministers
link My FX Buddies Blog
The Iraqi Parliament voted, today, Saturday, to grant confidence to the Minister of Construction, Housing, Municipalities and Public Works, Bankin Abdullah Rikani, and to the Minister of Environment, Nizar Muhammad Saeed Amidi.
Shafaq News agency reporter said that the parliament held its session headed by Muhammad al-Halbousi, Speaker of Parliament, after the completion of the legal quorum, in the presence of 208 members.
A statement issued by the Media Department of th...
2022-12-0421 min
The Bentonville BeaconAttracting Supply Chain and Innovation Startups from Around the World to Bentonville with Josh SaffranSummaryOn this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell sits down with Joshua Saffran, Director of Plug and Play Northwest Arkansas. Plug and Play is an open innovation platform that connects its corporate partners with startups to fill needs and drive innovation forward. Originally based in Silicon Valley, Plug and Play added a hub in Northwest Arkansas to serve its corporate partners in the region, as well as mine for new, innovative startups in the area. Throughout the episode, James and Joshua discuss Plug and Play, Bentonville’s value to businesses, and how startups can st...
2022-11-0425 min
Collisions YYCCurrent & Critical - Lindsay Smylie, Plug and Play AlbertaIn 1996, Plug and Play Tech Center founder Saeed Amidi was busy investing in successful companies like Logitech and PayPal. After realizing the potential for profit in this space, he shifted his focus to supporting start-ups in finding the right companies and investors. Today, with 52 locations worldwide, Plug and Play Tech Center is creating a significant impact through collaboration, networking and investments. The government of Alberta recognizes that by elevating local start-ups to the global stage alongside organizations like Plug and Play, we can elevate our start-up community and attract new companies, people, investment dollars and opportunities that can transform...
2022-09-2740 min
LA VentureSaeed Amidi -- Plug and PlaySaeed Amidi is the CEO and founder of Plug and Play. Plug and Play connects startups with corporate partners and is one of the most active investors in the world with about 250 investments per year and over 2000 startups going through one of their programs every year.
2021-12-0829 min
CTO Confessions Brought to you by IT LabsEpisode 86: Empowering Greatness in the World of Tech with Saeed AmidiWe all dream of finding the next big thing in tech, and some of us may remember coming into contact with some of the biggest tech companies in the world before they made it big – but how about being there and contributing to the formation of some of the biggest brands? That’s a blessing, a privilege only a few have enjoyed, but we got one of these few here on our podcast – meet Saeed Amidi, the CEO of Plug and Play, the world’s largest early-stage investor and business accelerator, a company which invested early in brands like Google, PayPal...
2021-11-1857 min
Made IT - Storie Italiane di Successo#47 Il prossimo unicorno italiano con Giovanni Cavallo, CEO & Co-Founder MacaiMacai consegna una spesa completa in 15 minuti.
Le ambizioni di Giovanni per Macai non hanno limiti. In questa intervista capiremo cosa vuol dire fondare un’azienda con l’idea di “go big or go home”. Giovanni inizia il suo percorso imprenditoriale fondando Sgnam, un servizio di food delivery, a 19 anni. E dopo una exit di successo, lavora da pochi mesi al progetto di Macai che però sta già raggiungendo grandi obiettivi e suscitando parecchio interesse. Macai vuole essere il primo supermercato in Italia capace di consegnare una spesa completa in pochi minuti.
Giovanni ha già portato a bordo di Macai persone con...
2021-10-1139 min
Get Plugged InInsurTech Collaboration with Plug and PlayPlug and Play Tech Center's CEO Saeed Amidi and Desiree Wagner, Senior Partner Success Manager, discuss the origin of this start-up accelerator with Robert Eaton, FSA, MAAA. They discuss collaborations between large insurance companies and start-ups, effects of the pandemic on their business model, and the benefits actuaries provide to InsurTech start-ups.
2021-03-0933 min
Global ThinkingThe Power of Narratives for StartupsIn the fifth episode, our host Dominic Laurie is joined by Saeed Amidi, CEO & Founder of Plug and Play, who shares his insights from Silicon Valley’s start-up ecosystem. While most industries have come to a standstill in recent months, demand for digital companies’ offerings has skyrocketed in recent months. But what really sets successful founders apart? And what distinguishes a winning narrative from a good narrative? Join Dominic Laurie and Saeed Amidi, as they discuss the power of narratives, the impact of COVID-19 on Silicon Valley, and the single most important trait in founders.
2020-08-2813 min
Voice of FinTech®Plug and Play, a VC and corporate innovation program, whose CEO is an early backer of PayPal, explainedArianna Elena Maschietto, Corporate Partnerships & Program Manager at Plug and Play Tech Center in Milan, Italy and Gabrielle Inzirillo, Director, Fintech (EMEA) at Plug And Play Ventures in Paris, France. Plug and Play Tech Center is an early-stage investor, accelerator and corporate innovation platform with global headquarters in Sunnyvale, California in Silicon Valley.We talk about: Gabrielle's and Arianna's journeys to their current rolesPlug and Play origins - landlords to PayPal:Plug and Play chief executive Saeed Amidi got his start 15 years ago when he was trying to rent some real estate. Amidi a...
2020-08-1829 min
Bits & Pretzels PodcastBits & Pretzels #14 A Silicon Valley's top investor's view on the Corona crisisValley VC Saeed Amidi, CEO & founder of Plug & Play, about how founders should tackle the Corona crisis
Saeed Amidi, CEO and founder of Plug & Play, a leading international accelerator, shares a surprising positive perspective on the ongoing economic downturn caused by the Corona crisis.
Amidi, who heads work with 400 companies and more than 10 000 startups worldwide out of Sunnyvale, explains why now's the time to develop better products and better companies and how founders should push through the crisis, specifically because everybody does work from home (WFH) now: "I believe in hard work and I think right now...
2020-03-1833 min
The Times Tech PodcastPlug and Play's Saeed Amidi: "We invest a little money, then pray a lot"The Sunday Times’ tech correspondent Danny Fortson brings on Saeed Amidi, founder of Plug and Play, one of the world’s largest startup accelerators, to talk about how he invests in 150 companies each year (2:50), chickening out of an Airbnb investment (4:10), arriving from Iran (7:50), starting a bottled water company (9:00), becoming an angel investor (11:40), investing in Google when it was just three people (12:45), his $100m payday from Dropbox (14:30), backing Peter Thiel at Paypal (16:05), investing judo (17:20), why accelerators help (20:30), his London plans (22:50), trying to find the Uber of insurance (25:30), the problem with tech tourism (28:40), on whether unicorns face extinction (32:05), if the Silicon Valley mode...
2017-09-1639 min