Jaime Montgomery on Why AI Applications Will Power the Next Wave of Venture Returns
What if the most defensible companies of the AI era aren’t the ones building the infrastructure—but the ones using it to rethink workflows?
In this Technoventure episode, Peter High speaks with Jaime Montgomery, Founder and Managing Partner of March Capital, about why the firm is investing heavily in the AI application layer—not chips, not clouds, but the companies delivering real task-based outcomes.
Key topics explored:
Why workflow-based moats beat data moats in the new venture cycle
How application-layer companies are scaling faster with leaner GTM
The ripple effects of AI CapEx on the U.S. economy and tax base
March Capital’s bets on open-source LLMs and scientific discovery
Why Montgomery believes AI “bailed out” the U.S. and VC industry alike
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58:53
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58:53
Madhu Ramamurthy on Balancing AI Innovation With Responsible Governance
What’s stopping AI from scaling across the enterprise? For Madhu Ramamurthy, CIO of Zurich North America, it’s not the technology. It’s the culture.
In this episode, Madhu shares how he’s navigating the paradox of AI: a tool with unprecedented potential, surrounded by institutional resistance, unclear regulations, and cultural misalignment. He outlines Zurich’s approach to responsible AI deployment, organizational change, and ethical tech use.
Key highlights include:
How “organizational antibodies” can kill innovation before it scales
The case for explainability and governance in AI development
Why domain expertise is more valuable than tech fluency
Building AI-native teams outside of legacy systems
Madhu’s warning on digital flattery and sycophantic AI
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35:11
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35:11
Inside General Mills’ AI Playbook: Clean Data, Cloud Speed, and Business Trust
What does it really take to scale AI across a global enterprise?
In this episode, Jaime Montemayor, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at General Mills, shares the AI playbook behind the company’s digital transformation from foundational investments in cloud and data governance to business-led innovation across supply chain, e-commerce, and marketing.
With 96% of General Mills’ supply chain data now clean and governed, Jaime’s team is shifting from predictive analytics to agentic architectures that enable scalable, AI-powered automation.
Key insights include:
Why cloud migration came before ERP modernization
How trust and business integration drive AI adoption
Building a connected data foundation to serve every segment
Agentic AI use cases in supply chain and marketing
Org design strategies to “lift and shift” innovation at scale
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37:02
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37:02
From Bottleneck to Accelerator: How NiSource’s CIO Repositioned IT as a Growth Engine
What does it take to transform IT from a bottleneck into a business accelerator?
In this episode, Waco Bankston, Chief Information Officer at NiSource, shares how he’s repositioning the IT organization to support growth, enable speed, and shift decades of technical and cultural inertia. Leading a 6.5-year enterprise transformation effort, Waco discusses the discipline required to modernize legacy systems while instilling a new execution culture.
Key insights from the episode include:
Building a modern tech foundation to support future acquisitions
Restructuring outsourced/insourced IT mix through platform consolidation
Shaping team behavior through leadership-by-experience
Establishing unified governance across AI, cybersecurity, and innovation
Leading with operational safety and customer-back design
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27:03
How Unum’s CTO Reimagined the Enterprise with a Digital-First Architecture
What does it take to reimagine a 10,000-employee enterprise for a digital-first future?
In this episode, Unum CTO Gautam Roy breaks down how he transformed the company’s operating model, culture, and technology foundation by reshaping experiences from the customer backward.
Gautam shares how Unum evolved from applications to journeys to value streams; how AI, data, and automation have become levers for acceleration; and how innovation culture and continuous learning drive enterprise adaptability.
Highlights:
Unum’s shift to digital-first architecture and “moments that matter”
How AI, data, and automation remove friction across operations
Building predictive, proactive technology employee experience
Creating safe spaces and recognition models for innovation
Developing a future-focused, cross-functional learning culture
Over Technovation with Peter High (CIO, CTO, CDO, CXO Interviews)
Twice-weekly conversations with top executives and thought leaders at the intersection of business, technology, and innovation. Each episode of Technovation explores the technology trends that are transforming business, and the leaders driving digital change inside their organizations. Produced by Metis Strategy and hosted by firm President Peter High, Technovation is the premier podcast for IT and technology professionals with the largest collection of interviews with elite CIOs, CTOs, and CDOs.
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