When a ship needs to reroute around the Strait of Hormuz, when forecasters try to predict short and long-term weather, or when scientists model the impacts of a changing climate, it all comes down to ocean data. Yet the ocean remains one of the most undermeasured environments on Earth. In this episode, Chuck Templeton sits down with Tim Janssen, co-founder and CEO of Sofar Ocean, to explore why real-time ocean intelligence is one of the most consequential unsolved problems of our time, and how companies like Sofar are finally moving the needle at scale. Tim breaks down how Sofar's network of sensor-loaded buoys is helping to close the ocean data gap, why AI is making that data exponentially more valuable, and how shipping giants are already using Sofar's Wayfinder platform to optimize routes, cut emissions, and respond in real time to disruptions happening right now.

Chapters: 

5:10 — The Compounding Cost of Not Measuring

7:40 — What to Measure and Why: Waves, Wind, and Beyond

10:10 — Turning Ocean Data Into Products People Actually Use

11:30 — Wayfinder: Google Maps for the High Seas

15:30 — Geopolitical Disruption: Hormuz, Suez, and Real-Time Rerouting

19:40 — Spotter Scout: The Ocean's New Autonomous Eye

26:10 — Why AI Makes Ocean Data More Valuable, Not Just Cheaper

32:20 — The Holy Grail: Ocean Intelligence at Atmospheric Scale

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

American farming is under real pressure. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sent synthetic fertilizer prices spiking, and 70% of US farmers say they can't afford the inputs they need for this planting season. But this isn't just a recent shock. Farm margins have been shrinking for years, and the US has lost almost 150,000 farms in the last five years alone. The commodity model that defined American agriculture for decades simply wasn't built for the volatility we're living through now.

In this episode, Justin Bruch, CEO of Clear Frontier, and Iowa farmer Bryce Irlbeck join Sanjeev Krishnan to make the case that this moment of disruption is also an opportunity for farmers willing to rethink how they operate and for investors paying attention. They explain why the shift toward organic and regenerative farming isn't just an environmental story but also a financial one, and why soil health is a surprisingly important factor in the long-term value of farmland as an asset. If you've never thought seriously about farmland as part of a diversified portfolio, this conversation will change that.

Chapters

07:20 The Super Cycles That Shaped American Ag 

10:20 How Policy Locked Farmers Into Corn & Soybeans 

11:30 Is the Commodity Model Breaking Down? 

15:30 A Vision for the Next 30 Years 

24:10 Farmland as a Diversifier Asset Class 

28:30 Soil Health as the New Value Driver 

31:10 Capital in Rural America 

36:00 What Does "Regenerative" Actually Mean? 

40:20 Anti-Fragility & the Strait of Hormuz

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

This episode will change the way you see American manufacturing and showcase why it's both more vulnerable and more adaptable than you may think. Saman Farid, CEO and founder of Formic, sits down with Chuck Templeton to pull back the curtain on a pressure point hiding in plain sight: hundreds of thousands of U.S. factories are running behind schedule or turning down orders, not because they lack machines or materials, but because they simply can't find people to run them. Saman introduces Formic's "robotics as a service" model, a subscription-based approach that lets manufacturers deploy robots to factories without the massive upfront capital investment, and explains why this is the unlock that the industry needs. He breaks down where AI in robotics actually stands today, why the Tesla vs. Waymo training data debate maps directly onto the future of physical AI, and why the next decade of American manufacturing isn't about replacing workers. It's about making factories more efficient and profitable, making manufacturing jobs safer and more sustainable, and rebuilding the industrial pyramid from the ground up.

Chapters

4:50 — The Two Big Misconceptions About Robotics

7:40 — Why American Factories Are Stuck in the Past

10:10 — The Labor Crisis Quietly Killing Manufacturing

13:00 — Why Factories Are Turning Down Business

16:30 — Full-Service Robotics: The Subscription Model Explained

21:10 — The Three Waves of Robot Technology

32:10 — The Waymo vs. Tesla Playbook for Robot Training Data

35:10 — Financing a Robot Fleet: Building a Smarter Capital Stack

41:40 — Will Robots Take Jobs? What the Data Actually Shows

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

Gas prices at the pump are just the beginning of what the war with Iran means for global energy. In this episode, Sanjeev Krishnan sits down with S2G's energy co-leads Frank O'Sullivan and Bala Nagarajan to unpack what the war in Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz actually mean for the global energy system, not just this week, but over the next decade. From gas shortages hitting stoves in India and setting coal prices at all-time highs, to what this means for industries from electric vehicles to data centers, Frank and Bala trace the long arc of where this crisis leads. They dig into whether this moment could finally shock Europe, Asia, and even the US into building the energy systems they've been putting off for decades, and why this disruption might be the most powerful accelerant for renewable energy in a generation. 

Key Takeaways

1. The US is no longer insulated from global gas prices. Frank explains that because the US is now the world's largest LNG exporter, domestic gas prices are increasingly coupled to international markets, with real consequences for industrial competitiveness, power costs, and the relative economics of solar and nuclear.
2. This crisis is hitting East Asia hardest and fastest. Bala points to a 30x spike in demand for induction stoves on Amazon India as an indicator that consumers in Southeast Asia are moving toward alternatives from the bottom up.
3. Europe's energy crisis is a de-industrialization crisis. Bala notes that much of Europe's demand drop after the Russia-Ukraine war wasn't efficiency or transition, it was factories and refineries shutting down. Real recovery requires cheap electricity first, and Europe doesn't have it.
4. Data centers will absorb higher gas prices, but not forever. Frank argues that at current prices, hyperscalers will take power anyway they can get it. But as data centers look more like infrastructure than tech products, the cost of input energy may increasingly matter.
5. Crisis is a powerful forcing function for building new energy infrastructure. Bala highlights that Germany went from permitting 4 gigawatts of onshore wind per year before the Russia-Ukraine war to 16 gigawatts after, proof that energy security pressure can act as a real accelerant. 

Resources: 

The Price of War: A Perspective on Why the Iran Conflict Demands a True Energy Emergency Response. 

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

For large corporations, sustainability sits at the intersection of long-term strategic necessity and short-term financial pressure, and most companies are still trying to figure out how to make it work. In this episode, Kevin Rabinovitch, Global VP of Sustainability at Mars, joins Sanjeev to make the business case for why Mars has been betting on sustainability for decades. He breaks down how the company thinks about risk, supply chain resilience, and long-term value creation and walks through Mars' internal Compass framework, how real supply disruptions and unexpected ancillary benefits have validated the strategy, and why sustainability goals are most useful when treated like R&D investments rather than compliance obligations. He also gets honest about the challenges, such as the persistent gap between what consumers say they care about and how they actually shop, the difficulty of selling a problem and a solution in the same breath, and how to get an organization to apply existing skills toward new sustainability goals. With regulatory tailwinds shifting and food and agriculture facing compounding supply chain pressures, this conversation offers an honest look at what it takes to embed sustainability in the core of a business that intends to be around for generations.

Chapters:

04:00 - What Mars Does

05:34 - Business Case for Sustainability

07:31 - Mars Compass Framework

11:24 - Supply Chain Climate Risks

13:08 - Future Proofing Value Chains

17:30 - Sustainability’s Competitive Advantage 

19:39 - The Consumer Contradiction

23:21 - Innovation Pace and Potential

26:04 - Frictions

31:40 - Advice for Companies Selling to Mars 

35:09 - Past and Future Reflections

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

We are at an inflection point in manufacturing where artificial intelligence, robotics, and data are converging to fundamentally change what's possible in the physical world. In this episode, Barak Bar-Cohen, founder and CEO of Sojo Industries, joins Chuck Templeton to explore what that transformation actually looks like on the ground, using one of the most deceptively complex problems in consumer goods: the variety pack. What starts as a story about putting different flavors into one box quickly opens up into a much bigger conversation about why traditional manufacturing is so difficult to innovate in, and how mobility, automation, and AI can finally change that. Together, they dig into what it really means to layer AI throughout a physical business, capturing everything from machine error codes to engineering conversations, and let the whole operation learn from itself and rapidly improve. It's a conversation that will change the way you think about the snack aisle and the future of physical AI.

Chapters: 

2:29 — The Variety Pack Problem

9:20 — The Door to Floor Model

11:38 — Business Model Breakdown

15:20 — Sojo Shield and Traceability

19:01 — Layering AI Into the Organization

28:10 — The AI Culture Shift

34:17 — Sojo and Sustainability

26:47 — Sojo’s Futurę Vision

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

In this episode, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon joins Sanjeev Krishnan for a conversation about resilience and opportunity in a world defined by volatility. Gayle brings a rare breadth of experience as a builder, early-stage advisor, PE portfolio strategist, foreign policy veteran, former political reporter, investor, and three-time New York Times best-selling author on geopolitical topics, with a front-row seat to multiple moments of global transition. Together, they dig into Gayle’s idea of a “triangle of opportunity” at the intersection of energy, artificial intelligence, and geopolitics, and why those forces are increasingly shaping how societies and economies evolve. They also talk about how to separate signal from noise in today’s policy landscape and what business leaders can learn from entrepreneurs operating in the most fragile and constrained environments. It’s a grounded, clear-eyed conversation about how to think, communicate, and build when the rules are constantly changing. 

Key Takeaways:

1. Economics and politics can’t be separated anymore. Gayle explains how political forces quietly shape markets, capital flows, and business outcomes, whether leaders want to admit it or not. She argues this is a moment of rising political corners and borders.
2. Fairness has become a defining theme of this era. From labor to capital markets, Sanjeev and Gayle discuss why perceptions of who benefits and who doesn’t are influencing trust, policy, and long-term stability. 
3. Homogeneous thinking is a real business risk in periods of rapid change. Gayle argues that value is increasingly created by people who can move across disciplines and see congruities that others may miss.
4. AI, energy, and geopolitics are tightly linked. Sanjeev and Gayle explore how each of these forces shapes the others, and decisions in one area increasingly ripple and resonate across the rest in sometimes unpredictable ways.
5. Clear, genuine storytelling is no longer optional. According to Gayle, in a crowded, noisy investment landscape, leaders and companies that can communicate simply and authentically are more likely to earn trust and endure.

You can purchase Gayle’s first book, “The Dressmaker of Khair Khana,” referenced in this episode here: https://www.amazon.com/Dressmaker-Khair-Khana-Remarkable-Everything/dp/0061732478 

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

In this bonus episode, we’re bringing together seven CEOs across the S2G portfolio to explore what it actually looks like to make food as health a reality within the U.S. healthcare system. In a previous episode, we focused on the obstacles and investor opportunity, so this week we’re steering the conversation to the solutions already being built and tested in the market.

Across clinical nutrition, oncology, care coordination, meal delivery, and life-science AI, leaders from Mend, Big Bold Health, Pyx Health, Mealogic, NourishedRx, Sōlaria Biō, and Brightseed describe how they’re reframing healthcare through food-based solutions. The discussion spans new scientific frameworks for understanding food as a complex, multi-target intervention, the importance of rigorous clinical evidence and FDA pathways, the realities of reimbursement and payer incentives, and the challenge of patient adherence. Woven together, these CEOs create a blueprint for a healthcare system where food-based solutions are preventative, scalable, and central rather than peripheral.

Links:

The Food as Health Opportunity white paper

Big Bold Health

Brightseed

Mealogic

Mend

NourishedRx

Pyx Health

Sōlaria Biō

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

Electric vehicles have become a bit of a cultural lightning rod, but behind the headlines, there’s a lot to be excited about. In this episode, Sanjeev sits down with Mitra CEO Galina Russell, S2G Principal Marisa Sweeney, and Clean Tech Strategy Advisors’ Managing Partner Anna Demeo to talk about the state of the EV market and where the opportunities lie today. Mitra, a recent investment from S2G’s Special Opportunities team, helps small and midsize commercial fleets go electric by bundling vehicles and charging into a single, simple offering, delivering savings almost immediately with no upfront cost. The conversation explores how EVs could make the power grid more flexible rather than more strained, why electrification is closely tied to the future of autonomous vehicles, how China’s rapid scaling of EVs and charging infrastructure is reshaping global markets, and why financing remains one of the biggest bottlenecks to broader adoption. It’s a clear, practical look at where the EV story is headed and what it will take to get there.  

Chapters: 

03:24 - The State of Transportation

05:33 - Cultural Aspects of EV Adoption

09:00 - EV Industry Investment Landscape

11:53 - China's Role in the EV Market

14:42 - EVs and the Future of the Grid

18:49 - Physical AI and Autonomous Vehicles

21:37 - Mitra's Approach to Fleet Electrification

27:22 - Fit for Purpose Capital in EVs

33:17 - Bringing in More Capital

40:22 - Future Predictions for EV Adoption

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

If diet is a major driver of chronic disease, and chronic disease is driving healthcare costs, why are our food and healthcare systems still so separate? And what would change if they weren’t? In this episode, S2G’s Sanjeev Krishnan and Dan Ripma use our new Food as Health white paper as a jumping-off point to unpack what “food as health” really means and why a system that keeps getting more expensive without making people healthier is reaching its limits. They explore the tension between medical ethics and financial reality, the disconnect between hunger and nutrition, and why food has to be part of any serious conversation about cost and prevention. Then we zoom out to what this means for investors and how healthcare economics reshape the opportunity in food. Ultimately, this is a conversation about how food could move from being part of the problem to becoming one of the most powerful tools we have to change the economics and the outcomes of our healthcare system.

Chapters: 

3:06: Nutrition's Identity Crisis

5:58: The Hippocratic oath vs. The Bond Market

8:03: Food as Health as Strategic Infrastructure 

10:48: Economic Implications of Healthcare Costs

12:41: Challenges in Policy and Nutrition

16:24: S2G’s Food as Health Strategy

18:58: Clinical and Economic Evidence

29:04: Investor Perspective on Food as Health

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

What if the biggest risk right now isn’t getting the answers wrong, but asking the wrong questions? In our Season 3 kickoff, all three S2G Managing Partners come together to unpack a moment defined by volatility, AI acceleration, geopolitics, and a rising cost of capital. They explore why constraints are no longer a weakness but a competitive advantage, and how affordability, resilience, and execution matter more than hype. From private markets and global debt to AI, demographics, and the “Age of Adaptation,” Sanjeev Krishnan, Chuck Templeton, and Aaron Rudberg help frame the macro and micro playbook for what it will take to build businesses in 2026. It’s a sharp, honest look at where to find the opportunity when the rules keep changing.

Key Takeaways:

1. Constraints create winners. The MPs discuss how tighter capital, higher rates, and geopolitical friction favor disciplined builders and sober investors.
2. AI is shifting from experiment to ROI. The conversation reveals how 2026 is about using AI to drive real productivity, margin improvement, and “cheaper, faster, better” outcomes.
3. A human edge still matters. While AI is powerful, Chuck argues it’s human judgment, experience, and the ability to guide it that ultimately turn technology into a real advantage.
4. Resilience beats efficiency in a volatile world. According to the MPs, the future belongs to companies with durable moats, flexible supply chains, and business models built to survive uncertainty.
5. The right questions matter more than ever. According to Sanjeev, old assumptions about capital, risk, and growth no longer hold. Success now starts with rethinking first principles.
   
   

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

We're back! Season 3 kicks off January 15th. 

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

In this special episode-share, we team up with Everybody in the Pool to spotlight the urgent and fast-growing challenge of microplastic pollution and the breakthrough filtration technology designed to tackle it at scale. Longtime tech and business journalist Molly Wood speaks with Adam Root, Matter’s founder and CEO, about how microfibers from everyday laundry to industrial textile production have become one of the largest sources of ocean microplastics, and why the textile industry is facing mounting pressure from regulators, retailers, and consumers to address the issue. Matter’s regenerative filtration system offers a practical, modular solution that can be deployed across home appliances and industrial facilities, delivering both measurable environmental benefits and meaningful cost savings. It’s a forward-looking conversation about how infrastructure-level innovation can reshape a legacy industry and build cleaner, more resilient water systems worldwide.

Links:

Matter Industries Website: https://matter.industries/ 

Adam Root LinkedIn

All episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/ 

Subscribe to the Everybody in the Pool newsletter: https://www.mollywood.co/ 

Become a member and get an ad-free version of the podcast: https://everybodyinthepool.supercast.com/ 

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

Food prices keep climbing. Farmers are facing shrinking profit margins. Can AI really fix both, or is it just another Silicon Valley hype cycle? With all the talk about an “AI bubble,” we bring you a conversation about how AI is already shaping farm viability today and what it could mean for your grocery bill tomorrow.

In this episode of the S2G Podcast, Chuck Templeton sits down with Shail Khiyara, CEO of decision-intelligence company SWARM, and Adam Greenberg, CEO of greenhouse OS provider IUNU, to unpack how AI is being used today across fields, greenhouses, and supply chains. They dig into how digital twins, sensors, and machine vision can turn volatility into an advantage, cut waste, and boost margins for growers while helping keep food more affordable for consumers.

They discuss what it really takes to drive AI adoption in a sector built on thin margins and healthy skepticism, and how partnerships and long-term purchase agreements could reshape the economics of fresh, local food. Whether you’re an AI superfan or a skeptic, an ag insider, or just someone worried about your grocery bill, this conversation offers a grounded look at what a smarter, continuously learning food system might actually look like in practice.

Chapters: 

03:55 SWARM and IUNU’s AI Solutions

08:59 Challenges and Mindset Shifts in AI Adoption

11:50 AI's Impact on Decision Making in Agriculture

14:10 Accelerating AI Adoption in Agriculture

25:29 The Cognitive Grid: AI's Future in Agriculture

27:31 Economic Impacts of AI on Farmers

32:08 Successful Partnerships and Future Outlook

36:38 Advice for Farmers on AI Adoption

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

The Farm Bill, our country’s cornerstone for farm and nutrition policy, has long been a rare beacon of bipartisan success. But the recent deal to reopen the government quietly tacked on yet another extension of the 2018 Farm Bill that has had a series of extensions since 2023. So the question is: are we watching the end of big bipartisan legislation? Or is it time to rethink the playbook entirely, bringing in new stakeholders and connecting more of the issues that shape the system to build a broader coalition?

Consider the landscape we’re navigating. This year, USDA projects an agricultural trade deficit approaching $50 billion. Meanwhile, defense, Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, and interest on the debt account for roughly 70% of federal spending. At the same time, 70% of Americans are overweight or obese, and the One Big Beautiful Bill proposes cutting $186 billion from SNAP over the next decade. These are enormous, interconnected challenges, and maybe the only way forward is to bring them to the same negotiating table and design solutions big enough to match the moment.

In this episode, Sanjeev Krishnan sits down with Randy Russell, President of The Russell Group, a bipartisan government relations firm focused exclusively on food and agriculture public policy, and Grant Leslie, S2G’s new Operating Partner for Government and Policy. Together, they break down how linking agriculture, nutrition, healthcare, and fiscal realities could unlock better outcomes for American producers, communities, and national security. But doing that requires a systems mindset. It means widening the tent. It means seeing farm policy as far bigger than agriculture alone.

And ultimately, the people who will succeed here will be the ones bold enough to think differently.

Chapters:

04:59 Randy Russell's Career Journey

06:43 The Rural-Urban Divide in Politics

09:52 State of American Agriculture

13:46 Challenges in U.S. Agricultural Policy

16:28 The Future of the Farm Bill

19:55 New Stakeholders in Food and Agriculture

22:55 Linking Agriculture, Healthcare, and National Security

31:49 The Role of Technology and Innovation

41:41 Food Security as National Security

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

When voters went to the polls last week, one issue rose above the rest: the cost of keeping the lights on. Candidates promising lower energy bills swept key races, signaling that affordability has become a defining political and economic concern. But throughout his career spanning entrepreneurship, policy, and finance, Jigar Shah has consistently argued that affordability and efficiency must be at the heart of the energy transition. While challenges remain, we live in extraordinary times when proven, scalable solutions like solar, batteries, heat pumps, and home weatherization can dramatically improve efficiency and lower costs. In this episode, Jigar and Sanjeev discuss the discipline and creativity required to build fit-for-purpose capital markets and business models that can unlock these technologies, making clean energy more affordable and accessible for all.

Chapters: 

03:26 Jigar Shah's Career Journey

04:55 Jigar's Approach to Problem-Solving

06:51 The Role of Communication in Energy Investing 

12:38 Jigar's Current Endeavors and Multiplier

15:15 Challenges and Opportunities in Energy Affordability

19:58 The Cost-Benefit Paradox in Energy Efficiency

22:48 Reshaping the Grid Incentive Structure

29:58 Fit for Purpose Capital Markets

34:04 Disciplined Business Models

37:55 The Future of Energy Efficiency

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