AI is changing how we work—but who is building the systems, communities, and infrastructure that will shape what's next? S3 E17

100 episodes. Hundreds of conversations. Countless lessons from the entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators shaping the future. Thank you for being part of the Silicon Valley Impact journey.

AI is changing how we work—but who is building the systems, communities, and infrastructure that will shape what's next?

To celebrate our 100th episode of Silicon Valley Impact, we sit down with two remarkable leaders driving innovation from different angles: Dr. Anna Zakowska, Managing Partner at Dragons and Angels Fund and a nine-time founder, and Qi Diaz, Executive Director of Hacker Dojo.

Dr. Anna Zakowska is an AI executive, entrepreneur, and enterprise technology leader specializing in building production-grade AI systems for some of the world's largest organizations. Over the past five years, she has architected and deployed more than 1,000 enterprise AI solutions—including large language models (LLMs), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and multi-agent systems—across financial services, healthcare, and retail, helping organizations automate complex workflows, reduce manual review by up to 90%, and make real-time decisions at scale.

As a founder and executive, Anna has scaled AI organizations from the ground up, growing engineering teams to more than 55 people, raising $149 million in capital, and managing more than $1 billion in assets. She holds a Ph.D. in Data Science, an MBA from Pepperdine University, completed executive education at Harvard, and is a sought-after keynote speaker on AI, innovation, and enterprise transformation. Today, she is building the next generation of enterprise AI infrastructure through autonomous multi-agent systems designed for real-world deployment and competitive advantage.

Joining her is Qi Diaz, a community builder, nonprofit leader, and education innovator dedicated to empowering people through technology, entrepreneurship, and hands-on learning. As Executive Director of Hacker Dojo in Mountain View, Qi leads one of Silicon Valley's most recognized maker and innovation communities, connecting entrepreneurs, engineers, students, and creators to collaborate and build.

A founding member of Enkeyai, Qi develops technology-driven programs that support teachers, students, and educational communities. Previously, as Executive Director of The Institute for Applied Tinkering, she championed project-based learning and innovation in education. At DreamCatchers, Inc., her leadership in strategic partnerships and grant writing increased funding by 60%, expanding access to transformative programs. Her commitment to educational opportunity and community impact has earned both the prestigious Tall Tree Award and congressional recognition.

Join us as we explore the future of enterprise AI, the power of community-driven innovation, and what it takes to build technologies—and ecosystems—that create lasting impact.

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