AI infrastructure is breaking the old data center model.

In this episode of Liftoff with Keith, I sit down with Lukas Gentele, CEO & Co-Founder of vCluster Labs, to unpack what it really takes to operate GPU infrastructure at scale in 2026.

As AI workloads explode and neoclouds race to meet demand, Lukas and his team are building the operational backbone for modern AI clouds — from managed Kubernetes and tenant isolation to automated node provisioning and GPU lifecycle management.

We discuss:

• Why traditional data center assumptions are collapsing under AI pressure
• What’s fundamentally changed since the VMware era
• How an early partnership with CoreWeave shaped vCluster’s trajectory
• And the one mistake AI cloud operators are making right now that could hurt them over the next 18 months

If you care about AI infrastructure, GPU economics, hyperscaler strategy, or building category-defining platforms — this conversation is essential.

Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/ Connect with Lukas Gentele:

• Website: https://www.vcluster.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gentele/

Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications! Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d
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For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: sponsorships@wherewithstudio.comFrom the Host:

A special shout-out to our Great Host of the Ignite Studios: https://www.ignitegtm.com/ and Producers of AI Infra5 @Plug and Play World, HQ in Sunnyvale, CA

Liftoff is sponsored by a strategic consulting firm and the M&A specialists at Compass Strategic Advisors - https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/ and The GTM Firm - https://www.thegtmfirm.com/

Welcome back to Liftoff with Keith, the show where we sit down with the founders, operators, and industry leaders building the future in real time.

Today’s guest is one of the most respected voices in digital infrastructure — Dean Nelson.

Dean has spent nearly four decades at the center of the internet economy, helping build more than $10 billion in digital infrastructure across four continents for companies like Sun Microsystems, eBay, PayPal, and Uber.

He’s also the founder of Infrastructure Masons, a global community uniting the builders of the digital age, now celebrating its 10-year anniversary.

In this episode, we unpack the explosive growth happening across AI infrastructure and data centers — including staggering projections that the industry could spend $500 billion this year alone, scale toward $3 trillion by 2028, and potentially hit $7 trillion by 2030.

The conversation explores:

• Why the industry could spend $7 trillion by 2030
• The explosive rise of AI infrastructure
• The shift toward inference and edge computing
• Community and environmental pressures facing data center growth
• The labor and construction challenges slowing deployment
• Why Texas has become ground zero for AI infrastructure expansion
• And how power availability may become the defining constraint of the AI era

If compute scaled like this but power didn’t… are we effectively bottlenecking the AI era on energy infrastructure?

This is a fascinating conversation about the future of AI, data centers, infrastructure, and the physical systems powering the next generation of innovation.

Let’s lift off.

Connect with Dean Nelson:

• Website: https://imasons.org/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannelson/

• Publication: https://imasons.org/publications/

Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/

Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications!

Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
• Substack: https://keithnewman.substack.com/
• Newman Media Studios: https://newmanmediastudios.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftoffwithkeith

From the Host:

A Special Shout out to our Great Host of the Ignite Studios: https://www.ignitegtm.com/ and Producers of AI Infra5 @ Plug and Play World HQ in Sunnyvale, CA

Liftoff is Sponsored by - Strategic Consulting firm and the M&A specialists at Compass Strategic Advisors - https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/ and The GTM Firm - https://www.thegtmfirm.com/

#AIinfrastructureexpansion #Digitalinfrastructuretrends #Datacentergrowth #Powerandenergyconstraints #Waterstewardship #Skilledlaborshortages #Communitypushback #Digitalsovereignty #dgecomputingandAIinference #PrivateAImodels #Largescaleinfrastructureconstruction

In this episode, Keith speaks with Anthony Vinci, CEO of VICO, about how AI is changing decision-making for founders, investors, governments, and financial institutions.

Anthony’s background spans intelligence, national security, investing, and artificial intelligence. Before founding VICO, he worked at Cerberus Capital Management, Bridgewater Associates, and served as the first Chief Technology Officer at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

The conversation explores how AI is moving beyond chatbots and becoming a real decision-making layer for businesses.

Anthony explains why the future is not about replacing human judgment, but improving it through better frameworks, probability forecasting, and scenario planning.

They discuss:

• Why AI alone is not enough without human judgment
• How VICO combines LLMs with mathematical forecasting
• The difference between information and decision intelligence
• Why founders need better frameworks for uncertainty
• How AI is reshaping risk assessment and strategic planning
• The future of building companies in the AI era

This episode is a thoughtful look at what happens when AI moves from generating answers to helping people make better decisions.

Connect with Anthony Vinci:

• Website: https://vico.io/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-vinci/
• Book: https://www.anthonyvinci.com/

Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/

Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications!

Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
• Substack: https://keithnewman.substack.com/
• Newman Media Studios: https://newmanmediastudios.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftoffwithkeith

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: sponsorships@wherewithstudio.com

#ArtificialIntelligence #AI #DecisionMaking #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #RiskManagement #FounderMindset #MachineLearning #StartupGrowth #FutureOfWork

Steven Pivnik scaled his company to 200+ employees across 12 countries before executing a strategic acquisition to a $4B competitor. Along the way, he completed 17 IRONMAN triathlons and climbed at extreme altitude — including Everest.

In this episode of Liftoff with Keith, we break down:

• The difference between growth and disciplined growth
• Why founders should design their exit years in advance
• How endurance training builds better leadership
• Avoiding burnout while scaling under pressure
• What it really means to “finish strong”

This is a conversation about commitment, structure, and the mindset required to endure when quitting would be easier.

If you’re building, scaling, or thinking about your long-term exit — this episode is for you.

Connect with Steven Pivnik:

• Website: https://stevenpivnik.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenpivnik/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpivnik/

Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/ Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications!

Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
• Substack: https://keithnewman.substack.com/
• Newman Media Studios: https://newmanmediastudios.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftoffwithkeith

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: sponsorships@wherewithstudio.com

#Entrepreneurship #Ironman #FounderMindset #Leadership #Endurance #StartupGrowth #BusinessLeadership #MentalToughness #PersonalGrowth

In this episode, Keith sat down with Michael Fors, inventor and owner of the Liquid Jazz Experience, to explore how a simple ritual turned into a patented product.

What started as a weekly wine night with friends evolved into something much bigger. Over time, Michael began to notice a small but consistent problem. Great wine often needed time to open up, but real moments do not wait.

That observation led to an idea. And that idea eventually became Liquid Jazz, a decanter designed to bring wine to life in minutes.

In this conversation, Michael shares:

• How a 26-year tradition became the foundation for a product
• The moment of insight that came from watching ocean waves
• What it really takes to turn an idea into a patent
• The challenges of bringing a product to market
• Why not every idea should become a business

This is a story about paying attention, solving real problems, and knowing when to take something seriously.Connect with Michael Fors:

• Website: https://liquidjazzexperience.com/pages/about Instagram:
• https://www.instagram.com/liquidjazzexperience/

Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications! Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
• Substack: https://keithnewman.substack.com/
• Newman Media Studios: https://newmanmediastudios.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftoffwithkeith

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: sponsorships@wherewithstudio.com#StartupStory #ProductInnovation #FounderJourney #Entrepreneurship #DesignThinking #ConsumerProduct #Innovation #BusinessStory

In this episode, we sit down with Gal, Founder of Borenstein Group, to unpack what it really takes to be visible in an AI driven world.

Most founders still think visibility is about content or marketing channels. Gal takes a different view. He explains why visibility today is about building a system that AI can understand, trust and reference.

We talk about what he calls a “minimum viable visibility system” and why most companies get it wrong. Instead of trying to do everything, the focus should be on a few clear signals that help AI connect your brand to a specific problem.

The conversation covers:

• Why most founders are invisible in AI search
• The shift from traditional SEO to AI driven discovery
• What a minimum viable visibility system looks like in practice
• How founders can become the face of their category
• Why clarity matters more than volume in content

If you are building a company and want to stay relevant as AI becomes the first place people go for answers, this episode will give you a simple way to think about visibility.

Connect with Gal Borenstein:

• Website: https://www.borensteingroup.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/galborensteinexecutiveprofile/

Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/

Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications!

Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
• Substack: https://keithnewman.substack.com/
• Newman Media Studios: https://newmanmediastudios.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftoffwithkeith
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keithnewman74

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: sponsorships@wherewithstudio.com#AIVisibility #FounderBranding #AEO #GEO #B2BMarketing #PersonalBranding #ContentStrategy #StartupGrowth #DigitalStrategy #AI

In this episode, Keith sat down with Ari Gootnick, Founder at Lume, to unpack one of the most overlooked challenges in entrepreneurship—founder performance and burnout.

Ari shares his personal journey from burnout and depression while working in a high-growth tech environment to building Lume, a performance lab designed to help founders operate at their peak—mentally, physically, and emotionally.They dive deep into:

• Why founders underperform before burnout actually hits
• The difference between motivation vs. capacity
• How hustle culture may be hurting more than helping
• Practical frameworks to improve decision-making, focus, and energy
• The role of health optimization, coaching, and peer support in scaling sustainably

If you're a founder, operator, or leader navigating high pressure and fast growth, this conversation will challenge how you think about performance—and give you tools to sustain it.Connect with Ari Gootnick:

• Website: https://www.join-lume.com/
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/arigoot

Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/ Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications! Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
• Substack: https://keithnewman.substack.com/
• Newman Media Studios: https://newmanmediastudios.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftoffwithkeith
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keithnewman74

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: sponsorships@wherewithstudio.com

#FounderBurnout #StartupFounders #EntrepreneurMindset #LeadershipDevelopment #HighPerformance #StartupLife #FounderJourney #BusinessGrowth #MentalFitness #HustleCulture

In this episode, Keith sat down with Jimi Gibson, Vice President of Brand Communication at Thrive Internet Marketing Agency, to unpack how visibility is changing in an AI-driven world.

Before working with CEOs and founders, Jimi spent years as a professional magician—learning how to capture attention, build curiosity, and create unforgettable moments. Today, he applies those same principles to help businesses stay visible in a world where AI is answering questions before users ever click.

We explore:

• Why founder authority is becoming more powerful than traditional SEO
• How zero-click searches are reshaping demand generation
• The real reason many businesses are “disappearing” online
• What AI actually looks for when deciding who to trust

A simple, practical framework to create content that stands out As search evolves from clicks to answers, visibility is no longer about ranking #1—it’s about being the voice AI trusts and surfaces.If you’re a founder, marketer, or business leader trying to stay relevant in 2026, this conversation will give you a completely new lens on content, brand, and growth.Connect with Jimi Gibson:

• Website: https://thriveagency.com/

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jimi-gibson

Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/ Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications! Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
• Substack: https://keithnewman.substack.com/
• Newman Media Studios: https://newmanmediastudios.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftoffwithkeith
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keithnewman74

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: sponsorships@wherewithstudio.com#AIMarketing #SEO #ContentStrategy #FounderBrand #DigitalMarketing #B2BMarketing #PersonalBranding #GrowthMarketing #MarketingStrategy