Mar 14, 2026
In this week’s Power & Impact, I sat down with venture capitalist Maria Palma. I was struck by the range of her journey — from growing up in Wisconsin to Harvard Business School, leadership training at GE, and startup work across the globe. Today, she invests in some of the most promising AI-driven companies.
While many frame AI as a tool for efficiency, Maria sees a bigger opportunity: entirely new capabilities, businesses, and creative frontiers. She’s already watching children use AI to launch projects — even small businesses — offering a glimpse of how dramatically the next generation may reshape the world.
We also discussed what she looks for in founders: independent thinking, comfort with ambiguity, and “resource magnetism” — the ability to attract talent and momentum. The best builders, she believes, feel driven to create whether or not anyone is watching.
Our conversation covered leadership, entrepreneurship, robotics, education, and the future of work. If you’re curious where technology — and opportunity — are heading, this episode is worth your time.