S2 E13 - Kayvan Baroumand, of SignalRank; Rich Larsen, bSafe Technology Inc.; Shannon Riordan, Brand Story Machine; Reza Kazemipour, Sixth Ring

On this week's episode of Silicon Valley Impact we speak with Kayvan Baroumand, Founder and President of SignalRank;  Rich Larsen, Founder and CEO of bSafe Technology Inc.;  Shannon Riordan, Founder & CEO of Brand Story; and finally, special guest, Reza Kazemipour, Founder and CEO of Sixth Ring. This episode, and all new episodes, drop Tuesdays at 12pm. Be sure to follow for notifications about new and impactful interviews like this one!

 

🎙️Kayvan is a globally recognized leader in entrepreneurship, innovation, and venture strategy. As Founder of SignalRank, he specializes in seed and venture fund management, helping investors deploy capital into high-performing startups. He previously launched two of Silicon Valley’s top incubators and accelerators and created Total Innovation Management™, a corporate innovation framework combining Lean Startup and Total Quality Management to help large enterprises build and launch new ventures.

 

Kayvan is the Founder and Board Member of Innowise, a global innovation platform connecting startups, corporations, universities, and governments to solve critical challenges. 

He also leads Global Tech Venture, where he has developed innovation programs for organizations such as Intel, Sony, Tata Communications, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Fraunhofer Institute. With a deep commitment to customer-centric growth, Kayvan has advised dozens of startups and multinational organizations, establishing himself as a key connector across the global innovation ecosystem.

 

🎙️Rich is the Founder and CEO of bSafe Technology Inc., a personal safety company using cutting-edge technology to prevent emergencies and protect lives. A mission-driven serial entrepreneur, Rich developed bSafe in response to a traumatic incident involving his daughter—an experience that fuels his unwavering commitment to safety innovation.

 

Under his leadership, bSafe has introduced features like voice-activated SOS alerts, real-time GPS tracking, and live audio/video streaming with automatic recording. These tools have earned global recognition for their role in advancing safety and security through SaaS technology. Rich is also known for his expertise in emergency management and has been featured by ABC News, Fox, and the BBC for his pioneering work in personal safety. Now focused on scaling bSafe across the U.S., he is growing teams in Silicon Valley and San Francisco to bring his vision to more people nationwide.

 

🎙️Shannon Riordan is a brand strategist and creative visionary with over 20 years of experience building clear, compelling brand foundations. She’s the founder of Brand Story Machine—a streamlined solution that distills decades of high-level branding expertise into one powerful strategic package. Designed for startups short on time and resources but hungry to stand out, it combines the speed of AI with the irreplaceable insight of human strategy. Shannon’s approach blends classic brand thinking with smart technology, enabling early-stage companies to articulate their brand platform and messaging quickly and efficiently.  Her brand experience spans global Fortune 500s, startups, and agencies.  With Brand Story Machine, she’s making world-class branding radically more accessible.

 

🎙️Reza Kazemipour is a seasoned executive, investor, and founder with over 20 years of global experience across startups, venture capital, and corporate leadership. A U.S. Navy-trained strategist, Reza brings disciplined execution, deep operational expertise, and forward-thinking vision to every venture he touches.He is the Founder and CEO of Sixth Ring, the world’s first Gen AI wellness platform powered by Olympic-level performance data. Combining advanced AI with elite training insights, the platform delivers personalized health and fitness strategies for individuals of all levels.

 

Reza also serves as Managing Director at 1792 Partners, advising and investing in early and growth-stage companies in HealthTech, Fintech, and IoT, with a focus on AI, blockchain, and global scale. He is the Interim CRO at Impli, a cutting-edge biosensor company, and sits on multiple boards including ThingLogix, Personal GOLD, and HyperloopTT. He is also an advisor at Relay Ventures. Renowned for building high-performing teams and guiding companies from concept to capital, Reza actively mentors founders across global accelerator programs. He is equally passionate about human performance—applying the same energy and discipline from his personal pursuits as a runner and health enthusiast to his business and advisory work.

 

This and much more on Silicon Valley Impact!

 

Follow us on and listen to all our episodes on:

🎙️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/68L4RPfMizjxnKBsmcFb1J

🍎Apple Podcasts: ht