WCA’s 26th Annual What’s Hot (and What’s Not) VC and M&A Panel
Smarter, Faster, Greener – How AI and Energy Innovation Shape the Future of IoT
November 20, 2025 @ 9:00 am – 10:30 am PST
November 20, 2025 @ 9:00 am – 10:30 am PST
Michael Meisterling – Managing Partner – Wild Tree Ventures
Michael is a Founding Partner at Wild Tree Ventures, a venture-capital firm based in Silicon Valley. He brings over 20 years of experience in startup innovation, spanning from pre-seed through post-IPO ventures. He is also a trained strategic foresight practitioner and a member of the Association of Professional Futurists — meaning he integrates future-scenario thinking into his investment and advisory work.
Lauren Shoemaker – Associate – DNX Ventures
Lauren Shoemaker is an Associate on the investment team at DNX Ventures, focusing on sourcing and diligence for early-stage B2B companies. Prior to her current role, she joined DNX as a Marketing Intern and later served as an Interim Platform Associate supporting portfolio CEOs and founders. Lauren holds a B.S. in Marketing from Santa Clara University and brings a background working with startups, non-profits, and small businesses while studying in Silicon Valley. Outside of VC, she enjoys baking, painting, and exploring outdoors.
Strategic Sales Executive with demonstrated skill in combining technical knowledge, operational awareness, and relationships with key team players in complex development processes, and constantly seeking how to apply creative solutions that satisfy customers’ and employers’ key business initiatives.
A highly accomplished global sales leader with deep expertise in high technology and complex solution selling. Skilled at engaging with senior executives to deliver customer solutions that create lasting value for both the company and its clients. Recognized for leading with vision and passion, building dynamic teams that combine creativity and focus to achieve outstanding results.
An experienced semiconductor sales professional with a proven record of managing Global, US, and European sales teams. Demonstrates consistent success in driving design wins and expanding strategic accounts worldwide.
Holds an MBA with a dissertation centered on the complexities of leading international sales teams and navigating cross-border business relationships to maximize growth opportunities and sales performance.
Dr. Benton Calhoun is Co-founder and CEO of Everactive, a pioneer in battery-free, energy-harvesting IoT solutions. He also serves as Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Virginia. His research centers on ultra-low-power circuits and wireless sensing systems for scalable, sustainable industrial monitoring. Recognized as an IEEE Fellow and a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors, he has helped shape next-generation sensing technologies. Dr. Calhoun mentors innovators and champions a connected, battery-free future that bridges research with real-world impact
Technology Executive | IoT & Product Management Expert with proven success in global technology leadership and business growth. Experienced in P&L management, product development, and leveraging data-driven marketing strategies for measurable results. Specialized in designing and executing go-to-market strategies that accelerate growth for technology organizations worldwide. Deep expertise in IoT, sensors, mobile, and industrial technologies, including power management, battery systems, audio, and sensing solutions.
Dr. Charles Greene serves as Chief Operating and Technical Officer of Powercast Corporation, a leader in RF-based wireless power solutions. He earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 2001, 2002, and 2006. Dr. Greene’s expertise encompasses RF, antenna design, and RFID, backed by over 20 years of professional experience. He is a co-inventor on over 100 patents, with additional foreign and pending applications in wireless power and RFID. Dr. Greene has authored numerous articles and presented at leading conferences across the United States, Europe, and Japan.
Technology executive with extensive experience architecting and building groundbreaking wireless and cloud technology products, pushing the boundaries of emerging AI applications driving innovation and technology partnerships. Have been awarded with over 100 patents , fueled by innovation, vision focused and motivated by excellence in delivery, Tom has long track record in WiMAX Forum, Open Network foundation worked with teams that have innovated, designed and executed across different best open cloud networking practices
Kyung is a seasoned technology/product strategy professional whose perspective is informed by over 20 years of diverse strategic planning and execution-oriented responsibilities in mobile, wireless, and cable industries.
Specialties: Technology Strategy, Strategic, Economic, and Competitive Analysis, Product Management, Technology/M&A Advisory, System Engineering, Deep Knowledge of Mobile Wireless Ecosystem
Cellular and Telecommunications technology expert with 25 years’ experience and deep technical knowledge of the entire cellular space including mobile and fixed operator networks, IT and billing architecture and mobile application development.
Bio: Samantha is a strategic executive with over 20 years of experience leading transformative initiatives at the intersection of public infrastructure, technology access, and community development. With a strong background in philanthropy, government, and the nonprofit sector, she offers a powerful blend of strategic vision and practical leadership.
Over the course of her career, Samantha has earned a reputation for bringing together cross-sector stakeholders to drive systems-level change and achieve measurable results. Her work focuses on developing scalable, equity-centered programs that expand broadband access, enhance educational pathways, and strengthen workforce development.
Bio: With over 20 years of global experience in IoT, M2M, connectivity, satellite, and 5G NTN wireless, David is a tech-savvy, entrepreneurial business development executive who develops and executes effective strategies to achieve business goals and create value. As the Vice President & EchoStar Global Chief Revenue Officer at EchoStar Corporation, he leads the global sales, marketing, and business development activities for the company’s S-Band portfolio of satellite and wireless solutions.
Bio: Diego Paldao is a client-focused communications expert with deep experience across IP, fiber, and satellite technologies. He has held leadership roles at UUNET, Aleron, Verestar, SES, NewSat, Speedcast, OneWeb, and SpaceX. Diego partners with clients to understand their business, identify challenges, and deliver solutions that drive sustainable growth. He is passionate about renewable energy and sees tremendous opportunity in its expanding global ecosystem. His approach centers on building honest, long-term relationships that foster mutual success and lasting impact.
Bio: Frans Meuwissen is Co-Founder of Amplify Now Global, a Business Development Services company dedicated to helping advanced technology companies enter new markets. Before this, Frans worked as an International Sales Director for Telcos like Verizon, UUNet, Expereo and Internet Solutions / Dimension data.
Thomas (Tom) Sawanobori is Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for CTIA. the wireless trade association. He is responsible for technology and technical matters concerning spectrum, network evolution to 5G, cybersecurity and other technical areas. He has over 20 years of technology planning, network engineering and operational experience for Verizon, including leading Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network launch and rollout.
Pre-seed, seed investor focused on AI/ML, infra, deep tech.
Laura Swan is a seasoned investor and technology executive with experience in identifying and nurturing
promising startups. As a General Partner at Silicon Catalyst Ventures and an active angel investor with Silicon Catalyst Angels and Sand Hill Angels, Laura leverages her deep understanding of the technology landscape to guide and support early-stage companies.
Laura’s career began at the forefront of the networking revolution, where she played a role in the development and deployment of some of the very first switches and routers. This hands-on experience provided her with an invaluable foundation in engineering development processes, from functional specification and system architecture design to testing and deployment.
Henry just joined Micron Ventures, a $300 million corporate VC fund investing in cutting-edge startups partnering with them to achieve success. Prior to Micron Ventures, Henry had been an investment director with TDK Ventures, the CVC arm of Japanese TDK Corporation. Henry had extensive experience in technology development, engineering operation, product management and technical sales in both Silicon Valley startups (NextG Networks, 3TEN8 and Tarana Wireless) and Fortune 500 company (AT&T).
As a Silicon Valley-based venture investor with a deep technical background, Mr. Hong Xue invests in innovative technology startups with focuses on Big Data and Cloud Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, FinTech and Blockchain, Internet of Things and HealthTech. Some of his portfolio companies include CyberFend (acquired by Akamai), Virtriod (acquired by Magic Leap), NeuroVasc (acquired), ObEN, ScaleFlux, CaiCloud, Citcon, Directly, Skymind, LeanFM, Oculii, VisualThreat, Sentieon, Apostel etc.
Prakash Sangam is the founder and principal of Tantra Analyst LLC. With over 20 years of international experience in engineering, marketing, and business development, he has contributed to the advancement of cutting-edge wireless technologies and products, including 5G, 4G, IoT, Wi-Fi, CV2X, and cloud/edge services. Prakash has held key engineering and marketing positions at leading wireless companies such as Qualcomm, Ericsson, and AT&T
Entrepreneur in retail, consultancy, and smart shopping data. own footfall counters in shopping streets and is a specialist in service retailing. Retail consultant and researcher. business, location and footfall research, strategy and distribution planning, formula development, design management, managing retail teams, building stores, consumer-based research, and location-based research. Specialties: retail strategy, formula development, location strategy. Consumer and market research, data scientist, real estate consultant, and concept builder.
twenty years of experience in Marketing, Communications & Sales in several industries: Telecom, ICT, Hospitals & Health care Specialties: Marketing, Communications, PR & Sales
Highly committed, results-driven leader with a strong record in developing and deploying strategies to grow revenues, expand corporate footprint and increase overall profitability. With 20 years of international experience, I have held several senior positions at innovative companies in the ICT, Utilities and Fintech sectors. Successfully built, led and restructured organizations, consistently achieving and maintaining excellent results in complex and highly competitive environments. Combining exceptional analytical and teambuilding skills, I bring people, technology and resources together in a way that drives digital transformation and allows businesses to accelerate ahead of the competition.
Email: alex.smit@wca.org
Mark Bagley – Managing Director – Woodside Capital Partners
Mark is the managing director of Woodside Capital Partners. This global independent investment bank provides strategic and financial advisory to leading technology companies, primarily in mergers and acquisitions, equity capital raising, and acquisitions in the middle market and emerging growth companies. Previously headed up Strategic Global Partnerships for BT for 15 years based in Silicon Valley. This role involved finding, qualifying, and then managing partners and alliances in Silicon Valley relevant to BT’s wide range of markets in consumer & business retail & wholesale markets in the UK and IT and vertical solutions for multinationals globally in around 200 countries.
Bill Reichert – Partner – Pegasus Tech Ventures
Bill Reichert is a Partner at Pegasus Tech Ventures, a $2 billion global venture capital firm headquartered in Silicon Valley and offices worldwide. Bill focuses on deep technology investments, including AI, quantum computing, next-generation chips, materials science, and medical technology. He is also the Chief Evangelist of Startup World Cup, the largest and richest venture capital competition on the planet, with over $1.5 million in cash prizes, including a $1 million grand prize.
Senior Vice President | Senior Wealth Strategist | Wealth Management, Northern Trust
Tricia has completed ~100 technology mergers and acquisitions totaling $4 billion over her 20+ years in the industry. She has represented companies that sold to Google, Microsoft, Red Hat, Oracle, American Greetings, and Autodesk.
Tricia received a BA degree in History from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in Public Administration from California State University, East Bay, with an emphasis in organizational development.
Lisa Oshima, Founder and Managing Consultant, Socialize Mobilize
Lisa Oshima (Lisa Whelan) is the Managing Consultant at Socialize Mobilize, which provides clients with strategy, business development, mobile user acquisition, and developer marketing expertise.
Previously, Lisa worked for PA Consulting Group in London, engaging European clients on strategy, business, and technology integration projects, and Nokia Inc. in Silicon Valley. Lisa writes about trends in social media and mobile/web-TV convergence on the Socialize Mobilize blog and Twitter. Lisa is an accredited investor and invests in mobile start-ups. She holds an MSc from the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford and a BA from Boston College.
Joe leads a team of industry experts that guides the mobile industry in development of 5G, Edge Cloud, IoT, and now 6G. We provide deep technical analysis and use hard-nosed economic estimates to make accurate predictions about future technological direction.
By tracking mobile traffic density trends, Joe accurately predicted the rise of small cells four years before it happened. I was the only analyst with accurate predictions for 5G, including FWA success and slow IoT adoption, as early as 2014. More recently (2019), Joe was able to predict accurately how ORAN would be adopted narrowly in the 5G cycle.
Founded in 1979, Walt spearheaded Voler Systems, a division of Strawberry Tree, Inc. The company excels in medical devices, consumer products, sensors, motion control, and wireless communication. Voler Systems produces wearable, home health, and IoT devices, adhering to FDA 21CFR 820.30 and ISO 13485:2003 standards. Their technical expertise encompasses wireless technologies such as Bluetooth and WiFi, diverse sensors, sensor signal conditioning, energy conservation, FPGA and CPLD programming, embedded system architecture, various communication protocols, and software development on Linux and Windows platforms.
Accomplished, results-driven technology leader with extensive experience providing strategic vision and leadership in large Enterprise companies and innovative startups. Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams to meet critical infrastructure needs. Communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders. Manage alliances and partnerships with large and small organizations. Maintain outstanding vendor relationships.
Colin possess strong global experience in EMEA, APAC, and North America regions. Confident public speaker with extensive experience presenting at key industry events and technical briefings. Groundbreaking executive known for outstanding leadership skills and integrity.
Chris is an accomplished sales and channel development team leader focused on the customer journey, acquisition strategy, operational efficiency, and post-sale service evolution. For over 20 years, he has led and closed large, complex sales opportunities. Chris’ experience in Product Marketing, Technical Sales, Sales, and Sales Management, a forward-thinking leadership style, attention to detail, curiosity, and a strategic mindset deliver growth and long-term value for customers.
Email: chris.king@newracom.com
Zeki is Founder and CEO of CRATUS. For 20+ years he has been a senior in business and technical leadership in commercializing Energy Storage, Battery, IoT, sensors, sensing systems, AI and machine learning technologies. Managing a global business with three product lines.
CRATUS provides Engineering Innovation solutions in hardware and software for IoT Technology:
Sensors and Sensing Systems, Battery and Energy Management, Electrification, Machine Vision, Machine Learning, Operational Intelligence, Real-Time Location Services. CRATUS offers consulting services for UI/UX development for software, electromechanical hardware and industrial designs for products. The nature of these services are oriented towards achieving business goals by placing the emphasis on usability and users of the products.
Email: zeki@cratustech.com
Andy Do is the Founder and President of Embedded Works and a Board Member of the Wireless Communications Alliance (WCA.org) his focus area is wireless IoT technologies. Mr. Do has over 20 years of wireless industry experience, with an emphasis on GPS, WiFi, Cellular, and LPWAN radios and applications. He has launched several IoT brands, including TrackingForLess and SensorWorks. He holds bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and music from Santa Clara University. He has held management positions at Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard, and Proxim.
Andy has served on the WCA Board since 2020.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andytdo/
Email: andy.do@wca.org
Pui San Tam is a manager with a strong background in international community building and a passion for innovation. She leads projects focused on driving entrepreneurship and innovation in the technology sector. Based in San Francisco, she has served as a consultant to the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. Fluent in three languages — Dutch, Chinese and English — she has successfully delivered projects for some of the world’s leading private and public organizations, spanning multiple areas such as startups, scale-ups and cross-Atlantic entrepreneurship in general. She is skilled at organizing fact-finding and trade missions, and she plays a crucial role in organizing events and moderating seminars as a panelist on topics in emerging technologies, including climate and sustainability. She is known for her excellent communication and collaboration skills and her passion for teamwork. Pui San is committed to driving positive change through her projects at Amplify.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/puisantam/
Email: puisan@schoolab.network
Paul is leading the TNL U.S.A. Mobility Business Unit, a Technolution subsidiary and engages with municipalities and public transit agencies to solve their hardest problems. As proven in San Francisco where they reduced public transit delay on red by 72.5%, reduced CO2 emissions by 26.1%, and build all the processes, roles & responsibilities, and technology, to deploy to potentially hundreds of intersections.
As a strategy execution consultant who specializes in helping transportation agencies, he helps realize high-impact improvements to the safety and experience of the people in the streets and in the public transit vehicles.
Paul is a regular speaker at conferences and webinars. He holds a Master of Science degree from Twente University, The Netherlands.
www.linkedin.com/in/paulhoekstra
Email: paul.hoekstra@tnl.group
Dr. Jeff Yen, a trained physicist, combines scientific expertise with a strong entrepreneurial mindset for business innovation.
He co-founded a company developing advanced wireless power technology with transformative applications across multiple industries. Jeff earned his bachelor’s degree in physics and astrophysics from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in physics from Stanford. He has co-authored numerous IEEE papers and is a co-inventor listed on 30 patents worldwide.
As a Global Business Developer in Breakthrough Technology, Marcel has accumulated over two decades of experience in (digital) marketing, start-ups, go-to-market (GTM), and access-to-market (A2M) strategies. Additionally, he co-founded “Amplify Now Global,” a platform designed to accelerate the growth of start and scaleups. Marcel’s analytical thinking skills enable him to excel at converting complex problems into solutions. He is a team-oriented motivator who takes a hands-on approach to leadership. Furthermore, Marcel is an expert in innovation, and his passion for leading and motivating teams helps him to develop strong interpersonal relationships.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcelverheyen/
Marcel has served on the WCA Board since 2020.
Email: marcel.verheijen@wca.org
Tom is a proven entrepreneur who has built and scaled products in competitive and emerging markets. He brings expertise in sales, business development, go-to-market strategy, and operational execution as a general manager.
Currently, Tom serves as Managing General Partner of Axcellex, LLC, a strategic consulting firm for technology companies. Axcellex helps firms overcome complex business challenges, unlock new market opportunities, and achieve measurable, sustainable growth outcomes.
Jeremy is Leader of Research and Development, Product Line Management, and Open Innovation directing teams of up to 30 people with $80M+ in revenue responsibility, for global companies with 5,000+ employees and $2B+ in revenues in Industrial Automation, Semiconductors, Wireless, Computer Hardware, and Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing.
Jeremy Vice President of Research and Development at Azbil North America R&D
www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytole/
Jeremy has served on the WCA Board since 2016.
Email: Jeremy.tole@wca.org Mobile: +1-408-431-6397
As Executive Manager, Peter brings about 40 years of extensive experience in engineering, sales, marketing, business development, and executive leadership in all Wireless Industry, Big Data, FinTech, and SaaS market segments. Since 2008, Peter has been operating as an independent business consultant, consulting domestic and international companies to become successful .
In Germany, Peter was Head of Department of Debis (Daimler Benz InterServices).
Peter has served on the WCA Board since 2013.
Email: peter.walther@wca.org
Mobile: +1-408-823-1551
