{"podcast":{"title":"TechVibe Pittsburgh","slug":"techvibe-pittsburgh-7066476","podcast_index_feed_id":7066476,"rss_url":"https://feeds.libsyn.com/543637/rss","website_url":"https://sites.libsyn.com/543637","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/0/b/b/f/0bbfbb48a5c5597427a2322813b393ee/TechVibe_Pittsburgh-20240918-axy49m78a6.png","author":"Jonathan Kersting","episode_count":208,"summary":"Curious about Pittsburgh's growing technology and innovation industry and the opportunities it has for you? This podcast gives you a front-row seat to the companies, people, and institutions that are making Pittsburgh's tech industry thrive. Discover the newest tech startups emerging from Pittsburgh; Meet dynamic entrepreneurs driving innovation and creating a rich landscape for tech company growth; and Stay on top of the latest trends from recognized industry experts and thought leaders. Audrey Russo and Jonathan Kersting of the Pittsburgh Technology Council have interviewed thousands of tech entrepreneurs and business experts across the tPittsburgh region's tech and innovation ecosystem. Get an inside look at the companies, people, and trends that are making Pittsburgh a worldwide center of technology innovation. Start by diving into Pittsburgh's tech ecosystem with a fan-favorite episode: \"Meet the New Head of CMU's Machine Learning Department.\" Don't miss out—click to listen now! TechVibe Pittsburgh is produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council to explore the Pittsburgh region's technology, entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem. Tune in Sundays at 6 AM 10 100.1 FM AM 102…","last_synced_at":"2026-06-09T10:19:21.681359+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/techvibe-pittsburgh-7066476"},"episode":{"title":"Pittsburgh Tech Entrepreneur Sells IQ Inc.—What's Next After 30 Years of Building?","slug":"pittsburgh-tech-entrepreneur-sells-iq-inc-what-s-next-after-30-years-of-building","published_at":"2026-05-10T14:02:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/techvibe-pittsburgh-7066476/pittsburgh-tech-entrepreneur-sells-iq-inc-what-s-next-after-30-years-of-building","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/techvibe-pittsburgh-7066476","url":"https://fc989b6d-a58a-4abc-a334-2e451691a749.libsyn.com/pittsburgh-tech-entrepreneur-sells-iq-incwhats-next-after-30-years-of-building","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/fc989b6d-a58a-4abc-a334-2e451691a749/TechVibe_IQCriticalSoftware.mp3?dest-id=4686337","summary":"What does it take to build a company that lasts more than three decades… and then have the courage to hand it off so it can grow even bigger? In this episode of TechVibe Radio, we sit down with Barbara VanKirk , founder of IQ Inc , to unpack a story that's been 30+ years in the making. From her early days at Westinghouse Electric Corporation to building a people-first engineering company in Pittsburgh, Barb shares how curiosity, culture, and a commitment to growth shaped IQ Inc.'s journey. Then, the story takes a global turn. Enter Critical Software —a Portugal-based, mission-critical engineering firm with big ambitions in the U.S. market. Joined by COO João Brito and Chief People Officer Filipa Carmo , the conversation explores why Pittsburgh, why now, and why IQ Inc. was the perfect fit. Spoiler: it wasn't just about engineering expertise. It was about culture. From shared values around people-first leadership to global strategy and expansion, this episode captures a rare moment when legacy meets lift-off. With ties to Carnegie Mellon University and a deep respect for Pittsburgh's tech ecosystem, Critical Software is planting a flag—and planning to grow. This isn't just an acquisition story. It's a blueprint for building something meaningful… and knowing when it's time to take it further.","meta_description":"What does it take to build a company that lasts more than three decades… and then have the courage to hand it off so it can grow even bigger? In this epis…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1321,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/techvibe-pittsburgh-7066476/episodes/pittsburgh-tech-entrepreneur-sells-iq-inc-what-s-next-after-30-years-of-building/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/techvibe-pittsburgh-7066476/pittsburgh-tech-entrepreneur-sells-iq-inc-what-s-next-after-30-years-of-building.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}