Sam Marrazzo of Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

In this episode, David sits down with Sam Marrazzo, Chief Innovation Officer at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) and adjunct professor at UB School of Management.

They cover Sam’s remarkable career journey, from immigrating from Calabria, serving in the U.S. Navy, and leading R&D at Praxair, to becoming a champion of Buffalo’s startup and innovation community. Sam highlights real-world examples of startups that thrived with BNMC support, the qualities he looks for in entrepreneurs, and how he helps business leaders embrace technology and AI.

Listeners will also hear how UB’s student projects are transforming local companies, why data governance is the foundation for any AI initiative, and what businesses should do now to prepare for the future.

From Italy to Buffalo: Sam shares his journey as an Italian immigrant, his U.S. Navy service working on F-18 electronics, and how curiosity for technology shaped his career.

Corporate to Community: After years at Praxair leading R&D projects, Sam shifted focus to Buffalo’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through the BNMC.

Innovation in Healthcare: Example of helping Dr. Rifkin launch a disruptive sleep apnea platform, moving care from clinics to patients’ homes.

Startup Stories: How BNMC guided companies like Sam Starks’ Green Project from concept to acquisition in just a few years.

What Makes Entrepreneurs Successful: Grit, domain expertise, and the ability to stay “in the batter’s box” despite setbacks.

AI & the Future of Business: Sam discusses his AI-focused teaching at UB, real-world projects with businesses, and why data governance is the critical first step for companies exploring AI.

Partnership with UB Students: Unique capstone program where graduate students work directly with companies (law firms, manufacturers, tech startups) to deliver practical AI and innovation projects.

Caution & Opportunity with AI: The tools are powerful, but companies must prepare by consolidating data, governing access, and aligning strategy to avoid falling behind.

Personal Note: Sam shares his recent cycling adventure up the Stelvio Pass in Italy, starting in sunshine and ending in a snowstorm at nearly 10,000 feet.