S15E2: Secure AI Agents for the Future of Work with NanoCo Co-Founder & CEO, Gavriel Cohen

In this season 15 opener of The Room Podcast, we speak with Gavriel Cohen, co-founder and CEO of NanoCo and creator of NanoClaw, an open-source framework designed to make powerful AI agents safer and more practical for real-world use.

NanoClaw emerged from Gavriel’s own experience using AI agents to run an AI-native marketing agency. After connecting an agent he called “Andy” to his company’s sales pipeline, Gavriel saw the potential for agents to operate less like chatbots and more like persistent digital coworkers—but also recognized the security challenges that come with giving autonomous agents access to sensitive tools, data, email, and business systems.

In this conversation, Gavriel shares the core idea behind NanoClaw: rather than weakening an AI agent, give it powerful capabilities while putting clear boundaries around what it can access—what he describes as putting the agent “in a box.” He also explains why he believes the future of work will involve humans becoming managers of increasingly capable teams of agents, rather than simply replacing people with AI.

Learn more about Gavriel Cohen on LinkedIn and explore NanoCo.

(04:08) Gavriel’s childhood and how it shaped his worldview
(05:33) Did Gavriel always think he would become a founder?
(06:40) Moving from New York to Israel and studying at Tel Aviv University
(08:08) The aha moment behind NanoClaw and Gavriel’s entry into AI agents
(12:52) Why the AI agent market was getting security wrong
(15:32) What is a “Claw” and how do AI agents fit into everyday work?
(20:03) The most surprising ways people are using NanoClaw
(23:50) Raising $12 million and finding NanoCo’s first investors
(35:20) Why Gavriel turned down acquisition interest and kept building independently
(38:04) NanoClaw’s architecture decisions and what still isn’t ready for primetime
(42:59) A woman who has had a profound impact on Gavriel’s life and career

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