#49: Inside the Mind of a Space Engineer Turned VC (Feat. Koen Geurts, Senior Investment Manager at HTGF)
In this episode, Koen Geurts, a former aerospace engineer who worked on ESA's Rosetta/Philae mission and later managed satellite operations at Telespazio, discusses his transition to venture capital as Senior Investment Manager at Germany's Hightech Gründerfonds (HTGF). He shares behind‑the‑scenes stories from Philae’s dramatic landing, the challenges of long‑duration mission software, and his role in the Moonlight public‑private partnership, which gave him first‑hand exposure to NewSpace startups. Geurts explains how his deep technical background informs HTGF’s investment strategy, especially in early‑stage space companies, and highlights the fund’s recent activity, including being Germany’s most active early‑stage investor in Q4.
The "Software Finder" Cash Machine
In this episode, Adnan Malik, founder and CEO of Software Finder, explains how his bootstrapped B2B software marketplace generates $20‑$25 million in annual revenue with 15‑20% profit margins by offering free, 10‑minute human consultations to buyers and charging software vendors for...
Halter’s $2 Billion Question, with Founder Craig Piggott
In less than a year, New Zealand‑based Halter secured $165 million in a Series D round and a further $220 million in Series E, pushing its valuation to roughly $2 billion even as global ag‑tech funding has slumped more than 70 percent. The company’s virtual‑fencing system, which...
E638: The 5 Silent Giants Killing It on Amazon
In this episode, host Dave highlights five Amazon‑dominant brands that quietly generate over $100 million each year, ranging from supplement pioneer Mary Ruth Organics to legacy beauty giant L’Oréal, cleaning‑product specialist Wayman Brands, niche appliance‑cleaner maker Active Official, and historic coffee...
210. Jens Levin, Founder & CEO of Sitoo - No Overnight Success: 22 Years of Focus, Teamwork, and Playing the...
In this episode, Jens Levin, founder and CEO of Cito, shares the 22‑year journey of building a SaaS platform that powers the in‑store experience for non‑food retailers across Europe and beyond. After a decade of experimentation, Cito pivoted in 2015...
PerpTools – How DEXTools Is Building the Full DeFi Trading Stack
In this episode of the Brave New Coin Crypto Conversation, host Andy Pickering talks with Waoul, Director of Dext Ventures and CMO of PerpTools, about DEXTools' evolution into a full DeFi trading stack. Waoul explains how PerpTools integrates on-chain perpetual...
Mary Technology Wants to Solve Litigation's 'Fact Chaos' Problem
In this episode, Bob Ambroji interviews Daniel Lord Doyle, co‑founder and CEO of Mary Technology, about the company’s new fact‑management system that tackles the “fact chaos” lawyers face when reviewing massive document sets in litigation. Doyle explains how Mary extracts...
Blueprint Equity’s $333M Bet on Early Growth Software
In this episode of Tacos and Tech, Blueprint Equity co‑founders Bobby Ocampo and Sheldon Lewis explain their early‑growth equity model—investing in SaaS companies with $1‑$7 M ARR that are scaling 75%+ year‑over‑year—and announce a $333 M fund dedicated to that niche. They...
Kim Fisher on Why Food as Medicine Is at a Tipping Point — And What It Will Take to Get...
In this episode, Unity Stokes talks with Kim Fisher, Chief Impact Officer of Startup Health’s Food is Medicine Moonshot and Program Director of UC Davis’s Innovation Institute for Food and Health, about the rapid emergence of the food‑as‑medicine movement. Fisher...
Maro of the Minds: Kenzie Butera Davis with Jenny Fielding
In this episode, founder Kenzie Butera Davis discusses Morrow, a platform that provides early‑intervention mental‑health screening and risk detection for K‑12 students. She traces her journey from nonprofit work and accelerator experience to launching Morrow, highlighting a pivotal win at...
Eric Ries: Incorruptible, and the Case for Long-Term Governance Reform
In this episode, Eric Ries discusses the pervasive problem of short‑termism in corporate governance, which he calls “financial gravity,” and introduces his new book *Incorruptible* that proposes integrity‑focused reforms. He explains how his experience building the Long‑Term Stock Exchange (LTSE)...
Rebuilding a $100M Hospitality Brand: Pinky Cole, Slutty Vegan CEO, on Failure and Franchising
In this episode, Pinky Cole, founder and CEO of the $100 million Slutty Vegan brand, recounts her journey from a two‑bedroom Atlanta apartment to a national vegan empire, detailing how she leveraged bold branding, TV‑style storytelling, and social media to attract...
The Hidden Ecommerce Revenue Killers Eating Your Margins with DJ Sprague
In this episode, hosts David Shomer and Ken Wilson sit down with e‑commerce expert DJ Sprague to expose the "10 hidden revenue killers" that can drain up to 37.9% of a brand’s profit, from payment‑processor fees and false declines to...
Guest Lecture: Sourmilk's Kiki Couchman
Kiki Couchman, co‑founder of Sourmilk, has spent the past 14 months building a gut‑health focused Greek yogurt brand that is now stocked in New York grocery aisles. She and partner Elan Halpern left tech and finance jobs in early 2025 to...
Breaking Into Space - Careers in Communications, Marketing, and PR: An Interview with Suk Narayanan
In this episode, Emmeline Pat‑Dahlstrom interviews Sukh Narayanan, a global leader in space communications and entrepreneurship, about her unconventional path from electrical engineering in India to founding a robotics and AI outreach NGO that has reached over half a million...
Can Purpose-Led Organisations Scale?
In this episode, Geoff Guy, Managing Director of Riverlution, discusses how his purpose‑driven environmental business balances mission and commercial viability while scaling up. He explains Riverlution’s evolution from a community arm of the River Stewardship Company to a standalone community...
How Much to Invest in Growth
In this episode of Startup to Last, Rick of LegUp Health explains how he revamped the company’s formula for allocating funds to growth, emphasizing the role of data as the foundation for AI-driven decision‑making. He shares recent internal developments, such...
Episode 150: House Building Robots - Vikas Enti
In this episode, Claire Asher talks with Vikas Enti, co‑founder and CEO of Reframe Systems, about how their robotic micro‑factory platform enables mass‑customized, climate‑resilient homes. Enti explains the end‑to‑end workflow—from site analysis and automated design to robot‑guided panel fabrication and...
The SpaceX and Tesla Playbook for Hard Tech Startups
In this episode, Erin Price‑Wright talks with Chandler Lujica, CEO of Galadine (next‑generation missile propulsion), and Turner Caldwell, CEO of Mariana Minerals (critical mineral supply chains) about how their time at SpaceX and Tesla shaped the way they build hard‑tech...
From $2B to $20B: Jon McNeill on Tesla’s Hypergrowth Algorithm
In this episode, John McNeil—former President of Tesla and COO of Lyft—breaks down the five‑step "hyper‑growth algorithm" that helped Tesla surge from $2 billion to $20 billion in revenue in just 30 months. He illustrates each step with vivid stories, from questioning...
The One with Central Perk - Where We Buy #376
In this episode, host James Cook talks with Phil Colicchio, co‑founder of Central Perk Coffee Company, about turning the iconic Friends coffee shop set into a real‑world brand. Phil explains how a chance licensing deal with Warner Bros., a complex...
511: Failing Well Beats Playing It Safe
In this episode, Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson challenges marketers to embrace "intelligent failure"—small, purposeful risks in new territory that generate learning—rather than playing it safe. She distinguishes three failure types (basic, complex, intelligent) and explains how psychological safety...
Your Marketing Might Not Be the Problem...
In this episode of the Liquid Launch Project, host Matthew Meehan and co‑host Professor Luigi Rosa Bianca interview Dan Gretsch, a former Pulitzer‑winning journalist turned business storytelling strategist. Dan shares how being fired in 2013 forced him to reinvent himself,...
Amanda and Nicole Talk Financial Reflections: 2025
In this annual financial recap, Amanda Adams (fiber artist) and Nicole Muller (painter/muralist) break down their 2025 earnings, expenses, and seven income streams, highlighting a $44,000 gross revenue and $8,000 net profit after major home repairs funded by local Baltimore...
Drinkable Sunscreen, Protein Mac, and Killer Brownies
In this episode of The Curious Consumer, hosts Nate and Jenna chat with Shemin Ross, third‑generation owner of Killer Brownie, about the brand’s evolution from a regional bakery staple to a national CPG powerhouse now in over 15,000 retail locations,...
Arvo Platform Builds Bridge Between Farmers and Online Shoppers
In this episode of Real Agriculture, Whitney Shaw of Arvo and Sam Jenkins of Punch Card Systems discuss Arvo, an online farmer's market platform that connects local producers directly with consumers. Arvo was conceived to replace informal listings on sites...
What the Heck Is a 28th Regime?
In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Bruegel experts Reinhilde Wöglers, Fiona Scott Morton, and Professor Tobias Tröger discuss the European Commission’s new “28th regime” – a voluntary corporate‑law tool aimed at simplifying company formation and attracting venture‑capital investment across...
Exited Founder Podcast | Rachel Murphy: Selling to a Competitor and Building a Founder Exit Playbook
In this episode, host Brian Dukes talks with serial entrepreneur Rachel Murphy about her two successful exits—first a consultancy she built in her early 20s and later a healthcare‑government services firm she grew to an eight‑figure sale. Rachel shares how...
How Zwift Created a Global Fitness Unicorn - Steve Beckett
In this episode of Uncensored CMO, Steve Beckett—former Head of Cycling at Team Sky and the fifth employee of Zwift— walks through the creation of Zwift from a niche indoor cycling concept into a global fitness unicorn. He shares how...
Leap Forward
In this episode of Leap Forward, host David Orsenko chats with a founder and a pivotal early supporter—someone who believed in the founder before anyone else—to uncover the behind‑the‑scenes moments that shaped a successful startup. They recount how chance encounters,...
The Ultimate Revive-Al: Allison Lee with Jenny Fielding
In this episode, co‑founder and CEO Alison Lee walks through Revive’s evolution from a fitting‑room tech startup (originally called Hamster) to a full‑stack virtual tailoring, refurbishment, and resale platform that helps fashion brands cut returns, recover damaged inventory, and sell...
$900M in Revenue: What It Took to Scale
In this episode, Tim, founder and CEO of Eggs Unlimited, shares how his egg‑trading company grew to $900 million in annual revenue by staying laser‑focused on a single product line and building a culture of A‑players. A pivotal moment came when...
Reinventing Hospitality and Travel Media: Jon Skogmo on Building LOST iN
In this episode, host Jimmy Frischling chats with Jon Skogmo, the founder of Jukin Media and Lost In Travel Media, about his journey from a hotel clerk to building a $140 million UGC licensing business and then launching a travel‑focused media...
How Could I Know? Ep 3: Seizing Opportunity Before You Feel Ready, with Rachel Sheffield
In this episode, hosts Patti Durand and Chris Corbett interview 24‑year‑old farmer Rachel Sheffield about seizing opportunities before feeling fully ready. Rachel shares how she leveraged her agriculture business education, a Young Farmers program, and a newly revamped New Entrant...
From Garage to Global: Chieh Huang on Building Boxed and Launching Pelgo
In this episode, Chieh Huang, founder of Boxed and now CEO of Pelgo, shares his journey from a garage‑based wholesale startup to a public company and his latest venture helping workers transition to AI‑augmented roles. He highlights the stark difference...
Running a Concierge MVP Live (Feat. The Four-Step Concierge MVP Framework) ITS Classic
In this episode Brian Scordato walks listeners through building a concierge MVP live, using a listener-submitted idea about simplifying joint finances for couples. He explains the four‑step framework—defining wild success, acquiring customers, running the test, and creating a feedback loop—while...
How Gymshark Took on the Sportswear Giants - Carly Natalizia
In this episode of Uncensored CMO, Chief Commercial Officer Carly Natalizia breaks down how Gymshark has scaled its commercial engine to challenge industry giants like Nike and Adidas. Drawing on her 25‑year career—from finance at MBNA and Virgin Money to...
Podcast: Sleep, Science & Invisible Care
In this episode, host Neil Bloom chats with Suzy Harbuth, founder of the Inspira Fund and its first portfolio company, Sensi, which focuses on sleep wellness. Suzy shares her entrepreneurial journey—from a refugee background and early venture‑capital exposure in the...
856: Engineering Innovative Shoes to Help Feet Move Forward - Dr. Tyler Susko
In this episode, Dr. Tyler Susko, CTO of Cadence Inc. and professor at UCSB, discusses his journey from a math‑loving student to a robotics and rehabilitation engineer, culminating in the creation of a simple, low‑cost adaptive shoe that replaces complex...
Stormrake – Old School Brokerage for the Digital Asset Era
In this episode of Brave New Coin Crypto Conversation, COO Bisher of StormRake explains how the Melbourne‑based firm operates as a brokerage rather than an exchange, aggregating liquidity from about 20 venues to secure best‑price execution for clients with low...
SaaS Distribution Channel: Partner Deals to $100M ARR
In this episode, host Omar Khan talks with Zong Xu, co‑founder of Deliverect, about how the company built a centralized platform that connects restaurants to dozens of digital ordering channels and now serves over 80,000 locations, approaching $100 M ARR. Zong...
Company Creation as a Commodity
In this episode of the AI Builders Roundtable, the hosts experiment with Polsia's AI-driven business creation platform, launching micro‑ventures like a curated matchmaking service and an AI procurement agent. They discuss the ease of spinning up companies, the shifting valuation...
Exited Founder Podcast | Shannon Wilburn: Selling the Franchise Empire She Built From Her Living Room
In this episode, Shannon Wilburn recounts building Just Between Friends—from a living‑room startup to a national franchise with over 30 locations and $60 million in system‑wide sales—and the emotional, strategic journey of selling it to the brand’s largest franchisee. She emphasizes...
Episode 823 | Hot Take Tuesday: Is A.I. Killing B2B SaaS?, ChatGPT Ads, OpenClaw
In this Hot Take Tuesday episode, Rob Walling, Tracy Osborne, and Anar Volset discuss whether AI is threatening B2B SaaS, the rise of AI-driven advertising on platforms like ChatGPT, and the rapid growth of the OpenClaw community. They argue that...
Personal Brand vs Company Brand: Which One Are You Really Building?
In this episode the host tackles the dilemma of building a personal brand versus a company brand, using a lawyer’s question from a High Vibe Women panel as a springboard. She explains that the choice isn’t about right or wrong...
Quantum Engineering with David Reilly and Tom Ohki
In this episode, host Sebastian Hassinger talks with David Reilly and Tom Ohki, co‑founders of Emergence Quantum, about their unconventional focus on the "connective tissue" of quantum computers—cryogenic control electronics, high‑performance amplifiers, scalable packaging, and integrated systems that operate at...
How Sierra Outpaced Every AI Startup | Co-Founder Bret Taylor
In this episode, Bret Taylor, co‑founder and CEO of Sierra, discusses how the company achieved rapid growth—reaching $100M ARR in seven quarters and $150M in eight—by targeting Fortune 100 customers with AI agents that replace legacy IVR systems. He explains Sierra’s...
678: Jamie Siminoff (Ring Doorbell Inventor) - Shark Tank Rejection, Selling to Amazon for $1 Billion, Surviving $3M to $480M...
In this episode, Jamie Siminoff, the inventor of the Ring video doorbell, shares his journey from a Shark Tank rejection to selling Ring to Amazon for over $1 billion. He discusses the hyper‑growth challenges of scaling from $3 M to $480 M, the...
JOY as a Business Strategy
The episode explores how founders can use joy as a strategic advantage by focusing on their genius zone—activities like strategy, creativity, vision, and relationship-building—while delegating administrative and operational tasks. It argues that burnout stems from trying to do everything oneself,...
Ep. 190 - The SaaS Founder Bottleneck: Why Founder-Led Sales Stops Scaling
In this episode, fractional CMO Javier Lozano explains why founder‑led sales can’t sustain growth and how to transition to a repeatable, data‑driven go‑to‑market engine. He emphasizes extracting the founder’s successful sales insights, building positioning and a "blue ocean" narrative, and...