John Fein and Chris Marks are the managing partners of Firebrand Ventures. John started Firebrand Ventures in 2016, and we interviewed him in 2018. Prior to founding Firebrand, John served as Managing Director for Techstars, a leading startup accelerator with over 40 programs around the …
Republic // helping anyone invest in private companies [CC081]
Interview Begins 8:02 Debrief 50:00 Kendrick (Ken) Nguyen is the co-founder and CEO of Republic. Republic empowers everyone to invest in the future they believe in by providing access to startups, real estate, crypto, and video game investments. Focused on creating a diverse, sustainable, connected …
SavvyCal // taking the awkwardness out of scheduling and making it easy [UP092]
Interview Begins 8:16 Debrief 54:58 Derrick Reimer is the founder and CEO of SavvyCal. SavvyCal wants to take the friction and awkwardness out of scheduling time with people. They’re an indie SaaS company with a little bit of financial backing from TinySeed and a few …
Vint // invest in equity shares of wine collections [UP091]
Interview Begins: 7:25 Debrief Begins: 46:24 Nick King is the co-founder and CEO of Vint. Vint is the first fully transparent platform for anyone to invest in fine wine and spirits. They democratize this high-returning asset class with SEC-qualified collections. Fine wine has returned over …
Victor Gutwein of M25 // A conversation 200 episodes in the making [CC080]
Interview Begins: 9:01 Debrief: 59:30 Victor Gutwein is the Founder and Managing Partner of M25 M25 is an early-stage venture firm based in Chicago, investing solely in tech startups headquartered in the Midwest. Since they launched in 2015, they’ve become the most active investor in …
Reclaim // a smart calendar assistant helping find time for your real priorities [UP089]
Interview Begins 6:53 Debrief 52:25 Patrick Lightbody is the co-founder of Reclaim. Reclaim is a smart calendar assistant that can save you up to 40% of your workweek. Reclaim aligns your priorities to the time you spend every week, empowering you to rapidly rebalance your …
Ginger Rothrock of HG Ventures // corporate venture capital investing in heavy construction and materials, environmental services, and specialty chemicals [CC076]
Interview begins: 7:16 Debrief: 43:38 Ginger Rothrock is a Senior Director at HG Ventures. HG Ventures supports innovation and growth across The Heritage Group by investing and partnering with private companies developing new technologies and approaches in both our core and adjacent markets. We …
Tom Cottingham of Flyover Future // building a news organization covering innovation in 20+ cities across the midwest. [CC075]
Interview begins: 7:00 Debrief: 38:33 Tom Cottingham is the founder and CEO of Flyover Future. Flyover Future is a digital newsletter covering innovation and start-ups in the heartland. They cover the investors, the innovators and the ecosystems that help innovation thrive. We help our readers …
William Hsu of Mucker Capital // an accelerator committed to getting to you to your next round of funding [CC073]
Interview begins: 7:07 Debrief: 38:45 William Hsu is a founding partner at Mucker Capital. He started his career as a founder, creating BuildPoint, a provider of workflow management solutions for the commercial construction industry not long after graduating from Stanford. Based in Los Angeles, Mucker …
Rally // buying & selling equity shares in ultra-rare, collectible assets [UP088]
Interview begins: 5:59 Debrief: 50:11 Rob Petrozzo is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer for Rally. Rally is a liquid financial marketplace for buying & selling equity shares in ultra-rare assets the same way you buy & sell stocks. Together, we Rally to make investing …
Best Shot // a digital companion for fertility patients [UP087]
Interview begins: 5:49 Debrief: 51:25 Abby Mercado is the co-founder and CEO of Best Shot. Best Shot is a patient’s companion in fertility treatments, providing medication management & education, streamlining the pharmaceutical ordering experience and enabling safe, supportive micro-communities led by experts. Abby is a …
Splash Financial // helping people refinance their student loans [Lay of The Land #9]
This week we’re hosting an upside feed takeover from Lay of The Land! Lay of The Land is a podcast covering the Cleveland business ecosystem on the upside podcast network. And in this episode, Jeff talks with Steve Muszynski, the founder and CEO of Splash …
Tribevest // making it easy for individuals to pool their capital and invest together [UP084]
Interview begins: 5:22 Debrief: 41:15 Travis Smith is the founder and CEO of Tribevest. Tribevest makes it easy to launch an investor entity, pool capital, and experience wealth-building with friends, family, and people you trust. Tribevest’s all-in-one-platform helps you assemble your tribe, align on your …
Huckabuy // improving your search results with a technology-based approach to SEO [UP083]
Interview begins: 6:33 Debrief: 46:48 Geoff Atkinson is the founder and CEO of Huckabuy. Huckabuy’s Software improves your search results, drives more organic traffic, and makes your website faster. Their software creates Google’s Perfect World on your website to queue up the perfect conversation with …
Passiv // transforming your brokerage account into a portfolio management tool [UP082]
Interview begins: 5:52 Debrief: 34:02 Nick McCullum is the Director of Growth for Passiv. Passiv turns your brokerage account into a modern portfolio management tool. Passiv allows you to set a target portfolio and get email notifications when your portfolio drifts from that target. …
Introducing When Pigs Fly [JE021]
This week we’re excited to introduce you to the first new show on the upside podcast network: When Pigs Fly. Hosted by Allie Martin and Patrick Bailey, When Pigs Fly is a podcast that uncovers Cincinnati’s rich business history from the 1800s to today. …
Craftom // making it easy for companies to ship customized gifts, office equipment, and more [UP081]
Interview begins: 5:01 Debrief: 40:42 Caleb Musser is the founder and CEO of Craftom. Craftom is a B2B gifting and shipping platform that makes it easy to send hyper-designed corporate gifts, products and office equipment to anyone, whether they’re working from home, in the …
Landon Ainge of Assure Syndicates // matchmaking founders with the right venture investors [CC068]
Interview begins: 6:02 Debrief: 42.:02 Landon Ainge is the Managing Director of Assure Syndicates. Assure Syndicates is a division of Assure. Assure is the pioneering leader in providing comprehensive structuring and administrative management services (specifically Special Purpose Vehicles) to the private investment ecosystem. Assure …
[REWIND] Intrinio // affordable, real-time financial data [RE005]
Today is the final episode in our “Rewind” Series. Rachel Carpenter is the co-founder and CEO of Intrinio. Intrinio is a financial data company on a mission to power fintech innovation by providing affordable, high-quality data to developers and engineers from fintech companies, large institutions, …
[REWIND] Fiveable // social learning for AP students [RE004]
Today is the fourth episode in our December series called “Rewind.” Amanda DoAmaral is the founder and CEO of Fiveable, which is based in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Fiveable is an online streaming and content platform helping high school students study and master their AP exams. Started …
[REWIND] FreshFry // extending the life of frying oil [RE003]
Today is the third episode in our December series called “Rewind.” Jeremiah Chapman is the founder and CEO of FreshFry. We first talked with Jeremiah back in July 2018 in episode 12 of this show. FreshFry, located in Louisville, Kentucky, creates plant-based product that …
[REWIND] Opendorse // pioneering athlete-driven marketing [RE002]
Today is the second episode in our December series called “Rewind.” Blake Lawrence is the founder and CEO of Opendorse. We first talked with Blake back in April 2019, and our episode aired on July 17, 2019. Since that time, Opendorse has grown a lot. …
[REWIND] Balto // AI for contact centers [RE001]
Today we are introducing our December series called “Rewind.” In this series, we will introduce one of the companies we’ve had on the show, give a quick update, and replay that episode in its entirety. We think this will be a really fascinating look back …
Things we’re actually thankful for in 2020 [JE020]
This year has been unlike any other. And this Thanksgiving is likely to be unlikely any other, too. With the difficulties that 2020 has brought everyone – founders, investors, and communities – there are still some bright spots to celebrate. In today’s short episode, …
Introducing Lay of the Land [JE019]
This week we’re excited to introduce you to the first new show on the upside podcast network: Lay of The Land. Jeffrey Stern is a New York City transplant building companies in Cleveland. And TheTagan is an Atlanta-born strategist with a passion for creating …
Coming soon: the upside podcast network [JE018]
We’re excited to share with you a major project that we’ve been working on behind the scenes! Starting in 2021, the upside podcast network will be launching a growing number of localized business podcasts. The upside podcast network helps local teams to produce high-quality shows …
Healium // self-management of stress using biofeedback and virtual reality [UP081]
Interview begins: 7:01 Debrief: 45:09 Sarah Hill is the CEO and Chief Storyteller of Healium. Healium is a virtual and augmented reality tool for the self-management of stress powered by the user’s own brainwaves and heart rate. Healium is the world’s first biometrically-powered VR/AR immersive …
SuperRare // creating a tokenized digital art marketplace [UP080]
Interview begins: 6:56 Debrief: 54:04 John Crain is the Founder and CEO of SuperRare. SuperRare is a marketplace to collect and trade unique, single-edition digital artworks. Each artwork is authentically created by an artist in the network, and tokenized as a crypto-collectible digital item that …
Nexme // an on demand real estate platform [UP079]
Interview begins: 6:34 Debrief: 51:42 Vanessa is the Co-Founder and COO of Nexme. Nexme is an on demand real estate platform that delivers instant access to homes and full-service, professional real estate agents. All at the click of a button. Nexme charges buyers and …
Rob Eloff of Lateral Capital // the history and future of venture capital in Africa [CC066]
Interview begins: 7:18 Debrief: 59:34 Rob Eloff has spent his career investing, living, and working in developing markets. Prior to co-founding Lateral Capital he was a Venture Partner with Conversion Capital and established Frontier Dawn Partners, an evergreen vehicle for capital deployment to early-stage, technology-enabled …
John Fein and Chris Marks of Firebrand Ventures // why two venture firms merged to become one [CC065]
Interview begins: 8:54 Debrief: 45:54 John Fein and Chris Marks are the managing partners of Firebrand Ventures. John started Firebrand Ventures in 2016, and we interviewed him in 2018. Prior to founding Firebrand, John served as Managing Director for Techstars, a leading startup accelerator with …
Nathan McDonald of Keiretsu Forum // a global community of angel investors with 53 chapters across four continents [CC064]
Interview begins: 8:37 Debrief: 58:58 Nathan McDonald is the CEO and Managing Partner of Keiretsu Capital as well as the Chairman of the Keiretsu Forum Northwest. Keiretsu Forum is a global investment community of accredited private equity angel investors, venture capitalists, and corporate/institutional investors. …
Mary Grove of Bread & Butter Ventures // from Google and Rise of the Rest to Minneapolis [CC063]
Interview begins: 10:30 Debrief: 45:38 Mary Grove is Managing Partner of Bread and Butter Ventures. She brings nearly two decades of leadership experience in technology, early-stage investing, and startup ecosystem growth. She began her career working on the Google IPO, and went on to lead …
CC052: Nick Cooney of Lever VC // investing in alternative protein startups
Interview begins: 5:50 Debrief begins: 39:35 Nick Cooney is the Founder and Managing Director of Lever VC. Lever VC is a new fund focused in alternative animal products, including alternative proteins, meats, and plant-based dairy products. Their portfolio includes some of the biggest brands in …
CC051: Grady Buchanan of OmniValley // connecting startup investors between the coasts
Interview begins: 6:11 Debrief begins: 43:23 Grady Buchanan is the founder and CEO of OmniValley. OmniValley is an exclusive online investor network focused on helping you create connections anywhere in the world. They work to showcase and foster under-ventured and emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems by connecting, …
UP072: Muxy // powering viewer engagement for live streaming
Interview begins: 6:29 Bebrief begins: 51:16 Jared Steffes is the co-founder and COO of Muxy. Founded in 2014 and based in Austin, Texas, Muxy is an online service that develops interactive features for gaming and streaming platforms. Though optimized for Twitch, Muxy’s extensions can be …
UP071: BackpackEMR // electronic medical records for mobile clinics in remote locations
Interview begins: 7:50 Debrief begins: 51:01 Lori Most is the founder and CEO of BackpackEMR. Based in Bloomington, Minnesota, BackpackEMR is a medical EMR software designed for mobile clinics in rural, low-income markets. BackpackEMR is the sustainable, portable, non-internet dependent solution for electronic data recording …
JE017: “Test City, USA” official release
We’ve been waiting for today for a long, long time. Last summer, we filmed and produced a full-length documentary about the startup ecosystem in Columbus, Ohio. The film is called Test City, USA and is now available for you to watch online. The film premiered at Film …
UP070: Xena Workwear // stylish steel-toe shoes designed for women
Interview begins: 7:50 Debrief begins: 43:06 Anastasia Kraft is the founder and CEO of Xena Workwear. Xena Workwear is a footwear and soon-to-be apparel company dedicated to designing stylish and safe apparel for women in STEM. Based in Milwuakee, Xena Workwear’s first products launched less …
CC050: Matt Hunckler of Powderkeg // connecting talent to startups in the Midwest
Interview begins: 6:10 Debrief begins: 45:00 Matt Hunckler is the founder and CEO of Powderkeg. Powderkeg is a platform connecting tech talent in the middle of the country to the Midwest companies they’re searching for. Founded in 2017 after emerging from Verge, one of Matt’s …
CC049: Alex Lazarow // why the Silicon Valley playbook is outdated
Interview begins: 7:32 Debrief begins: 50:16 Alex Lazarow is the author or “Out-Innovate: How Global Entrepreneurs from Delhi to Detroit Are Rewriting the Rules of Silicon Valley.” Alexandre (Alex) Lazarow has spent his career working at the intersection of investing, innovation, and economic development …
CC048: Mike Duda of Bullish // the strategic creative and capital partner behind brands like Casper, Birchbox, Peloton, and more
Interview starts: 6:20 Debrief starts: 1:02:12 Mike Duda is a Managing Partner at Bullish. Bullish is a marketing operating partner focused on the growth business and has helped develop companies like Birchbox, Peloton, Casper, and Harry’s. Through both investment and creative services, Bullish helps early-stage …
UP069: Relish // relationship coaching in the comfort of your own home
Interview starts: 6:15 Debrief begins: 49:25 Lesley Eccles is the founder and CEO of Relish, an app developed to help guild couples create healthy relationship skills and conversations. Originally from Scotland, Lesley is also known as a cofounder of the sports fantasy service, FanDuel. Just …
CC047: Elias Torres of Drift // opening offices outside of silicon valley (live from Embarc Collective’s grand opening)
Interview begins: 5:29 Elias Torres is the co-founder and CTO of Drift. Jay recently had the chance to talk to with Elias Torres at Embarc Collective in Tampa Bay. Having worked in software all his life, Elias has been a part of impressive businesses, …
UP068: Fiveable // live-streaming test prep for AP classes
Interview begins: 7:02 Debrief begins: 51:37 Amanda DoAmaral is the founder and CEO of Fiveable. Fiveable is an online streaming and content platform helping high school students study and master their AP exams. Started just two years ago, Fiveable offers live and pre-recorded videos, study …
CC046: Lakshmi Sarah // Storytelling in Virtual and Augmented Reality (live from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:05 Debrief starts:m 33:22 Lakshmi Sarah is the co-founder of Tiny World Productions. An educator and journalist, Lakshmi covers the intersection between VR/AR and storytelling, and she recently co-wrote a book titled ‘Crafting Stories for Virtual Reality.’ Much of Lakshmi’s work includes stories …
CC045: Elizabeth Galbut of SoGal Ventures // the first female-led millennial venture capital firm (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:10 Debrief starts: 43:34 Elizabeth Galbut is the Founding and Managing Partner of SoGal Ventures. SoGal Ventures is the first female-led millennial venture firm, and they are leading the way in investing in diverse founding teams and products across the USA and Asia. …
CC044: Doug Clinton of Loup Ventures // exploring frontier technologies (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:38 Debrief starts: 32:46 Doug Clinton is the managing partner of Loup Ventures. A Midwest-based venture firm, Loup Ventures was founded in 2017, and to date, they have made exciting investments focusing on frontier tech. Their latest concentrations include neuro-tech and BCI, as …
UP067: eFuse // connecting gamers to professional opportunities & esports scholarships (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 7:22 Debrief starts: 45:18 Matthew Benson is the founder and CEO of eFuse, a new platform used to connect anyone in or interested in the gaming world to other opportunities, talent, and people in the Esports community. Sort of like a LinkedIn …
CC043: James O’Connor of the Pittsburgh Knights // operating a professional esports team (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:09 Debrief starts: 39:07 James O’Connor is the cofounder and president of the Pittsburgh Knights, a global esports team of 30+ players and streamers, headquartered in one of the most well-branded sports cities in the country. With his knowledge of management, program development, …
CC042: Jordan Davis of Smart Columbus // Looking into the future of smart cities (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:24 Debrief starts: 58:09 Jordan Davis is the Director of Smart Columbus for the Columbus Partnership, leading strategy and public-private partnerships for the Central Ohio region’s $550 million smart cities initiative. She was instrumental in Columbus becoming the sole winner of the …
CC041: Bryan Darr of Ookla // demystifying the 5G revolution (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 7:25 Debrief starts: 38:48 Bryan Darr is the Executive Vice President of Smart Cities at Ookla, the company behind Speedtest.net. Bryan began his career in wireless communication back in 1985 selling car phones. Through his sales, he gathered information and began writing roaming guides. …
UP066: Locomation // commercializing autonomous trucking with convoy technology (from CES 2020)
Interview begins: 5:25 Debrief begins: 46:38 Tekin Meriçli is the cofounder and CTO of Locomation, a company focused on developing autonomous trucking. Founded in 2018, Locomation hopes to implement autonomous driving technology into freight trucks to create convoys of semi-autonomous, highway-travelling trucks. Tekin became interested …
CC040: Recapping CES 2020 with fellow Media Trailblazers Hayden Field (Entrepreneur) and Lindsay Bjerregaard (Aviation Week)
Interview begins: 4:02 This episode begins our coverage of CES 2020. Lindsay Bjerregaard is a Digital Editorial Producer with Aviation Week and Hayden Field is an Associate Editor at Entrepreneur. Lindsay and Hayden, along with us, were brought to CES through its Media Trailblazer Program, …
CC039: Catharine Dockery of Vice Ventures // investing in good companies operating in “bad” industries
Interview starts: 5:40 Debrief starts: 32:25 Catharine Dockery is the founding partner of Vice Ventures, an NY-based early stage venture firm focusing on companies working in “vice” industries such as cannabis, alcohol, sex techs, psychedelics, harm reduction drugs, and online gambling. Founded in 2019, Vice …
UP065: Renewlogy // Turning plastic waste into fuel through chemical recycling
Interview begins: 7:00 Debrief begins: 47:40 Priyanka Bakaya is the founder and CEO of Renewlogy. Founded in 2011, Renewlogy has the technology to break down plastics into its basic molecular form, where it can then be reused for other products or as fuel. In the …
CC038: Casey Allen // building the Twin Cities enterprise SaaS community
Interview starts: 7:15 Debrief starts: 54:23 Casey Allen is the founder of Enterprise Rising, a Minneapolis-based conference specific to SaaS startup topics. 2020 will be Enterprise Rising’s fifth year, and they pride themselves on focusing on under-discussed or taboo topics related to founding a startup. …
UP064: Fitt // curating health and wellness recommendations for your city
Interview starts: 6:25 Debrief starts: 49:00 Anthony Vennare is the cofounder and CEO of Fitt, a discovery platform that broadcasts different health and wellness opportunities and locations in different cities. Fitt functions similar to Yelp or Eater for fitness, with the ultimate goal of connecting …
UP063: Visible // powering communication for founders and investors
Interview starts: 7:45 Debrief starts: 49:27 Mike Preuss is the co-founder and CEO of Visible, an investor reporting platform for startups. Beginning in 2014, Visible is a completely remote company used by over 2,000 businesses. They help founders update their investors on their business and …
JE016: 12 episodes of Christmas
Happy Holidays from the upside team! Last year, we shared an episode called: JE006: eight crazy months of upside. This year, we’re back and sharing the 12 episodes of Christmas — 12 exceptionally notable episodes we recommend listening to again. The episodes mentioned, in order: CC033: …
CC037: Neal Bloom of Fresh Brewed Tech // uncovering the past and building the future of San Diego
Interview starts: 5:50 Debrief starts: 47:39 Neal Bloom is the founder of Fresh Brewed Tech and the host of the podcast, Tacos & Tech. Fresh Brewed Tech is a media company dedicated to raising awareness of local tech ecosystems in local areas through storytelling. Having …
UP062: Mainvest // helping anyone invest in Main Street businesses
Interview starts: 6:07 Debrief starts: 49:30 Nick Mathews is the CEO and cofounder of Mainvest. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Mainvest began in 2018 with the incentive to provide investment opportunities to smaller community markets through local investors. In just a little over a year, the …
CC036: Matt Cordio of Skills Pipeline // Getting a lay of the land in Startup Milwaukee
Interview starts: 6:32 Debrief starts: 38:33 Matt Cordio is the founder and president of Startup Milwaukee. Startup Milwaukee is a community dedicated to encouraging and growing Milwaukee’s startup environment. They offer events and programs focused on helping tech startups find mentorship, talent, capital, and …
JE015: Thanksgiving 2019 // strikes, turkeys, and three things we’re thankful for
This Turkey Day, we want to take the time to express our gratitude. We are so thankful for you, our listeners, for the startup movement happening between the coasts, and for the success that this podcast has had. As a gentle reminder, please check out …
CC035: Kim Jefferson and Lydia Beechler of BLASTmedia // building a holistic PR strategy for startups
Interview starts: 6:00 Debriefs starts: 44:11 Kim Jefferson is the Senior Vice President and Lydia Beechler is the Director of Accounts at BLASTmedia. BLASTmedia is a nationally recognized PR agency that concentrates on B2B SaaS media relations. With 15 years in the industry, BLAST works …
UP061: The Bee Corp // using infrared to measure colony size to support beekeepers and growers
Interview begins: 6:49 Debrief begins: 47:27 Ellie Symes is the co-founder and CEO of The Bee Corp. The Bee Corp is a startup focusing on improving and creating sustainable methods for commercial bee pollination. Based in Indianapolis, The Bee Corp offers commercial beekeepers and growers …
CC034: Greg Robinson of 4490 Ventures // leading Series A/B rounds in underserved markets
Interview starts: 6:38 Debrief starts: 43:48 Greg Robinson is the Managing Director of 4490 Ventures. 4490 Ventures is an early stage venture fund based in Madison Wisconsin that invests in Midwest, tech based companies. Founded in 2014, 4490 Ventures aims $5-8 million per investment, and …
UP060: Perceive // using spatial recognition to measure consumer behavior in the real world
Interview begins: 6:15 Debrief begins: 47:49 Everett Berry is the CEO and founder of Perceive, an experience-analysis computer vision software designed to give companies an automated method for analyzing business in a physical space. Everett began forming his idea for Perceive six years ago during …
CC033: Alex Rubalcava of Stage Venture Partners // investing in early-stage enterprise software
Interview starts: 6:23 Debrief beings: 48:05 Alex Rubalcava is a General Partner and Co-Founder of Stage Venture Partners, an L.A.-based VC firm that invests in upcoming software technologies. Alex began his investing career with Anthem Venture Partners in Los Angeles before switching to public market …
UP059: WorkHound // workforce retention via direct feedback from the frontline
Interview begins: 6:13 Debrief begins: 52:10 Max Farrell and Andrew Kirpalani are the co-founders of Workhound. Workhound is a platform that allows frontline workers to provide feedback to the companies for whom they work. Max and Andrew began Workhound in the hopes of eliminating …
CC032: Kate Shillo Beardsley of Upslope Ventures // scaling early stage investments across the country
Interview begins: 7:10 Debrief begins: 44:55 Kate Shillo Beardsley is the Managing Partner of Upslope Ventures. Formerly known as Galvanize Ventures, Upslope Ventures is committed to investing in early stage startups. Located in Denver, they look for startups throughout the country and currently have a …
UP058: Audience Awards // creating opportunity for filmmakers through contests, festivals, and distribution
Interview begins: 7:35 Debrief begins: 48:15 Paige Williams is the founder and CEO of Audience Awards. Audience Awards is an online platform that organizes contests and film festivals in hopes of providing more opportunity and exposure to independent filmmakers. Operating in Montana, Audience Awards opens …
CC031: building a network of generous entrepreneurs in the Midwest // a coffee chat with Joni Cobb (Pipeline Entrepreneurs)
Interview begins: 5:20 Debrief begins: 43:15 Joni Cobb is the founding President and CEO of Pipeline Entrepreneurs. Pipeline is a network of high-performing entrepreneurs who call the Midwest home. Their entrepreneurs and experts give generously of their time, talent and capital so that they can …
JE014: the update issue three // Test City, USA preview
A short episode this week discussing our latest issue of the update. The update is a quarterly publication that usually features editorials, trends, and stories happening outside of Silicon Valley. We had big plans for this issue of the update, namely sharing our documentary, “Test …
UP057: OROS Apparel // making outerwear obsolete with NASA-inspired technology
Interview begins: 6:05 Debrief begins: 45:15 Michael Markesbery is the co-founder and CEO of OROS apparel, an outdoor and sportswear company that has revolutionized the technology in outdoor clothing. Founded in Cincinnati and now based in Portland, Oregon, OROS makes outdoor apparel using their own …
CC030: investing in socially responsible, high-growth companies // a coffee chat with Rose Maizner (RenewableTech Ventures)
Interview begins: 5:30 Debrief begins: 44:38 Rose Maizner is a partner at RenewableTech Ventures and a co-founder of Womenpreneurs. RenewableTech Ventures is a Salt Lake City based venture capital fund focused in cleantech. An impact investment fund, Renewable Tech Ventures has helped a number of …
UP056: Kush.com // a budding B2B marketplace for legal hemp and cannabis transactions
Interview begins: 5:30 Debrief begins: 48:09 Chase Nobles is a co-founder and co-CEO of Kush.com. Seattle-based company Kush.com is a platform that allows entities within the hemp and cannabis industries to interact and buy and sell product. Kush.com has become one of the principal sites …
CC029: providing equal access to the Triangle startup community // a coffee chat with Molly Demarest (American Underground)
Interview begins: 6:30 Debrief begins: 47:37 Molly Demarest is the General Manager of American Underground. The American Underground is based in the Durham-Raleigh area in North Carolina and focuses on connecting startups and founders in the region with the different resources needed to help their …
JE013: Happy Labor Day // don’t work too hard
We want to wish all of the listeners a happy Labor Day and thank you all for their continued support. Thanks to all of the support to date, the upside podcast will have some exciting updates in the coming months, so be sure to tune …
CC028: building turnkey programs for entrepreneurs and creatives // a coffee chat with Joe Kirgues (gener8tor)
Interview begins: 05:49 Debrief begins: 41:15 Joe Kirgues is a co-founder of gener8tor. One of the top companies in its field, gener8tor offers accelerator programs whose missions are to promote local investors and companies investing in their own communities’ startups and entrepreneurs. Operating in Milwaukee, …
JE012: the fourfront // four trends we are watching develop
On today’s episode, we analyze four predominant themes we’ve encountered lately in the startup and investing arena. Our four on the fore includes: 1.) hiring talent 2.) the growing trend of remote work 3.) frustrations with information inaccessibility 4.) and our takes on specialized funding …
UP055: Hurry Home // enabling renters to become owners of affordable homes
Interview begins: 07:16 Debrief begins: 47:49 Jada McLean is the co-founder and CEO of Hurry Home. Hurry Home finances houses through shared ownership, enabling renters to become homeowners and offering a streamlined investment opportunity. Despite there being 3 million houses for sale in the …
CC027: raising an opportunity fund for a mission driven accelerator // a coffee chat with Barbara Bickham (WIF AX)
Interview begins: 06:02 Debrief begins: 39:50 Barbara Bickham is the co-founder and Managing Director of WIF AX. WIF AX (Women’s Innovation Fund Accelerator) is a Qualified Opportunity Fund building women-balanced and environmentally-sustainable organizations within QOZ’s nationwide. They plan to use a mix of incubation, …
UP054: AdAdapted // serving smarter ads for CPG companies
Interview begins: 07:15 Debrief begins: 55:46 Michael Pedersen and Molly McFarland are the co-founders of AdAdapted. AdAdapted is a digital engagement and insights platform for CPG brands and agencies. The AdAdapted platform offers CPG brands the ability to directly target their primary consumers in the …
CC026: matching top talent with startups between the coasts // a coffee chat with Kaleb Dumot (Integrity Power Search)
Interview begins: 07:06 Debrief begins: 43:11 Kaleb Dumot is the founder and CEO of Integrity Power Search. Integrity Power Search (IPS) is a recruiting agency focused on connecting amazing people to world class technology companies in the middle of the country. Since 2012, they have …
UP053: emocha // improving medication adherence through remote video observation
Interview begins: 08:26 Debrief begins: 49:12 Sebastian Seiguer is the Co-Founder and CEO of emocha Mobile Health. emocha is a mobile health platform that saves lives by connecting remote patients to health care providers. They improve medication adherence using video technology and human engagement. emocha …
UP052: Seek // augmented reality on the web for eCommerce
Interview begins: 04:40 Debrief begins: 1:11:09 Jon Cheney is the founder and CEO of Seek. Seek is Augmented Reality on the web for eCommerce. SeekView allows a consumer to visualize a product in their life before they buy it. Seek has an advanced and powerful …
UP051: UbiQD // making low-hazard quantum dots
Interview begins: 08:48 Debrief begins: 1:05:44 Hunter McDaniel is the founder and CEO of UbiQD. UbiQD is a cleantech materials company that manufactures low-hazard quantum dots (QDs) and nanocomposites. The company focuses on applications that utilize its nanomaterials to manipulate sunlight, enabling solar windows and …
UP050: opendorse // helping athletes share more content (feat. Braxton Miller of the Philadelphia Eagles)
Interview begins: 09:02 Insight begins: 58:13 Debrief begins: 1:01:59 Blake Lawrence is the founder and CEO of opendorse. opendorse is the athlete-marketing platform that helps the biggest brands in sports share content on social. Founded by two former major college athletes, opendorse was built seeking …
UP049: Zive // freeing you from the browser with desktop applications
Interview begins: 08:39 Debrief begins: 48:25 Eric Shashoua is the founder and CEO of Zive, makers of the app, Kiwi for Gmail. Kiwi for Gmail turns native Gmail into a full desktop application, dramatically upgrading the entire user experience, & adding features like default email …
CC025: impact investing and reversing demographic trends // a Coffee Chat with Robert Zulkoski (Vermont Works)
Interview begins: 06:34 Debrief begins: 49:48 Robert Zulkoski is the Chairman and Managing Partner of Vermont Works. Vermont Works is an Independent Alternative Investment Firm Supporting Vermont’s Job & Economic Development. Vermont Works was founded in 2016 and based in Burlington, Vermont. We discuss: Social …
JE011: happy July 4th // the update issue two
Happy US Independence Day from the upside team! Per our holiday tradition, we’re keeping it short and sweet this week so we don’t take you away from what really matters. So we don’t have an interview this week, we just have a conversation between the …
CC024: investing in the picks and shovels of esports and gaming // a Coffee Chat with Josh Chapman (Konvoy Ventures)
Interview begins: 05:19 Debrief begins: 55:13 Josh Chapman is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Konvoy Ventures. Konvoy is an early-stage venture fund focused exclusively on esports & video gaming. They are dedicated to partnering with and supporting founders in this industry at the earliest …
UP048: Balto // selling sales software to salesmen (feat. David Geiger of TeamDynamix)
Interview begins: 07:44 Insight begins: 54:30 Debrief begins: 1:06:20 Marc Bernstein is the CEO of Balto. Balto helps sales, service, and accounts receivable reps win as much revenue as possible from every phone call. Teams use Balto’s artificial intelligence software to analyze phone calls in …
CC023: connecting recent college grads to startups // a Coffee Chat with Amy Nelson (Venture for America)
Interview begins: 06:33 Debrief begins: 51:26 Amy Nelson is the CEO of Venture For America (VFA). VFA is a two-year fellowship program for recent grads who want to work at a startup and create jobs in American cities. Fellows learn important startup skills at our …
UP047: Momentous // supplements used by professional athletes and available to you (feat. Tenika Seitz)
Interview begins: 09:33 Insight begins: 1:00:43 Debrief begins: 1:08:09 Matt Wan is the founder and CEO of Momentous. Momentous is a nutritional supplement company driven by science, consumed by transparency, and grounded in experience. With products designed by NFL, NBA, and NHL human performance experts, …
CC022: connecting the coasts to the heartland // a Coffee Chat from the Comeback Cities Tour
Interview starts: 06:15 This conversation took place on the third Comeback Cities tour on May 15, 2019, aimed at connecting venture capitalists from the East and West Coasts with investment opportunities in the heartland. It also had stops in Columbus, Pittsburgh, and Youngstown. This conversation …
UP046: MITO Material Solutions // chemical additives for tougher composites
Haley Keith is the co-founder and CEO of MITO Material Solutions. MITO Material Solutions developed a nano-additive named the “MITO T-Series.” The T-Series is mixed in with any epoxy or resin, which then toughens composite parts by 100% while decreasing the chances of mechanical failure …
UP045: GTI Fabrication // scaling modular construction through pre-fabrication
Interview begins: 09:04 Debrief begins: 49:12 Rich Stapleton is the co-owner and CEO of GTI Fabrication. GTI Fabrication creates modular containerized solutions. Products include Modular Shower, Kitchen, Gym, Farm, Security, Office, Mobile Beverage, Mobile Showcase, Modular Construction, and Currency Mining Units. GTI Fabrication was …
innovation hub cycles and the future of silicon valley
by Eric Hornung When I was younger, I wanted nothing more than to work on Wall Street. The books I read, the Wall Street Journal, the aura of living in Manhattan. It was the goal. Then, at 24 years old, I did it. I moved …
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