Founder Insights Podcast

In this specially live-broadcast podcast episode, Founder Institute CEO Adeo Ressi spoke on to a livestream audience of 650+ attendee entrepreneurs about how startups can plan for coronavirus impacts and the expected economic recessionary period to follow. 9X entrepreneur and startup investor Adeo Ressi encourages founders to be smart, rather than afraid in these unstable times, but to consider substantially changing their financial practices in the short term in order to prepare themselves. While Ressi discusses the many challenges the COVID19 pandemic is causing for businesses globally, he also outlines opportunities that are emerging, as well as strategies for startups to survive in a likely recession. Adeo Ressi addresses directly: The big unknowns for startups: how long is coronavirus likely to last, and how bad is the COVID-19 impact likely to be? How to survive the stay-at-home mandates, and general considerations for both pre- and post-revenue startup financial management. How and when to ask for the 'Coronavirus Discount' from suppliers and vendors - be generous, and remember to give back. Why an enormous problem is a collective test, and how founders can take the opportunity to examine their impact in the world. Opportunities for improvements and innovation for startups combatting coronavirus directly. and more! A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fndri.com/AdeoCoronavirusMarch2020podcast  For additional insights from the Founder Institute, subscribe to our newsletter at https://fi.co/subscribe If you’re building a pre-seed stage startup and looking to join an accelerator, see if the Founder Institute is currently accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/podcast 

In this episode of the Coach Mike series, Mike Suprovici (FI Head of Portfolio Success) is joined by special guest revenue strategist Paul D’Souza and Founder Insights editor Dustin Betz to talk about strategies founders can employ as they navigate unknown futures and uncertain markets. Paul D’Souza has been a leader in growth Startup and Enterprise Sales for more than 20 years, currently self-employed as a Sales Strategy Consultant at the D’Souza Group, and is also a longtime Go-To-Market and Revenue Mentor for the Founder Institute.  D’Souza has experienced multiple market downturns throughout his career, and observed business leaders whose reactions and choices have served them and their employees both well and poorly in the early stages of economic disruptions. With at least a short economic recession now seemingly inevitable, how can founders not panic, but be smart as they prepare their contingency plans? Mike and guests discuss the strategies startup leaders can use to best prepare themselves now for navigating the choppy waters of unknown market conditions ahead.    Coach Mike and guest Paul D'Souza answer questions like: How can founders provide stability to potential nervous customers, jittery suppliers, or uneasy employees in the early stages of an economic downturn? How do the best entrepreneurs show up as organizational leaders? How can founders deliver their levelheaded best and grounded mindset to their team's challenges? What are Paul's breathing and physical tactics to bring greater focus to one's daily tasks and attention?  How can founders forecast their company's potential futures for unknown market futures, and plan contingencies for different scenarios? How can companies with supply-side challenges deal with the new manufacturing challenges and supply chain complexities created by the realities of COVID-19? and more!  A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fndri.com/RecessionRevenueStrategy  Visit CROaaS.com to learn about Paul D'Souza's Chief-Revenue-Officer-as-a-Service, and offerings to help business leaders increase revenue. For additional insights from the Founder Institute, subscribe to our newsletter at https://fi.co/subscribe/ If you’re building a pre-seed stage startup and looking to join an accelerator, see if the Founder Institute is currently accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/coachmike

On this Unfiltered Startup Idea Review episode, Rachel Sheppard (FI Global Marketing Manager), Mike Suprovici (FI Head of Portfolio Success), Ryan Micheletti (FI Head of Global Operations) and Dustin Betz (FI Content Editor) review startup ideas, and pull no punches. Together, they bring decades of startup experience, advising hundreds of early-stage companies. In the Unfiltered series, FI HQ team expertise comes through as raw and #unfiltered feedback on YOUR startup ideas at all stages of development. A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fndri.com/Unfiltered9  Here is an overview of this #Unfiltered episode’s startup ideas:  Savo (Cape Town): My company 'Dappleshades' wants to make paper-based sculptures as functional décor to help students and young couples enhance their living & working spaces, by bringing in patterns inspired by nature at affordable prices. We use waterjet cutting to mass-produce existing hand-cut designs at low cost. Henry (Fort Lauderdale): My company ‘Bye-thon’ is crowdsourcing and gamifying the tagging and removal of invasive species. We’re making a remotely controlled quadcopter tagging service that approved users can pilot from a desktop computer (just like playing a video game) to tag invasive animals with RFID trackers.  Cecilie (Oslo): My company Lingal is disrupting language-learning with an AI chatbot for beginner to intermediate language-learners. Our chatbot fills a gap left open by apps that focus too heavily on rote memorization, thanks to our bot’s conversationality and its ability to easily shift between multiple languages when the user is stuck. John (St. Louis): My company Air Refueling Tanker Transport (“ART2”) fills a gap in the DoD's Air-to-Air Refueling (AAR) tanker fleet. Sought after by global militaries, our commercial AAR supports military tankers and crews during peacetime. As the nation’s only commercial AAR outlet, we deliver a civilian-to-military capability, support, and training needs in excess of ~200K hours annually. Our secret sauce is our 9 aircraft, 90K hours and 250 years of AAR knowhow. Clement (Montreal): My company (Tester) is building an online marketplace to help clinical researchers find test-subjects for trials. Currently, test subjects struggle to find research projects, which are too often listed on isolated university websites or even Craigslist, while researchers don’t attract enough applicants to actually be selective. We give researchers a central hub to list their trial opportunities, and a test subjects a central place to find them. Rhoda (St. Paul): My company (Piqued) is launching a geofencing app for young tech-savvy shoppers that solves the issue of lost purchasing opportunities via our sales alert system. For example, when an app user walks by a Target store, a notification would pop up on their phone, informing them about any ongoing sales. Are you launching your own startup? Submit your startup idea to be featured on our next Unfiltered episode: https://fi.co/ideas If you're looking to join a pre-seed accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/unfiltered

In this episode of the Founder Insights podcast, special guest Amy Wu, Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, joins Female Founder Initiative co-creator and FI Global Marketing Manager Rachel Sheppard for an AMA on venture funding for women entrepreneurs. Throughout her career, Amy Wu has enjoyed being on both sides of the table as investor and operator, joining Lightspeed in 2019 as an early member of the growth team to lead the reinvestment platform and invest in growth-stage consumer and enterprise businesses. Amy Wu’s breadth of experience – in early-stage and corporate, in consumer and enterprise businesses, and across the US, Europe, and Asia – has shaped her passion for helping businesses scale globally. Prior to joining Lightspeed, Amy was a media executive most recently at Discovery, and prior at NewsCred, a growth-stage marketing software company based in NYC. Wu starting her career at Insight Venture Partners. Amy Wu and Rachel Sheppard answer female founder funding questions in a live AMA interview format. A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fndri.com/AmyWuAMA For additional insights from FI, subscribe to our newsletter at https://fi.co/subscribe/ If you’re building a startup currently at the pre-seed stage and are looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/podcast

In this episode of the Coach Mike series, Mike Suprovici (FI Head of Portfolio Success) is joined by special guest serial entrepreneur Bryan Janeczko and Founder Insights editor Dustin Betz to talk about recession-proofing your business. Bryan Janeczko is the Founder of Gro Academy, VC advisor at Loeb.nyc, and former Director of FI New York (2011-2016).  Janeczko's first startup NuKitchen (a D2C subscription meal delivery service) was acquired during the Great Recession of 2007-08. With experts predicting a possible new market correction in 2020, and coronavirus already showing signs of slowing global markets, how can founders prepare their businesses for a potential downturn? Mike and guests discuss the preventative steps that founders can take to avoid the costliest negative outcomes of economic recessionary periods.  Coach Mike and guest Bryan Janeczko answer questions like: What lessons are drawn from the successful founder experiences of the last recession: How did Bryan do it? What happened at NuKitchen between the start of the Great Recession and its acquisition?  What are best practices in planning your business for a potential downturn in 2020 and beyond? What types of products or services tend to fail or succeed more or less during recessions? Predictions of categories that will fail or succeed through this next downturn?   Why impact companies and ethical ventures have greater chances to success during hard financial times. and more!  A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fndri.com/RecessionProofStartup For additional insights from FI, subscribe to our newsletter at https://fi.co/subscribe/ If you’re building a startup currently at the pre-seed stage and are looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/coachmike

A job of any entrepreneur is to listen to constant feedback, and as a leader, evaluate the relevancy of that feedback to decide whether and how to take action on it. Feedback of course comes from the individuals around an entrepreneur—teammates, customers, mentors, and advisors—but feedback can also come from roundabout or seemingly random places. In this eighth episode of the Mindstorm podcast series, Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) is back with Josh Whiton (Founder of Makesoil). Together, they discuss how startup founders can listen to and interpret the signals that the universe sends their way, and how they decide in their own lives whether these cues should be acted upon.  They explore topics including: Signs from the universe or cues from the world around us, about what direction or action entrepreneurs and innovators should take Communicating with reality, and creating intention to see universal feedback and use that dialogue to inform decision-making Forces - positive pull towards, and negative push away Feedback mechanisms and an entrepreneur’s job in navigating and interpreting that feedback A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fndri.com/Mindstorm8  If you’re building a startup currently at the pre-seed stage and are looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/mindstorm

It's another episode of Unfiltered! Rachel Sheppard (FI Global Marketing Manager), Mike Suprovici (FI Head of Portfolio Success), and Dustin Betz (FI Content Manager) review startup ideas and pull no punches. Together, they bring decades of startup experience advising hundreds of early-stage companies. In this Unfiltered series, the FI HQ team’s experience come through as raw and #unfiltered feedback on YOUR startup ideas at all stages of development. A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fndri.com/Unfiltered8 Here is an overview of this #Unfiltered episode’s startup ideas: Boze (Los Angeles): My company Micro Eyewear Inc. is developing eyewear enabled with microscopic vision, to help scientific professionals see at Micro and Nano scale 24/7, as needed on demand. We’re reinventing the microscope into a wearable technology. Joe (Dayton): My software startup, Flourish, uses machine learning to analyze videos for aspiring Youtube personalities and offers suggestions to improve their watchability. This includes comparing audio patterns, physical movements, cuts, etc, versus a database of successful Youtubers. John (Curitiba): My company, Swium, is developing a marketplace to help podcasters to monetize their content. By submitting their media kit, the podcasters will be connected with advertisers. These advertisers can buy ad spots, which is currently a tricky and time-consuming process, and often requires technical proficiency from the advertiser’s end. Oliver (Berlin): My company is developing a platform to help VC analysts search for more dealflow with an algorithm that searches through news sources and public incorporation documents. Through this, we can determine each company’s sector, location, and other vital information for analysts. Ashlyn (Seattle): My startup is building an equity crowdfunding platform for university students, solving the issue of abusive student loans by enabling working professionals to crowdfund student loans. Crowdfunders will be able to conduct due diligence by viewing students’ high school application information. Claudio (San Francisco): My company (Fastell.io) is a food delivery service (think Uber Eats) to help intermittent fasters break their fast in a healthy way, by delivering stomach-friendly meals like juices, fruits, and bone broth.  Kenneth (Gothenburg): CabiBUS is developing a vehicle and modular system for sustainable mobility and parcel delivery with autonomous electric vehicles on-demand, a door to door service to help societies reach the goals for fossil free traffic. Our competitive advantage is a patent for a vehicle with separate passenger cabins, which can be repurposed for parcel deliveries. Brian (Pittsburgh): Martian Technologies designs intelligent control systems for missiles and rockets. We have struggled to secure contracts with the DoD and NASA, and we are considering shifting our business model strictly toward the development of a patent portfolio for intelligence, defense, and space technologies. Are you launching your own startup? Submit your startup idea to be featured on our next Unfiltered episode: https://fi.co/ideas If you're looking to join a pre-seed accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/unfiltered

Mental wellbeing is a common challenge for entrepreneurs to deal with personally, constantly iterating on finding the right work/life balances to maintain their own workflow in a healthy ongoing mental state—but learning to become the type of leader who can fairly and effectively deal with mental health challenges in others around them can be even more challenging. In our first 2020 episode from the Mindstorm series, Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) is back with Josh Whiton (Founder of Makesoil). Together, they discuss how startup founders can deal with the mental health challenges that arise not only in their own lives, but in the lives of teammates, employees, partners, customers, and other individuals in their professional lives.  They explore topics including: How the job of a contemporary founder has now expanded to include reinvigorating collective belief into a team culture Personal experiences dealing with the mental health challenges others in their professional life have faced, including working through challenges with startup teammates and partners How working on one’s own ego as a founder can have positive trickle-down effects throughout an organization, including on the mental health and motivations of teammates A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fndri.com/Mindstorm7  If you’re building a startup currently at the pre-seed stage and are looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/mindstorm

In this episode of our Coach Mike series, Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR) is joined by special guest Neil Michie of Verimatrix and Founder Insights editor Dustin Betz. Together, they discuss the different facets of data and cybersecurity that founders should be giving consideration from day 1 building their businesses.  A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fi.co/insight/coach-mike-podcast-startup-data-cyber-security In this episode, Coach Mike and guests answer questions like: How do startups define their security?  What kinds of data are hackers after?  What things can I do from day 1 to protect my startup? What is encryption, where is it used, and why is it important?  Differences between Android and iOS security considerations? and more! For additional insights from FI, subscribe to our newsletter at https://fi.co/subscribe/ Exclusive for the Founder Institute community, Neil has graciously offered to extend Verimatrix free trial period for their turnkey mobile app security service ProtectMyApp.com, from 14 to 30 days using our special offer code - enter “FOUNDER20”  If you're looking to join a pre-seed accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/coachmike

It's another episode of Unfiltered! Rachel Sheppard (FI Global Marketing Manager), Mike Suprovici (FI Entrepreneur-In-Residence), and Dustin Betz (FI Content Manager) review startup ideas and pull no punches. Together, they have decades of startup experience and have advised hundreds of rising Silicon Valley companies. In this Unfiltered series, hear FI HQ team experience come through as raw and #unfiltered feedback for startup ideas at all stages of development.   A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fndri.com/Unfiltered7    Here is an overview of this #Unfiltered episode’s startup ideas: Paola (Lima): My team and I are developing an education crowdsourcing website platform, allowing SME leaders to take face to face business management related courses, taught by high-level specialists. Our goal is to help SMEs access high-level business education through crowdsourcing, to increase survival chances of their businesses. Ravi (Bangalore): My company Ekayana, focuses on early childhood education to help children in the age group of 3 years to 6 years learn natural sciences through a play-based approach. We enable their natural ability to wonder, question, and learn through thinking and tinkering, based on our research and experience in using stories, role play, and experiments to kindle children's curiosity towards natural phenomena. Yaffa (Jerusalem): My company, Perfect 4 People Shoes, is developing four-dimensional footwear to help adults with hard-to-fit feet slip into the most comfortable shoes they have ever worn. Jay (Detroit): My company, Safewhistle, is developing a 3rd-party anonymous feedback platform to help organizations get more consistent feedback through reporting and transparency. We create a culture of damage prevention, rather than damage control. Nathan (Oostende): My company ZazouGroup is developing an online platform for sports clubs to digitize their administrative departments. Our competitive advantage is that we use existing athletic research to help children choose the right sport and club for them. Marianna (Yerevan): My company, LinguaStorm, is an online language learning and tutoring platform. Currently, we’re developing an AI system which automatically corrects all grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation related mistakes. Thus, everyone can learn at their own pace and improve tone-related difficulties, especially for the Chinese, Japanese and Korean languages. Andrew (Detroit): My company, Springship, is creating a community of compassion by organizing events and utilizing technology to teach, quantify, and grow empathy. We are addressing the mental health crisis by providing a community and tool for those who suffer with mental illness to grow in their ability to bring themselves into a brighter future. Stacy (Detroit): My company, Young and Ambitious, is developing a tutoring service to help children in grade school (pre K-12th) build confidence and improve their grades. Our competitive advantage is that we incorporate psychological concepts to approach academics, and we begin with the individual before the academics.   Are you launching your own startup? Submit your startup idea to be featured on our next Unfiltered episode: https://fi.co/ideas  If you're looking to join a pre-seed accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/unfiltered

In the next episode in our Coach Mike series, Founder Insights editor Dustin Betz is joined by Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR) and BV Satyaram (Founder & CEO of Code Astra, a web and mobile app development and consulting firm that works closely with FI on our own tech). Together, they discuss best practices for founders to use in working with product developers, both internally and external outsourcers.  A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fi.co/insight/coach-mike-podcast-working-with-developers In this episode, Coach Mike and guests address questions like: Types of development resources In-house versus outsourced developers Pros and Cons of outsourced dev teams How to engage with developers (contracts, retention) Efficient Communication (specs, wireframes) Agile Dev Terminology (Epics, Sprints, User Stories) Handling far-flung remote teams (timezones, feedback cycles) For additional insights from FI, subscribe to our newsletter at https://fi.co/subscribe  If you're looking to join a pre-seed accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/coachmike

It's another episode of Unfiltered! Rachel Sheppard (FI Global Marketing Manager), Mike Suprovici (FI Entrepreneur-In-Residence), and Dustin Betz (FI Content Manager) review startup ideas and pull no punches. Together, they have decades of startup experience and have advised hundreds of rising Silicon Valley companies. In our Unfiltered series, hear the FI HQ team experience come through as raw and #unfiltered feedback for startup ideas at all stages of development. A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fndri.com/Unfiltered6  Here is an overview of this #Unfiltered episode’s startup ideas: Abhay (Singapore): My Company, estackk, is developing a SaaS platform for offline and online merchants to help them engage with their customers by self-serving from out-of-box loyalty programs, tiered loyalty, etc. We have an ethical API-first approach where consumers can choose to monetize their own data by anonymising it and providing it to brands to understand their preferences, and we earn a % of what is given to consumers. David (Sacramento): My startup is called Match iT. It’s a social app for the cannabis community that connects users with nearby smoking buddies & cannabis dispensaries. Match iT will be a lifestyle brand, and offer great perks to the cannabis community. What makes us different will be our strategic partnerships with everyday apps like Lyft, Postmates, Doordash, and Netflix. Mihai (Bucharest): My company eParenting is developing an online platform for future and current parents to guide them through pregnancy and growth stages for their children. Our main advantages is that we understand children (as we are parents), and we are in collaboration with some well-known psychologists, doctors, and prenatal educators. Peggy (Dallas): My Company, SuperChill HQ, is developing content to help burned-out 30-somethings start making changes to become more satisfied with their lives. Our competitive advantage is providing resources about everyday life and mindset upgrades, with a dose of levity mixed in along the way. Troy (St. Louis): My company, LocalLive, is a membership-based app and website for musicians. It’s driven by a digital engagement platform that gives each member, whether a hobbyist or pro, control to create their own personal music experience. We remove frustrating barriers like scheduling, organizing a teaching session, finding others to collaborate with, accessing studio-grade equipment and sound-proof space, and identifying performance opportunities. The business becomes a franchise model in the mid-term of the growth curve. Tamara (Toronto): My Company, Finger Feast, is developing a seasonal subscription service to help fashion forward millennial women attain envy-worthy hands with a curated and on-trend selection of nail polish, jewelry, and hand care products that take the guesswork out of everyday styling. Ivan (Zagreb): My company, LafTonic, is developing a system for web films and series in the idea phase and during production, to validate their market and get key insights. We use an affordable but accurate testing method that combines a live online audience with machine learning. We’ll co-produce validated content and help filmmakers crowdfund their projects by using the gathered intel. Are you launching your own startup? Submit your startup idea to be featured on our next Unfiltered episode: https://fi.co/ideas    If you're looking to join a pre-seed accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/unfiltered

Productivity guilt. Every entrepreneur has felt it: that gnawing sense that every moment of your day needs to be filled with work. In our newest episode from the Mindstorm series, Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) is back with Josh Whiton (Founder of Makesoil). Together, they discuss how startup founders can balance their work life with their personal wellbeing. They dive into: Their experiences with productivity guilt and how they’ve tried (and sometimes failed) to find balance Methods that people can use to shift themselves out of ‘Emergency mode’ How to think about the relationship between your wellbeing in relation to your company’s wellbeing If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/podcast

It's another episode of Unfiltered! From prescription monitoring tools to radical keyboards, Rachel Sheppard (Founder Institute Global Marketing Manager), Mike Suprovici (EIR), and Ryan Micheletti (Head of Operations) review startup ideas and pull no punches. Together, they have decades of startup experience and have advised hundreds of rising Silicon Valley companies. In our Unfiltered series, they use that experience to provide feedback for startups of any stage of development. Here is an overview of today's ideas: Matt (Melbourne): My Company, Array, is developing a property management software solution for the independent-living retirement sector to help staff reduce their manual paper-based tasks. Our competitive advantage is that we have written the front end in a language they understand, and have cut out all unnecessary features to make it easy to use. Ryan (Quebec): My Company, Lightning Futures Exchange is developing an anonymous and decentralized futures exchange to help individuals speculate on the price of assets or the outcome of any event. The exchange is a protocol so there are no doors to kick down and no off switch. Our competitive advantage is we figured out an algorithm that allows traders to safely and anonymously perform these trades. Bob (Cincinnati): My Company, Kenko Health, is developing a mobile web based solution to help families and eldercare facilities better monitor the health and safety of older and disabled individuals. Our competitive advantage is our wearable medical devices, aggregated medical history and prescription monitoring to give caregivers a real time view of their patients’ status. Ismail (Dhaka): ViOS is a healthcare platform that connects patients to private practice doctors for on-demand medical consultations, in-person at the doctors' office. It’s a connectivity tool that uses geofencing to tell patients when a specialist is in the office, along with their qualifications and testimonials. We’ll connect the patient with their chosen doctor and let the patient leave a post-appointment rating. Elias (Buffalo): My company, Kubed Root, is developing an indoor farm incubator to help Urban Farmers maximize their efficiency and profitability by minimizing all overhead costs and barriers to entry. We provide rentable indoor plots outfitted with low cost vertical hydroponic units in a warehouse setting, and we utilize a coworking business model. Ben (Atlanta): My Company, Dynamic Keyboard, is developing a lightweight electronic musical keyboard (under 100 lbs) for pianists, with the touch and feel of a full-size grand piano. It features real-time software simulation of a piano action for each key. Our second product will provide a grand piano with an electronic action to offer greater sensitivity and dynamic range, as well as keystroke recording and playback. Shakil (Dhaka): My company Chronico is developing an AI-based platform to assess, monitor, and prevent chronic health conditions. The unique feature of Chronico is that it assesses and alerts users if they are vulnerable to any flare-ups in the future. Bryan (St. Louis): Our company Unleased is developing a prop-tech platform to connect prospective tenants and Multi-Family operators. We provide short-term lease options to a transient generation of renters in collaboration with operators rather than disruption. We give the tenants the flexibility they want while maximizing rent premiums for the operators in true collabor-uption.   Are you launching your own startup? Submit your startup idea to be featured on our next Unfiltered episode: https://fi.co/ideas If you're looking to join a pre-seed accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/unfiltered

In our newest episode from the Mindstorm series, Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) is joined by a special guest: Ben Chong. Ben is a founder, an advisor to dozens of startups, and one of Australia's top tech investors. Currently, he serves as a partner at Right Click Capital. Together, Adeo and Ben discuss how startup founders can balance their mental health and wellbeing with the stresses of being an entrepreneur. They dive into: The methods to determine that you may need help Small daily practices that can aid your mindset How to build a network around yourself that's invested in your long-term future.   If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/podcast

In the next episode in our Coach Mike series, producer Drew Zias is joined by Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR). Together, they discuss how to test whether or not your startup idea is worth building, by using the Riskiest Assumptions Test. They address questions like: What is a Riskiest Assumptions Test (RAT)? How do they compare to MVPs? How do you build a strong RAT? How do you handle a RAT that invalidates your idea? What are examples of good RATs (other than Ratatouille)? and more! For additional insights from FI, subscribe to our newsletter at https://fi.co/subscribe/ If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

As technology advances at an exponential speed, there are amazing opportunities for entrepreneurs to build radical businesses that positively impact society. On this recently recorded Q&A webinar, Dr. Peter Diamandis and Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) discuss how an entrepreneur with a big vision can raise funds, find investors, and explore alternative funding routes. Peter, named one of "The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders” by Fortune Magazine, is the Founder/Co-founder of the XPRIZE Foundation, which tackles global challenges through incentive competitions, and BOLD Capital Partners, a $250M venture fund for frontier tech, along with Celularity and Singularity University. If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

In our newest episode from the Mindstorm series, Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) and Josh Whiton (Founder of MakeSoil) discuss how you can balance your heart and your mind as an entrepreneur. They cover 'gut instincts', empathy, and other heart-based concepts that are often underutilized in entrepreneurship, and how we can harness those to live more fulfilled lives & improve the world. If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/podcast

In the third episode in our Coach Mike series, producer Drew Zias is joined by Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR). Together, they discuss how to build products and bring those products to market as a non-technical founder. They address questions like: Do you need technical cofounder? How do I screen and onboard remote devs? What about outsourcers? How do I turn my MVP into a product if I lack the expertise? How do I work with developers and share my vision with them? and more! For additional insights from FI, subscribe to our newsletter at https://fi.co/subscribe/ If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

In our newest episode from the Mindstorm series, Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) and Josh Whiton (Founder of MakeSoil) define manifestation within the framework of mindfulness and explain how it can impact the lives of entrepreneurs. They discuss how to interpret the universe's signs and how to determine whether or not you are on the right path, both in life and entrepreneurship. f you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/podcast

In this special episode - the second in our ‘Coach Mike’ series - producer Drew Zias is joined by Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR). Together, they discuss the mechanics of raising a Friends and Family round. It's sometimes the first round of funding, and a round where much can go wrong. Mike lays out four critical rules to follow, to avoid those issues and secure early inside investors: Do your research into what typical friends & family agreements look like. Manage the investor's expectations. Let them know that this will likely fail. Be transparent with updates & the progress of your company. Don't allow the investors to add strange terms in your agreement. For more insights from FI, subscribe to our newsletter at https://fi.co/subscribe/ If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

There's no shortage of problems in the world, and we believe that entrepreneurs have the potential to solve many of them. From health crises to political instability to climate change, major human challenges can often seem daunting and hopeless, but that couldn't be further from the truth. In our new Mindstorm podcast series, featuring Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) and Josh Whiton (Founder of MakeSoil), share their journeys in mindfulness and their thoughts on how entrepreneurs can solve some of the massive problems ahead of us as a species. f you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/podcast

We're back with another episode of Unfiltered! From growth marketing management tools to life-saving ambulance drones, Rachel Sheppard (Founder Institute Global Marketing Manager), Mike Suprovici (EIR), and Jon Greechan (Cofounder of the Founder Institute) review startup ideas and pull no punches. Together, they have decades of startup experience and have advised hundreds of rising Silicon Valley companies. In our Unfiltered series, they use that experience to provide feedback for startups of any stage of development. Are you launching your own startup? Submit your startup idea to be featured on our next Unfiltered episode: https://fi.co/ideas If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

Every day, entrepreneurs face a sea of distractions. From screens to bad habits to self-doubt, these obstacles can seem insurmountable, but they aren't. By finding and harnessing your purpose, you can overcome them. In our new Mindstorm podcast series, featuring Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) and Josh Whiton (Founder of MakeSoil), share their journeys in mindfulness and share their thoughts on how humanity can solve some of the massive problems ahead of us as a species. If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/podcast

Every startup founder is focused on generating revenue and securing investors, but countless startups fail because they fail to manage their existing cash. In this episode, startup finance and accounting expert Frank Mastronuzzi (CFO, Punch Financial) outlines some of the best strategies to manage your company's money. He identifies some of the most common mistakes that startups make, fields questions from seed-stage founders, and guides us through the ever-changing world of startup finance. Are you launching your own startup? Submit your startup idea to be featured on our next Brutal Honesty episode: https://fi.co/ideas If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

We're back with another episode of Unfiltered! From school transport to grocery startups, Rachel Sheppard (Founder Institute Global Marketing Manager), Mike Suprovici (EIR), and Ryan Micheletti (Head of Global Operations) review startup ideas and pull no punches. Together, they have decades of startup experience and have advised hundreds of rising Silicon Valley companies. In our Unfiltered series, they use that experience to provide feedback for startups of any stage of development. Are you launching your own startup? Submit your startup idea to be featured on our next Brutal Honesty episode: https://fi.co/ideas If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

In this special episode - the first in our ‘Coach Mike’ series - producer Drew Zias is joined by Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR). Together, they discuss the number one reason why startups fail: conflict between founders. The topic of the day is Startup Hiring, and Mike outlines how to build a strong team and avoid some of the most dangerous mistakes for an early-stage company, along with: How to onboard co-founders, and early employees How to deal with equity splits How to define your values as a company For more insights from FI, subscribe to our newsletter at https://fi.co/subscribe/ If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

According to several reports, less than 3% of all venture capital funding goes to female founders. In this webinar, Cat gives advice on how female founders can overcome the odds and close a funding round, through an interactive online AMA ("Ask me Anything"). Cat is the newest partner at Maveron, an early-stage consumer-tech venture firm. Previously, Cat worked for six years at Pinterest (Head of Culture, Global Partner Marketing, Growth, Product) and at Facebook as part of their developer platform team. Join the discussion as Rachel Sheppard (Co-Founder of the Female Founder Initiative, and Global Marketing Manager at the Founder Institute) and Cat field all the questions you have about startup funding. For more female founder resources, visit https://www.femalefounderinitiative.com/ If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

We're back with another episode of Unfiltered! From agribusiness to digital fingerprinting, Rachel Sheppard (Founder Institute Global Marketing Manager), Mike Suprovici (EIR), and Ryan Micheletti (Head of Global Operations) review startup ideas and pull no punches. Together, they have decades of startup experience and have advised hundreds of rising Silicon Valley companies. In our Unfiltered series, they'll provide feedback for startups of any stage of development. Are you launching your own startup? Submit your startup idea to be featured on our next Brutal Honesty episode: https://fi.co/ideas If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

In this episode, Pekka Viilto shares his experiences as a founder of a VC-backed startup, and fields questions from pre-Series A entrepreneurs. Pekka is an investor relations expert and the founder of Rundit. It's a founder-friendly investor reporting tool for startups, which helps founders communicate with their investors. He and Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR) discuss the challenges with investor relations and how to overcome those as a founder. If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

In this episode, Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR) returns to the podcast, this time as an interviewee. Mike is one of the world's leading minds in startup fundraising. He has successfully closed rounds in the startup world, and now helps other companies raise from investors through FI's alumni advisory program. Today, he fields questions about the fundraising process, how to navigate term sheets, trends, and how his advisory program has achieved its 80%+ funding rate. If you'd like Mike to review your startup on a future Unfiltered episode, submit your startup or your idea to https://fi.co/ideas If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

In this episode, we have an interactive chat about leveraging new technologies to better the lives of billions. Our featured speaker is Peter Diamandis. Named one of "The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders” by Fortune Magazine, Diamandis is the Founder/ Co-Founder of the XPRIZE Foundation, Human Longevity Inc., Planetary Resources, and Singularity University. With Founder Institute CEO Adeo Ressi, Peter discusses the most pressing issues facing humanity, and explores how entrepreneurs can work toward solving them. If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

If you are looking to raise funding or build a startup that positively impacts society, then this episode is for you. Pavel Cherkashin joins us today. He's an entrepreneur-turned-investor looking to fund impactful technologies. He's the Managing Partner at both Mindrock Capital and GVA Capital, overseeing over $200M in assets. Before he got into investing, Pavel also founded several successful IT companies. With Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR), Pavel discusses: How a successful Silicon Valley investor evaluates deals Strategies for building an impactful technology company How to mitigate the risk of your business in the eyes of an investor And much more. For more podcasts like this, visit https://fi.co/podcast If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

From space technology companies to dating apps, Rachel Sheppard (Founder Institute Global Marketing Manager), Mike Suprovici (EIR), and Ryan Micheletti (Head of Global Operations) review startup ideas and pull no punches. Together, they have decades of startup experience and have advised many Silicon Valley companies. In our Unfiltered segment, they'll provide feedback for startups of any stage of development. Are you launching your own startup? Submit your startup idea to be featured on our next Brutal Honesty episode: https://fi.co/ideas If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

In this episode, Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR) is joined by Lucas Rocha. Lucas works with deal sourcing and portfolio management for Unshackled Ventures, a firm that leads pre-seed rounds for teams with immigrant founders. Here, they discuss the different tactics required for securing venture capital investment and common mistakes. They conclude with a Q&A segment, where pre-series A founders ask company-specific questions about funding strategy, securing investment, and more. Are you launching your own startup? Join our global accelerator get feedback from experts like Lucas: https://fi.co/join/podcast

In this Scaling Session, Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR) is joined by Nathan Beckord. Nathan is the CEO of Foundersuite, and one of the world's experts in startup funding. Here, they discuss how to secure and maintain your shareholders and investors. They cover the different ways to keep your investors in the loop, along with adjacent topics like how and when to approach investors. They conclude with a Q&A segment, where pre-seed founders ask company-specific questions about general strategy, securing investment, and more. Check out Nathan’s podcast for more advice about startup funding

As the world becomes more connected and technology infiltrates the very fabric of our society, there has never been a better time for tech startups to make a difference and solve big problems in the world. In this episode, Mark Frohnmayer (Founder & President of Arcimoto) and Adeo Ressi discuss the various opportunities in cleantech, and the strategies which today's most ambitious entrepreneurs use to bring their visions to reality. This podcast is produced by the Founder Institute. We're an idea-stage accelerator that works with solo-entrepreneurs and teams during the earliest stages of their business. In our 3.5 month program, participants build their companies via a structured process, receiving feedback and assistance from successful entrepreneurs and investors. To learn about our efforts to help launch meaningful companies, visit fi.co/good.

Rick Moss, Founder and Managing Director of the Better Ventures, joins us to discuss the best practices for engaging with VCs, as a startup founder. He identifies the main factors that VCs are considering, from tracking key metrics to gauging founder passion, and more. This podcast is produced by the Founder Institute. We're an idea-stage accelerator that works with solo-entrepreneurs and teams during the earliest stages of their business. In our 3.5 month program, participants build their companies via a structured process, receiving feedback and assistance from successful entrepreneurs and investors. Our alumni join a global network of entrepreneurs and receive ongoing help to get funding and scale. So far, our alumni have raised over $800M in funding, and they're building some of the world's fastest growing companies.

Jed Katz (Managing Director of Javelin Venture Partners) is an entrepreneur and investor, with a portfolio that includes Niantic, and Carbon Health. In this interview he talks about how to best attract early investment and grow new tech startups from pre-launch to the Series A stage. This podcast is produced by the Founder Institute. We're an idea-stage accelerator that works with solo-entrepreneurs and teams during the earliest stages of their business. In our 3.5 month program, participants build their companies via a structured process, receiving feedback and assistance from successful entrepreneurs and investors. Our alumni join a global network of entrepreneurs and receive ongoing help to get funding and scale. So far, our alumni have raised over $800M in funding, and they're building some of the world's fastest growing companies.

Maria Matloub (Founder of ggut Design) and Peter Lazou (Founder of SportScientia) sit down with the Founder Institute's Global Marketing Manager Rachel Sheppard to discuss design-thinking, adventurous startups, and the impact of artificial intelligence on the global startup scene. Maria and Peter are both key advisors in the Milan startup ecosystem and they are the leaders of FI's Milan accelerator program. This podcast is produced by the Founder Institute. We're an idea-stage accelerator that works with solo-entrepreneurs and teams during the earliest stages of their business. In our 3.5 month program, participants build their companies via a structured process, receiving feedback and assistance from successful entrepreneurs and investors. Our alumni join a global network of entrepreneurs and receive ongoing help to get funding and scale. So far, our alumni have raised over $800M in funding, and they're building some of the world's fastest growing companies.

This Scaling Session interview features Greg Narain (Partner at Before Alpha, & Serial Entrepreneur). Greg has built startups from the ground up, and he has raised tens of millions from investors. In this interview he shares some important lessons on running a well-managed startup, where all stakeholders’ needs are met. This includes investors, advisors, etc. He also fields questions from entrepreneurs and he identifies the lesser-known ways that founders can benefit from their stakeholders, ensuring that you're getting the most out of your extended team. This podcast is produced by the Founder Institute. We're an idea-stage accelerator that works with solo-entrepreneurs and teams during the earliest stages of their business. In our 3.5 month program, participants build their companies via a structured process, receiving feedback and assistance from successful entrepreneurs and investors. Our alumni join a global network of entrepreneurs and receive ongoing help to get funding and scale. So far, our alumni have raised over $800M in funding, and they're building some of the world's fastest growing companies.

Artificial intelligence technology is already changing our gadgets, our economies, and even our daily lives. We have a special episode today, where Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) will be joined by three guests: Jeff Schneider (Engineering Lead at Uber ATC, and Professor at Carnegie Mellon University), Birpal Sachdev (Leader of Advanced Technologies at Philips), and Michael Harries (Partner at The Robotics Hub) Together, they’ll be discussing artificial intelligence, machine learning, and related advanced technologies. They'll touch upon the most recent developments in these fields, the investment landscape, and they’ll answer questions from entrepreneurs. This interview was done as part of the Founder Institute’s live webinar series. To learn more and sign up for future webinars, where panelists can answer your questions, visit fi.co/webinar. This podcast is produced by the Founder Institute. We're an idea-stage accelerator that works with solo-entrepreneurs and teams during the earliest stages of their business. In our 3.5 month program, participants build their companies via a structured process, receiving feedback and assistance from successful entrepreneurs and investors. Our alumni join a global network of entrepreneurs and receive ongoing help to get funding and scale. So far, our alumni have raised over $800M in funding, and they're building some of the world's fastest growing companies.

BV Satyaram (Founder & CEO at Code Astra) sits down with Founder Institute EIR Mike Suprovici to discuss the process of building software products. Code Astra is a software development house that works with small businesses across the globe to spec, design and build software products. BV details every stage of the software development process, and how entrepreneurs can work with developers to build create products, on budget and on time. This podcast is produced by the Founder Institute. We're an idea-stage accelerator that works with solo-entrepreneurs and teams during the earliest stages of their business. In our 3.5 month program, participants build their companies via a structured process, receiving feedback and assistance from successful entrepreneurs and investors. Our alumni join a global network of entrepreneurs and receive ongoing help to get funding and scale. So far, our alumni have raised over $800M in funding, and they're building some of the world's fastest growing companies.

On this Scaling Session episode, Nikki Dryden discusses the best practices for founders that are considering immigrating to the United States. She explains legal implications in depth, so if you're thinking about moving your startup to the United States, or you want a better idea for how the process works, then listen closely. Nikki is a human rights lawyer, an activist, writer, olympic swimmer, and the Director of US Immigration at PwC.  This podcast is produced by the Founder Institute. We're an idea-stage accelerator that works with solo-entrepreneurs and teams during the earliest stages of their business. In our 3.5 month program, participants build their companies via a structured process, receiving feedback and assistance from successful entrepreneurs and investors. Our alumni join a global network of entrepreneurs and receive ongoing help to get funding and scale. So far, our alumni have raised over $800M in funding, and they're building some of the world's fastest growing companies.

Blockchain technology, and the larger "decentralization" movement, has the potential to change the world in ways we haven't seen since the beginning of the internet. Savvy entrepreneurs are leveraging the blockchain in preparation for a decentralized world. In this episode, you'll hear from Anthony Di Iorio (Co-Founder of Ethereum, Founder of Jaxx & Decentral) and one of the world's foremost blockchain experts. This podcast is produced by the Founder Institute. We're an idea-stage accelerator that works with solo-entrepreneurs and teams during the earliest stages of their business. In our 3.5 month program, participants build their companies via a structured process, receiving feedback and assistance from successful entrepreneurs and investors. Our alumni join a global network of entrepreneurs and receive ongoing help to get funding and scale. So far, our alumni have raised over $800M in funding, and they're building some of the world's fastest growing companies.

On this Scaling Session podcast, you'll hear hiring tips from Maren Kate Donovan, a Silicon Valley Founder Institute Graduate and the Founder of AVRA Talent Partners. Maren has helped build several startup teams in her career, and in this interview she shares some important lessons on finding talent, keeping talent, and building a well-rounded team. The interview was conducted by Mike Suprovici (EIR at FI, and the Leader of Grad Support Group). This podcast is produced by the Founder Institute. We're an idea-stage accelerator that works with solo-entrepreneurs and teams during the earliest stages of their business. In our 3.5 month program, participants build their companies via a structured process, receiving feedback and assistance from successful entrepreneurs and investors. Our alumni join a global network of entrepreneurs and receive ongoing help to get funding and scale. So far, our alumni have raised over $800M in funding, and they're building some of the world's fastest growing companies.

In this Scaling Session episode, you’ll hear from Doug Landis, a Growth Partner at Emergence Capital, one of Silicon Valley’s top VC firms. Doug has worked with some of the world’s fastest growing enterprise companies - like Box, Gusto, and Zoom - and in this interview he shares the best practices he’s learned on how you can get data and customer insights to help you scale your sales organization. This interview was conducted by Mike Suprovici (EIR at the Founder Institute, and the Leader of Grad Support Group). This podcast is produced by the Founder Institute. We're an idea-stage accelerator that works with solo-entrepreneurs and teams during the earliest stages of their business. In our 3.5 month program, participants build their companies via a structured process, receiving feedback and assistance from successful entrepreneurs and investors. Our alumni join a global network of entrepreneurs and receive ongoing help to get funding and scale. So far, our alumni have raised over $800M in funding, and they're building some of the world's fastest growing companies.

Business success should be measured not just by profit, but by social impact as well. If bright-minded entrepreneurs tackled bigger problems and global markets, not only would their potential to achieve big profit AND societal impact be much higher - they could also lead a more inspired and passionate life. The Founder Institute previously held an interview that tackled these complex topics, hosted by Adeo Ressi (Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute), and featured special guest Kimbal Musk. Kimbal Musk is on the board for Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and Chipotle Mexican Grill. His personal mission is to strengthen communities through food. Discussion topics in this video include: The various business opportunities where entrepreneurs can start impactful companies How to identify the "big idea" that you are passionate about solving How to create an impactful vision, define your mission, and articulate them to the masses How to navigate the funding landscape for social and mission-driven companies Why food is an impactful and trillion dollar business opportunity This podcast is produced by the Founder Institute. We're an idea-stage accelerator that works with solo-entrepreneurs and teams during the earliest stages of their business. In our 3.5 month program, participants build their companies via a structured process, receiving feedback and assistance from successful entrepreneurs and investors. Our alumni join a global network of entrepreneurs and receive ongoing help to get funding and scale. So far, our alumni have raised over $800M in funding, and they're building some of the world's fastest growing companies.