Podcast appearances and mentions of helen greiner

Helen Greiner, cofounder iRobot, CEO Tertill Corporation is interviewed by David Cogan host of the Eliances Heroes Show and founder Eliances entrepreneur community.  

https://tertill.com/products/tertill ()From the Inventor of Roomba®Helen is the CEO of Tertill. https://tertill.com/products/tertill (Tertill) makes gardening easier. Tertill sells a weeding robot designed for vegetable gardens! Today along with describing the robot, Helen will announce a custom garden fertilizer program that delivers the right fertilizer, at the right time, right to your door! Talk about easy gardening. As background info, Helen founded iRobot the company that makes the Roomba Vacuuming Robot. Tertill Weeding Robot doesn't pull weeds, it prevents them using specially-designed wheels. If any weeds do sprout, the robot chops them down with its string trimmer. Tertill Weeding Robot uses height to tell plants from weeds. If a plant can touch its sensors, the robot leaves it alone. If the plant can pass under the robot, it cuts it. Included metal guards protect young plants and seeds until they are taller. Let's take a minute to thank our sponsors and affiliate linksWanna donate to the show! You can https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vlnjczo ("buy me a cup of coffee") where your https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vlnjczo (donation) goes directly to support the https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vlnjczo (GREEN Organic Garden Podcast) to help pay for things like hosting the mp3 files or maintaining the website. [gallery ids="137595,137597,137596" type="rectangular"] https://growers.co/ (Growers & Co)https://mailchi.mp/7d7096fe8752/grow-live-with-patti-and-jackie-ask-question-here () Ask Your https://mailchi.mp/7d7096fe8752/grow-live-with-patti-and-jackie-ask-question-here (questions here)https://youtu.be/2S9tbLIIhy4 https://goodseedco.net/ (The Good Seed Company)Now Let's Get to the Root of Things! http://organicgardenerpodcast.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=e3e16d6ddb7c0acd9e17348ed&id=b6a8f6bd31&e=e16e7400c4 () We'd love if you'd join  http://organicgardenerpodcast.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=e3e16d6ddb7c0acd9e17348ed&id=b6a8f6bd31&e=e16e7400c4 (Organic Gardener Podcast Facebook Community!)https://amzn.to/2PEYW6c () https://amzn.to/2PEYW6c (Get Your Copy of the The Organic Oasis Guidebook!)Twelve Lessons designed to help you create an earth friendly landscape, some deep garden beds full of nutrient rich healthy food or perhaps even develop a natural market farm. https://amzn.to/2PEYW6c (Get a copy on today printed in the USA from Amazon) https://amzn.to/2PEYW6c () The Organic Gardener Podcast is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com If you like what you heard on the Organic Gardener Podcast we'd love it if you'd give us review and hopefully a 5 star rating on iTunes so other gardeners can find us and listen to. Just click on the https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/organic-gardener-podcast/id962887645 (link here). and don't forget if you need help getting started check out our new  https://mailchi.mp/5611bc3d7dfd/free-garden-course (Free Garden Course.com)https://mailchi.mp/5611bc3d7dfd/free-garden-course () https://mailchi.mp/5611bc3d7dfd/free-garden-course ( Free Organic Garden Course )http://organicgardenerpodcast.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=e3e16d6ddb7c0acd9e17348ed&id=b6a8f6bd31&e=e16e7400c4 () We'd love if you'd join  http://organicgardenerpodcast.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=e3e16d6ddb7c0acd9e17348ed&id=b6a8f6bd31&e=e16e7400c4 (Organic Gardener Podcast Facebook Community!)If you like what you heard on the Organic Gardener Podcast we'd love it if you'd give us review and hopefully a 5 star rating on iTunes so other gardeners can find us and listen to. Just click on the https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/organic-gardener-podcast/id962887645 (link here).   This podcast uses the following third-party...

In this episode, Audrow Nash speaks to Helen Greiner, who is the CEO at Tertill; Tertill makes a small solar powered weeding robot for vegetable gardens. The conversation begins with an overview of Helen’s previous robotics experience, including at as a student at MIT, co–founder at iRobot, founder and CEO at CyPhyWorks, and in advising government research in robotics, AI, and machine learning. From there, Helen explains the design of the Tertill robot, how it works, and her high hopes for this simple robot: to help reduce the environmental impact of the agriculture industry by helping people to grow their own food. In the last part of the conversation, Helen speaks broadly about her experience in robotics startups, the robotics industry, and the future of robotics.EPISODE LINKS:– Tertill’s Website: https://tertill.com/– Helen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen–greiner–382295/– Tertill’s on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/franklin–robotics/PODCAST INFO:– Podcast website: https://sensethinkact.com– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sense–think–act/id1582090036– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/52wK4oMDvgijRk6E82tC5d– RSS: https://sensethinkact.com/itunes.xml– Full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/SenseThinkActPodcast– Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfnCpNwZzYtZ32J–pZvNDgOUTLINE:– (0:00:00) Start– (0:01:41) Introducing Helen– (0:06:09) Roomba's backstory– (0:12:13) CyPhyWorks– (0:17:29) Helping special forces with your robots– (0:20:13) Advising robotics and AI research investments– (0:24:24) Introducing Tertill– (0:35:39) Lessons learned from the Roomba– (0:42:42) Challenges in making Tertill– (0:48:34) Why make a weeding robot?– (0:54:07) On gardening– (1:00:22) Helen's path– (1:02:24) Matching the market and technology– (1:09:21) Where and how to get information on opportunities– (1:11:26) Advice for starting a robotics company– (1:21:00) Different types of investment– (1:23:09) B–to–B or B–to–C (Business to business or business to consumer) markets– (1:24:51) Robotics consumer space– (1:25:52) Future of robotics– (1:28:38) Importance of robotics in the big pictureSOCIAL:– Twitter: https://twitter.com/sense_think_act– Discourse: https://discourse.ros.org/c/sensethinkact/71

Colah had a conversation linking plants and technology with Helen Greiner, co-founder of iRobot (producer of Roomba) and head of consumer robotics company, Tertill Corporation to discuss the launch of the Tertill weeding robot. Helen discussed some of her contributions to robotics before she became a plantrepreneur.To learn more about Tertill and the newly-launched Tertill Garden Program, an annual care plan for raised-bed gardens that includes a soil test, customized fertilizer plan featuring Tertill Organics, and personalized garden advice from experts – click here and use the offer code BITGROBOT25 at checkout to get $25 off your next purchase.Instagram: @TertillFollow the Tertill page on LinkedinLearn more about Underground Arborist and SUPPORT: undergroundarborist.orgBITG Theme: illsounds.comEditor: Jerome the Podcast master Like what you heard?Text Colah at (833)819-3926 about your favorite moments. Here's what to do to Help sustain this show:

As a kid, Helen Greiner was inspired by the robots in Star Wars and knew then, that she was going to change the world with her own robots. And that she did! From the Roomba, bomb-detecting robots for the military, and now Tertill, the robot that weeds your garden, Helen has made a huge difference in the world and will continue to do so. 

Jelen Greiner, co-Founder of iRobot and current CEO of Tertill, shared the story behind her title with us on Saturday, July 17th and Sunday, July 18th, 2021.Helen's goal since she was 11 has been to create robots. Her career has been her dream come true. She co-founded and served as Chairman and President of iRobot Corporation for 18 years.Helen also founded CyPhy Works, a drone company that delivered persistent drones flying for many hours, days, weeks at a time autonomously. We had them deployed in Iraq and Syria with Army and Special Forces where they saved lives. CyPhy was sold to NASDAQ[FLIR].Helen likes delivering robot products that surprise and delight customers with utility, intelligence, and price.SUE SAYS"Helen's love of mechanics and engineering was innate from the very beginning. While she didn't always feel as though she fit in with the other girls growing up, she pursued her dream anyway to one day build a robot just like R2D2. She is the finest example of living life on her own terms."Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/women-to-watch-r/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to Automating Success! Our goal is to inspire every listener to incorporate automation into their business. Robots are so much more than just machines. Not only do they make our lives easier by doing the dull, dirty, and dangerous jobs we humans would rather not do, they ignite our imaginations, arouse our empathy, and can even become honorary family members. This week, Helen Greiner, co-inventor of the Roomba, life-saving IED-detecting robots, and technology that is currently roving on Mars, shares her journey from 11 year old girl in love with R2D2 to CEO of gardening robot Tertill, the next big thing in robot technology. If you weren't ready to join the robot revolution before, this episode just might change your mind! But before we start this week's episode, I want to invite you to check out http://AutomatingSuccessShow.com where you can watch each episode's BEST Business Automation and Growth strategies, and download a FREE copy of Joe's “12 Keys To Maximizing your Business Potential!” Please follow us on Instagram @AutomatingSuccess for more helpful Automating Business tips, tricks, and silly memes on maximizing growth and productivity. If you felt any benefit from this show please let us know by leaving an iTunes review, sharing this episode on social media, and emailing a link to anyone you think would also find benefit here. Thank you, and happy automating! 4:17 - In love with R2D2 4:40 - Robot relations 8:43 - Programming her future 12:49 - Stepping stones to success 15:08 - iRobot: 3 is the magic number 22:52 - Tertill the weeding robot 31:35 - CyPhy Works 33:37 - NASA and JPL 35:20 - The next big thing 41:47 - From lawn to landscape 43:25 - The robotic revolution 44:52 - The dull, the dirty, and the dangerous 46:31 - You gotta start somewhere 51:05 - You have to be in it to win it 56:15 - Time flies when you're in the flow Connect with Joe Langton and Automating Success: Visit the AS Website: AutomatingSuccessShow.com Follow AS on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AutomatingSuccess Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2I9BDnKqInYs8tJ66uzrwQ Like AS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/automatingsuccessshow Follow AS on Twitter: https://twitter.com/automatings

Produced by Foundersuite.com, "How I Raised It" goes behind the scenes with startup founders who have raised capital. This episode is with Pree Walia of Preemadonna, makers of the Nailbot.com, an at-home robotic manicure machine. In this episode, Pree talks about the challenges of raising capital for a hardware startup, her experience with the HAX Accelerator and TechCrunch Battlefield, running a Kickstarter campaign, getting on the TV show "Meet The Drapers" and more. The Company has raised $5.6M in an overall seed financing to date led by Halogen Ventures with participation from Version One Ventures and the Amazon Alexa Fund. Additional seed investors in Preemadonna include Two Small Fish, SOSV, Garage Capital, Draper Associates Investments, LLC., Shrug Capital, Telescopic Ventures, Cleo Capital; and a host of entrepreneurs including Tara Bosch - the founder of SmartSweets, Markus Frind - the founder of Plenty of Fish, Helen Greiner - co-founder of iRobot, Charles Huang - founder of Guitar Hero, & the Spanx by Sara Blakely Fund, a Donor-Advised Fund at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. Preemadonna is an alum of the HAX hardware accelerator and Founders Factory program. How I Raised It is produced by Foundersuite, makers of software to raise capital and manage investor relations. Foundersuite's customers have raised over $2.5 Billion since 2016. Create a free account at www.foundersuite.com

Helen Greiner, CEO of Tertill, a Boston-based startup developing gardening robots, joined the show to talk about how she will help the startup scale. She also discussed the challenges of developing consumer robots and how her experience co-founding iRobot will help. We also talk drone delivery and what went wrong at her commercial drone company CyPhy Works.

This is episode #200...yes, we are at another milestone episode! Three years ago we kicked off The VentureFizz Podcast to bring you the amazing stories from leading entrepreneurs and investors. It's been a blast and I want to say thank you to Alex, who made it happen initially, Dan, who is our podcast editor, and of course a special shout-out to all of our amazing guests! For Episode 200, I'm really excited to share with you my interview with Helen Greiner, CEO of Tertill. Helen is a legend in the tech industry and one of the co-founders of iRobot which brought robots into our homes with the Roomba. At this point, I can't imagine not having our Roomba… it's a game changer. Helen's next company, CyPhy Works, revolutionized the drone industry and now as CEO of Tertill, she is looking to tackle another domestic chore and it's one that is dreaded, in my opinion, way more than vacuuming and that is weeding. I think I was scared as a kid and if a robot can take away this task, then please sign me up! In this episode of our podcast, we cover: * What Helen envisions for the future of robotics & drones. * Her background growing up, including how R2D2 was her inspiration, plus her time at MIT. * The story of iRobot - from the early days of the company, to bringing the Roomba to market, and building a pillar tech company to an IPO. * The details on CyPhy Works and how they helped pushed the drone industry forward. * Why she joined Tertill and how the product works, which is brilliant. * Advice for founders on building a company centered around innovation. * And so much more. If you like the show, please remember to subscribe and review us on iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.

Helen Greiner - CEO, Tertill: Solar powered weeding robot https://tertill.com/ Tertill is the garden weeding robot. Created by the inventor of Roomba, Tertill lives in your garden, runs on sunshine, and weeds every day – so you don’t have to! Tertill keeps weeds from sprouting robotically, so no need to spray herbicides, haul mulch, or put down ugly plastic films. #tertill #robots #adafruit Visit the Adafruit shop online - http://www.adafruit.com ----------------------------------------- LIVE CHAT IS HERE! http://adafru.it/discord Adafruit on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adafruit Subscribe to Adafruit on YouTube: http://adafru.it/subscribe New tutorials on the Adafruit Learning System: http://learn.adafruit.com/ -----------------------------------------

Doug Teany, COO, Corindus Vascular Robotics discusses robotic-assisted surgery, 5G hype vs. reality, and being acquired by Siemens Medical Solutions for $1.1 billion. We also talk about Helen Greiner joining a gardening robotics startup, privacy issues with Amazon Ring's indoor security drone and more.

Boston-based robotic gardening startup Tertill this morning announced that it has appointed Helen Greiner as CEO and Chairman. The executive is best known for cofounding iRobot in 1990 along with fellow MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab members Rodney Brooks and Colin Angle (the company's longtime CEO). At first glance, Tertill is a pretty natural fit for […]

Isaac Asimov’s famous Three Laws of Robotics might be seen as early safeguards for our reliance on artificial intelligence, but as Alexa guides our homes and automated cars replace human drivers, are those Three Laws enough? In this podcast, listen in as a panel of experts led by host and moderator Neil deGrasse Tyson, Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium, discuss how A.I. is opening doors to limitless possibilities, and if we’re ready for them. You will hear from John Giannandrea of Google; Helen Greiner of the iRobot Corporation and CyPhy Works; Ruchir Puri of IBM Watson; Max Tegmark of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Michael P. Wellman, of the University of Michigan. The 2018 Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate took place at the Museum on February, 13 2018. A full transcript of this podcast is available here: https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/podcasts/2018-isaac-asimov-memorial-debate-artificial-intelligence A video version will be available on the Museum's YouTube channel tomorrow, February 16. To help other listeners find us, please subscribe to the Science@AMNH Podcast and leave us a review. The late Dr. Isaac Asimov, one of the most prolific and influential authors of our time, was a dear friend and supporter of the American Museum of Natural History. In his memory, the Hayden Planetarium is honored to host the annual Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate — generously endowed by relatives, friends, and admirers of Isaac Asimov and his work — bringing the finest minds in the world to the Museum each year to debate pressing questions on the frontier of scientific discovery. Proceeds from ticket sales of the Isaac Asimov Memorial Debates benefit the scientific and educational programs of the Hayden Planetarium.

Helen Greiner was the co-founder of iRobot, the company behind the Roomba and PackBot, and is now the founder of CyPhy Works, a leading commercial drone company. In this episode of Flux, Helen reveals why timing the market is so critical for founders, what she's learned about product iteration, and why she thinks the sky is a natural superhighway for drone delivery. Helen also gets into her work with the Pentagon using the PackBot to save lives to Iraq, how to get more women into technology, her love of Star Wars, and what happened when she tried to fly her drone on the White House lawn. Full episode transcript on Medium. This episode was produced by Allison Behringer.

In Part II of NFPA Journal Podcast’s three-part suite on drones, robots and unmanned systems, Jesse speaks to Helen Greiner, the co-founder of iRobot and the current CEO and founder of CyPhy Works, a manufacturer of consumer and military drones and robots. Greiner discusses the history of robots and drones, where we are now in the technological arc, the potential for these machines to become as ubiquitous in our society as smartphones, as well as how emergency responders are and will benefit from the use of these machines in the future.

We talk with Leslie Bates regarding her efforts to get young women and girls involved in the growing field of unmanned aerial systems. Guest   Leslie Bates is the founder of SheDrones, an emerging non-profit which is being created to engage, educate, and train girls in unmanned aerial systems and related technologies. SheDrones will also support and collaborate with existing drone-specific STEM programs and organizations dedicated to women in related tech fields. Leslie is a 15-year energy industry veteran and became interested in drones after researching their application in energy infrastructure development and maintenance. As the mother of two daughters, Leslie felt compelled to not only explore the future potential of the UAS industry, but also an expanded role for women within it. Leslie is currently learning to fly various drones and obtaining her private pilot ground school license. She's also continuing to develop and manage the SheDrones organization and partnerships, and expand its social media presence. Visit the SheDrones website, follow @SheDrones on Twitter, and be sure to check out SheDrones on Facebook. News No Drone Zone   The FAA is offering a “digital toolkit“ to federal, state, and other partners to help educate unmanned aircraft operators that flying in certain areas is prohibited. Materials for the public outreach program includes downloadable “No Drone Zone” signage in a variety of formats.   Videos of the Week It's a bird! it's a plane! it's a... Snoopy drone? Inventor builds quadcopter shaped like beloved Peanuts character They've turned almost anything into a drone, why not Snoopy too? DJI Stories - The Elephants of Tanzania DJI is working with farmers and rangers in Tanzania to use a Phantom to prevent conflict between farmers and elephants and protect crops. Read more at: http://bit.ly/DJITanzania. Mentioned Meet the women shaping the future of the drone business Fortune takes a look at four female leaders in the industry: Helen Greiner, CEO and founder of CyPhy Works; Dyan Gibbens, CEO and founder of Trumbull Unmanned; Lisa Ellman, law partner at Hogan Lovells; and Sally French, social media editor at MarketWatch and creator of TheDroneGirl.com. Flying Grounds Helping schools, governments, and organizations implement innovative UAV/Drone programs. Drone Nationals The Fatshark US National Drone Racing Championships at the California State Fair July 15-17, 2015.

In this episode, Audrow Nash speaks with Helen Greiner, CEO and founder of CyPhy Works and co-founder of iRobot, about CyPhy Work's LVL 1 photography drone. The LVL 1 drone has six propellers that are angled up and rotated slightly, which allows the drone to fly without tilting; flying without tilting is significant because, Helen says, it makes the drone more intuitive to control, as well as removing the need for a costly and high-maintenance camera stabilizing gimbal system. 

Audio File:  Download MP3Transcript: An Interview with Helen Greiner Co-founder and Chairman of the Board, iRobot Corp. Date: June 11, 2007 NCWIT Interview with Helen Greiner BIO: In the early days of iRobot Corp. (Nasdaq:IRBT), co-founder and Chairman of the Board Helen Greiner envisioned robots as the basis for an entirely new class of products that would improve life by taking on dangerous and undesirable tasks. Greiner's vision has been brought to life by products such as the iRobot Roomba® Vacuuming Robot, which has sold more than 2 million units to consumers throughout the world, and the iRobot PackBot® Tactical Mobile Robot, which is helping to save soldiers' lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. Greiner's nearly 20 years in robot innovation and commercialization includes work at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab and MIT's Artificial Intelligence Lab, where she met iRobot co-founders Colin Angle and Rodney Brooks. Before founding iRobot in 1990, Greiner founded California Cybernetics, a company focused on commercializing NASA Jet Propulsion Lab technology and performing government-sponsored research in robotics. Greiner holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a master's degree in computer science, both from MIT. In 2005, she led iRobot through its initial public offering. She also guided iRobot's early strategic corporate growth initiatives by securing $35 million in venture funding to finance iRobot's expansion in the consumer and military categories. In addition, Greiner created iRobot's Government & Industrial Robots division - starting with government research funding leading to the first deployment of robots in combat in Operation Enduring Freedom. Currently, the division is shipping iRobot PackBot robots for improvised explosive device (IED) disposal in Iraq. In part because of the success of these initiatives, Greiner has helped enhance public acceptance of robots as one of today's most important emerging technology categories. Greiner was named by the Kennedy School at Harvard in conjunction with US News and World Report as one of America's Best Leaders and was recently honored with the Pioneer Award from the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) in appreciation for her work in military robotics. Greiner has been honored by the World Economic Forum as both a Global Leader for Tomorrow and a Young Global Leader. In 2005 Good Housekeeping Magazine named her "Entrepreneur of the Year," and Accenture honored her as "Small Business Icon" in its Government Women Leadership Awards. In 2003, Greiner was recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of its "Top 10 Innovators of 2003" and named the Ernst and Young New England "Entrepreneur of the Year" with cofounder Colin Angle. Greiner won the prestigious "DEMO God" award at the DEMO 2000 Conference. In 1999, she was named an "Innovator for the Next Century" by Technology Review Magazine. Lucy Sanders: Hi, this is Lucy Sanders. I am the CEO of the National Center for Women and Information Technology or NCWIT. This is part of a series of interviews that we are having with fabulous IT entrepreneurs, women who have started IT companies in a variety of different sectors, all of whom have absolutely fabulous stories to tell us about being entrepreneurs. With me doing these interviews is Larry Nelson from w3w3.com. Hi, Larry. How are you? Larry Nelson: Well, hello. Boy, am I happy to be here. Lucy: Why don't you tell us a little bit about w3w3 because these will be podcasts on w3w3 as well as on the NCWIT website. Larry: Well, just briefly, we started in 1998 before anybody knew what radio on the Internet was all about. And finally we learned a number of interesting lessons. We started doing podcasting a little over a year ago, so that's a big leap since then. We have been very fortunate to have a number of interviews with top‑notch heavy hitters, but after I saw the list that Lucy put together I was just absolutely stunned. Lucy: To really just get right to it, the person we are interviewing today is Helen Greiner. She is the co‑founder and chairwoman of iRobot. I have to admit up front that I am an iRobot stockholder, and Helen knows I am one of her best salespeople ‑‑ maybe not her best sales person but certainly one of her salespeople. Helen Greiner: I hope you are not just a stockholder, but I hope you are also a Roomba owner. Lucy: I am a Roomba owner. It's getting double duty now because we're doing a kitchen renovation, and we set it loose in the house at night to pick up all the dust and stuff so it's getting a workout, Helen. Helen: You'll be needing the Dirt Dog model for wash ups and construction areas. Lucy: Absolutely. Larry: We're going to have to have a link to all of these on the website. Lucy: Absolutely. We are really happy to have you here, Helen. We are really looking forward to talking to you about entrepreneurship. Larry: You know, I can't help but wonder: we have four daughters, and how did you, Helen, get really involved and interested in technology? Helen: Well, I think this is a common story in technology, but I was inspired by science fiction. I went to see "Star Wars" when I was 11 on the big screen, and I was enthralled by R2‑D2 because he was a character. He had a personality and a gender, and he was more than a machine. I was inspired to start thinking about, can you build something like that? As I was hacking on my little TSR 80 personal computer, obviously I had no idea just how complex it would be. Lucy: What are you thinking about those new mailboxes that are R2‑D2 mailboxes, Helen? Helen: I think they're pretty damn cool. Lucy: I think it's pretty cool. As a technologist you obviously look at a lot of different technologies. I am sure you have some on your radar screen that you think are particularly cool and compelling. Maybe you could share some of those with us. Helen: Well, of course, the coolest is robots because they are just on the cusp of adoption today. Other than the robots and ones that very well might feed into the robot, are large scale memories, multiple core processors, cameras on cell phones. Technologies as they go to mass market are getting cheaper and cheaper which enables them to be bringing them into other applications, like on the robots. Larry: I just want to make sure that the listeners do understand that you are talking about robots everywhere from the kitchen to Iraq. Helen: Yes. We have over two million Roombas out there in people's homes doing the floor sweeping and vacuuming. We have a floor washing robot, the Scooba, that you just leave on your floor and when you come back it's clean. We have a robot for the work shop called the Dirt Dog, and what most people don't realize is we also sell a line of robots for the military. Our Packbot model was used for the first time in cave clearing in Afghanistan and now is being used for bomb disposal over in Iraq. One of the neat new developments we have is we just put out a version of this with a bomb sniffing payload, so it can actually go out and find improvised explosive devices. Lucy: Well, I've heard you speak about the robots over in Iraq, and it's very compelling to know that we can use technology like this to really go on these types of missions instead of our young men and our young women. Helen: The robots allow a soldier to stay at a safe, standoff distance. He doesn't have to go into unnecessary danger. Lucy: Right. Helen: Our servicemen and women, you know, are exposed to a lot of danger when you send them to roadside bombs when a robot could do the job instead. We think that's really something that should be changed quickly, and it has changed very rapidly. Just two years ago they would suit up a soldier in a bomb suit and send them down range, and now you have to get permission to do that. The common operating procedure is to send a robot into the danger. Larry: That sounds like iRobot is doing everything from saving backs in kitchens to saving lives in dangerous situations. Let me see if I can migrate to the entrepreneur part of you. What is it that made you become, or why are you an entrepreneur? Helen: I was deeply interested in making robots into an industry. People have been talking about robots. They have been in science fiction for decades and decades. Yet, when I started in this field I looked around and there were very few robots that people could actually purchase and could actually use. When I was at the university at MIT the people worked on wonderful robot projects. It was really, really cool technology, but when the PhD got done or when the project ended, all of it would kind of stop and then somebody would start a new project potentially building on some of the results. But the actual robot that was built. many times progress stopped on it. Just like the computer industry, I believe it takes a company that can reinvest some of the profits back into the next generation and the next improvements on the products that really has started the industry to take off. Lucy: Well next the definition that I carry in my head of true innovation is taking research and the types of projects you are talking about, Helen, and driving them out into the consumer space and into the mass market. That is what innovation is all about. Larry: You bet. By the way, what is it about being an entrepreneur, what is it that makes you tick and turns you on as an entrepreneur? Helen: Being an entrepreneur is creating something out of nothing. You know, when you start it, it's all consuming. It takes your whole focus. It is very compelling to me. I tend to be someone who when they jump into something they jump into it with absolutely full force, and it allowed me to learn so much along the way. Everything from how to hire people, how to apply for and win a military research contract, how to raise venture capital, how to set up a management structure and, very recently, how to take a company public. Lucy: Helen, tell us, obviously, entrepreneurship makes you tick. You love to create things from nothing, and along the way as you chose this career path, who influenced you? What kind of mentors did you have? Helen: I have had a lot of advisors who I could talk to about the different stages of the business, and that's been an incredible gift. That is one of the most valuable things you can give: the benefit of your own experience. Early on I was influenced by my dad having founded a company, so entrepreneurship was part of my culture growing up. Larry: So, it's not genetic. It's part of the culture, right? Helen: I believe that. Larry: You, I'm sure, like all of us entrepreneurs ‑‑ you know, Pat and I, we have been in business together and entrepreneurs for over 30 years. There are a lot of bumps and things along the road. What would be some of the most challenging things that you have experienced? Helen: Well, iRobot has been in business for 17 years, and it's a lot different company today than when we founded it. Early on, this was a bootstrap company, credit cards filled to the max. Larry: So you made money right away? Helen: Yeah. Larry: You were profitable right away? Yeah. Lucy: Like many of us. Helen: No, we really had a bumpy beginning because in part the technology wasn't ready yet upon time. So we came up with a method to develop the technology and to develop business plans so when the opportunity was right we could capitalize on it. Lucy: So, as we shift a little bit now toward the future entrepreneurs, if you were giving advise to people about entrepreneurship, young people, about the career path you have chosen being an entrepreneur, what would you tell them? What advice would you give them? Helen: I would say, definitely do it, because it's probably one of the most rewarding career paths you can take. One of the most challenging, but one of the most rewarding. I would say very strongly, don't do it like we did it at iRobot. IRobot, we didn't do it with a business plan. We didn't start a real crisp idea of what these robots would used for. We basically started with the future of the technology and it happens to have worked for us, but it was a long haul in the early years. I think if I had it to do over again, it would be done a lot more efficiently. Larry: When did you finally get the real management team put together? Helen: In 1998 we decided to take venture capital for the first time. And that was a big decision because that's what took it from being more of a lifestyle company, somewhat of a research lab. Folks were building any kind of robot, because they were passionate about it. Some of them are quite frankly cool to a real business concern. You could almost consider the company a re‑start in 1998. It only took the first venture capital, which allowed us to invest in the management team and take it to the next level. Also to invest in our own product lines, rather than relying on government contracts coming in or strategic relationships with larger companies. Larry: Well, you have been very passionate about iRobots and you've also been very humble in terms of what you have done, what you have been through. What are some of the characteristics that maybe have been a benefit to you in becoming a successful entrepreneur? Helen: I'd say the biggest one is persistence. There will always be speed bumps along the way. And generally being able to say, OK, I might not have the solution to this problem right now, but I know that there's a way. And either by talking to people, getting advice, by brainstorming with people, by being creative, by thinking out of the box. There is always a way to get through any problem that presents itself. It's takes persistence to do that because you will get knocked quite a few times along the road. Being able to pick yourself up, dust off and say, I learned from that experience, I won't do it again. We don't look at anything at iRobot as failed. This got us to the next step and the next step was different, but they were all stepping‑stones to where we are today. And many of them were necessary. Larry: I have heard that persistence is omnipotence. Lucy: Sometime we refer to it as relentlessness. Larry: Oh, is that what that is. Lucy: Yes. I also have to say something about Helen how and just as a sidebar: Helen gives one of the best talks on robotics I have ever seen. Helen, your talk at the Grace Harper Conference was outrageously good. Helen: Oh, well I appreciate that. One of the things that I would like for folks listening to know that it is important to be able to grab the microphone and get your message across. My personal background is: I was extremely shy, terribly afraid of public speaking. You know, reports that people who would rather do anything else sometimes than get up in front of a group of people and speak. I was one of those people. It doesn't come naturally to me. But I recognized that it was important in getting the message of the company across. I really worked on how to improve and just by taking speaking opportunities I got better and better at it. Which doesn't mean I will ever be a natural just really, really want to jump out and do it. If I can do it, anybody can learn to be a better public speaker. So they can take advantage of the opportunities to get their message out that it provides. Larry: It might not be natural but you certainly are unique and passionate. Lucy: The best talk I've heard, a mix of computer science and business and humor, it's wonderful. Helen: That is very nice of you. It means a lot because I did have to work harder than people who are naturals, "Yes, I want the mike!" Lucy: One of the things that our listeners will be interested in. The entrepreneurial life is a tough life. It is a lot of work and yet it is important to bring balance between our personal lives and our professional lives. So what kinds of hints do you have to pass along? Helen: I don't think I'm a shining example of balance in my life, but I can say the philosophy I've always had is: work hard, play hard. So, when I do take off from iRobot, being able to go out snowboarding, being able to tight‑board, being able to go scuba diving. I'm just learning how to tight‑board. I have a goal to learn one new sport each year, because it's good to take up something new and to me I like doing it in the athletic arena. Lucy: Well, it sounds like fun to me. Larry: Lucy likes to go out there and jog every day after... Lucy: Well, you're right I'm not that good at it either, but I still get out there. Larry: I can't help but ask this. You know, you have had a very exciting and challenging ‑‑ and obviously with the persistence and the talent ‑‑ you really accomplished a great deal. I know you want to accomplish a great deal more with iRobot. What's next for you? Helen: Well, the challenges that iRobot faces today are different than when we were a start up company. Now we have over 350 people. In 2006 we did just about $189 million in revenues and now it's about making the organization click, to function as a team, and making sure that things work like clockwork at the organization, while still keeping that innovative flair, so you can get the next generation of products into the pipeline. Lucy: So, I have to ask, just because I love iRobot so much, what's the next great product? Can you spill the beans? Helen: I can't tell you what the next consumer robot products are, but on the military side, we have a hugely exciting robot that can run over 12 miles an hour, that can carry a soldier's pack. It's got a manipulator on it that can pick up a Howitzer shell. That thing picked me up the other day. Lucy: Oh. Larry: Wow. Helen: We're very excited to get that type of capability also into hands of our soldiers. Lucy: Wow, that's pretty exciting. Larry: Nothing like getting picked up. Boy, that's for sure. Lucy: I don't know what I would do if a robot picked me up, but I guess one of these days maybe we'll experience ‑‑ we'll get you to bring that to one of our meetings, Helen. That would be very cool. Larry: I'd love a picture of that for the website. Lucy: Yeah, thank you. OK. Larry: Helen, I want to thank you so much for joining us. We are so excited about this program. When we get to talk to people like you with your background and your experience, it makes it just that much more exciting and motivating to a number of young people. Helen: Well, I appreciate it. Lucy: Well, and we want everybody to know where they can find these podcasts. They are accessible on the NCWIT website at ww.NCWIT.org And along with the podcast, his information about entrepreneurism and how people can be more involved as entrepreneurs and also get resources on the web and also from other organizations, should they be interested. Larry: Yes, and thank you for all of the great hints and probably more than that, some really golden nuggets in there. One that's sticking out in my mind right now is the mass‑market adoption. I guess that is what we all want to charge for. Helen: It's not where we started out, but it is where we're fully focused at. Lucy: Well, thank you very much. Helen: OK, thank you. Have a good one. Series: Entrepreneurial HeroesInterviewee: Helen GreinerInterview Summary: Helen Greiner is co-founder and Chairman of the Board of iRobot Corp., maker of the Roomba® Vacuuming Robot (over 2M units sold) and the iRobot PackBot® Tactical Mobile Robot, which deactivates mines in Iraq and Afghanistan. Release Date: June 11, 2007Interview Subject: Helen GrenierInterviewer(s): Lucy Sanders, Larry NelsonDuration: 15:30

Audio File:  Download MP3Transcript: An Interview with Elizabeth Charnock CEO and founder, Cataphora Date: July 24, 2007 NCWIT Interview with Elizabeth Charnock BIO: Elizabeth Charnock is the CEO and co-founder of Chenope, a bootstrapped startup that creates analytics that predict the future of an organization based on the observable behaviors of its members based on whatever data is available. Prior to that Elizabeth founded Cataphora and led it from concept to profitability, funded entirely by revenues from clients and without any outside investment. The company's genesis was a fundamental insight that Elizabeth had about a revolutionary approach to information retrieval. Starting from that idea, and a kitchen table group of four employees, she has guided the growth of Cataphora to over 100 employees. The company has seen three consecutive years of at least 100% growth in revenue, customers, and employee head count. In 2006, the company moved into a dedicated new headquarters building in Redwood City, California, and opened an office in Washington, DC, two blocks from the White House. 2006 also saw the granting of all claims in Cataphora’s fundamental technology patent, which Elizabeth co-authored. In leading Cataphora’s success, Elizabeth has drawn on her prior experience as an entrepreneur and CEO, and on her extensive knowledge of information retrieval technology and business. Prior to starting Cataphora, Elizabeth was CEO and founder of Troba, an industry leading Customer Relationship Management software company which she sold in 2001. Her previous experience includes management and senior engineering positions at international high tech companies such as Hewlett-Packard and Sun Microsystems. She started her career at Unisys in Plymouth, Michigan, where she ran a human factors laboratory. Elizabeth has lived in both France and Germany and speaks both of those languages. She has been a dedicated jazz dance performer. She enjoys travel, as well as spending time at home with her whippet, Ragnar, and African Gray parrot, Howard. Elizabeth holds a BS in Theoretical Mathematics from the University of Michigan Honors Program, which she entered at the age of sixteen. Lucy Sanders: Hi. This is Lucy Sanders, and I'm the CEO of the National Center for Woman and Information Technology, or NCWIT. With me today, is Larry Nelson, from w3w3.com. Hi, Larry. Welcome. Larry Nelson: Hello. I'm so happy to be here. Lucy: And Lee Kennedy, who's a co‑founder of Tricalyx, a new company here in Boulder. Lee Kennedy: Hi. Lucy: Lee is also an NCWIT director. So, today, we're interviewing Elizabeth Charnock, the CEO and founder of Cataphora. Elizabeth, welcome. Elizabeth Charnock: Thank you. Larry: Boy, I tell you, I'm so excited to be a part of this. It's a great program, and sorely needed out there, which is what really makes it extra special. Lucy: Well, Elizabeth's company is just extremely interesting to me. Elizabeth, I see, from looking online, that you're a patent holder? Elizabeth: That's correct. Lucy: And your company works on email. You must have some pretty sassy algorithms there, trying to figure out the content [laughs] of email. Why don't you give us a bit of information about your company? Elizabeth: Sure, I'd love to. First of all, it's not just about email. In fact, the idea that the company is founded on is that search is really no longer just about content. The search algorithms that are out there now, with the exception of Google's, on the Internet, all have very much to do with classifying documents according to content. And most documents used to have quite a bit of content, making this fairly easy to do. So you can see how many times, for example, the word "chicken" appears in a document or the word "hammer" appears in a document, or how many times the words "hammer" and "chicken" co‑occur in the same sentence or paragraph or so on. But now, in the world we live in, people are so wired‑‑we all have Blackberries; we've got Treos and the equivalent devices; we use IM‑‑with the result that email, and even informal memos, are a whole lot less formal and less long than they used to be. So, what our technology is all about is weaving together these different, smaller items into a searchable object that's meaningful. So, what we've done is changed the boundary of search. So search, for us, is no longer about an email or an IM or a phone‑rep message; it's about the dialog that can be put back together with our algorithms. To give a concrete example of this, while it's become a bit hackneyed at this point; let's say you have a message, of whatever form, whose entire content is just, "Yes, let's do it." Well, what does that mean? Larry: [laughs] Elizabeth: Does it mean, "Let's go commit securities fraud"? "Let's go embezzle that 300,000 bucks"? Or maybe it just means, "Let's go fishing." Right? How are you going to know? It used to be that the answer was in the same document. Now the answer may be two or three documents or items away. And that's what our company's all about. Lucy: Well, it is really interesting. And I think the algorithms must really be pretty fascinating. Larry: Boy, I'll say. One thing I can't help but wonder, just as kind of an opening question, is how did you get into technology? And then maybe a second part of that question is what do you think is really cool today, in addition to what you're doing? Elizabeth: How I got into technology, originally, as a child? My father is an electrical engineer and very, very much, I think, pushed me that direction, initially‑‑especially since I was an only child, so I was his one opportunity. But when I was in college at the University of Michigan, they had a program in mathematics that was trying to subvert what everybody at the time thought was almost just a law of nature, which was the fact that no significantly original, or significant period, mathematics had ever been done by anybody over the age of 27. Lucy: I remember that. Elizabeth: So somebody endowed the University of Michigan with a program to try to push promising mathematicians through their PhDs, with a little bit more time before their brain turned to mush at the age of 27. And the program was so much better than anything else that was out there that, even though I had no intentions of being a math major when I entered college, within a few months it was pretty clear that that's what I was going to do. And that's what I did. Larry: Wow. Lucy: Theoretical mathematics degree. That's amazing. Lee: It is. Elizabeth: People don't believe me now. They assume I must be a lawyer because of the field that my company is currently operating in. [laughter] Lucy: And just as a follow‑up with that, as you look out into the technology spaces today, what, in addition to some of the things that you're working on at Cataphora, are you thinking personally are just really cool? Elizabeth: This is going to sound a little silly, perhaps, but I think there's going to be a lot more things out there like this. I don't know if any of you guys have a Roomba‑‑you know the robotic little cleaning vacuum... Larry: [laughs] Lucy: In fact, Helen Greiner has been one of our interviews as well, from iRobot. Elizabeth: It's a wonderful thing. And I think that they could have done more, in terms of making it more, I don't want to say cutesy, but something that would maybe appeal to a broader set of people. I actually bought it for my husband for his birthday just because I thought he'd think it was cool. Larry: [laughs] Elizabeth: And I think that home robotics that actually do something useful, that are engaging and are not ridiculously expensive, I think, are a big area. I think there's still a lot to be done, obviously, in the area of search, apart from what Cataphora is doing. It's not uncommon, in the work that we do‑‑which is, at this point, mostly investigation and litigation‑‑to get literally 10 million items or more for a case. And these are not Enron‑like cases; these are more run‑of‑the‑mill sorts of cases. Lucy: Wow. Elizabeth: And so, while we're right now focused on the enterprise aspects of it and the legal aspects of it, there are obviously the personal information management of it all that I think is a really interesting problem. And some of the social networking stuff, I think, while a lot of it is somewhat trivial, some of it's really quite interesting. If you can build special‑interest groups for different types of research, or for people who are really expert or compassionate about a certain, very specific kind of thing, I think that's technology very well used. Lucy: I agree. It's huge. And it's changing so many things: the way people market, the way people find out what their interested in. It's amazing. Larry: Hmm. Lucy: Well, Elizabeth, you mentioned your dad as an EE, and he had influenced you into technology. What made you become an entrepreneur, and what about being an entrepreneur makes you tick? Elizabeth: In my case, those who have watched me progress, especially since I've come out to Silicon Valley‑‑because I'm from Michigan originally‑‑I think would say that it had to do with the fact that I was, again and again, in situations in much larger companies where I could see that the company was in decline, and there really was nothing much that I could do about it. And I wanted to have a center of excellence around me. I wanted to do work that I was proud of. I wanted to be working someplace where it was good to get up in the morning and go to work. And that sort of drove me to wanting to roll my own. For example, I joined Hewlett‑Packard at the point that it was starting to decline, and saw what that looked like, and it was just a very frustrating place to be. And it was interesting for me to see the "Wall Street Journal" extensive coverage of the firing of Carly Fiorina, and they were noting that many of these problems really pre‑dated her, even if she exacerbated some of them. And I was just so happy to see that, after 10 years, that now it was out in the open. But yeah, I spent a good several years there, and similarly joined Sun at the point it was arguably starting to decline. And I felt that I could do a better job, and I wanted to do a better job, even if at a smaller scale. Lucy: So, in terms of entrepreneurship, many people have mentors or people who influence them along the way. And we were just curious who your role models are. Who influenced you, and how did they influence you? Elizabeth: As an entrepreneur in different ways, John Nesheim‑‑the guy who writes the books on startups, he's best well‑known for writing the book, "High‑Tech Start Up" which here in the Valley is considered the Bible for starting a startup‑‑is an adviser of the company and is a really great mentor. At this point, he really spends his life teaching high‑tech entrepreneurial ship at Cornell, and writing books about it and advising a few companies. So he's seen many, many, many variations of the movie. He's very wise, and he's always willing to help. Julie Wainwright, who was the much‑maligned CEO of Pets.com during the bubble, I think is a really good person, and has a lot to offer in terms of, well, when you take a fall, you get back up on the horse‑‑has a great deal of personal grace and elegance. And Philippe Courteaux, who hired me into their elite, who I believe is the only four‑time successful CEO in Silicon Valley history. Obviously, there's a huge amount to learn from. Larry: Wow. I was not aware of that fact. I'm going to have to look more up on that. Lucy: You've got another book to read. Larry: Yeah, I do. Two other books... Lucy: [laughs] Two other books. Lee: That's an impressive list of mentors. Larry: Boy, I'll say. Elizabeth, I do have to point out that I was born in Michigan, so I understand. But I chose Colorado. I wanted to be surrounded a bunch of really neat people in a wonderful climate. Lucy: [laughs] Little plug there for Colorado. Larry: Little plug. Elizabeth, if you were to look back at the different things that you've been through‑‑and I'm sure you've had a couple of the tough moments‑‑what's maybe the toughest thing that you had to live through during your career? Elizabeth: Unfortunately, there's more than one... Lucy: Like or us all. Elizabeth: This is my second company. My first company was during the bubble, and we ended up having to sell it after the individual VC left the VC firm after the bubble burst‑‑at the point that many venture capitalists were no longer getting along with one another. And that was very, very difficult, not just because it was failure in some sense, even though we ultimately were able to sell it and at least get everybody a job, but because it was so unfair, in the sense that we had met all of our goals, we had exceeded some of our goals, and there was an exogenous failure event, as one person put it. And that's very difficult to explain to people who have really put their heart and soul into something. Obviously, it was a very difficult time, yet one of the things I am most proud of was that many of those same, original people joined this company, Cataphora, and made it possible for us to get to the point we are now‑‑which is to say we're a 100‑employee company in the Valley that has never taken a dime of investment from anybody, not even ourselves. Lucy: And I noticed that in some of the information on the web about your company. And I can really empathize with some of these unfair events in the world of startups. I was on the board of a company where a venture capitalist, in a Series B round, backed away at the very last minute, when, if that company had chosen to just bring more partners to the table originally, the company could have kept going. And as a result, gone. Larry: Yep. Lucy: That can be very, very hard. Elizabeth: I think that, as a practical matter, one of the things that very few people understand about the startup world is that there is very, very, very little‑‑and in fact, arguably no‑‑accountability on the part of the investors. Lucy: So it's clear you've been through a lot of challenges. Elizabeth: Yes. Lucy: If you were sitting with a young person and giving them advice about entrepreneurship, what kind of advice would you give them? Elizabeth: Something, actually, that is very much stressed on John Nesheim's site, at least when last I looked, which is that if failure will completely destroy you, you should not go down this path. Lucy: Hmm. Larry: Good point. Elizabeth: Kind of an odd thing to say, perhaps, on a website of that nature. But it's a very important one, I think, because, statistically, depending on whose numbers you believe exactly, 99 percent of all startups fail. It depends at what point you start measuring. At what point does the startup become significant enough that it exists? Does it have to incorporate? Does it have to have people spending significant amounts of time on it? Where does conception occur? If you want to look at it that way. No matter how you measure it, the vast, vast, vast majority fail‑‑some for avoidable reasons, some for unavoidable reasons. Some were perhaps ill‑conceived. But for whatever the reason, statistically, you're very, very likely to fail. And if you can't accept that initially, then it's perhaps better to stay in that larger company, then to go out there and follow somebody else who's taking the load on their shoulders more than you are on yours. Lucy: And so I'm sure you have a network of friends who are in various stages of startup companies. And if they fail, what do you tell them to console them? Elizabeth: The main thing I say is, hopefully, you learn something from it, whether it's something to do with things to do again, things to avoid doing. If at all possible, what you learn about yourself, what you learn about other people that you are in the endeavor with. And you, at this point, have to make a real decision, not a knee‑jerk one, as to what you now want to do. Lucy: Well, and I think that that's very wise advice. I'm sure that that wisdom is part of what has given you your success as an entrepreneur. What other characteristics do you have that you think have given you advantage? Elizabeth: I would certainly say that one of them is persistence and discipline. So that's two, but obviously they're interrelated. Levelheadedness is something that I always tell people at Cataphora is a huge, huge, huge component to startup success because, without it, it's almost impossible to take the long view of anything. If you can't take the long view, then you're not going to last very long. The former VP of marketing here at my last company said, "Well, the startup experience is like a roller coaster, but with the key difference that when you're high, you're on the top of the roller coaster." You can either make $800 million or dominate the world. The reality is that you're not actually as high as you think you are. But the inverse is also true. When you're at the low part of the roller coaster, you're probably not as badly off as you feel that particular day. And trying to avoid riding the roller coaster, I think, is a really critical part of success. Obviously, there's passion for it. I think people greatly underrate the importance of leadership, character flexibility, and all those traits that make other people follow that person into the fire. Lee: And they have to want to follow you, especially in the startup world. Elizabeth: Exactly. Larry: Boy, I tell you what, you mentioned earlier that many people joined your company that you have today that were with the other company. That really does say a lot about you and the management team you put together. Lucy: So, Elizabeth, considering this is the second startup you've done, how do you bring balance into your personal and professional lives? Because we all know startups are seven by 24. Elizabeth: Nobody ever likes this answer, but the truth of it is you can't do both. Maybe at some point you can, but startups are 24 by 7, so either you have enough people at the right positions to really delegate everything to you in such a way that you can not have to work massive numbers of hours. But I've never really seen that happen in practice. I do work less than I did two or three years ago. Probably a year or two from now, I'll work a little bit less. But if you want 40 or 50‑hour weeks, startups, but especially being a startup CEO, is not for you. I do make sure I exercise and do yoga and make some time for the things that I really have to. Fortunately, my husband works here, so that is a simplifying assumption. Lucy: [laughs] That is something that you do to bring balance. Make sure that you employ your husband. Larry: One of the things that author, John Nesheim, had brought up about, "If failure is going to crush you, " or something to that effect, I think the idea is, also, if the entrepreneur has this fear of failure, that's what they really also have to avoid. Lucy: Right. So, Elizabeth, you've really achieved a lot in your career so far. What's next for you? Give our listeners a little hint of what you're thinking about for the future. Elizabeth: Well, we think Cataphora is a great opportunity. As anybody who's been out there in the tech world knows, it's not just a matter of having a really good idea; it's also the timing of it. Timing is everything in these things, and so we intend to stick with this for quite a while. And who knows? Maybe my next one will have to do with robots. Larry: [laughs] Elizabeth: But right now, I am very much focused on making Cataphora the next big software company. And I think it can be. And that's what I'm looking forward to doing. Lucy: Well, and in fact, with the robots, we'll make sure that you and Helen get together. Larry: [laughs] Lucy: Helen has shown us little pictures of Roombas in costumes and things like that, which are pretty exciting. So, we really do want to thank you, Elizabeth, for your time. We know you're busy. And I know our listeners will really appreciate hearing your views on entrepreneurism. I wanted to also congratulate you on your "Fast Company" Fast 50 article. It was a great picture. I loved it. The caption, like, "So don't mess with Elizabeth Charnock, CEO of Cataphora." Larry: That's why we were so gentle to begin with. [laughter] Lucy: We really do appreciate your time. Thank you very much. And I wanted to remind listeners where they can find this podcast. It's at www.ncwit.org. And it will also be syndicated on... Larry: www.w3w3.com. Lucy: And please make sure you pass this podcast along to a friend. Thanks very much, Elizabeth. Elizabeth: Thank you. Lee: Bye‑bye. Larry: See you soon. Bye‑bye. Series: Entrepreneurial HeroesInterviewee: Elizabeth CharnockInterview Summary: Starting with a good idea and a group of four kitchen-table employees, and funded entirely by revenues from clients (without any outside investment), Elizabeth Charnock has guided Cataphora into a profitable company with three consecutive years of at least 100% growth in revenue, customers, and employee head count. Release Date: July 24, 2007Interview Subject: Elizabeth CharnockInterviewer(s): Lucy Sanders, Larry Nelson, Lee KennedyDuration: 17:34

Helen Greiner shares a key trait with many successful business leaders -- a passion for something. In her case it happens to be robots. That passion led Greiner -- along with Colin Angle and Rodney Brooks -- to found what would become iRobot in 1990. Over the past four years iRobot has sold more than 1.5 million robots for cleaning floors and has deployed more than 300 tactical military robots in Iraq. Greiner recently gave a presentation at Wharton sponsored by the School's entrepreneurship and technology clubs after which she talked with Knowledge at Wharton about her company and the impact that robots have and will have on our everyday lives. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is a compilation of walk-around quick interviews at a VIP lunch at the Boston FIRST Regional Robotics Competition. FIRST is the organization Dean Kamen founded to promote interest in science and technology in kids. It starts outs with CIMIT (Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology) strategic director Ronald Newbower (I wrote up a visit to CIMIT in February 2002 here on my blog), then has iRobot chairman and co-founder Helen Greiner, then AI pioneer Marvin Minsky, then Steve Wozniak, then one of the Worcester, Massachusetts, "Polar Bots" team, and then a little sound from the competition. Recorded: 2006-03-25 Length: 19:01, Size: 8.7MB

Much to the surprise of several venture capitalists who turned her down Helen Greiner co-founder of iRobot has built a thriving business making domestic robots like Roomba which sweeps floors and industrial robots that defuse bombs in Iraq. She was on campus this week at the invitation of the Wharton technology and entrepreneurship clubs and spoke with Knowledge at Wharton about the impact that robots have and will have on everyday life. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.