Podcasts about series b

Is your career site delivering the conversion you need? Dalia's plug-and-play tech turns any employer career site into a high-performance candidate conversion engine — no replatforming required, live in days.Visit dalia.co to learn more. AND by jobcase, Jobcase is an online community where workers of all kinds – like hourly employees, tradespeople and healthcare technicians – access jobs, make connections, and support each other in any aspect of their work life.Visit jobcase.com/hire and tap into their 120 million strong  job seeker network First up…NEW YORK — Valence, the company behind Nadia, the world's first enterprise AI coach, today announced it has raised a $50 million Series B led by Bessemer Venture Partners. https://hrtechfeed.com/ai-coach-for-employers-platform-lands-50-million/ LOWELL, Mass. —- UKG, a leading global AI platform for HR, pay, and workforce management, today unveiled a new logo and identity with the launch of its global brand campaign, “When Work Works, Everything Works.” The campaign marks a major leap forward in UKG's evolution as the world's Workforce Operating Platform unifying HR, pay, workforce management, and AI agents into a single solution that turns the world's largest workforce data set into critical business insights supporting every worker — from the front office to the frontline. https://hrtechfeed.com/ukg-unveils-rebrand-new-logo/ SAN FRANCISCO – Alex, the AI recruiting partner transforming how companies discover and hire talent, today announced it has raised $20 million in funding, including a $17 million Series A round led by Peak XV Partners with participation from CHROs at Fortune 500 companies, Y Combinator, Uncorrelated Ventures, and other investors including Tim Sackett, Kris Fredrickson, and Dalton Caldwell. The funding also includes a $3 million Seed round led by 1984 Ventures. https://hrtechfeed.com/ai-powered-recruiting-startup-lands-20-million/ MINNEAPOLIS — Mashalot AI, the invite-only job search agent, is built to eliminate application fatigue and level the playing field for U.S. job seekers. By pulling the newest listings from LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and Indeed, and generating a custom resume and cover letter for every role, the platform can apply to 500 jobs in just 5 minutes. This helps candidates land interviews faster than ever. https://hrtechfeed.com/mashalot-ai-launches-to-fix-the-full-time-job-of-finding-a-job/ Workday announced it has completed its acquisition of Paradox, a candidate experience agent that uses conversational AI to simplify every step of the job application journey, particularly for frontline industries.  https://hrtechfeed.com/workday-completes-acquisition-of-paradox/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Samyr Qureshi, Co-Founder and CEO of Knack, returns to the podcast to unpack how his team is reshaping peer tutoring into a powerful engine for student success and workforce readiness. With a tech-enabled, Uber-style platform, Knack empowers high-achieving students to tutor peers while building soft skills and resumes. Samyr and Dustin explore the evolution of tutoring in higher ed, the role of AI in academic support, and how innovative partnerships are driving equitable outcomes across the student lifecycle.This episode includes a sponsored question in partnership with Brian LeDuc, founder of Learning, Designed — a consulting practice and newsletter focused on helping higher ed institutions design more student-centered systems and strategies.You can subscribe to the newsletter here.Guest Name: Samyr Qureshi, Co-Founder and CEO, KnackGuest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: Samyr Qureshi is the Founder & CEO of Knack, the leading peer-to-peer learning platform partnering with top campuses such as Georgia Tech, University of Florida, University of Utah, University of Connecticut, and dozens of others. Knack has raised $20M in venture capital, most recently closing their Series B, from investors like New Markets Venture Partners, Jeff Vinik (Tampa Bay Lightning NHL Team Owner), Precursor Ventures, ETS (creators of GRE), Chegg, ASU Enterprise Partners, and many other well-known education venture investors and corporations. Currently based in St. Petersburg, Florida, Samyr previously worked as an Account Executive in the Emerging Technology division at Gartner and also formerly served as an iOS Advisor at Apple.Samyr was born in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and immigrated to the US with his mother and sister at the age of seven. Landing in Florida, he grew up in the Tampa Bay area, enrolled in and served as Student Body President at St. Petersburg College while in high school, and ultimately went on to University of Florida earning a Bachelor's degree in Law & Criminology. Samyr has been named in Forbes 30 Under 30, honored as the Emerging Tech Leader of the Year by Tampa Bay Tech, has been featured in Tampa Bay Magazine's Top 10 Under 40, Pi Kappa Phi's Thirty under 30, and was also named in University of Florida's 40 Gator Alumni Under 40 in 2021. When he's not traveling, Samyr loves to play guitar, write music, and spend time outdoors. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome back to 'AI Lawyer Talking Tech.' Today, we dissect a legal world fundamentally transformed by artificial intelligence. Investment is surging, with plaintiff litigation platforms like Eve achieving billion-dollar valuations to arm firms fighting corporate giants, delivering justice at a scale never seen before. Simultaneously, law firms are recording immediate financial gains through AI tools, such as timekeeping solutions that instantly boost gross billings by up to 25% by automating overlooked billable hours. This dramatic acceleration mandates new skills, demanding that lawyers move past purchasing boxed solutions to cultivate deep AI fluency, strategically orchestrating Large Language Models (LLMs) to eliminate decades of manual processes like contract review and legal research. Yet, this innovation arrives heavily tethered to intense scrutiny: California has enacted a landmark safety law requiring transparency from frontier AI developers, while legal bodies emphasize clear ethical guardrails, holding attorneys fully responsible for AI consequences to prevent malpractice and confidentiality breaches. From redefining judge protocols to exposing employers to FLSA misclassification risks as AI takes over professional judgment duties, artificial intelligence is forcing the legal industry to pivot from reactive caution to proactive mastery.Revolutionizing Legal Education Through Innovative eLearning2025-09-30 | InvestorsHangout.comTempello.ai Revolutionizes Law Firm Billing: Boost Gross Billings by 25% Overnight with Seamless Clio and 8am MyCase Integration2025-09-30 | Law Firm NewswireThe impact of AI's ongoing evolution on NC's legal landscape2025-09-30 | Carolina Journal OnlineAI Mental Health Tools Face Mounting Regulatory and Legal Pressure2025-09-30 | JD SupraFrom hours to seconds: How AI is transforming law firm reporting2025-09-30 | Legal FuturesWhere should law firms start with their technology strategy?2025-09-30 | Legal FuturesMajor changes in business law demand attorney attention2025-09-30 | UNC School of LawMark Cuban Is Right: The Only Legal Skill That Matters Now Is Making Machines Work for You2025-09-30 | JD SupraHybrid AI Firm Covenant Launches Data Intelligence Platform2025-09-30 | Artificial LawyerNearly a million jobs in London may be changed by AI - which jobs are most at risk?2025-09-30 | AOL UKWhat Gen Z Lawyers Want in 20252025-09-30 | JD SupraSimpleDocs and Law Insider Merge Together2025-09-30 | Artificial LawyerSmarter Law Firm Marketing: AI Tools That Actually Work, with FirmPilot2025-09-30 | Lawyerist Podcast - Legal Talk NetworkOHA Secures Private Financing for Elite's Growth with Francisco Partners2025-09-30 | InvestorsHangout.comLexisNexis Legal Tech Speakeasy: Wed, Oct 12025-09-30 | Artificial LawyerCalifornia enacts AI safety law targeting tech giants2025-09-30 | Tech XploreHow Technology Is Transforming DIY Legal Services2025-09-30 | TechBullionProtecting Access to the Law—and Beneficial Uses of AI2025-09-30 | Electronic Frontier FoundationKatherine Forrest '86 on Her Time as a Federal Judge, the Future of AI, and Wesleyan Memories2025-09-30 | Wesleyan ArgusCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom signs landmark AI safety bill into law2025-09-30 | SiliconANGLECan Judges Use AI? Inside the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's Interim Policy2025-09-30 | GenAI-LexologyPlaintiff legal AI startup Eve raises $103m Series B at a $1bn valuation2025-09-30 | Legal IT Insider2025 Emerging Technologies and Generative AI Forum: Human creativity and feedback drive ethical AI adoption2025-09-30 | Thomson Reuters InstituteHarvey and the Reddit Thread: The Actually Useful Takeaway2025-09-30 | Zach Abramowitz is Legally DisruptedEve Bags $103m, Hits $1bn+ Valuation2025-09-30 | Artificial LawyerFrom Data Deserts to Digital Oases: A Blueprint for Building Africa's Legal AI Datasets2025-09-30 | Legaltech on Medium

Sean Williams is the CEO and founder of AutogenAI, the world's leading AI proposal-writing engine, launched in May 2022. Under his leadership, the company recently closed a nearly $40 million Series B round led by Salesforce Ventures. Prior to AutogenAI, Sean founded Corndel Ltd, where he served as Chief Executive and scaled the business to 350 employees before its $60 million acquisition by THI Holdings in 2020.In this conversation, we discuss:Why Sean believes AI will revolutionize how organizations write, win, and deliver proposalsHow AutogenAI is reducing proposal writing time from days to hours for companies bidding on complex contractsThe ethical considerations of AI-written proposals and why transparency is critical in high-stakes industriesWhat Sean learned from scaling Corndel to 350 employees and how that experience shaped AutogenAI's go-to-market strategyWhy the biggest risk for organizations isn't adopting AI too quickly, but failing to experiment earlyHow AutogenAI is building trust with enterprise clients through customization, compliance, and human-in-the-loop designResources:Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with Sean on LinkedInAI fun fact articleOn How To Prevent Bias and Be Responsible for Ethical Decision Making

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week: Part 108 NPRM updates, Skydio unveils two new drones for specialized operations, Auterion secures a massive $130 million in funding, and an update to the story about the Super Scooper mid-air collision. Let's get to it.First, let's talk about some Part 108 NPRM stuff. The deadline is approaching for submitting your comment. Please take the time to write a comment about how this would affect your ability to fly BVLOS. There are currently 800 comments ONLY. There were over 50,000 comments on the Remote ID NPRM.DJI sounded the alarm this week on the NPRM. The company is warning that the rules, as they're currently written, could effectively ground the vast majority of drones being used today, not just DJIs, and sideline thousands of skilled pilots. While everyone agrees we need a clear path forward for BVLOS, DJI points out some fundamental problems in the draft.If you haven't yet written your comment for Part 108, time is running out. All comments must be submitted by October 6th, 2025.Next up, American drone manufacturer Skydio is expanding its lineup with two new specialized drones. The Skydio R10 is designed for tactical indoor situations where you wouldn't want to send a person. It's a compact, 10-by-10-inch quadcopter that weighs 1.7 pounds and has built-in blade guards for navigating tight and/or dangerous spaces. It offers features for first responders, including onboard lighting, a two-way audio system to communicate with suspects or victims, and Skydio's obstacle avoidance for flying in complete darkness. The R10 is slated for early access this autumn.Then there's the F10, which is built for speed and endurance. This is a fixed-wing drone that can hit speeds of over 80 miles per hour and stay airborne for more than 90 minutes. This is a good fit for large-scale BVLOS missions like monitoring wildfires or conducting long search and rescue operations. The F10 is scheduled for release in the first half of 2026. Both of these drones also integrate into the X10 ecosystem, using the same software, controllers, and workflows. It'll be interesting to see if we can get our hands on these to put them to the test. Next up, Auterion has secured a massive $130 million in Series B funding to scale its defense software. The company, which began with open-source drone software, has evolved into a major defense contractor. They're creating an operating system for autonomous systems across air, land, and sea. According to reports, their technology is already being used on the battlefield in Ukraine, where they are delivering tens of thousands of AI "strike kits" under a Pentagon contract. This new funding will help Auterion expand its work on AI-enabled software for large-scale, coordinated drone operations. And finally, an update to last week's story about the drone that hit the firefighting airplane in LA earlier this year. We found out that Peter Akemann is facing jail time and a staggering $156,000 fine after crashing his DJI Mini 3 Pro into a firefighting airplane. The pilot pleaded guilty to unsafe drone operation and was sentenced to 14 days in prison, 30 days of home detention, 150 hours of community service, and a total fine of $156,000. And in post-flight this week, our show on the premium community where we share our opinions, we'll cover these stories and we'll talk about the DJI Mini 5 weight-gate. We'll see you there! https://dronexl.co/2025/09/19/dji-warns-faa-bvlos-rules-ground-drones/https://dronexl.co/2025/09/23/gamer-crashes-dji-mini-plane-fine-jail/https://dronexl.co/2025/09/19/skydio-unveils-new-drones-for-indoor/https://dronelife.com/2025/09/23/auterion-secures-130-million-series-b-to-scale-defense-software/

From innovation pipeline movement to Series B funding, leadership changes and so much more, BiomEdit is on the move. This week, CEO Aaron Schacht joins Agbioscience to talk scientific discovery, artificial intelligence, creating “and” solutions and how he approaches adding to his team in a meaningful way. Highlights include:  An overview of BiomEdit's innovation pipeline and what has Aaron most excited right now Optavant – BE-101 – and its movement through the USDA regulatory process, what the technology is designed to do and its benefit to the poultry industry Creating solutions that establish certainty for producers – having the economics make sense to where they can realize the full genetic potential of the animal Finding the right messages to connect consumers to straightforward understanding of how their food is produced and why these innovations are so important for them How the BiomEdit team approaches scientific discovery  The company's latest Series B fundriase -- $18.4 M – and what it will enable the company to do New leadership additions and how they add not only competencies, but culture to the BiomEdit team Aaron's vision for the continued opportunity to marry the AI-driven predictive analysis with scientific discovery to drive this work forward – and some incredible updates for their team in this space What's ahead for BiomEdit 

In this episode of Between Product and Partnerships, Pandium CEO Cristina Flaschen speaks with Beth Beese, Director of Partnerships at Loopio, about her unique journey into partnerships, building an ecosystem from the ground up, and why cross-functional relationships are the secret weapon for success.From Fax Lines to Tech PartnershipsBeth's path to tech partnerships was anything but traditional. She started her career in sales, including door-to-door telecom services, before a chance meeting with Shawn Doyle of ReleaseTEAM opened the door to tech sales and partnerships. What began as a cold pitch turned into an informal interview and eventually a career-defining opportunity. That early experience taught Beth the power of relationships and the importance of saying “yes” to unexpected opportunities.Discovering the Power of PartnershipsAt Release Team, Beth realized that partnerships weren't just about closing deals, they were about bridging gaps between enterprise software vendors and customer success. By aligning IBM technology with consulting and training services, she saw firsthand how partnerships fuel customer outcomes. For her, sales provided the adrenaline, but partnerships became the “jet fuel” that scaled impact.Scaling Partnerships at LoopioWhen Loopio raised its Series B in 2021, Beth became the company's first partnership hire. Her mandate? Build out the alliances function from scratch. Today, Loopio's ecosystem spans professional services partners, technology integrations, and reseller relationships. By focusing on integrations with core systems like CRMs and working closely with services providers, Beth's team ensures Loopio's RFP automation platform connects seamlessly into broader sales workflows.Prioritizing a Small but Mighty TeamWith limited resources, prioritization is critical. Beth's strategy is to stay tightly aligned with company-level goals, currently expanding top-of-funnel growth. That means leaning into joint go-to-market efforts with partners, while also deepening integration work to meet enterprise customer demands. One standout win, a joint business relationship with PwC, which now includes Loopio as an approved enabling technology.Partnerships, Product, and CXBeth emphasizes that partnerships thrive when connected with both product and customer success. Alignment with product ensures integrations enhance (not compete with) the roadmap. Collaboration with CX provides unfiltered insight into customer needs, helping identify when partner solutions can fill gaps. For Beth, partnerships act as the “speakerphone” for both customer and partner voices within the organization.Advice for First-Time Partnership LeadersFor those stepping into their first partnerships role, Beth's advice is clear:1) Connect cross-functionally early. Talk to product, sales, and CX leaders to understand how partnerships can accelerate their goals.2) Align with executive sponsors. Know who pushed for the alliances function and what they expect.3) Set achievable milestones. Don't take on “Google + Microsoft + AWS” all at once, focus on wins that prove value quickly.4) Build relationships. As Cristina adds, investing in coffee chats (virtual or otherwise) can create the goodwill you'll need when partnerships depend on other teams' support.People Buy from People They LikeBeth closes by reminding listeners that partnerships, like sales, are rooted in human connection. In a remote-first world, building trust and rapport matters more than ever. A strong ecosystem isn't just about logos, it's about relationships that make technology adoption easier for customers.For more conversations on partnerships, integrations, and SaaS ecosystems, visit our site

Send us a textLearn how you can scale your care team with AI: https://link.CareCo.ai/rmvhvqIn this enlightening episode, I sit down with Chris Ellis, CEO of Thatch, following their impressive $40 million Series B funding round led by Index Ventures with strategic investment from ADP Ventures. Chris breaks down how Thatch is revolutionizing employee health benefits through Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRA), allowing employees to choose their own health plans while giving employers cost control and administrative simplicity. We dive deep into the fundamental problems with employer-based health insurance, explore the bipartisan political momentum behind health insurance reform, and discuss how decoupling insurance from employment could realign incentives throughout the healthcare system. Chris provides fascinating insights into how this shift could enable true preventive care, extend insurer-patient relationships, and create the consumer-driven healthcare marketplace that has been decades in the making. This conversation connects perfectly with the current administration's focus on patient empowerment and transparency, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of American healthcare.Timestaps: 00:00:00 - Thatch's $40M Series B Led by Index Ventures00:03:29 - How Thatch's ICHRA Model Actually Works00:12:32 - Government's $1,200 Tax Credit for Small Businesses00:25:94 - The Cancer Detection Problem: Why Insurers Won't Invest in Prevention00:28:47 - The Vision: Decoupling Insurance from Employment00:40:49 - GLP-1 Coverage Dilemma: When ROI Takes Too Long

Welcome to the ThinkData podcast, in partnership with Dataworks.Today I'm joined by Tomas Reimers, co-founder and CPO of Graphite, a Series B startup that's redefining code review with AI. We'll be diving into how Tomas and the team validated demand, scaled the business without traditional marketing, and continue to stay ahead in a competitive space.Here are some of the discussion points we'll cover:The problem Graphite set out to solve, and how Tomas knew people really needed itGrowing through education and community instead of traditional campaignsWhy they kept users on a waitlist and how they knew the product was ready for wider adoptionThe challenges of explaining a new product category and making it resonate with usersWhat makes Graphite different in a crowded market, and how it plans to stay ahead

Michael Phelps BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.Michael Phelps made headlines this week with his quick and enthusiastic response to a playful challenge from the NFL. According to Yahoo Sports, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey posted a video on social media, along with several teammates, inviting Phelps to visit training camp and give swimming lessons. The group revealed that a surprising number of Ravens players do not know how to swim and cited their new recovery pool as the perfect place for Phelps to step in. Phelps, a lifelong Ravens fan and Baltimore native, didn't miss a beat replying, “I got y'all! Let's do it!” making it clear he'll bring his champion expertise to the gridiron. Such an offer aligns perfectly with the mission of the Michael Phelps Foundation, which remains active in providing swim lessons and promoting water safety across the country. The video got traction on platforms like Instagram, with fans amused by the unexpected blend of NFL and Olympic royalty and further cemented Phelps' role as a benevolent figure in athlete development and public wellness.Phelps' investment activities also featured prominently in sports business news. Unrivaled, the three-on-three women's basketball league co-founded by WNBA stars and backed by Phelps as an early investor, announced its new valuation at $340 million after an oversubscribed Series B investment round led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with notable support from Serena Williams and Alex Morgan's venture firms. SportsPro Media and The Gist report that the league's rapid growth—multiplying its valuation nearly tenfold in just over a year—positions it as one of the most exciting properties in women's sports. Unrivaled is drawing serious financial attention, with star investors like Steph Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo joining Phelps in championing the athlete-driven business model. The results are strong, reportedly $30 million in revenue from a successful first season and a fast-tracked expansion plan for the next year.Phelps' broader business profile continues to grow through public speaking, foundation work, and diversified investments, as per Edinburgh Letting Centre's recent analysis of his post-pool earnings strategy. On the cultural front, motivational quotes from Phelps continue to circulate, including a popular Threads post late last week stating, “The more you dream the more you achieve,” alongside the hashtag MichaelPhelps. While no major public appearances beyond the Ravens swim challenge have been confirmed in the last few days, industry insiders are watching closely to see if Phelps will take the stage at high-profile gatherings like the upcoming Clinton Global Initiative in New York later this month, but as of now his attendance has not been officially announced. Speculation about future collaborations and business deals remains active, but recent coverage underscores Phelps' ongoing influence both in and out of the water.Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Michael Phelps BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.Michael Phelps has been everywhere these past few days and the headlines prove it. If you caught any Baltimore Ravens coverage, you could not have missed the viral story of the 23-time Olympic gold medalist teaching Ravens players how to swim. It all started when Marlon Humphrey and several teammates posted a lighthearted plea on Instagram asking for a private Phelps swim clinic. To everyone's surprise, including Humphrey's, the Greatest of All Time not only responded but showed up in person at the Ravens' training camp, turning Loyola University's aquatic center into a scene straight out of a sports movie. Phelps, not above showing a little vulnerability, spoke openly to both the team and to Today show's Craig Melvin about his own childhood fears of water. He also brought in kids from the Boys and Girls Club to join the session, all in support of water safety and the work his Michael Phelps Foundation does. The event came with a meaningful $100,000 donation to the Foundation from the Ravens. According to Today and AOL, Phelps used the spotlight to promote drowning prevention—a mission that, in his words, can save lives and change communities.Business-wise, Phelps' name just popped in major headlines thanks to the meteoric rise of Unrivaled, the women's 3-on-3 basketball league. ESPN reports and Serena Williams herself promote that Unrivaled recently closed a major Series B financing round, launching the league to a whopping $340 million valuation. Phelps is a high-profile investor, which puts him squarely at the center of women's professional sports innovation—an athlete leveraging his influence in ventures well outside the swimming pool. Unrivaled doubled first-season revenue expectations and is moving swiftly on expansion and larger venues, with investors from across the sports world backing its player-centric, equity-minded business.In terms of global appearances, there's buzz building around the annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York City in late September. As of now, there are rumors swirling in organizer circles that Phelps could make an appearance, though as of this week, neither public schedules nor official press releases confirm his participation.Social media, naturally, has lit up with images and videos of Phelps grinning pool-side with the Ravens, while sports media—from clicky gossip columns to ESPN ticker crawls—spotlights his continued role as an advocate, investor, and motivational force. A few international sites murmured about him visiting the Delhi Capitals IPL cricket camp for a quick cameo and pep talk, but details remain sketchy and unconfirmed by Phelps' reps as of today.No scandals or dramatic controversies, just a wave of positive press, charitable impact, and one of the most decorated Olympians proving he's as relevant in business boardrooms as he is beside the pool. If his moves with Unrivaled are any indication, Michael Phelps' post-swimming biography is just hitting its next chapter.Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Bryce Ferguson is the founder of Turnkey. Turnkey provides secure, flexible, scalable wallet infrastructure. Turnkey is private key management made simple. Create wallets, sign transactions, and automate onchain actions, all with one elegant API. Why you should listen Turnkey provides secure, flexible, scalable wallet infrastructure, offering developers an elegant API to create wallets, sign transactions, and automate on-chain actions. Built on non-custodial principles and leveraging Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), Turnkey ensures that private keys remain fully under the users' control while also delivering enterprise-grade performance with low latency (around 50–100ms) and high availability (99.9% uptime). Their infrastructure supports multichain operations and is designed for scale—capable of signing millions of transactions in minutes, and able to power embedded wallets seamlessly across diverse applications in DeFi, payments, developer tooling, consumer apps, and AI agents. Turnkey is on a mission to secure the open internet by building verifiable, programmable primitives for crypto applications. The founding team brings deep expertise from their work at Coinbase Custody, and together they've amassed over 100 years of experience in cryptography, security, and low-level systems design. In June 2025, Turnkey raised a $30 million Series B round led by Bain Capital Crypto (with support from Sequoia, Lightspeed Faction, Galaxy Ventures, Wintermute, and Variant), reaffirming its vision to provide open, composable, developer-friendly infrastructure for the next generation of crypto services. Turnkey recently earned recognition as one of CNBC's World's Top Fintech Companies, underscoring its growing influence and leadership within the financial technology landscape. Supporting links Fidelity Crypto Careers  Turnkey Andy on Twitter  Brave New Coin on Twitter Brave New Coin   If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.

Could retrofitting existing diesel fleets be faster than waiting for electric alternatives?Paul Gross, CEO and co-founder of Remora, joins the podcast to discuss his company's revolutionary approach to mobile carbon capture technology. At just 28, Gross has raised $60 million to retrofit semi-trucks and locomotives with systems that capture up to 90% of CO2 emissions. Unlike traditional electrification efforts that struggle with heavy-duty transport, Remora's solution works with existing diesel fleets. "We wanted to take carbon capture from being this big over budget construction project to being this product that can be manufactured over and over again," Gross explains. The company turns captured CO2 into beverage-grade liquid carbon dioxide, addressing surprising market shortages. Can retrofitting existing transportation infrastructure accelerate decarbonization faster than waiting for full fleet replacement?Paul Gross is the CEO and co-founder of Remora, a pioneering carbon capture company that retrofits semi-trucks and locomotives with technology to capture up to 90% of CO2 emissions. At 28, Gross has already been named to Forbes 30 Under 30 and recently closed a $60 million Series B funding round. A Yale University graduate with a background in statistics and data science, Gross founded Remora in 2020 after recognizing that heavy-duty transportation sectors couldn't be easily electrified. Based in Detroit, he's leading efforts to commercialize mobile carbon capture technology, turning captured emissions into valuable liquid CO2 for food, beverage, and manufacturing industries while addressing critical supply shortages. In This Episode:  (00:00) Paul Gross background (03:35) Paul's journey from Yale to founding carbon capture company(07:35) Age of adoption story and carbon capture evolution(10:04) Transportation sector challenges with electrification alternatives(14:06) Economics and revenue model for carbon capture technology(17:08) Innovation and adoption happening simultaneously in climate techShare with someone who would enjoy this topic, like and subscribe to hear all of our future episodes, send us your comments and guest suggestions!About the show: The Age of Adoption podcast explores the monumental transition from a period of climate tech research and innovation – an Age of Innovation – to today's world in which companies across the economy are furiously adopting climate solutions - the Age of Adoption. Listen as our host, Keith Zakheim, CEO of Antenna Group, talks with experts from across the climate, energy, health, and real estate sectors to discuss what the transition means for business and society, and how corporates and startups can rise above competitors to lead in this new age. This podcast is brought to you by Antenna Group, an award-winning integrated marketing, public relations, public affairs and digital agency that partners with the world's most exciting and disruptive companies across cleantech, mobility, real estate, healthcare, and emerging B2B tech sectors. Our clients are transformational and distinguished corporations, startups, investors, and nonprofits that are at the bleeding edge of the Age of Adoption. Visit antennagroup.com to learn more.Resources:Paul Gross LinkedInAntenna GroupKeith Zakheim LinkedIn

Dan Lee co-founded what would become Nooks while on leave from Stanford. He wasn't solving sales. He was exploring remote collaboration during the pandemic. But when they noticed that some of his most active users were in sales development — and that investors were starting to reach out — he followed the signal. Today, Nooks is a sales AI platform used by teams at Seismic, Fivetran, and Modern Health, with $70 million in funding from Kleiner Perkins, Lachy Groom, and others. In this episode, we talk about how Nooks evolved from a virtual office for remote collaboration into a fast-growing AI sales assistant platform. Dan shares what it's like to raise a $43M Series B after an unplanned Series A, why he believes sales needs AI assistants, not agents, and how he built conviction in a space he had no background in. If you're an early-stage founder wondering how to navigate a pivot, build for an industry you've never worked in, or generate investor pull instead of push, listen in. RUNTIME 36:32  EPISODE BREAKDOWN (3:01) “ It started as a project, obviously became a company.” (5:13) “  Everyone here is smarter than me in some way.” (5:46) Which early signals indicated Nooks could be more than a side project? (8:01) “ And then, investors approached and said, ‘oh, you should raise some money.'” (10:11) “ I think it's a misconception to think that in the early days it's hard to do much without raising money.” (11:15) Pivoting Nooks from a virtual collaboration platform to serving sales teams. (14:26) “ At the time, it felt more like a focus than a pivot.” (16:56) “ Coming from an engineering background, it's easy to think, ‘oh, sales, that's like a dirty job.'” (20:50) “ We've been fortunate to have a very strong feedback loop with our users.” (22:20) If you don't have domain expertise, “ build a mental model of what is true north in terms of product value.” (23:22) Nooks' work culture is underpinned by two values: “ask why,” and “earn customer love.” (26:25) Customer satisfaction ≠ Customer delight (30:36) Why Nooks is building AI assistants, not AI agents. (32:41) When it comes to hiring, Dan looks for people with “motivations that align well with Nooks.” (34:39) One question Dan would have to ask a CEO if he were interviewing for a job with an early-stage startup. LINKS Dan Lee Nooks Nikhil Cheerla Rohan Suri Nooks raises $43M Series B from Kleiner Perkins and launches AI Sales Assistant Platform Forbes 30 Under 30 AI SUBSCRIBE

Matt Loszak, the cofounder and CEO of Aalo Atomics, joined me to talk about Aalo's progress rolling SMRs off the factory line. We get into Aalo's test reactor at Idaho National Labs, a DOE path toward approving nuclear designs, how Trump's nuclear executive orders have helped the industry, “zero power criticality,” and more.Since we recorded this episode, Aalo has closed its $100 million Series B and has officially been selected by the DOE to test the Aalo-X reactor at INL by hitting zero power criticality. And then they broke ground on the project just a few days ago! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe

Ido Ben-Natan, co-founder and CEO of Blockaid, joined me to discuss how Blockaid is helping to secure billions of dollars in crypto.Topics: - Blockaid's security services for exchanges, wallets and more - Blockaid secured $50 million in Series B funding - Common attacks, hacks, and scams in crypto - Will AI Agents be a threat to crypto? - Gemini and Hashgraph integration - The future of crypto security Show Sponsor -

Today I'm joined by Jake Cronin, CEO and Founder of Siro. The untapped profit potential hiding in F&I, winning strategies to secure consent to record customers, using data to diagnose dealership challenges—and more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. BizzyCar – CDG's Recall Tracker powered by BizzyCar monitors 70M+ vehicles with open recalls, packed with insights: timelines, fix status, campaign numbers—everything you need to bring lost customers back. Transform your recall management today @ http://www.cdgrecalls.com 2. Lotlinx - Get the best possible market advantage on every vehicle transaction. Optimize operations and boost profits using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Learn more @ https://lotlinx.com 3. Siro - Siro helps dealers unlock the full value of every sales conversation. By combining AI with in-person sales tech, Siro captures, analyzes, and activates showroom interactions so managers and reps can make smarter decisions, faster. Learn more at https://www.siro.ai/ Check out Car Dealership Guy's stuff: For dealers: Industry job board ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://jobs.dealershipguy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dealership recruiting ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgrecruiting.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Fix your dealership's social media ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.trynomad.co⁠⁠⁠⁠ Request to be a podcast guest ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgguest.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ For industry vendors: Advertise with Car Dealership Guy ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgpartner.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Industry job board ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://jobs.dealershipguy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Request to be a podcast guest ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgguest.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Topics: 00:22 How will Series B funding help? 01:29 What inspired Jake's sales journey? 04:14 Cero: Google Analytics for showrooms? 06:23 Implementing Cero in dealerships how? 13:35 Overcoming sales team skepticism? 18:39 Fixing fixed ops problems? 19:52 Data insights boost sales how? 21:26 Quantifying Cero's ROI? 35:18 Future of in-person recording? Car Dealership Guy Socials: X ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠x.com/GuyDealership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/cardealershipguy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@guydealership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠threads.net/@cardealershipguy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Everything else ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠dealershipguy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tonight's stream is loaded — buckle up.

In this episode of the Canary Cast, Florian Hagenbuch, Co-Founder and General partner at Canary, sits down with Jose Gedeon, co-founder and CEO of Cobre, a Colombian fintech building the real-time B2B payments and cross-border infrastructure powering finance teams across Latin America. From his early fascination with M-Pesa’s case at the University of Pennsylvania, to failed attempts at building his own mobile money business in Colombia, a stint as a consultant at McKinsey New York, and a role at Oyo in Mexico, José shares how each chapter of his journey shaped the vision for Cobre. What started as white-label wallets for meal vouchers during the pandemic evolved into Colombia’s leading real-time B2B payments platform, now expanding rapidly into Mexico and cross-border flows. During the episode, José reflects on the unique challenges of scaling a fintech in LatAm, the pivotal customer moments that unlocked entirely new business lines, and the ambition of turning Cobre into the default infrastructure for payments across the region. In this episode, we dive into: From White-Label Wallets to Infrastructure: How Cobre pivoted from building digital wallets for meal vouchers into real-time B2B payments and treasury management. Cross-Border Breakthroughs: The customer emergency that sparked Cobre’s cross-border product and how it led to a new revenue line. The Role of Stablecoins: Why stablecoins are becoming increasingly relevant in illiquid or high-cost currency corridors like Colombia, Turkey, and Argentina. Scaling in Mexico: How Cobre reached $100M in monthly volume in only 8 months in Mexico—10x faster than in Colombia. Vision for the Future: Why Jose believes it’s still “day zero” for Cobre and how the company aims to become the de facto B2B payment infrastructure for LatAm. Founder Lessons: Biggest mistakes, wins, and the cultural values that define the Cobre team. Whether you’re a founder, operator, or fintech enthusiast, this episode offers a masterclass in product pivots, client-focused culture, scaling infrastructure in emerging markets, and building with ambition in one of the most dynamic regions in the world. Tune in to hear how Cobre is not only modernizing payments in Colombia and Mexico, but also shaping the future of financial infrastructure across Latin America. Guest: Jose GedeonJose is the co-founder and CEO of Cobre, a fintech modernizing B2B payments and cross-border infrastructure in Latin America. Cobre moves billions annually, already processing ~3% of Colombia’s GDP, and recently raised its Series B led by Oak HC/FT, with participation from Canary and other global investors. Follow Jose on LinkedIn Host: Florian HagenbuchFlorian is the co-founder and General Partner at Canary, a leading early-stage investment firm in Brazil and Latin America. Canary has invested in more than 130 companies since its founding in 2017. Previously, Florian founded Loft, a company that digitized and transformed the home buying experience in Brazil, bringing transparency, liquidity, and credit to millions of Brazilians. Before that, Florian also co-founded Printi, the leading online printing marketplace in Latin America. Follow Florian on LinkedInHighlights:00:55 – 07:30 | Jose's Background & Early Influences07:30 – 08:08 | The Impact of COVID on Colombia's Financial Digitization08:10 – 11:07 | University Years, Early Attempts & Lessons Learned11:16 – 14:47 | Corporate Finance Pain Points Cobre Set Out to Solve & the First Iteration: White-Label Wallets14:55 – 16:11 | Cobre's First Business Model and Learnings on Pricing Power and Revenue Potential16:20 – 18:57 | Pivot to Real-Time B2B Payments and Building Colombia's First and Only Real-Time B2B Payment Infrastructure19:00 – 21:00 | Bre-B, the "PIX" of Colombia21:02 – 26:19 | Expansion into Cross-Border Payments and Different Customer Bases26:20 – 28:54 | Money Corridors in Colombia29:00 – 32:22 | Stablecoins & Tech Stack in Cross-Border Payments33:00 – 36:00 | Expansion to Mexico & Early Learnings 36:00 – 37:00 | Key Numbers, Scale & Vision37:00 – 43:07 | Future Plans and Raising Successful Venture Rounds43:08 – 47:40 | Founder Lessons & Culture47:40 – 52:12 | Conclusion: Recommended Content for ListenersRecommended Content: 1. Elon Musk biography by Walter Isaacson2. The World for Sale by Javier Blas and Jack Farchy3. Read, Write, Own by Chris DixonTranscrição do Episódio em Português: Hoje, estamos movimentando cerca de 3% do PIB da Colômbia dentro da Cobre.É um número muito grande.Mas, ao mesmo tempo, também é pequeno.Copo meio cheio, copo meio vazio.Isso nos dá bastante espaço para crescer. Agora, mudando para o inglês, para facilitar um pouco para você.José, muito obrigado por estar aqui. Agradeço por dedicar seu tempo. Estou muito animado para conversar com você. Como contexto, o José é cofundador e CEO da Cobre, uma fintech colombiana que está se expandindo para o México. Vocês rapidamente se tornaram uma das principais plataformas de pagamentos B2B em tempo real e de gestão de tesouraria corporativa na Colômbia — e, em breve, também no México. Sob sua liderança, muitas coisas empolgantes aconteceram. Vocês já escalam para centenas de empresas nesses dois países. Estão movimentando algo em torno de 18 bilhões em volume anual em folha de pagamento e pagamentos a fornecedores.E, o mais importante, estão se tornando uma camada crítica de infraestrutura para times financeiros modernos na região. Estou muito animado com este episódio, em mergulhar na sua jornada empreendedora, José, como a Cobre está modernizando os pagamentos corporativos, o cenário fintech na América Latina de forma mais ampla e, claro, a visão que você tem para o futuro da companhia. José, obrigado por se juntar a nós. É um prazer enorme ter você aqui hoje. José:Florian, o prazer é meu. A Canary foi a primeira firma de venture capital que acreditou na Cobre — e também o primeiro investimento de vocês fora do Brasil. Na época, nós até dissemos ao Marcos que expandiríamos para o Brasil… ainda não aconteceu.Mas tem sido uma ótima história até aqui, e vocês têm sido apoiadores incríveis. Obrigado. Florian:Sim, lembro bem disso. Inclusive, naquela época vocês tinham outro nome, não era? Acho que era “Pexto”, se não me engano.As coisas mudam, mas estamos felizes que deu certo. José, talvez possamos começar um pouco falando do seu histórico e da sua trajetória pessoal. Pode nos contar sobre sua origem e o que você fazia antes de empreender? José:Claro. Eu nasci e cresci em uma cidade pequena da Colômbia chamada Cartagena. Hoje é turística e bastante conhecida, mas, quando eu crescia lá, era apenas um destino nacional, relativamente pequeno. Eu, inclusive, nasci em Barranquilla porque minha mãe era de lá — que é ainda menor.De Barranquilla vêm muitas coisas conhecidas: Shakira, a Avianca (nossa companhia aérea nacional), e as últimas duas empresas colombianas que abriram capital nos EUA também são de lá.É uma cidade muito empreendedora. Talvez um bom precedente para a Cobre, não é? Venho de uma família de imigrantes libaneses — extremamente trabalhadores e empreendedores. Cresci aprendendo, por osmose, o que significava ser um empresario. Homens e mulheres da minha família sempre fundaram e até hoje administram empresas. Era um ambiente muito natural para acabar trilhando o caminho que trilhei. Depois tive o privilégio de estudar na Universidade da Pensilvânia. Meu primo Felipe — hoje cofundador da Cobre — estudava lá um ano antes de mim. Eu nunca achei que conseguiria entrar, mas consegui, e fui para a Penn cursar a graduação. No meu primeiro ano, li um business case sobre a M-Pesa, considerada precursora do dinheiro móvel — e, por consequência, de boa parte do que chamamos hoje de fintech: Zelle, Venmo, Paytm, GCash…A ideia original surgiu da M-Pesa, um serviço criado pela Vodafone que permitia às pessoas enviar dinheiro via SMS. Hoje, algo como 20% do PIB do Quênia transita pela M-Pesa. É completamente ubíquo. Inspirado nisso, tentei várias vezes criar algo parecido na Colômbia durante meus verões na Penn, mas obviamente falhei — afinal, eu não era uma empresa de telecomunicações. Ainda assim, essa experiência me mostrou como uma infraestrutura de pagamentos em tempo real poderia transformar a vida de milhões de pessoas e empresas. Ao me formar, voltei para a Colômbia para tentar de novo. E falhei mais uma vez. Foi aí que percebi: “o problema sou eu, preciso aprender a construir empresas de verdade”. Então fui trabalhar na McKinsey em Nova York. Passei um ano e meio lá e tive como cliente uma das maiores gestoras de venture capital do mundo. Eu era apenas analista júnior na equipe, mas aprendi muito sobre como os VCs pensam. Isso me levou a largar o emprego em Nova York e me mudar para a Cidade do México, para trabalhar na Oyo Rooms, um dos grandes unicórnios da Índia. A ideia era aprender mais sobre startups de hiperescala do que eu aprenderia ficando na consultoria. Fiquei um ano e meio na Oyo — até a pandemia começar. Com a COVID, percebi: “este é o momento certo para digitalizar pagamentos na Colômbia”. As empresas estavam forçadas a mudar. E foi quando decidi voltar a Bogotá, em junho de 2020, para tentar mais uma vez. E agora, cá estamos. Florian:Muito interessante. Não sabia de todas essas tentativas que não deram certo antes.Aliás, eu também estudei na Penn, me formei em 2010. Você foi alguns anos depois, certo? José:Sim, me formei em 2018. E naquela época, o ambiente ainda era mais voltado para carreiras tradicionais. A maioria queria ir para consultoria, bancos de investimento ou fundos. Eu era um dos poucos insistindo em empreender já na graduação. Participei até de competições de startups do MBA, porque não havia para undergrad. (continua na mesma estrutura — alternando Florian / José, até o final da conversa que você compartilhou).

Aerospacelab has closed an extended Series B funding round totaling €94 million. SpaceX is due to launch an Earth observation-exclusive Falcon 9 mission, with 8 payloads from California. York Space Systems has completed its spacecraft for the Space Development Agency's (SDA's) Tranche 1 transport layer, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Scott Thompson, PwC Global Aerospace & Defense Leader. You can read PwC's annual report here. Selected Reading Aerospacelab Secures 94 million EUR (110 million USD) to Accelerate its Ambitious Roadmap SpaceX - NAOS SpaceX aims to overcome Starship setbacks with tenth flight test- Reuters York Space Systems Completes Delivery of 21 Satellites for Tranche 1 Launch Planette Selected by NASA to Develop the First Quantum-Inspired AI System for Extreme Weather Prediction ESA - Juice team resolves anomaly on approach to Venus Filtronic secures $62.5m order with SpaceX for next generation technology   Assured Space Unveils Revolutionary CapLink Array™ Phased Array for Next Generation Missile Defense Radar Missions Washington State Student Wins 2025 NASA Art Contest T-Minus Crew Survey Complete our annual audience survey before August 31. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode #118 of Geeks of the Valley, we sat down with Qin En Looi, Partner at Saison Capital. Backed by Credit Saison (Tokyo-listed, ~US$30B AUM), Saison has 100+ direct investments and 15+ fund investments across Asia and LATAM.We unpack why operator experience produces better investor how Qin En's time scaling Glints shaped his emphasis on distribution, sales, and practical due diligence. The conversation dives deep into embedded finance. Saison's playbook for pairing venture equity with tailored debt to de-risk lending-backed businesses, and the market signals that matter for India, Southeast Asia, Brazil and LATAM from eKYC and payment rails to regulatory openness. We close with a pragmatic look at web3 and digital assets: institutional tailwinds, realistic timelines, and how blockchain could become the new rails for moving money at internet speed.About Saison Capital: Saison Capital is an early-stage venture fund (pre-seed to Series B) focused on emerging markets, backing founders across fintech, commerce and web3. Backed by Credit Saison (Tokyo-listed, ~US$30B AUM), the team combines operating experience with flexible capital solutions—100+ direct investments and active fund-of-funds activity across Asia and LATAM—to help startups scale faster and more sustainably.About Qin En Looi: Qin En leads Saison's early-stage direct investments across fintech, commerce and web3, and he jumpstarted Credit Saison's digital-asset strategy. He co-founded ONCHAIN (Asia's first real-world-asset conference) and sits on the boards of Southeast Asian fintechs including Helicap and SkorLife. Prior to VC, Qin En was Co-Founder and COO of Glints, Southeast Asia's largest talent ecosystem (Series D), and has been recognised on Forbes 30 Under 30 and Entrepreneurs 27 Under 27.LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/looiqinenWebsite: saisoncapital.com

SUMMARY In this episode, Gil shares the raw journey of building Metadata — from validating the idea through consulting, to nearly running out of cash, to eventually raising a $35M+ Series B. He explains how doubling prices unlocked product-market fit, why retention beats new logos, and how adopting AI transformed the company. This is a candid look at the highs, lows, and lessons every founder needs to hear. FOUNDER: Gil Allouche https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilallouche/

AJ Bruno is the founder and CEO of QuotaPath, a leading sales compensation management platform that has secured significant investments, including a $41 million Series B. Serving roughly 1,000 customers, QuotaPath helps organizations align company goals with incentive plans to drive winning sales behaviors.Before QuotaPath, AJ co-founded TrendKite, which was acquired by Cision for $225 million in 2019. He also co-hosts Topline, a podcast on revenue growth and sales leadership.In this episode, AJ shares the stories behind launching TrendKite and QuotaPath, his passion for flying, and his perspective on integrating AI into workflows as a founder. He reflects on his days as a Penn State student, studying abroad in Italy, his first job at Meltwater, and how a terrible boss inspired him to start his first company.Later in the episode, recent Penn State grad Paul Allen joins the conversation. A participant in the Invent Penn State Summer Founders Program, Paul asks AJ for advice on raising venture capital, making first hires, and navigating the challenges of early-stage entrepreneurship.Episode Chapters02:13 - 07:06 Growing up in Pittsburgh, acting and flying07:06 - 12:17 Choosing Penn State, squash club, studying abroad12:17 - 15:38 First entrepreneurial venture at Penn State15:38 - 22:48 First job in sales, advice to students and parents22:48 - 29:15 Terrible boss as a catalyst for TrendKite29:15 - 33:02 The problem that inspired the launch of QuotaPath33:02 - 40:33 Navigating AI and future of QuotaPath40:33 - 43:51 The crazy story that led to AJ launching a podcast43:51 - 45:24 Rapid Fire Insights45:24 - 55:20 Recent student Paul Allen interviews AJAbout AJ BrunoAJ Bruno is founder and CEO of QuotaPath. He graduated from the Penn State Schreyer Honors College with a bachelor's degree in economics from the Smeal College of Business in 2007.About Paul AllenPaul is a spring 2025 graduate of the Penn State College of Engineering. He completed the 2025 Invent Penn State Summer Founders Program with his startup, Reflex Technologies. Reflex is building a wearable electromyography (EMG) sensor that provides real-time muscle activation and fatigue insights to athletes and trainers. The Dare to Disrupt podcast is made possible by the generous support of the Penn State Smeal College of Business.

This Day in Legal History: Salem Witchcraft ExecutionsOn August 19, 1692, five individuals—George Burroughs, John Proctor, George Jacobs Sr., John Willard, and Martha Carrier—were executed by hanging in Salem, Massachusetts, after being convicted of witchcraft. These executions occurred during the height of the infamous Salem witch trials, a dark episode in colonial American history fueled by religious fervor, mass hysteria, and deeply flawed legal proceedings. George Burroughs, a former minister, recited the Lord's Prayer on the gallows—a feat believed to be impossible for a witch—which unsettled some spectators but did not halt the execution. John Proctor, a well-respected farmer, had been openly critical of the trials and was likely targeted for his outspoken skepticism.Martha Carrier was labeled “the Queen of Hell” by her accusers, a title steeped in misogyny and fear. The trials heavily relied on spectral evidence—claims of visions and dreams—which would later be deemed inadmissible in more rational courts. Governor William Phips halted the trials just two months later, in part because of growing public backlash and the implausibility of the accusations.These executions mark one of the final mass hangings of the Salem witch trials, which ultimately led to the deaths of 20 people and the imprisonment of many more. Legal scholars have since examined the trials as a case study in the dangers of due process violations, mass panic, and unchecked judicial power. In the centuries that followed, the state of Massachusetts gradually acknowledged the injustice, with the last of the condemned officially exonerated only in 2001. The Salem trials remain a cautionary tale in American legal history, illustrating how fear and ideology can warp legal institutions.The White House has been sending social media teams to accompany FBI agents during arrests in Washington, D.C., as part of President Donald Trump's recent federal takeover of the city's policing efforts. According to sources briefed on the situation, the teams are capturing footage to promote the administration's crackdown on crime, raising serious concerns among legal experts. The move is considered highly unusual and potentially problematic, as it blurs the lines between law enforcement and political messaging, potentially violating Justice Department norms meant to prevent political interference in criminal investigations.One recent example involved a professionally produced video of FBI agents arresting Sean Charles Dunn, a former DOJ employee, which was posted to the White House's social media and has garnered millions of views. Legal experts warn that filming arrests—especially in non-public spaces—could infringe on suspects' Fourth Amendment privacy rights and complicate the legal proceedings by generating prejudicial pre-trial publicity.The White House has also reportedly embedded personnel within the FBI command post and is tracking arrest statistics, suggesting an unusually direct involvement in federal law enforcement operations. While the administration claims this is part of its transparency initiative, critics see it as political theater designed to favorably shape public perception. Experts argue that such tactics risk undermining public confidence in the FBI's independence and could erode the bureau's credibility.White House sending social media teams with FBI on some arrests in D.C., sources say | ReutersThe Trump administration appointed Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey as co-deputy director of the FBI, sharing the post with conservative media personality Dan Bongino. This newly created position signals a shift in leadership at the Bureau, with FBI Director Kash Patel calling Bailey an essential addition to the agency. Bailey, a war veteran and Missouri's attorney general since 2023, will resign his current role effective September 8.Bailey expressed gratitude for the appointment, emphasizing his commitment to supporting President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi's law enforcement agenda. Bondi, who welcomed Bailey's appointment, praised his legal and military background. Bailey had previously been mentioned as a potential pick for U.S. attorney general under Trump's second term but was not ultimately chosen.Bongino, now Bailey's co-deputy, recently made headlines for clashing with Bondi over the DOJ's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case and had reportedly considered resigning. The appointment, first reported by Fox News Digital, has raised eyebrows given Bongino's media background and the political nature of the move.Missouri attorney general named as co-deputy director of FBI | ReutersThe American Bar Association (ABA) is attempting to revise and soften a controversial proposal that would double the number of required hands-on learning credits for law students, following strong pushback from many law school deans. The updated plan, released August 15, would raise the experiential learning requirement from six to twelve credits but introduces greater flexibility and delays implementation to at least 2032.Key changes include allowing students to earn three of those credits in their first year—previously prohibited—and permitting partial credit for traditional courses that incorporate practical elements like simulated client work or drafting exercises. These adjustments aim to address concerns about feasibility, especially for part-time students or programs with limited resources.Despite these revisions, critics remain skeptical. Many deans argue that the ABA has not shown sufficient evidence that increased experiential credits would improve legal education outcomes, and they warn the rule could increase costs and overburden students and schools. Supporters, including clinical faculty, argue that more hands-on training is essential for preparing practice-ready attorneys and believe the financial concerns are overstated.Some, like Cornell's Gautam Hans, expressed cautious optimism about the changes, while others, like Northwestern's Daniel Rodriguez, say the revisions don't go far enough to address core issues, particularly the lack of data supporting the proposed changes.ABA seeks to salvage law school hands-on learning proposal amid pushback from deans | ReutersIn an exclusive at Bloomberg Law, an SEC whistleblower alleges Paul Weiss and Reed Smith helped conceal $500 million in biotech risk. Two top law firms are accused in a whistleblower complaint filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission of hiding a legal dispute that could have jeopardized a $500 million biotech merger. The complaint, obtained exclusively by Bloomberg Law, was filed by Joel Cohen—best known for co-writing Toy Story—who claims he and his wife were defrauded out of at least $38 million by Sofie Biosciences Inc.Cohen alleges Sofie and its lawyers concealed his legal threats from disclosures during the company's majority-stake sale to private equity firm Trilantic North America. Central to the dispute is Sofie's use of a $2.5 million appraisal from Kroll LLC to value a cancer-imaging facility acquired in 2019—an amount Cohen claims was intentionally low in order to reduce his and other noteholders' payout in Series B preferred shares.The whistleblower complaint accuses Paul Weiss partner Jeffrey Marell and Reed Smith partner Michael Sanders of knowingly excluding Cohen's legal demands from merger documents, possibly violating federal securities laws. Internal emails cited in the complaint show Sofie executives feared the deal would fall apart if Cohen's claims became public.Sofie and its legal team argue Cohen waived his rights through broad releases signed during the merger and that the appraisal complied with contractual terms. However, Cohen and his wife had assigned their claims to a separate LLC, which the whistleblower says was not covered by those waivers.Two related lawsuits filed in California claim that Reed Smith represented conflicting interests and helped structure the asset financing in a way that disadvantaged noteholders. The firm denies any wrongdoing and says it never represented Cohen or the other lenders. A court ruling is expected soon on whether Cohen can access documents related to the Kroll valuation.Paul Weiss, Reed Smith Accused of Coverup by SEC WhistleblowerIn my column for Bloomberg this week, I talk a bit about state sales tax kickback schemes. Louisiana's 2012 “procurement processing program” was originally promoted as a way to support research and development, but instead has funneled the vast majority of collected sales tax—over 90% in some years—back to consultants and out-of-state companies. The scheme works by enticing payment processing subsidiaries to reroute sales through Louisiana, allowing the state to collect taxes on transactions that didn't actually occur within its borders. These taxes were meant to support research institutions, but in practice, virtually none of the funds have reached them. In 2023 alone, $67 million of the $73 million collected was rebated, and 2022 figures were worse.This program reflects a broader issue across many states: public incentive deals are being handed out with little to no accountability. Unlike private contracts, where each party protects its own interests and can demand repayment when promises aren't kept, public deals often lack enforceable clawback provisions. Louisiana does include a limited recapture clause in its statute—but it only ensures proper paperwork, not fulfillment of public benefits.Other states like California have taken modest steps, such as requiring disclosure of such deals, but few have adopted strong clawback mechanisms. Until public incentive agreements require concrete, verifiable results to justify tax rebates—and include provisions to recover funds when promises fall through—they risk becoming little more than tax shelters for private interests.​​Louisiana's Tax-Share Problems Prove Clawbacks Must Be Standard This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

On this episode Pat sits down with Puren Ucar, the fmr Head of Talent at Earlybird Digital East, to dive into building out the talent function at one of Europe's leading VC firms, Earlybird, what does it take to build high performance teams and why founders up until Series-B still need to dedicate 40% of their time on hiring and how AI changes the game.You will learn aboutThe intersection of recruitment, incentives and retention in building high performance teamsHow AI will impact startup roles and efficiencies are distributed unequally Want to stay up-to-date on latest episodes?Follow The Enthusiast wherever you are getting your podcasts and make sure to check out our newsletter on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ to stay up to date on our latest episodes with founders and investors beyond the Valley.Follow Pat on LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Waabi announced the appointment of former Uber Freight CEO Leor Ron as its new COO, signaling a major transition from research and development to commercialization and scale. This strategic move aims to accelerate Waabi's journey towards a driver-out milestone by year-end and expand partnerships with industry giants like Volvo and Uber Freight. The US and China have extended a pause on higher tariffs for goods from each country until November 10th, narrowly avoiding proposed increases. This extension maintains the US levy on Chinese imports at 30% and China's tariff on American products at 10%, allowing for continued negotiations on key trade issues. Freight tech company GoodShip also announced a successful Series B funding round, securing $25 million to advance its AI-driven freight management platform. This platform has already proven its value for enterprise shippers, helping clients significantly reduce transportation costs by 3-5% and decrease late shipments by 20%. Tune into FreightWaves TV today for a new episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? at noon, with a replay available later. Don't forget to get your tickets for the upcoming F3 event (Use code MORNINGMINUTEF325 for $900 off) and register for the crossborder logistics summit in early September, both offering valuable insights and networking opportunities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waabi announced the appointment of former Uber Freight CEO Leor Ron as its new COO, signaling a major transition from research and development to commercialization and scale. This strategic move aims to accelerate Waabi's journey towards a driver-out milestone by year-end and expand partnerships with industry giants like Volvo and Uber Freight. The US and China have extended a pause on higher tariffs for goods from each country until November 10th, narrowly avoiding proposed increases. This extension maintains the US levy on Chinese imports at 30% and China's tariff on American products at 10%, allowing for continued negotiations on key trade issues. Freight tech company GoodShip also announced a successful Series B funding round, securing $25 million to advance its AI-driven freight management platform. This platform has already proven its value for enterprise shippers, helping clients significantly reduce transportation costs by 3-5% and decrease late shipments by 20%. Tune into FreightWaves TV today for a new episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? at noon, with a replay available later. Don't forget to get your tickets for the upcoming F3 event (Use code MORNINGMINUTEF325 for $900 off) and register for the cross border logistics summit in early September, both offering valuable insights and networking opportunities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Anthony is the co-founder of Primer, a rapidly growing payment orchestration platform with over 200 employees and more than £70 million in funding from top-tier investors including Seed Camp, Balderton, Accel, and Iconic. His journey began as the first employee at a FinTech startup (now called Depay), followed by a stint at PayPal's Braintree division, before founding Primer to solve the complex payment infrastructure challenges he witnessed amongst enterprise merchants. Paul is now also a co-founder of Colossal, an innovative new venture that leverages AI and LLMs to help digital goods creators build customised commerce experiences through a prompt-based interface.Key Topics Discussed:The Payment Orchestration Insight - How Paul's experience at Braintree meeting enterprise merchants face-to-face revealed the need for a unified payment infrastructure layer that didn't exist in the marketHypergrowth Challenges - Scaling Primer from a three-person team to Series B funding (nearly half-billion valuation) within just 16 months, whilst building a robust enterprise product during COVIDHiring Philosophy and Culture - Paul's approach of interviewing 20-30 people for every hire, treating "autonomy as a requirement not a benefit," and maintaining a "we're not a real business yet" mentality to drive innovationProduct Development Approach - The importance of building POCs and technical spikes to understand how products "feel" rather than just look good on paper, especially when serving enterprise customersThe Colossal Vision - Paul's new venture described as "Lovable for commerce," using AI to help creators build sophisticated customer journeys without technical knowledge, targeting the £400 billion digital goods marketTune in to hear Paul's fascinating insights on building payment infrastructure for enterprise clients, navigating hypergrowth whilst maintaining product focus, and his bold new vision for democratising commerce through AI. This episode offers invaluable lessons for founders tackling complex technical problems and scaling rapidly in competitive markets.

Oxide raised its $100M Series B round of venture capital. Oxide's founders, Bryan and Steve, answer questions selected by Adam from social media about the round, the company, and the future.In addition to Bryan Cantrill and Adam Leventhal, we were joined by Oxide CEO, the man, the myth, the legend, Steve Tuck.Previous episodes mentioned:OxF s05e10 - Lip‑Bu Tan's IntelOxF s03e04 - Oxide and the Chamber of MysteriesOxF s04e27 - Unshrouding Turin (or Benvenuto a Torino)OxF s05e14 - Bringing up CosmoSome of the topics we hit on, in the order that we hit them:blog: Oxide's $100M Series BHacker News threadPRs needed!If we got something wrong or missed something, please file a PR! Our next show will likely be on Monday at 5p Pacific Time on our Discord server; stay tuned to our Mastodon feeds for details, or subscribe to this calendar. We'd love to have you join us, as we always love to hear from new speakers!

David Selinger (aka “Selly”) is the founder and CEO of Deep Sentinel, a security company blending AI with live human monitoring to stop crime in real time. From Amazon to Redfin to AI security, Dave Selinger has built a real-time protection system now scaling fast with $15M in Series B funding from top investors.In this episode, Selly breaks down how Deep Sentinel works—from crime prediction models and real-time police calls to training AI to spot danger before it happens. He explains how the company went from idea to reality, how it stacks up against traditional alarms, and why his military mentors shaped his leadership style.This isn't just about cameras. It's about making AI useful, delivering outcomes that matter, and building a team with zero tolerance for compromise. You'll also hear Selly's thoughts on parenting, college, career detours, and how early obsessions with tech led him from Stanford to Jeff Bezos's office to the front lines of crime prevention.Main Topics• How Deep Sentinel stops crime before it happens using AI and live guards• Why traditional alarm systems fail — and what real security should look like• Lessons from military mentors on leadership, discipline, and zero compromise• The challenge of scaling real-time protection for homes and businesses• How Selly's early work at Amazon (with Jeff Bezos) and Redfin shaped his tech mindset• Raising kids with curiosity, independence, and meaningful support• Why the future of security depends on speed, customization, and trustChapters with Timestamps:[00:00:00] Introduction and Initial Scenario[00:00:42] Podcasting and Audience Engagement[00:02:06] AI and Podcasting Insights[00:03:17] Real-Life Security Challenges[00:03:58] Deep Sentinel's Unique Approach[00:04:49] Customer Experiences and Success Stories[00:11:34] Public-Private Partnerships in Security[00:15:52] Advanced Security Solutions and AI Integration[00:27:45] Exploring Security Challenges and Solutions[00:29:27] Military Influence and No Compromise Mentality[00:33:35] Childhood Passions and Career Pathways[00:36:02] Parental Support and Personal Growth[00:41:43] College Education and Career Advice[00:48:14] Amazon Experience and Innovations[00:54:23] Founding Redfin and Its Impact[00:56:29] Deep Sentinel's Growth and FutureDeep SentinelWebsiteLinkedInYouTubeSeries B FundingRelated Episodes:Ankit Somani | From Google to Conifer: Rare-Earth-Free Motors, $20M Seed, and Rethinking CollegeHow AI Is Changing College Counseling and Admissions with Senan Khawaja, CEO of KollegioAI Content Detection & Digital Ethics with Madeleine LambertEntrepreneur Perspectives is produced by QuietLoud Studios — a modern media network and a KazSource brand.Get in touch with Eric Kasimov:XLinkedInCredits:Music by Jess & Ricky: SoundCloud

Let's step into these shoes for a minute. You're the sole marketer at a B2B startup. You've been hustling, pitching investors, and finally you close your Series A. Suddenly, you have the budget to make real progress. What do you do next?Here's the lesson that stood out to me in a recent guest application: “There is no real progress in marketing, especially in B2B and post-Series A, without product marketing.”I love that lesson and I think of product marketing as the translator between what engineers build and what customers truly need.To hear the story behind that lesson – and many more insights born from wrestling with real revenue goals – I spoke with Asaf Raz, VP of Marketing at Agora [https://agorareal.com/]. Agora secured $34 million in Series B funding last year and has raised a total of $63 million in funds so far.Raz manages a team of 12 demand gen, product marketing, creative, and field marketing professionals.Lessons learnedMarketing can't be successful without being connected to sales goalsOne of the most important things about being a marketing executive is to know your market really well, knowing the actual people.There is no real progress in marketing, especially in B2B and post-Series A, without product marketingThere's nothing helpful that comes from complaining about things and blaming other people for your problems Take full ownershipFrame for persuasionDiscussed in this episodeMarketingSherpa has teamed up with parent company MeclabsAI to produce a research study. We are granting 10 AI engineering vouchers worth $5,000 each to eligible companies. Learn more at https://meclabs.com/research/5k-engineering-voucherProduct Quality: Marketing's job is to help the product win (podcast episode #97) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/product-quality]Marketing Career: How to become an indispensable asset to your company (even in a bad economy) [https://marketingexperiments.com/value-proposition/marketing-career]Customer-First Marketing: The customer is always right … but not always right for your company [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/b2c-marketing-2/customer-is-always-right-but-not-always/]Clarity Trumps Persuasion: How ordinary marketers are learning to write high-impact copy [https://www.meclabs.com/training/misc/optsummit/slides/10-Flint-McGlaughlin-MECLABS-Copywriting-FINAL.pdf]Turn content into pipeline – In this episode, Raz discusses how he uses a podcast to better understand prospects and get more deals. Build your own playbook to get more leads with your content using a multi-agent protocol workflow. Launch the workflow [https://win.meclabsai.com/build-lead-gen] (from MeclabsAI, MarketingSherpa's parent company).Subscribe for more tactics that turn content into closed businessSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

As of mid-2023, approximately one in four U.S. venture capital dollars funds startups using artificial intelligence, following the widespread adoption of generative AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Bard, and Microsoft's Bing. Venture capital activity has accelerated, with companies such as fintech Rillet raising $70 million in a Series B round shortly after a $25 million Series A. AI is being integrated across industries, major tech companies are advancing new solutions, and ethical considerations are increasingly discussed. Business leaders are adapting to these changes to leverage new opportunities and manage challenges.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today's episode of Disrupt, the Home Health Care News podcast, we sit down with Dr. Melissa Welch, chief medical officer of Sprinter Health. Sprinter has attracted serious investor interest, including a recent $55 million raise. Dr. Welch discusses Sprinter Health's focus on increasing access to quality care and serving underrepresented communities, and the company's plans after its Series B raise. Listen to this episode to learn: – The key clinical challenges that Sprinter Health is addressing – The role of partnerships at the company – Dr. Welch's short-term and long-term goals for the company – And more! Subscribe to Disrupt to be notified when new episodes are released. Subscribe today!

The debatiest Hamster yet; with a warning that racism, incel culture, homophobia, genocide, and all manner of provocative subjects are discussed. Also, how camp as tits the Rani is. A divisive year, but one worth talking about.

This is perhaps the most epic news recap we have ever encountered on Agbioscience! So much so, we had to go back and record audio after we thought we were done. We get into the USDA's announcement on re-organization and Indiana's inclusion as a regional hub as part of that, AgReliant Genetics' acquisition by GDM, BiomEdit's product pipeline milestones, Series B funding and new leadership additions, and a big partnership announcement and honor for Corteva Agriscience. We also provide an update on the AgriNovus CEO search and when you can expect to learn more information. Don't forget! AgriNovus Quadrant is August 20 -- Register here: https://agrinovusindiana.com/quadrant/USDA Reorganization Announcement + MemorandumISDA's Don Lamb Talks to Hoosier Ag Today on USDA ReorganizationAgReliant Genetics Announces Acquisition Agreement by GDMBiomEdit Announces Series B Raise, Advances Product to Final PhaseAgFunder News Talks with BiomEdit on Designer ProbioticsCountryMark Completes $100M Diesel Expansion ProjectPhytoform and Corteva Partner on AI to Boost Disease Resistance in Corn

This is perhaps the most epic news recap we have ever encountered on Agbioscience! So much so, we had to go back and record audio after we thought we were done. We get into the USDA's announcement on re-organization and Indiana's inclusion as a regional hub as part of that, AgReliant Genetics' acquisition by GDM, BiomEdit's product pipeline milestones, Series B funding and new leadership additions, and a big partnership announcement and honor for Corteva Agriscience. We also provide an update on the AgriNovus CEO search and when you can expect to learn more information. Don't forget! AgriNovus Quadrant is August 20 -- Register here: https://agrinovusindiana.com/quadrant/USDA Reorganization Announcement + MemorandumISDA's Don Lamb Talks to Hoosier Ag Today on USDA ReorganizationAgReliant Genetics Announces Acquisition Agreement by GDMBiomEdit Announces Series B Raise, Advances Product to Final PhaseAgFunder News Talks with BiomEdit on Designer ProbioticsCountryMark Completes $100M Diesel Expansion ProjectPhytoform and Corteva Partner on AI to Boost Disease Resistance in Corn

HEADLINES:♦ Calo raises $39mln (SAR 146.27mln) in Series B extension♦ Saudi PIF named most valuable and fastest-growing sovereign wealth fund♦ Binghatti Unveils $570M Dubai Twin-Tower Project At Launch Event In Egypt♦ Pavel Durov Questioned by French Authorities Over Platform's Alleged Criminal Use

Key Metrics by Stage Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors use metrics to understand the performance of the startup. Here's a list of key metrics by stage: Pre-seed.  User engagement with the prototype. Since there's no revenue-generating product, look at how often and how long the customer engages with the prototype. Seed.  Initial revenue traction and cash spend Track month-over-month growth rates and how much of the revenue is recurring. Look at the burn rates of the company to see how much runway they have. Seed+ Continuing revenue traction and more efficient use of capital. Startups often raise an additional round after the seed raise. The funds continue to grow the revenue, and the company should see a lower burn rate. Series A. Revenue run rate with an increase in retention. The company should be finding product market fit, and so more revenue should come from retention. Series B.  Revenue run rate with a greater increase in revenue than in cost. The company should continue to grow the business, but the costs should flatten or decrease on a unit economic level. Consider these metrics in reviewing a startup.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

What happens when a Harvard-trained corporate lawyer, tired of copying and pasting contract language, starts reading about self-driving cars? In Shashank Bijapur's case, it sparked the creation of SpotDraft, a contract lifecycle management company that just raised $54 million in Series B funding and that counts major companies such as Airbnb among its customers. In this episode of LawNext, host Bob Ambrogi sits down with Bijapur, CEO and cofounder of SpotDraft, to explore his journey from White & Case associate to legal tech entrepreneur. It all began with that pivotal New Year's Eve moment – working on due diligence while eating Chinese food and reading about Elon Musk's self-driving cars – that made him realize something fundamental: Cars were driving themselves but lawyers were still stuck copying and pasting contract language. The conversation traces SpotDraft's evolution from its original version as an AI redlining platform to becoming a comprehensive CLM solution. Bijapur shares the hard-won lessons of pivoting when their initial AI approach proved only as accurate as a coin toss, and how co-building with early customers who believed in their vision helped shape the product into what it is today. They also dive deep into how generative AI is transforming contract management, get a preview of SpotDraft's new AI assistant called Sidebar, launching to the public next month, and discuss practical implementation challenges based on insights from SpotDraft's recent survey on AI adoption in legal departments. Looking ahead, they discuss where the CLM market is heading in the age of generative AI. Throughout the discussion, Bijapur reflects on the entrepreneurial journey itself – learning to sell when trained to be demure, developing an appetite for risk after being taught to be risk-averse, and discovering that every startup milestone brings new challenges that require completely different approaches. It's a candid look at both the technical and human sides of building a legal tech company.  Thank You To Our Sponsors This episode of LawNext is generously made possible by our sponsors. We appreciate their support and hope you will check them out.   Paradigm, home to the practice management platforms PracticePanther, Bill4Time, MerusCase and LollyLaw; the e-payments platform Headnote; and the legal accounting software TrustBooks. Briefpoint, eliminating routine discovery response and request drafting tasks so you can focus on drafting what matters (or just make it home for dinner). Paxton, Rapidly conduct research, accelerate drafting, and analyze documents with Paxton. What do you need to get done today?    If you enjoy listening to LawNext, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.  

What does it really take to bring brand into the boardroom—and keep it there?In this episode of That's What I Call Marketing, I sit down with Matt Herbert, co-founder of Tracksuit, for a conversation that moves fast—just like the rocket ship he's helping build. We talk Series B funding, global expansion (from Bondi to Brooklyn), burnout, brand belief, and why Tracksuit is obsessed with making brand tracking a business conversation, not just a marketing one.If you're trying to bridge the gap between marketing and the C-suite, or building a brand with B2B swagger, this one's for you.03:10 – The Series B journey: months in the making 04:30 – How Tracksuit scaled intentionally (and why they waited) 06:20 – Lessons from cracking the US market 08:15 – Why agencies matter to Tracksuit's model 09:35 – Brand health: When awareness is high but trust is low 11:05 – Airbnb, Hilton & what brand data reveals 12:25 – Making brand a boardroom conversation 13:45 – What the C-suite really needs to hear from marketing 15:20 – Instacart's 3-year journey to full-funnel marketing 17:10 – Don't convince—connect: Learning to speak CFO 18:45 – Brand building for B2B: How Tracksuit lives its own advice 20:00 – Scaling culture without losing yourself 21:50 – Hiring right: From whiteboards to value systems 24:00 – Growing internationally without losing local nuance 26:15 – Why localisation is more than just translation 27:45 – The burnout no one sees: Leading through the scale-up phase 30:00 – Connection, clarity, courage: The Tracksuit leadership triangle 31:20 – Making market research aspirational (yes, really) 32:30 – Final thoughts: Doing serious work, without taking yourself too seriously

DroneDogs can be sent to places unsafe for humans or real dogs and can do tasks like dangerous chemical detection. In other news, less than a week after becoming Europe's latest unicorn, Swedish vibe coding startup Lovable has now crossed the $100 million annual recurring revenue mark. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

During the Asia-focused Episode 29 of Biotalk, Geoff shares insights into key trends and developments shaping the biotech landscapes in Japan, China, Korea, Australia, and the broader Asia-Pacific region, as featured in our 2025 Q2 Report: Global Trends in Biopharma Transactions Report. Japan's biotech stocks outperformed broader indices, boosted by regulatory reforms and Shionogi's $1.1B acquisition of Japan Tobacco's pharma units. Licensing slowed, while early-stage financings focused on preclinical firms. China's biotech market surged with four HKEX IPOs raising $1.5B. Venture funding fell as risk aversion grew, but strategic licensing stayed strong at $24.4B, shifting toward later-stage oncology and obesity deals. Korea's biotech index dipped but showed 12-month gains, driven by ABL Bio's $2.8B licensing deal with GSK and key Series B financings. Listen now to gain insights into the evolving global biopharma landscape, explore our report, and we welcome the opportunity to discuss its contents with you. 

Canada's outdated capital gains policies are driving entrepreneurs and investors away. We need competitive tax reform to keep talent and investment here, building the businesses of tomorrow.We have just 33 small businesses per 1,000 people vs 124 in the US. Fixing our capital gains system could help us close this gap with the US and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs.Modern capital gains reform will unleash Canadian innovation, create more high-paying employment, and ensure our world-class graduates build their companies here, not elsewhere.GoalsTo ensure a prosperous, sustainable, and growing economy, Canada needs a thriving private sector that invests in new businesses. A strong environment for entrepreneurship creates jobs, drives GDP growth, and ensures economic mobility for all. In recent years however, entrepreneurship, and consequently private sector employment, has been slow despite an increasing population.One factor driving this change is that Canada's capital gains tax policies make it significantly less rewarding to start a business compared to other jurisdictions. To reverse this trend and reinvigorate our private sector, we must revise our outdated policies to align with global standards.Our targets:* Increase SMBs per 1000 people over the age of 18 from 33 to 62 to get half of the US rate of 124.* Increase the number of early-stage financing rounds (Pre-seed, Seed, Series A, and Series B) for new businesses from 482 in 2024 to over 1000+ per year.* Increase investments in new businesses through industry-agnostic venture capital financing to 0.5% of GDP, up from 0.35% of GDP, to get closer to the USA's figure of 0.72% of GDP.Background and MotivationNew business formation and growth relies on people taking huge risks with their time and money. However, today in Canada the people that take these risks – entrepreneurs, early stage employees, and investors – are rewarded less than in other countries.As a result the country's best talent is driven to leave and start businesses elsewhere, where they can find easier access to funding1 and keep more of the upside if they succeed.We need to reverse this systematic issue. By rewarding investors that put their capital at risk and supporting entrepreneurs who put their livelihoods on the line to create new companies we can create a strong and resilient economy.All companies begin as small and medium businesses (SMBs) and the formation and growth of these SMBs is essential to a country's economic success both through driving the quality of the labour market and creating opportunities for productivity growth.In Canada, SMBs accounted for ~64% of private sector employment and contributed to half of all net new jobs added last year2. These work opportunities support upward income mobility, lead to more capital being reinvested into local communities, and are particularly valuable for traditionally disadvantaged populations3 4 5.In addition, SMBs represent a significant portion of the economy and have high potential for productivity improvements6. Between 2017 and 2021, SMBs contributed almost half of Canada's GDP7. As these businesses grow and scale their operations they improve efficiency and drive productivity-led growth that can be equivalent in impact to roughly 5% of a developed nation's GDP8 9.Perhaps most importantly, SMBs turn into global winners. Growing these companies into sizable businesses is how a country can win an unfair share of global markets, by creating the large, export-focused corporations that contribute an outsized value to GDP and productivity growth. To ensure the next trillion dollar companies - the equivalent of Google, Microsoft, or Meta - are built in Canada, founders must be convinced to start their companies here.So, having a healthy ecosystem of SMBs is essential to creating a strong economy, but the data shows Canada is falling behind our global peers. In the 20 years between 2003 and 2023, the total number of Canadian entrepreneurs decreased by ~100K, despite the population growing by 10 million10 11. Today, for every thousand people over the age of 18 the US has ~124 SMBs12 13. Israel, a country with less than a quarter of Canada's population, has ~7314 15, while Canada has just ~3316.A significant driver of this stagnation is outdated and uncompetitive capital gains policies that have low limits, exclude large categories of business, and contain many restrictions compared to global peers - especially the US. It is less valuable for investors to put money into Canadian businesses, making capital more scarce and it discourages entrepreneurs who know that in most cases they could receive more reward by building the same company elsewhere. This makes it difficult for any SMB to get started let alone scale.Today, Canada has two capital gains policies, to try and encourage SMB creation, the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (LCGE) and a proposed Canadian Entrepreneur's Incentive (CEI) announced in Budget 2024 but not yet implemented. Combined, the LCGE and CEI would allow shareholders to reduce the inclusion rate of capital gains from the current 50% down to a range of 33.3%-0% to a cap of $3.25M 17 18.These policies simply can't compete with the US. The USA's Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) policy has a capital gains cap of $15M or ten times the original investment amount, five times higher than Canada's LCGE and CEI limit. In addition the QSBS is active today, while Canada's CEI cap has a phased approach only coming into full effect in 2029 if the policy is passed. Today in 2025, LCGE and CEI's true combined cap is only $1.25M. And while QSBS shields 100% of gains up until the policy cap for individuals and corporations, Canada's CEI would only shields 66.7% of gains for individuals.To illustrate how restrictive this is, we could imagine a company where the business is owned between founders, early employees, and various investors (see the first example below). If this business was started in 2018 and sold 7 years later today in 2025 for $100M, these risk-takers would have to pay a combined $14.7M in taxes. However, that same business with the same structure would pay no taxes in the US.The good news is that at larger scales of exit like $250m (see the second example below) the gap between Canada and the US decreases due to a more competitive basic capital gains inclusion rate in Canada. This means that if we match the QSBS's capital gains limit it could actually give the Canadian policy an edge driving more investment in the country and supercharging our SMB ecosystem. However, if we leave the policy as it stands right now companies can never get started because investors and entrepreneurs are scared away.The reason is that the QSBS rewards smaller exits - the majority of SMB outcomes - with the maximum capital gains tax value. This makes it easier for entrepreneurs, early employees, and investors to take on the risks of building a business. In fact, early-stage US investors are currently increasing their investments into new Canadian businesses, and adding in clauses that would require the Canadian business to reincorporate in the US simply to become eligible for QSBS. This means the best Canadian entrepreneurs and companies are leaving the country simply to take advantage of these rules. This decreases the health of our SMB ecosystem, prevents large companies from growing in the country and ultimately reduces tax revenue.If we want to keep our entrepreneurs, Canada's capital gains policies must become competitive with US policies.‍Beyond better gain caps and exclusion rates, the US's QSBS allows a wider range of businesses and stakeholders to benefit from the policy, with no minimum ownership requirements, increased asset value caps, and a tiered inclusion rate approach that incentivizes long-term business building. Meanwhile, Canada's CEI excludes companies in healthcare, food and beverage, and service businesses19. CEI's minimum ownership rules also exclude early employees and investors who own less than 5% of the business at the time of sale.Most importantly, while LCGE and CEI's $3.25M cap applies over a taxpayer's entire lifetime, QSBS's limits are per issuer or business. In other words, entrepreneurs, early employees, and investors can use the QSBS more favourable policy again and again for subsequent companies. This discourages repeat entrepreneurs in Canada, who statistically have a higher chance of building successful businesses, from creating a second or third company, as Canada's LCGE and CEI don't extend to new issuers20 .What Needs to Be DoneTo properly reward risk takers, Canada can fully solve our capital gains policy problems by combining the LCGE with the CEI into a simple, powerful capital gains policy that supports entrepreneurs. In particular, the new policy could become competitive by adopting three major changes:1) Expand the eligibility requirements to ensure Canadian entrepreneurs and risk takers are supported. Eligible business types should be expanded to include all industries of national interest, including healthcare clinics, clean energy, technology, etc. We should also eliminate 5% minimum ownership requirements to enable any individual or corporate entity to claim CEI deductions in accordance with the tiered approach that is used to support early-stage employees and investors.2) Improve the capital gain exclusion rate system to be globally competitive, supporting entrepreneurs and increasing investment. To prevent the draw of foreign jurisdictions and ensure that we have just as much incentive to start companies as peer countries, we should start by raising the exclusion cap to $15M gain or 10x adjusted cost basis per taxpayer, whichever is greater.3) Make structural changes to ensure these new policies scale appropriately. Amend the capital gains limit from applying per lifetime to per business to incentivize repeat entrepreneurs to continue building in Canada. Additionally, ensure that common investment structures, including Simple Agreements for Future Equity (SAFEs) and Convertible Notes, become eligible, with the holding period commencing from the date the investment is signed, not when the shares are priced and converted. So, there are no major discrepancies for startups choosing to operate in Canada compared to the US.Common QuestionsWill this only benefit tech startups?No. Canada's LCGE was originally created to support all small businesses and increase competition, which includes non-tech businesses such as fisheries and farmers. Our memo recommends expanding eligibility to all industries deemed essential, including non-tech ones, that the current CEI proposal omits, such as healthcare practitioners. In the US, SMBs of all sectors, including manufacturing, retail, wholesale, consumer, and packaged goods, benefit from the QSBS policy21.Wouldn't corporate tax breaks reduce tax income for social programs and only benefit the wealthy 1%?No, this would encourage investment in Canadian small businesses, essential for increasing corporate tax revenue that funds social programs. Businesses that receive investment can generate more jobs, pay higher wages, which help increase individual income tax revenue, and reduce withdrawals from crucial social assistance programs, such as Employment Insurance, as more companies and workers stay in Canada. This helps reduce the burden and improve access to social programs, rather than removing them.What stops foreign investors from abusing this and using Canada as a tax-sheltered haven to enrich themselves at the expense of Canadians?Maintaining Canadian incorporation, assets, residency, and operating requirements, combined with a minimum 2-year waiting period before benefits kick in, will ensure that new businesses maintain a presence in Canada, creating skilled job opportunities for Canadians and contributing to local economic growth.Why should we invest in SMBs? Aren't they risky and likely to be shut down in a few years?68% of SMBs in Canada survive and operate into their fifth year, and a further 49% of SMBs survive and operate for more than a decade22. SMBs around the world, including Canada, contribute significantly to economic output, job opportunities, and increased competition for consumers.ConclusionCanada needs to create an ecosystem that supports entrepreneurs at the earliest stages. We have one of the most educated countries globally, with the largest college-educated workforce among G7 countries23. Canadian universities are consistently ranked among the top institutions globally, world-renowned, with research labs led by leaders like Geoffrey Hinton, dubbed the “Godfather of AI,” who was recently awarded a Nobel Prize for his work in AI and ML24 25.Not only is our population talented, but they are also resourceful and hardworking. Rather than punishing them, we should reward them for taking the risks to build Canada's economy. To start, we should implement a modern capital gains policy that rewards investors, entrepreneurs and early employees.Read more here: https://www.buildcanada.com/en/memos/reward-the-risk-takers This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com

What happens when 3,500 staffers lose their jobs due to FDA layoffs, venture capital (VC) term sheets shrink, and AI drug-discovery startups raise $600 million rounds? Executive recruiter William Holodnak (ex-Fidelity, global biotech headhunter) breaks down 2025's wild hiring market—and how founders can still build A-teams.In this episode you'll learn:- Why the April-1 FDA layoffs could delay approvals—and open new career doors for ex-regulators. - The three traits VCs demand in first-time biotech CEOs during a funding slump. - How AI-driven platforms like Isomorphic Labs raised mega-rounds in a down market. - Immunology's surge and why oncology startups are pivoting. - Board-level recruiting tactics that de-risk your Series B.

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Julio Martinez, co-founder and CEO of Abacum. Julio shares his path from investment banking and FP&A roles to building a top-tier financial planning and analysis platform that supports companies from Series B through IPO and beyond. He dives into how Abacum is redefining business planning for finance teams, empowering them to manage increasing complexity as they scale. Julio discusses the fundraising journey, including what it took to secure over $100 million in capital and the different expectations at each round. He also breaks down the key SaaS metrics investors care about, strategies for efficient and sustainable growth, and the importance of building strong foundations rather than chasing shortcuts. If you're interested in metrics-driven growth, scaling SaaS businesses, or want a firsthand look at what it takes to lead a high-growth fintech startup, this episode is packed with actionable insights. Tune in to hear how Abacum is leveraging AI, developing a customer-obsessed platform, and what's next on their roadmap. Show Notes: 00:00 Versatile Business Planning Platform 04:23 Finance Targets in Diverse Sectors 07:08 Series B: From Ambition to Rationality 11:09 Building Strong, Sustainable Businesses 15:32 "Scaling Cold Outreach with Tech" 16:14 Targeted Email Outreach for CFOs 22:01 "Building Unbeatable, Sustainable Products" 23:43 "Building a Long-Term Iconic Business" Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/abacum-raises-25-million-in-series-a https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/abacum-raises-60-million-in-series-b Julio Martinez's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejuliomartinez/ Abacum's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/abacum-io/ Abacum's Website: https://www.abacum.ai/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Speak (https://speak.com) may not be very well known to native English speakers, but they have come from a slow start in 2016 to emerge as one of the favorite partners of OpenAI, with their Startup Fund leading and joining their Series B and C as one of the new AI-native unicorns, noting that “Speak has the potential to revolutionize not just language learning, but education broadly”. Today we speak with Speak's CTO, Andrew Hsu, on the journey of building the “3rd generation” of language learning software (with Rosetta Stone being Gen 1, and Duolingo being Gen 2). Speak's premise is that speech and language models can now do what was previously only possible with human tutors—provide fluent, responsive, and adaptive instruction—and this belief has shaped its product and company strategy since its early days. https://www.linkedin.com/in/adhsu/ https://speak.com One of the most interesting strategic decisions discussed in the episode is Speak's early focus on South Korea. While counterintuitive for a San Francisco-based startup, the decision was influenced by a combination of market opportunity and founder proximity via a Korean first employee. South Korea's intense demand for English fluency and a highly competitive education market made it a proving ground for a deeply AI-native product. By succeeding in a market saturated with human-based education solutions, Speak validated its model and built strong product-market fit before expanding to other Asian markets and eventually, globally. The arrival of Whisper and GPT-based LLMs in 2022 marked a turning point for Speak. Suddenly, capabilities that were once theoretical—real-time feedback, semantic understanding, conversational memory—became technically feasible. Speak didn't pivot, but rather evolved into its second phase: from a supplemental practice tool to a full-featured language tutor. This transition required significant engineering work, including building custom ASR models, managing latency, and integrating real-time APIs for interactive lessons. It also unlocked the possibility of developing voice-first, immersive roleplay experiences and a roadmap to real-time conversational fluency. To scale globally and support many languages, Speak is investing heavily in AI-generated curriculum and content. Instead of manually scripting all lessons, they are building agents and pipelines that can scaffold curriculum, generate lesson content, and adapt pedagogically to the learner. This ties into one of Speak's most ambitious goals: creating a knowledge graph that captures what a learner knows and can do in a target language, and then adapting the course path accordingly. This level-adjusting tutor model aims to personalize learning at scale and could eventually be applied beyond language learning to any educational domain. Finally, the conversation touches on the broader implications of AI-powered education and the slow real-world adoption of transformative AI technologies. Despite the capabilities of GPT-4 and others, most people's daily lives haven't changed dramatically. Speak sees itself as part of the generation of startups that will translate AI's raw power into tangible consumer value. The company is also a testament to long-term conviction—founded in 2016, it weathered years of slow growth before AI caught up to its vision. Now, with over $50M ARR, a growing B2B arm, and plans to expand across languages and learning domains, Speak represents what AI-native education could look like in the next decade. Chapters 00:00:00 Introductions & Thiel Fellowship Origins 00:02:13 Genesis of Speak: Early Vision & Market Focus 00:03:44 Building the Product: Iterations and Lessons Learned 00:10:59 AI's Role in Language Learning 00:13:49 Scaling Globally & B2B Expansion 00:16:30 Why Korea? Localizing for Success 00:19:08 Content Creation, The Speak Method, and Engineering Culture 00:23:31 The Impact of Whisper and LLM Advances 00:29:08 AI-Generated Content & Measuring Fluency 00:35:30 Personalization, Dialects, and Pronunciation 00:39:38 Immersive Learning, Multimodality, and Real-Time Voice 00:50:02 Engineering Challenges & Company Culture 00:53:20 Beyond Languages: B2B, Knowledge Graphs, and Broader Learning 00:57:32 Fun Stories, Lessons, and Reflections 01:02:03 Final Thoughts: The Future of AI Learning & Slow Takeoff

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. This week's episode is one from the road, recorded in front of a live audience in Boston's Seaport neighborhood during the BIO conference (special thanks to MasterControl for making it happen). Amber Salzman, Ph.D., CEO of Epicrispr Biotechnologies (aka 'Epic Bio') explains how epigenetic editing is revolutionizing genetic medicine by controlling gene expression, without cutting DNA like traditional CRISPR technologies. Amber talks about FSHD, a progressive muscular dystrophy, how the company raised $68 million in Series B funding despite challenging market conditions, her partnership with Springbok Analytics for AI analysis of MRI images, working with a CDMO to manufacture a new treatment modality, and navigating the FDA during a time of disruption. Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

Joseph Woodbury Neighbor.com is changing the game for homeowners and property holders looking to generate passive income with zero hassle. In this exclusive startup founder interview, Joseph reveals how he built Neighbor.com, a disruptive peer-to-peer storage platform that empowers anyone to profit from their unused space—just like the Airbnb of storage.If you've been Googling "how to make money with extra space" or looking for scalable side hustles, this episode is tailored for you. Joseph breaks down how Neighbor.com simplifies storage solutions while giving hosts peace of mind through built-in protections like a $1M host guarantee, and how renters benefit from convenient, affordable alternatives to traditional storage units.His insights directly serve anyone seeking answers to these questions:How can I make passive income with my garage, driveway, or land?What makes peer-to-peer storage safer and easier now?Is there a low-effort way to monetize property year-round?What's the long-term vision for tech startups 2025 like Neighbor?Backed by investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Joseph's story is more than just a business case—it's a playbook for those looking to solve real problems with smart, scalable ideas. Whether you're considering listing your space or launching a startup, this episode will give you clarity, direction, and actionable advice.0:00 – Intro: Meet Joseph Woodbury & Neighbor.com1:25 – The story behind the startup3:10 – Who uses Neighbor and how they earn5:45 – Overcoming challenges of hyperlocal marketplaces7:50 – Building trust & long-term relationships9:30 – Host and renter protections explained11:45 – Minimal regulation benefits13:35 – How AI improves the platform15:45 – Venture capital backing: Andreessen Horowitz & more17:30 – Series B funding and monetization strategy19:15 – Getting started as a host21:00 – Closing thoughts & future vision#JosephWoodbury #NeighborDotCom #PassiveIncome #AirbnbOfStorage #PeerToPeerStorage #StartupFounderInterview #TechStartups2025 #SideHustles #StorageMarketplace #AndreessenHorowitz #RealEstateTech #StartupJourney #MakeMoneyWithExtraSpaceTo check out the YouTube (video podcast), visit: https://www.youtube.com/@drchrisloomdphdDisclaimer: Not advice. Educational purposes only. Not an endorsement for or against. Results not vetted. Views of the guests do not represent those of the host or show.  Click here to join PodMatch (the "AirBNB" of Podcasting): https://www.joinpodmatch.com/drchrisloomdphdWe couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:CashApp- https://cash.app/$drchrisloomdphdVenmo- https://account.venmo.com/u/Chris-Loo-4Spotify- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christopher-loo/supportBuy Me a Coffee- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chrisJxClick here to schedule a 1-on-1 private coaching call: https://www.drchrisloomdphd.com/book-onlineClick here to check out our bookstore, e-courses, and workshops: https://www.drchrisloomdphd.com/shopClick here to purchase my books on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PaQn4pFor audiobooks, visit: https://www.audible.com/author/Christopher-H-Loo-MD-PhD/B07WFKBG1FFollow our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/chL1357Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/drchrisloomdphdFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereal_drchrislooFollow the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NkM6US7cjsiAYTBjWGdx6?si=1da9d0a17be14d18Subscribe to our Substack newsletter: https://substack.com/@drchrisloomdphd1Subscribe to our Medium newsletter: https://medium.com/@drchrisloomdphdSubscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=6992935013231071233Subscribe to our email list: https://financial-freedom-podcast-with-dr-loo.kit.com/Thank you to all of our sponsors and advertisers that help support the show!Financial Freedom for Physicians, Copyright 2025

In 2021, Commonwealth Fusion Systems proved it had built the most powerful magnet in the world. The breakthrough was based on a specific material - a tape - that conducts massive amounts of current with very little loss.  Rick Needham, Chief Commercial Officer for CFS, says the breakthrough led to a $1.8 billion Series B fundraising round. Since then, the company has turned its attention to turning this scientific breakthrough into a commercial technology. And in late 2024, the company announced it had signed a deal with Dominion Energy Virginia to build the world's first commercial fusion power plant, ARC.  In this episode, Lara talks with Rick about how CFS plans to take its technology from the lab to real-world deployment. They discuss major milestones, like proving net energy gain and finding a customer for a technology that has never been proven in the field. And Rick makes the argument that fusion is much closer than most people think.    Credits: Hosted by Lara Pierpoint. Produced by Erin Hardick. Edited by Anne Bailey and Stephen Lacey. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive editor. The Green Blueprint is a co-production of Latitude Media and Trellis Climate. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you get podcasts. For more reporting on the companies featured in this podcast, subscribe to Latitude Media's newsletter.

Today's blockchain and crypto news South Korean lawmaker proposes stablecoin licensing regime in new comprehensive crypto bill Former Coinbase employees raise $30 million Series B for crypto infrastructure startup Turnkey BlackRock's spot Bitcoin ETF becomes fastest to hit $70 billion, crushing gold's previous record Plasma completes its $500 million stablecoin vault raise across 1,100 wallets within an hourFrench bank Societe Generale to launch US dollar-pegged stablecoin on Ethereum and Solana Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices