Podcasts about series b

Greg Coleman's career took a turn that almost no one expects. After helping build a venture-backed tech company and appearing on Shark Tank, he shifted into a world most founders overlook: government contracting. In this conversation, Greg explains how startups, consultants, and small businesses can position themselves to work with federal agencies, navigate complex programs like SBIR and OTAs, and understand what it actually takes to break into the government market.Greg spent years inside the Department of Defense innovation ecosystem, where he evaluated early-stage technologies, managed prototype programs, and worked directly with founders trying to sell to the government. Today he advises companies on how to approach the federal market, avoid common mistakes, and build real opportunities inside agencies.If you're exploring government contracting for the first time, wondering how companies get funding, or trying to understand what separates successful federal vendors from everyone else, this interview gives you a clear, realistic starting point.Chapters00:00 – Greg's background and early Air Force career02:15 – Flying high-level government officials and global missions04:05 – Launching a startup and appearing on Shark Tank07:10 – Entering the government innovation ecosystem (DIU, NSIN)13:45 – How SBIR and STTR really work for small businesses18:20 – OTAs and how companies move from prototype to production25:10 – Examples of emerging tech companies building for the government31:20 – The hardest challenge: crossing the “valley of death”35:00 – Greg's advisory work helping companies approach the federal market38:30 – Greg's thoughts on the GovClose Certification ProgramWork With GregGreg advises early-stage and growth-stage companies (Pre-Seed through Series B) on entering the federal market, building repeatable sales strategies, and navigating SBIR, OTA, and prototype pathways.Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorycoleman/Become a Certified Government Contracting ProfessionalLearn federal sales, pipeline building, and modern acquisition strategies inside the GovClose Certification Program:https://govclose.comHire a GovClose-Trained ConsultantCompanies can get matched with trained federal sales consultants here:https://match.govclose.com

Produced by Foundersuite (for startups: www.foundersuite.com) and Fundingstack (for emerging manager VCs: www.fundingstack.com), "How I Raised It" goes behind the scenes with startup founders and investors who have raised capital. This episode is with with Naveen Verma of EnCharge AI, a startup developing energy efficient analog in-memory-computing AI chips. In addition to being CEO, Naveen is a Professor at Princeton and so we discuss his journey from academia and research to leading a startup to an over-subscribed $100 M Series B. Learn more about EnCharge at https://www.enchargeai.com/ EnCharge most recently raised over $100 million in Series B funding. The round was led by Tiger Global and included participation from Maverick Silicon, Capital TEN, SIP Global Partners, Zero Infinity Partners, CTBC VC, Vanderbilt University, Morgan Creek Digital, and others. Previous investors participating in the Series B round include RTX Ventures, Anzu Partners, Scout Ventures, AlleyCorp, ACVC, and S5V. The round also included strategic investors including Samsung Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Samsung, HH-CTBC, a partnership between Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) and CTBC VC, In-Q-Tel (IQT), the not-for-profit strategic investor advancing technologies for the U.S. national security community and America's allies; RTX Ventures, the venture capital arm of RTX, a leading manufacturer of aerospace and defense systems and technology solutions; and Constellation Technology Ventures, the venture capital arm of Constellation, the nation's largest producer of clean, emissions-free, reliable energy. How I Raised It is produced by Foundersuite, makers of software to raise capital and manage investor relations. Foundersuite's customers have raised over $21 Billion since 2016. If you are a startup, create a free account at www.foundersuite.com. If you are a VC, venture studio or investment banker, check out our new platform, www.fundingstack.com a startup developing proprietary analog in-memory-computing AI chips

Sparrow automates employee leave management—a compliance nightmare that consumes thousands of HR hours annually at companies with distributed workforces. With $64 million in total funding through their recent Series B, Sparrow has achieved 14x revenue growth between their Series A and Series B by solving what became an "insurmountable problem" as states, counties, and cities each passed conflicting paid leave regulations over the past decade. In this episode of BUILDERS, Deborah Hanus shares how she scaled from $1.2 million in her first year while running everything part-time by discovering that the path to enterprise adoption wasn't solving employee frustration—it was quantifying the hidden costs of compliance risk, payroll errors, and retention that director-level HR leaders were desperately trying to contain. Topics Discussed: The regulatory explosion that made leave management unsolvable in-house: overlapping federal, state, county, and city requirements across distributed teams How Sparrow pivoted from a $50-per-leave consumer product to enterprise software after discovering director-level buyers saw a fundamentally different problem than employees Why Sparrow's biggest competitor is internal management rather than other vendors, and how this shaped their entire go-to-market strategy The 4-10x ROI framework: how preventing paperwork errors that cost customers $1 million+ justifies $100K platform investments Scaling from founder-led sales with zero sales background through systematic hiring processes—including reaching out to 100+ candidates for their first sales hire Customer qualification strategy: vetting prospects not just for current pain, but for alignment with the product roadmap 2-3 years forward   GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Map pain perception across org levels to find economic buyers: Employees experienced leave management as "taking me a lot of time"—roughly 20 hours of taxes-level complicated paperwork. Director-level HR leaders, CFOs, and employment lawyers saw something entirely different: retention problems from employees leaving after bad leave experiences, litigation risk from compliance gaps across jurisdictions, thousands spent on employment lawyers for each leave event, and payroll calculation errors when state programs cover partial wages. Deborah's initial consumer product hypothesis failed because employees would only pay TurboTax pricing (~$50), requiring massive volume. The enterprise motion succeeded because strategic buyers owned the full cost stack. Map how pain manifests at each organizational level, then build your ICP around whoever owns the aggregate business impact rather than the tactical workflow friction. Build ROI models around error prevention, not efficiency gains: Sparrow doesn't sell time savings—they sell payroll accuracy. Their typical customer sees 4-10x financial ROI because the platform prevents mistakes that cost significantly more than the subscription. When paperwork is filed incorrectly, employees miss 60-70% of pay for 12-20 weeks, and with 70% of Americans living paycheck-to-paycheck, employers often make up the difference to prevent attrition. A $100K Sparrow investment typically saves $1M+ in payroll corrections alone, before counting the thousands in hours HR spends with employment lawyers for each leave event. Calculate the true cost of the status quo—including error correction, compliance penalties, and retention impact—not just the labor hours your product eliminates. Design qualification frameworks for roadmap fit, not just current pain: Deborah emphasizes that "everyone has this problem, but not everyone is going to be a fit for the product today and where it's going to be two years from now." Sparrow deliberately vets whether prospects will be excited about their product evolution 3-4 years forward, not just whether they have leave management pain today. This drives retention and customer advocacy as capabilities expand. Build qualification criteria that assess prospect-product alignment across the entire customer lifecycle—including future module adoption, integration depth, and use case expansion—rather than optimizing only for closing deals on current functionality. Treat hiring as systematic sourcing, not urgent gap-filling: Despite being in "back-to-back calls all day" unable to "send order forms fast enough," Deborah took time to reach out to approximately 100 candidates to make their first sales hire. She emphasizes defining what each role should accomplish 5-10 years out, then building sourcing strategies to achieve 50% confidence in that long-term outcome. This intentional approach—coupled with her value of "scaling intentionally"—enabled efficient growth without typical scaling chaos. Resist the startup default of "just hire someone fast." Instead, invest upfront in role definition (including the 5-year trajectory), source systematically rather than opportunistically, and accept lower short-term velocity for higher long-term scaling efficiency. Recognize emotional volatility as statistical artifact, not signal: Deborah reframes the classic startup "highs and lows" through a data science lens: with sparse early data, founders overfit to individual signals. One person saying "your product is stupid" triggers existential doubt; one saying "everyone should use it" creates irrational exuberance. As companies scale and data accumulates, the noise averages out—70% neutral-to-good outcomes with 30% fires becomes manageable rather than anxiety-inducing. She found scaling "much easier than that first year" because "you can sort of plot out your trend line and you can see where you're going." Build systems to accumulate data points faster (more customer conversations, more experiments, more leading indicators), recognize that early-stage emotional swings reflect sample size rather than reality, and make decisions based on trend lines rather than individual data points. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

Zaid Rahman is the Co-founder and CEO of Flex.Flex is the AI native private bank for high net worth middle market business owners, headlined by it's 60-day interest free credit card for businesses.Flex just announced their $60 million Series B, as well as their new consumer product, Flex Elite, which pits it head-to-head against Amex for the consumer spending of some of the wealthiest people in America. It's products now spans from when a business owner first generates revenue, all the way to when they spend that cash personally.This conversation goes inside how the company scaled from zero to a $70 million revenue run rate in two years, and everything Zaid learned along the way.Thank you to Eric Bahn at Hustle Fund, Jeff Morris Jr. at Chapter One, Andrew Ziperski at General Catalyst, and Jared Thomas and Ewan Steel at Flex for helping brainstorming topics for the conversation.Timestamps:(1:44) Raising $60m to fix business finance(3:23) Flex Elite: Personal + Business banking(4:48) Jumbo shrimps: powering 40% of US payroll(9:16) The forgotten mid market business(14:01) “Flex fuels ambition”(16:08) How to serve entrepreneurs in middle America(22:58) Flex's 5-pillar product suite(27:12) Starting Flex to help construction companies(31:51) Using AI to lend to mid-market customers(40:22) Power of multi-product in fintech(43:53) Zero to $3B in volume in 18 months(44:43) Raising a bear market Series A in 2023(51:00) How referrals landed their first big customers(55:07) Flex's playbook for 85% organic growth(1:01:15) Dissecting various accents(1:04:22) Building a quiet luxury brand(1:09:33) Importance of customer happiness(1:12:43) Why CEO's should be the top sales person(1:13:58) Building lots of in-house software(1:24:33) PMF is like operating a popular restaurant(1:30:49) How to raise a debt facility(1:34:48) Recruiting is so crucial for startups(1:39:00) Why VC's hate lending businesses(1:45:14) Underserved vs Underbanked in fintech(1:48:02) Why business owners want personal + business banking(1:54:49) Acquiring Maza, leaning in to M&A(2:02:53) Most fintech companies look the same(2:08:35) Founder group therapy with Eric at Hustle Fund(2:11:50) The Thiel Fellowship's 10% unicorn hit rate(2:15:52) Lesson from the ruler of Dubai(2:19:24) Building Flex's risk underwriting engine(2:26:58) Flex's AI opportunityReferencedTry Flex: https://www.flex.oneCareers at Flex: https://jobs.lever.co/Flex/Basel III https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basel_IIILinguistic TikTok account: https://www.tiktok.com/@zaydupreeLazy luxury: most worn shoes on private jets: https://www.wsj.com/style/fashion/lazy-luxury-sneakers-are-these-the-most-worn-shoes-on-private-jets-7801be30Follow ZaidTwitter: https://x.com/zaidrmnLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaidrahmanFollow TurnerTwitter: https://twitter.com/TurnerNovakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/turnernovakSubscribe to my newsletter to get every episode + the transcript in your inbox every week: https://www.thespl.it/

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) announces new funding to drive sovereign space innovation. The US administration's nominee for the NASA leadership role, Jared Isaacman, appeared in front of Congress today. Nuclear energy startup Antares has raised $96 million in a Series B funding round, 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. Selected Reading UK Space Agency invests £17 million to drive next wave of space innovation - GOV.UK Scottish space innovation secures UK Space Agency investment - GOV.UK Trump's NASA pick to tell Congress about moon race with China, deep-space ambition- Reuters Antares Raises $96 Million in Series B Funding to Accelerate Nuclear Microreactor Development A Letter from Our CEO – Antares $96M Series B  China's LandSpace fails to complete reusable rocket test- Reuters Космонавта Артемьева исключили из экипажа Crew-12. Он фотографировал документы SpaceX и «вынес в телефоне» секретную информацию — источники Hundreds of Porsche Owners in Russia Unable to Start Cars After System Failure Share your feedback. What do you think about T-Minus Space Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.  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

Welcome back to another episode of the EUVC Podcast, your trusted inside track on the people, deals, and dynamics shaping European venture.This week, Andreas Munk Holm is joined by Max Kufner, Co-Founder and CEO of again, and Jan Miczaika, Partner at HV Capital.again is one of those rare European deep-tech stories that blends academic brilliance, industrial execution, and venture pace. Born out of DTU, with roots at Stanford and MIT, again uses gas-eating microbes to turn CO₂ emissions into valuable chemicals and materials. In plain English: they take carbon that's already in the air (not the ground) and repurpose it into things we use every day, from plastics to fertilizers.Backed by HV Capital, GV, and a handful of top European and US investors, again is on a mission to decouple industrial growth from fossil carbon. But the conversation goes far beyond climate tech.Max and Jan unpack what it takes to build deep tech at venture speed, the reality of talent scarcity in Europe, the cultural differences between US and EU deep-tech ecosystems, and how to navigate board dynamics, milestone-based investing, and the journey to a Series B in a capital-intensive world.Whether you're a founder, investor, or LP curious about deep tech's reindustrialisation wave — this one's for you.Here what's covered:01:24 | again in one line — gas-eating microbes → chemicals (no oil out of the ground)02:53 | Why HV Capital backed again — climate upside and a chance to redefine European chemicals04:31 | Investor → founder pendulum — why Max went from Atlantic Labs partner back to operator06:20 | The serial founder advantage (and its hidden trap)10:17 | Building deep tech in Europe — talent constraints, optimism gaps, and moving early to the US15:30 | Multipolarity — global operations, risk appetite, and where to spend your time23:38 | Boardcraft — how to use your board (and avoid being over-managed)28:39 | On-air sparring — asset-heavy vs. platform-heavy business models33:17 | Prepping for Series B — risk, IRR, and the difference between validation and scale36:59 | Milestone-based investing in deep tech — bridges, binaries, and how to keep momentum43:12 | LPs and VCs — why deep tech is high-risk and high-alpha46:08 | Founder lessons — customer co-creation, speed, and building fast with scientists48:06 | Final reflections — Europe's industrial renewal through deep tech

Crypto funding rounds often look glamorous from the outside: big name investors, big valuations, big narratives. But behind the scenes, the terms can look very different — and sometimes, radically so. In this episode of Bits + Bips, host Steve Ehrlich sits down with reporter Jack Kubinec, who broke the story about Berachain's Series B and one of the most unusual terms we've seen in a major token deal: a lead investor receiving the right to ask for its entire $25 million investment back, for up to a year after Berachain's token launched. Jack walks through what the documents show, why lawyers say the clause is extremely rare, and how a refund right like this could impact other investors, and even trigger MFN clauses. They also unpack Berachain's market struggles since TGE, the state of the Nova Digital fund inside Brevan Howard, and the transparency questions this episode raises across crypto venture investing. Read the full story here on Unchained Thank you to our sponsor Uniswap!  Host: Steve Ehrlich, Executive Editor at Unchained Guest: Jack Kubinec, Crypto Journalist and Podcast Host Timestamps: 0:00 — Start 0:25 — Steve introduces Jack 2:24 — What the documents reveal 5:17 — Why Brevan Howard's refund is a big problem 9:21 — How refund clauses really work 14:09 — Jack's interactions with the Bera team and how Smokey responded to the story 19:29 — Why the MFN clause is key 26:19 — How Breva Howard Digital didn't actually invest in Bera 30:18 — What investors should learn from a deal like this Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Swimming with Allocators, Apurva Mehta, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Summit Peak Investments, joins Earnest and Alexa to share his unique journey from institutional portfolio management to building a venture fund of funds. The discussion covers building strong networks and communities for allocators and GPs, adapting to the evolving and increasingly crowded venture landscape, and maintaining discipline in fund size and valuations. Key takeaways include the importance of deep relationships and responsiveness, rigorous diligence in a noisy market, and the advantages of staying nimble to deliver consistent returns and foster long-term partnerships. Also, don't miss Shane Goudey of Sidley as he discusses venture funds practice, building a robust, full-service legal team for venture capital clients and the current surge in fund formation and liquidity as the venture market heats up at the end of 2025. Highlights from this week's conversation include: The Journey of Apurva Mehta in Allocations and Investing (0:32) How Apurva Built A Network-First Allocator Community (3:54) The Inception of Summit Peak and Entrepreneurial Spirit (7:46) The Importance of Being the Central Node in Venture (11:09) Identifying New GPs and Evolving Venture Networks (15:13) On The Challenges of Filtering and Iterating for Success (19:20) The Legal and Fund Formation Landscape with Shane Goudey (22:57) Fund Manager Trends and What Surprises Apurva (27:53) Concerns About Market Valuations and Fund Size Discipline (30:39) Impact of Market Dynamics on Growth Deal Approaches (34:18) Being Proactive Versus Passive in Co-Investing (38:28) Trends and Predictions for the Next 10 Years in Allocations (41:49) Summit Peak's Vision For Success and Staying Nimble (44:57) Summit Peak Investments is a venture-focused investment platform backing the next generation of exceptional managers. With a dual strategy of investing in top-performing pre-seed and seed-stage funds alongside targeted Series B+ co-investments, Summit Peak partners with GPs and founders to generate long-term, outsized returns. Learn more at summitpeakinv.com.  Sidley Austin LLP is a premier global law firm with a dedicated Venture Funds practice, advising top venture capital firms, institutional investors, and private equity sponsors on fund formation, investment structuring, and regulatory compliance. With deep expertise across private markets, Sidley provides strategic legal counsel to help funds scale effectively. Learn more at sidley.com. Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies.  The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crypto funding rounds often look glamorous from the outside: big name investors, big valuations, big narratives. But behind the scenes, the terms can look very different — and sometimes, radically so. In this episode of Bits + Bips, host Steve Ehrlich sits down with reporter Jack Kubinec, who broke the story about Berachain's Series B and one of the most unusual terms we've seen in a major token deal: a lead investor receiving the right to ask for its entire $25 million investment back, for up to a year after Berachain's token launched. Jack walks through what the documents show, why lawyers say the clause is extremely rare, and how a refund right like this could impact other investors, and even trigger MFN clauses. They also unpack Berachain's market struggles since TGE, the state of the Nova Digital fund inside Brevan Howard, and the transparency questions this episode raises across crypto venture investing. Read the full story here on Unchained Thank you to our sponsor Uniswap!  Host: Steve Ehrlich, Executive Editor at Unchained Guest: Jack Kubinec, Crypto Journalist and Podcast Host Timestamps: 0:00 — Start 0:25 — Steve introduces Jack 2:24 — What the documents reveal 5:17 — Why Brevan Howard's refund is a big problem 9:21 — How refund clauses really work 14:09 — Jack's interactions with the Bera team and how Smokey responded to the story 19:29 — Why the MFN clause is key 26:19 — How Breva Howard Digital didn't actually invest in Bera 30:18 — What investors should learn from a deal like this Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

London's tech scene is awash with fresh investment as AI startups and fintech innovators pull in major funding rounds. We break down what this wave of cash means for the future of jobs and housing, amid London's booming AI ecosystem.Plus, AI data scraping battles are intensifying. With lawsuits flying, we speak to Fastly co-founder Simon Wistow about the escalating fight over how AI companies use online content.Also in this episode:Google releases Gemini 3, rolling advanced AI tools directly into SearchNASA tracks a rare interstellar comet as it passes through our solar systemPhysicsX, a London “physical AI” startup, has just extended its Series B to more than £117 millionLondon fintech SAPI raises £60m to support small businesses with flexible repayment tools.Rent-to-own platform Keyzy secures funding to buy £130m in homes for aspiring first-time buyersAll that, plus the latest from London's thriving tech and science scene, in today's Tech & Science Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Anthony Sardain began developing Cavela in 2023, an AI startup that helps brands automate supplier sourcing, he did not foresee that new tariffs would drive customers to become increasingly wary of manufacturing products in China. Function Health, which offers a regular lab testing service to help people track their health, wants to change that by consolidating health data and making it usable for its customers by connecting that data to an AI model. To further that effort, the company recently raised $298 million in a Series B round led by Redpoint Ventures at a valuation of $2.5 billion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we unpack the $4M-$10M funding gap that's stranded hundreds of Indian startups, why Anand raised $45M during COVID when everyone else froze, and the brutal truth about unicorn valuations in India's tech ecosystem. Anand Prasanna is the Managing Partner of Iron Pillar, a $400M+ venture growth fund that's cracked the code on taking Indian companies from $10M to $100M in revenue and shepherding them to IPO. With exits like Bluestone's NSE listing and Vyome's historic Nasdaq debut, Iron Pillar proves that the "India for the World" thesis isn't just talk, it's delivering real returns. From his days at McKinsey and Sequoia to running Morgan Creek's Asia office in Shanghai, Anand brings a rare global lens to Indian venture capital. He shared his contrarian playbook, investment discipline, and why he's passing on the AI hype cycle in this candid, no-holds-barred conversation with host Akshay Datt. Whether you're a founder navigating Series B, an LP evaluating fund managers, or an operator curious about what metrics actually matter at scale, this episode breaks down growth-stage VC like never before. You'll learn the 444 process for picking winners, why CAC payback matters more than growth rate, the dual exit strategy for Indian startups, and Anand's brutally honest takes on Zepto, Cred, Physics Wallah, and why 30% of India's unicorns are overvalued.#VentureCapital #GrowthStageVC #IndiaStartups #SeriesBFunding #StartupFunding #IndianUnicorns #VCInvesting #StartupIPO #BluestoneIPO #FounderThesisPod #StartupMetrics #CACPayback #UnitEconomics #InvestmentStrategy #PrivateEquity #IndiaVC #StartupEcosystem #FundingGap #ScalingStartups #IndiaForTheWorld #GlobalExpansion #VCReturns #LPCapital #StartupValuationDisclaimer: The views expressed are those of the speaker, not necessarily the channel

Achtstelliger ARR, 130 Mitarbeiter, €38M Series B Funding. In dieser Folge teilt Julian Wiedenhaus die Erfolgsstory der deutschen B2B SaaS Company plancraft. Unter anderem geht es darum, wie plancraft trotz einer für Tech-Unternehmen eher ungewöhnlichen Zielgruppe profitabel wächst und neue Märkte erschließt. Außerdem spricht er darüber, warum er sich als CEO konstant hinterfragen und weiterentwickeln muss, um auch langfristig die richtige Person für den Job zu sein. Jetzt reinhören!

Welcome back to another episode of the EUVC Podcast, where we bring together Europe's venture family to share the stories, insights, and lessons that drive our ecosystem forward.Today we dive into one of the most under-discussed — yet increasingly important — topics in European venture: Opportunity Funds.Joining Andreas Munk Holm is Lea Strumberger, Senior Investment Manager at KfW Capital, one of Europe's largest and most mission-driven LPs. KfW Capital co-operates several modules of Germany's €10B Future Fund (Zukunftsfonds) and deploys into VC funds to strengthen Europe's late-stage capital base.Within that framework, KfW Capital has launched an Opportunity Fund facility to back managers deploying Series B+ capital — often into their own breakouts — with a structure and governance playbook that preserves alignment and avoids “continuation-vehicle rescue” dynamics. Public examples of European Opportunity strategies include Notion Capital's Opportunities funds, built alongside its core franchise.Here's what's covered00:17 — Mandate & why Series B+: Europe needs domestic late-stage capital04:39 — Two OF archetypes: inside-only vs blended08:15 — How KfW diligences emergent managers launching OFs13:19 — Why a third-party lead (≥25%) matters18:53 — Terms that matter: fees, carry, GP commit, duration25:30 — GP commit reality for second-timers33:19 — Governance: allocation policy, LPAC, down-rounds36:10 — Hurdle rates: 6–8% standard, not the battleground37:55 — Market pulse: ~10 OFs/year cross KfW's desk

On Monday, Luminal announced $5.3 million in seed funding, in a round led by Felicis Ventures with angel investment from Paul Graham, Guillermo Rauch, and Ben Porterfield.  Also, as U.S. giants like Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic race to develop the large language models that underpin their AI products, startups such as Sakana AI, Mistral AI, DeepSeek, and AI 21 Labs are carving out their own niche with specialized models designed for specific regions, industries, or unique features. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

FinTech Flo is back! Our top stories...The AI bubble is here, and the circular funding schemes look eerily similar to Enron. Plus: How an NBA executive allegedly stole $3.8 MILLION right under everyone's nose.

Wayne tested flight insurance over a single weekend with a WordPress site and Google ads. When people tried to pay, he showed a fake error message. The result: 15.9% conversion. That validation led to Sure, now powering insurance for Tesla, Toyota, and MasterCard. But the journey was brutal. Wayne worked solo for a year, burning through savings in San Francisco. Flew to South Africa for 7 weeks to land his first insurance partner. The real breakthrough came 4 years later, in 2019, when Elon tweeted about Tesla insurance—instant rocket ship growth. Today Sure is the rails for embedded insurance, like Visa for credit cards.They raised $120M but haven't needed money since 2021 because they've been profitable since their Series B. Why You Should Listen:How to validate an entire business in a weekend. Why he worked solo for a year before raising money or hiring anyone.The exact playbook for pivoting while keeping your old product alive.How one Elon Musk tweet created instant product-market fit.Keywords:startup podcast, startup podcast for founders, Sure, Wayne Slavin, embedded insurance, InsurTech, product validation, bootstrap to profitable, Tesla insurance, B2B pivot00:00:00 Intro00:01:48 The flight to Vegas that sparked a $120M insurance company00:03:03 Building a fake insurance product in one weekend to test demand00:11:00 Working solo for a year while burning through savings00:14:43 Flying to South Africa for 7 weeks to land first insurance partner00:19:58 Convincing 5 friends to quit their jobs00:27:56 Pivoting from mobile app to embedded insurance00:46:03 Elon's tweet creates rocket ship growth overnightSend me a message to let me know what you think!

Keychain, the AI-powered manufacturing platform for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, today announced a $10 million investment, including funding from W23 Global, the venture capital fund backed by five leading grocery retailers: Tesco, Ahold Delhaize, Woolworths Group, Empire Company Limited/Sobeys Inc., and Shoprite Group. The new funding supports the rollout of Keychain360, a next-generation supply chain and product management platform designed to help retailers develop and manage their private label brands more efficiently. Private label is becoming the fastest-growing segment in retail, yet product development has never been more complex. Consumers demand high-quality, affordable products, and retailers face mounting pressure to deliver them to market quickly. Keychain360 addresses these challenges head-on by unifying product design, sourcing, manufacturing, and compliance into one intelligent operating system. The result is faster launches, fewer bottlenecks, and stronger collaboration across supply chains. "With speed and transparency increasingly shaping the market, Keychain360 gives private label brands the advantage," said Oisin Hanrahan, CEO and Founder of Keychain. "Retailers can now manage their products end-to-end, innovate rapidly, and adapt to consumer preferences and regulatory changes, all within a single connected platform." Built specifically for retailers, Keychain360 delivers the same intelligence and precision that leading manufacturers rely on. By connecting every stage of the product lifecycle, it drives smarter decision-making and execution. A top-ten retailer recently used Keychain to launch more than 100 new products, reducing time-to-market by over two months and improving efficiency across its supplier network. "Keychain's AI-powered platform streamlines private label sourcing and enables retailers to bring quality private label products to customers faster and more efficiently," said Ingrid Maes, CEO and CIO of W23 Global. "As consumer expectations around health, sustainability, and value continue to rise, Keychain's solution helps retailers respond to these expectations effectively while ensuring compliance and product quality." The company has grown exponentially since launching less than two years ago, raising a $30 million Series B, expanding into Ireland and the UK, and introducing KeychainOS, its operating system for manufacturers. With the launch of this third product, Keychain is extending that innovation across the entire retail ecosystem, connecting brands, manufacturers, and retailers through one intelligent, AI-powered network. Today, Keychain's technology is used by eight of the top ten global retailers, plus 7-Eleven and Whole Foods, as well as seven of the top ten CPG brands, including General Mills. The platform now supports over 30,000 manufacturers and 20,000 brands and retailers, helping them bring new products to market faster and with greater precision. As adoption continues to grow, Keychain is defining the next generation of product creation, making it smarter, faster, and more connected than ever before. Interested brands, retailers, and manufacturers can apply to join at www.keychain.com. See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Send us a textGood morning from Pharma Daily, the podcast that brings you the most important developments in the pharmaceutical and biotech world. Today, we delve into a series of groundbreaking changes and innovations reshaping the landscape of drug development, clinical trials, and regulatory affairs.In a major move, Pfizer has successfully outbid Novo Nordisk to acquire Metsera for $10 billion. This strategic acquisition aims to bolster Pfizer's presence in the obesity treatment market by leveraging Metsera's GLP-1 receptor agonist technology. This acquisition underscores the continuing trend of consolidation within the pharmaceutical industry, enhancing competitive market positioning and reflecting a broader quest for novel therapeutic solutions.Eli Lilly has entered into a $1.2 billion collaboration with Sangenebio to advance RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics targeting metabolic diseases. This partnership marks a pivotal shift towards utilizing RNAi technology to silence disease-causing genes, representing significant progress in metabolic disease treatment. The focus on innovative delivery mechanisms and targeted interventions is critical for accelerating drug development and enhancing therapeutic efficacy.Onchilles Pharma's recent Series A1 funding round, securing $25 million, marks a notable advancement in oncology therapeutics. The company's focus on dual-action cancer biologics targeting the ELANE pathway offers promising insights into immune activation in solid tumors. This investment exemplifies the growing interest in biologic therapies that provide targeted cancer treatments, potentially leading to more effective options for patients.Regulatory advancements are also making headlines. Chongqing Precision Biotech has received approval for Pujiolunxi, a treatment for pediatric relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), broadening therapeutic options for this challenging pediatric condition. Furthermore, Alembic Pharmaceuticals' generic version of Dasatinib tablets has gained FDA approval for Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia, increasing accessibility to treatment.Several promising clinical trial results have emerged recently. Summit Therapeutics and Akeso Biopharma's Ivonescimab showed a 26% overall survival benefit in phase 3 trials for non-small-cell lung cancer. The potential of bispecific antibodies in combination therapies is gaining attention for its efficacy in difficult-to-treat cancers. Additionally, Regeneron's Dupixent has achieved phase 3 success in treating allergic fungal rhinosinusitis, reinforcing its role as a versatile treatment option across various inflammatory diseases.Advancements in cardiovascular therapeutics also continue to unfold. Merck & Co.'s Enlicitide Decanoate demonstrated over 50% LDL cholesterol reduction in a phase 3 study focused on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease through PCSK9 inhibition. AstraZeneca's Baxdrostat showed significant blood pressure reduction in trials targeting treatment-resistant hypertension, highlighting the potential impact of aldosterone synthase inhibitors on cardiovascular health.The investment landscape remains robust with substantial fundraising activities such as Elephas Biosciences' $40 million Series B-2 for commercializing their live tumor profiling platform and Iambic's over $100 million series focused on AI-driven drug discovery. These investments underscore the industry's commitment to integrating advanced technologies like AI and live tumor profiling to enhance precision medicine capabilities.FDA regulatory updates are pivotal as well, notably with the decision to lift warning labels from hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products following an expert review that found previous warnings were based on misinformation regaSupport the show

Second week of November, what'd you miss in vet med?Digitail closes $23M Series BCencora moves MWI to OtherMedivet embraces PartnersChewy Claus is readyA New Study of Perception of Access to CareHelpful links:The Bird Bath substackPearl: Hybrid Intelligence - Veterinary AI platformСhewy СlausFrontiers - U.S. residents' self-reported access to veterinary care and implications for care-seeking decisions

You raised Series B. Now what? If you're a tech founder in a Series B company, you're scaling fast, refining product, and chasing metrics. But while your team builds the tech, who's building the trust? In this solo episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on the blind spot I see across nearly every high-growth company: invisible leadership teams. You've got funding, product-market fit, and momentum—but if your leaders can't communicate externally with clarity, credibility, and confidence, you've got a serious growth liability. I'm not talking about polishing LinkedIn bios or posting more. I'm talking about turning your operators into trusted voices that support your brand, build stakeholder confidence, and drive real business outcomes. Let's talk about what Series B companies are getting wrong, and how to fix it before your competitors outshine you. What you'll learn: Why most Series B companies are ignoring a critical growth driver The external influence blind spot that's holding your leadership team back Real talk on why product alone won't get you to Series C What perception has to do with fundraising, talent, and enterprise deals Why silent CTOs and invisible VPs are costing you credibility How to equip your team to lead out loud, not just operate in the background Your Next Steps: Access the white paper: External Influence: The Currency Every Leader Must Carry. https://externalinfluence.us Follow Shayna on LinkedIn: http:/linkedin.com/in/shaynarattler Visit our website: https://shaynadavisconsulting.com

Sonia Gokhale, Co-Founder and General Partner at VentureSouq, breaks down how founders can build and scale fintech across the Gulf. We unpack why Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the first markets to crack, how government sandboxes and clear licensing paths reduce friction, and why B2B fintech often delivers the strongest unit economics. Sonia also walks through lessons from recent exits like Tabby, fundraising dynamics for seed through Series B, and the infrastructure opportunities in payments, credit, and compliance. If you are a founder aiming to land your first enterprise customers in the region or an investor mapping the next wave of MENA fintech, this conversation delivers a practical playbook.What you'll learnHow to navigate sandboxes and licensing in KSA and the UAEThe go-to-market order that shortens sales cycles with enterprisesPricing and unit economics that work for B2B fintech in the GulfSignals from Tabby-style outcomes and what they mean for foundersFundraising expectations and how global capital views MENA todayWho it's forFintech founders, product leaders, and investors evaluating MENA as a primary or expansion market.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonia-seth-gokhale-b0906014/

Episode 403 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Nick Ornitz and Shannon Kay, Co-Founders of Topline Pro. Make something people want is the motto behind Y Combinator. It sounds simple, yet so many founders miss this fundamental requirement. Topline Pro is a perfect case study in getting it right. They didn't fall victim to early false positives; instead, they listened, experimented, and successfully pivoted to solve a true, massive problem for an underserved market. Topline Pro is building AI that empowers local home service pros to grow and scale their businesses. They provide a critical platform to help with the marketing, sales, and operations of running a business in the trades, allowing these business owners to focus on their craft. The company recently announced a $27M Series B funding round led by Northzone, with new participation from Tactile Ventures, and Industry Ventures, alongside continued support from existing investors Forerunner Ventures, Bonfire Ventures, TMV, Flybridge, and BBG Ventures. In this interview, we dive into: * The inspirational backstory of Nick and Shannon and how they decided to build a company together after meeting at HBS. * Their initial concept called Dwelling, the "false positive" they experienced, and the strategic pivot. * Their time at Y Combinator and how early access to GPT opened their eyes to the potential of AI. * The value that Topline Pro is providing customers and the exciting opportunities ahead following their Series B. * Growth plans, hiring goals, and the culture they're building at Topline Pro. * Advice for non-AI native companies that are starting to build out their own AI strategy. * And so much more! Episode Sponsor: As a longtime champion of the local startup ecosystem, Silicon Valley Bank supports innovative companies with the solutions and financing they need through every stage of growth. With more than 1,500 bankers and relationship advisors, and $42B in loans as of Q2 2024 – SVB delivers the right people, service and resources to support your entire financial journey. Learn more at SVB.com.

Welcome back to the EUVC Podcast — where we go deep with the people shaping European venture.Today, David sits down with Kristaps Ronis, Partner at ION Pacific, a global secondaries investor (HQ in LA, presence in Europe & Asia) focused on Series B+ tech and a specialty that's getting hotter by the month: structured secondaries.Kristaps runs ION Pacific's European practice and has been with the firm since inception (2015). In this episode, he unpacks why DPI is king, why traditional “sell-the-shares” secondaries often fall short, and how structured deals can deliver liquidity without selling or signaling — all while preserving control and upside for GPs.Whether you're a GP under LP pressure, an LP looking for distributions, or a founder trying to understand what's happening around your cap table, this one's for you.Here's what's covered:00:55 – Who is ION Pacific? Global secondaries focused on B/C/D with a European practice led by Kristaps.02:36 – What they do: Liquidity for venture via structured & traditional secondaries.04:01 – Kristaps' path: Latvia → Peking University → Hong Kong banking → co-founding ION Pacific.06:05 – What are structured secondaries (in one line).07:35 – Three big learnings in venture: lack of financial innovation, complex cap tables = silent killer, DPI is king.10:48 – Early vs. later stage instruments — why complexity hits hard post-Series B.17:16 – Why secondaries now (esp. in Europe): DPI pressure, awareness, more dedicated players.21:09 – Continuation vehicles in Europe: “2025 is the year of the EU CV.”23:31 – Where structured deals fit: liquidity without selling, pricing gaps, zero market signaling.26:20 – “What's the catch?” Educating LPs on partial upfront + future upside.28:05 – Advice for GPs & LPs: how to open the liquidity conversation.29:53 – Solving the bid–ask spread: structure beats headline discounts.31:27 – Co-investing: where others join (and where they don't).32:26 – The market gap: too big for small PE secondaries, too small for mega funds — ION's sweet spot.35:55 – Timing: don't start in year 11 of a 10+2 fund; think 6–9 months ahead.36:58 – Seller mistakes: timing, portfolio prep, governance blockers, LP comms.40:23 – Good news for emerging managers: relationships can reopen info rights.43:37 – Kristaps' bookshelf: The One Thing, Getting to Neutral, Buy Back Your Time.45:23 – How to reach Kristaps: LinkedIn + email; open to being a sounding board.

Welcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! This week, Ben Murray sits down with Albert Gozzi, the co-founder and CEO of Aleph, an innovative AI-driven FP&A platform transforming how finance teams operate. Originally from Argentina, Albert Gozzi shares his journey from Procter & Gamble to Bain, and later as a startup CFO, where he experienced firsthand the frustrations of spreadsheet-heavy workflows in finance. Together, they dive into the founding story of Aleph, its mission to streamline financial data and workflows, and how the company's AI-powered solutions are empowering finance and FP&A teams to work smarter and faster. In this episode, you'll get insider insights on Aleph's rapid fundraising journey—having recently closed a $30 million Series B and totaling $47 million to date. Albert Gozzi candidly discusses what investors look for at each funding round, the nuances of scaling go-to-market efforts, lessons learned from dozens of investor rejections, and why finding product-market fit is just the beginning. Plus, they uncover how Aleph's unique approach to implementation and pricing is winning fans among CFOs in mid-market and private-equity-backed businesses. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at building and scaling a modern SaaS finance platform, this is the episode for you. Tune in to hear the latest on Aleph's roadmap, practical advice for SaaS founders, and where the future of FP&A is headed. Show Notes: 00:00 "AI-Powered Financial Data Management" 03:59 "Flexible Platform for Mid-Market" 08:18 "Road to Series C" 11:01 "Importance of Market Repeatability" 16:19 "Fast Implementation Drives Success" 20:24 "CAC Payback: A Cautious Metric" 22:14 "Doubling Down on AI Advancements" Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/aleph-raises-29-million-in-series-b Albert Gozzi's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertgozzi/ Aleph's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getaleph/ Aleph's Website: https://www.getaleph.com/ 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

This Founder & CEO Is Building A Schwab For Private Investments – Meet Ryan Eisenman Co-Founder & CEO Of ArchName: Ryan EisenmanTitle: Co-founder and CEOCompany Name: ArchWebsite: www.arch.comRyan's Bio: Ryan Eisenman is the co-founder and CEO of Arch (arch.com), an AI powered solution for managing private-market assets like private equity, venture capital, and real estate. What started as a tool for collecting K-1s is now used to automate portfolio management and analysis by over 475 institutional clients, private offices, banks, and investment advisors, with $275B in assets on the platform. Ryan is a Houston native, graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Human and Organizational Development, and lives in New York City, where Arch is headquartered and building in-office.About Arch:Arch is a digital way to track all private market investments.Arch consolidates data from over 800 fund portals, collects K-1s, and tracks performance, cash flows, and metrics across investments, while digitally updating existing reporting and accounting systems. Read about our Series B here.

This week, Jack Sharry talks with Ritik Malhotra, Founder & CEO of Savvy Wealth, a digital-first platform for financial advisors centered around modernizing human financial advice. Ritik shares how his frustration with outdated advisor technology pushed him to design an AI-powered platform that helps financial advisors grow, operate efficiently, and deliver better client experiences. He highlights how focusing on the advisor first, integrating AI into workflows, and reimagining client engagement can unlock scale and independence in wealth management. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:42) - Ritik's background and how he started Savvy Wealth (04:43) - The business plan that launched Savvy in just three bullet points (06:42) - How Savvy  built and stress-tested the platform from the ground up (11:34) - The $72 million Series B and what it means for Savvy (13:43) - A look under the hood at how Savvy's digital-first platform works (16:18) - What's next for Savvy (19:58) - Ritik's key takeaways (20:29) - Ritik's interests outside of work Quotes "The worst that you can do is try to build something for everyone. It just won't work." ~ Ritik Malhotra  "Listen to the feedback from the core user. Let's literally listen to customers and then build what they need." ~ Ritik Malhotra "There's something really satisfying about enabling independence in any industry—especially one as important as wealth management. There's something nice about helping someone beat the rat race." ~ Ritik Malhotra Links  Ritik Malhotra on LinkedIn Savvy Wealth Box Mark Casady Vestigo Ventures LPL Financial Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

The hosts break down Recess' $30 million raise, pound shots of olive oil, and wonder if Ben Stiller's nostalgic soda brand can make it in middle America. Oh, and someone bottled a hot sauce wrapped in a real $100 bill.  Show notes: 0:25: Take Your Best Shot. Deadlines, People. Pivot & Win. A Benny With Every Bottle. Ben's Beer. – The show opens with a sampling of Kosterina's new high-phenolic extra virgin olive oil shot, which has a spicier kick that some of the hosts realize. Ray reminds listeners that Oct. 31 is the deadline to submit nominations for BevNET, NOSH, and Brewbound's Best of 2025 Awards and is also the last day to submit applications for the upcoming edition of the New Beverage Showdown. The conversation turns to Recess' $30 million Series B funding round, and how the brand has successfully evolved from CBD-based drinks into a broader mood and relaxation brand. They highlight Burn Rate, a unique brand of hot sauces in which each bottle is wrapped in a real $100 bill. They discuss how the project doubles as a marketing stunt and a commentary on startup spending culture. They also feature Ginger Bee Tea, a honey-ginger blend inspired by a traditional Korean tea remedy, and sample Stiller's Soda, a new brand launched by actor and filmmaker Ben Stiller. White they praise the familiar, nostalgic taste of Stiller's Soda, they question whether the founder's celebrity backing will help it stand out in a competitive market. Melissa introduces Magic Spoon's new protein treats and Jacqui shares Alkaline Coffee Company, a new low-acid, mineral-treated cold brew, before Ray invites listeners to send in new product samples for tasting and to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts for a chance to receive a free Taste Radio T-shirt. Brands in this episode: Kosterina, Health-Ade, Liquid Death, Recoup, Poppi, Bai, Recess, C4, Trip, Taika, Burn Rate, Onima Pantry, Ginger Bee Tea, Dr. Brown, Stiller's Soda, Magic Spoon, Mezcla, Alkaline Coffee Co., High Tail, Wynk

Superpowers for Good should not be considered investment advice. Seek counsel before making investment decisions. When you purchase an item, launch a campaign or create an investment account after clicking a link here, we may earn a fee. Engage to support our work.Watch the show on television by downloading the e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or AmazonFireTV. You can also see it on YouTube.Devin: What is your superpower?David: Unlocking potential.Biotech startups face daunting challenges, but David Kiewlich, Founder and CEO of Tomorrow Biotech Corporation, has created a model that flips the odds. While most startups face a 90% failure rate, David's incubator, Badass Labs, boasts an astounding 95% success rate.The secret? David's incubator takes on time-consuming tasks and provides founders with the tools and support they need to focus on high-value activities. “We take what I call low-value, high-risk tasks off of the responsibility of these early founders,” David explained. By handling procurement, accounting, and regulatory compliance, the incubator saves startups time, money, and frustration.For example, David shared how the incubator's full-service procurement system saves companies more than 70 hours of work while also cutting costs. “Because it's a pooled spend model, it allows us to be one giant customer instead of many little ones,” he said. This approach not only improves efficiency but also doubles the runway for many startups.David's focus goes beyond logistics—he's also deeply invested in coaching founders to grow. He emphasized the importance of coachability, saying, “If they are open to guidance and comfortable with being vulnerable, they'll grow.” This hands-on support ensures founders avoid rookie mistakes, expand their skill sets, and present their companies as professional and investor-ready.The work being done at Badass Labs and Tomorrow Biotech isn't just about improving success rates—it's about saving lives. By accelerating the development of biotech innovations, David's incubator is paving the way for groundbreaking ideas to reach the market faster.If you're inspired by David's approach and want to learn more about his incubator, visit badasslabs.org. With multiple locations across the U.S. and plans to expand, the program is open to biotech, climate tech, and other transformative startups. By helping founders focus on what matters most, David is proving that with the right support, startups can defy the odds and change the world.tl;dr:David Kiewlich's incubator flips the biotech startup success rate from 10% to 95% with unique support.The program removes tedious tasks, saving founders time and enabling them to focus on execution.Coachability is critical—David helps founders grow by fostering their confidence and guiding their development.David shared a superpower: unlocking potential by building up others and inspiring action.Tomorrow Biotech and Badass Labs accelerate innovation, empowering founders to bring life-saving ideas to market.How to Develop Unlocking Potential As a SuperpowerDavid Kiewlich's superpower is his ability to unlock the potential in others by fostering their confidence and helping them grow into their best selves. Reflecting on his life, David shared how he developed this skill early on, saying, “You become sort of focused on how you can lift up and protect everyone around you.” He uses this mindset to empower biotech founders, helping them become “superhumans” who think bigger, execute better, and achieve more.One inspiring story David shared highlights his superpower in action. Years ago, he organized a grassroots effort to rescue surplus food from wholesalers and deliver it to nonprofits across the San Francisco Bay Area. Over the course of a year, he single-handedly moved nearly 600,000 pounds of produce, ensuring it reached those in need instead of ending up in landfills. By showing what's possible, David inspired others to replicate his efforts, amplifying his impact.To develop this superpower, David suggests:Focus on building up others rather than seeking credit for yourself.Encourage people by expressing belief in their abilities.Help others see what's possible by setting an example.Support people in a way that allows them to focus on their strengths.By following David's example and advice, you can make unlocking potential a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileDavid Kiewlich (he/him):Founder and CEO, Tomorrow Biotech CorporationAbout Tomorrow Biotech Corporation: Tomorrow Biotech Corporation consists of an accelerator fund, an early stage fund and includes the Bay Area Disruptor and Startup Support Labs (BADASS Labs) a 501c3, non-profit series of biotech incubators. While the funds are new, the incubator has been in operation for 6 years, supporting dozens of pre-seed through series B (and beyond) companies. With a track record of 50 of 55 company successes for members of the incubator, this ecosystem has a uniquely successful approach to founder support, which has substantially changed the concept and expectations for early stage incubators. BADASS Labs is more than a 501c3, non-profit biotech incubator that rents lab space to small businesses. It is a strategic ally that empowers biotech entrepreneurs to achieve their full potential. By offering a comprehensive suite of services, such as purchasing, waste management, operations and even health insurance plans for its members, BADASS Labs enables its clients to focus on their core competencies and substantially reduce their operational costs. BADASS Labs bridges the gap between research and commercialization, by facilitating novel technologies from academic, national lab or self-generated sources into viable products that can enhance the domestic supply chain and generate regional employment. While we can incubate companies at any stage, we have a particular focus on the earlier side, from Pre-Seed through Series B stages.Website: badasslabs.org, TomorrowBiotech.com, MissionBoosterProcurement.comBiographical Information: Dr. David Kiewlich (Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology) is a serial founder and entrepreneur in biotech. With over 35 years' experience working for industry, as well as 6 startups of his own (in Oncology, Cell Based Therapies and Synthetic Biology), his background is excellently aligned with the needs and struggles of pre-commercialization startups. He founded and runs Tomorrow Biotech, which includes the Bay Area Disruptor and Startup Support Labs (BADASS Labs) a 501c3, non-profit series of biotech incubators, which has supported dozens of pre-seed through series B (and beyond) companies, as well as a startup and early-stage fund. In addition to Tomorrow Biotech, David is also the CSO of a cell based therapy company, focused on autoimmune disease, advisor for several biotech startups and frequent public speaker advocating for increased sustainability and greater Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the sciences.LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/davidkiewlichSupport Our SponsorsOur generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today's advertisers include FundingHope, and Rancho Affordable Housing (Proactive). Learn more about advertising with us here to help us Power Up October.Max-Impact Members(We're grateful for every one of these community champions who make this work possible.)Brian Christie, Brainsy | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Hiten Sonpal, RISE Robotics | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC. | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Mark Grimes, Networked Enterprise Development | Matthew Mead, Hempitecture | Michael Pratt, Qnetic | Dr. Nicole Paulk, Siren Biotechnology | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name HereUpcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on October 28, 2025, at 1:30 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.SuperCrowdHour, November 19, 2025, at 12:00 PM Eastern — Devin Thorpe, CEO and Founder of The Super Crowd, Inc., will lead a session on “Investing with a Self-Directed IRA.” In this session, Devin will explain how investors can use self-directed IRAs to participate in regulated investment crowdfunding while managing taxes and optimizing returns. He'll break down when this strategy makes sense, how to choose the right custodian, and what fees, rules, and risks to watch for. With his trademark clarity and real-world experience, Devin will help you understand how to balance simplicity with smart tax planning—so you can invest confidently, align your portfolio with your values, and make your money work harder for both impact and income.SuperGreen Live, January 22–24, 2026, livestreaming globally. Organized by Green2Gold and The Super Crowd, Inc., this three-day event will spotlight the intersection of impact crowdfunding, sustainable innovation, and climate solutions. Featuring expert-led panels, interactive workshops, and live pitch sessions, SuperGreen Live brings together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and activists to explore how capital and climate action can work hand in hand. With global livestreaming, VIP networking opportunities, and exclusive content, this event will empower participants to turn bold ideas into real impact. Don't miss your chance to join tens of thousands of changemakers at the largest virtual sustainability event of the year.Community Event CalendarSuccessful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET - Click on Events.Impact Accelerator Summit is a live, in-person event taking place in Austin, Texas, from October 23–25, 2025. This exclusive gathering brings together 100 heart-centered, conscious entrepreneurs generating $1M+ in revenue with 20–30 family offices and venture funds actively seeking to invest in world-changing businesses. Referred by Michael Dash, participants can expect an inspiring, high-impact experience focused on capital connection, growth, and global impact.If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 10,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

This week on the EUVC Podcast, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Sebastian Peck, Partner at KOMPAS VC, Europe's leading specialist in industrial tech and the decarbonisation of manufacturing and the built world.KOMPAS VC is an early- and growth-stage venture capital firm backed by leading corporates, focused on transforming how the world builds, moves, and powers itself. With offices in London, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen, KOMPAS partners with startups and industrial leaders driving efficiency, automation, and decarbonisation across sectors like manufacturing, construction, energy, and mobility.With the firm gearing up for major announcements, Sebastian unpacks why industrial tech is finally having its moment in European VC — and why resilience, regulation, and risk appetite will determine whether Europe leads or lags.Here's what's covered:00:20 Defining Industrial Tech - Decarbonisation, productivity, and resilience: the three pillars driving transformation in Europe's industrial base.03:30 The Energy Debate: Transition vs pragmatism, nuclear's comeback, and Europe vs US vs China09:14 Fragmented Corporate Commitments: Nordics doubling down, US ambivalence, China scaling renewables fast11:21 AI in Industrial Tech: From power-hungry models to agentic AI: where real productivity gains are emerging and what's still hype.16:02 Robotics: Hype vs. reality: Why humanoid robots won't take over factories (yet) — and where automation truly moves the needle.21:57 Adoption Hurdles: Why industrial tech moves slower than SaaS, and how smart VCs help bridge the gap between pilots and production.24:37 AI & Jobs: Creative destruction or just destruction? How Europe, the US, and China are charting radically different paths.33:18 Regulation: Europe's protective instinct: how the EU's AI Act balances innovation with oversight - for better and for worse.40:27 Startups × Corporates: Why pilots fail, and how KOMPAS VC brokers real commercial traction44:48 KOMPAS VC Fund II: New bets, Makersite's standout Series B, and how the firm is deepening its industrial tech thesis.45:54 Specialist vs Generalist VCs: Why Europe needs deep domain VCs working alongside generalist syndicates to build lasting industry platforms.48:52 Magic Wand Policy: Pension capital reform and risk appetite as Europe's bottlenecks51:09 It's Not Founders, it's the Ecosystem: Employees, customers, regulators, and LPs — everyone needs to lean in if Europe is to lead.

Superpowers for Good should not be considered investment advice. Seek counsel before making investment decisions. When you purchase an item, launch a campaign or create an investment account after clicking a link here, we may earn a fee. Engage to support our work.Watch the show on television by downloading the e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or AmazonFireTV. You can also see it on YouTube.Devin: What is your superpower?David: Unlocking potential.Biotech startups face daunting challenges, but David Kiewlich, Founder and CEO of Tomorrow Biotech Corporation, has created a model that flips the odds. While most startups face a 90% failure rate, David's incubator, Badass Labs, boasts an astounding 95% success rate.The secret? David's incubator takes on time-consuming tasks and provides founders with the tools and support they need to focus on high-value activities. “We take what I call low-value, high-risk tasks off of the responsibility of these early founders,” David explained. By handling procurement, accounting, and regulatory compliance, the incubator saves startups time, money, and frustration.For example, David shared how the incubator's full-service procurement system saves companies more than 70 hours of work while also cutting costs. “Because it's a pooled spend model, it allows us to be one giant customer instead of many little ones,” he said. This approach not only improves efficiency but also doubles the runway for many startups.David's focus goes beyond logistics—he's also deeply invested in coaching founders to grow. He emphasized the importance of coachability, saying, “If they are open to guidance and comfortable with being vulnerable, they'll grow.” This hands-on support ensures founders avoid rookie mistakes, expand their skill sets, and present their companies as professional and investor-ready.The work being done at Badass Labs and Tomorrow Biotech isn't just about improving success rates—it's about saving lives. By accelerating the development of biotech innovations, David's incubator is paving the way for groundbreaking ideas to reach the market faster.If you're inspired by David's approach and want to learn more about his incubator, visit badasslabs.org. With multiple locations across the U.S. and plans to expand, the program is open to biotech, climate tech, and other transformative startups. By helping founders focus on what matters most, David is proving that with the right support, startups can defy the odds and change the world.tl;dr:David Kiewlich's incubator flips the biotech startup success rate from 10% to 95% with unique support.The program removes tedious tasks, saving founders time and enabling them to focus on execution.Coachability is critical—David helps founders grow by fostering their confidence and guiding their development.David shared a superpower: unlocking potential by building up others and inspiring action.Tomorrow Biotech and Badass Labs accelerate innovation, empowering founders to bring life-saving ideas to market.How to Develop Unlocking Potential As a SuperpowerDavid Kiewlich's superpower is his ability to unlock the potential in others by fostering their confidence and helping them grow into their best selves. Reflecting on his life, David shared how he developed this skill early on, saying, “You become sort of focused on how you can lift up and protect everyone around you.” He uses this mindset to empower biotech founders, helping them become “superhumans” who think bigger, execute better, and achieve more.One inspiring story David shared highlights his superpower in action. Years ago, he organized a grassroots effort to rescue surplus food from wholesalers and deliver it to nonprofits across the San Francisco Bay Area. Over the course of a year, he single-handedly moved nearly 600,000 pounds of produce, ensuring it reached those in need instead of ending up in landfills. By showing what's possible, David inspired others to replicate his efforts, amplifying his impact.To develop this superpower, David suggests:Focus on building up others rather than seeking credit for yourself.Encourage people by expressing belief in their abilities.Help others see what's possible by setting an example.Support people in a way that allows them to focus on their strengths.By following David's example and advice, you can make unlocking potential a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileDavid Kiewlich (he/him):Founder and CEO, Tomorrow Biotech CorporationAbout Tomorrow Biotech Corporation: Tomorrow Biotech Corporation consists of an accelerator fund, an early stage fund and includes the Bay Area Disruptor and Startup Support Labs (BADASS Labs) a 501c3, non-profit series of biotech incubators. While the funds are new, the incubator has been in operation for 6 years, supporting dozens of pre-seed through series B (and beyond) companies. With a track record of 50 of 55 company successes for members of the incubator, this ecosystem has a uniquely successful approach to founder support, which has substantially changed the concept and expectations for early stage incubators. BADASS Labs is more than a 501c3, non-profit biotech incubator that rents lab space to small businesses. It is a strategic ally that empowers biotech entrepreneurs to achieve their full potential. By offering a comprehensive suite of services, such as purchasing, waste management, operations and even health insurance plans for its members, BADASS Labs enables its clients to focus on their core competencies and substantially reduce their operational costs. BADASS Labs bridges the gap between research and commercialization, by facilitating novel technologies from academic, national lab or self-generated sources into viable products that can enhance the domestic supply chain and generate regional employment. While we can incubate companies at any stage, we have a particular focus on the earlier side, from Pre-Seed through Series B stages.Website: badasslabs.org, TomorrowBiotech.com, MissionBoosterProcurement.comBiographical Information: Dr. David Kiewlich (Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology) is a serial founder and entrepreneur in biotech. With over 35 years' experience working for industry, as well as 6 startups of his own (in Oncology, Cell Based Therapies and Synthetic Biology), his background is excellently aligned with the needs and struggles of pre-commercialization startups. He founded and runs Tomorrow Biotech, which includes the Bay Area Disruptor and Startup Support Labs (BADASS Labs) a 501c3, non-profit series of biotech incubators, which has supported dozens of pre-seed through series B (and beyond) companies, as well as a startup and early-stage fund. In addition to Tomorrow Biotech, David is also the CSO of a cell based therapy company, focused on autoimmune disease, advisor for several biotech startups and frequent public speaker advocating for increased sustainability and greater Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the sciences.LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/davidkiewlichSupport Our SponsorsOur generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today's advertisers include FundingHope, and Rancho Affordable Housing (Proactive). Learn more about advertising with us here to help us Power Up October.Max-Impact Members(We're grateful for every one of these community champions who make this work possible.)Brian Christie, Brainsy | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Hiten Sonpal, RISE Robotics | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC. | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Mark Grimes, Networked Enterprise Development | Matthew Mead, Hempitecture | Michael Pratt, Qnetic | Dr. Nicole Paulk, Siren Biotechnology | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name HereUpcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on October 28, 2025, at 1:30 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.SuperCrowdHour, November 19, 2025, at 12:00 PM Eastern — Devin Thorpe, CEO and Founder of The Super Crowd, Inc., will lead a session on “Investing with a Self-Directed IRA.” In this session, Devin will explain how investors can use self-directed IRAs to participate in regulated investment crowdfunding while managing taxes and optimizing returns. He'll break down when this strategy makes sense, how to choose the right custodian, and what fees, rules, and risks to watch for. With his trademark clarity and real-world experience, Devin will help you understand how to balance simplicity with smart tax planning—so you can invest confidently, align your portfolio with your values, and make your money work harder for both impact and income.SuperGreen Live, January 22–24, 2026, livestreaming globally. Organized by Green2Gold and The Super Crowd, Inc., this three-day event will spotlight the intersection of impact crowdfunding, sustainable innovation, and climate solutions. Featuring expert-led panels, interactive workshops, and live pitch sessions, SuperGreen Live brings together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and activists to explore how capital and climate action can work hand in hand. With global livestreaming, VIP networking opportunities, and exclusive content, this event will empower participants to turn bold ideas into real impact. Don't miss your chance to join tens of thousands of changemakers at the largest virtual sustainability event of the year.Community Event CalendarSuccessful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET - Click on Events.Impact Accelerator Summit is a live, in-person event taking place in Austin, Texas, from October 23–25, 2025. This exclusive gathering brings together 100 heart-centered, conscious entrepreneurs generating $1M+ in revenue with 20–30 family offices and venture funds actively seeking to invest in world-changing businesses. Referred by Michael Dash, participants can expect an inspiring, high-impact experience focused on capital connection, growth, and global impact.If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 10,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

"If I could do some things over, I would have hired marketing leadership earlier, even before sales."That's what Document Crunch CEO Josh Levy told his VP of Marketing, Lori Peters.In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Lori Peters from Document Crunch and we got to learn about why construction tech marketing is fundamentally different from other SaaS industries, how to scale from seed to Series B, and what's actually working in 2025.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why conferences are their biggest lead generation channel (while other SaaS companies avoid them)✅ How they expanded nationally by going where their customers were, not just selling remotely✅ The shift from marketing-led pipeline to fully integrated go-to-market teams✅ Why LinkedIn still dominates and how AI is changing organic search foreverWatch now to hear how a 10-year construction tech marketing veteran built a winning strategy from the ground up.Our Sponsor: Archdesk - “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.comBuildVision - streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.ioChapters00:00 Intro03:26 Introduction to Document Crunch and Construction Tech06:28 Evolution of Marketing in Construction Tech09:23 Marketing Strategies Through Funding Stages12:23 Challenges in Scaling Marketing Operations15:11 Effective In-Person Marketing Channels18:29 Community Initiatives: Built by Builders and Crunch Community21:28 Targeting Customers and Tailoring Messages30:03 The Costly Disruptions in Construction30:58 Understanding Disputes and Their Impact32:28 The Role of Customer Advisory Boards34:43 Navigating the AI Landscape in Construction37:39 Building Trust in AI Solutions38:59 Leveraging Investor Relationships40:17 Partnerships and Trust in Marketing42:23 AI in Marketing Strategies47:30 Marketing Nuances in the Construction Industry49:19 The Importance of Thought Leadership52:12 Structuring a Growing Marketing Team53:49 Technology in the Marketing Stack54:57 Future Predictions for Marketing in AEC

Welcome back to another EUVC Podcast, where we explore the lessons, frameworks, and insights shaping Europe's venture ecosystem.Today's episode marks a major milestone for Notion Capital - the launch of its new Growth Fund, designed to back Europe's most ambitious B2B software founders beyond Series B.Today, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Stephen Chandler, Jessica Bartos, formerly of Salesforce Ventures, and Stephanie Opdam, both key leaders at Notion's growth fund. They discuss how Notion approaches growth-stage investments, the importance of founder quality, AI trends, enterprise go-to-market excellence, and the global ambitions of European startups.

Sign-up here to get weekly episodes + transcripts in your inbox: https://www.thespl.it/Adit Abraham is the Co-founder and CEO of Reducto. Reducto's product takes PDFs and physical documents, and extracts all the data, just like a human would if they were reading it.At the time of recording, they've processed over 1 billion pages, grew 6x over the past five months, and are fresh off a $75 million Series B led by a16z. And Adit told me they've only burned $1 million of capital so far to get here.And the craziest part, Adit told me they've only burned $1 million of capital so far to get here.Anyone building an AI product probably sees Reducto as essential infrastructure. Our conversation gets into how they built the best product in the space, landing a Fortune 10 customer as a two-person startup, getting to $1 million in ARR within a few months, lessons doing founder led sales to over $5 million in ARR, and what the future of PDF's, and human / computer data looks like.Thank you to Liz Wessel at First Round, Chetan Puttagunta at Benchmark, and Adel Wu at Reducto for helping brainstorm topics for Adit.Thank you to Numeral and Hanover Park for sponsoring this episode.Numeral: The end-to-end platform for sales tax and compliance. Try it here: https://bit.ly/NumeralThePeelHanover Park: Modern, AI-native fund admin at https://www.hanoverpark.com/TurnerTimestamps:(3:35) Reading unstructured human data(10:44) Growing 5x in four moths(12:38) Insurance, healthcare, legal, logistics(19:13) Where LLM's still struggle(28:23) Starting Reducto from a blog post during YC(32:01) Landing a Fortune 10 customer with two people(35:48) Limiting the product and growth early on(40:57) Getting an MIT professor fired(43:50) How to avoid pivot hell(49:00) $108M from First Round, Benchmark, a16z(51:48) Chetan convincing them to raise a Series A(55:50) Raising a Series B in 48 hours(59:36) Redeye flight to hire the 1st AI researcher(1:05:42) Lessons hitting $5m ARR with founder-led sales(1:13:09) Staying on top of changes in AI modelsReferenced:https://reducto.aihttps://reducto.ai/careersFollow AditTwitter: https://x.com/aditabrmLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aditabrahamFollow TurnerTwitter: https://twitter.com/TurnerNovakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/turnernovakSign-up here to get weekly episodes + transcripts in your inbox: https://www.thespl.it/

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, host Ben Murray sits down with Ali Hussain, CEO and co-founder of Tabs, for an insightful conversation about the evolving landscape of finance technology. Ali shares his journey as an entrepreneur and operator, discusses the genesis and growth of Tabs, and dives deep into the world of revenue automation for B2B companies. Tune in as Ali explains how Tabs leverages AI and automation to streamline everything from order-to-cash and revenue recognition to forecasting and metrics reporting. You'll hear about the company's impressive growth since its founding in 2023, the state of AI adoption among CFOs and finance teams, and Ali's perspective on the dynamic ERP space. Ben and Ali also talk shop about fundraising milestones, go-to-market strategies, and key financial metrics for SaaS companies scaling from Series A to Series B. Whether you're interested in the future of AI-driven finance operations, the rise of best-of-breed finance tech stacks, or practical insights on team building and product innovation, this episode is packed with actionable advice for finance leaders and SaaS founders alike. Show Notes: 00:00 AI-Driven Finance Automation Platform 04:36 B2B Growth Focused on Sales 08:13 CFOs Embracing AI Adoption Shift 12:18 "Modern ERP Collaboration Overlegacy" 15:23 "Sales-Finance Integration via AI" 19:30 Finance Expansion and Accountant Channels 21:58 "ERP Market Ripe for Disruption" 25:53 "AI Business Fundamentals & Metrics" 27:45 Automation, Margins, and Customer Focus 31:48 Cash Forecasting Insights for CEOs 34:20 "Finance Innovation & Future Outlook" 37:23 "Making Systems Transparent" Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/tabs-raises-7-million-in-seed-round https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/tabs-secures-25-million-in-series-a-funding https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/tabs-raises-55-million-in-series-b Ali Hussain's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-hussain786/ Tabs' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/teamtabs/ Tabs' Website: https://tabs.inc/ 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

Aarish Shah is the founder EmergeOne - Fractional CFO support for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B and beyond. He is the Host of Nothing Ventured Podcast, featuring operators and investors sharing stories from people that make the startup world go round.

Erik Bernhardsson is the Co-founder and CEO of Modal, building high-performance AI infrastructure.We talk about building what is essentially a new cloud provider, created from the ground up, optimized for AI. We also talk about what actually happened with the great GPU shortage, how Modal fixes the inference problem in AI, and why he thinks AI will lead to 10x more developers.He also shares lessons on culture from joining Spotify as the 40th employee, treating hiring like a prediction problem, what most people get wrong working with early customers, why more people should start companies in their 30's and 40's, and reflections on fundraising in a hot market.Thank you to Tim Chen at Essence Venture Capital and Erik's Co-founder Akshat for their help brainstorming topics for this conversation.Thank you to Meow and Hanover Park for supporting this episode.Meow: Get free bookkeeping for your startup at https://www.meow.comHanover Park: Modern, AI-native fund admin at https://www.hanoverpark.com/TurnerTimestamps:(4:26) Modal: AI-native infrastructure(9:02) Why its so hard to get GPU's(15:00) Hitting PMF with AI generated media(20:37) Competing in IOI competitions(23:09) 40th employee at Spotify(27:17) Lessons from Spotify(31:17) Starting Better[dot]com(34:05) Treating hiring like a prediction problem(36:12) Erik's favorite interview question(39:07) Sales + common design partner mistakes(42:02) Startups should solve hard problems(44:05) Evolution of Modal's product over time(50:15) Rise in importance of inference in AI(52:07) AI development post-GPU scarcity(58:51) Building a brand in dev tools(1:04:31) Fundraising from Seed to Series B(1:07:42) More 30+ year old's should start companies(1:10:00) Reducing developer tax, increasing productivity(1:20:37) Why Erik's bullish and bearish on AI(1:26:17) Bubbles, downsides to inappropriate valuations(1:34:58) High CO2 levels make you dumb(1:37:38) Difference between US and European startupsReferencedModal: https://modal.comCareers at Modal: https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/modalSuno: https://suno.comPlanet Scale: https://planetscale.comHow to hire smarter than the market: https://erikbern.com/2020/01/13/how-to-hire-smarter-than-the-market-a-toy-modelInterviewing is a noisy prediction problem: https://erikbern.com/2018/05/02/interviewing-is-a-noisy-prediction-problemCloud in 2030: https://erikbern.com/2021/11/30/storm-in-the-stratosphere-how-the-cloud-will-be-reshuffledFollow ErikTwitter: https://x.com/bernhardssonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikbernFollow TurnerTwitter: https://twitter.com/TurnerNovakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/turnernovakSubscribe to my newsletter to get every episode + the transcript in your inbox every week: https://www.thespl.it/

This week's throwback guest is my former boss, Michelle Pietsch. Michelle is the Co-Founder of BeaconGTM, where they help companies from Pre-Seed to Series B build their GTM motions, and get their customers in a position to see successful growth. Michelle was the VP of Revenue at Dooly when she brought me on to build the Account Management function from the ground up, and there were so many incredible leadership lessons she taught me along the way which we get into in today's episode. On today's show, we also discussed:Giving Your Employees A Long Leash Coming With Solutions, Not Just ProblemsAlways Learning In The Early StageWhen To Hire BDRsSetting Expectations With Your Boss Starting Minot Light Much MorePlease enjoy this week's episode with Michelle Pietsch! ____________________________________________________________________________I am now in the early stages of writing my first book! In this book, I will be telling my story of getting into sales and the lessons I have learned so far, and intertwine stories, tips, and advice from the Top Sales Professionals In The World! As a first time author, I want to share these interviews with you all, and take you on this book writing journey with me! Like the show? Subscribe to the email: https://mailchi.mp/a71e58dacffb/welcome-to-the-20-podcast-communityI want your feedback!Reach out to 20percentpodcastquestions@gmail.com, or find me on LinkedIn.If you know anyone who would benefit from this show, share it along! If you know of anyone who would be great to interview, please drop me a line!Enjoy the show!

On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray welcomes Brett Carlson, co-founder and CEO of ServiceUp, to share his entrepreneurial journey and the story behind his latest venture. Brett's background spans over 25 years in tech, with experience founding and scaling startups on the business side. With ServiceUp, Brett turned his focus to the vehicle repair industry, spotting a massive, underserved $250 billion market ready for modernization and disruption. Brett dives into how ServiceUp started by offering digital car repair solutions directly to consumers before pivoting to serve fleet operators and insurance companies. He explains the pain points that large fleet owners—think Amazon, UPS, and major rental car companies—face with outdated repair processes, and how ServiceUp's platform streamlines transactions and increases efficiency for both fleets and repair shops. Brett also shares how thoughtful use of technology and automation, including AI-powered voice agents, has accelerated their reach and operational effectiveness. Throughout the conversation, Brett offers an inside look at ServiceUp's rapid growth and successful fundraising journey, including securing a $55 million Series B. He discusses the evolving expectations of investors, the importance of backing up metrics at each funding stage, and key lessons learned from navigating both the highs and lows of startup life. Whether you're an aspiring SaaS founder or just curious about the intersection of technology and traditional industries, Brett's insights into building ServiceUp are sure to inspire. Show Notes: 00:00 Switching Focus to Fleet Services 04:20 Major Retailer Faces $175M Collision Costs 08:43 Frugal Growth and Investment Strategy 12:30 "Investor Monetization Contradictions" 15:21 DoorDash's Missed Market Opportunity 20:30 Advanced AI in Voice & Shop Tech 21:16 Automated Market Entry Strategy Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/serviceup-secures-55-million-in-series-b Brett Carlson's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettcarlson418/ ServiceUp's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/serviceupio/ ServiceUp's Website: https://www.serviceup.com/ 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

Welcome back to EUVC Live in Malmö, where we bring you unfiltered conversations with the voices shaping Europe's venture ecosystem.In this session, Danijel Visevic, Founding Partner at World Fund, takes the stage with a powerful message: Europe's strength has always been its ability to turn crisis into collaboration — and it must do so again.Dantraces Europe's journey from the coal and steel community of 1951 to today's climate and geopolitical challenges. From the fall of the Berlin Wall to COVID and the war in Ukraine, he reminds us that Europe's greatest leaps have always come from unity, resilience, and investment in shared progress.Now, as Europe faces an era of “polycrisis” — encompassing war, climate change, supply chain fragility, and tech disruption — Danijel calls for a new act of radical innovation: rebuilding Europe's industrial leadership through collaboration, deep technology, and climate investment.

Adam Bateman is the co-founder and CEO at Push Security, which announced a $30 million Series B funding round led by Redpoint Ventures, with participation from Datadog Ventures and B3 Capital. In this episode, Bateman joins host Heather Engel to discuss the funding, what it will be used for, and what is ahead for Push Security. • For more on cybersecurity, visit us at https://cybersecurityventures.com

Heidi Health raised a $65 million Series B led by Steven Cohen's Point72. Also, Sugar Free Capital raises $32M inaugural fund to invest in MIT early-staged founders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

Simple is an AI-powered health coaching app that helps people lose weight. Electroflow drew inspiration from batteries themselves to develop a new way of producing LFP material for EVs. The process could undercut today's lowest price sources in China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/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.

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

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 

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

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