Podcasts about series b

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dr. Vitor Asseituno is the CEO and Co-Founder of Sami, Brazil's fastest-growing health insurance startup. Sami has raised $65M total funding and serves 20,000+ customers across 11 Brazilian cities in the $60B private health insurance market.Key Insights & Takeaways:1. The "pipeline mathematics" behind turning 100+ VC rejections into Series B success2. Investor psychology: what resonates when pitching complex healthcare business models3. How embracing broker networks after everyone said "avoid them" drives 50%+ of sales4. AI workflow implementation: $800+ monthly savings per clinician and 30% EMR compliance improvement5. Loss ratio optimization tactics: the specific changes that improved margins from 85% to 53%6. Why regional focus beats national scale in Brazil's complex healthcare marketJoin The J Curve Community:Newsletter: Weekly deep dives into LATAM's hottest deals, emerging trends, and market intelligenceLinkedIn: Daily market insights and exclusive founder updatesInstagram: Behind-the-scenes podcast moments and quick industry takesHit subscribe and share this episode with fellow entrepreneurs and investors

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

April raised $38 million in Series B funding to expand its tax technology platform, with plans to accelerate product development, hire additional staff, and scale operations. The company will focus on enhancing its offerings for individuals and small businesses, investing in research and development, and strengthening partnerships with financial institutions and fintech providers. April's technology uses automation and data analysis to simplify tax filing and compliance for users across the United States.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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

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

A Mission Born from the AmazonNicolas's journey began with a first-hand experience in Bolivia, where he witnessed the environmental impact of industrial meat production and deforestation. This planted the seed for a mission-driven career focused on sustainable food. After stints in both corporate and nonprofit sectors, he became convinced that cell-cultivated meat could offer a breakthrough solution - if it could deliver on taste, scale, and affordability.From Foie Gras to the Future of FoodInstead of competing immediately with commodity meats, Gourmey launched with cultivated foie gras - a premium, high-margin product that addressed a real market gap due to supply chain volatility and regulation. This choice allowed the company to prove the viability of its tech without having to undercut traditional meat prices from the outset. By addressing an underserved culinary segment, Gourmey established credibility with chefs and customers alike.Scaling with Purpose and PrecisionGourmey has raised over €60 million and grown to a team of 50+ people. Nicolas emphasized the importance of working with mission-aligned investors who understand the long road of deep tech development. With their latest cost analysis showing production prices as low as €5-€7 per kilo, the company is entering a new phase where cultivated meat could move beyond fine dining into broader markets. This opens the door to massive potential impact in the $2 trillion meat industry.Chefs, Consumers, and the Power of TasteConsumer acceptance is rising, even before widespread availability. Gourmey's strategy includes launching in forward-looking markets like Singapore and collaborating with Michelin-starred chefs to drive trust and desirability. Nicolas believes chefs are the ultimate tastemakers who can help shift public perception - from skepticism to curiosity - by letting flavor lead the way.What's Next: Global Expansion and Series BGourmey is currently raising a Series B round to fund its next milestones: regulatory approvals, commercialization in key global markets, and the expansion of its product range beyond foie gras and duck to other poultry and meat types. With a lean approach and efficient tech, the company aims to prove its model without the capital-heavy burden of massive infrastructure builds. Be sure to follow Sesamers on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X for more cool stories from the people we catch during the best Tech events!

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

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

First week of July, what'd you miss in vet med?Exclusive: Gallant's $18M Series BFDA on CBD and MedetomidineClassroom Pets Good for AllRelief Burnout SurveyMy what big teeth!Helpful links:The Bird Bath substackSerenity Vet - Relief Burnout SurveyPets In The Classroom grant program

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

LLMs are reshaping the future of data and AI—and ignoring them might just be career malpractice. Yoni Michael and Kostas Pardalis unpack what's breaking, what's emerging, and why inference is becoming the new heartbeat of the data pipeline.// BioKostas PardalisKostas is an engineer-turned-entrepreneur with a passion for building products and companies in the data space. He's currently the co-founder of Typedef. Before that, he worked closely with the creators of Trino at Starburst Data on some exciting projects. Earlier in his career, he was part of the leadership team at Rudderstack, helping the company grow from zero to a successful Series B in under two years. He also founded Blendo in 2014, one of the first cloud-based ELT solutions.Yoni MichaelYoni is the Co-Founder of typedef, a serverless data platform purpose-built to help teams process unstructured text and run LLM inference pipelines at scale. With a deep background in data infrastructure, Yoni has spent over a decade building systems at the intersection of data and AI — including leading infrastructure at Tecton and engineering teams at Salesforce.Yoni is passionate about rethinking how teams extract insight from massive troves of text, transcripts, and documents — and believes the future of analytics depends on bridging traditional data pipelines with modern AI workflows. At Typedef, he's working to make that future accessible to every team, without the complexity of managing infrastructure.// Related LinksWebsite: https://www.typedef.aihttps://techontherocks.showhttps://www.cpard.xyz~~~~~~~~ ✌️Connect With Us ✌️ ~~~~~~~Catch all episodes, blogs, newsletters, and more: https://go.mlops.community/TYExploreMLOps Swag/Merch: [https://shop.mlops.community/]Connect with Demetrios on LinkedIn: /dpbrinkmConnect with Kostas on LinkedIn: /kostaspardalis/Connect with Yoni on LinkedIn: /yonimichael/Timestamps:[00:00] Breaking Tools, Evolving Data Workloads[06:35] Building Truly Great Data Teams[10:49] Making Data Platforms Actually Useful[18:54] Scaling AI with Native Integration[24:04] Empowering Employees to Build Agents[28:17] Rise of the AI Sherpa[36:09] Real AI Infrastructure Pain Points[38:05] Fixing Gaps Between Data, AI[46:04] Smarter Decisions Through Better Data[50:18] LLMs as Human-Machine Interfaces[53:40] Why Summarization Still Falls Short[01:01:15] Smarter Chunking, Fixing Text Issues[01:09:08] Evaluating AI with Canary Pipelines[01:11:46] Finding Use Cases That Matter[01:17:38] Cutting Costs, Keeping AI Quality[01:25:15] Aligning MLOps to Business Outcomes[01:29:44] Communities Thrive on Cross-Pollination[01:34:56] Evaluation Tools Quietly Consolidating

Indian drone startup Raphe mPhibr has raised $100 million in an all-equity Series B round led by General Catalyst, as the startup aims to boost its R&D and local production capabilities amid growing demand for drones in battlefields and for border surveillance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First up…Appcast, the leading recruitment marketing platform powered by programmatic, today announced the launch of Appcast Brand Ads, the recruiting industry's first brand marketing solution that tracks to the hire. This innovative solution enables employers to engage people on social channels where they spend vast amounts of time. By bringing Appcast's programmatic technology to social media channels, Appcast Brand Ads allows employers to scale and optimize recruitment campaigns while tracking performance from impression to hire.  https://hrtechfeed.com/new-hr-tech-from-appcast/ Jobright, an AI-native job search platform, announced the launch of Jobright Agent, the ‘first-of-its-kind' AI career agent designed to automate the entire job application process for job seekers. This tool promises to cut job search time by a remarkable 80% and double interview rates, fundamentally changing how professionals find their next career opportunity. https://hrtechfeed.com/indeed-venture-arm-invests-in-ai-career-agent-technology/ CHICAGO– CareerBuilder + Monster (the “Company”) today announced that it has initiated a court-supervised sale process to maximize value, preserve jobs and seamlessly transition ownership of its businesses. https://hrtechfeed.com/careerbuilder-monster-assets-to-be-sold-to-jobget/ Metaview just announced they recently secured $35 million in Series B funding led by Google Ventures, bringing their total funding to $50 million. https://hrtechfeed.com/interview-intelligence-tool-metaview-lands-35m/

Novoloop recently raised a $21 million Series B to begin building its first commercial scale plastic upcycling plant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Supio, an AI-driven platform developed specifically for personal injury lawyers, has been generating a lot of buzz. On the heels of reporting record growth last year and raising $25 million in Series A funding in October, last month it raised another $60 million in a Series B round. But what do the lawyers who use the platform think of it? On today's LawNext, we hear from one of those lawyers, as well as from the company's cofounder and CEO. Our guests today are:   Tyler Schneider, managing partner of the personal injury law firm TorHoerman Law. Schneider was an early adopter of Supio. He and his firm used it to help obtain a $495 million verdict against Abbott Labs in a case involving allegations that cow's milk-based infant formula caused intestinal inflammation in premature babies. Jerry Zhou, the CEO of Supio who cofounded it in 2021 together with his childhood friend and coworker Kyle Lam after having held product management and engineering roles at Microsoft and Avalara.    In their conversation with host Bob Ambrogi, Zhou and Schneider talk about the development of Supio, its real-world impact on plaintiffs' lawyers, and their wish lists for further development of the product. They also share their thoughts on how AI is likely to reshape PI practice more broadly.    Thank You To Our Sponsors This episode of LawNext is generously made possible by our sponsors. We appreciate their support and hope you will check them out. Paradigm, home to the practice management platforms PracticePanther, Bill4Time, MerusCase and LollyLaw; the e-payments platform Headnote; and the legal accounting software TrustBooks. Briefpoint, eliminating routine discovery response and request drafting tasks so you can focus on drafting what matters (or just make it home for dinner). SpeakWrite: Save time with fast, human-powered legal transcription—so you can focus on your practice   If you enjoy listening to LawNext, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.  

In this special Riding Unicorns episode, recorded live during London Tech Week and hosted at Cooley's London HQ, we bring you two candid conversations from the frontline of startup building.

Malte Kosub, Gründer und CEO von Parloa, erklärt dir, wie sein Unternehmen eine 66-Millionen-Dollar-Series-B erfolgreich abgeschlossen hat. Malte teilt, warum Financial Performance, eine klare Produktvision und die Entscheidung, früh auf Generative AI zu setzen, entscheidend waren. Außerdem spricht er über die Bedeutung eines Ideal Investor Profiles, um die richtigen Partner zu finden, und wie man Fundraising effizient vorbereitet. Was du lernst: Warum klare Financial Performance und Produktvision entscheidend für Fundraising sind Wie ein Ideal Investor Profile hilft, die passenden Investoren zu identifizieren Tipps zur effizienten Vorbereitung und Durchführung einer Finanzierungsrunde ALLES ZU UNICORN BAKERY: https://zez.am/unicornbakery  Mehr zu Malte: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maltekosub/  Website: https://www.parloa.com/de/  Join our Founder Tactics Newsletter: 2x die Woche bekommst du die Taktiken der besten Gründer der Welt direkt ins Postfach: https://www.tactics.unicornbakery.de/ 

After a huge year of growth, Abacum just raised a $60M Series B. In this episode, Co-founder and COO Jorge Lluch joins Alex to discuss how they did it, including: tripling revenue without growing headcount, staying laser-focused on efficiency, and delivering a great product. They discuss: - Abacum's early stages, including the decision to take time and invest heavily in the product early on. - How Jorge's frustrations as a CFO helped shape the Abacum platform. - How they stayed disciplined to balance fast growth and efficiency. - The pillars behind Abacum's GTM motion. - Growing a global company and expanding from Europe into the US. - Life as a co-founder and the true meaning of success. Guest links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgelluch/ Website: https://www.abacum.ai/       Check out the other ways SaaStock is helping SaaS founders move their business forward: 

This episode is sponsored in part by Dalia—Talent teams are sitting on a powerful asset: candidate and lead data in their CRM. But knowing how—and when—to convert those leads into applicants and hires? That's the hard part. That's why Dalia is offering a free CRM Audit to help you unlock more value from the systems you've already invested in.…. Go to dalia.co/rectechcrm to get your free CRM audit today 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 Alright rec techies…..here's what's happening this week.  First up…WorkWhile, an AI-powered labor platform that matches businesses with reliable hourly workers, today announced that it has raised $23 million in Series B funding amid strong growth. https://hrtechfeed.com/flexible-work-matching-platform-lands-23m/ HR Tech today shared details of this year's Investor Experience and Pitchfest competition, which will take place throughout the event this September 16 – 18 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. https://hrtechfeed.com/hr-tech-conference-pitchfest-is-back-for-2025/ LAS VEGAS — Workerbee, the agent-powered platform transforming enterprise hiring, today announced a strategic investment to accelerate growth, expand its trusted specialist community, and advance its AI-driven product infrastructure. The dollar amount was not listed.  https://hrtechfeed.com/workerbee-secures-strategic-investment-to-accelerate-agentic-ai-infrastructure-for-trusted-hiring/ JobSync, the leading recruitment marketing optimization platform, today announced the appointment of Blair Stock as its new Vice President of Client Strategy & Growth, effective this week. Stock will be instrumental in strengthening sales and client engagement while helping shape the company's overall revenue strategy and execution.  https://hrtechfeed.com/jobsync-adds-industry-sales-executive/ According to the Q3 2025 ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, the global Net Employment Outlook (NEO) stands at +24%. down just one point from last quarter and up two points year-over-year. https://recruitingheadlines.com/report-steady-hiring-plans-ahead-for-q3/

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

In this episode of Building the Base, Hondo Geurts and Lauren Bedula reconnect with Cameron McCord, Co-Founder and CEO of Nominal, two years after his first appearance on the show (linked here). Drawing from his unique journey from submarine officer (484 days underwater) to defense tech entrepreneur, McCord discusses building software to accelerate testing and validation of mission-critical systems. He shares insights from his time at Anduril, Applied Intuition, and Saildrone, and how these experiences shaped Nominal's approach to modernizing test and evaluation processes. The episode concludes with exciting news that Nominal recently announced a $75 million Series B led by Sequoia Capital and co-led by Lightspeed Venture Partners.Five key takeaways from today's episode:Entrepreneurial success, according to McCord, requires falling in love with the process itself rather than just the initial idea, as markets, technology, and competition will force constant adaptation and iteration throughout the journey.Testing and validation software in defense hasn't been meaningfully innovated in decades, McCord explains, creating massive opportunities to modernize from "2002 to 2019" standards using basic automation and data practices before advancing to AI capabilities.The most valuable customer conversations, McCord notes, evolve from incremental efficiency gains at the engineer level to strategic business impact discussions about reducing 24-month test campaigns to 18-20 months for major defense programs.Rather than leading with confidence, McCord advises asking genuine questions to allow customers to reveal what's truly valuable to them, while learning when to say "not right now" instead of forcing poor fits often leads to higher revisit rates.Cross-functional experience across military service, government, startups, and venture capital has provided McCord with invaluable perspective for navigating complex stakeholder environments and understanding what success looks like from multiple viewpoints.

Spanish startup Multiverse Computing announced that it raised an enormous Series B round on the strength of a technology it calls “CompactifAI.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The company, based in the U.K., offers a productivity suite to streamline the legal drafting and review process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dawn Aerospace of New Zealand signs an agreement with Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority. Sierra Space launches a new business unit. Muon Space completes Series B. And, more.  Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Ryan Melton, CEO of OpenC3, Inc. You can connect with Ryan on LinkedIn, and learn more about OpenC3 on their website. Selected Reading Dawn Aerospace Partners with Oklahoma Spaceport to Launch U.S. Based Spaceplane, Unlocking Daily Access to Space (Dawn Aerospace)  We have spoken with Craig Smith and Stefan Powell  Announcing Sierra Space Defense (BusinessWire) Muon Space Completes $146 Million Series B to Scale Satellite Constellations for Defense and Commercial Missions (Muon Space)  Velo3D and Vaya Space Announce $4 Million Strategic Partnership to Leverage Velo3D's Rapid Production Solution (RPS) to Advance Additive Manufacturing for Space Propulsion (PR Newswire) Astrobotic's CubeRover is Flight-Ready for Lunar Mission (Astrobiotic) NASA, Axiom Space Delay Axiom Mission 4 Launch to Space Station (NASA)  $15M boost: NewSpace Center to create 1,000 jobs in NM (Albuquerque Business First) NASA Space Missions At Risk Under Trump Budget Plan (Bloomberg) T-Minus Crew Survey Complete our annual audience survey before August 31. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

Keshia Theobald-van Gent, Vice President of BDev Ventures, joins EisnerAmper's TechTalk host Fritz Spencer to explore the strategic role of venture capital in shaping the future of startups. Her investment firm, BDev Ventures, focuses on fast-growing B2B software companies in the U.S. and LATAM, from Seed to Series B. In this episode, discover how the firm drives success beyond capital injection by using its proprietary lead-generation platform, WinDifferent, and providing hands-on mentorship. Tune in to learn about how BDev Ventures is committed to delivering unparalleled value to founders in a systematic way.

Is it true that founders should still own 50% of a company after a Series A fundraising round? Is 10% ownership at IPO a win or a loss? This episode delves into the topic of dilution, breaking down how much of your company you should sell at each stage, how to approach employee and advisor equity, and what employees should know about equity before taking a job. To answer these questions is Peter Walker, Head of Insights at Carta, and someone with a strong read on where the private tech market is headed. He and CJ also discuss when the best time to join a startup is and which cities outside of New York and San Francisco are desirable for people in this space. Peter shares insight into the state of the markets in 2025: What is happening with bridge rounds and down rounds, the odds of making it from seed to Series A, and the most telling statistic: AI funding.—LINKS:Peter Walker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterjameswalker/Carta: https://carta.com/Carta's Founder Ownership Report 2025: https://carta.com/data/founder-ownership/Carta's published data reports: carta.com/dataCJ on X (@cjgustafson222): https://x.com/cjgustafson222Mostly metrics: http://mostlymetrics.com—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:33) Sponsor – Pulley | Tropic | NetSuite(07:17) Head of Insights at Carta(09:32) The Users of Carta(12:20) Multiplayer Finance and Serving Both Sides(16:24) Sponsor – Planful | Tabs | Rippling Spend(20:15) Dilution: How Much Ownership You Should Give Up at Each Stage(23:02) What SAFEs Are(24:31) The Median Amount of Ownership for a Founding Team After the Series A(26:21) Should You Still Own 50% of the Company After Series A(27:18) Is 10% Ownership for a Founder at IPO Normal?(30:41) The Other Form of Dilution: Employee Equity Grants(34:25) What Employees Should Know About Equity Before Taking a Job(37:51) Why Equity Is Not Money(38:54) ISOs Versus RSUs(40:43) The Best and Worst Risk-Adjusted Time To Join a Startup(44:48) Remuneration by Location in Private Tech(47:39) Equity Comp by Location(48:43) Advisor Equity by Stage(51:28) Bridge Rounds Versus Down Rounds in the Last 6–12 Months(55:36) Survival Rates From Seed to Series A to Series B(57:36) The Best Time of Year To Fundraise(59:05) The Typical Age of a Startup When It's Acquired or It Exits(01:03:19) The State of the Market in 2025: AI Funding(01:06:18) Wrap—SPONSORS:Pulley is the cap table management platform built for CFOs and finance leaders who need reliable, audit-ready data and intuitive workflows, without the hidden fees or unreliable support. Switch in as little as 5 days and get 25% off your first year: pulley.com/mostlymetrics.Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. Take control of your spend with intelligent spend management at tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics.NetSuite is an AI-powered business management suite, encompassing ERP/Financials, CRM, and ecommerce for more than 41,000 customers. If you're looking for an ERP, head to https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful's financial planning software can transform your FP&A function. Built for speed, accuracy, and confidence, you'll be planning your way to success and have time left over to actually put it to work. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Tabs is a platform that brings all of your revenue-facing data and workflows - billing, AR, payments, rev rec, and reporting - onto a single system so you can automate and be more flexible. Find out more at: tabs.inc/metrics.Rippling Spend is a spend management software that gives you complete visibility and automated policy controls across every type of spend, saving you time and money. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.#dilution #equity #stateofthemarket #privatetech #carta Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

On today's Good Morning Hospitality, we open with a major development out of Miami: Roami, formerly Sextant Stays, is restructuring —but not because they're shutting down. Brandreth Canaley breaks the story down for us. Then, we explore Vrbo's growing global integration with Expedia Group. A new update that could significantly impact how inventory is distributed across Expedia's brands and what that means for visibility, booking volume, and host control. Next, Hyatt unveils Unscripted by Hyatt, a fresh lifestyle brand aimed at younger travelers looking for flexible design, local culture, and lower price points. We discuss whether this is a direct response to alternative accommodations or simply a smart brand extension. Finally, we dive into Wander's newly announced $50 million Series B round. What does this raise signal about investor confidence in branded STR platforms? And can Wander continue to scale without falling into the same traps as asset-heavy operators? ---- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Good Morning Hospitality⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is part of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hospitality.FM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Multi-Media Network and is a Hospitality.FM Original The hospitality industry is constantly growing, changing, and innovating! This podcast brings you the top news and topics from industry experts across different hospitality fields. Good Morning Hospitality publishes three thirty-minute weekly episodes: every Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST and every Tuesday at 8 a.m. CET for our European and UK-focused content. Make sure to tune in during our live show on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ every week and join the conversation live! Explore everything Good Morning Hospitality has to offer: • Well & Good Morning Coffee: Enjoy our signature roast—⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠order here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Retreats: Join us at one of our exclusive retreats—learn more and register your interest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Episodes & More: Find all episodes and additional info at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GoodMorningHospitality.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible. If you have any press you want to be covered during the show, email us at goodmorning@hospitality.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when customer journeys fall apart behind the scenes, even as AI promises to tie them together? That's the question at the heart of this conversation with Jochem van der Veer, CEO and Co-Founder of TheyDo. Fresh off a $30 million Series B round, Jochem joins me to unpack what's really happening inside enterprise organisations that are trying to personalise experiences at scale. He's not speaking in theory. TheyDo is already helping companies like Ford, Atlassian, Cisco, and Home Depot shift how they approach customer experience. But instead of chasing the latest automation trend, Jochem urges something far more grounded: a return to clarity. His team's journey-centric model is designed to bring strategic alignment across departments that are often flying blind, each chasing their own targets without shared context. We talk about the growing gap between data collection and meaningful insight. While leaders are promised efficiency from AI, many find themselves with more dashboards and fewer answers. In fact, 28 percent say AI is actually worsening the problem by adding to the noise. That's the paradox. Jochem shares how journey management can break through these barriers and get teams back on track by focusing on what customers are trying to achieve rather than just what departments are measuring. You'll hear why so many personalisation efforts are falling flat, despite all the data, and how a few structural shifts could change that. Jochem also reflects on what the hidden costs of a disconnected experience look like and how businesses can spot trouble before it becomes visible in churn or lost revenue. This episode is for anyone frustrated by the growing complexity of customer experience. If you're stuck between data overload and underwhelming results, you'll find plenty of perspective here. And if you've ever wondered whether AI is helping or just making your job harder, this conversation might help you reframe the question. To learn more about TheyDo, visit theydo.com or connect with Jochem on LinkedIn.

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm is joined by Jeremy Uzan, co-founder and GP at Singular, for a look at how a “plain vanilla” approach to venture—driven by deep founder focus and relentless performance orientation — can be a powerful advantage. Together, they unpack the mechanics behind Singular's model, how the team stays agile without a rigid thesis, and what it means to create an empowering internal culture. Singular is an early-stage venture capital firm born in Europe, committed to empowering European founders with global ambitions across all sectors, from Seed to Series B, with a strong focus on Series A companies.Jeremy also shares his evolving views on European talent, the rise of Paris as a startup epicenter, and why he believes we're only just beginning to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of Europe's scientific minds.Here's what's covered:02:00 – Should Generalist VCs Still Exist in Europe?07:10 – Fundraising Like a Founder: How LPs Backed Fund I and II14:00 – Why Generalist Isn't a Weakness—It's Strategic16:25 – Diversification vs. Focus: Squaring LP Needs with Performance21:15 – Temporary Specialists: Sprinting Deep Into Sectors24:20 – From Zero to One on Markets: Learning via Founders27:15 – European Talent Post-COVID: What's Changed30:00 – Paris Joins the Core of the European Ecosystem35:15 – The Rise of Science Entrepreneurs in Europe39:00 – Why Bio is the Next Big Tech Frontier

Jacob and Logan sit down with Max Junestrand, founder and CEO of Legora - a rapidly growing legal AI platform (and Redpoint portfolio company). After announcing their Series B last week, Max joined the show to discuss why law is uniquely suited for AI, what it takes to scale an enterprise-ready product across global markets, and a few crazy moments from Legora's journey so far. They dig into product strategy, lessons on evolving alongside foundational models, and how AI is reshaping the future of law firms. Whether you're building in AI or just curious how it's being applied in complex industries, this one's packed with practical insights. (0:00) Intro(1:30) The Evolution of AI in Law(2:43) AI's Impact on Legal Processes(8:28) Advantages Over Other Players in the AI Law Space(12:19) Challenges in Educating Users(17:28) The Hardest Part of Building Legora(18:46) Pricing Models and Cost Management(25:42) YC Experience and Commercial Focus(28:11) Being Patient When Releasing Products(30:58) Maintaining a Fast-Paced Work Culture(33:24) Rapid Growth and Market Penetration(36:59) Quickfire With your co-hosts: @jacobeffron - Partner at Redpoint, Former PM Flatiron Health @patrickachase - Partner at Redpoint, Former ML Engineer LinkedIn @ericabrescia - Former COO Github, Founder Bitnami (acq'd by VMWare) @jordan_segall - Partner at Redpoint

Celine Halioua is the founder and CEO of Loyal, a biotech company developing FDA-approved drugs to extend the healthy lifespan of dogs. In this follow-up episode, Celine discusses Loyal's latest milestones, now with three longevity drugs in development and $150M in funding. This conversation covers the rationale behind building a multi-product biotech company, how she raised a Series B during a brutal fundraising climate, and Celine's insight into building a mission-driven company culture.Where to find She Leads:Apple PodcastsWebsiteSpotifyYouTubeInstagramX (Twitter)Where to find Carly:LinkedInX (Twitter)Where to find Celine:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/celinehh/Referenced:Accel: accel.comLoyal: loyal.com/Moderna: modernatx.comSoftBank: softbank.jp/enTimestamps:(2:39) Loyal's stakeholders(6:28) Going multiproduct(10:02) How the biotech industry gets funding(18:30) Lessons from raising money(20:28) Why constraints are useful(25:34) How raising money affects you mentally(29:16) Radical transparency(33:22) The academic-founder paradox(35:50) A small fish in a big pond(43:33) Finding low-ego team members(46:08) What does success look like?

Matt Loszak is CEO and co-founder of Aalo Atomics, a startup designing 50-megawatt nuclear power plants made of pods of five 10-megawatt reactors each, targeting the data center market. Inspired by the MARVEL test reactor that his CTO Yasir Arafat led at Idaho National Lab, Aalo pursues parallel DOE and NRC pathways, betting that factory-built, pad-ready nuclear plants can slash cost, schedule, and grid-interconnection delays. Now 45 teammates strong and raising a Series B, Aalo aims to break ground on its first plant within 12 months and go critical the year after, powering the AI era with compact, clean, always-on fission.In this episode, we cover: [02:31] From SaaS to fission: Matt's founder journey[07:08] Yasir's path and the Marvel reactor at INL[08:56] How national labs help launch commercial nuclear[12:12] Aalo's dual regulatory path: DOE + NRC[13:45] Why Aalo is building reactors for data centers[17:19] Designing for mass manufacturing, not megaprojects[21:50] Security differences across nuclear facility types[25:03] Fuel and enrichment: what Aalo had to consider[28:02] Switching to LEU+ for supply chain resilience[31:04] Comparing XMRs, SMRs, and micro‑reactors[33:25] Inside the Aalo Pod: 5 x 10MW modules with built-in redundancy[37:15] Regulatory updates on NRC civilian licensing[38:43] Nuclear + AI: mutually transformative technologies[41:35] Hiring at Aalo: who they need nextEpisode recorded on April 23, 2025 (Published on May 19, 2025) Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Cyclic Materials is a Canadian cleantech company, founded in 2021, specializing in the recycling of rare earth elements (REEs) from end-of-life products such as electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, and electronic waste. Their proprietary technologies, MagCycle℠ and REEPure℠, enable the efficient recovery and purification of critical materials, contributing to a circular economy and reducing reliance on traditional mining. In 2024, the company launched its first commercial demonstration facility in Kingston, Ontario, and announced plans to invest over $20 million in a U.S. facility in Mesa, Arizona.Cyclic Materials has secured significant funding, including a $53 million Series B round with investors like BMW i Ventures and Microsoft's Climate Innovation Fund, to support its global expansion and the development of sustainable supply chains for critical materials.–Ahmad Ghahreman is a serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in cleantech, and one of the top hydrometallurgists in the world. He has co-invented more than 20 patents and commercialized over five technologies, focusing on transforming the rare earth elements market with sustainable, ethical solutions. In addition to his work at Cyclic, Ahmad is an early co-inventor of Jetti Resources' copper extraction technology (valued at $2.5B), and the co-designer of Li-Cycle's lithium-ion battery recycling technology (NYSE: LICY valued at over $1B). Formerly a professor at Queen's University, Ontario, Canada, he built the largest and most-funded metals extraction team in North America with over 20 graduate students. With a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering, he is a leading hydrometallurgist researcher with over 3,000 citations.--

Zeno Power, a nuclear battery startup, has just raised $50 million in a Series B funding round to bring its nuclear battery to market. The startup has secured more than $60 million in contracts from the Pentagon and NASA to develop these batteries for maritime and space applications. Co-founder & CEO Tyler Bernstein joins Morgan Brennan to discuss delivering nuclear energy to remote locations.