Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures Building a Scalable Startup and Navigating the Exit Process with Nejeed Kassam of Keela
In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen sits down with Nejeed Kassam, a serial founder, investor, and advocate for positive change. With a journey that spans from launching his first business as a teenager to scaling and selling Keela, a CRM for nonprofits, Nejeed’s experience offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs, especially those navigating the challenges of building tech-driven impact companies.
Nejeed shares his entrepreneurial beginnings, the lessons he learned growing Keela, and the challenges he faced when taking on external funding. He also discusses his new venture, Rewire Digital Therapeutics, an AI-powered mental health company using gamification to help users manage depression and anxiety.
From scaling Keela to navigating a successful exit, Nejeed dives into his journey and the key principles he follows in his entrepreneurial endeavors. Whether you’re interested in nonprofit tech, mental health, or financial literacy, Nejeed’s story provides inspiration and practical wisdom.
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Nejeed’s Early Entrepreneurial Beginnings (08:12)
* Starting a business at 14 with his brothers in Vancouver
* Learning from early failures and the importance of sales in business
Scaling Keela and the Path to Acquisition (15:17)
* The journey from building Keela as a side hustle to scaling it into a successful company
* The decision-making process behind bringing in external capital and navigating an exit
* Insights on the acquisition process and private equity rollups
Rewire Digital Therapeutics: Tackling Mental Health with AI (25:34)
* How Nejeed’s personal experiences with mental health drove him to create Rewire
* Leveraging AI and gamification to address mental health issues like depression and anxiety
* The future of digital therapeutics and its potential to impact millions
Financial Literacy: Teaching Kids Money Management (35:11)
* How Nejeed teaches his kids about financial literacy
* Building the financial literacy platform, Snowball 72, and its impact on Gen Z and Gen Alpha
* The importance of creating safe, accessible financial learning environments
Nejeed’s Lessons on Building Impactful Businesses (45:23)
* The importance of staying committed to solving meaningful problems
* Building businesses that balance profit with positive societal impact
* The role of resilience and discomfort in entrepreneurship
About Nejeed Kassam
Nejeed Kassam is a serial entrepreneur, author, and advocate for positive change. He co-founded Keela, a CRM for nonprofits, which he successfully scaled and sold in 2024. He is now co-founder of Rewire Digital Therapeutics, a company focused on using AI and gamification to help people manage mental health issues like depression and anxiety. In addition to his work in tech, Nejeed is passionate about financial literacy and has launched Snowball 72, a platform aimed at teaching the next generation about money management. Nejeed’s entrepreneurial spirit is driven by his desire to solve real-world problems and make a meaningful impact on society.
Connect with Nejeed Kassam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nejeed/
Visit the Keela website: https://www.keela.co/
Visit the Rewire Digital Therapeutics website: https://rewiredigitaltherapeutics.com/
Connect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1
Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/
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