Forward Thinking Founders

In this episode, Mat Sherman sits down with Stéphane Nasser to explore the evolution of OpenVC, a platform bridging the gap between founders and investors. Steph shares his personal journey—from living in Portugal to China—and reflects on the challenges of fundraising and the critical role of founder education and support. Together, they dive into the startup ecosystem, discussing the importance of screening submissions, transferable skills, and the emotional and psychological dimensions of entrepreneurship. They also tackle the reality of startup success, the need to build personal wealth before seeking venture capital, and the often-overlooked nuances of early-stage investing. Finally, the conversation sheds light on the role of fundraising advisors, offering insights into due diligence and caution for founders navigating this space. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in the startup journey and the intricacies of venture funding. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, I interview Pramod Kollamparambil & Evan Einhorn, founders of Loanscape. Loanscape is the modern way to onboard, renew and monitor third party originators. I hope you enjoy this interview! ★ Support this podcast ★

From the HyperGuap website: Aidan built the HyperGuap VC syndicate and fund alongside Gali. Prior to that, Aidan was the Chief of Staff and managed investor relations at eGenesis, a biotech startup that has raised $260M+ to help solve the organ shortage. Before that, Aidan was analyzing investment opportunities for a family office and played a pivotal role in supporting emerging biotech startups through several large financings, IPOs, and drug approvals. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.S. in Neuroscience. ★ Support this podcast ★

 Ryan Pace is the cofounder of Involio.  Involio is the new home for traders across all markets to find and follow verified trades. ★ Support this podcast ★

Christian Oswald is the founder of Rainf4ll. Having a Rainf4ll enabled item means that you can now have physical items that contain a digital certificate of authenticity, ownership, and event history that continues to grow over time. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, host Mat Sherman sits down with Danilo Dominici, the founder of LaundryBud. They discuss how Laundry Bud is revolutionizing the laundry industry by providing on-demand laundry services to time-pressed college students. Danilo shares his vision for the company and the challenges he faces as a solo founder. If you're interested in learning more about Laundry Bud or potentially joining the team, make sure to tune in to this insightful conversation. Don't forget to visit their website [laundrybud.com] and follow them on Instagram @laundrybudinc. ★ Support this podcast ★

Brian Machado is the cofounder of Globe. Globe is running apploed AI experiments for making better tools for better robots.  ★ Support this podcast ★

Peter Costa is the cofounder of Baltu. Their mission is to empower workers in the modern economy by upskilling the worker, and accelerate the development of a skilled workforce. ★ Support this podcast ★

Hunter Bjork is the cofounder of ISA. ISA develops new sources of power that enable users to become energy independent. ★ Support this podcast ★

Alex Shapiro is the cofounder and CEO of CanMonkey. CanMonkey is streamlining waste management for your properties. Through their app-enabled network of CanRunner’s. We ensure trash cans are moved to the curb and back promptly on collection day. ★ Support this podcast ★