Dare to Disrupt

Sean Griffey and Ryan Willumson are the co-founders of Industry Dive, a digital media company delivering business news and original analysis through targeted newsletters. Covering sectors like healthcare, energy, transportation, retail, and more, Industry Dive serves over 14 million North American users and partners with major clients including Amazon, Salesforce, Uber, IBM, and American Express. The company is known for producing some of the most respected journalism in the business world. In this episode, Sean and Ryan discuss how they met while working at FierceMarkets, a B2B e-media startup, and what inspired them to launch Industry Dive. They share how they bootstrapped the company, built a loyal audience, and grew the business to $100 million in revenue before its acquisition by Informa in September 2022.

Dare to Disrupt LIVE: Innovating the Future of EV Infrastructure brought together three Penn State alumni at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the industry's future. This live episode features an engaging discussion with Benjamin Birnbaum (Keyframe, Terawatt), Zander Isaacson (Xeal), and Diallo Powell (Stak Mobility) as they share insights on EV infrastructure, charging technology, and the role of innovation in accelerating adoption. Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, or EV enthusiast, this conversation offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from industry leaders driving the future of electric transportation. Benjamin Birnbaum is co-founder and partner at Keyframe, a New York City-based investment firm focused on the energy transition’s impact on industry. Prior to Keyframe, he founded Terawatt, an infrastructure developer, owner, and operator for large-scale EV charging. Terawatt has raised over $1 billion and provides fleet charging for companies like Pepsi and Waymo. Ben is a graduate of the Penn State Smeal College of Business. Diallo Powell is co-founder and CEO of Stak Mobility, which addresses urban mobility challenges with an automated vertical carousel system for vehicle storage and EV charging—combining smart software with space-saving infrastructure. Diallo graduated from the Penn State College of the Liberal Arts. Zander Isaacson is co-founder and CEO of Xeal, a technology-first EV charging company at the intersection of proptech, energy, and the Internet of Things. Xeal partners with more than 70 of the largest real estate companies nationwide. Zander, a Penn State Smeal College of Business graduate, is also our first-ever repeat guest on Dare to Disrupt. Together, Ben, Diallo, and Zander discuss the broader trends and challenges shaping the EV landscape, how their companies are uniquely tackling these issues, strategies for scaling and financing capital-intensive projects, and their predictions for the future of the industry. Episode Chapters 0:00 - 7:09 The EV industry landscape at large, building infrastructure 7:09 - 16:35 Fleet vs. consumer charging, offline charging, and urban charging 16:35 - 27:10 Scaling capital-intensive companies 27:10 - 36:38 The future of the EV industry 36:38 - 45:19 Advice for entrepreneurs entering this industry 45:19 - 50:33 Audience questions Dare to Disrupt is made possible by the generous support of the Penn State Smeal College of Business.

Birgitt Boschitsch is the co-founder and CEO of spotLESS Materials, an advanced materials company and Penn State spinoff commercializing highly repellent anti-fouling coatings.  In this episode, Birgitt shares how her passion for helping others through research led to her co-founding spotLESS Materials. She discusses her formative experiences, academic challenges, and the pivotal moments that shaped her career path, including her time at Princeton and her decision to pursue graduate studies at Penn State.  She discusses the original inspiration behind the idea for a toilet coating that repels sticky waste, as well as the challenges of transitioning from lab work to startup life. She shares the importance of community support and the impact of media exposure on sales.

Sisters Cory Varona-Corniel and Nicol Varona Cancelmo are the cofounders of OCOA, providing clean, natural, curly haircare products. In this episode, Nicol and Cory share their inspiring journey from the Dominican Republic to the United States. They detail how they were able to overcome language barriers, build a community at Penn State Berks, and launch into each of their professional careers. They discuss their close bond as sisters, the influence of their family, and how their family roots in the Dominican Republic inspired not only the name but also the ingredients and mission behind OCOA.

Paul Suhey is the Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of Revel, where he drives the company’s mission to accelerate electric vehicle adoption in U.S. cities by focusing on fast-charging infrastructure. In this episode, Paul shares Revel's journey from its beginnings as an urban electric moped sharing startup to a company focused on building the EV charging infrastructure for the largest cities across the US.  At the end of the episode, current Penn State student Michael Slesarevich joins the conversation. Michael is a first-year mechanical engineering student and the founder of Shade Shift, an electrically controlled variable tint film for vehicles. He recently participated in the Happy Valley LaunchBox powered by PNC Bank Idea TestLab, and is a member of the Penn State Car Club. Michael and Paul discuss overcoming the challenge of securing that first investment, as well as how Revel views would-be competitors as potential future customers.

Gary Brandeis is the CEO and Co-Founder of Scholar Hotels, a hotel ownership and management group with a focus on properties close to major college and university campuses. Gary acquired his first hotel in 2006 and has since been directly involved in the hospitality business as an investor, developer, and manager. Scholar Hotels made its State College debut in March 2017, when it opened the 165-room Hyatt Place State College. Since then, the group has expanded its State College properties to include the Scholar Hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott, the Residence Inn by Marriott, The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center, and, of course, The Nittany Lion Inn. Gary graduated from the Penn State Smeal College of Business with a degree in accounting.  In this live episode recorded in the 1855 Lounge at The Nittany Lion Inn, Gary shares how his background in accounting prepared him for the real estate industry, the details of the Inn's renovation, as well as how he thinks about and manages risk.

Mario Ciabarra is the CEO and founder of Quantum Metric, a customer-centered digital analytics platform for today's leading enterprise organizations. Since its founding in 2015, Quantum Metric's approach to in-depth customer understanding has seen rapid adoption from Fortune 500 companies. The world's largest airline, telco, retailer, healthcare, bank, and more have adopted the Quantum Metric platform. In this episode, Mario shares valuable lessons on integrity and communication learned during his college years. He discusses launching and exiting his first startup in just 11 months, a success that allowed him to briefly retire and travel the world. Mario also explains how Quantum Metric enhances visibility into customer friction points for major industry leaders and how the company integrates generative AI into its solutions. Finally, he reflects on how he approaches building his legacy.

Deep is the co-founder and CEO of Enact Systems, a leading software platform revolutionizing the solar and energy storage industry. Deep co-founded Enact in 2014, driven by the vision of creating a scalable and impactful solar solution. Deep has led Enact through exponential growth, nearly quadrupling its staff and expanding its reach to over 35 countries. In this episode, Deep discusses his journey in building a North American subsidiary of CentroSolar, a German solar company, from the ground up. He also explains how Enact serves diverse customer segments by providing innovative software solutions that streamline the solar implementation process. Additionally, Deep shares his predictions for the future of alternative energy sources and how Enact plans to adapt to industry shifts and trends.

Peter Cocoziello, the ambitious Chairman and CEO of Advance Realty Investors, shares his remarkable journey from a small coal town to real estate success. He started his firm with just $5,000 and transformed various Northeast markets. Peter dives into the intersection of real estate and technology, highlighting innovative projects like the Penn State Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation. He discusses strategic partnerships, the shift towards asset-light strategies, and the importance of sustainability in the ever-evolving real estate landscape.

Jason Warner, co-founder and CEO of Poolside and former GitHub CTO, shares his insights on the evolving landscape of AI in software development. He discusses the unique challenges faced by generative AI startups and emphasizes the need for robust infrastructure. Stephen Lesko, a Penn State computer science student and co-founder of OfferPilot, adds his perspective on user acquisition in the tech sector. Together, they explore how AI is reshaping coding, making it more accessible, while also addressing societal challenges it presents.