From her lived experience, Gloria Folaron identified a significant gap in support for neurodivergent individuals in the workplace, particularly in project management. She co-founded Leantime, where she is developing accessible work management solutions that promote motivation, connection, and engagement for all employees. We sat down with her to discuss open-source models, navigating the grant system, and more.

Executive coaching should be accessible to anyone who is interested, but oftentimes scaling the education is not practical. With her company Zella Life, co-founder Remy Meraz is democratizing professional development using AI. We sat down with her to discuss AI, independent contractors, and more. 

After working in the financial sector for over 20 years, Mical Jeanlys-White founded her own company, WealthMore, a wealth tech with a focus on tackling a key financial barrier—wealth building and management. Her company leverages technology to connect everyday Americans with accessible wealth management services, aiming to provide wealth creation for all. We sat down with her to discuss her journey in raising capital, navigating tax policy, the evolving role of AI, and more.

Vance Reavie is no stranger to entrepreneurship. Using his knowledge from previous ventures, he created an AI platform that intelligently automates manual marketing and merchandising workflows and content generation processes for brands and retailers. We sat down with Vance to discuss the startup ecosystem in Arkansas, AI policy and regulation, grant opportunities, and more. 

Founded in 2017, 60Hertz set out to tackle critical challenges in maintaining microgrids and renewable energy systems, particularly in remote regions like Alaska. Now active in eight countries, the company provides advanced maintenance technology through its SaaS platform. In this blog post, we dive into 60Hertz’s journey, from early capital-raising hurdles to success with government grants, and explore the future goals of this innovative company.

ZenHammer's journey from a contractor-homeowner matchmaking platform to a cutting-edge construction data tracking tool is a story of resilience and innovation. Initially, on the brink of closure, the team pivoted in response to contractors' feedback and has since worked tirelessly to refine their product. We sat down with the founder, Edwin Williams, to discuss their challenges in raising capital and finding talent, as well as their strategic plans for ZenHammer’s upcoming launch, national expansion, and industry impact.

Sensagrate is revolutionizing roadways by providing data on human-driven and autonomous vehicles to enable intelligent decisions and safety on the road. We recently talked with founder and President Darryl Keeton about how the technology works, AI regulation, the essential role of startup accelerators, and more.

Constanza Gomez initially saw her interest in textile waste as just a hobby. However, that changed when she co-founded Sortile, a technology platform designed to identify textile types in order to facilitate recycling. We spoke with her about her passion for textile waste recycling, the difficulty securing public grant money, the role of AI, and the company’s future

With a background in chemical engineering and economics, and a career spanning strategy consulting and tech product management, Maverick’s co-founder embarked on a new journey in 2019. After years in San Francisco’s tech scene, he and his co-founder launched Maverick, an AI-driven platform that creates personalized video content for e-commerce brands. In this blog post, we delve into how Maverick operates, its place in the AI ecosystem, and the impact of current policies and startup issues on its future.

Hire Henry is leading the charge in revolutionizing industrial operations with cutting-edge autonomous software and robotics. The company’s flagship product, a robotic lawn mower designed for industrial application including airports, city parks, and military bases, seeks to transform the relationship between industry and robotics. We heard from co-founder and CEO George Holmes, PhD about the role of AI and automation in new technology, the importance of government funding programs for startups, and the future of Hire Henry.

Terrament's journey began with a commitment to enhancing sustainable energy solutions and a desire to overcome the limitations of traditional energy storage methods. By leveraging shaft-digging technology from the mining industry, Terrament developed an innovative approach to replicate the energy storage capabilities of pumped hydro without needing mountains or water. We chatted with Founder Eric Chaves about how policymakers can support startups in the energy and climate space, the importance of government grant programs, and his vision for the future. 

The video game industry is concentrated in a handful of locations, leaving incredible talent in underserved areas frequently overlooked. Ben Kvalo started Midwest Games to change that narrative, supporting underrepresented game developers because increasing diversity in game development leads to better products and bigger markets. Ben recently joined us to talk about Midwest Games, the challenges of raising capital in the Midwest, the importance of small developers in maintaining a healthy video game ecosystem, and the potential benefits of AI for the industry.

Consumer weather models are too coarse for farms and conservancies that are large enough to occupy their own microclimates. Dr. Carlos Gaitan started Benchmark Labs to solve this problem, leveraging artificial intelligence to create custom weather models for farmers and conservators—helping them increase their crop yield and better manage their land. Carlos recently sat down with us to discuss Benchmark Labs, his experience as an immigrant founder, the value of government funding for startups, and how policymakers should approach AI policy. 

David Knight is a seasoned veteran of the startup world and has seen multiple companies through to success. He started Terbine to disrupt the electric vehicle charging space, and we spoke with him about the best startup ecosystems to live in, what it means to startups to have government support, and how policymakers can support STEM education. 

José Padilla has an established track record of providing efficient, low-cost legal services. With LegalMente AI, he’s able to provide that same quality of work to those in need, including early-stage startups. We sat down with him to talk about what policymakers need to know about the uses of AI, how to keep the U.S. innovation ecosystem the most competitive globally, and his motivation to provide the most efficient work possible. 

After overcoming childhood shyness in the warmth of his local Caribbean-owned barbershop, Royon Jeffrey knows the power of the beauty industry firsthand. He set out to create ListedB, an online marketplace for beauty industry professionals. We spoke to him about the financial opportunity within the industry, navigating capital access and investors, and his desire to empower small businesses owners.

MegaMinds was created out of a need to make learning more creative, fun, and hands-on for students. In our conversation with Co-Founder and CEO Eric Tao, we learned about the growing popularity of immersive learning, the tricky regulatory landscape for a product like MegaMinds, and what it’s like for many first-time entrepreneurs to build businesses. 

Titan AI is committed to empower individuals with its wearable AI-enabled badge to enhance overall well-being. We talked to Founder and CEO Isaac Reed about AI and data privacy, hard tech manufacturing, and how serial entrepreneurs learn from previous ventures.

MITO Materials Solutions founding team believes improvements to materials can ultimately improve quality of life. The company is creating additives that improve the durability and toughness of legacy industrial materials, giving manufacturers the ability to make lighter and stronger products. We talked to Co-Founder and CEO Haley Marie Keith about her journey from the university to entrepreneurship pipeline, inequities and challenges facing women founders, and the pros and cons of working with government programs.

Based on past experiences in the workplace, Greg Gasperin created Merify to enable talent managers to equitably identify and reward top performers for valuable work. The platform also serves as a tool for employees to quantify and track their performance data. We spoke with him about the need for trust and accuracy in the workplace, Merify’s extensive use of independent contractors, and a much needed social safety net for startup founders. 

Ellie Gordon is a serial entrepreneur whose passion for improving people’s lives through technology led her to Behaivior. Leveraging AI-based technologies, Behaivior seeks to save lives through the use of wearable technology for crisis aversion. We had the opportunity to have Ellie walk us through her story, aspirations for Behaivior, and the policy landscape she faces.

Tarik McMillan and Tamara Mohammed founded Greater Changes with the goal of making mental health services accessible for people, no matter their background. We spoke with them about the sometimes challenging process of developing a telehealth platform, ‘Change’, their experiences fighting stigma and operating out of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and their goals for 2024.

Davinci Wearables is on a mission to provide personalized health insights and empower active lifestyles for women. We talked to Founder and CEO Christy Fernandez-Cull about actionable health insights, raising capital for a female-focused company, and normalizing women's health.

Bellybaloo is a new way for expecting families to safely access their ultrasound images electronically and share those precious moments with those who matter most. We talked to Founder and CEO Ellen Murphy about the challenges faced by women founders, maternal health, and data privacy when it comes to sensitive health data.

For Margot Lee Schmorak, Hostfully and VC Backed Moms are the results of her years navigating the tech industry as a woman, mother, and mission-driven professional. While Hostfully promises a better property management experience, VC Backed Moms is the ultimate online community for founders in all stages of motherhood. We spoke with her about rental property management, increased STEM education, and the ways in which policymakers can support motherhood in entrepreneurship.

PilotoMail is ushering in a new age for mailroom automation and virtual mailboxes. While she is focused on growing her business and navigating the US Postal System, Founder and CEO Sofia Stolberg is also on a deeply personal mission to strengthen the Puerto Rican ecosystem. We heard from her about challenges and successes in the Puerto Rican startup ecosystem, regulatory changes that impact her company, and her goals for the future. 

MetaBronx is the leading startup accelerator in NYC for underrepresented founders – including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ who are inventing technology-based solutions to large-scale problems. It places youth from underrepresented communities in an innovation environment where they learn all the skills to succeed in the 21st century. We spoke with co-founder Alejandra Molina about the current challenges underrepresented founders face in raising capital, the important role of accelerators and incubators in the startup ecosystem, and how the US can create a welcoming environment for immigrant entrepreneurs. 

Cobble provides an answer to an age-old question posed by many couples and friend groups who desire quality time together, but are overwhelmed with the sheer number of activities out there. We sat down with Founder and CEO Jordan Scott to talk about the inspiration behind the platform and the roles AI and data security play in how Cobble operates.

Retail Aware helps brands, retailers, and their partners measure in-store product displays and shopper behavior data in real time. We talked to Founder and CEO Keith Fix about building a startup in the Midwest outside of a traditional tech hub, data privacy concerns, and the complex difficulties of immigration and visa issues for both startups and their employees.

HAAS Alert connects first responders, towing and recovery fleets, and roadway workers with vehicles and motorists through real-time digital alerts on its Safety Cloud® platform to prevent collisions and enhance road safety for everyone. We talked to Founder and CEO Cory Hohs about interconnected transportation, the technology that fuels it, and the future of roadway safety.