How successful exits help fuel the startup ecosystem
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.
2025 will be a pivotal year for startups and tax policy, and one instrumental program that has been crucial to the success of the company I co-founded, Event Vesta Inc, is at risk of sunsetting.
Data is a fundamental resource that powers all AI systems. There are different types of data that are utilized for different functions in AI development, and varying sources of that data.
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.
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.
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.
Your privacy is important to us. To better protect your privacy we provide this notice explaining our online information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used.
