upside

Interview starts: 6:05 Debrief starts:m 33:22 Lakshmi Sarah is the co-founder of Tiny World Productions. An educator and journalist, Lakshmi covers the intersection between VR/AR and storytelling, and she recently co-wrote a book titled 'Crafting Stories for Virtual Reality.' Much of Lakshmi's work includes stories on refugees or immigrants, with the intention of creating empathy and shifting prospective for individuals through this medium. Tiny World Productions create their own 360-view experiences as well as help and workshop others' work in immersive technology. Some of their work includes 'Homelessness in San Francisco' and 'The Wait: Inside the Lives of Asylum-Seekers in Germany.' We discuss: - AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (4:43) - Why write a book? (7:14) - When is immersive storytelling useful? (10:01) - Tools and resources for VR/AR storytelling (12:53) - Differences in film vs. immersion experiences (16:36) - The key to storytelling (20:38) - Tiny World Productions (23:36) - The future of immersion (26:16, 30:55) - Current VR/AR experiences (28:19) Learn more about Tiny World Productions: https://tinyworldproductions.com/ Follow Lakshmi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lakitalki Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 6:10 Debrief starts: 43:34 Elizabeth Galbut is the Founding and Managing Partner of SoGal Ventures. SoGal Ventures is the first female-led millennial venture firm, and they are leading the way in investing in diverse founding teams and products across the USA and Asia. Their focus includes companies working on female sexual health and wellness, aging, and death-related decisions. A Forbes 30 Under 30, Elizabeth is incredibly knowledgeable and experienced in the fields in which she invests. In today's episode, she walks us through some of the issues she and SoGal Ventures are tackling through their diverse outlook. We discuss: • AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (4:45) • Sextech and underrepresented groups in venture capital (7:08) • Raising a fund as two millennial women (10:36) • Gaps in venture capital due to bias (12:24) • Finding the underrepresented in VC (17:29) • Death-tech and anti-aging technology (20:40) • Sustainability and healthtech intersections (30:04) • Who is solving and who should solve these problems? (34:31) • Mental health and healthtech (36:36) • Investing in health with potential future health policy changes (39:17) • Optimistic perspective (41:16) Learn more about SoGal Ventures: http://www.sogalventures.com/ Follow Elizabeth on Twitter: https://twitter.com/design4innov8 Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 6:38 Debrief starts: 32:46 Doug Clinton is the managing partner of Loup Ventures. A Midwest-based venture firm, Loup Ventures was founded in 2017, and to date, they have made exciting investments focusing on frontier tech. Their latest concentrations include neuro-tech and BCI, as well as anti-aging companies. In today's interview, Doug maps out the scene of frontier tech and gives us his thoughts on the consequences such technologies may have in the future. We discuss: - AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (5:27) - About Loup (6:47, 11:00) - "Deciding" the next big technology (7:52) - Technology false starts (10:13) - Least exciting new technologies (11:45) - Most exciting new technologies (14:38) - Neuro-tech and its human implications (15:27) - Past investments (20:53) - Investing in technologies that answer existential problems (23:56) - Researching new technologies (28:57) - Health and anti-aging tech (30:28) Learn more about Loup Ventures: https://loupventures.com/ Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 7:22 Debrief starts: 45:18 Matthew Benson is the founder and CEO of eFuse, a new platform used to connect anyone in or interested in the gaming world to other opportunities, talent, and people in the Esports community. Sort of like a LinkedIn for gamers, eFuse allows members to compile their stats into one portfolio and create connections as they search for professional and collegiate gaming possibilities. Prior to founding eFuse, Matthew worked for the Ohio Innovation Fund shortly after college. He had the idea for eFuse while in school and is now celebrating the company's two-month beta launch. We discuss: - AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (5:54) - Matt's background (7:22,11:23) - Cluster class at OU and idea for eFuse (9:28, 14:52) - Problems eFuse is solving (18:57) - Talent scouts for eFuse (21:31) - Professional vs. collegiate opportunities (23:13) - Aging gaming demographics (26:20) - Beta launch (27:46) - Building relationships (29:25) - Potential users (31:20) - Measuring the marketplace and game distribution (36:00) - Interactions with Twitch, Mixer, and YouTube (40:47) - Will opportunities in gaming always exist? (42:58) Learn more about eFuse: https://efuse.gg/ Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 6:09 Debrief starts: 39:07 James O'Connor is the cofounder and president of the Pittsburgh Knights, a global esports team of 30+ players and streamers, headquartered in one of the most well-branded sports cities in the country. With his knowledge of management, program development, economic development, veteran affairs, data-analysis, and strategic planning, his 10+ years of professional gaming experience, and his desire to bolster his hometown, he is driving the Pittsburgh Knights to become one of the most esteemed esports teams in the world. In 2018, the Knights announced their partnership with six-time Super Bowl Champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2019, the Knights brought on another strategic partner with Pittsburgh roots - multi-platinum recording artist Wiz Khalifa. We discuss: - AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (4:32) - History of Pittsburgh Knights (6:12) - Opening Esports events (9:57) - Deciding games for a team (12:08) - How teams make money (15:59) - Building a fan base and media (20:17) - Team structures (24:36) - Esports stadiums (31:37) - Misconceptions about Esports (33:27) - How to build a sustainable gaming company (35:01) - Changes in Esports in next 5 years (36:22) Learn more about the Pittsburgh Knights: https://knights.gg/ Follow James on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesoconnor Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 6:24 Debrief starts: 58:09 Jordan Davis is the Director of Smart Columbus for the Columbus Partnership, leading strategy and public-private partnerships for the Central Ohio region’s $550 million smart cities initiative. She was instrumental in Columbus becoming the sole winner of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Smart Cities Challenge in 2016 and since has managed the upstart of a new joint venture for the region focused on realizing a connected, autonomous, shared, and electric transportation ecosystem that improves people’s lives. Jordan facilitates collaboration between the public and private sector, secures new private investment in the Acceleration Fund, oversees public affairs, and supports the long-term strategy to sustain the Smart Columbus Initiative. Additionally, she oversees an aggressive electric vehicle adoption program, shared mobility growth plan, autonomous vehicle deployment, and a dynamic corporate engagement portfolio. We discuss: - AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (4:58) - "Smart" trends currently happening in cities (7:03) - Initial focus when the grant started (9:16) - Other forward thinking cities at the time of winning the grant (11:06) - Why did Columbus win? (14:57) - Research process (18:50) - Choosing technology vendors (20:13) - Evaluating successful adoption (25:08) - New structural (vs. iterative) changes (27:30) - EVs in Columbus (31:37) - Replicable Columbus (36:31) Learn more about Smart Columbus: https://smart.columbus.gov/ Follow Jordan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JDLead Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 7:25 Debrief starts: 38:48 Bryan Darr is the Executive Vice President of Smart Cities at Ookla, the company behind Speedtest.net. Bryan began his career in wireless communication back in 1985 selling car phones. Through his sales, he gathered information and began writing roaming guides. These guides ultimately led him to start his own business, American Roamer, eventually known as Mosaik, and now owned by Ookla. Today, along with providing internet speed tests, Ookla tracks cellular coverage all over the world. We discuss: - Ad: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (6:08) - Progression of cellular communication (7:45) - Future of cellular communication (11:26) - Difference between one "G" to the next (14:50) - 5G technology (16:49) - Impediments to 5G usability (21:17) - News for 6G? (21:08) - International implications of 5G (32:15) - Geopolitical implications of 5G (35:39) Learn more about Ookla: https://www.ookla.com/ Ookla 5G Map: https://www.speedtest.net/ookla-5g-map Email Jay: jaywowyourereallygoodwithwords@upside.fm Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview begins: 5:25 Debrief begins: 46:38 Tekin Meriçli is the cofounder and CTO of Locomation, a company focused on developing autonomous trucking. Founded in 2018, Locomation hopes to implement autonomous driving technology into freight trucks to create convoys of semi-autonomous, highway-travelling trucks. Tekin became interested in computer technology from a young age while growing up in Istanbul. An alumni of UT Austin, Bogaziçi, and Carnegie Mellon, he has a multitude of engineering experience in the field, which he brings to Locomation. We discuss: - Ad: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (3:48) - Tech community in Istanbul (7:37) - DARPA challenge and Carnegie Mellon's advances in autonomous AI (11:36) - The idea for Locomation and the Artificial General Intelligence problem (17:35) - Locomotion truck convoys (23:56) - Creating a business from autonomous driving (26:58) - Locomation's progress to date (29:00) - Truck drivers of Locomation (31:56) - Implementing Locomation (37:07, 41:33) - Will Locomation be the first? (38:24) - Decreased driver's pay vs. improved driving conditions (39:50) - 5-10 year goals (44:38) Learn more about Locomation: https://locomation.ai/ Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview begins: 4:02 This episode begins our coverage of CES 2020. Lindsay Bjerregaard is a Digital Editorial Producer with Aviation Week and Hayden Field is an Associate Editor at Entrepreneur. Lindsay and Hayden, along with us, were brought to CES through its Media Trailblazer Program, which aims to recruit journalists to the tech-inspired convention. It was the second year of CES for each of us, so together we discuss our thoughts on the different products showcased, the highlights of the show, and the future of the conference. We discuss: - AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (2:35) - Prior expectations of CES and the articles they sought to write (4:28) - Flying automobiles at CES and in the future (5:46) - Overrepresented genres at CES: sleep tech, single use robots, flashy products, VR/AR (9:45) - What makes an attention-grabbing booth (15:56) - Underwhelming aspects of CES (19:32) - Delta's parallel reality display (23:13) - Big enterprises investing in startups (25:14) - Media Trailblazers Program (27:32) - CES advice for media journalists (30:01) - Media badge privileges (32:55) - Journalists' advice for press releases (36:58) - CES in 5 years (39:15) - CES 2020's highlights (45:34) Follow Lindsay Bjerregaard on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AvWeekLindsay Follow Hayden Field on Twitter: https://twitter.com/haydenfield Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 5:40 Debrief starts: 32:25 Catharine Dockery is the founding partner of Vice Ventures, an NY-based early stage venture firm focusing on companies working in "vice" industries such as cannabis, alcohol, sex techs, psychedelics, harm reduction drugs, and online gambling. Founded in 2019, Vice Ventures aims to challenge conventional investing and works specifically with companies normally excluded form investments due to vice clauses. A neuroscience and finance double major from NYU , Catharine has an impressive finance background, including experience working at the New York stock exchange and Citigroup, contracting at a PR firm for hedge funds, working with Andy Dunn's investments, and running her own blog. We discuss: - AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (4:12) - Past experience working for Andy Dunn, trading high yield debt, and running her own blog (6:22) - Vice clauses in investing: starting with Bev and Recess (10:50) - Investment thesis and gauging intellectual honesty (14:43) - Juul and harm reduction-like companies (17:13, 20:33) - PR for Vice Ventures (19:13) - Bad PR for vice companies (22:39) - Portfolio theory (23:29, 28:08) - Heading a controversial fund (23:56) - Investing with Marc Andreessen (31:31) - Raising for the fund (25:37) - eSports, online gambling, and a sophisticated rum (26:54) Learn more about Vice Ventures: https://www.viceventures.com/ Follow Vice Ventures on Twitter: https://twitter.com/vice_ventures Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview begins: 7:00 Debrief begins: 47:40 Priyanka Bakaya is the founder and CEO of Renewlogy. Founded in 2011, Renewlogy has the technology to break down plastics into its basic molecular form, where it can then be reused for other products or as fuel. In the last year, Priyanka has used the Renewlogy technology to begin Renew Oceans, a non-profit currently working in India to capture and recycle ocean plastics. Priyanka has been well recognized and awarded for her efforts in plastics recycling. Still, plenty of hurdles exist in Renewology's, and she discusses the challenges caused by poor recycling and waste infrastructure and strict regulations. We discuss: - AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (5:51) - Early entrepreneurial experiences (7:09, 14:03) - Australian and Indian culture (10:56) - Renewology's focus (17:05) - Recycling and contamination in the US (18:04) - Why are plastics hard to recycle? (25:06) - Chemical process of breaking down plastics (30:14, 35:53) - Challenges in scaling (32:27) - Business model (37:27) - Reusing Renewlogy technology for Renew Oceans (40:26) - Big picture potential of renewable plastics (43:55) Learn more about Renewlogy: http://renewlogy.com/ Learn more about Renew Oceans: https://www.renewoceans.org/ Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 7:15 Debrief starts: 54:23 Casey Allen is the founder of Enterprise Rising, a Minneapolis-based conference specific to SaaS startup topics. 2020 will be Enterprise Rising's fifth year, and they pride themselves on focusing on under-discussed or taboo topics related to founding a startup. Casey himself has started five companies as well as a B2B SaaS accelerator and discusses his personal experience going from one to the next. This year, he will also be launching a boot camp called SeedMN for first-time angel investors with the hopes of teaching successful founders how to give back to the startup community. We discuss: - AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (5:37) - Starting a conference and the first few years of failure (8:06) - Opening one of the first tech accelerators in Minneapolis (12:09) - Fundraising an accelerator in 2009 (15:09) - Building the reputation to launch an accelerator (20:27) - The struggle and mental obstacles behind founding five startups (22:13, 34:58) - Starting a company in the right community (27:14) - The Twin Cities' DNA for enterprise SaaS (31:48) - The pattern of fear of success vs. fear of failure in startups (37:55) - Metrics for conference success (39:51) - Special markets in Minneapolis: b2b sports tech, enterprise health tech, and edtech (45:00) - SeedMN for first time angel investors (47:19) Learn more about Casey: https://angel.co/caseyallen Learn more about SeedMN: http://seedmn.com/ Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 6:25 Debrief starts: 49:00 Anthony Vennare is the cofounder and CEO of Fitt, a discovery platform that broadcasts different health and wellness opportunities and locations in different cities. Fitt functions similar to Yelp or Eater for fitness, with the ultimate goal of connecting communities and fitness enthusiasts to health events and people in their cities. Alongside his company, Anthony also runs a fitness newsletter branded as Fitt Insider. After opening and growing a gym business with his brother in the Pittsburgh area, the two began Fitt in 2017. In today’s episode, Anthony discusses their experience owning and closing this gym as well as the succeeding projects that followed, such as writing for health and wellness magazines and helping others start their own fitness businesses. We discuss: - Marine Corps experience (7:18) - Starting and growing a gym (10:08) - Creating content and working on other projects as freelance fitness enthusiasts and ultimately creating Fitt (20:00) - Fitt’s business model and Mindbody partnership (22:00) - Why Fitt works (25:40) - Approach to networking and growth (28:00) - Media strategy: Fitt Insider newsletter and podcast (31:40) - Launching in Fitt in a city (33:55) - Advertising and sponorships through the platform (38:05) - Acquiring new fitness users (39:30) - Future growth and revenue (40:55) Learn more about Fitt: https://fitt.co Get the Fitt insider: https://insider.fitt.co/ Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 7:45 Debrief starts: 49:27 Mike Preuss is the co-founder and CEO of Visible, an investor reporting platform for startups. Beginning in 2014, Visible is a completely remote company used by over 2,000 businesses. They help founders update their investors on their business and maintain accountability and trust throughout growth. An Orr Fellow from Indiana University, Mike Preuss was the Business Development Manager for Formspring before Visible. We discuss: - AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (5:23) - Mike's background and entrepreneurship experience (7:56) - Orr Fellowship (11:17) - Managing a remote culture, different time zones, and off-sites (12:44) - Initial problem and genesis of Visible (18:38) - Changing the product from investors to founders (21:53) - Finding clients (26:07) - Tracking metrics and data (or lack thereof (30:05) - Visible using Visible (32:38) - Money model (36:13) - Investors' and founders' access to information (43:13) - Visible's potential in a downturn or recession (46:31) Learn more about Visible: https://visible.vc/ Follow Mike on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikePreuss Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds -- This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies. Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Happy Holidays from the upside team! Last year, we shared an episode called: JE006: eight crazy months of upside. This year, we're back and sharing the 12 episodes of Christmas — 12 exceptionally notable episodes we recommend listening to again. The episodes mentioned, in order: 1. CC033: Alex Rubalcava of Stage Venture Partners // investing in early-stage enterprise software Link: https://upside.fm/alex-rubalcava-stage-venture-partners/ 2. UP050: opendorse // helping athletes share more content (feat. Braxton Miller of the Philadelphia Eagles) Link: https://upside.fm/opendorse/ 3. CC007: the rise of platform in venture capital // a Coffee Chat with Stephanie Manning (Lerer Hippeau) Link: https://upside.fm/stephanie-manning-lerer-hippeau/ 4. CC032: Kate Shillo Beardsley of Upslope Ventures // scaling early stage investments across the country Link: https://upside.fm/kate-shillo-beardsley-upslope-ventures/ 5. CC024: investing in the picks and shovels of esports and gaming // a Coffee Chat with Josh Chapman (Konvoy Ventures) Link: https://upside.fm/josh-chapman-konvoy-ventures/ 6. UP043: inKind // redesigning restaurant financing with House Accounts (feat. Kevin Tien of Himitsu and Hot Lola’s) Link: https://upside.fm/inkind/ 7. CC016: a new source of funding and optionality for early stage founders // a Coffee Chat with Tyler Tringas (Earnest Capital) and Kevin McArdle (SureSwift Capital) Link: https://upside.fm/earnest-capital/ 8. UP024: Intrinio // powering fintech innovation with access to financial data Link: https://upside.fm/intrinio/ 9. UP046: MITO Material Solutions // chemical additives for tougher composites Link: https://upside.fm/mito/ 10. UP042: Threatcare // automated third-party threat detection Link: https://upside.fm/threatcare/ 11. CC017: building a world class venture firm in Chicago // a Coffee Chat with Ezra Galston (Starting Line) Link: https://upside.fm/ezra-galston-starting-line/ 12. UP008: Loop Returns // creating the perfect ecommerce customer returns experience (live from Columbus Podcast Festival) Link: https://upside.fm/loop/ Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm Take our listener survey: https://upside.fm/survey Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds