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Compaq’s legendary Co-founder and former CEO Rod Canion joins the pod this week to talk about how an uncertain career risk led to one of the fastest growing tech companies of the 1980s. Rod discusses the company’s earliest days in part 1 of this insightful interview, including Compaq’s rapid growth from $100 million in sales in its first year and to its $1 billion milestone by year 5. Talking points include raising $10 million in venture and achieving $100 million in sales, finding compatibility with IBM software, and securing Compaq’s continued success after Canion’s exit in 1991.
In this episode, Chris Howard sits down with Tamara Shaw, former Chief Transformation Officer at C1, to discuss the evolving role of Chief Transformation Officers (CTOs) and the challenges of integrating company culture during acquisitions. Talking points include managing offshore and global initiatives, the necessity of operational technology investments, and Tamara’s advice for aspiring future Transformation Officers.
Cindy D. Taff is the Chief Executive Officer of Sage Geosystems Inc., a role she has occupied since the company's establishment in 2020. Headquartered in Houston, Sage Geosystems specializes in delivering innovative solutions for energy storage and geothermal base production. Before her current position, Cindy enjoyed a lengthy career in the oil and gas industry, accumulating more than 35 years of experience. Prior to joining Sage Geosystems, her most significant role was as the Vice President of Shell's global Unconventional Wells operations. In this position, she led a team of over 350 Shell employees and 1,200 contractors across five countries, managing an annual budget of $1 billion. Her tenure at Shell highlights her strong background in large-scale project management and leadership in the energy sector.
This week’s guest has a lot of irons in the fire; meet Justin Segal, Co - Founder of Stemmons Enterprise, President at Boxer Property, and Co - Founder of Relay Human Cloud, who joins host Chris Howard to talk about workplace culture, from job hopping to AI usage. In each of his roles, Justin oversees strategy and provides important workplace solutions without compromising culture and collaboration. Talking points include empo wering employees with AI instead of replacing them, retaining employees even in remote work environments, and the 10 principles that Justin uses every day.
Guy de Carufel is the Founder and CEO of Cognitive Space. Guy is dedicated to enhancing human activities in space to ensure long - term sustainability and prosperity. An award - winning NASA engineer, he has held positions as a GNC engineer at Firefly and a systems engineer at the Space Flight Lab. In 2018, he founded Cognitive Space with the aim of leveraging AI to advance the space industry.
Embedded World 2024’s Best in Show winner, Beacon EmbeddedWorks, brings VP of Products Russ Stebner to the show this week. Beacon EmbeddedWorks is a full - service provider of embedded products for regulated markets like medical and aerospace, providing in - house manufacturing and support for innovative System on Modules (SoMs). Talking points include custom solutions for assistive technology, challeng es for designing for aerospace projects, and unique innovations in wearable technology from at - home to on the front lines.
Forging the Future goes on the road to Embedded World 2024 in Austin, Texas, to talk with 4 tech experts on key topics like advanced AI technology and intelligent product development. Chris is joined by Jason Griffin from Analog Devices, POLYN Technology CEO Aleksandr Timofeev, Weier Wan of AIZIP, and Martin Unverdorben at Tria. Talking points include integrating analog data with digital technology, understanding NASP essentials, developing small AI models, and improving efficiency in embedded computing with AI.
Forging the Future goes on the road to Embedded World 2024 in Austin, Texas, to talk with 3 tech experts on open source, embedded systems, and safety and security. Chris is joined by Kate Stewart from the Linux Foundation, Frederic Desbiens from the Eclipse Foundation, and Gulroz Singh from NXP semiconductors. Talking points include the Zephyr project, open source community building, and the future of self-driving cars.
Guneet Bedi is a proven technology entrepreneur and growth-oriented executive with over two decades of leadership experience in Fortune 100 and early-stage venture-backed companies. He currently serves as Senior Vice President and General Manager at Arduino, where he spearheads the company’s mission to simplify complex electronics and digital technologies, making them accessible to a global audience. Prior to joining Arduino, Guneet held leadership positions at relayr (acquired by Munich Re), Ella Paradis(HealthTech startup), and Falkonry Inc., with significant contributions to Cisco Systems’ acquisition ofJouleXand Telelogic AB’s acquisition by IBM. Guneet is passionate about leveraging digital technology to revolutionize industries such as healthcare and manufacturing, particularly through servitization and "as-a-service" models.
Pete Bernard has an extensive background in edge computing, with 14 years of experience in Silicon Valley and 18 years at Microsoft . After earning a B.S. in Computer Engineering from Boston University, Pete began his career at Phoenix Technologies as a BIOS Developer and Product Leader. He then served as the VP of Products at E - Color and the Chief Product Officer at Insignia Solutions before he transitioned to Microsoft, where he played a pivotal role in planning, strategy, partner engagement, and product management for disruptive products. In 2023, he founded EDGECELSIOR, a new type of "Technology Practice" at the intersection of semi conductors, 5G, and AI. Since April 2024, Pete has served as the Executive Director of the tinyML Foundation.
Jeff Dodd, Partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth Jeff Dodd has 45 years of experience helping companies with their corporate, securities, intellectual property and technology transactions. His clients range in size from Fortune 50 companies to emerging businesses and startups. In his current role as Partner at Hun ton Andrews Kurth, Jeff advises clients concerning their IP strategy and monetization programs, licensing and joint venture transactions and data security, privacy and protection issues. Jeff is also the co - author of Modern Licensing Law and Drafting Effec tive Contracts , a Member of the University of Houston Honors College Advisory Board, and a lifetime fellow in both the Texas Bar Foundation and Houston Bar Foundation.
Federico Marques is a sustainable technology thought leader focusing on nutrition, climate impact and hydroponics. While working with NASA at the Stennis Space Center, Federico learned about the importance of hydroponics in bioregenerative life support systems and brought this research and experience to Moonflower Farms. In 2016, Federico founded Moonflower Farms and created the first indoor vertical farm in Texas. Since its founding, Moonflower Farms has focused on innovating farming in the Houston area and develo ping the technology to allow flowers to grow in space by 2030
Thomas Fields is the founder and CEO of GRIND, a brand developing the world's first smart ecosystem of sports equipment products, starting with a portable basketball rebounding machine. As a former high school basketball player who suffered multiple knee injuries, Thomas saw a gap in the market for affordable, connected, and interactive sports equipment that could enhance athletic performance and empower athletes. He taught himself mechanical engineering, design, and manufacturing, and launched GRIND as a 19-year-old in his parent's garage. Outside of his work with GRIND, Thomas is passionate about using sports and technology to close the inequality gap between STEM education in Black and Latin communities and serves as a board member of TXRX Labs, a nonprofit that provides access to tools, training, and space for makers and entrepreneurs.
John T. Perrone is a cryptocurrency expert and multi - time Founder and CEO. In 2017, with the assistance of Softeq, John founded BitWallet, a high - security cryptocurrency wallet and exchange for both individuals and businesses. Later, in 2024, John combined his love for crypto with his enjoyment of sports betting and founded BitWallet.Bet, a cryptocurrency sportsbook and casino.
Kyle Judah is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor who spends his days as the Executive Director of Rice University's Entrepreneurship Center, the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, where he creates and runs courses and programs for students, faculty and alumni from every corner of the campus. Following his time as a founder, Kyle's work at MIT's Center for Entrepreneurship and the University of Colorado Boulder's Engineering School has informed his passion for and focus on the commercialization of university research into world changing deep tech companies.
Host Chris Howard is joined by Tony Nash, CEO and Founder of pioneering AI-powered financialforecasting company Complete Intelligence. Originally started as a hypothesis, Complete Intelligence automates the financial forecasting process to limit time spent manually budgeting. Talking points include financial forecasting automations that save time and money, the biggest debates around corporate AI usage, and advice for entrepreneurs seeking success in the Texas Triangle.
Tech finds a path to the great outdoors in today’s episode, featuring Co - Founder and CEO of Mallard Bay Outdoors, Logan Meaux. A participant in the Rice Business Plan Competition and a member of a cohort at t he Softeq Venture Studio, Mallard Bay Outdoors an Airbnb - style marketplace where sportsmen and guides can connect, transact, and book hunting and fishing trips on a frictionless online platform. Talking points include networking and pitching to a variety o f customers and investors, bringing tech solutions to a non - tech industry, and advertising and building community on social media.
Human resources expert Andrew Bartlow joins the pod to talk about all things management, especially when it comes to tech startups looking to scale and grow their management strategy and team. Working with corporations like Pepsi and GE, as well as gaining experience in every stage of startup growth, Andrew specializes in helping early-stage companies adopt management and HR strategies that set them up for success. Talking points include effective PNL strategies at big name corporations, disruptions in HR at the startup level, and setting up the next generation for success at People Leader Accelerator.
Forging the Future gets its first student entrepreneur guest, Adis Lujinovic, a Texas A&M Chemical Engineering senior and CEO of Switchless. Switchless, founded in 2022, is a startup pioneering the smart home industry with feature-rich and interconnected smart switches for commercial and residential use. Talking points include Adis’ early inspiration in entrepreneurship, Switchless’ origins with co-founder Nicho Naugle, and the challenges of juggling entrepreneurship with being a full-time college student.
Nate Thompson, Managing Partner of HTX Sports Tech, joins the show to talk about his impact as a key player in the sports technology industry. Sports tech is an industry experiencing massive growth and incredible innovations in recent years, and Nate has been at the forefront, providing strategic guidance to sports organizations, innovation ecosystems, and startups. Talking points include Nate’s journey into the sports industry, cutting technology being worked on at HTX Sports Tech, and the much-anticipated HTX Sports Summit happening in July 2024.
Forging the Future finds itself in Aggieland with this week’s guest, 1876 Venture Director Shelly Brenckman. As a lifelong entrepreneur and learner, Shelly works with Texas A&M students on an independent, pro - bono startup and student accelerator. Talking points include gaining fundraising experience in unlikely places, catching the spark of entrepreneurship vs havi ng a founder’s DNA, and how the Texas startup ecosystem compares to worldwide innovation.
Timothy Neal, CEO of AmPd Labs, joins the pod to talk about the future of manufacturing and the industry side of 3D printing. Standing for “additive manufacturing product design,” AmPd Labs is a Houston-based additive manufacturing startup with capabilities that span the entire product lifecycle, from design to production. As the first CEO of AmPd, Tim talks with Chris about his “make it or break it” questions for joining the company, additive manufacturing’s potential to smash supply chain issues, and the future of industry and entrepreneurship in major hub cities like Houston.
Muriel Foster, Director at gBETA Houston, joins Forging the Future in a conversation about equipping entrepreneurs with skills, networks, and mentors for the challenges of the future. gBETA is a part of a growing community of accelerators under the brand gener8tor, a platform that empowers programs like gBETA to provide incredible opportunities for local entrepreneurs and industry-specific founders. In this insightful interview, Muriel and Chris discuss the implementation of gBETA’s cost-free 7-week cohort in Houston, the importance of mentorship and network-building for startup founders, and the impact of keeping an open mind to new opportunities in the startup ecosystem.
Forging the Future heads to Austin for the Texas Venture Forum & Gala to discuss community-driven innovation happening across the state and the impacts of the Texas triangle on the global economy. From Austin’s own backyard to Latin America, Chris talks with directors, CEOs, and futurists in this mashup episode about their respective projects and their hopeful aspirations for the future of venture capital. Talking points include pebble funds, curated networks, global portfolios, exponential technologies, and more.
Denny Chared, Founder of DC Finance, joins Chris at the Texas Venture Gala & Forum in Austin to discuss the current trends and future potential of family office investments in tech and venture. With origins in Israel and a base in New York, DC Finance builds an international network of high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and investors for mutual growth and support through first-tier events worldwide. Talking points include building community amongst family offices and investors, encouraging family offices to become less risk-averse and more tech-oriented, and the future of family investments and upcoming trends.
Jay Steinfeld, Founder of Blinds.com and Entrepreneur in Residence at Rice Business School, presses rewind to take Chris to 2001 to discuss the founding, innovating, and selling his company. Originally started as Laura’s Draperies, Bedspreads, and More, Blinds.com was inspired by Jay’s desire to evolve continuously, and ended up being sold to Home Depot in 2014. Talking points include the four E’s of Blinds.com culture, Jay’s philosophy on hiring and training new employees, and how to make a smooth transition in company acquisition.
YJ Lin, Sr Program Manager at Dell for Startups, joins Chris at South by Southwest to celebrate 40 years of Dell and the company’s recent initiatives to make startups soar, both in Houston at The Cannon and around the world. Dell for Startups provides mentorship magic for innovative startups at every stage in their journey, offering tech support and corporate skill sets to make entrepreneurship dreams into a thriving reality. Talking points include building a thriving tech community, navigating the hustle of the startup world, and finding common ground between corporations and startup teams.
Thom Singer, CEO of Austin Technology Center (ATC), meets up with Chris at SXSW to celebrate the past of Austin’s amazing tech accomplishments and look to the future of a more innovative Texas. Made up of 280 companies and over 60,000 employees, the ATC fosters innovation and growth within Austin’s technology ecosystem by connecting, promoting, and advocating for professionals, entrepreneurs, and businesses. Talking points include uniting the Texas triangle, putting Austin on a global stage, and collaborating with the state government.
Chris takes Forging the Future on the road to Austin for 2024’s South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference, held from March 8 - 16. Speaking with special guests and subject matter experts Mike Courtney, Ilya Tabakh, and Ehab Gabr, this episode tackles a taste of South By and talks about some of the most innovative technologies on the (very) near horizon. Talking points include AI’s presence at South By, entrepreneurs working within corporations, and innovation opportunities spreading through the Texas triangle.
Chris talks with Kim Bach, the SVP of Customer Success and CPO at Dailyhuman for an episode on groundbreaking AI technology as a tool for fostering and sustaining human skills in organizations. Kim helped pilot Dailyhuman in the NFL Combine through a readiness mindfulness lab and says that through AI, Dailyhuman makes lasting changes in qualities like grit, resilience, and curiosity. As a company, Kim says that working with a startup development organization (SDO), Softeq Venture Studio, has also been integral in rapidly accelerating Dailyhuman’s growth. Listen in to hear Kim’s story on pivoting into Dailyhuman and to hear valuable advice for founders on how to maximize utilizing an SDO.
Aaron Knape, CEO and Co-Founder of Rivalry Tech, joins the pod to talk about his journey to entrepreneurship and what it's like to scale a leading technology company in Houston. Rivalry Tech began with their mobile platform, sEATz, and has now expanded to revolutionize hospitality and convenience with their order fulfillment technology. Talking points include pivoting services during COVID lockdown, increasing automation in food service, and negotiating big deals with stadiums as a small startup.
Brian Richards, Managing Director at Accenture’s Houston Innovation Hub, joins the pod to talk about helping senior leaders at large corporations in greater innovation and spearheading projects in the Houston innovation community. Serving clients globally, Accenture is a professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud, and security. Talking points include how to pitch internally as an intrapreneur, the creation of the Houston Innovation Hub, and the future of generative AI in Houston.
Scott Gale, Executive Director of Halliburton Labs, brings innovation and scale to center stage in this week’s episode. Founded in 2020, Halliburton Labs provides access to a unique industrial setting catered to the specific needs of tech startups who are changing the face of clean energy today and for the future. Talking points include forging his own innovative path to Houston, explaining Halliburton’s unique approach to startup IP, and planning for Houston’s horizon with a better ecosystem.
Jay Zeidman, Managing Partner of Altitude Ventures and Chairman of the Board for Houston First, talks about making impactful investments in the future of healthcare and the wellbeing of Houston. Based in Nashville, Altitude Ventures accelerates growth and provides early-stage venture capital financing for healthcare services and startups. Talking points include Jay’s journey from the White House to venture, startup experiences that shaped future investments, and investing in city projects at Houston First.
CS Freeland, Founder of the Texas Venture Alliance and creator of the Texas Venture Crawl (now known as Texas Venture Fest), joins the pod to share her unique insights on the thriving innovation scene in Texas. Founded in 2022, the Texas Venture Alliance is a statewide venture capital network and ecosystem of startup support that aims to amplify venture stories across the state. Talking points include CS’s background in politics, the future of Texas Venture Crawl, and the planning of the Texas Venture Gala.
Steve Kean, President and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP), joins the pod to talk about the unique innovations and impact the city of Houston has already accomplished and can look forward to on the horizon. Formed in 1989, the Greater Houston Partnership has a mission to make Houston one of the best places to live, work and build a business. Talking points include AI opportunities in Houston, large scale partnerships with Rice and U of H, and the promise of industries like life sciences and energy.
Chris Howard, Founder and CEO of Softeq, switches places from host chair to the hot seat in this part two episode guest hosted by entrepreneur, angel investor, and COO of Softeq, Craig Ceccanti. Continuing their previous conversation from part one, Craig and Chris tackle Softeq’s present-day success with their venture studio and Chris’s journey as an angel investor. Talking points include learning the ropes of angel investing, tackling Softeq Venture Studio’s 5 cohorts, and forging the future through telling Houston’s stories.
Chris Howard, Founder and CEO of Softeq, switches places from host chair to the hot seat in this episode guest hosted by entrepreneur and angel investor Craig Ceccanti. Inspired by feedback from his own interview on Forging the Future, Craig wants to reverse the roles with Chris and give the podcast audience an opportunity to learn the origin story of Softeq. Talking points include interning with IBM and NASA, taking the red pill for entrepreneurship, and learning how to pivot along the founder’s journey.
In this episode of Forging the Future, Chris sits down with Rakesh Agrawal, founder and CEO of SnapStream, to discuss his journey of founding and scaling a technology business in Houston prior to the prevalence of the budding ecosystem that exists today. Rakesh shares his experience of founding SnapStream over 20 years ago and the importance of gleaning insights from customers to drive growth. They also delve into topics such as scaling operations and teams, as well as the impact of AI on product development.
Dr. Ramanan Krishnamoorti, Vice President of Energy and Innovation at University of Houston, takes the pod on a field trip to the UH Tech Bridge. With a unique blend of wet labs and office space, the UH Tech Bridge offers students and faculty the incredible opportunity to innovate alongside startups and companies. Talking points include efforts to improve education at U of H, connecting students to big picture problems in the Houston ecosystem, and unique partnerships taking place in the UH Tech Bridge.
Joe Alapat, CTO & Founder of Liongard, takes a journey through customer feedback and company pivots in this episode about his cybersecurity platform, Liongard. From rough beginnings of selling too wide of a product to customers, Liongard has grown and matured into a successful startup, securing $30 million in funding. Talking points include leaving Exxon to build a company, getting connected to the Houston ecosystem at Station Houston, and setting goals to give back to up-and-coming founders in the future.
Peter Rodriguez, Dean of Jones School of Business at Rice University, brings his education expertise to the pod to talk about the future of entrepreneurship and business learning in Houston. Rice has put Houston on the map for having some of the best business and entrepreneurship undergraduate and graduate degrees in the country, but Peter believes that they’ve just getting started. Talking points include the Rice Alliance, the Clean Energy Accelerator, and the Rice Business Plan Competition.
Blair Garrou, Managing Director at Mercury, brings his leadership in Houston venture capital to the pod to discuss the origins of Mercury and the shift in investing perspectives from growth to profitability. Having just closed their fifth fund a couple months ago, Blair is hopeful about the timing of Mercury’s financial success and the future of software innovation in Houston. Talking points include AI as the next VC, venture in middle America, and financial trends moving forward into 2024.
Forging the Future is on the road this week at the Houston Startup Showcase at the Ion. Joined by guests Gustavo Suarez, Founder & CEO of Trez, and Samra Nawaz, CEO & Co-Founder of WellWorth, Chris takes the hot seat and walks through his own experiences as a multi-time successful founder in comparison to present-day startup founders in Houston’s bustling tech ecosystem. Talking points include managing stress, finding time for family, forging connections, and making the most of the Houston Startup Showcase.
Mike Francis, CEO and Co-Founder of Nanotech, joins the pod to talk about his cutting edge climate conscious technology and the all-Texas round recently raised by NanoTech. Through an innovative roof coating, NanoTech can reduce lost heat and limit CO2 emissions from heating and HVAC in businesses and homes. Talking points include saving lives through climate tech patents, transitioning from intrapreneur to entrepreneur, and looking towards Houston’s bright startup future.
Remington Tonar, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer at Cart.com, brings his wide variety of skills and interests to the pod to chat about the extremely fast and incredibly impactful success of Cart.com. Having just closed a funding round of $60 million and have a valuation of $1.2 billion, Cart.com is a Houston-based startup making waves and garnering a ton of attention. Talking points in this interview include wearing many hats in a startup, Austin vs Houston startup experiences, and growing fast in a tumultuous economic environment.
Neal Dikeman, Partner at Energy Transition Ventures, joins the pod to talk about how he got into cleantech investing and where we’re headed as we bridge the gap between fossil fuels and the future. Working between Silicon Valley and Houston, Neal is tackling the tough questions in clean tech, such as: How can software and energy investors work together? Talking points include work-life balance, Silicon Valley vs Texas startups, and the daily grind vs the hardcore sprints for investors and entrepreneurs.
Jesse Martinez, Founder of LSA Global and the Latinx Startup Alliance, four-time startup founder, and Venture Partner at Vamos and Resolve, brings his impressive resume to the pod to talk about his passion for investing in Latinx founders in tech. Born and raised in Houston, Jesse has traveled around the country founding startups, investing in opportunities, and participating in startup accelerators. Talking points include the Houston ecosystem, Tejano Tech Summit, and what’s next for Houston.
This week, Mitra Miller shares her remarkable journey in the tech industry, offering insights into her experiences as a woman navigating the field. Mitra is a managing member of Mill River Advisors and a board member at the Houston Angel Network. She is also a mentor at the Eagle Investor Program. Mitra highlights the importance of fostering diversity and inclusion in the tech ecosystem, sharing her vision for a more inclusive tech scene in Houston. Mitra and Chris explore the profound influence of mentorship on the next generation of entrepreneurs, providing valuable takeaways from Mitra Miller's inspiring career.
In this exciting mashup from TechCrunch Disrupt, one of the largest tech events in the world, Chris interviews leaders in the investing space. Hussein Yahfoufi talks Chat GPT for business growth, Ray Fuentes on democratizing private equity investment, and Jeff Taylor on how TechCrunch serves both startups and established companies. You won’t want to miss this valuable episode.
Stephen “Steve” Altemus, President and CEO of Intuitive Machines, joins the show to talk about space- investing in it, building new technology for it, and traveling through it. Sound waves might not be traveling through space, but Steve and his team are making their own waves on Earth as they prepare for their first lunar landing mission this November. Talking points in this episode include NASA’s past vs future, finding funding for space travel, and Intuitive Machine’s future physical workspace.
Forging the Future is on the road in San Francisco this week for TechCrunch Disrupt. In this information-packed episode, Chris interviews two VCs from Oklahoma, Nathaniel Harding and Michael Basch, and another investor that’s recently relocated from San Fran to Texas, George Munguia. Topics include derisking tech investments, expanding venture in the mid-continent US, pushing back against negative economic narratives, mentoring founders with past operator experiences, and raising funds in a down market.
Zach Coelius, Managing Partner at Coelius Capital, joins the pod from TechCrunch Disrupt 2023, an annual tech conference held in San Francisco. As an entrepreneur turned early stage investor, Zach understands the non-stop stress of entrepreneurship and uses his connections from his innovative career to make impactful investments in B2B software. Talking points include Disrupt’s numerous AI presentations, network-driven investments, and Gladiator (2000), starring Russell Crowe.
Trevor Best, CEO and Co-Founder of Syzygy Plasmonics, brings his energy expertise to the pod this week to talk about the science and strategy behind his startup. Alongside his co-founder, Dr. Suman Khatiwada, Trevor is making a new form of chemical reactor that eliminates combustion and prevents CO2 emissions. Topics of discussion include early entrepreneurship failures and successes, developing a strong pitch for a technical startup, and helping the energy transition take hold in Houston.
Ashok Rao, Board Director of GOOSE Capital and multi-time startup chairman, brings his financial and capital expertise to the show to talk about the “entrepreneurship virus” and his opinions on innovation. As someone who has been at the forefront of many interesting startups, Ashok lends some of his wisdom to topics like navigating today’s tumultuous market, mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs, and getting involved in community projects to make Houston a better place for everyone.
Allie Danziger, CEO & Co-Founder of Ampersand Professionals, brings her unique entrepreneurial experience to the pod to talk about shortening the skills gap between education and employment. As someone who benefitted from early opportunities at internships and founded her first business at 24, Allie is passionate about helping students transform into thriving professionals. Talking points include Integrate Agency, Ampersand Professionals, and the new generation of professionals entering the workforce.
This week, Chris talks with Natara Holloway Branch about how she went from accounting in the NFL to being the CEO of Houston Exponential, which supports startups and founders to make entrepreneurship more accessible for Houstonians. They also touch on the emerging sports tech industry and break two big myths about Houston along the way. Houston already has all the ingredients for a thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem—Natara says that someone just needs to put them all together.
This week, Chris welcomes Jon Nordby Head of Ecosystem and Community at MassChallenge.After working in a variety of positions in Houston, Jon saw the need for a thriving startup ecosystem in the city. He worked for Houston Exponential and Startup Genome before hitting the ground running with MassChallenge. Their team connects thousands of experts to mentor promising startups through a global network. Jon and Chris discuss Houston’s evolving startup landscape, MassChallenge’s business model, and what Houston needs in order to foster a great startup ecosystem.
HX Venture Fund takes over this episode as Managing Director Sandy Guitar and Managing Partner Aleece Hobson talk about their revolutionary fund of funds and the impact it’s having on the Houston tech ecosystem. Alongside their everyday work with investors and founders, Sandy and Aleece also help run the Venture Houston yearly event, happening this September. Talking points for this episode include speakers at Venture Houston, world class innovation in Texas, and connecting further at Engage VC events.
Chris welcomes Paul Cherukuri, Professor, Chief Innovation Officer, and Vice President of Innovation at Rice University. Paul has integrated his experience and education in science and technology at Rice, spearheading the university’s innovation—all while still researching and teaching. Chris asks Paul about the key ingredients to getting universities’ innovation out into the world and how Houston has helped to foster this process. Paul also explains his real-life sci-fi research on “Teslaphoresis” and tells the story of meeting a Nobel Prize winner.
Erik Korem, Sports Scientist and Founder of AIM7, joins the pod to talk about finding valuable recommendations and results from wearable devices like Apple Watches. With a passion for sports technology and a desire to make data analysis accessible for everyday people, Erik hopes his startup AIM7 will revolutionize the ways we interact with the watches on our wrists and the phones in our pockets. Talking points include the Houston Texans football team, sleep science, and the Softeq Venture Studio.
Sunny Zhang, Founding Partner at Born Global Ventures, Marketing Professor, and Founder of TrueLeap, joins the pod to talk about the many professional hats she wears and how they help her contribute meaningfully at her venture studio. As a part of an emerging ecosystem of startup support in Houston, Born Global Ventures is excited to take on more diverse-led projects with a unique focus on marketing. Talking points include product market fit, education software, and finding “cockroaches” instead of unicorns.
Diana Murakhovskaya, Co-Founder and General Partner at the Artemis Fund, joins the pod to talk about supporting women-led startups at her female-founded venture fund. Born in Ukraine and raised in New York, moving to Houston and starting Artemis Fund opened up new startup opportunities for Diana in the constantly innovating, continuously changing state of Texas. Talking points for this episode include care economy companies, women-led Houston startups, and where Texas has its largest gaps in funding.
David Gow, CEO of Gow Media and SportsMap Tech Acquisition Group, joins the pod to talk about telling the stories of Houston at CultureMap, SportsMap, and InnovationMap. With a background in sports radio and a passion for embracing Texas’ local culture, David isn’t afraid to engage with the newest subjects circling around the Houston ecosystem. Talking points for this episode include embracing the intersection of culture and sports, encouraging energy transition, and exploring brand innovation.
Ben Narasin, Founder and General Partner at Tenacity Venture Capital, joins the pod this week to talk about his journey from young entrepreneur to seasoned investor. Instead of a spray and pray investment approach, Ben takes pride in Tenacity’s strong investment vetting processes and dedication to the entrepreneurs they invest in. Talking points for this episode include last quarter metrics for Tenacity, advice for startups looking to get funded, and how Ben was involved in Softeq’s most recent Demo Day.
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Discovering the Next Generation of Robotic Engineers with Logan Farrell, Greg Needel, & Andy Baker
Forging the Future goes on the road to the FIRST Robotics Competition to meet 3 robotics professionals pioneering the industry and giving back to the next generation. Logan Farrell of Rugged Robotics, Greg Needel of Rev Robotics, and Andy Baker of AndyMark join the pod during this interview montage episode, lending their expertise and insight to a myriad of robotics topics. Talking points include taking the startup red pill, mentoring students at FIRST, and forging the future at their respective companies.
Greg Johnson and Mark Mesko, Imagineers at Walt Disney Imagineering, attend the FIRST Robotics Competition and talk about the important link between FIRST kids and future Imagineers. Combining creativity, technology, and collaboration, Greg and Mark appreciate the unique opportunity they have as both Imagineers and FIRST mentors to use robotics to tell stories and change lives. Talking points in this episode include STEM opportunities for kids, Disney’s history with FIRST, and the future of robotics.
Dave Lavery, Program Executive for Solar System Exploration at NASA, takes listeners out of this world and on a journey across the surface of Mars. Dave is responsible for building one of the first flying robots on Mars, the Ingenuity Helicopter, which communicates directly with a rover on Mars to survey terrain on the red planet. In this episode, Dave not only talks about what it means to take flight on Mars, but also discusses NASA’s unique partnership with FIRST, an organization engaging kids in robotics.
Chris sits down with Barbara Gomez de Navarro who brought FIRST to Mexico and interviews competitors at the FIRST world tournament for this special episode. Barbara shares her and her family’s story bringing FIRST to Mexico, which provided hands-on STEM education to schools around the globe. Competitors from three different teams also give some insight into their robotics journeys.
Dean Kamen, Inventor and Founder of FIRST, brings his STEM knowledge to the pod to talk about getting kids engaged in science, technology, engineering, and math. In a society that encourages and emphasizes sports and the arts, Dean wants to make sure that kids feel empowered and inspired to find the fun in learning about technology, too. Talking points in this insightful interview include how FIRST was founded, what the future of tech careers looks like, and how to get kids interested in robotics.
Chris interviews the leaders of Coya Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical company based in Houston revolutionizing the push for effective neurodegenerative disease therapies. Coya went public with only five team members after working with world-renowned researcher and neurologist Stanley Appel to commercialize new therapies for neurological diseases in order to make them publically available. Dr. Howard Berman, the Founder and CEO of Coya, and Daniel Barvin, the Vice President of Operations and Patient Advocacy share the background of the company and where it’s heading.
This week, the pod welcomes James Phelan, Co-Founder and Chief Evangelist of the startup accelerator, Village Insights. James also owns his own product Budapop, is the CCO of Univrso, and serves as the Managing Director at Founder Institute Texas, among other things. Through his experiences, James has developed a feel for Houston’s startup ecosystem, what it needs more of, and what it needs less of. James also delves into his work at Univrso where he and his colleagues imagine a more human-centered future as we travel to Mars and beyond.
Jan Odegard, Executive Director at The Ion, joins the show this week to take a deep dive into the innovation ecosystem of Houston, Texas. As the center and anchor, The Ion has changed the landscape of the Houston community, providing a unique 16-acre multi-use space for entrepreneurs, academics, accelerators, incubators, and corporations. Jan talks about his own journey from Norway to Houston, why he ended up at The Ion, and how he hopes to take this innovative space to the next level.
Bailey Kinney, Executive Director of Lemonade Day, joins this week to talk lemonade stands, teaching entrepreneurship early, and making an impact on kids in the community. Since joining Lemonade Day, Bailey has helped reach tens of thousands of kids nationwide and beyond with hands-on experiential education. A highlight of Lemonade Day’s work is helping kids to realize that they have goals, teaching them how to reach them, and then helping them achieve their dreams; it’s more than just a lemonade stand. With Lemonade Day, kids gain confidence early on because, inevitably, life hands you lemons—and with the program, well, you know the rest.
Muema Lombe, angel investor and Softeq Venture Studio advisor, gets on the mic this episode to talk about setting yourself up for investment success and navigating the complicated, mistake-ridden environment of startups. With his upcoming book, The Ultimate Startup Dictionary, on the horizon, Muema shares his angel dos and don’ts, breaks down what makes the startup ecosystem in Houston so unique, and asks host Chris Howard about how his experience founding Softeq Venture Studio has shaped his investments.
Chad Spensky, Founder and CEO of Allthenticate, joins the pod today to talk about his path toward founding Allthenticate, building a Houston business, and why passwords are on their way out the door. On the business side, Chad talks about Houston as a hotspot for tech startups and why he is excited to grow a business in the city. The cybersecurity industry has failed society, Chad says, and now, he’s doing his part in improving security and usability.
Flying solo this week, host Chris Howard tackles the 5 types of capital that you need in order to support your business. From relationships to finances, intellectual ideas to the people working in your business and supporting your endeavors, capital comes in many forms and is a necessary part of not only helping your business survive, but thrive. Using his own experiences as a founder, CEO, and venture partner, Chris gives his advice on what each type of capital looks like and how to best improve your capital to secure your business’ future success.
SXSW tackles ecosystem innovation in this Forging the Future episode at SXSW in Austin, Texas. Hear from Murat Uralkan, Natalie Harms, and Paul O’Brien about the exciting advancements in medical tech (medtech), marketing communications (marcomm), and marketing tech (martech). Each bite-sized interview within this episode brings a new set of insights from the front lines of the constantly innovating tech world and looks towards a future where innovation in Houston reaches a level of global recognition.
Chris Howard tackles the startup crowd at SXSW in Austin and encounters experts in the innovative fields of sportstech, biotech, healthtech, and pettech. In these fast-paced interviews with Lydia Davies, Taci Pereira, Blaine Killen, and Ken Ehrman, Forging the Future gets a peek behind the curtain of a few of the most innovative tech startups in Texas. From sports team hangouts to 3D human tissue, tech gym buddies to fido finders, hear from some of SXSW’s most interesting attendees in this short interview collection.
Forging the Future goes on the road to Austin for this special mash-up episode at South by Southwest. In short yet insightful interviews with Carrie Colbert, Rob Meadows, and Susan Davenport, host Chris Howard gets a taste of the hot tech topics making waves at this year’s event. From artificial intelligence to startup innovation, banking controversies to up-and-coming technology, this episode tackles big topics on a bite-sized scale and introduces a few of the movers and shakers at SXSW.
John Reale, Managing Director at Integr8d Capital and Venture Lead at the TMC Venture Fund, joins the pod to tackle the Houston startup ecosystem from the medical tech perspective. After learning the ropes of the financial sector and trying his hand at his own entrepreneurial ventures, JR has channeled his energy into giving back to the future generation of startups-- so much so that he’s been named Investor of the Year. In this episode, JR talks Station Houston, Integra8d, TMC, and how you can get involved, too.
Chris goes solo today to share three entrepreneurship bits of advice that he has picked up throughout the highs and lows of his journey in the business. Entrepreneurship is like a rollercoaster. While you have to learn to enjoy the highs, you must also learn how to navigate the lows. Listen in to hear how to navigate potentially business-ending dilemmas, how to future-proof contracts, and how putting working relationships first can save your business. Throw your hands up, embark on the journey, and enjoy the ride.
Wade Pinder, Principle Product Management Consultant at Improving and Co-Founder of the Houston Product Community, talks about Blinds.com, communities of practice, and product vs project in this week’s episode. With decades of experience in the product space, Wade currently spends his time giving back to the entrepreneur and startup community, as well as finding Houston solutions to Houston problems on Saturdays with the Houston Product Community.
Moina Tamuly, Co-Ceo of Ntention embarks on his tech journey, sharing his story of rising in the tech world and breaking through burnout along the way. Moina hails from Norway and has gotten to know both American and Norwegian tech ecosystems throughout the years. When he and his team unveiled their space glove concept and demo at a Norwegian energy conference, they started to get noticed. Although he’s found some success early on with Ntention and working with Pascal Lee, he shares how he is only at the advent of it all.
Chris Howard takes FTF on the road as he interviews 3 of the individuals making an impact at Code Launch 2023 in Houston. This episode includes interviews with Brian Candido from Tech Elevator, a company bringing in-person and remote tech learning opportunities to Houston, Matt Bonasera from InTech Energy360, which aims to tackle the complex balance between energy efficiency and air quality, and Oleg Lysiak of Honeycomb Software, the development company working alongside Matt’s team that won Code Launch 2023.
Indrajit Datta, Co-founder at Equipt, brings B2B software for industrials into the equation and emphasizes the importance of catering to the next generation of workers. With gas and oil primed for the fast, efficient approach Equipt promises, Indrajit is excited for the next steps in raising funds and becoming profitable with his co-founder. Indrajit walks through the unique position Equipt aims to take, the challenges of juggling family and entrepreneurship, and the victory of their first major customer.
Staci Latoison, Founder and CEO of Dream Big Ventures, tackles the disheartening statistic that only 2% of investment funds go to female founders and injects some serious girl power into the Softeq Venture Studio. As a former Chevron manager, Staci learned the importance of giving women of color the opportunity to speak up in business settings. Now, tackling the venture world, Staci aims to put women and BIPOC led startups on the map and to show what women can accomplish when they invest in themselves.
Read Boles, professor at Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship and multi-time business founder, joins the show to talk about his journey from hopping trains at Harvard Business School to helping future entrepreneurs gain real-life educational experience. Not only has Read created and founded his own businesses, he’s also specialized in turning around failing businesses. In this episode, Read explains how he’s helped businesses bounce back from bankruptcy and how he plans to save the world one student at a time.
Julie Moir Messervy, Founder and CEO of Home Outside, brings her green thumb to the pod to talk about how the key to climate change might be your own front yard. As a landscape architect whose credits include the Toronto Music Garden, Julie wanted to bring her skills and expertise to millions of homeowners with just a few clicks of a button. Enter Home Outside, an innovative app that promises to change how you view the potential of your home garden. Ready to get planting? Julie has the tool for you!
Tiffany Lewis and Raika Djalali, Co-founders of Allkind, forge the future of fertility this week with an innovative new app. Seeing the need to bring empathy back into the process of sperm and egg donation and surrogacy, Tiffany and Raika took to TikTok to build the Allkind brand from a dream into a startup reality. These two founders are birthing a business that puts the baby-making decisions back into the hands of the donors and parents that will be working together to bring the next generation to life.
Ken Ehrman, Founder and Managing Partner at Halo Collar, takes on the task of making the world safer for the family dog, and explains the technological limitations of the previously popular Invisible Fence in this week’s episode. From forklifts to fluffy dogs, Ken discusses the ups and downs of startup funding, GPS technology development, and taking a company public. Forging the future just got a whole furrier— thankfully, Ken has a collar that can help with that.
Craig Ceccanti, CEO & President at T-Minus Solutions and Co-Founder of Pinot’s Palette and sEATz, brings his numerous entrepreneurial experiences and endless expertise to the pod. Craig and Chris talk about franchising, failing, and finding a way to give back to fellow entrepreneurs. Craig has taken a full-circle path in his career, from employee to founder to franchiser to investor, and now, he’s ready to share what he’s learned, what’s next, and what it really means to forge the future in Houston.
Mark Valdez and Alejandro Mendez, Co-founders of Royal Eagle Capital Partners, talk about leaving the corporate world for the excitement of entrepreneurship. Royal Eagle, an investment company headquartered in Houston and partnering with Softeq, focuses a majority of their work in both the US and Latin America. Mark and Alejandro discuss the unique connections they’ve made personally and professionally on their journey to Royal Eagle, as well as explain their focus on financial technology.
Billy Grandy, Director at Softeq Venture Studio, takes us on a journey from his hardworking childhood in Florida to the important personal connections that led him to Softeq. With a guiding philosophy of “giving first,” Billy has always been a generous supporter of startups and small businesses, moving to Houston to take advantage of the innovation and reinvention happening here. Billy covers past startup experiences, present work with startup founders, and his goal for forging a better future for Houston.
Dave Mathews, CTO Portfolio Advisor at Softeq Venture Studio, attempts to condense his incredibly varied experience into one jam-packed podcast episode. This week, Dave covers his childhood as a computer wiz, inventing the CueCat, and building an art car out of a 747 airplane. Alongside his extensive work as an inventor, Dave also talks about his inspiration for the work he does with the Softeq Venture Studio and his drive to help startups find that missing piece to go from zero to hero.
Brad Burke, Managing Director at Rice Alliance for Technology & Entrepreneurship, comes on the pod to talk about innovations of all kinds happening in Houston. A massive energy transition is upon us, and the time is now for Houston investors to look toward the startups forging the future of tech. Brad discusses the many entrepreneurship and startup based programs through Rice Alliance and discusses the future tech of Houston, including batteries, electric vehicles, edible fruit coatings, and more.
Joey Sanchez, Senior Director of Ecosystems at The Ion Houston and Founder of Cup of Joey, brings a caffeinated boost to the pod as he talks about building an ecosystem of innovation in Houston. This week, Joey tackles his background at Houston Exponential, his inspiration for starting Cup of Joey, and his involvement with Houston Tech Rodeo. Additionally, Joey brews a fresh new vision for Houston by 2036, including a Space Cowboy State roast with notes of the number one startup ecosystem in the US.
Juliana Garaizar, Head of Houston Incubator and VP of Innovation at Greentown Labs, builds something exciting in this week’s discussion on climate technology and the unique challenges of a climate tech incubator. Originally created in Boston, Greentown has expanded to Houston for their second location, offering a unique prototype space in midtown. Juliana explains the startup process for working with Greentown, the future of diverse investments, and the unique equity-free Greentown model.
Tasos Katsaounis, Founder, President, & CEO of Bread Man Baking Co., whips up a tasty discussion in this episode about carving a niche in Houston’s breadmaking market. Originally started out of Tasos’ home, Bread Man Baking Co bakes and supplies artisan breads for restaurants and grocers, including at local Whole Foods. Tasos discusses taking the leap from consulting to baking, building unique business connections with neighborhood friends, and supporting his community with the bread he bakes.
Carrie Colbert, Founder and General Partner of Curate Capital, joins the pod to talk about her journey from the gas and oil industry to investing with her venture capitalist fund, Curate Capital. Curate Capital aims to invest in businesses by women for women, expanding the typical demographics of investors and the invested to include women like never before. This week, Carrie talks about leaving her comfort zone, unconscious investor biases, and de-risking investments through her collaboration with Softeq.
Forging The Future with Chris Howard
From tech mogul Chris Howard, comes the podcast that answers the question, How do we get ready for the future innovations of technology? Join Founder and CEO of Softeq Chris Howard as he interviews knowledgeable leaders in the innovation spectrum, including CEOs, CTOs, R&D professionals, and start-up founders. Real conversations, real technology, and real-world processes of bringing new ideas to market. This is Forging the Future with Chris Howard.
