Foreign Founders

Nikhil Teja Kolli built mokSa.ai after witnessing small retail businesses lose 10-15% of their revenue to theft. His solution? Privacy-first AI that catches shoplifters without facial recognition - and small business owners are obsessed with it.From collecting 20,000+ theft videos to building patent-pending AI technology, Nikhil's journey shows how turning a massive problem into data can create game-changing solutions. His AI watches actions, not faces, works with any camera (even $40 ones from 2014), and sends real-time alerts when theft happens.But here's the twist: mokSa.ai doesn't just catch thieves. It predicts customer counts, optimizes employee scheduling, and provides heat maps - basically turning any security camera into a business intelligence powerhouse.🔥 What You'll Learn:How to build AI models from real-world data (20,000+ theft videos)Why privacy-first AI is dominating the surveillance marketThe camera-agnostic strategy that eliminates hardware costsHow to solve problems for overlooked small businessesBuilding operational intelligence beyond just securityScaling from manual monitoring to 200+ AI-powered locations⏰ Key Moments:00:00 - Meet Nikhil Teja Kolli, Founder of mokSa.ai02:30 - Growing Up in Family Retail Business in Hyderabad05:45 - The Liquor Store Incidents That Sparked Everything09:15 - How Small Businesses Lose 10-15% Revenue to Theft12:00 - Building the 20,000 Video Dataset (The Hard Way)15:30 - From Aeronautical Engineer to Railroad to AI Entrepreneur18:45 - Privacy-First AI: Actions vs. Faces21:20 - Why Any Camera Works (Even 2014 Models)24:15 - Beyond Security: Customer Forecasting & Heat Maps27:40 - The Camera-Agnostic Business Strategy🔗 Connect with Nikhil:Website: moksa.aiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilteja-kolli/About mokSa.ai: Privacy-first AI platform that detects theft, fraud, and provides operational insights for retail businesses using existing camera systems.#AI #RetailTech #SmallBusiness #Privacy #Surveillance #Entrepreneurship #StartupStory #TechFounderEnjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joseph Lee went from selling electronics in parking lots at age 14 to building Supademo, the world's fastest-growing AI-powered demo platform. Born in Seoul, raised in Vancouver, and now thriving in NYC, Joseph shares his journey from creating multiple ventures to fund university, building North America's first demand-driven seafood marketplace, to discovering the power of interactive product demos. In this episode, he reveals his systematic approach to finding the right co-founder and idea, the viral growth strategies behind Supademo, and why location still matters for ambitious founders.What You'll Learn:How to build multiple revenue streams as a student entrepreneurThe systematic approach to evaluating startup ideas and co-foundersWhy product-led growth requires viral loops, not just free tiersCreative customer acquisition strategies that don't feel spammyHow AI is transforming product demonstration and onboardingThe real truth about location for immigrant entrepreneurs⏰ KEY TIMESTAMPS:05:15 - The 14-Year-Old Entrepreneur: Electronics Arbitrage Business08:45 - University Ventures: Candles, Clothing, and Web Development12:20 - Coastline Market Origin: Why Seafood Supply Chain Needed Disruption15:30 - The Pandemic Pivot: From Marketplace to Business-in-a-Box18:45 - The Supademo Lightbulb: When Demo Videos Weren't Enough21:20 - The Systematic Startup Process: March Madness for Ideas 24:15 - Product Differentiation: Speed and Ease Over Feature Wars 27:40 - Target Market: B2B SaaS Teams Across Three Key Functions 30:45 - PLG Reality Check: Viral Loops vs. Free Tiers 33:30 - Early Customer Acquisition: Network, Reddit, and Value-First Approach 36:20 - Growth Momentum: Why Speed Solves All Problems 39:15 - Location Debate: SF FOMO and the Network Effect 41:25 - Optimistic Outlook: AI's Positive Impact on Wealth Distribution🔗 Connect with Joseph:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhylee/Website: https://supademo.comTry Supademo: Start creating interactive demos without signing up🎯 About Supademo: Supademo is the world's fastest-growing AI-powered demo platform, helping B2B SaaS companies create interactive product demos for sales, onboarding, and customer success in minutes, not hours.#Entrepreneurship #ProductLedGrowth #AITools #SaaSDemos #ImmigrantFounder #StartupGrowth #CustomerSuccess #B2BSaaSEnjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna Ratala went from running major tech events in Singapore to building Zvook, a venture-backed podcast advertising platform that she ultimately had to shut down after 4+ years. In this deeply honest conversation, she shares the emotional journey of letting go, rebuilding her identity beyond "founder," and finding her next chapter at a former competitor.What You'll Learn:How to recognize when it's time to shut down your startupChallenges of transitioning from founder to employeeHow to use authentic storytelling as a marketing channelThe reality of fundraising struggles and investor conversationsWhy failure is more accepted in America than other countries⏰ KEY TIMESTAMPS:02:30 - From Finland to Singapore: Running Slush Singapore12:00 - Content Strategy: Using Founder Stories as Marketing15:30 - The Complexity of Scaling Host-Read Advertising18:45 - Running Out of Money: The Final Year Struggles24:15 - The Hard Decision: Shutting Down After 4+ Years30:45 - Identity Crisis: Who Am I Without Being a Founder?36:20 - Joining Red Circle: Working for a Former Competitor39:15 - Leaving Ego at the Door: Transitioning to Employee42:30 - Current Role: Marketing Director at Red Circle49:30 - Optimistic Outlook: Seeing Opportunities, Not ObstaclesConnect with Anna:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaratala/Company: https://redcircle.com/Anna's story is a reminder that entrepreneurship isn't just about the successes - it's about resilience, learning from failure, and finding new ways to contribute to the industries you're passionate about.Subscribe for more immigrant founder stories and startup insights!#Entrepreneurship #StartupFailure #PodcastAdvertising #ImmigrantFounders #StartupStoriesEnjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jose Carlos "Charlie" Sarmiento went from corporate finance executive in Guatemala to extreme triathlete competing on the world stage, ultimately building VTX Athlete - a platform that connects endurance athletes with funding and brand sponsorships. In this episode, he shares his incredible journey from losing his father at 14, overcoming depression through ultramarathons, and creating a revolutionary algorithm that ranks athletes based on performance data rather than social media followers.What You'll Learn:How to transition from corporate executive to sports entrepreneurWhy endurance sports funding is a $100 billion untapped marketThe real costs of competing internationally ($15K per race, $100K annually)How performance data can revolutionize athlete sponsorshipsThe mindset system that took Charlie from depression to world championshipsImmigration strategies: From O1A visa to green card in 3 months⏰ KEY TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Introduction: Meet Charlie Sarmiento, Ultra-Athlete & Entrepreneur 03:23 - Losing His Father at 14: The Gift That Shaped His Character 07:14 - Building VTX Athlete: The "NASDAQ for Athletes" Concept 08:47 - Why Endurance Sports? The Untapped 100 Million Athlete Market 09:44 - The Real Cost Breakdown: $15K Per Race, $100K Annual Budget 12:07 - The VTX Algorithm: Performance Data vs. Social Media Metrics 14:29 - Three-Index System: Training, Social Impact, Athletic Results 16:36 - Market Size: 100M Athletes Worldwide, 60M Target Market 17:24 - Beyond Gear: Airlines, Hotels, and Real Sponsorship Needs 19:51 - "The Real Ultraman" Book: System to Rewire Your Brain 21:43 - From Zero to 50 Miles: Using Ultra Running to Beat Depression 23:02 - Immigration Journey: O1A Visa Through Athletic Excellence 27:40 - Why Entrepreneurship is Harder Than Ultramarathons 31:49 - Favorite Race: Lavaredo Dolomites, Italy (Family Heritage) 32:55 - Living in Gratitude: What Charlie is Optimistic About🔗 Connect with Charlie:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ultrasarmiento/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliesarmiento/Company: www.vtxathlete.comBook: https://a.co/d/33SuRkQ🎯 About VTX Athlete: VTX Athlete is revolutionizing endurance sports by creating the first performance-based marketplace connecting athletes with funding and brand sponsorships through data-driven algorithms.#Entrepreneurship #EnduranceSports #UltraMarathon #Immigration #PerformanceData #SportsSponsorship #Guatemala #Austin #StartupStoryEnjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Supercharge your existing KYC with e-IDsPolish born Jarek Sygitowicz is co-founder and CSO at YC backed and London based Authologic. Founded in 2020, Authologic is a digital ID startup bridging legacy KYC systems and AI-era identity verification, helping businesses stay compliant, secure, and user-friendly.As traditional verification methods like plastic IDs and photo uploads become more vulnerable to AI fraud, Authologic’s platform minimizes these risks, enhances privacy, and streamlines onboarding while cutting operational costs for customers. With regulations pushing digital ID adoption across Europe, Authologic supports both digital and traditional verification methods, making KYC and AML processes easier for financial services, gaming, and crypto industries.What You'll Learn:How craftsmanship principles from tailoring translate perfectly to digital product designWhy COVID accelerated the urgent need for digital identity solutionsHow AI is making traditional photo-based ID verification dangerously outdatedThe mechanics of how eIDs and identity wallets actually work (with live demo!)Why London became the strategic choice for a Polish fintech startupThe YC application strategy that got them accepted on their first tryHow to fundraise by focusing on traction, not persuasion⏰ KEY TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Introduction: Meet Jarek Sygitowicz, Co-founder of Authologic 01:00 - Family of Tailors: How Bauhaus Design Principles Shape Tech Products 04:00 - Early Tech Journey: From Linux Blogs to First Exit in the 90s 07:00 - The Authologic Vision: Why Plastic IDs Are Like 19th Century Ships 09:00 - COVID's Impact: How Lockdowns Forced Digital Identity Innovation 12:00 - The Global eID Hub: Building "Stripe for KYC" Across Countries 14:00 - Why London?: Strategic Positioning in the Global Fintech Ecosystem 16:00 - AI's Identity Crisis: Proving You're Human in a Deepfake World 18:00 - Live Demo: How eID Wallets Work in Practice (12-Second Verification!) 21:00 - Apple's Game-Changer: Passport Support in Apple Wallet 23:00 - YC Journey: Getting Accepted on First Application 26:00 - Fundraising Philosophy: Why Traction Beats Persuasion Every Time 32:00 - Future-Proofing Identity: What Average People Should Do Today 33:00 - Ultimate Optimism: Why Technology Will Solve Our Biggest Problems🔗 Connect with Jarek:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sygitowiczWebsite: https://authologic.com/Enjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Startup Founders Can Accelerate Their Fundraising with BoxsyElisabeth Bykoff went from aerospace engineering in France to building Boxsy, an AI-powered platform that helps startups scale operationally while connecting them with investors and ecosystem partners. In this episode, she shares her 20+ year journey in the US, the challenges of being a non-technical founder in AI, and why she believes the venture ecosystem needs more transparency on both sides.What You'll Learn:How to transition from services to product companies successfullyWhy taking calculated risks as an immigrant entrepreneur pays offThe evolution from "ops in a box" to agentic COO platformsHow AI is changing fundraising and startup operationsWhy VCs and startups both need more transparencyThe challenges of losing multiple CTOs as a non-technical founder⏰ KEY TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Introduction: Meet Elisabeth Bykoff, Founder of Boxsy 02:30 - From French Aerospace Engineering to Seattle (Early Background) 05:45 - The Boeing Rejection: Pivoting from Engineering to Business 09:15 - 10 Years at PWC: Building Salesforce Practice and Getting Green Card 12:00 - Leaving Partnership Track: Jumping into Pre-IPO World with Aptus 15:30 - Key Learning: Services vs. Product Company Transition 18:45 - Series A Experience: From $290M Revenue to $1M ARR 21:20 - The Boxsy Origin: "Ops in a Box" Concept During COVID 24:15 - 2023 Validation Year: Patient Approach to Market Research 27:40 - The Pivot Discovery: Investors Want Transparency Too 30:45 - Current Focus: Fundraising Readiness and Investor Matching 33:30 - Target Market: VCs Managing 10-400 Portfolio Companies 36:20 - The Challenge: Losing Two CTOs Since July 2024 39:15 - Non-Technical Founder Reality: Lovable vs. Months of Development 41:25 - Future Predictions: More Solo Entrepreneurs, Hands-On VCs 44:30 - Book Discussion: "French Landing" - 20 Stories from 20 Years 47:15 - Healthcare Horror Stories: Why Pet Insurance Makes More Sense 49:45 - Optimistic Outlook: AI as the Next Internet-Level Breakthrough🔗 Connect with Elisabeth:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabethbykoff/Read Her Book: "French Landing" (Available in audiobook, narrated by Elisabeth)Website: https://www.boxsy.io/🎯 About Boxsy: Boxsy is a unified platform helping founders raise faster and investors make smarter, data-backed decisions.#Entrepreneurship #AI #StartupOperations #Fundraising #VentureCapital #Immigration #TechFounder #BookLaunchEnjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nestor Castillero went from having just $51 in his pocket to building Maera, a seven-figure company that helps global entrepreneurs launch US businesses. In this episode, he shares the raw truth about bootstrapping a business, the power of content marketing, and why US LLCs are game-changers for international founders.What You'll Learn:How to build a business with almost no capitalWhy US LLCs give global entrepreneurs massive advantagesContent marketing strategies that actually convertThe decision between bootstrapping vs. raising capitalHow to turn financial pressure into business momentum⏰ KEY TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Introduction: Meet Nestor Castillero, Founder of Maera 02:30 - From Panama Lawyer to Wealth Management (Early Background) 05:45 - The Gold Fund Failure: Losing Everything and Starting Over 09:15 - The $51 Beginning: Birth of Maera in 2022 12:00 - First Customer: $899 from Peru and the Validation Moment 15:30 - Working 3 Jobs: Madrid Restaurant + Building Maera at Night 18:45 - The Green Card Approval and Move to New York 21:20 - Why LLCs Over Other Business Entities 24:15 - The 3 Key Benefits of US LLCs for Global Entrepreneurs 27:40 - Target Customers: Who Uses Maera's Services 30:45 - E-commerce and Amazon: Physical Products Strategy 33:30 - Content Marketing: The Free Customer Acquisition Strategy 36:20 - What Works vs. What Doesn't in Content Creation 39:15 - The Decision NOT to Raise Capital 41:25 - What Nestor's Optimistic About for the Future🔗 Connect with Nestor:Website: https://www.maera.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nestor-castilleroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/maerahq/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maerahq🎯 About Maera: Maera helps global entrepreneurs launch and grow US businesses with LLC formation, bank accounts, tax support, and more - all from anywhere in the world.#Entrepreneurship #BusinessFormation #ContentMarketing #Bootstrapping #GlobalBusiness #LLC #StartupStorySubscribe for more founder stories and business insights! 🔔Enjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Helping immigrants navigate life in the U.S.From Nepal to New York City, Liesel Vaidya is the co-founder and CEO of Imera, a venture-backed platform focused on expanding access and opportunity for immigrants. Liesel previously served as CTO of a digital health startup, where she built award-winning products that transformed access to care for survivors of sexual assault. Originally from Kathmandu, Nepal, she understands firsthand the barriers immigrants face when building a life in a new country.00:00 Introduction and Background 01:06 Starting the First Company, and raising $9 million 02:51 Challenges and Lessons Learned 05:34 The Birth of a New Idea 09:52 Introducing Imera - bridging the knowledge gap for immigrants 14:02 Community Building and Partnerships 17:03 Future Vision and GoalsConnect with Liesel:Website: www.withimera.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lieselvaidyaEnjoy the episode!#ImmigrationTech #ForeignFounders #StartupStory #EntrepreneurshipJourney #ImmigrantSuccessIf you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Measure and manage all your ad campaigns with RedTrack.ioVlad Zhovtenko is the CEO and co-founder of RedTrack, the AI-driven analytics and automation platform for media buyers. He has been an active player in the digital advertising space since 2000, and has held multiple marketing and managing director roles in the industry. Beginning in 2008, Vlad worked as an independent consultant and advisor to companies seeking to improve their lead generation and ad tech, helping them create comprehensive digital sales and marketing strategies and establish relevant processes for sustained growth.He co-founded AdxGeeks in 2015, which provided programmatic media-buying solutions through a white-label DSP SaaS program, then co-founded RedTrack in 2019 to make digital marketing analytics & automation more accessible to SMEs and to help media buyers to make smarter decisions and easily scale campaigns for revenue growth.In this episode, Vlad shares his experiences:Fundraising for RedTrack over the course of 3 yearsAdvice on Fundraising in a competitive verticalBuilding for product market fit with Chess and Go as a frameworkLife and pace in LithuaniaFind Vlad Zhovtenko on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhovtenko/Track, attribute, automate, and scale your advertising with RedTrackEnjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

See how Endeavor Elements is architecting the future of flight$100 Per Line of Code? How This Aerospace Founder is Disrupting AviationIn this eye-opening episode, we sit down with Yves Remmler, the visionary Co-Founder & CEO of Endeavor Elements, who's bringing Silicon Valley innovation to the traditionally slow and regulation-heavy aerospace industry.Yves reveals how his aerospace startup is revolutionizing the future of flight through cutting-edge AI-driven avionics systems that are setting new standards for safety and efficiency. You'll discover why the aerospace industry currently spends a staggering $100 per line of code and how Endeavor Elements is dramatically reducing these costs while maintaining rigorous safety standards.Dive deep into the technological breakthroughs enabling fully automated flight and learn how these innovations will transform air travel in the coming decades. Yves shares his ambitious roadmap for building a trillion-dollar company by reimagining how certification processes work in high-stakes industries like aviation and defense.For anyone interested in aerospace engineering, aviation technology, AI applications in transportation, or disruptive innovation in heavily regulated industries, this conversation offers unprecedented insights from one of the field's most forward-thinking entrepreneurs.#AerospaceInnovation #AutomatedFlight #AviationTech #StartupDisruption #AIinAviation #AerospaceSoftware #FutureOfFlight #CertificationSolutionsReach out to Yves Remmler on X: https://x.com/yvesremmlerEnjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Engage your fans with FanlistPat Cheung discovered his passion for audience building in 2011 while serving as Head of Product at EQAL, one of Los Angeles' first celebrity and influencer networks, where he designed a social platform driving fan engagement for over 40 influencers and 20 million monthly fan interactions. Currently the founder and CEO of Fanlist, a platform enabling podcasters to create fan pages for engagement and monetization, he has been a tech founder for over a decade with multiple successful exits. His love for technology, business, and podcasting is reflected in Fanlist, and as an avid podcast enthusiast, he's written three books sharing practical tips for podcasters to engage their fans.Pat took his experience building startups and his new role is to support founders in the Portland Metro Region. Through the Metro Hub, they provider mentorship, connections and mentorship.Born in Hong Kong and raised in Orange County, he now resides in Portland, Oregon.In the episode we talk about:Pat’s life growing up as immigrant from Hong KongHow he found entrepreneurship and tech through designHelping founders in the Portland Metro RegionIndustries that Portland, OR is exceptional at: outdoor apparel, food and bevPortland as the hub for bootstrapping foundersEnjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch The Flamingo Effect using TODAQ Micro’s technologyHassan Khan is a co-Founder and the CEO of TODAQ Micro, a fintech that enables instant micropayments for producers of movies, shows and documentaries that want a direct-to-consumer, frictionless, pay-as-you-do experience where they can control their customer relationship, control their content, and have better real-time monetization. Consumers and fans benefit from getting just what they want with one tap without requiring logins or subscriptions.He is also a co-founder of TODAQ Labs, a deeptech R&D lab that works with Cambridge University and ARM Technologies and has released new web application protocols and cryptographic technologies to enable open web microtransactions.In 2015, Hassan founded his first company, Quantius, a fintech lender which collateralized IP and intangibleassets to secure growth credit for knowledge rich SMEs. In 2019, Quantius placed third in the Canadian Hedge Fund Awards Private Debt category. The Quantius platform is now the Business Development Bank of Canada’s National IP Innovation Fund.He was a consultant with McKinsey & Company from 2009 to 2014 serving clients on digital transformation. Hassan’s background started as an Army Signals Officer with the Canadian Army. During his time in service he created integrated cryptographic capabilities for security and emergency response agencies to cooperate for security operations in the former Yugoslavia and the G8 Summit, disaster response for the British Columbia forest fires, and other activities.Hassan is a computer engineering graduate from the Royal Military College of Canada and completed his prior schooling at Upper Canada College in Toronto.In this episode we talk about:Hassan’s upbringing in Canada and joining the Canadian ArmySeeing the process of rebuilding after warCreating opportunities for small businesses in his first startupSupporting studios monetize their work and get paidHow TODAQ Micro created the first digital rental share systemAre you a studio interested in selling and renting your movies and TV show, while getting paid quickly? Work with TODAQ Micro.Enjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about how PolyGone Systems is removing microplasticsYidian Liu is the Co-founder and COO of PolyGone Systems and a Forbes 30 under 30 Fellow. PolyGone Systems is a Princeton University spinout cleantech company with a mission to remove microplastic pollutants from our waterways. Yidian was a trained designer with a Master’s degree in Architecture from Princeton University. Since 2021, Yidian and her team have won over $2.4M in grant awards and have successfully raised their pre-seed venture capital funding. On this episode, we’re covering everything microplastics from what it is to the Polygone solutions.In this episode we cover:Yidian’s journey from being an architect to wanting to solve the problems “below the surface”The truth about microplasticsHow PolyGone Systems startedPolyGone Systems WebsiteYidian Liu LinkedInEnjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try Ohai.ai - a personal assistant for your familySheila Lirio Marcelo is a Filipino-American entrepreneur with over 20 years of leadership experience in internet consumer marketplace businesses. She founded Care.com in 2006, taking the company public in 2014 and serving as Chairwoman and CEO until its sale to IAC in 2020. Currently, she is the Co-Founder and CEO of Ohai.ai, an AI technology startup aimed at improving family life. Marcelo has received numerous accolades, including being named on Forbes 50 over 50, recognized as one of Fortune’s “Top 10 Women Entrepreneurs,” and honored as a Henry Crown Fellow and Young Global Leader. She holds a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College, a J.D. and M.B.A from Harvard University, and became the youngest recipient of the Harvard Business School Alumni Achievement Award in 2014.This incredible conversation is worth listening to. We cover more about Sheila’s background as an immigrant founder, compared to her other interviews! Highlight include:Sheila mirroring her entrepreneurial mother from an early ageBeing insecure about starting her first companyWhy she decided to move on from Care.comStarting Ohai.ai to help more familiesEnjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m so delighted to have my friend, Elizabeth Tishchenko. Elizabeth was previously on episode 10 of the show, as the co-founder of her company, Nevemind, a consumer facing application using AI to manage your life. She shut down the company in 2024, so I wanted to reach out to her again and talk about her experience.Elizabeth is a Ukrainian nomad, serial entrepreneur, and AI consultant, currently serving as CEO of her third startup, FleetMind. A Techstars '23 and Antler '22 alum, she also teaches AI in Business and Product Management at General Assembly.Welcome back to Foreign Founders!In this episode, we talk about:The journey through with Nevemind and shutting down the companyWhere she spent time after moving on and the challenges she facedTeaching AI to product builders and founders - and the tips and tricks!What she is doing with her new role at FleetMindElizabeth Tishchenko LinkedInListen to Elizabeth on Episode 10Enjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every couple needs a smart, shared brain spaceI’m happy to have my friend, Abdullah “Ax” Ali, on Foreign Founders. Ax’s story starts as a war refugee arriving in Baltimore with just $20, working his way through community college to one of the top PhD programs in Human-Computer interactions and publishing over 20 award-winning peer reviewed papers along the way. With stints at Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and Bilt, he’s co-founded 3rd Brain for couples to do life better, together.In this episode, we talk about:Ax’s childhood growing up in a war torn country, moving to Jordan and then to the U.S.Watching “The Social Network” and being inspired to build technology productsPursuing PhD in Human-Computer interactions, and Ax shares the most interesting paper he co-wroteHow Ax and his co-founder used so many different products and techniques to plan as a coupleLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theaxali/3rd Brain Website: https://www.3rd-brain.com/iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/3rd-brain-couples-organizer/id6476935088Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thirdbrainEnjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get your own AI Phoenyx to learn a new languageOriginally from Paraná, a small town in Argentina, Carolina is on a mission to help kids learn a second language at the optimal age—when they are young, their brains are most receptive, and they have the time to explore and grow. After building a successful corporate career in Argentina, she sought a new challenge and moved to the US to earn her MBA at MIT Sloan. Following graduation, Carolina co-founded BetterVet, a mobile veterinary startup that raised $40M in 2022 and recently merged with The Vets. Today, she’s revolutionizing bilingual education for children with MyPhoenyx, an AI-powered smart toy designed to make language learning fun, engaging, and screen-free.In this episode, we talk about:Carolina’s first exposure to learning English as a childGraduating from her MBA program and wearing multiple hats at a startupBalancing hardware, software and AI as she built her first prototype using Raspberry PiCarolina Goncebat LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinagoncebat/MyPhoenyx: https://www.myphoenyx.com/Enjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Want to integrate Web3 into your product? Work with MetaKeepWith stints building products at Microsoft, Twitter, and Meta, Naga Samineni knows a thing or two about serving millions and billions of customers. Naga is taking all the knowledge of how to scale high impact global products, and bringing that to Web3 and the next generation of web infrastructure as co-founder of MetaKeep.In this episode, we talk about:Finding opportunities even when resources were scarceDemand to his manager to get exposure and “being in the front seat” in exchange hard workSeeing flaws at a massive scale while building for technology giants that led to founding MetaKeepWhy Blockchain is a powerful solution to legacy systemsEnjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try Authentic Loose Leaf Taiwanese TeaFounded in 2019 by Shanghai-born, NYC-based millennial entrepreneur Maggie (Ranmu) Xue, Us Two Tea is a premium farm-to-cup purveyor of Taiwanese tea. After noticing a lack of widely known and distributed Asian-owned tea brands in the United States, Xue founded Us Two Tea with a clear mission to make Asian tea culture—and Asian culture at large—more accessible to discerning millennial consumers and tea lovers at large. Sourced from family-owned farms in Taiwan, Us Two Tea's Black, Baozhong, Oolong, and Jasmine teas offer the quality of the time-honored Chinese "kung fu" tea ceremony in under three minutes. All teas are cut as loose-leaf teas, then packaged in premium, sustainable 100% corn fiber tea sachets which can be conveniently brewed up to three times. Us Two Tea has been featured in Forbes, Bon Appetit, Bloomberg, Eater, and more.In this episode, we talk about:Never having the desire to start a business watching her motherCareer shift from advertising and graphic design to being a CPG founderWhy most tea brands at stores are American, British or Japanese brandsUs Two Tea Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ustwotea/Us Two Tea Website: https://www.ustwotea.com/Enjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get Unstuck with your class workSidhant Bendre is the Co-founder of Quizard AI, a Neo VC-backed consumer AI startup that has built a portfolio of products for students and professionals. Since launching out of a college dorm room in 2023, Quizard AI's suite of products has rapidly grown to serve over 4M users globally, generating more than $6 million ARR, and achieving profitability within its first year of operations.His story growing the company and the product is one of the fastest we’ve heard on Foreign Founders, so if you’re on the consumer AI wave this is an episode you don’t want to miss!In this episode, we talk about:Sid’s journey to the USThe big problems he wants to solve with AIStarting Quizard AI and growing it to 4 million users globally with viral videos and a lot of growth experimentsBeing profitable, launching a second successful productFind Sid Bendre on X: https://x.com/SidBendreQuizard AI iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/quizard-ai-homework-helper/id1667996582Quizard AI Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aihomework&hl=en_US&pli=1 Unstuck: https://unstuckstudy.com/Enjoy the episode!If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.