In this episode of "The Bottom Line," we sit down with Matheus Riolfi, co-founder and CEO of Tint, an innovative embedded insurance platform. Matheus shares his journey from Brazil to Silicon Valley, his experiences at Turo, and how these shaped his vision for Tint. Discover how embedded finance is transforming industries, the challenges of launching in new markets, and the role of AI in scaling businesses. Tune in for insights on entrepreneurship, innovation, and the future of insurance.
In this episode, Anna Berger, co-founder and CEO of Trayd, who has recently raised $4.5 million dollars of seed funding, discusses the challenges and innovations in the construction industry. She shares insights on the importance of personal motivators in startups, the role of AI in construction, and the strategies for scalability and customer retention. The conversation covers hiring strategies, effective communication with investors, and the need for continuous evolution in business practices.
In the second episode of Season 5, Arav Bhargava sits down with Ed Baker, Chief Product Officer at Whoop, who shares his entrepreneurial journey from launching a dating site at Harvard to leading growth at major tech companies like Facebook and Uber. He discusses the importance of product market fit, strategies for sustainable growth, and how Whoop differentiates itself in a competitive fitness technology market. Ed emphasizes the significance of customer retention and the innovative features of Whoop that encourage users to keep their devices on, ultimately driving long-term success.
In this second episode of "The Bottom Line" Season 4, Caleb Kline dives into a captivating conversation with Ross, the visionary CEO of Surfline, a pioneering wave monitoring platform reshaping the surfing landscape. With over 4 million daily users, Surfline stands as a testament to Ross's leadership and innovation in delivering real-time surf forecasts and insights worldwide.
In this opening episode of "The Bottom Line" Season 4, Caleb Kline chats with Arhan Chhabra, a Harvard sophomore and the mind behind Rove, the pioneering travel credit card for Gen Z. They delve into Rove's origin, the hurdles and highlights of student entrepreneurship, and the gratification that comes from creating a product with passion. Arhan offers a multitude of insights from his entrepreneurial journey, providing helpful guidance to fellow student founders. Join us to discover how Rove is unlocking the world of travel for a new generation.
In this thought-provoking episode, we welcome the Co-Founder and CEO of Supercritical and Co-Founder of SongKick, Michelle You, to the Bottom Line. Michelle shares her captivating journey of transitioning into the tech world and her profound career transformation and environmental advocacy. In today’s episode, we dive into the intricacies of Michelle’s career exploration, the importance of embracing change, and the invaluable lessons learned along the way. Delving deeper, Michelle shines a spotlight on the pressing issue of climate change mitigation, shedding light on the concept of carbon removal and the urgent need for achieving net-zero emissions. Michelle also speaks to her company’s pivotal role in this critical space and offers key insights into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. From sharing advice to college students embarking on their career journeys to discussing the qualities she values in a team, this episode is brimming with wisdom, inspiration, and actionable takeaways. Tune in as we engage with Michelle You in a riveting conversation that transcends industries, ignites passion, and empowers listeners to drive positive change in their own lives and beyond!
In today's episode, we're honored to introduce Sharon Marcil, a powerhouse figure in the business world. As the Senior Partner and Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group, Sharon's impact spans across the global operating and executive committee, leading BCG's North America region with unparalleled expertise. With a stellar academic background, she earned her BA in economics and government from Duke University, graduating magna cum laude, followed by an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School. Sharon's journey traverses beyond academia, encompassing her pivotal role working on Wall Street, notably in M&A at Goldman Sachs. Her rich experiences and insights culminate in a transformative transition into the realm of consulting, where she has dedicated over three decades of her illustrious career to one of the world's foremost consulting firms. Join us as Sharon shares her captivating narrative, from her formative years in education to, ultimately, her enduring legacy within the consulting sphere. This is an episode not to be missed, offering a firsthand glimpse into the multifaceted journey of a true industry luminary.
Kyle Waldrep is founder and CEO of real estate prop-tech firm Dottid. The commercial real estate SAAS technology platform aims to replace antiquated processes in the leasing industry and has raised over $20M in the process. Join us as Kyle steps us through founding Dottid and navigating the founder's life.
Join us for a conversation with Justin Fishner-Wolfson on the current market cycle and how to invest in durable companies. Listen in as Justin talks about his time at Founders Fund and what he sees as the future of SpaceX.
Join us for a conversation with historic PayPal founder David Sacks on his journey and the transition to venture capital with Craft Ventures
Join us for a conversation with Chris Romer, Co-Founder and CEO of Project Canary, on balancing public and private sector endeavors, learning to fail, and the future of emissions reduction. Get ready to dive into the hot topic of ESG measurement!
Enjoy a conversation with esteemed venture capitalist Deep Nishar, whose time with Softbank, LinkedIn, and Google speaks for itself, not to mention his founding of Patkai Networks. Listen in as Deep teaches us about mentorship, venture capital, and leadership. (And the best pizza toppings!)
Join us for a conversation with Daniel Moore, President and CEO of the Rockefeller Group, on his unique leadership style, entering the real estate market, and how the pandemic will change the industry. Get ready to dive into the ever evolving world of real estate!
Listen to our conversation with Flynn Coleman on the intersection of human rights, ethical leadership, and technology. Flynn is an author, an international human rights attorney, a social justice advocate, a Harvard fellow, a professor, a public speaker, a social innovator and entrepreneur, a former competitive athlete, an ethical fashion designer, and a founder and CEO.
Listen to our conversation with Alexa von Tobel, Managing Partner and founder of Inspired Capital, founder and former CEO of LearnVest (acquired by Northwestern Mutual), and the New York Times- Bestselling Author of Financially Fearless. Alexa went to Harvard College and Harvard Business School.
Listen to our conversation all about college’s reopening plans... this time with 4 guests! In light of school's reopening plans, though the approach between institutions is varied, the reaction of students and parents is quite similar: What should I do? Pay thousands of dollars for an online education? Take a year off from College and return to my secure spot in one year? Start a business? To answer these questions and more we are joined by Curren Iyer (Harvard Class of 2017) currently @LinkedIn and former President of Harvard Ventures, Erik Schluntz (Harvard Class of 2015) founder @Cobalt Robotics and formerly @SpaceX, Ben Pleat (Harvard Class of 2017) founder at Cobu and also former President of Harvard Ventures with Curren, and Matt Sutton venture investor in Cambridge who helps teach a class on entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School. Resources on gap years and startups: https://tinyurl.com/gap-year-2020 *Curated by our guests on this episode
Listen to our first double guest conversation with Shelly Xu, an ex-Prada and ex-Instagram employee now incubating her startup Shelly Xu Design (the first zero waste fashion startup) at Harvard University’s i-lab, and Court Williams, creative director and consultant specializing in luxury working as a Director at Instagram’s Creative Shop
Listen to our conversation with Mercedes Bent, partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners on their consumer investing team. This interview is part of Harvard Ventures Black Lives Matter fundraising and education efforts. All the proceeds from the sponsored segments of this podcast episode will be donated to organizations aiming to create equal opportunities for the advancement of Black entrepreneurs and investors in startupland. We at Harvard Ventures stand in firm solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement, and we recognize as a community of builders with tremendous privilege to be studying at Harvard we have a responsibility to use all our platforms to demand justice for all victims of racially motivated violence and be active leaders in shaping the changes we want to see in startupland, in America, and in our world. Next week, we will be launching our AMPLIFY series in collaboration with the Yale Entrepreneurial Society. Together, we have mobilized 10 universities across the country to host weekly virtual speaker events featuring the experiences, creations, triumphs, hardships, and learnings of Black entrepreneurs, executives, and investors. AMPLIFY mission statement: http://tinyurl.com/amplifymission Join the AMPLIFY mailing list to stay updated on our events: http://tinyurl.com/amplifymail (open for everyone to join!) This is the first of many ongoing initiatives Harvard Ventures is committed to working towards to uplift underrepresented groups in startup land. So special thank you again to Mercedes for joining us and to all of you for listening, donating, and sharing. Additional resources for BLM donations: https://tinyurl.com/HVBLMDonations
Listen to our conversation with Benjamin Wei, tech entrepreneur and non-profit founder. The COVID Foundation is on a mission to provide essential medical supplies to those who need it most. The organization achieves this by analyzing data to identify the most urgent need, with an emphasis on marginalized communities in the areas hit hardest by COVID-19. **Visit https://www.covid.cm/opportunities for volunteer opportunities and more ways to support Ben and The COVID Foundation’s work.
Listen to our conversation with David Rubenstein, co-founder and co-executive chairman of global private equity investment company The Carlyle Group.