StartOut Innovation Table

Tracy Chan, CEO of Splash, joins us for this special #PrideMonth episode to give you a sneak peek of our 5th Annual Equity Summit coming up on June 20th!  About Tracy Chan Tracy Chan began his career as a product manager at YouTube and has led creator-focused product and development at Spotify, Twitch, and SoundCloud. Now, he is the CEO of Splash, the world’s most advanced music company specializing in AI-based tools and games for music creation and performance.  He has been named to Billboard Indie Power Players (2023), Billboard’s Movers and Shakers list (2023), Billboard Power List (2022), Fast Company's Inaugural 'Creator 25' List (2022), and Rolling Stone’s Future 25 (2020). LinkedIn About the StartOut Equity Summit Register for virtual attendance or join our in-person waitlist Delve into crucial conversations surrounding intersectionality within the queer community, address the systemic inequities faced by LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, and celebrate the achievements of StartOut entrepreneurs. This event is free and open to all and will be streaming live from the LinkedIn offices in San Francisco.  Follow Startout on Instagram @startoutcommunity and LinkedIn. Innovation Table Host: Caroline Rotenstreich

Our 13th Annual StartOut Awards is right around the corner! Check out our special episode with Perrin Quarshie, recipient of our 2024 Peter Sisson Next Generation Award and founder of RealBlocks. Join us on October 10 in NYC as we honor Perrin along with our LGBTQ+ entrepreneur community.  About Perrin Quarshie: Perrin was most recently the Founder & CEO of RealBlocks, an alternative investments platform that helps managers expand their firm’s distribution footprint and automating manual processes for onboarding investors. The firm raised over $23M in venture capital over three rounds and serviced over $77B in assets before being acquired in early 2024. Perrin began his career in engineering at NAC International, where he completed several nuclear energy infrastructure projects in the United States and in Japan. After NAC and prior to RealBlocks, Perrin completed his MBA at the MIT Sloan School of Business, during which time he worked at Barclays as a summer associate in Real Estate Investment Banking, conducting M&A Transactions for various REIT and Private Equity sponsors. LinkedIn About the 13th Annual StartOut Awards Get your ticket & join us in NYC on October 10th!⁠ The StartOut Awards is the premier celebration of the nation’s LGBTQ+ entrepreneurial community. Our signature event recognizes outstanding LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs across industries. By recognizing and honoring business leaders for outstanding representation of the LGBTQ+ community, the StartOut Awards bring further visibility and prominence to the dynamic, innovative, and exceptionally diverse field of LGBTQ+ community members fueling the American entrepreneurial spirit.  Join us on October 10th in NYC as we honor Perrin Quarshie (Next Generation Award) along with Vivienne Ming (Trailblazer Award), Tristan Schukraft (Leadership Award), & Fearless Fund (Advocate Award). Follow Startout on Instagram ⁠@startoutcommunity⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠. Innovation Table Host: Caroline Rotenstreich

Our 13th Annual StartOut Awards is right around the corner! Check out our special episode with Vivienne Ming, recipient of our 2024 Trailblazer Award and Co-founder of Socos Labs. Join us on October 10 in NYC as we honor Vivienne along with our LGBTQ+ entrepreneur community.  About Vivienne Ming: Vivienne Ming, theoretical neuroscientist, entrepreneur, author, and mother of two, is featured frequently for her research and inventions in The Financial Times, The Atlantic, and the New York Times. Her AI inventions have launched a dozen companies and nonprofits with a focus on human potential: education, workforce, and health. A self-described "professional mad scientist", Vivienne founded The Human Trust to fight some of the world's most pressing problems, and she travels the world sharing the stories of these astonishing projects.  In her free time, Vivienne works to design AI systems to help treat her son’s diabetes, predict manic episodes in bipolar sufferers, and reunite orphan refugees with extended family members. She sits on the boards of numerous companies and nonprofits, including UC Berkeley's Neurotech Collider Hub and RFK Human Rights. LinkedIn About the 13th Annual StartOut Awards Get your ticket & join us in NYC on October 10th!⁠ The StartOut Awards is the premier celebration of the nation’s LGBTQ+ entrepreneurial community. Our signature event recognizes outstanding LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs across industries. By recognizing and honoring business leaders for outstanding representation of the LGBTQ+ community, the StartOut Awards bring further visibility and prominence to the dynamic, innovative, and exceptionally diverse field of LGBTQ+ community members fueling the American entrepreneurial spirit.  Join us on October 10th in NYC as we honor Vivienne Ming (Trailblazer Award) along with Perrin Quarshie (Next Generation Award), Tristan Schukraft (Leadership Award), & Fearless Fund (Advocate Award). Follow Startout on Instagram ⁠@startoutcommunity⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠. Innovation Table Host: Caroline Rotenstreich

Jonathan Mentor is the founder and CEO of Successment, a revenue growth partner for startups that empowers disadvantaged tech entrepreneurs. We discuss the various methodical processes Jonathan has created in order to help founders “go slow to grow fast,” enabling them to execute and achieve measurable success for their ventures.  Checkout Jonathan’s website here: jonathanjmentor.co

Dylan Lew is the co-founder and CEO of Ecotone Renewables, a company tackling the problem of food waste with creativity and efficiency. We discuss Dylan’s time in the StartOut Growth Lab and how the unique experience served as catalyst for many of his core learnings as a founder, including the importance of bringing one’s identity to the table. Find out more about Dylan and Ecotone Renewables: www.ecotonerenewables.com On social media: @ecotonerenew The StartOut Growth Lab is a startup accelerator that offers top quality mentoring, education, and networking opportunities for companies that happen to be founded or cofounded by LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. Find out more about the StartOut Growth Lab: www.startout.org/growth-lab/

Gold Darr Hood (she/they) is a former StartOut Growth Lab participant and the founder and CEO of Full, a company on a mission to put clean air back into major metro areas  to reignite human connection and transform communities. We talk about how as a  serial entrepreneur, Gold has “followed the problem” which has led her to different nexus points, improving the nutrition, air quality, and way of life for many communities. Connect with Gold on LinkedIn Below: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gold-darr-hood

As a legal consultant and StartOut mentor, Robert Mison discusses how to embrace vulnerability, mentor with purpose and prioritize effectively. Find Robert on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/robertmison Find out more about the StartOut mentorship program: www.startout.org/mentors

In addition to serving as a StartOut Board Member and Mentor, Patrick Driscoll is a General Partner at Chasing Rainbows, a VC firm committed to empowering and investing in LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. We discuss the hurdles that confront LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, the importance of being a human-first leader, and how his life has been enriched by his involvement in StartOut. Get in touch with Patrick below: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickedriscoll/ Insta - @paddyodreezy X - @PaddyO_Dreezy Find out more about Chasing Rainbows VC Website - https://www.chasingrainbows.vc/

Jo Norris is the co-founder and CEO of Carbon Reform, a climate technology company on the mission to democratize access to carbon removal solutions. Guided by their core pillars of health, climate and equity, Carbon reform is innovating solutions to decrease building energy costs and improve indoor air quality.  Checkout Jo and Carbon Reform on all socials below: Instagram: @carbonreform https://www.instagram.com/carbonreform/ LinkedIn: Carbon Reform https://www.linkedin.com/company/carbon-reform LinkedIn: Jo Norris https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-norris/

Hear from StartOut CEO Brian Richardson on how social justice has guided his career, the importance of cultivating and empowering queer entrepreneurs, and how the three pillars of StartOut are revolutionizing our world. Find out more about StartOut: https://startout.org/ Find out more about this podcast: https://startout.org/podcast

The StartOut Innovation Table is on a mission to amplify the stories of LGBTQ+ founders shaping a more equitable future. Harnessing the power of storytelling, we connect, learn, and inspire, advocating that everyone deserves a seat at the table. Our podcast showcases diverse founders and leaders sharing their unique journeys across industries. From the discovery phase to team building and overcoming adversity with grace, these stories illustrate the transformative power of empowering LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. By providing support and resources, we unlock untapped business value, driving inclusivity and economic progress for all.