614Startups

On this episode, Elio interviews Paul Ehlinger, Principal at Allos Ventures. Allos Ventures invests in industry-transforming businesses and partners with visionary entrepreneurs to help their companies accelerate growth and build value. Paul’s career started as a medical device engineer in Southern California and he ultimately transitioned from the corporate world to the world of venture capital a...

Drive Capital is a venture capital firm that partners with founders who are solving critical problems in massive markets. With Drive Capital, companies gain more than just capital, they gain coveted access to Drive’s well-documented and highly respected prowess in venture. Drive proactively seeks out founders and companies where there is founder-investor-problem-product and market fit. With a back...

On this episode, Elio interviews Max Brickman, Managing Director at Heartland Ventures. Heartland Ventures is a value-add venture investor that connects high-growth startups with new customers in the Midwest. Max’s entrepreneurial endeavors began at a very young age with him starting his first company at 14 years old. From landscaping to real estate to education, Max has garnered a wealth of knowl...

On this episode, Elio interviews Matt Wyckhouse, Founder and CEO of Finite State. Finite State's platform detects IoT threats to networks to proactively mitigate risk. Matt takes us through his years at Battelle, coming straight out of Ohio State, where he started in software development, and then eventually helped to lead the company’s expansion into the cybersecurity space. He reveals what he di...

On this episode, Elio interviews Sheri Chaney Jones, President and CEO of SureImpact. SureImpact is a user-friendly case management platform that thinks like a collective impact outcomes generator. Sheri has a background in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and in 2010 she channeled her passion for doing good into starting Management Resources Company, which helped government and nonprofit...

On this episode, Elio interviews Constance Borro, Co-founder of Mastery Portfolio. Mastery portfolio is a collection of web-based tools designed to improve education practices. This digital grade book is easy to maintain and was built by teachers, for teachers. Their philosophy emphasizes the unfairness of traditional grading and posits that it leads to demotivated teachers, students and parents a...

On this episode, Elio interviews Mike Holt, Advisor and Investor in Nodis. Nodis TruTint uses color coated nanoparticles that act as small light shutters that are oriented when voltage is applied, transforming windows by giving people the ability to change the tint, color, and temperature characteristics of windows instantly. Mike discusses why Nodis decided to relocate their operations to Columbu...

On this episode, Elio interviews Jonathan Poma, Founder & CEO of Loop. Loop allows Shopify brands to automate the entire return process, even exchanges. Loop improves retention by encouraging your customers to exchange rather than requesting a refund. Jonathan shares his journey from cutting his teeth at DYNAMIT to Head of Digital at HOMAGE and now CEO of Loop. Loop raised a $10 million Series...

On this episode, Elio interviews Ryan Frederick, Founder of AWH. AWH is a software development firm that helps companies build innovative and disruptive products for the web, mobile and IoT. Ryan discusses his new book The Founder's Manual and the lessons learned building his company and helping entrepreneurs build theirs. Ryan is an active angel investor, mentors and advises entrepreneurs and sta...

On this episode, Elio interviews Calvin Cooper, Co-Founder and CEO of Rhove. With Rhove, renters gain the opportunity to become a stakeholder, and earn a return from where they live. Calvin started his entrepreneurial journey working with the Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council helping grow and foster relationships between minority business enterprises, corporations, and government entities...

On this episode, Elio interviews Matthew Benson, Founder and CEO of eFuse. eFuse is a web and mobile application that serves as the professional hub for esports and video games. Coming off a $1.4 million seed round, eFuse launched their platform in December 2019 and are growing their user base in 2020. Enjoy!

On this episode, Elio interviews Peeyush Shrivastava, Co-Founder of Genetesis. Inspired by his grandfather’s health struggles, Peeyush Shrivastava and his cofounders started Genetesis out of their dorm rooms in 2013, and have since grown the company to 25 employees, with over $20 million in venture capital financing to date. Peeyush and the Genetesis team have designed and developed an FDA-cleared...

On this episode, Elio interviews Bernie Moreno, Chairman of Ownum. Ownum is on a mission to identify, support, and commercialize the most promising applications of distributed ledger technology. Enjoy.

On this episode, Elio interviews Eric Jenkusky, CEO of Matrix Meats. Matrix Meats is a manufacturer of 3D nanofibrous matrices used in the production of cultured meat. Climate change is driving innovation in food production and Matrix Meats helps culture meat producers solve the challenges around cultured meat texture, shape, and taste. Eric shares his insights on the meat industry and what's next...

On this episode, Elio interviews Shanna Dean, Co-Founder and Executive Chef of Lifestyle Cafe, a plant-based vegan restaurant located in the Olde Towne East neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. Shanna discusses her journey to veganism, her family history of entrepreneurship, the hidden side of the American food industry, and how Lifestyle Cafe is changing the way vegan food is perceived and winning ove...

On this episode, Elio interviews Rodney Williams, Co-Founder of SoLo Funds. SoLo Funds connects lenders and borrowers for affordable access to loans under $1000. Seeking to revolutionize the peer-to-peer lending space while addressing the needs of the unbanked or underbanked, SoLo Funds facilitated $5 million in loans in 2019 and are projected to hit $12 million in 2020. Out of stealth and scaling...

On this episode, Elio interviews Bill Baumel , Managing Partner of the Ohio Innovation Fund. The Ohio Innovation Fund provides venture capital & expertise to enable early-stage Ohio companies to grow & prosper. Bill shares his lessons learned over his 17+ year career investing in and helping to scale multiple startups in Silicon Valley and now here in Ohio. Ohio Innovation Fund's portfolio...

On this episode, Elio interviews Alex Davessar, Co-Founder of Outern. Outern is a platform that connects companies and college talent, allowing those companies to remotely offload real work to students. Alex shares his journey as a student-founder, starting a marketing agency, Beacon Brand Identity and then pivoting to Outern. Listen and then share this with a student or young entrepreneur in your...

On this epsiode, Elio interviews Lindsay Karas Stencel, Partner in Thompson Hine's Early Stage & Emerging Companies practice. Inspired to pursue a legal career after watching Legally Blond, Lindsay's fashion sense is matched by her legal prowess and passion for startups. An attorney, entrepreneur and fitness buff, this episode is filled with practical gems that you can apply in your life, care...

On this episode, Elio interviews LoLo Smith, Co-Founder of The Urban Accelerator X and The Black Project. LoLo shares her entrepreneurial journey from starting  a successful FOREX trading company to watching it fail due to lack of proper legal protections.  Not one to let failure stop her, LoLo's passion for helping black entrepreneurs succeed drove her to start The Black Project, a bran...

On this episode, Elio interviews Cassie Young, Co-Founder of Matter News. Matter News Matter is a digital news source from Grey Matter Media, an investigative, nonprofit news organization based in Columbus, Ohio. Elio and Cassie discuss Matter News' in-depth coverage of affordable housing in Columbus, how development is currently being incentivized by the city, and the future of long-form investig...

On this episode, Elio interviews Jimmy Devine, Engineering Group Lead at Root Insurance. Root Insurance is a Columbus, Ohio based car insurance company that believes good drivers should pay less for insurance. Using technology the price insurance based on driving behavior and not demographics. Jimmy shares his journey from employee #3 at Root, the incredible serendipity of a Drive Capital's seed i...

On this episode, Elio interviews Sam Baddoo, Co-Founder of [re]start. [re]start is reinventing how people find and grow their careers. Sam shares his story navigating from his immigration to the U.S., his time in the military, his early career and the launch of [re]start. Enjoy!

On this episode, Elio interviews Jessica Kapusta, Founder of John and Jane's Sauces. Jessica's journey to entrepreneurship started with catering where her customers started raving about her sauces. Developed to meet the needs of people with food sensitivities and allergies, Jessica has bootstrapped her business and is ready to launch. Look out world, your next favorite condiment is here.

On this episode, Elio interviews Yasmeen Quadri, Founder of ServUs, live during Techstars Startup Weekend Columbus 2019. ServUs is a mobile app that connects students and employees to philanthropic opportunities. Yasmeen's passion for volunteering comes from her upbringing a Muslim, where charity is one of the five tenets. As a freshman, she attended Techstars Startup Weekend Columbus 2018 and her...