Forward Thinking Founders

Scott Hickle, co-founder and CEO of Throne Science , joins Forward Thinking Founders to talk about building the world's first hands-free gut health tracker — a clip-on toilet device that monitors digestive health, hydration, and prostate health automatically with every flush. Scott shares how the idea started at a poker game in Austin, why his mom (a geriatrician) was the unlikely catalyst for the...

In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, Mat Sherman sits down with Meaghan Franks, founder of Sport Sitters, a marketplace that connects college athletes with families for high-trust, high-energy babysitting. What started as an accidental idea at Arizona State quickly became a powerful new way for student-athletes—especially women and non-revenue sport athletes—to earn income through NIL whi...

In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, Mat chats with Kosuke July Hata , the founder behind the ROC Camera — a groundbreaking device built to take verifiably real photos in the age of AI. He shares how his background in robotics, autonomous vehicles, and flying cars at Kitty Hawk shaped his belief that “impossible things are buildable with enough time,” and how that mindset led him to creat...

In today’s episode of Forward Thinking Founders , Mat sits down with Bo Shaffer, founder and CEO of Playswise , a startup using computer vision and AI to unlock deep basketball analytics straight from broadcast footage. Bo played basketball at Duke, and she saw firsthand how much of the sport still relies on slow, manual film review. Playswise is her attempt to change that — bringing NBA-level ins...

In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, Mat Sherman sits down with Gulmohar Ahluwalia, founder & CEO of Nyxara — a company building a next-generation space-to-ground communications system using cloud-piercing lasers capable of delivering terabits per second. Imagine downloading all of Netflix in five seconds. That’s the world Nyxara aims to unlock. Gulmohar walks through her path from as...

Mat Sherman catches up with Connor Waslo, co-founder/CEO of Caddy , a desktop voice interface that keeps you in flow by turning spoken intent into real work across tools like Linear, Slack, Calendar, Gmail, and Notion. Connor shares the origin story with cofounder Rajiv, hard pivots, and craft standards for their private beta. They compare SF’s tech gravity with New York, reflect on learnings from...

In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders , Mat Sherman chats with Jared Lerner, co-founder and CEO of Nappr , a marketplace redefining hotel stays by letting travelers book rooms for short, flexible durations. Jared shares how his own struggles with sleep sparked the idea, what it takes to build trust with hotels, and how Napper attracts both travelers and partners. They dive into Napper’s boo...

In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders , Mat Sherman chats with Mahdi Nouri , co-founder and CEO of CatDoes , a no-code AI mobile app builder empowering anyone to create apps without writing code. Mahdi shares the story behind CatDoes, the product decisions that shaped its growth, and how he’s navigating the fast-changing AI landscape. They discuss what it takes to build a startup from Germa...

In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders , Mat Sherman interviews Adam Cohen Hillel, co-founder of Dafdef, the company behind AI Key —a groundbreaking device that plugs into your phone and allows AI to directly control it. Adam discusses the development journey of AI Key, the importance of privacy and security, and the potential future applications of their technology. The conversation highlig...

In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders , Mat Sherman talks with Nikhil Yadala, cofounder and CEO of Helome , a company building AI copilots to help people slow their aging. Nikhil shares how Helome uses advanced “aging clocks”, AI models trained on blood biomarkers, to measure biological age and guide people toward healthier, longer lives. We explore his decade-long journey from mathematicia...

In this episode, we dive into one of the most pressing conversations in technology today: the balance between innovation and security in artificial intelligence. The discussion with Will Preble of Covenant Labs unpacks why maintaining control over AI models is critical, the looming risks tied to data security, and the potential fallout of compromised systems. From the threat of economic instabilit...

In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, Mat Sherman interviews Cathleen Turner, founder of Autaly, a software company focused on improving logistics businesses by automating invoicing and cash flow management. Cathleen shares her unique journey into the logistics industry, the challenges faced by third-party logistics providers, and how Autaly addresses these issues. The conversation also to...

In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, host Mat Sherman interviews Jonathan Liu, founder of Cupidly. They discuss Jonathan's journey from a young coder to a startup founder, his experiences with venture capital and bootstrapping, and the innovative AI dating assistant he created. Jonathan shares insights on building a personal brand on X (Twitter), strategies for going viral, and his vision...

In this conversation, Mat Sherman interviews Danny, the founder and CEO of Nav Robotics , about the innovative solutions his company is developing in the realm of autonomous transportation. They discuss the challenges and opportunities in creating self-driving e-bikes and golf carts, the vision for urban mobility, and the implications of moving operations to Arizona. Danny shares insights into the...

In this conversation, Mat Sherman interviews Harvey Pratt, the founder and CEO of Simcluster , an AI video game that combines social networking with innovative gameplay mechanics. Harvey discusses the unique aspects of Simcluster, including its fragment system that allows users to create content without typing, and the challenges he faced in the gaming industry, particularly in fundraising. He sha...

In this conversation, Mat Sherman interviews Audrey Chen, co-founder of Nosu , about her journey from gaining a following on social media to launching a startup focused on streamlining hackathon ops. Audrey shares her experiences of going viral on Twitter, raising capital in Silicon Valley, and the features of Nosu that cater to both hackathon organizers and participants. The discussion highlights...

In this episode, Mat Sherman sits down with Andrew Rea, co-founder and CEO of Taxwire , to explore the transformative journey of entrepreneurship during the pandemic. Starting with the pivotal role of reinvention in challenging times, the conversation shifts to the intricacies of sales tax compliance and how Taxwire simplifies this daunting task for businesses. Andrew shares his entry into the tec...

In this conversation, Mat Sherman interviews Aleksandar Besarovic, co-founder of Aimfox , a LinkedIn outreach tool. They discuss the journey of Aimfox, including its initial launch challenges, the importance of user feedback, and the strategies implemented for a successful second launch. Aleksandar shares insights on building a user-friendly product, the role of AI in enhancing outreach, and the l...

In this episode, Mat Sherman sits down with John Busch, founder of Iliad , an AI-powered book discovery platform designed to help readers uncover life-changing books. They dive into the challenges of current book recommendation systems, how Iliad addresses the limitations of platforms like Goodreads, and the role of AI in enhancing the reading experience while building trust in recommendations. Jo...

In this episode, Mat Sherman sits down with Edward Lando , one of the most prolific angel investors in the world, to explore the intricacies of early-stage investing. Edward shares his journey into angel investing, detailing his philosophy of prioritizing quality over quantity and the critical role relationships play in successful investments. From understanding valuations and navigating early-sta...

In this conversation, Mat Sherman interviews Simp4Satoshi of Truffle. Topics covered include: Discussion of Truffle, a device for local inference tied to humanoid robotics and personal intelligence. Insights from a unique upbringing in the Middle East and its impact on a technology journey. Future of AI agents surpassing human economies and using cryptocurrency primarily. Criticism of Sam Altman a...

In this conversation, Mat Sherman and Vidy Thatte discuss the journey of building various products, the challenges faced in startups, and the impact of AI on creativity and storytelling. Vidy shares insights on his experiences with different projects, the evolution of his ideas, and the importance of learning to code in the age of AI. They also explore the future of AI in creative industries and t...

In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, Mat Sherman interviews Marty Ringlein, cofounder of agree.com . They discuss the critical elements of growth, the importance of storytelling in sales, and the journey of launching Agree.com. Marty shares insights on the significance of trust in branding, the strategies for funding and growth, and the lessons learned from his entrepreneurial journey. In...

In this episode, Mat Sherman sits down with Stéphane Nasser to explore the evolution of OpenVC , a platform bridging the gap between founders and investors. Steph shares his personal journey—from living in Portugal to China—and reflects on the challenges of fundraising and the critical role of founder education and support. Together, they dive into the startup ecosystem, discussing the importance...

In this episode, I interview Pramod Kollamparambil & Evan Einhorn, founders of Loanscape . Loanscape is the modern way to onboard, renew and monitor third party originators. I hope you enjoy this interview! ★ Support this podcast ★