Inside Startup Investing with Chris Lustrino

There's a lot to like about smoothies. They're healthy, delicious, portable, endlessly customizable. But making them can often feel like more trouble than it's worth. Prepping fruit and veggies and having to clean a blender take a lot of the fun out of smoothies. What if there were a way to make smoothies that was as simple as pushing a button? That's what CUBO is providing. CUBO is like a Keurig...

There's a major problem in gaming -- but it might not seem obvious at first glance. As video games have moved from a physical asset (game consoles with specific game cartridges or discs) to a predominantly digital experience, gamers have gained the ability to purchase in game assets. These are digital goods that can take many forms. Some are purely aesthetic -- like changing the appearance of a ch...

GROUNDFLOOR is a platform that enables investors of all backgrounds to access debt-based real estate investments. It focuses on fractional shares -- meaning an investor can put a little as $10 into a loan that's worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. And that investor can start to receive returns on it within a year. GROUNDFLOOR co-founder Brian Dally is a deep believer in the need for accessibil...

Advertising is one of the hardest industries to keep up with. While the internet created a whole new form of advertising, tracking the effectiveness of ads is a continuous struggle for companies. And more traditional advertising -- like out-of-home advertising that's placed on billboards and buses -- has fallen behind when it comes to technology. That's the gap Nickelytics wants to address. This s...

Today's episode is a special edition. We're very excited to announce that KingsCrowd and Backstage Capital are adding a new dimension to our strategic partnership. Chris Lustrino is joined by Backstage Capital founder Arlan Hamilton. And a major topic of discussion is the need for more diversity and inclusion in venture capital. Backstage is a venture capital firm that focuses on underrepresented...

Diana Hall has invented a better cast (the type your doctor gives you when you break a bone). After running a mentoring program for children from low income families, Diana saw how traditional plaster casts weren't cutting it. They couldn't be cleaned. They made it hard to see infections. And they were unnecessarily bulky. She knew there had to be a better way. That was the inspiration for ActivAr...

Online startup investing isn't unique to the US. In fact, the EU legalized equity crowdfunding in 2014. And that headstart has given the EU market ample time to develop its regulations and become a well-established market. But until recently, the US crowdfunding market and the EU crowdfunding market were disconnected. Wefunder wants to change that. On this episode of Inside Startup Investing, Chri...

Real estate has long been viewed as a high stable investment asset. As a hard asset, real estate is seen as having more intrinsic value than stocks. And that can make it a great investment in times of market volatility -- like we're seeing today! But similar to startups, real estate investing used to be primarily reserved for people who were already wealthy and who had the right connections. Thank...

Alternative investing isn't limited to just startups. Alt assets include all kinds of investment opportunities -- from real estate and wine to art and sports memorabilia. But the one thing these assets have in common with startups is that new ways of investing have made them far more accessible to all investors. In the collectibles market, fractional investing has made it possible to invest in a b...

Many people dream of Hollywood -- the cameras, the glam, the red carpet. And for most, it remains just a dream. But one of the most exciting developments in the online private markets is the ability for retail investors to help fund movies. It's a unique opportunity that enables investors to be part of the creation of brand new films and production studios. OneDoor Studios is such a new studio. It...

Brooke Harley was a lawyer in the mergers and acquisitions space when the 2008 financial crisis hit. It was a wake up call for her. She went back to school to get an MBA before working with lululemon for a while. And her time there showed her the potential of early investing. Brooke began angel investing on her own and soon realized there was a complete lack of education around capital raising and...

It can seem daunting to begin startup investing. The risk, the long wait times for returns, the need to do extra due diligence -- it's a lot for a new investor to navigate. That's the problem that Gerry Hays is solving with his company, Doriot. Doriot is named after the father of venture capital, George Doriot. And the flagship of Doriot is the Fantasy Startups app. Fantasy Startups is a gamified...

Peter Sweeney and Matt McGeagh worked together at Goldman Sachs. And they noticed something while there. Companies were seeking out celebrities as investors and board members – and then many of them were reaching successful exits. They also saw the rise of online startup investing firsthand. And they realized there was a synergy that no one had tapped into yet. By joining social media influencers...

From starting a data and analytics platform for billionaire investors to working at Coinbase and Plaid, Harvey Multani is no stranger to fintech. From his experiences as both a founder and an investor, he recognized that there's power in a group of investors coming together to choose deals and make investments. Harvey also noticed a trend in startup investing – founders were using special purpose...

Lea Bouhelier-Gautreau is passionate about impact investing. Her research into entrepreneurship in the Malawi culture inspired her to center impact investing in her career. She sees the intersection between investing and trying to spark positive change as a powerful force in the world. From solving climate change to fighting systemic inequality, impact investing can cover a wide spectrum of issues...

When Colorado legalized cannabis in 2015, Jane West saw an opportunity. She began hosting cannabis events in Colorado – and was immediately fired from her day job. But Jane continued organizing cannabis events. She gained national attention for her persistence, particularly after the mayor of Denver called a SWAT team on one of her events. Despite her rocky beginning in the cannabis industry, Jane...

Owning or collecting artwork feels inaccessible for many people. From issues of how to properly store a painting to not knowing the nuances of one artist over another, it's an asset class that's been dominated by wealthy individuals. Leon Benrimon wants to see that change. He believes artwork – and other forms of collectibles – should be accessible to everyone. Leon is the vice president of assets...

More than $14 billion was invested in space companies in 2021. But much of that capital is concentrated in a few, big name companies. Space startups that are just getting off the ground still struggle to receive investments – even if they have amazing ideas that could transform the industry. Enter Spaced Ventures. It's an equity crowdfunding platform focused on space startups that are too early to...

What is the metaverse? According to Everyrealm co-founder Jesse Stein, there is no single metaverse. But the heart of any metaverse is interactivity. In this episode of Inside Startup Investing, Chris Lustrino welcomes Jesse, an early mover in the metaverse space. Everyrealm (formerly Republic Realm) launched a virtual real estate fund in 2021 – just as interest in NFTs and the metaverse was start...

Crypto mining is hot – literally. The equipment used to mine bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies generates significant amounts of heat and noise. Heat generated by computers is nothing new. Engineers have been using liquid cooling to help powerful computers run more efficiently for years. But no one was applying liquid cooling to crypto mining. Until Hydro Hash. Rick Bentley and James McGibney are...

Even with online startup investing enabling the connection between thousands of investors and startups across the country, raising capital is still hard. Nathan Beckord knows that better than most. Nathan's entire career has been focused on helping founders raise money. And those years of experience are what inspired him to found his software company, Foundersuite. Foundersuite is tailored to solv...

Rebecca Kacaba has been in the startup game for more than a decade. While working as a capital markets attorney, she noticed a persistent problem – startup founders were struggling with raising capital. And specifically, they were struggling with the nitty gritty details that come after an investor agrees to fund a startup. In that struggle, Rebecca saw an opportunity. And she set out to build the...

When many people think about end-of-life planning, they focus on their will and how to pass on wealth or material goods. But what about the intangible things? Special memories, pictures from holidays, family recipes – legal documents can't cover these important family possessions. That unanswered need is part of what inspired Emily Cisek to found The Postage. Emily lost three family members in jus...

Soccer is rapidly capturing the attention and hearts of American viewers. Major League Soccer (MLS) saw viewership grow by 38% from 2019 for its 2021 championship cup game. And the United States women's national soccer team won the 2019 Women's World Cup for the fourth time. In Minnesota, Wes Burdine was very familiar with the popularity of soccer. He owned a bar across from a major soccer arena,...

Previously featured on Shark Tank, M.C. Squares's suite of dry-erase product families is fast becoming a favorite for both home and office use. The two discuss Anthony's career as an entrepreneur and his decision to raise growth capital for his business from the crowd. Learn more about M.C. Squares as a potential early-stage investment at KingsCrowd: https://bit.ly/3o4OQMk This episode of the King...