Middle Tech

Join us on this episode of the Middle Tech Podcast as we catch up with Mac Wilkinson and hear about his platform, Moolathon. As we walk through his journey from being a former athlete to the founder of a performance-based fundraising platform, our hosts Evan and Logan discuss Moolathon’s transformation, its impact, and how Mac harnessed the potential of his idea. From the inspiring community of Te...

In this episode, Logan and Evan discuss Evan's journey of building his startup, from inception to it's recent acquisition. We dive into the challenges encountered in fundraising venture capital, defining go-to-market strategies, and the mental toll of managing a business under pressure. Evan shares his insights about the importance of team dynamics, the significance of design in product de...

In this episode, Logan, TJ, and Evan reflect on season six and provide updates regarding various aspects of their projects. They discuss highlights, table their favorite episodes, and explore key aspects of the interactions they had in startup ecosystem. With topics ranging from AI to intriguing tech news and in-depth founder interviews, they dive into the episodes that resonates deeply with thems...

In this episode, Logan and Evan go deep into another exciting conversation with Jane Morris. We’re delighted to welcome Jane back after a year, this time, shedding light on her journey with TO THE MARKET. Jane gives a comprehensive update on the fascinating strides her supply chain software has been making in the ethical and sustainable procurement space. Gain insights on TO THE MARKET's innov...

In this episode, Evan speaks with Roland Achenjand, a pharmacist turned tech entrepreneur. As the founder of C2 Keep, a compliance management tool for pharmacies, Roland brought his intimate knowledge of healthcare regulations into the realm of technology. From Kentucky to the wider United States, C2 Keep has grown to make an impact in the world of pharmacy regulation. This episode dives into Rola...

In this episode, Evan sits down with Katie Trauth Taylor, the founder of Narratize. Katie is a serial founder with a passion for innovation storytelling and a background in narrative science. Her journey includes spearheading her first company, Untold Content, which focused on accelerating innovation through storytelling. With her expertise in language patterns and narrative algorithms, Katie reco...

In this episode Evan welcomes Riya Shah, an exceptional young founder and the driving force behind Fetal Life. Riya shares her amazing story of inventing a patented at-home contraction monitoring device for pregnant women, revolutionizing the way they track contractions. Join Evan and Riya as they discuss her journey as a student entrepreneur, the challenges of balancing startup life with college,...

In the latest episode of the Middle Tech Spotlight Series, we sat down with Matthew Sunday, the founder and Chief Engineer of  The Corps . The Corps specializes in bringing ideas and concepts to reality for the Department of Defense and other high stakes organizations where lives are quite literally on the line. Our conversation covered various aspects of Matthew’s journey, starting with enlisting...

For this week’s episode, we’re releasing a panel discussion recorded live at the 2023 SOAR Summit in Corbin, Kentucky. Moderated by Logan Jones, our panelists included Lincoln Brown, Geoff Marietta, Sabrina McWhorter, and JP Blevins. A primary theme of the discussion was diving into the differences between small business entrepreneurship and high-growth-startup entrepreneurship; exploring how we a...

In this episode, we're joined by Akhil Suresh Nair , the founder of Xena Intelligence, a remarkable company based right here in the heart of Kentucky. Xena Intelligence has pioneered an AI-powered eCommerce tool that's making a significant impact on businesses. We'll delve into Ankil's entrepreneurial journey, starting from what motivated him to create this tool, inspired by person...

In this episode, Logan sat down with Becca Self and Wes Murry from Hunsicker, a Lexington-based Venture Studio. Our conversation covers the venture studio model, Hunsicker's "Kentucky Advantage", and their approach to social impact through their ventures. Visit us at  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MiddleTech.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Follow Us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

In this episode, Logan and Evan sit down with Koby Hastings and Chris Michelson from SalesRiver (formerly Leadrilla) in Lexington, Kentucky. SalesRiver's software is transforming how insurance sales teams work, making them more efficient, transparent, and compliant. Today, we'll catch up with Koby and Chris, discussing their recent achievements: They raised $4 million in a Series A funding...

On this week’s episode, we sat down with  Nick Durham , one of the general partners at  Shadow Ventures . Shadow Ventures focuses on investing in companies building technology for the “built world” (ie construction & real estate) and they recently  established an office in Louisville , led by Nick. Our conversation covered Shadow Venture’s investment thesis for investing in the built world, th...

On this week's Spotlight Series, caught up with Albert Lukonga, Founder and CEO of Albert Couture - Kentucky's First "Fashion House". We originally spoke with Albert back in 2020 for ep. 112 , right when he was getting the business off the ground. Since then, Albert has been making waves not only in Kentucky, but in the fashion world as a whole. He's recently opened up his fl...

In this episode, we're excited to sit down with Jennifer Mason, the driving force behind TitleWise, an innovative company that's making waves in Southern Indiana. Jennifer Mason is no stranger to the world of entrepreneurship, and as the creative mind behind TitleWise, she's taken her own experiences and translated them into an inspiring solution. Facing the challenges of her own, she...

In this week's episode, Logan and Evan explore the world of fusion energy with groundbreaking news from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. For the second time, they've achieved net energy gain in a fusion reaction, pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery. We break down the significance of this achievement and its potential implications for the energy sector. Next up, we del...

In the latest episode of the Middle Tech Spotlight Series, we had an enlightening conversation with Adam VanWingerden, the co-founder and CEO of Silver Fern, a company that is simplifying the complex world of the horticulture industry. Silver Fern offers modular ERP software designed to help growers make key changes for growth without the typical growing pains. From unlimited customer support to s...

This week, Logan and Evan start off by discussing Forecastr, a promising business-to-business, software-as-a-service company that recently raised an impressive $4.5 million in funding. With plans to allocate the capital to product development, sales, and finance, Forecastr aims to further expand its presence in the market. Join us as we explore Forecastr's impressive growth trajectory and the...

On this episode of the Middle Tech Spotlight Series, we sat down with Armando Diaz, the creative force behind Working With Saint, a design agency making waves in the creative space. Armando shares his journey from the inception of Working With Saint to its current success, discussing the challenges of running a design agency, managing cash flow, finding ways to monetize, and keeping up with indust...

In this episode, Logan and Evan start by discussing the recent bankruptcy filing of AppHarvest and its efforts to reorganize and improve operational efficiency. Next, they delve into the KY Solar project, an ambitious initiative to transform a former coal mine into a massive solar energy center. They also share exciting news about a groundbreaking physics discovery—a new superconductor material ca...

In this episode, Logan and Evan discuss the recent announcement of a game-changing partnership between tech giants Microsoft and Meta. They are teaming up to bring you Llama 2, Meta's open-source LLM (Large Language Model), as a free resource on Microsoft's Azure cloud computing platform. This move opens up unprecedented opportunities for innovation in the AI space, while also raising impo...

In this series, we bring you candid conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem supporters who are shaping the future of innovation. Today, we sit down with Adam Bowe, the mastermind behind Cake, a game-changing platform based in Lexington, KY. Cake is the one-stop marketplace for buying and selling insurance agents' books of business. Join us as Adam shares the story behind Cak...

Welcome to Middle Tech Podcast, in this episode, we bring you the latest updates on AppHarvest's struggles as founder Jonathan Webb steps back, and the agricultural startup faces challenges with creditors and potential eviction. Our hosts, Logan and Evan, share their insights on the implications of these developments for the Kentucky-based company and the controlled environment agriculture ind...

In this episode, we feature Randall, founder of Avail, a groundbreaking software platform in the architecture and engineering industry. We discuss leveraging Exif data, the power of generative AI, and balancing innovation and regulation. Tune in to hear Randall's entrepreneurial journey and learn about the milestones achieved by Avail. Get ready for an insightful conversation about the future...

In this episode, Logan and Evan kick off by highlighting Rivian's game-changing investment in Kentucky, where they plan to establish a state-of-the-art remanufacturing facility. Discover how this move will support warranty, repair, and service needs for their electric vehicles. Next, we dive into the highly anticipated launch of Threads by Meta, a direct competitor to Twitter. Explore Meta&#39...