The VentureFizz Podcast

Episode 434 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Ted Julian, CEO & Founder of Flux. Lots of successful people are very humble. They might credit their success to timing, luck, or another reason to downplay things which is a trait that I do admire. Ted fits the bill here, as he’s very humble. But, as you’ll hear in this podcast interview, his track record is extraordinary. He’s been part of the foun...

Episode 433 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Roy Hotrabhvanon, CEO & Co-Founder of PlayerData. Some companies seem like they were just meant to happen, which is certainly the case for PlayerData. Back in 2016, Roy was on track to compete in the Rio Olympics for archery when a severe car accident completely derailed his plans. But instead of letting that tragic incident define him, Roy picked hi...

Episode 432 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Johannes Galatsanos, CEO & Co-Founder of Diffraqtion. I’m incredibly lucky to host this show because the guests I interview are truly out to rewrite the rules of what's possible. Johannes is a perfect example. He brings over 15 years of deep expertise across AI, quantum tech, and operations across a career that includes lots of deep research in acade...

Episode 431 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Cathy Lewenberg, CEO of Bevi. When most people think of a beverage company, they immediately think of a traditional consumer brand fighting for shelf space at the grocery store. But the real magic behind Bevi is its highly defensible B2B business model and it’s brilliant. Bevi has made the old corporate water cooler cool again with its high quality p...

Episode 430 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Phil Beauregard, Managing Partner of Impellent Ventures. I first met Phil back when Boston was going through another massive resurgence of growth following the financial crisis of 2008. It was a special time when local founders and investors banded together to help build and scale the Boston tech ecosystem. It was a movement that is reminiscent of wh...

Episode 429 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Lior Div, CEO & Co-Founder of 7AI. One of the most exciting parts of this platform shift to AI is watching elite, repeat founders get back into the arena. It’s often these experienced builders who have the appetite and the playbook to swing for the fences and create a truly category-defining company. Lior is exactly one of those entrepreneurs. Along...

Episode 428 of The VentureFizz #podcast features Mike Pappas, CEO & Co-Founder of Modulate. Is Boston the best place to build a voice AI company? Based on its rich history in this category, I would have to say 1000%. From the early days of ScanSoft and Dragon to SpeechWorks and Vlingo—all of which eventually fell under the voice juggernaut Nuance, which worked on the early days of Siri and was acq...

Episode 427 of The VentureFizz #podcast features Joshua Summers, CEO & Co-Founder of EnFi. Josh is a serial entrepreneur who has been at the center of multiple success stories in the Boston tech scene. He has a unique ability to see exactly how technology will impact an industry right at the beginning of a platform shift - whether that was mobile, digital advertising, or in the case of his current...

Episode 426 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Natan Linder, CEO & Co-Founder of Tulip. There are very few entrepreneurs in Boston who have built multiple tech companies to a billion+ valuation (Tulip & Formlabs), but Natan is one of them. He is a “builder” in the truest sense of the word, focusing on building what he calls “important things” rather than just the latest “shiny object.” In our con...

Episode 425 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Charlie O’Donnell, Founder of Brooklyn Bridge Ventures and now, a published author. Charlie is a staple of the NYC startup scene and someone who has had a significant influence in helping to build the ecosystem to what it is today. I first met Charlie back in 2010 at First Round Capital’s offices in NYC. At the time, I was helping out some of the cit...

Episode 424 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Kelton (or KJ) Hardrict, CEO & Co-Founder of Talvy. Is the resume officially dead? It’s been a moment that seemed inevitable. I mean, the first resume credit goes to Leonardo da Vinci and that was over 500 years ago. I’ve been in recruiting for over 20 years and I can officially say that this is the first moment where disruption in the industry is tr...

Episode 423 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Sasha Hoffman, Partner at Remus Capital. I first met Sasha over ten years ago, when she was the Chief Operating Officer at Piaggio Fast Forward. VentureFizz helped cover the launch of Gita, the cargo carrying robot named Gita. Thus, this interview was long overdue and I was excited to interview Sasha as her career has been so prolific. Chapters: 00:0...

Episode 422 of The VentureFizz Podcast features David Fialkow, Co-Founder & Managing Director of General Catalyst. Entrepreneur, venture capitalist, philanthropist, and Oscar winner - those are just a few of the words that describe David’s legendary career. As you’ll hear from this interview, he emphasizes the importance of storytelling, which he originally learned from filmmaking, but it goes bey...

Episode 421 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Harris Stolzenberg, Partner at Pear VC. I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn and in my travels, I love discovering individuals who are local to the Boston area but are perhaps working for a meaningful company that is headquartered elsewhere. This is what happened when I stumbled on Harris’ profile - I stopped and thought to myself… wait, Pear has an inv...

Episode 420 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Megan Lanham, CEO & Co-Founder of Rithmm. The betting industry has exploded over recent years. Apps like Kalshi now make it possible to bet on pretty much anything, like what companies will go public this year or where the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding will take place… but, let’s face it… this industry is driven by sports betting. Last year,...

Episode 419 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Chip Hazard, General Partner at Flybridge. Before we get into the details of Chip’s career, I have to call out a random fun fact: Chip is the only VC with his own action figure, yes – it’s true. There’s a DreamWorks animated movie called Small Soldiers. The lead character is named Chip Hazard, voiced by Tommy Lee Jones. As you’ll hear in this episode...

Episode 418 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Jeff Glass, Co-Founder & CEO of Hometap. Jeff’s track record is pretty amazing, yet he is incredibly humble. As both an entrepreneur and an investor, he has…in my opinion… earned a spot as one of the top builders in the Boston tech ecosystem. While success always requires the right market timing and a great team, you also need a leader who truly thri...

Episode 417 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Rob Hughes, Co-Founder of Koo Capital. If you haven’t met Rob yet… you should. He is one of the personalities behind the Boston tech scene and he is doing his part to bring the extra energy and buzz that is brewing in addition to initiatives like the Massachusetts AI Coalition. We need more Rob’s, as he has a big personality and it’s only fitting tha...

Episode 416 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Colin Raney, Co-Founder & CEO of Ray. Here’s a "did you know - fun fact” for you. Studies show that 90 minutes of strength training a week adds four years to your lifespan! Who knew??? At least I didn’t, until I was doing research for this podcast. I have to admit, I have a pretty good workout routine while I’m home between cardio and lifting dumbbel...

Episode 415 of The VentureFizz #podcast features Parker McKee, Partner at Pillar. “When you work really hard… good things come out on the other side.” - Parker McKee. Parker is a perfect example of this mindset - a mantra that I firmly believe in. When Parker has a goal in his sights, he’s going to put in the time to get there. He’s proven this time and time again, and the results speak for themse...

Episode 414 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Lou Shipley, CEO, board director, lecturer, investor, and now author. Every company has an entrepreneur behind it. It sounds obvious, but we often fall into the trap of thinking those founders are all 20-somethings building tech startups. The data says otherwise. Research from MIT Sloan found that the average age of a successful, high-growth founder...

Episode 413 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Scott Savitz, Founder and Managing Partner of Data Point Capital and Founder & former CEO of Shoebuy.com which is now known as Shoes.com. In my opinion, Boston doesn’t give itself enough credit, especially when it comes to consumer brands. It’s the home to consumer icons like Bose, SharkNinja, Dunkin, TJX, and many more. But if you look at the footwe...

Episode 412 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Nick Leonard, CEO & Co-Founder of VoiceRun. Is voice finally having its moment? For years, it felt like the "promised land" that never quite arrived. But things are different in 2026, in many ways, and from what I’ve noticed is a shift in consumer behavior where voice is becoming the primary interface.  Maybe it’s because the technology is so much be...

Episode 411 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Madeleine Smith, CEO & Co-Founder of Civic Roundtable. We all know that building a startup is incredibly hard. But building a startup for the government sector? Many would say that’s insanely hard. The reputation of slow-moving bureaucracies, limited budgets, and legacy tech is enough to scare off most founders. However, where others see obstacles, e...

Episode 410 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Paul Holder, CEO & Co-Founder of OnRamp.us. I’ve been working with startups since 1998—that’s nearly 28 years now! Since the beginning, I’ve noticed the massive impact that startups can have on one's career. Take Paul… who joined an early-stage startup called Troops, which was later acquired by Salesforce. During his tenure there and at a software co...