Forging The Future with Chris Howard

By Chris Howard

Join Chris Howard, Founder and CEO of Softeq, as he interviews knowledgeable leaders in the innovation spectrum, including CEOs, CTOs, R&D professionals, and start-up founders. Real conversations,... more

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FAQs about Forging The Future with Chris Howard:

How many episodes does Forging The Future with Chris Howard have?

The podcast currently has 119 episodes available.

Forging The Future with Chris Howard episodes:

May 22, 202590% of Startups Fail… Hello Alice Aims to Help Startups Survive and Thrive
90% of startups fail. Not from lack of ideas, but lack of funding for small businesses. Access to capital can make or break success, yet traditional funding still favors the few. What if technology could level the playing field, giving every entrepreneur a fair shot at business readiness? Kelsey Ruger, Chief Product & Technology Officer, helped build Hello Alice, a free online platform that helps businesses launch and grow, to remove barriers and give small businesses the tools they need to not only survive, but thrive.
🎧 Episode Highlights
[00:00] Podcast Begins

[01:58] Struggles of a Small Business: Breaking down barriers to startup success

[07:26] Evolution of Business Readiness: Scaling business advising with AI expertise

[11:10] What About Data? How Hello Alice improves with business health data

[17:31] Lessons Learned in Scaling: Prioritizing the leadership gap in startups

[19:35] What’s Next for Hello Alice? Refining AI & understanding customer needs
🔑 Key Takeaways
All About Access: “It became very clear that access to funding really is about access to the entire network of things that you need as an entrepreneur.” Kelsey doesn’t shy away from the harsh reality of business and the barriers that keep entrepreneurs struggling; access to capital and lack of network support halts businesses in their tracks.

Approaching the Leadership Gap: “The main thing you need as a business owner is good leadership skill, because so much of it is influencing other people.” As Hello Alice has scaled, Kelsey has realized that capital access is one barrier, while strong leadership and culture is another barrier impacting small businesses.

AI Advice for Automated Tasks: “Honestly, my advice to our small business owners is to become really comfortable with AI because when you look at most of the time we spend in business, a lot of it could be automated.” When looking towards what’s next, Kelsey says Hello Alice will be refining AI tools to address increasing customer needs.
👤 Guest Spotlight
Kelsey Ruger:
Kelsey Ruger designs better businesses and experiences at the intersection of product, technology, marketing, and leadership. As Chief Product and Technology Officer at Hello Alice, Kelsey leads initiatives that connect small businesses with capital and opportunities, serving over 1.5 million entrepreneurs through our Business Health Engine and community platform.
Kelsey’s approach combines human-centered design with strategic thinking to create solutions that work for real people. This has shaped successful products and programs at Hello Alice, where they're focused on equitable access to capital and resources for diverse entrepreneurs.
Connect with Kelsey:
LinkedIn: Kelsey Ruger
Websites: Hello Alice | helloalice.com
🌟 Resources & Links
Explore past episodes: Forging the Future Episodes

Learn about Softeq: softeq.com
Stay inspired and ahead of the curve by subscribing to Forging the Future. Share your thoughts on this episode with the hashtag #ForgingTheFuture or tag us online!
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24min
May 08, 2025Is The Metaverse Dead? Dauntless XR CEO Talks Extended Reality’s Next Big Break
Extended reality isn't just for gaming; it's changing how we train, fight and explore space. Tech buzzwords like XR and the Metaverse have left many skeptical, but while consumer hype fizzles, industries like defense and aerospace are pushing XR to the next level training soldiers, simulating missions and preparing for deep space travel. Working with NASA and the Air Force has shown us XR can solve real world problems, not just create digital playgrounds. Lori-Lee Elliot, Co-Founder and CEO of Dauntless XR, helps us explore a brand new reality.

🎧 Episode Highlights
[00:00] Podcast Begins

[02:18] Technology Gaps & Too Much Paper: What inspired the launch of Dauntless XR?

[07:37] Hardware Headache? Complex headsets make mass adoption of XR hard

[11:12] Aerospace & Defense: Familiar training tools lead to increased tech interest

[18:52] Government Contract Essentials! How Dauntless XR entered the contract space

[23:32] Stall or Breakthrough? What’s next for the metaverse

[28:38] Immersive Tech’s Next 5 Years: Learn what’s on the horizon for XR, VR & AR
🔑 Key Takeaways
“We started off assuming that the technology we were building was going to be for oil and gas, industrial construction, engineering, but the universe had other plans,” Lori-Lee explains, talking about the construction engineering inspiration behind Dauntless XR. “If we could just see all of this technical data available to you hands free, we could do all this work so much faster.”

“I think the industry underestimated how comfortable and unobtrusive a headset is going to have to be to see mass adoption,” Lori-Lee admits, pointing out the barriers to virtual reality being used outside of certain industries. “We’re starting to see more and more smart glasses style headsets come around, but it’s not fully immersive virtual reality.”

“I don’t think the metaverse is dead, but I do think it’s growing in places people aren’t necessarily interested in looking,” Lori-Lee says, joking that the metaverse and related technology isn’t always as “sexy” as people think. “[We’re not] going to be living in this virtual world, it’s like, here’s how to do a training scenario with hyper realism.”
👤 Guest Spotlight
Lori-Lee Elliot
Lori-Lee Elliot is a tech founder, web3 advisor, futurist, speaker, former journalist and YouTuber building technology that allows people to unlock their full potential and solve problems that only humans can tackle.
As the co-founder & CEO of Dauntless XR, Lori-Lee leads a world class team to build and launch two XR apps - Katana XR and Aura. Dauntless XR has worked with companies like Magic Leap and Microsoft to serve customers, including the US Air Force, Navy and NASA, as well as private aviation and space companies.
Connect with Lori-Lee:
LinkedIn: Lori-Lee Elliot
Websites: Dauntless XR | dauntlessxr.com
🌟 Resources & Links
SBIR/STTR Proposal Resources: www.intrepidgovproposals.com

Explore past episodes: Forging the Future Episodes

Learn about Softeq: softeq.com
Stay inspired and ahead of the curve by subscribing to Forging the Future. Share your thoughts on this episode with the hashtag #ForgingTheFuture or tag us online!
...more
35min
April 24, 2025Energy Transition is a Breeze: Aeromine Brings Wind Turbines to Urban Areas
Wind energy has the potential to power the world, but only if we rethink how we harness it. Traditional wind turbines are massive, expensive and require vast open spaces. Cities, factories and commercial buildings have been left out of the clean energy revolution, but what if we could bring wind power directly to where it's needed without massive turbines? Dr. Carsten Westergaard, Founder and CTO of Aeromine Technologies, is ready to discuss a new future for wind energy.

🎧 Episode Highlights
[00:00] Podcast Begins
[01:02] Why is Wind Energy Struggling? Urban wind tackles size solutions
[06:03] Aeromine vs Traditional Wind: When wind energy meets commercial spaces
[10:50] What’s the ROI? Wind turbines prove their worth in the energy revolution
[13:15] Early Inspiration for Aeromine: A Texas Tech University origin story
[17:49] Wind & Solar Working Together? Coexisting in the energy transition space
[26:06] Wide Adoption for Energy Impact: What it takes to impact carbon emissions
🔑 Key Takeaways
Texas, a Wind Energy Capital? “Nobody knows Texas has a lot of wind energy, everybody thinks it’s in California,” Carsten jokes, poking holes in the misconception that Texas is only oil and gas powered. “[Texas] has the space for it, we have the need for more power, and it’s actually a cheap solution if you invest in the infrastructure.”
What Makes Aeromine Work? “We haven’t used any exotic parts or anything, we’re using an industrial fan that’s designed a little bit differently,” Carsten explains. Urban wind solutions require smaller moving parts to avoid excessive noise and movement.
Can Wind & Solar Coexist? “Space-wise, we can be there together, we can coexist,” Carsten says, explaining how wind and solar energy can be used in the same locations to impact energy. “Seasonally, they compliment each other. It balances out to two systems of equal energy provision.”

👤 Guest Spotlight
Carsten Westergaard:
Dr. Carsten H. Westergaard is the Founder and CTO of Aeromine Technologies. Dr. Westergaard has 30 years of international industrial experience in wind energy R&D and product development with some of the largest wind companies in the world including LM Wind Power and Vestas Wind Systems. He has participated in innovative projects building and testing utility scale wind turbines with leading companies as well as research projects with leading organizations, such as the Danish Technical University and Sandia National Laboratories.
Dr. Westergaard formulated Aeromine’s patented technology during his tenure as Professor of Practice at Texas Tech University, where he taught wind energy technology at a graduate level. He has served in numerous advisory board positions and chaired international reviews of large multi-year government research programs in several countries. He has been published in more than 100 publications and developed 30 patents/pending.

Connect with Carsten:
LinkedIn: Carsten Westergaard
Websites: Aeromine Technologies, Inc. | aerominetechnologies.com

🌟 Resources & Links
• Explore past episodes: https://www.ftf.show
• Learn about Softeq: https://www.softeq.com

Stay inspired and ahead of the curve by subscribing to Forging the Future. Share your thoughts on this episode with the hashtag #ForgingTheFuture or tag us online!
...more
31min
April 10, 2025 The Future of Heart Health is AI: Voythos Brings New Outcomes to Aortic Disease
Every 36 seconds, someone in the United States dies from cardiovascular disease. Despite medical advancements, heart disease remains the leading cause of death. Traditional diagnostics react too late, and AI in healthcare often focuses on admin, not on life saving predictions. What if we could use AI to prevent complications before they happen? Enter Joe Makoid, Co-Founder and CEO at Voythos, who is using AI to predict life threatening complications for heart and aortic disease patients.
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24min
March 27, 2025 Your Brain on AI: DataJoint Uses Artificial Intelligence for Neuroscience Achievement with Dimitri Yatsenko
In neuroscience, the biggest bottleneck isn't discovery, it's data. Labs are drowning in massive data sets, yet most researchers still struggle with fragmented, outdated systems. What if there was a way to unify, simplify and accelerate breakthroughs? Crack the brain's data code and discover how AI and neuroscience collide with Dimitri Yatsenko, Chief Science and Technology Officer at DataJoint.
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22min
March 20, 2025 The Future of Humanoids: Could Robots Replace the Dwindling Industrial Workforce?
By 2030, robots could replace 20 million manufacturing jobs, from factories to undersea exploration. Robots aren't replacing people, but are instead filling critical gaps in the workforce today. This week, Chris Howard sits down with Nicolaus Radford, Co-Founder and CEO of Persona AI. Persona AI is hiring talented engineers to help them put robot humanoids to work.
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27min
March 13, 2025 Tech in the New Energy Age: NOV's David Reid Talks Robotics, AI, & Advanced Drilling
The energy industry is transforming faster than ever. Automation, AI, and advanced drilling technology are reshaping how we power the world, and leading this charge is David Reid, Chief Technology & Marketing Officer at NOV. For more than 150 years, NOV has delivered technology-driven solutions to empower the global energy industry.
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27min
March 06, 2025 High Risk Dive Into Deep Tech: Fathom Fund Breathes Life into Houston Tech Innovation
Deep tech is getting a deeper diver in this week's episode, when Chris Howard talks to Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Fathom Fund Paul Sheng. The risk of deep tech investments are high, but the potential to transform industries with this technology is even higher. Talking points include the good, bad and not-so-ugly of raising venture funds in Houston, the specific struggles of deep tech investing, and the future of Houston as a deep tech hub.
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26min
February 27, 2025 Chevron Technology Ventures: How Startups Catch Attention from Corporate Giants with Kemal Anbarci
What if the real key to solving global challenges isn't just about growing fast, but partnering smart? Chevron Technology Ventures is leading corporate innovation, investing in and collaborating with startups to drive lower carbon solutions, operational enhancement and digital transformation. But how does an early stage company catch the attention of a Fortune 100 giant? Kemal Anbarci, General Manager of Venture Capital at Chevron Technology Ventures, joins Chris Howard to break down how startups can successfully partner with corporations to drive innovation at scale.
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30min
February 20, 2025 Future of FinTech: Digital Wealth Innovations with Brassica & BitGo
In this episode, Chris Howard speaks with Youngro Lee, President of Brassica and Managing Director and Head of BitGo Asia. Talking points include democratizing capital, transitioning to digital wealth assets, and improving the quality of markets with increased access to investments and capital.
...more
22min

FAQs about Forging The Future with Chris Howard:

How many episodes does Forging The Future with Chris Howard have?

The podcast currently has 119 episodes available.