Forging The Future with Chris Howard

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. 

In this episode, Chris Howard speaks with Phillip Yates, CEO of EQUILIBERTY, about expanding financial inclusion and breaking down barriers to prosperity for innovators across industries. Talking points include focusing on key communities struggling with capital access, expanding impact as a convener of organizations, and looking ahead to increase EQUILIBERTY app usage. 

In this episode, Chris Howard meets with Grace Chan, Principal of BP Ventures, to discuss how to balance innovation, sustainability, and the demands of our climate during the global energy transition. Talking points include challenges in clean energy investment, geographic factors in climate technology, and the future of flex fuel and electric vehicles.  

In this episode, Chris Howard talks about climate change and the global water crisis with Steve Davis, CTO of GRUNDFOS. Using energy efficient pumping technology, GRUNDFOS delivers drinking water, removes wastewater, or helps farmers water their crops all over the world. Talking points include sanitation and access in the water cycle, water scarcity and concerns in the Global South, and innovative technology solutions that could save our water sources.  

In this episode, Chris Howard meets someone changing the game of live sports micro-betting. Introducing Kelly Pracht, Co-Founder and CEO of nVenue, an AI-powered micro-betting engine built for live sports. Talking points include leaving the corporate intrapreneurship world to take the startup red pill, the unique challenges and innovations of sports betting, and the future of AI and machine learning in sports tech. 

In this episode, Chris Howard steps into a new world of sports technology with Scott Deans, Founder and CEO of BeONE Sports. At BeONE, Scott and his team are globalizing specialized AI training for athletes and coaches, offering real-time performance data and analysis. Talking points include AI-generated training insights, mobile devices versus wearable hardware, and the importance of BeONE’s winning team of former athletes.

In this episode, Chris Howard sits down with Gaurav Khandelwal, CEO of Velostics and Chairman of ChaiOne, to talk about being a multi-time founder and an instrumental member of the Houston startup ecosystem. Talking points include bootstrapping as a business owner in unlikely places, hiring practices for when top talent isn’t available, and innovating in the logistics industry.  

 In this episode, Chris Howard sits down with Heath Butler, Partner at Mercury Fund and host of the “Grow Slow to Grow Fast” podcast, to discuss Houston’s unique venture ecosystem and how investors evaluate startup success. Additional talking points include the type of founders Mercury invests in, Houston’s growing number of tech investment options, and where Mercury has set its sights with machine learning and AI. 

Compaq co-founder and former CEO Rod Canion joins the pod again this week to look forward through his departure from Compaq and towards a future of forging the tech ecosystem in Houston and beyond. Since leaving Compaq in 1991, Rod has been an inspiration for Houston founders and a prolific member of numerous groups, boards and organizations that have helped Texas become a thriving place for tech. Talking points include transitioning from founder to board member, creating opportunities with GOOSE Capital and the Houston Technology Center, and the importance of startup ecosystem persistence. 

Compaq’s legendary Co-founder and former CEO Rod Canion joins the pod this week to talk about how an uncertain career risk led to one of the fastest growing tech companies of the 1980s. Rod discusses the company’s earliest days in part 1 of this insightful interview, including Compaq’s rapid growth from $100 million in sales in its first year and to its $1 billion milestone by year 5. Talking points include raising $10 million in venture and achieving $100 million in sales, finding compatibility with IBM software, and securing Compaq’s continued success after Canion’s exit in 1991.