Hacking the Hustle with Benji Sklar

Max Simonovsky is the founder and CEO of Soapy Care Ltd., a company that manufactures and sells the world's smartest handwashing stations, which help prevent the spread of infection using smart tech powered by computer vision, artificial intelligence, and cloud analytics.

A Russian immigrant to Israel, Max aims to convert hand hygiene into data science, creating more than 100 data points from each hand hygiene cycle. By utilizing advanced automated analytical algorithms to validate that hand hygiene quality meets all regulatory requirements, Soapy enables its customers to make decisions supported by real-time data and insights.  

Soapy is a healthcare technology company committed to making the world a safer place, one handwashing at a time.

Jeff Ramson is the CEO of PCG Advisory Group, an investor relations firm helping small-cap public companies to communicate their stories effectively with the goal of maximizing exposure to current and potential stakeholders. 

Jeff is also a portfolio manager of a private hedge fund utilizing proprietary fundamental and technical analysis strategies across asset classes, including equities, interest rates, currencies, metals and energy.

Joe Flanagan is the co-founder of Maple, an institutional crypto-capital network built on Ethereum and Solana. Maple is currently bringing the debt capital markets on-chain.

https://maple.finance/

Richard Johnson is the CEO of Texture Capital, a U.S. broker-dealer revolutionizing issuance and trading of digital securities with blockchain and smart contracts.

Texture Capital leverages blockchain technology and smart contracts to streamline the current market structure for private placements by supporting the issuance and trading of digital securities. Texture Capital's business model provides increased liquidity, transparency and efficiency for institutional investors and issuers.

Richard is helping the potential for security tokens to transform market structure. He founded Texture Capital in 2019 to leverage blockchain and smart contracts and revolutionize the market for private securities.

https://app.texture.capital/

Yoav Silverstein is a senior associate at OurCrowd, a leading venture capital - crowdfunding platform for investing in Israeli technology companies.  OurCrowd enables its global network of accredited  investors to access carefully diligenced and curated venture capital investments. 

As investments are made by an aggregated group ("the crowd"), investors can access world-class deals on attractive deal terms that historically only large venture capital investors could enjoy.

Starting in early 2013, OurCrowd investors from over 180 countries have invested over $1.5 billion in over 250 companies. OurCrowd leads each deal by co-investing.

Jonny Price is the Vice President of Fundraising at Wefunder, a leading crowdfunding platform helping founders raise up to $5M in capital.

On May 16, 2016, it became legal for everyday people to invest as little as $100 in startups and small businesses. Since then, Wefunder has helped 1,860 founders raise almost $500M from their communities. Wefunder is a Public Benefit Corporation with a mission to revitalize capitalism and keep the American dream alive. 

GDP growth is slowing. Wealth inequality is increasing. Entrepreneurship is dying across America; falling from 10.6% to 3.6% among those under 30 since 1989. Wefunder is reversing these trends by funding more deserving businesses across all of America, not solely tech startups in Silicon Valley.  

Skye Ostreicher's role is elevating the work of our elected officials in a nonpartisan way. Skye says, "We pay taxes for them to help us. Let's get to know them better, behind-the-scenes." Follow Skye on Instagram @thepoliticalpersonality and on Twitter @SkyeStats.

Skye is the host of Political Personalities with Skye, a podcast show under the news publication City & State, an online and print destination for coverage and analysis of the New York State Legislature, New York's Executive Chamber, New York City Government, and Federal Government in New York. 

Skye received a full academic scholarship to University of Miami... two master's degrees... wanted a fun internship, so she spent the summer at News 12 Long Island... met Tom Suozzi who was running for local office... he brought her onto his campaign... got hired by a political consulting firm... then another one... built community relationships along the way... served as regional director for the Mike Bloomberg presidential campaign in 2020... COVID happened... started an Instagram TV show... parlayed it into a community news platform... worked with one media company, then another, then another. 

Hope you enjoy the conversation!

Abhishek Gupta is the CEO of Codebuddy Pvt. Ltd., a software development company in Kolkotta, India. 

Codebuddy built Foragenow.com. 

Tom Holahan is a partner at OpenView Venture Partners. Based in Boston, Tom focuses on Series A investments in infrastructure, security and application software.

The Israel Nature and Heritage Foundation of America (INHFA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded to support the protection and conservation of Israel’s nature, landscapes and heritage sites. Matan Zivek is the Executive Director.

The INHFA partnered with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) in its endeavor to preserve nature and historical sites in Israel. 

The INPA is the sole government agency with jurisdiction over all protected areas in the country, constituting approximately 25% of Israel's land and it is responsible for all heritage sites, nature reserves, and wildlife in Israel.

Matan's passion is empowering people and communities, specializing in underserved populations in Israel. Matan is an environment enthusiast, yoga lover and serial language learner.

INHFA: https://www.inhfa.org/