On this week’s Inside Startup Investing, Dr. Nicole Paulk—founder & CEO of Siren Biotechnology—details her AAV gene-therapy “FedEx truck” that can deliver anti-tumor cytokines directly to brain cancers. Early animal data show 86 % complete responses; the FDA has signaled a fast-track path for Siren’s first-in-human trial set for 2026. With analog comps like Keytruda earning $30 B a year, Siren’s upside—and impact—could be enormous.

Highlights include...

• Why viruses? AAV viruses don’t cause disease in humans yet efficiently deliver genetic payloads; Siren re-engineers them to express anti-tumor cytokines.
• Twin “firsts.” Siren pursues the first AAV-based cancer therapy and the first single virus platform scalable to hundreds of indications.
• Animal data. >500 mouse models show 86 % complete responses; large-animal pig study indicates strong safety with real-world neurosurgical delivery.
• Clinical plan. Combined Phase 1/2 trial in adults with recurrent high-grade gliomas targeted for 2026 with potential for rare-disease (orphan) fast-track.
• Market context. Current SOC for brain tumors is largely ineffective; analogous immunotherapies like Keytruda generate ~$30 B annually.

In this episode, Chris speaks with Hiten Sonpal, CEO of Rise Robotics, a company developing an energy-efficient alternative to hydraulic systems. Using a patented belt-based actuator technology called Beltdraulic™,  Rise delivers the same power as hydraulics — but with significantly more energy efficiency, lower weight, and no fluid leaks. Their tech also supports built-in sensing, enabling AI and autonomous operation out of the box.

Sonpal shares how Rise is approaching commercialization through a focused entry into the lift gate market, a $2 billion space where hydraulic failure and maintenance are common pain points. The Rise solution reduces vehicle downtime and increases driver productivity — offering an ROI that some pilot partners are already validating.

In this episode of Inside Startup Investing, Chris Lustrino speaks with Ryan Duey, co-founder and co-CEO of Plunge, the cold therapy and sauna brand that has quietly scaled to $80M+ in annual sales with minimal outside funding. 

Ryan breaks down how a garage-built idea during COVID turned into a high-growth wellness hardware business with over 40,000 customers, including a fast-growing B2B channel. Founders will appreciate his transparency about scaling manufacturing, solving shipping nightmares, and building technical moats through operational execution. If you’re in DTC, hardware, health & wellness, or considering community rounds, this is a must-listen.

• Founding story: From brick-and-mortar wellness to e-comm hardware (2:01)
• Shark Tank ROI and national brand awareness (5:00)
• Market sizing: Comparing cold plunge to hot tubs & sauna categories (6:33)
• Expanding product lines to drive retention & cross-sell (8:55)
• B2B growth: Cold plunges entering hotels, gyms & commercial spaces (9:00)
• Solving hard problems: Damage-in-transit, demand planning, and support infrastructure (11:39, 14:45)
• Bootstrapped to $80M+: Smart cash management, customer pre-orders, and debt usage (17:57)
• Manufacturing capacity & scaling challenges (20:18)
• Moat = execution: Why hard ops are the defensible layer (14:45, 22:17)
• Acquisition potential: PE, wellness tech, or DTC conglomerates (23:35)

In this episode of Inside Startup Investing, Chris Lustrino interviews Sharon Samjitsingh, co-founder and CEO of Health Care Originals, a respiratory health startup using wearable technology and predictive AI to help asthma and COPD patients avoid flare-ups before they happen.

Sharon shares her personal journey as an asthma patient and how that experience — paired with her background managing $150M+ in innovation deployments — led her to build a platform now supported by independently validated clinical results, $5.8M in ARR contracts, and a waitlist of 12,000+ patients. Founders will learn how to productize deep tech, unlock B2B2C healthcare sales, and design for scale in a hardware-software business model.

• Founder story: From chemical engineer to patient-turned-healthtech CEO (1:50)
• Product overview: Wearable + AI + coaching + environmental support (5:32)
• Predicting asthma attacks 3 months in advance (6:57)
• How to turn sensor data into behavior change, not just alerts (8:48)
• Proving outcomes: Clinical results, validation, and third-party guarantees (11:08)

In this episode of Inside Startup Investing, Chris Lustrino sits down with Dr. Zwade Marshall, founder and CEO of Doc2Doc Lending, to explore how a physician-turned-founder built a fintech company by solving a deeply personal problem — the financial barriers doctors face early in their careers. Zwade shares how Doc2Doc raised $21M almost exclusively from fellow doctors, built a flexible underwriting model to beat SoFi’s default rates, and scaled to over $100M in originations while staying lean and mission-driven. For any founder tackling industry-specific pain points or looking to raise capital from within a community, this conversation is a masterclass in focused execution and founder-market fit.

Highlights include...

Founder-market fit: Why Zwade understood this medical niche better than traditional lenders (4:18)

Outperforming SoFi: 2.23% default rates with a 600 FICO borrower base (12:05)

Revenue model breakdown: interest spread, servicing, referral, and origination fees (14:08)

Structuring capital efficiently: lending with $150M in debt capacity, not equity (15:33)

Strategic expansion to other healthcare professionals with high LTV (22:57)

Brad Larschan, CEO of Avadain, joins Chris Lustrino to share how his company is transforming one of the world’s most promising materials—graphene—into a commercial product ready to reshape advanced manufacturing. Brad unpacks the science behind graphene’s extraordinary properties, how Avadain’s licensing model is unlocking large-scale industrial use, and why their patented production method positions them at the forefront of a materials revolution.

Topics include…

• Spinning out tech from research institutions
  
   
• Scaling from lab to market
  
   
• Strategic licensing as a business model
  
   
• Raising capital while building long-term IP advantage

In this episode of Inside Startup Investing, Chris Lustrino sits down with Ariane Valle and Turner Hoff, the founders of Vegetable + Butcher, a handcrafted meal delivery company redefining what it means to scale a food brand with integrity. From navigating conflicting diets at home to building a customer-first experience grounded in transparency and nutrition, Ariane and Turner share the operational choices, hard lessons, and go-to-market strategies behind their growing business.

Tune in to this episode of Inside Startup Investing as we explore the innovative world of agricultural drones with Arthur Erickson, founder and CEO of Hylio. Discover how a fascination with drones turned into a business that's transforming agriculture through technology. Key highlights include:

Origins and Evolution: Journey through Hylio's transition from a small startup experimenting with drones to becoming a leader in agricultural drone technology.

Agricultural Impact: Understand how Hylio's drones are making farming more efficient and sustainable by optimizing the delivery of agricultural inputs.

Future Visions: Hear about Hylio's plans for expansion and how they continue to innovate within the agricultural sector.

Join us on this episode of Inside Startup Investing as we dive into the fascinating journey of Shannon Edgar, founder and CEO of Stormalong Cider. Discover how a spontaneous move led to the birth of a unique cider brand that respects tradition while innovating for today's market. Key highlights include:

Unexpected Beginnings: Learn how Shannon transitioned from the music industry to founding a cider company after moving to an orchard.

Crafting Unique Ciders: Explore Stormalong's commitment to using rare apple varieties and whole ingredients to create distinctive ciders.

Future Aspirations: Hear about Stormalong's plans for expansion and new product lines, including a non-alcoholic option.

Don't miss this insightful discussion on building a brand that's as authentic and storied as the cider it produces.

In this episode, we explore the innovative world of sustainable building materials with Mattie Mead, founder and CEO of Hempitecture. Discover how Hempitecture is harnessing the power of hemp to revolutionize the construction industry and combat carbon emissions. 

Highlights include:

• Sustainable Innovation: Learn how Hempitecture uses hemp to create eco-friendly building materials.
• Challenges and Solutions: Delve into the technical challenges of creating consistent, high-quality hemp-based products and how Hempitecture addresses these issues.
• Future of Construction: Discuss the potential for hemp in modern construction and its role in reducing the industry’s carbon footprint.