On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, our host, entrepreneur, and investor, Frank Gruber (https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankgruber) is joined by Sherman Williams, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at AIN Ventures, a pre-seed and seed-stage focused venture fund that invests in dual-use technology and veteran-led startups. Frank and Shermann discuss all things investing - from the importance of non-dilutive funding to the accelerating energy transition occurring around the globe. 

Watch the podcast on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tw2CSBxSEI 

We invite you all to join our Startup of the Year community today to access the support, expert advice, and resources you need to elevate your startup by going to: www.est.us/join

Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: https://podcast.startupofyear.com/

Subscribe to the Established YouTube Channel: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube

……

Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com

The program includes in-person and virtual events, including our annual SXSW startup pitch and competition. All of this culminates at our Startup of the Year Summit, where the Startup of the Year winner is announced and has an opportunity at a potential investment.

Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us

Connect with us on X - @EstablishedUs and Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, our host, entrepreneur, and investor, Frank Gruber (https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankgruber), is joined by Dan Berger.

Dan Berger is an entrepreneur with a strong track record in the event planning industry. He is the Founder of Assemble, a boutique chain of corporate retreat centers designed to enhance team collaboration and productivity.

Previously, Dan founded Social Tables, an event-planning software company that made waves in the industry and was acquired by Cvent for $100 million in 2018. He is also the author of the upcoming book, “The Quest — The Definitive Guide to Finding Belonging.” 

Watch the podcast on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mvb3nJzq7U 

We invite you all to join our Startup of the Year community today to access the support, expert advice, and resources you need to elevate your startup by going to: www.est.us/join

Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: https://podcast.startupofyear.com/

Subscribe to the Established YouTube Channel: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube

……

Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com

The program includes in-person and virtual events, including our annual SXSW startup pitch and competition. All of this culminates at our Startup of the Year Summit, where the Startup of the Year winner is announced and has an opportunity at a potential investment.

Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us

Connect with us on X - @EstablishedUs and Facebook - facebook.com/established.us 

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, our host, entrepreneur, and investor, Frank Gruber (https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankgruber) is joined by Adriana Carrig, Founder & CEO at Little Words Project, a bracelet sharing company that invites female entrepreneurs into a collaborative and uplifting digital community. Frank and Adriana discuss sisterhood, inclusive and compassionate business environments, and the value of community when creating a career.

Watch the podcast on our YouTube channel: https://soty.link/PodVid128

We invite you all to join our community today to access the support, expert advice, and resources you need to elevate your startup by going to: www.est.us/join    

Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us   

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year Daily Deal Flow: www.startupofyear.com/daily-dealflow

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: www.podcast.startupofyear.com

Subscribe to the Established YouTube Channel: www.soty.link/ESTYouTube  

*** 

Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their company to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Checkout Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com    

The program includes a number of in-person and virtual events, including our annual South By Southwest startup pitch event and competition. All of which culminates at our annual Startup of the Year Summit, where the Startup of the Year winner is announced, along with an opportunity at a potential investment.   

Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us 

Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) - @EstablishedUs and Facebook - facebook.com/established.us 

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, our host, entrepreneur, and investor, Frank Gruber (https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankgruber), is joined by Allyson Kapin.

Allyson Kapin, the Founder of Women Who Tech, Co-Founder of Rad Campaign, and a General Partner and Co-Founder at W Fund, leads grassroots movements to bolster diversity in the tech and startup sectors; she is an active investor in tech startups, especially women-led and BIPOC startups.

Her work draws global attention to significant gender bias in tech and venture capital by shaking up the culture and economy, making it exceedingly difficult for women to launch and scale startups. Her fund W Fund and nonprofit Women Who Tech provides capital and advises startups building the most innovative tech companies, ultimately closing the funding gap for good. 

We invite you all to join our Startup of the Year community today to access the support, expert advice, and resources you need to elevate your startup by going to: www.est.us/join

Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: https://podcast.startupofyear.com/

Subscribe to the Established YouTube Channel: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube

……

Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com

The program includes in-person and virtual events, including our annual SXSW startup pitch and competition. All of this culminates at our Startup of the Year Summit, where the Startup of the Year winner is announced and has an opportunity at a potential investment.

Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us

Connect with us on X - @EstablishedUs and Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, our host, entrepreneur, and investor, Frank Gruber (https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankgruber), is joined by Aubrie Pagano.

Aubrie Pagano is a General Partner at Alpaca VC, a venture capital firm investing in the people, products, and platforms reimagining the real world. Before joining Alpaca VC, Aubrie co-founded Bow & Drape, a fashion-tech startup that was acquired by Winn Brands in 2019. She is passionate about supporting founders and shares her journey from being a startup founder to becoming a venture capitalist.

This interview covers what it takes to transition from entrepreneurship to venture capital, the challenges and opportunities in choosing where to invest, and how to maintain a balance between personal and professional life.

We invite you all to join our Startup of the Year community today to access the support, expert advice, and resources you need to elevate your startup by going to: www.est.us/join

Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: https://podcast.startupofyear.com/

Subscribe to the Established YouTube Channel: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube

……

Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com

The program includes in-person and virtual events, including our annual SXSW startup pitch and competition. All of this culminates at our Startup of the Year Summit, where the Startup of the Year winner is announced and has an opportunity at a potential investment.

Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us

Connect with us on X - @EstablishedUs and Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, our host, entrepreneur, and investor, Frank Gruber (https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankgruber) is joined by Natalia Talkowska and Rohit Bhargava. 

Natalia Talkowska is the Founder of Natalka Design, a high-stake visual consultancy that provides communication tools to enable leaders to communicate and engage with their audiences so that they can take action. Rohit Bhargava is the Founder and Chief Trend Curator of the Non-Obvious Company, a network of experts that aims to help leaders, organizations, and individuals develop habits to see what others miss.

This interview covers what it takes to think outside of the box and to see conventional practices and techniques in a new light. The group discusses marketing, identity, networking, and more.

We invite you all to join our Startup of the Year community today to access the support, expert advice, and resources you need to elevate your startup by going to: www.est.us/join    

Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us   

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: https://podcast.startupofyear.com/ 

Subscribe to the Established YouTube Channel: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube  

*** 

Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Checkout Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com    

The program includes in-person and virtual events, including our annual SXSW startup pitch and competition. All of this culminates at our Startup of the Year Summit, where the Startup of the Year winner is announced and has an opportunity at a potential investment.   

Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us 

Connect with us on X - @EstablishedUs and Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, our host, entrepreneur, and investor, Frank Gruber (https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankgruber) is joined by Ali Sabti, CEO of automated lawn servicing company OtO (https://otolawn.com). 

We invite you all to join our community today to access the support, expert advice, and resources you need to elevate your startup by going to: www.est.us/join    

Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us   

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year Daily Deal Flow: www.startupofyear.com/daily-dealflow

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: www.podcast.startupofyear.com

Subscribe to the Established YouTube Channel: www.soty.link/ESTYouTube  

*** 

Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their company to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Checkout Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com    

The program includes a number of in-person and virtual events, including our annual South By Southwest startup pitch event and competition. All of which culminates at our annual Startup of the Year Summit, where the Startup of the Year winner is announced, along with an opportunity at a potential investment.   

Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us 

Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) - @EstablishedUs and Facebook - facebook.com/established.us 

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, our host, entrepreneur, and investor, Frank Gruber (www.linkedin.com/in/frankgruber) is joined by Aron Kansal of SimpleTix (www.simpletix.com/) and Vikram Bodas from Occom Ventures (www.occomventures.com/). 

Aron Kansal is the founder of SimpleTix, an online ticketing product for attractions, festivals, concerts, museums, and more. They have all the functionality of Eventbrite with a no-contract policy, instant payouts, and a very intuitive user experience. 

Aron is a Startup of the Year Alumni from our days as Tech Cocktail / Tech.Co, as SimpleTix showcased at our winter mixer in Washington, D.C. in February of 2012.

SimpleTix was recently acquired by Occom Ventures, a private equity fund led by Vikram Bodas, Ian Whitney and Bo Gibson. The firm purchased a majority stake in the company.

We invite you all to join our community today to access the support, expert advice, and resources you need to elevate your startup by going to: www.est.us/join    

Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us   

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: https://podcast.startupofyear.com/ 

Subscribe to the Established YouTube Channel: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube  

*** 

Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their company to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Checkout Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com    

The program includes a number of in-person and virtual events, including our annual South By Southwest startup pitch event and competition. All of which culminates at our annual Startup of the Year Summit, where the Startup of the Year winner is announced, along with an opportunity at a potential investment.   

Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us 

Connect with us on X - @EstablishedUs and Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, our host, entrepreneur, and investor, Frank Gruber (https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankgruber) is joined by Ann Shoket, Founder of New Power Media and CEO of TheLi.st, a private community of innovators and entrepreneurs devoted to helping each other network, succeed, and thrive in a competitive environment. 

In this interview, Ann discusses loneliness, the role networking holds in today's competitive environment, and the importance of creating a highly curated, highly valuable community for female entrepreneurs.

We invite you all to join our community today to access the support, expert advice, and resources you need to elevate your startup by going to: www.est.us/join    

Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us   

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year Daily Deal Flow: www.startupofyear.com/daily-dealflow

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: www.podcast.startupofyear.com

Subscribe to the Established YouTube Channel: www.soty.link/ESTYouTube  

*** 

Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their company to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Checkout Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com    

The program includes a number of in-person and virtual events, including our annual South By Southwest startup pitch event and competition. All of which culminates at our annual Startup of the Year Summit, where the Startup of the Year winner is announced, along with an opportunity at a potential investment.   

Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us 

Connect with us on X - @EstablishedUs and Facebook - facebook.com/established.us 

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, our host, entrepreneur, and investor, Frank Gruber (https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankgruber) is joined by Becky Center, CEO of crowdfunding behemoth Indiegogo. In this interview, we discuss the growth and development of Indiegogo, the expansion of crowdfunding, and how to handle partnerships, success, and failure in an ever-changing economy. 

We invite you all to join our community today to access the support, expert advice, and resources you need to elevate your startup by going to: www.est.us/join    

Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us   

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year Daily Deal Flow: www.startupofyear.com/daily-dealflow

Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: www.podcast.startupofyear.com

Subscribe to the Established YouTube Channel: www.soty.link/ESTYouTube  

*** 

Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their company to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource.     Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Checkout Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com    

The program includes a number of in-person and virtual events, including our annual South By Southwest startup pitch event and competition. All of which culminates at our annual Startup of the Year Summit, where the Startup of the Year winner is announced, along with an opportunity at a potential investment.   

Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us 

Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) - @EstablishedUs and Facebook - facebook.com/established.us