The Connect Current

In this episode of The Connect Current, we sit down with Jordan Epstein, Cofounder and CEO of Juno, to explore how Juno is bringing child disability insurance to American families as an employee benefit. Jordan shares how Juno, the first child disability insurance in the U.S., provides families up to $500,000 in cash when a child develops a new severe illness or disability, and how that benefit reaches parents through employers and benefits brokers. The conversation dives into the founder story behind the company, what it takes to build an entirely new insurance category in a regulated market, and the lessons Jordan carried over from building and selling Stroll Health.

Recorded at UC San Diego Park & Market:
https://parkandmarket.ucsd.edu/

Learn more about Juno:
https://www.junokids.com/

In this episode of The Connect Current, we sit down with Ben Shepherd, Ph.D., Co-founder and CEO of Trestle Bio, to explore how bioengineered kidney tissue could create new therapeutic possibilities for patients living with kidney failure. Ben shares how Trestle is working at the intersection of stem cell biology, kidney organoid science, 3D biofabrication, and regenerative medicine to build functional kidney tissue that could help restore renal function. The conversation dives into the patient need behind the company’s mission, what it takes to move ambitious science toward a real therapeutic product, and why San Diego continues to be a powerful place to build life science companies with meaningful patient impact.

Recorded at BioLabs San Diego:
https://www.biolabs.io/san-diego/

Learn more about Trestle Bio:
https://trestlebio.com/

In this episode of The Connect Current, we sit down with Hala Madanat, Vice President for Research and Innovation at San Diego State University, to explore how universities can play a larger role in helping founders build and scale companies. The conversation dives into SDSU’s growing strengths across AI, National Security, technology, workforce development, and applied research, along with how startups can better engage with university talent, research, and partnerships. Hala also shares her perspective on connecting innovation to real-world impact and why stronger collaboration between academia, startups, and industry is critical to San Diego’s future innovation economy.

This episode was recorded in Kiln Rancho Bernardo.

Learn more about the Kiln at https://kiln.com/communities/rancho-bernardo/

Learn more about San Diego State at https://www.sdsu.edu/

In this episode of The Connect Current, we sit down with Dr. Garrett Smith and Dr. Nick Mourlas of Reef Haven Ventures to unpack what it really takes to move from strong science to a scalable, investable company. The conversation is built for founders, offering a clear look into how early-stage investors evaluate opportunities, what separates compelling research from a real business, and how teams can position themselves for meaningful conversations with capital. From first impressions to pitch strategy, this episode provides practical insight into how venture firms think, what stands out, and where founders most often miss the mark.

This episode was recorded at UC San Diego Park & Market.

Learn more about Reef Haven Ventures: https://www.reefhavenventures.com/

In this episode of The Connect Current, host James Zanewicz sits down with Denise Bevers, Co-founder, President and CEO of VETmAb BIO, to explore what it really takes to build an animal health biotech company in one of the world’s leading innovation ecosystems.

Denise brings decades of experience in drug development and company building, and she shares why animal health remains an underexplored but critical frontier for innovation. From identifying unmet needs in veterinary medicine to making key decisions around timing, capital, and execution, this conversation offers a candid look at the realities of building a science-driven startup.

The discussion also highlights how San Diego’s strength in human biotech can extend into adjacent fields like animal health, and what it will take for the region to continue creating new categories of impact.

Whether you’re a founder, operator, investor, or simply curious about where innovation is heading next, this episode is a reminder that some of the most meaningful breakthroughs happen in places people aren’t looking yet.

This episode was recorded at UC San Diego Park & Market.

Learn more about VETmAb Bio:
https://www.vetmab.bio/

In this episode of The Connect Current, host James Zanewicz sits down with Rupak Doshi, Co-founder and CEO of OmniSync, to explore how better systems can accelerate innovation. Rupak shares how OmniSync is helping founders and organizations navigate funding, market intelligence, and commercialization through AI-powered tools, and why the path from idea to traction is still more fragmented than it should be. He also offers insight into where innovators lose the most time and how smarter infrastructure can unlock faster progress.

This conversation is a focused look at the systems behind innovation and what it takes to move more ideas from concept to real-world impact.

This podcast was recorded at UC San Diego Park & Market.

In this episode of The Connect Current, host James Zanewicz sits down with Debbie Chen, Founder and CEO of Hydrostasis, to explore how nontraditional journeys are shaping the next generation of innovation. Debbie shares how Hydrostasis is advancing hydration science through wearable technology, and why better understanding hydration as a vital sign could unlock new opportunities in health and performance. She also reflects on her own path into entrepreneurship and what it means to build from outside the traditional mold. This conversation is a thoughtful look at how lived experience, access, and perspective are expanding who gets to innovate and what gets built next in San Diego and beyond.

Episode was recorded at UC San Diego Park & Market.

Learn more about Hydrostasis:
https://hydrostasis.com/

In this episode of The Connect Current, host James Zanewicz sits down with Adam Jacobs, President of Xzom, to explore how early disease detection and accessible diagnostics are shaping the future of health innovation.

Adam shares how Xzom is building point-of-care solutions designed to make diagnostics faster and more accessible, and what it takes to stand out in a complex, competitive space. Drawing from his background in athletics and entrepreneurship, he also reflects on balancing commercial reality with mission-driven impact. This conversation offers a concise look at building meaningful health innovation in San Diego and turning big ideas into real-world solutions.

Recorded at UC San Diego Park & Market.

Learn more about Xzom:
https://xzom.com/