The Syndicate

The Syndicate

By Matt WardBusinessNewsEducationTech News
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The Syndicate episodes

  • Announcing The Startup Tank Climate Investor Pitch Podcast

    Are you a climate or impact startup looking for funding? Are you an investor looking for interesting world-positive companies to invest in?



    Then let me introduce you to The Startup Tank presented by 4WARD.VC, the ultimate startup investor pitch contest where top climate tech and impact founders pitch to a panel of VCs looking to fund world-positive cleantech, sustainability, health and impact startups looking to move the world forward.



    If you’ve ever wanted a chance to pitch your company or get in front of VCs and angel investors, now is your time to shine.



    Learn more and apply at thestartuptank.com



    —



    Subscribe to The Startup Tank on your favorite podcasting platform of choice:



    Apple Podcast | Spotify | Youtube | Google Podcast | Stitcher | Anchor



    —



    TODAY’S PRESENTING STARTUPS INCLUDE:



    * wiCow: Reducing cow birthing deaths from 6% to 1%.* Bomway: The Alibaba of sustainable product/supplier sourcing* DOTS: Soil sensing to stop billions in fertilizer runoff pollution* Materials Nexus: Harnessing AI to develop sustainable new materials* Foodsquared: Upcycling food and drink by-products into plant-based proteins* Voltiris: Transforming greenhouses into renewable solar powerplants



    Investor Panelists:



    * Sven Meyer – Investor at 4Impact VC* Madeline Lawrence – Investor at Peak Capital* Ricardo Camarinha – Investor at Teal Impact



    About 4WARD.VC’s Angel Syndicate:



    4WARD.VC’s angel group invests in mission-driven pre seed and seed stage startups moving the world forward by tackling big problems in the areas of commerce/ecommerce, platforms/marketplaces, consumer tech, fintech, cleantech & climate change, B2B/enterprise, hardware-as-a-service and of course software/SaaS.For more information on 4WARD.VC and our angel syndicate:



    4WARD.VC/syndicate







    About The Startup Tank:



    YCombinator popularized the demo day. Shark Tank revolutionized the investor pitch. We take the best of both worlds combined with the Covid-fueled remote nature of everything to bring you The Startup Tank Demo Days presented by 4WARD.VC, the startup pitch fest where founders get to pitch to prospective investors, possible cofounders and the tech ecosystem as a whole. If you’ve ever wanted a chance to pitch your company or get in front of VCs and angel investors, now is your time to shine. 



    About the host:



    Matt Ward is a serial entrepreneur & startup advisor, lead’s 4WARD.VC’s angel syndicate focused on early-stage climate and impact companies that move the world forward and Ve...
    2 hr 8 min
  • Announcing The Startup Tank Climate Investor Pitch Podcast

    Are you a climate or impact startup looking for funding? Are you an investor looking for interesting world-positive companies to invest in?



    Welcome to The Startup Tank presented by 4WARD.VC 4WARD.VC angel group, a special Swiss-focused startup pitch competition where founders pitch their project to our investor panel including the Swiss ICT Investor Club (SICTIC), Sparrow Ventures and Wingman as well as investors and VCs tuning in from across the globe.



    If you’ve ever wanted a chance to pitch your company or get in front of VCs and angel investors, now is your time to shine.



    Learn more and apply at thestartuptank.com



    —



    Subscribe to The Startup Tank on your favorite podcasting platform of choice:



    Apple Podcast | Spotify | Youtube | Google Podcast | Stitcher | Anchor



    —



    PRESENTING STARTUPS INCLUDE:



    * Voltiris: Transforming greenhouses into renewable solar powerplants* Potiio – Soft drink flavor, 30% less sugar – no artificial flavoring.* Zario – Free yourself from your phone and get on with your life.* Raush: Your travel recommendations bookable directly via social media* Footsnap: Foot scanning to ensure online shoes shopping always fits* Kapsly: An all-in-one startup services for equity platform* Blue Salmon: Aquacultured sustainable Swiss salmon



    Investor Panelists:



    * Thomas Ackermann – Director of SICTIC* Antonia Albert – Investor at Wingman Ventures* Claudius Stammbach – Investor at Sparrow Ventures



    About 4WARD.VC’s Angel Syndicate:



    4WARD.VC’s angel group invests in mission-driven pre seed and seed stage startups moving the world forward by tackling big problems in the areas of commerce/ecommerce, platforms/marketplaces, consumer tech, fintech, cleantech & climate change, B2B/enterprise, hardware-as-a-service and of course software/SaaS.For more information on 4WARD.VC and our angel syndicate:



    4WARD.VC/syndicate







    About The Startup Tank:



    YCombinator popularized the demo day. Shark Tank revolutionized the investor pitch. We take the best of both worlds combined with the Covid-fueled remote nature of everything to bring you The Startup Tank Demo Days presented by 4WARD.VC, the startup pitch fest where founders get to pitch to prospective investors, possible cofounders and the tech ecosystem as a whole. If you’ve ever wanted a chance to pitch your company or get in front of VCs and angel investors, now is your time to shine. 



    About the host:



    Matt Ward is a serial entrepreneur & startup advisor, lead’s 4WARD.
    2 hr 8 min
  • Neanderthal King: A Medieval Epic Adventure: Part Three
    Imagine Game of Thrones, but Neanderthals never died off.

    It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity.

    But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath.

    Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal.

    And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all.

    Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale.

    For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit neanderthalking.com

    —

    Want to follow along with Maralek’s adventure? For a limited time, grab your FREE illustrated map of Tharkal and the six kingdoms of Sapdom by visiting mattwardwrites.com/map.

    —

    More information on the author at mattwardwrites.com.
    Imagine Game of Thrones, but Neanderthals never died off.

    It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity.

    But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath.

    Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal.

    And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all.

    Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale.

    For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit neanderthalking.com

    —

    Want to follow along with Maralek’s adventure? For a limited time,
    39 min
  • Neanderthal King: A Medieval Epic Adventure: Part Two
    Imagine Game of Thrones, but Neanderthals never died off.

    It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity.

    But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath.

    Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal.

    And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all.

    Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale.

    For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit neanderthalking.com

    —

    Want to follow along with Maralek’s adventure? For a limited time, grab your FREE illustrated map of Tharkal and the six kingdoms of Sapdom by visiting mattwardwrites.com/map.

    —

    More information on the author at mattwardwrites.com.
    Imagine Game of Thrones, but Neanderthals never died off.

    It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity.

    But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath.

    Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal.

    And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all.

    Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale.

    For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit neanderthalking.com

    —

    Want to follow along with Maralek’s adventure? For a limited time,
    32 min
  • Neanderthal King: A Medieval Epic Adventure: Part One
    Imagine Game of Thrones, but Neanderthals never died off.

    It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity.

    But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath.

    Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal.

    And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all.

    Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale.

    For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit neanderthalking.com

    —

    Want to follow along with Maralek’s adventure? For a limited time, grab your FREE illustrated map of Tharkal and the six kingdoms of Sapdom by visiting mattwardwrites.com/map.

    —

    More information on the author at mattwardwrites.com.
    Imagine Game of Thrones, but Neanderthals never died off.

    It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity.

    But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath.

    Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal.

    And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all.

    Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale.

    For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit neanderthalking.com

    —

    Want to follow along with Maralek’s adventure? For a limited time,
    28 min
  • Death Donor 5 – A Dystopian SciFi Techno Thriller Novel
    Would you sell your life to save another?   / Full audiobook at: deathdonor.com
    Special forces vet, Samantha Jones, is a lowly bodyguard for Ethan Anderson, the biotech billionaire who revolutionized life extension. But at least she’s got a job, unlike most, and won’t have to sell her organs to support her family. Sure, they’re poor, but she’s got death insurance and a roof over her head. Life is livable…
    But then Sam’s daughter is kidnapped and sold for parts. Overnight, her life (and belief in the system) shatters. When the rich bastards get off scot-free, Sam’s weak husband commits suicide, and the ex-assassin snaps.
    Someone is going to pay.
    The question: how to kill the heartless elites that use the poor like livestock and whose security rivals the president? And then there’s the senator fighting to abolish life extension, the trillion-dollar corporate standoff, and bloody protests in the streets as conditions deteriorate. Things are about to get ugly.
    Death Donor is a speculative fiction technothriller by renowned futurist and sci-fi author, Matt Ward, that features espionage, political drama, and fast-paced adventure in the dark dystopian world of synthetic biology. If you like Michael Crichton, Daniel Suarez, or Neal Stephenson, or loved dystopian classics: the Handmaid’s Tale, Brave New World, and Ready Player One, you’ll love this page-turning science fiction thriller.
    For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit deathdonor.com
    —
    More information on the author at mattwardwrites.com.
    Would you sell your life to save another?   / Full audiobook at: deathdonor.com
    Special forces vet, Samantha Jones, is a lowly bodyguard for Ethan Anderson, the biotech billionaire who revolutionized life extension. But at least she’s got a job, unlike most, and won’t have to sell her organs to support her family. Sure, they’re poor, but she’s got death insurance and a roof over her head. Life is livable…
    But then Sam’s daughter is kidnapped and sold for parts. Overnight, her life (and belief in the system) shatters. When the rich bastards get off scot-free, Sam’s weak husband commits suicide, and the ex-assassin snaps.
    Someone is going to pay.
    The question: how to kill the heartless elites that use the poor like livestock and whose security rivals the president? And then there’s the senator fighting to abolish life extension, the trillion-dollar corporate standoff, and bloody protests in the streets as conditions deteriorate. Things are about to get ugly.
    Death Donor is a speculative fiction technothriller by renowned futurist and sci-fi author, Matt Ward, that features espionage, political drama, and fast-paced adventure in the dark dystopian world of synthetic biology. If you like Michael Crichton, Daniel Suarez, or Neal Stephenson, or loved dystopian classics: the Handmaid’s Tale, Brave New World, and Ready Player One, you’ll love this page-turning science fiction thriller.
    For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit deathdonor.com
    —
    More information on the author at mattwardwrites.com.
    33 min
  • Death Donor 4 – A Dystopian SciFi Techno Thriller Novel
    Would you sell your life to save another?
    Special forces vet, Samantha Jones, is a lowly bodyguard for Ethan Anderson, the biotech billionaire who revolutionized life extension. But at least she’s got a job, unlike most, and won’t have to sell her organs to support her family. Sure, they’re poor, but she’s got death insurance, and a roof over her head. Life is livable…
    Until her daughter is kidnapped and sold for parts, and the ex-assassin snaps.
    Someone is going to pay.
    Grab the rest today FREE with an Audible trial:
    deathdonor.com
    Would you sell your life to save another?
    Special forces vet, Samantha Jones, is a lowly bodyguard for Ethan Anderson, the biotech billionaire who revolutionized life extension. But at least she’s got a job, unlike most, and won’t have to sell her organs to support her family. Sure, they’re poor, but she’s got death insurance, and a roof over her head. Life is livable…
    Until her daughter is kidnapped and sold for parts, and the ex-assassin snaps.
    Someone is going to pay.
    Grab the rest today FREE with an Audible trial:
    deathdonor.com
    26 min
  • Death Donor 2 – A Dystopian SciFi Techno Thriller Novel
    Would you sell your life to save another?
    Special forces vet, Samantha Jones, is a lowly bodyguard for Ethan Anderson, the biotech billionaire who revolutionized life extension. But at least she’s got a job, unlike most, and won’t have to sell her organs to support her family. Sure, they’re poor, but she’s got death insurance, and a roof over her head. Life is livable…
    Until her daughter is kidnapped and sold for parts, and the ex-assassin snaps.
    Someone is going to pay.
    Grab the rest today FREE with an Audible trial:
    deathdonor.com
    Would you sell your life to save another?
    Special forces vet, Samantha Jones, is a lowly bodyguard for Ethan Anderson, the biotech billionaire who revolutionized life extension. But at least she’s got a job, unlike most, and won’t have to sell her organs to support her family. Sure, they’re poor, but she’s got death insurance, and a roof over her head. Life is livable…
    Until her daughter is kidnapped and sold for parts, and the ex-assassin snaps.
    Someone is going to pay.
    Grab the rest today FREE with an Audible trial:
    deathdonor.com
    24 min
  • Rewriting the Black American Dream to Building Better Communities at Home | Majora Carter
    Majora Carter (@MajoraCarter) is an American urban revitalization strategist and broadcast producer/host from the South Bronx in New York whose career has spanned environment, economy, social mobility, and real estate development.
    Majora’s work has won major awards including a MacArthur ‘genius’ Grant, a Peabody Award, the Rudy Bruner Award Silver Medal, nine honorary doctorates, and is quoted on the walls of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture: “Nobody should have to move out of their neighborhood to live in a better one.”

    In today’s episode we discuss:

    * Black Lives Matter and the big issue with housing inequality
    * Why owning communities is such a big part of improving them
    * Majora’s work with greenification and better urban areas
    * The role of investment in changing a city’s culture
    * What steps can the US take to righting past racial wrongs
    * Why the future of cities and urbanization is a bit more local
    * Which narratives around health and wealth contribute most to racial inequality
    * Why inner city brain drain makes everything all the worse
    * How to use triple bottom line businesses to better the world
    * What systemic racism looks like from a successful black woman’s perspective


    Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.
    Majora Carter (@MajoraCarter) is an American urban revitalization strategist and broadcast producer/host from the South Bronx in New York whose career has spanned environment, economy, social mobility, and real estate development.
    Majora’s work has won major awards including a MacArthur ‘genius’ Grant, a Peabody Award, the Rudy Bruner Award Silver Medal, nine honorary doctorates, and is quoted on the walls of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture: “Nobody should have to move out of their neighborhood to live in a better one.”

    In today’s episode we discuss:

    * Black Lives Matter and the big issue with housing inequality
    * Why owning communities is such a big part of improving them
    * Majora’s work with greenification and better urban areas
    * The role of investment in changing a city’s culture
    * What steps can the US take to righting past racial wrongs
    * Why the future of cities and urbanization is a bit more local
    * Which narratives around health and wealth contribute most to racial inequality
    * Why inner city brain drain makes everything all the worse
    * How to use triple bottom line businesses to better the world
    * What systemic racism looks like from a successful black woman’s perspective


    Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.
    50 min
  • Objectivity is a Fictitious Thing We Like to Pretend Exists | Charles Arthur
    Charles Arthur (@CharlesArthur) is a former technology editor of the Guardian and the author of Cyber Wars: Hacks That Shocked the Business World covering some of the world’s biggest cyber attacks. He also played a large role in the UK’s Free Our Data campaign to persuade the government to make non-personal government data available for free reuse.



    In today’s episode we discuss:



    * Thoughts on data-powered totalitarianism
    * A deeper dive into social media’s ability to influence us, and democracy
    * How data privacy and surveillance have changed in the last ten years
    * Why open-sourcing government data is a good thing
    * How mission-driven journalism both helps and hurts the world
    * A bold proposal to improve democratic outcomes
    * How to avoid heading towards 1984
    * Just how bad is the surveillance economy today
    * Which of the tech giants Charles is most worried about and why
    * Charles thoughts on COVID contact tracing



    Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Charles Arthur (@CharlesArthur) is a former technology editor of the Guardian and the author of Cyber Wars: Hacks That Shocked the Business World covering some of the world’s biggest cyber attacks. He also played a large role in the UK’s Free Our Data campaign to persuade the government to make non-personal government data available for free reuse.



    In today’s episode we discuss:



    * Thoughts on data-powered totalitarianism
    * A deeper dive into social media’s ability to influence us, and democracy
    * How data privacy and surveillance have changed in the last ten years
    * Why open-sourcing government data is a good thing
    * How mission-driven journalism both helps and hurts the world
    * A bold proposal to improve democratic outcomes
    * How to avoid heading towards 1984
    * Just how bad is the surveillance economy today
    * Which of the tech giants Charles is most worried about and why
    * Charles thoughts on COVID contact tracing



    Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.
    51 min

About The Syndicate

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to The Syndicate, the place where investors and startups combine to create crazy businesses and even crazier returns. The Syndicate podcast is a deep dive on the angel investors and VCs…