VentureWell Voices

Effective coaching goes beyond advice. It means opening doors, sharing honestly, and supporting innovators through every stage of the journey from idea to impact.

Courtney McGeachy brings a uniquely broad perspective to that work, with a career spanning marine science, grantmaking, philanthropy, policy, and venture development. Today she coaches blue technology startups through VentureWell’s Ocean Enterprise Accelerator. Access the episode transcript.

You'll hear:

• Why transparency about expertise and limitations builds trust between coaches and founders

• How one introduction helped a startup find customers in unexpected industries

• Ways coaches can support founders who are bootstrapping through challenging periods

• How coaching with VentureWell helped McGeachy find her voice as a mentor

• Why blue economy startups often face a tougher funding landscape than other sectors, and where new investment is emerging

• What slows ocean tech deployment, and how regulators are working to streamline the process

• The case for bringing a product to market before it’s perfect

• Why sustained connection with founders matters long after a program end

Resources:

• Learn more about ⁠VentureWell's Ocean Enterprise Accelerator⁠, which supports startups developing solutions for the most critical challenges facing our oceans and coastal communities

• Learn more about ⁠Embarc Collective⁠

  
  

Follow VentureWell on LinkedIn, Instagram (@idea2impact), Bluesky (‪@venturewell.bsky.social‬), and Facebook for more stories and insights from the people powering science and technology innovation.

In this special bonus episode celebrating VentureWell’s 30th anniversary and National Inventors' Month, Phil Weilerstein, VentureWell president and CEO, sits down with Robert "Rob" Lemelson, professor, filmmaker, board member of The Lemelson Foundation, and son of inventor Jerome “Jerry” Lemelson.

Together, they reflect on the origins of their organizations, from The Lemelson Foundation’s roots in Jerry’s vision to elevate invention as a driver of social and economic progress, to VentureWell’s early days advancing science- and technology-driven entrepreneurship. 

They discuss how invention often begins with real-world needs and grows through collaboration, education, and ecosystem support to address complex global challenges. From designing solutions rooted in local knowledge to scaling innovations that improve lives worldwide, Rob shares insights into his father’s legacy, what it takes to turn ideas into action, and why sustained support for inventors at every stage matters more than ever. Access the episode transcript here.

You'll hear:

• How Jerry Lemelson’s inventions influenced modern innovation and continue to inform the Foundation’s work

• Why the best inventions often start with personal need or lived experience

• How invention drives economic growth and global solutions, and how The Lemelson Foundation supports inventors tackling challenges like clean water and infant health worldwide

• What it takes to scale climate and social impact innovations

• A vision for the next 30 years of innovation

Resources:

• Learn more about The Lemelson Foundation and its work to support invention and entrepreneurship around the world

• Visit VentureWell’s 30th anniversary page to explore three decades of impact and what’s ahead

• Read about Jerry Lemelson’s legacy

Don’t forget to follow VentureWell on LinkedIn, Instagram (@idea2impact), Bluesky (‪@venturewell.bsky.social‬), and Facebook for more stories and insights from entrepreneurs using innovation to change the future of sustainability, healthcare, and tech.

Drafty windows account for nearly 30% of U.S. home heating and cooling energy use each year—but a solution is in reach. AeroShield Materials has developed a transparent aerogel for double-pane windows that can boost thermal efficiency by up to 65%, outperforming triple panes while remaining thinner and lighter.

In this episode, co-founder and CEO Elise Strobach walks listeners through her journey from lab research to developing a market-ready solution, including how a surprising lab mishap became a pivotal breakthrough. She also reflects on a foundational question that has guided her work: “How could we say no to this opportunity to have a small chance to change the world?” Access the episode transcript here.

You’ll hear:

• An inside look at the science and strategy shaping next-generation energy-efficient windows

• How trying, failing, and trying again led to pivotal discoveries

• Why curiosity is a critical driver behind successful translation from research to real-world impact

• How entrepreneurship becomes a series of escalating stress tests—and how resilience is built as the stakes rise

• What “dancing with elephants” reveals about the risks of relying on major industry players

• How creativity in the lab can spark creativity beyond it, inspiring artistic pursuits outside the startup world

• What it takes to move from academic idealism to market reality

Resources:

• Follow Aeroshield Materials on LinkedIn 
• Check out the NSF I-Corps™ program, run in partnership with VentureWell, which provides hands-on entrepreneurial training to help innovators move from research to commercialization
• Elise participated in VentureWell’s E-Team program, and the Aspire program, which prepares climatetech and medtech startups for investment

Entrepreneurship rarely looks like the highlight reel, and Véronique Peiffer knows that firsthand. A mechanical engineer, biotech founder, author, and mother, Véronique has navigated the sweaty-palms reality of building a company with limited resources, growing and managing a team before you can afford employees, and staying afloat while juggling a never-ending to-do list. 

In this episode, Véronique shares why she wrote The Scrappy Entrepreneur—the book she wished she’d had while figuring it all out in real time—and the practical lessons from her biotech journey, from leading teams on a lean budget and managing administrative chaos to never underestimating the power of a simple happy hour. Access the episode transcript here. 

You’ll hear:

• How a simple list of unmet personal needs became the seed for their medical device startup and a lesson in real problem discovery
• Practical team-building strategies on a slim budget
• Tips for managing the operational realities of entrepreneurship, from taxes and registrations to compliance deadlines, IP paperwork, and grant timelines
• How she navigated a real stress-test moment when a prototype mix-up threatened their clinical study
• Why a startup ending isn’t failure, and how the experiential ROI still pays off

Resources:

• Check out The Scrappy Entrepreneur
• Learn more about VentureWell programs that support early-stage founders navigating the realities of startup life

From a childhood fascination with jet engines to leading a company that builds contact-free monitoring technologies for machines operating in extreme conditions, Reamonn Soto’s founder journey defies the usual playbook. 

A dad, Marine veteran, and self-described unlikely college graduate, Reamonn co-founded Sensatek to create sensors that can survive and thrive in environments where almost nothing else can. Along the way, he’s worked with some of the biggest names in energy and aerospace, including NASA, GE, the U.S. Air Force, Duke Energy, and Siemens.

In this episode, Reamonn shares why going the extra mile to identify market opportunities matters, how to walk the fine line between relentless and reckless, and what it takes to stay attuned to customer needs in fast-changing industries. Access the episode transcript here.

You’ll hear:

• How Reamonn’s Marine experience taught him the value of leadership, teamwork, and turning impossible problems into plausible solutions

• Lessons learned from customer discovery, validation, and adapting technology to real-world needs 

• How they’re using patented AI technologies to extract pixel-level structural dynamics from vibration data for simplified, instantaneous reporting 

• Strategies for hiring and building a team capable of solving extremely complex problems 

Resources:

• Follow ⁠Sensatek⁠ on LinkedIn

• Reamonn participated in the VentureWell E-Team program, an accelerator designed to help students advance their inventions through a powerful mix of grant funding, mentorship, training, and more

• Check out the ⁠NSF I-Corps™⁠ program, run in partnership with VentureWell, which provides hands-on entrepreneurial training to help innovators move from research to commercialization

Follow VentureWell on ⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ (@idea2impact), ⁠Bluesky⁠ (‪@venturewell.bsky.social‬), and ⁠Facebook⁠ for more stories and insights from entrepreneurs using innovation to change the future of sustainability, healthcare, and tech.

What if building a startup isn’t just about having a good idea, but about finding your place in the market?

Adam Stager, co-founder and CEO of TRIC Robotics, began his entrepreneurial journey designing robotic technology for the defense industry. But through customer discovery, he realized the same technology could have a lasting impact in agriculture.

Today, TRIC Robotics is helping farmers reduce pesticide use and boost yields with robotic automation and UV light. The company has grown from golf cart–sized prototypes to tractor-scale robots and recently closed a $5.5 million seed round to expand its impact in agtech.

Follow TRIC Robotics on LinkedIn.

You'll hear:

• How Adam pivoted from defense to agriculture through I-Corps™ customer discovery

• Lessons from early partnerships that built trust and opened doors to customer sales

• The challenges of scaling hardtech startups and strategies for meeting customer needs

• Curious if your research could become a startup? Check out the ⁠NSF I-Corps™⁠ program, run in partnership with VentureWell, which provides hands-on entrepreneurial training to help innovators move from research to commercialization.

• Building a climatetech invention and working on fundraising? Explore our pre-seed venture accelerator, the ⁠Aspire Climatetech⁠ program.

• TRIC Robotics is hiring! Check out their open ⁠here⁠.

Resources:

• Curious if your research could become a startup? Check out the NSF I-Corps™ program, run in partnership with VentureWell, which provides hands-on entrepreneurial training to help innovators move from research to commercialization.

• Building a climatetech invention and working on fundraising? Explore our pre-seed venture accelerator, the Aspire Climatetech program.

• TRIC Robotics is hiring! Check out their open here.

Follow VentureWell on ⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ (@idea2impact), ⁠Bluesky⁠ (‪@venturewell.bsky.social‬), and ⁠Facebook⁠ for more stories and insights from entrepreneurs using innovation to change the future of sustainability, healthcare, and tech.

While 95% of corneal illnesses are either preventable or treatable, there are millions of people waiting for a corneal transplant. After identifying a gap in the corneal donation process, Katie Solley, cofounder and CEO of Eyedea Medical, has been working with her team to make corneal surgery more accessible worldwide.

In this episode, Katie shares how customer discovery helped her team refine their device and scale without venture-backed funding. Access the episode transcript here.

You'll hear:

• How Katie worked with eye bank technicians to develop a corneal surgical device

• Strategies for startups working to identify and unlock their customer base

• How Eyedea Medical scaled commercialization relying solely on non-dilutive funding

• Lessons learned from stress tests and advice for early-stage innovators 

  
  

Resources:

• • Follow ⁠Eyedea Medical⁠ on LinkedIn
  • Katie serves as an entrepreneur-in-residence for the VentureWell Aspire Medtech program—learn more about our accelerator and Katie’s role here

  
  

Follow VentureWell on LinkedIn, Instagram (@idea2impact), Bluesky (‪@venturewell.bsky.social‬), and Facebook for more stories and insights from entrepreneurs using innovation to change the future of sustainability, healthcare, and tech.

From a $30,000 prototype built in a parking lot to manufacturing devices in a 5,000-square-foot facility, Micah Ulrich, CEO of Flux Hybrids, knows a thing or two about launching a venture. Flux Hybrids develops plug-in hybrid conversion kits that allow gas or diesel vehicles to run on electricity when available, reducing the need for gas. In this episode, Micah shares his entrepreneurial journey and offers insight to startup founders looking to make a breakthrough. Access the episode transcript here.

You’ll hear:

• ​How Flux Hybrids identified their ideal market and value proposition
• ​The setbacks the startup faced in its early stages and the lessons learned
• ​Strategies for entrepreneurs dealing with impostor syndrome 

Resources:

• ​Follow Flux Hybrids on ⁠LinkedIn⁠
• ​Flux Hybrids participated in VentureWell’s Aspire accelerator programs. Read our report, ⁠“Celebrating 10 Years of Aspire: Sharing Results and Learnings From the Program,”⁠ to learn more about our unique approach and how your startup could benefit from the program.
• ​Building a climatetech invention and working on fundraising? Explore our pre-seed venture accelerator, the ⁠Aspire Climatetech⁠ program.

Follow VentureWell on LinkedIn, Instagram (@idea2impact), Bluesky (‪@venturewell.bsky.social‬), and Facebook for more stories and insights from entrepreneurs using innovation to change the future of sustainability, healthcare, and tech.