Inception

Sam Shames is COO and co-founder of Embr Labs, a company unlocking the therapeutic power of temperature. In this episode, Sam talks about the fascinating technology behind their first product, the unanticipated ways in which it's helping address medical conditions, the huge insights they're gaining about humanity's relationship with thermal wellness, and how their recently launched new feature makes people feel genuinely more connected with the loved ones from afar.

Jim Havelka is CEO of InformAI, a company transforming the way healthcare is being delivered. In this episode, Jim delves into the highly efficient and innovative artificial intelligence and deep learning solutions the company has developed to improve radiologist productivity and speed up medical diagnosis at the point-of-care. He explains the benefits of being located in Houston, allowing them to directly access data from the world’s largest medical center complex, the Texas Medical Center, and shares how they also partner with other renowned healthcare organizations, national physician groups, and leading medical imaging companies, all with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes. 

Matt Angle is CEO of Paradromics, the first high-bandwidth data interface between brains and computers. In this episode, Matt talks about how his company is building a specialized data interface that will translate between bioelectric and digital signals; how this can empower people suffering from classically challenging diseases and injuries like paralysis, blindness, deafness, and mental illness; and how eventually, potentially, Paradromics could help define humanity’s very perception of consciousness. 

Charles Smith is a Venture Partner at Social Starts and Joyance Partners. In this episode, Charles and Mike discuss the innovative ways people, cities, startups, and VCs are adapting during the pandemic and the importance of discovering and investing in the very best entrepreneurs no matter their origin, education, race, gender, or location.

Oded Kraft is CEO of Gray Matters, developing an adjunct to standard of care digital therapeutics solution for treating mental and neurological disorders. In this episode, Oded talks about how GrayMatters is using this revolutionary technology to provide people suffering from those disorders a way to self regulate their own brain processes - from people living with PTSD, MDD, and GAD to frontline medical workers. 

Nell Luo is CEO of Folia Health, harnessing the power of patient and caregiver experiences to enable individuals to live their healthiest lives. In this episode, Nell talks about how her mother’s dedicated note-taking inspired the idea for her company, how her unique business model necessitates radical transparency with her customers, how seemingly inconsequential observations can result in groundbreaking medical discoveries, and how, by capturing that as of now untapped information, Folia has the potential to transform the entire universe of health data.

Erika Milczek is CEO of Curie Co, an enzyme engineering company replacing banned chemicals with safe and sustainable ingredients. In this episode, Erika talks about tackling a market that hasn’t undergone any innovation in over seventy years, the little-known secret behind successful stakeholder research, and the beautifully simplistic science she's using to solve a complex, world-wide problem.

Jordan Miller is CEO and co-founder of Volumetric, building 3D printers that can create human tissue. In this episode, Jordan delves into the incredibly complex architecture of our circulatory systems, recounts how a trip to the grocery store resulted in the “aha” moment for Volumetric’s groundbreaking technology, and explains the immense potential the company has for creating replacement organs by using the patient’s very own cells.

In this special anniversary episode, Managing Partner Mike Edelhart celebrates the veracity and resilience of the remarkable companies in the Social Starts/Joyance Partners family of funds and shares words of hope and encouragement as we emerge into the post-COVID startup landscape.

Ed Likovich is CEO and co-founder of Nymbl, preventing falls by combining medical science with mobile technology to deliver a proven, fun balance intervention. In this episode, Ed breaks down the science behind how the brain and body work together to regain balance, shares his views on how the current pandemic is exponentially expanding the successful application of telemedicine, explains Nymbl's upcoming plans to empower even more people to live fuller, healthier lives, and gives sage advice for how entrepreneurs seeking their next endeavor can achieve lasting success.

Erika Mozes is co-founder of Hyr, a mobile app-based platform that allows merchants across the U.S. and Canada to instantly connect with skilled and experienced workers. In this episode, Erika talks about how Hyr is transforming the gig economy, how being married to her co-founder actually makes their business stronger, the surprising ways they're helping direct-to-consumer brands do entire end-to-end labor support, and more.

Owen Phillips is co-founder and CEO of Brainkey, transforming MRI scans into personal brain dashboards. In this episode, Owen talks about giving people control over the information in their own heads; the potential such rich data collection has to develop solutions to diseases like MS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimers; the profound experience of holding a 3D model of your brain in your hands; opportunities for preventive brain health; and more.

Mike Seldon is CEO of Finless Foods, bringing sustainable, delicious seafood to the world without having to farm or harvest live fish. In this episode, Mike talks about how growing up watching Miyazaki films affected his vision for his company, the fascinating science behind creating cell-based tuna, the enthusiastic response the product is already receiving from high end chefs, and more.

Igor Telyatnikov is CEO of AlphaPoint, a white label software company enabling customers to launch crypto exchanges and tokenize assets. In this episode, Igor talks about the motivation behind the founding of the company, how they weathered the “crypto-winter” of 2015, his predictions for the integration and evolution of the financial and digital asset space, and more.

AJ Keller is CEO of Neurosity, a company building computers controlled by thought. In this episode, AJ talks about the remarkable synergy between himself and his co-founder, the fascinating technology behind their revolutionary product, and the unique relationship with their initial customer base that is creating endless possibilities for productivity and thought control.

Camille Richman is CEO of Hamama, a fail-proof kit for growing microgreens in the kitchen. In this episode, Camille talks about how her free-spirited upbringing influenced her drive toward entrepreneurism, the beautifully balanced leadership she's developed with her co-founder, and the seemingly simple but very powerful science behind Hamama’s delicious, nutritious product.

Mike Dudas is CEO of The Block, the first and final word in digital assets. In this episode, Mike talks about how the realization that crypto can't (and shouldn't) be simplified helped him shape the core structure of his company, how having a family is actually an innate motivator towards startup success, and his extreme optimism regarding The Block's future as the crypto market matures and grows.

Christian Brucculeri is CEO of Snaps, the leading conversational AI platform for global consumer brands. In this episode, Christian talks about how running a startup is like surfing, the unique skills it takes to be a “conversational designer,” the myriad of changes Snaps went through to become the remarkably responsive and successful company it is today, and more.

David Tze is CEO of NovoNutrients, transforming waste industrial CO2 into feed using industrial biotech. In this episode, David shares what inspired him to make the switch from oil fields to aquaculture, the fascinating science behind his company's revolutionary product, and the enormous potential this product has to affect the worldwide environment and economy.

Richard Lin is CEO of Thryve, the first gut health company to provide personalized probiotics and microbiome testing. In this episode, Richard talks about the deeply personal experience that inspired him to start his company, how his faith influences how he runs his business, and the enormous potential of probiotics to impact every aspect of human health.

Shiv Gaglani is the co-founder and CEO of Osmosis, which empowers the world's clinicians and caregivers with the best learning experience possible. In this episode, Shiv talks about what it's like to be the only tech entrepreneur in a family full of clinicians, why his company's first raise was successful, how he literally wrote the book on getting a perfect SAT score, and how Osmosis is revolutionizing the way that both clinicians and patients learn about health and medicine.

Dalton Combs is CEO of Boundless Mind, a company that uses neuroscience and artificial intelligence to personalize your app for every user. In this episode, Dalton explains how a remote-controlled cockroach changed the trajectory of his career, the great responsibility that comes with working with tech with the potential to achieve "universal control," and Boundless Mind's ambitious mission to create a world where hyper-personalized technology ultimately helps humans achieve their best selves.

Lindsay Jurist-Rosner is CEO of Wellthy, a healthcare concierge. Wellthy connects family caregivers with their own private care coordinator — that means on demand expertise support, simplified family communication, and everything in one place on their own care dashboard. In this episode, Lindsay shares the powerful personal experience that compelled her to start her company, the one customer email that changed the entire basis of her business model, and the unexpected benefits of running a deeply mission-driven organization.

Suren Markosian is CEO of Epic!, the leading digital media brand for kids. In this episode, Suren talks about how his strong creative spirit fuels his work, the three key elements essential to entrepreneurial success, and the surprising ways that building a tech company specifically for children has changed his perspective on how to run a business.

Renato Circi is the co-founder of Caura, the first ever molecular tracker providing instant, real-time performance feedback. In this episode, Renato reveals how his initial dreams of being a professional athlete in Europe influenced the concept of his company, how he and his cofounder were united by their common affinity for "crazy ideas," and the three key elements of finding fulfillment in work.

Dimitri Sogoloff is CEO of Horton Point, providing accredited investors worldwide with an easy, cost-efficient way to construct customized portfolios of alternative investment funds. In this episode, Dimitri discusses what he learned from landing smack in the middle of the stock exchange crash at the beginning of his career, the key requirements for being a great entrepreneur, how his company is planning on completely upending the entire process of making decisions within alternative investments, and more.

Tigran Sloyan is cofounder and CEO of CodeSIgnal, the most advanced technical assessment solution on the market. In this episode, Tigran talks about being the number one math nerd in Armenia, how his boxing hobby inspired the original concept for his business, and his ambitious mission of leveling the global playing field by helping companies go beyond resumes in every industry.

Polly Rodriguez is CEO of Unbound, an erotic product brand changing how feminists explore and enjoy their sex lives. In this episode, Polly discusses how sexual wellbeing is core to personal health, the way technology is enabling democracy on a global scale, the emerging power of female leaders across industries, and more.

Jared Feldman is CEO of Canvs, the industry standard in emotion measurement. In this episode, Jared talks about the powerful art of interpreting empathy, the tumultuous effects of the current media revolution, and his vision for Canvs to be the "giant oracle that you can ask anything to find out why it's happening."

Sam Parr is CEO of The Hustle, a media company that produces a wildly popular tech and business newsletter for young professionals. In this episode, Sam talks about his first startup ("Weiners as big as a baby's arm!"), his mother's interpretation of what he does now ("Wall Street Journal meets the Daily Show"), and the satisfaction he experiences from getting to do what he loves every single day.

Melanie Travis is CEO of Andie, a swimwear brand made for women, by women. In this episode, Melanie talks about the bright moment she realized the key to her success, the surprising pros of having zero swimwear expertise when she started her company, and the deep satisfaction she gets from creating a product that makes her customers comfortable and empowered for the first time in their lives.

Tyler Shultz is CEO of Flux Biosciences, a company that repurposes the tech used to read and write computer hard drives to perform sensitive and quantitative point-of-care in vitro medical diagnostics. In this episode, Tyler talks about transitioning from the academic world to the startup world, recovering from working at a company where the culture was built on fear, and the incredible experience of creating his own company based on revolutionary scientific breakthroughs.

Hunter Rosenblume is CEO of Sweet, an app that can save you up to 50% on your monthly phone bill. In this episode, Hunter talks about his phone-themed bar mitzvah, the challenges of pivoting his company three times, how he convinced investors to invest in his idea before he was even 20 years old, and more.

Jun Deng is an Investment Partner at Joyance Partners, the first VC fund focused on health-driven happiness. In this episode, Jun talks about what it's like being a young woman working in an "old man" industry, how she leverages her scientific expertise when evaluating companies, the advantages of Joyance's diverse and flexible team, and more.

Daniel Chait is CEO of Greenhouse, the talent acquisition company. In this episode, Daniel talks about the pros and cons of rapid growth, how he leverages his leadership position as a "flamethrower," and that one time he started a business from the principal's office in high school.

Tina Hedges is CEO of LOLI, the world's first zero waste beauty brand. In this episode, Tina talks about the tumultuous transition from the corporate world to the startup world, her superpower of thriving in times of chaos, and the extreme care that goes into the creation of her product, including the personalized ritual performed with each order.

Austen Allred is CEO of Lambda School, the online software engineering training school for no up-front cost. In this episode, Austen shares the powerful personal story behind founding his company, what it feels like to have a bullet in your back, the one big worry that keeps him up at night, and more.

Chieh Huang is CEO of Boxed, the bulk delivery service. In this episode, Chieh talks about making your dream come alive, the grit it takes to keep that dream alive, the correlation between joy and success, and much more.

In the very first episode of Inception, Social Starts/Joyance Partner Managing Partner Mike Edelhart talks with Venture Partner Charles Smith about the remarkable spark of aspiring entrepreneurs, the key factors that motivate investors, the complicated art of saying no forever (or just no for now), and much more.