Founder Insights

Latest Episodes:

Coach Mike: Working with Developers Dec 12, 2019

Show notes

In the next episode in our Coach Mike series, Founder Insights editor Dustin Betz is joined by Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR) and BV Satyaram (Founder & CEO of Code Astra, a web and mobile app development and consulting firm that works closely with FI on our own tech). Together, they discuss best practices for founders to use in working with product developers, both internally and external outsourcers.

A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fi.co/insight/coach-mike-podcast-working-with-developers

In this episode, Coach Mike and guests address questions like:

Types of development resources
In-house versus outsourced developers
Pros and Cons of outsourced dev teams
How to engage with developers (contracts, retention)
Efficient Communication (specs, wireframes)
Agile Dev Terminology (Epics, Sprints, User Stories)
Handling far-flung remote teams (timezones, feedback cycles)

For additional insights from FI, subscribe to our newsletter at https://fi.co/subscribe

If you're looking to join a pre-seed accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/coachmike

UNFILTERED EP. 6: REVIEWING SAAS, MARKETPLACE, BEAUTY BOX STARTUP IDEAS & MORE Dec 04, 2019

Show notes

It's another episode of Unfiltered! Rachel Sheppard (FI Global Marketing Manager), Mike Suprovici (FI Entrepreneur-In-Residence), and Dustin Betz (FI Content Manager) review startup ideas and pull no punches. Together, they have decades of startup experience and have advised hundreds of rising Silicon Valley companies. In our Unfiltered series, hear the FI HQ team experience come through as raw and #unfiltered feedback for startup ideas at all stages of development.

A full transcript of this podcast episode is available on our blog: https://fndri.com/Unfiltered6

Here is an overview of this #Unfiltered episode’s startup ideas:

Abhay (Singapore): My Company, estackk, is developing a SaaS platform for offline and online merchants to help them engage with their customers by self-serving from out-of-box loyalty programs, tiered loyalty, etc. We have an ethical API-first approach where consumers can choose to monetize their own data by anonymising it and providing it to brands to understand their preferences, and we earn a % of what is given to consumers.
David (Sacramento): My startup is called Match iT. It’s a social app for the cannabis community that connects users with nearby smoking buddies & cannabis dispensaries. Match iT will be a lifestyle brand, and offer great perks to the cannabis community. What makes us different will be our strategic partnerships with everyday apps like Lyft, Postmates, Doordash, and Netflix.
Mihai (Bucharest): My company eParenting is developing an online platform for future and current parents to guide them through pregnancy and growth stages for their children. Our main advantages is that we understand children (as we are parents), and we are in collaboration with some well-known psychologists, doctors, and prenatal educators.
Peggy (Dallas): My Company, SuperChill HQ, is developing content to help burned-out 30-somethings start making changes to become more satisfied with their lives. Our competitive advantage is providing resources about everyday life and mindset upgrades, with a dose of levity mixed in along the way.
Troy (St. Louis): My company, LocalLive, is a membership-based app and website for musicians. It’s driven by a digital engagement platform that gives each member, whether a hobbyist or pro, control to create their own personal music experience. We remove frustrating barriers like scheduling, organizing a teaching session, finding others to collaborate with, accessing studio-grade equipment and sound-proof space, and identifying performance opportunities. The business becomes a franchise model in the mid-term of the growth curve.
Tamara (Toronto): My Company, Finger Feast, is developing a seasonal subscription service to help fashion forward millennial women attain envy-worthy hands with a curated and on-trend selection of nail polish, jewelry, and hand care products that take the guesswork out of everyday styling.
Ivan (Zagreb): My company, LafTonic, is developing a system for web films and series in the idea phase and during production, to validate their market and get key insights. We use an affordable but accurate testing method that combines a live online audience with machine learning. We’ll co-produce validated content and help filmmakers crowdfund their projects by using the gathered intel.

Are you launching your own startup? Submit your startup idea to be featured on our next Unfiltered episode: https://fi.co/ideas

If you're looking to join a pre-seed accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/unfiltered

Mindstorm Ep. 6: Defeating Productivity Guilt - How to Work Smarter & Happier Sep 27, 2019

Show notes

Productivity guilt. Every entrepreneur has felt it: that gnawing sense that every moment of your day needs to be filled with work.

In our newest episode from the Mindstorm series, Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) is back with Josh Whiton (Founder of Makesoil). Together, they discuss how startup founders can balance their work life with their personal wellbeing. They dive into:

Their experiences with productivity guilt and how they’ve tried (and sometimes failed) to find balance
Methods that people can use to shift themselves out of ‘Emergency mode’
How to think about the relationship between your wellbeing in relation to your company’s wellbeing

If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/podcast

Unfiltered Ep. 5: Reviewing Transportation Ideas, Med-Tech Startups & More Sep 23, 2019

Show notes

It's another episode of Unfiltered! From prescription monitoring tools to radical keyboards, Rachel Sheppard (Founder Institute Global Marketing Manager), Mike Suprovici (EIR), and Ryan Micheletti (Head of Operations) review startup ideas and pull no punches. Together, they have decades of startup experience and have advised hundreds of rising Silicon Valley companies. In our Unfiltered series, they use that experience to provide feedback for startups of any stage of development.

Here is an overview of today's ideas:

Matt (Melbourne): My Company, Array, is developing a property management software solution for the independent-living retirement sector to help staff reduce their manual paper-based tasks. Our competitive advantage is that we have written the front end in a language they understand, and have cut out all unnecessary features to make it easy to use.
Ryan (Quebec): My Company, Lightning Futures Exchange is developing an anonymous and decentralized futures exchange to help individuals speculate on the price of assets or the outcome of any event. The exchange is a protocol so there are no doors to kick down and no off switch. Our competitive advantage is we figured out an algorithm that allows traders to safely and anonymously perform these trades.
Bob (Cincinnati): My Company, Kenko Health, is developing a mobile web based solution to help families and eldercare facilities better monitor the health and safety of older and disabled individuals. Our competitive advantage is our wearable medical devices, aggregated medical history and prescription monitoring to give caregivers a real time view of their patients’ status.
Ismail (Dhaka): ViOS is a healthcare platform that connects patients to private practice doctors for on-demand medical consultations, in-person at the doctors' office. It’s a connectivity tool that uses geofencing to tell patients when a specialist is in the office, along with their qualifications and testimonials. We’ll connect the patient with their chosen doctor and let the patient leave a post-appointment rating.
Elias (Buffalo): My company, Kubed Root, is developing an indoor farm incubator to help Urban Farmers maximize their efficiency and profitability by minimizing all overhead costs and barriers to entry. We provide rentable indoor plots outfitted with low cost vertical hydroponic units in a warehouse setting, and we utilize a coworking business model.
Ben (Atlanta): My Company, Dynamic Keyboard, is developing a lightweight electronic musical keyboard (under 100 lbs) for pianists, with the touch and feel of a full-size grand piano. It features real-time software simulation of a piano action for each key. Our second product will provide a grand piano with an electronic action to offer greater sensitivity and dynamic range, as well as keystroke recording and playback.
Shakil (Dhaka): My company Chronico is developing an AI-based platform to assess, monitor, and prevent chronic health conditions. The unique feature of Chronico is that it assesses and alerts users if they are vulnerable to any flare-ups in the future.
Bryan (St. Louis): Our company Unleased is developing a prop-tech platform to connect prospective tenants and Multi-Family operators. We provide short-term lease options to a transient generation of renters in collaboration with operators rather than disruption. We give the tenants the flexibility they want while maximizing rent premiums for the operators in true collabor-uption.

Are you launching your own startup? Submit your startup idea to be featured on our next Unfiltered episode: https://fi.co/ideas

If you're looking to join a pre-seed accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/unfiltered

Mindstorm Ep. 5: Founder Well-being, with special guest Ben Chong Sep 18, 2019

Show notes

In our newest episode from the Mindstorm series, Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) is joined by a special guest: Ben Chong. Ben is a founder, an advisor to dozens of startups, and one of Australia's top tech investors. Currently, he serves as a partner at Right Click Capital.

Together, Adeo and Ben discuss how startup founders can balance their mental health and wellbeing with the stresses of being an entrepreneur. They dive into:

The methods to determine that you may need help
Small daily practices that can aid your mindset
How to build a network around yourself that's invested in your long-term future.

If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/podcast

Coach Mike: Riskiest Assumption Tests Sep 13, 2019

Show notes

In the next episode in our Coach Mike series, producer Drew Zias is joined by Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR). Together, they discuss how to test whether or not your startup idea is worth building, by using the Riskiest Assumptions Test. They address questions like:

What is a Riskiest Assumptions Test (RAT)? How do they compare to MVPs?
How do you build a strong RAT?
How do you handle a RAT that invalidates your idea?
What are examples of good RATs (other than Ratatouille)?
and more!

For additional insights from FI, subscribe to our newsletter at https://fi.co/subscribe/

If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

How to Fund Radical Startup Ideas, with Peter Diamandis Sep 11, 2019

Show notes

As technology advances at an exponential speed, there are amazing opportunities for entrepreneurs to build radical businesses that positively impact society.

On this recently recorded Q&A webinar, Dr. Peter Diamandis and Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) discuss how an entrepreneur with a big vision can raise funds, find investors, and explore alternative funding routes.

Peter, named one of "The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders” by Fortune Magazine, is the Founder/Co-founder of the XPRIZE Foundation, which tackles global challenges through incentive competitions, and BOLD Capital Partners, a $250M venture fund for frontier tech, along with Celularity and Singularity University.

If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

Mindstorm Ep. 4: Innovating with the Heart and the Mind Sep 09, 2019

Show notes

In our newest episode from the Mindstorm series, Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) and Josh Whiton (Founder of MakeSoil) discuss how you can balance your heart and your mind as an entrepreneur. They cover 'gut instincts', empathy, and other heart-based concepts that are often underutilized in entrepreneurship, and how we can harness those to live more fulfilled lives & improve the world.

If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/podcast

Coach Mike: How to Succeed as a Non-tech Founder Sep 05, 2019

Show notes

In the third episode in our Coach Mike series, producer Drew Zias is joined by Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR). Together, they discuss how to build products and bring those products to market as a non-technical founder. They address questions like:

Do you need technical cofounder?
How do I screen and onboard remote devs? What about outsourcers?
How do I turn my MVP into a product if I lack the expertise?
How do I work with developers and share my vision with them?
and more!

For additional insights from FI, subscribe to our newsletter at https://fi.co/subscribe/

If you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, apply at https://fi.co/join/podcast

Mindstorm Ep. 3: Manifestation and the Power of Thoughts Sep 03, 2019

Show notes

In our newest episode from the Mindstorm series, Adeo Ressi (Founder Institute CEO) and Josh Whiton (Founder of MakeSoil) define manifestation within the framework of mindfulness and explain how it can impact the lives of entrepreneurs. They discuss how to interpret the universe's signs and how to determine whether or not you are on the right path, both in life and entrepreneurship.

f you have a pre-seed startup and you're looking to join an accelerator, see if FI is accepting applications in a city near you at https://fi.co/join/podcast

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