Technori Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Locus Robotics: How ‘Collaborative Robots’ are Driving the Future of E-Commerce Nov 20, 2019

Show notes

The robots are coming. Actually, they’re already here. But they’re not what you think, says Karen Leavitt, Chief Marketing Officer of Locus Robotics. The Wilmington, Massachusetts-based company, founded in 2014, makes robots that enable e-commerce and B2B companies to maximize efficiency in their warehouses enabling them to compete in the dynamic world of e-commerce. The world of robotics has changed so much in the last 20 or so years, spurred on by forward-thinking innovators like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, who have done more for automation than sci-fi pop culture ever imagined. “This is not Rosie the Robot from the Jetsons,” says Karen. “Think of a self-driving car. These robots are a bit like that, but they don’t look like a car that you or I would get into and drive. They’re designed to operate indoors, in the densely populated world of warehouses.” Ready to embrace our robot overlords? Karen gives us a view into the real world of automation –– and what takes place in between “add to cart” and your doorstep.

Cubii Caters to a Market Their Competitors Ignore Nov 19, 2019

Show notes

The struggle to get from work to the gym is real. Arnav Dalmia realized that all but the most dedicated gym-goers find it challenging to fit in regular exercise. So he originally founded Cubii to make it easier to be active while at work. The company’s mission has evolved from there. He first pitched the under-desk mini elliptical machines to the Technori Showcase in 2015, when the company was known as Fitness Cubed. After launching with the intent of helping cooped-up office workers, Cubii quickly gained popularity with another demographic — one often ignored by the fitness industry. “I started to get these phone calls from customers talking about how Cubii had changed their life, and they were not using Cubii at their desk, they were using Cubii for rehab,” Arnav says. “We changed the mission of the company. Initially, it was workout while you work, now it is fitness for all ages, abilities and lifestyles.”

Can I Eat This? Spokin’s Mission Is to Help People With Allergies Get a Quick Answer Nov 14, 2019

Show notes

Managing food allergies requires a lot of time and effort — and information isn’t always available when and where you need it. As the mom of a daughter with life-threatening food allergies, Susie Hultquist knew this problem all too well. But it wasn’t until she struggled to identify whether her daughter could safely eat Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies that business inspiration struck. In 2015, Susie founded Spokin. Think Instagram meets Yelp meets WebMD, specifically built for people with allergies. Users review products and restaurants all around the world based on their allergens, and their contributions appear on a newsfeed alongside Spokin’s product guides, recipes and other original content. The app automatically filters out products containing your personal allergens, thanks to their detailed signup process, and there’s also a search option for when you’re looking for restaurants in a particular city, or for the ingredients of a particular item.

Caremerge CEO: ‘Leadership by Example is My Go-to’ Nov 12, 2019

Show notes

“In the senior living market, the old image is nursing home: the new image is active communities for older adults who can simplify their lives and spend their free time really enjoying themselves, their family, their friends,” says Nancy Koenig, CEO of Caremerge, which provides technology solutions for the senior living market. Like previous guests Jay Klauminzer and Elizabeth Harz, Nancy’s story is an interesting study in how to lead a company you didn’t start. She became the CEO in October 2017, taking the reigns from co-founder and chairman Asif Khan. Nancy explains her approach to taking on someone else’s vision (hint: focus on the metrics) and the triumphs that come with creating technology for a demographic that has long been ignored by the tech world.

Tim Barry Knows It Takes a Village to Treat Chronic Illness. Enter VillageMD. Nov 07, 2019

Show notes

VillageMD aims to improve the quality of care by easing the burden on primary care doctors. VillageMD Co-founder and CEO Tim Barry explains that focusing on the most costly chronically ill patients helps reduce pressure on the entire healthcare system. Founded in 2013, the company announced its $100 million Series B round in September. Here Tim explains the history and the mission of his company — and how VillageMD is leveraging tech with a human touch to offer better care.

Attracting Building Tenants is Challenging. Flamingo Promises to Help Luxury High Rise Apartments Stand Out Nov 05, 2019

Show notes

The rising number of luxury apartment buildings is putting property managers under increasing pressure to entice new tenants — and to convince current ones to stay when their lease is up. When round-the-clock doormen, a state-of-the-art fitness center and a residential lounge are seen as standard, how can property managers set their building apart? Jude Chiy founded resident engagement platform Flamingo to offer a solution. Not only can residents use it to do useful things like pay rent and make maintenance requests, Flamingo also allows property managers to easily offer concierge-style services like dog-walking, cleaning and personal training sessions.

Republic: How to invest in the scrappy startups today that could be the Fortune 500 companies of tomorrow Nov 01, 2019

Show notes

Do you ever wish you’d had the opportunity to invest in a company like Netflix or Facebook when they were just a fledgling startup? In the most simple terms, investment platform Republic was created to just that. The platform democratizes fundraising so that anyone can access investment opportunities in the startup ecosystem. The company has quickly built a name for itself — even though it is not even five years old. Republic co-founder and CEO Ken Nguyen started the company after the SEC enacted legislation in May 2016 enabling non-accredited investors to put some cash into early-stage companies. Since then, Republic has taken the lead in the equity crowdfunding space, making it easy for almost anyone to invest as little as $10 in a business. The good news — especially for unseasoned investors — is that they heavily vet startups before promoting them on the platform. They say that fewer than 3 percent of companies that apply pass their due diligence. Even though Ken started the company to meet a contemporary need, he’s looking to the future. His optimism and desire to bring investment opportunities to more than the 1 percent came through loud and clear in his interview at the WGN studios.

Axio: To handle cybersecurity, it can’t just be about the tech. Here’s why Oct 24, 2019

Show notes

It’s as true for tech as it is for war and football: sometimes the best defense is a good offense. But that requires everyone within an organization to understand the threat and how to counter it. Scott Kannry and Brendan Fitzpatrick, Axio’s CEO and VP of Cyber Risk Engineering respectively, understand this challenge. Axio’s goal is to help organizations neutralize cybersecurity threats through a combination of services and products. The company prides itself on removing the jargon and insider talk to make cybersecurity more accessible to the entire organization.

Cloudbakers’ Founder: Innovation Starts With Collaboration Oct 22, 2019

Show notes

Moving to the cloud can be intimidating for people accustomed to storing all their data on hardware. Enter Mitch Greenwald and his company Cloudbakers, which helps small to medium-sized businesses translate the vision of cloud-based storage into reality. As a Google Premier Partner for more than eight years, Cloudbakers has worked with financial services, technology, healthcare and other businesses to make the switch to Google products. What’s neat about Cloudbakers is that they don’t just introduce you to the apps and run: they plan your transition process carefully and help your team navigate the shift with the goal of keeping everyone on the same virtual page.

Healthcare Transportation Is a Problem. Chicago Startup Kaizen Health Plans To Navigate a Better Route Oct 17, 2019

Show notes

According to the American Hospital Association, 3.6 million people miss appointments with healthcare providers every year because they can’t make it to the clinic or the office. In some cases, it’s due to a lack of public transportation options or an inability to afford a taxi. Regardless of the reason, Mindi Knebel, Founder and CEO of Kaizen Health, is tackling the issue head-on. Kaizen’s goal is to improve healthcare access by offering a cost-efficient logistics hub for both providers and patients. Through their white-label platform, providers can create an appropriate transportation plan right when a patient books an appointment or at the time of discharge.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected