The VentureFizz Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 427: Joshua Summers - CEO & Co-Founder, EnFi May 11, 2026

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Episode 427 of The VentureFizz #podcast features Joshua Summers, CEO & Co-Founder of EnFi. Josh is a serial entrepreneur who has been at the center of multiple success stories in the Boston tech scene. He has a unique ability to see exactly how technology will impact an industry right at the beginning of a platform shift - whether that was mobile, digital advertising, or in the case of his current startup, AI. However, as Josh and I discuss, building a "Native AI" company is fundamentally different from his past experiences. We get into the nuances of how companies are being built this time around - from the breakneck pace of development to the new ways you have to structure a team. Josh’s latest venture is EnFi, an AI-native platform that delivers autonomous agents to complete end-to-end commercial lending workflows. They are solving a massive "human capital crisis" in the credit industry, and the market is taking notice. The company recently announced a $15M Series A, bringing its total funding to date to $22.5 million. In this episode of our podcast, we cover: 00:00 Introducing Joshua Summers, CEO & Co-Founder of EnFi 02:38 The Difference of Building an AI Native Startup 05:48 Josh's background & Growing Up 07:27 Career Beginnings and Entrepreneurial Journey 11:37 The Birth of Zync and being Early to Market 14:04 Acquisition by WHERE and Early Phone App Strategies 17:29 Building Ad Platform and Monetization 20:29 PayPal Exit 24:05 Starting clypd - Scaling & AT&T Exit 31:59 Why Culture Matters! 34:08 Angel Investing and the Beginnings of TBD Angels 38:41 How EnFi got Started 46:25 The Details of EnFi: AI in Lending 50:28 Cultivating Culture at EnFi 52:40 The Hardest Positions to Hire for Right Now 53:58 Why Boston is a Great Place to Build a Startup 55:26 3 Essential Apps 57:55 Podcast / Book Recommendations for Entrepreneurs

Episode 426: Natan Linder - CEO & Co-Founder, Tulip May 04, 2026

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Episode 426 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Natan Linder, CEO & Co-Founder of Tulip. There are very few entrepreneurs in Boston who have built multiple tech companies to a billion+ valuation (Tulip & Formlabs), but Natan is one of them. He is a “builder” in the truest sense of the word, focusing on building what he calls “important things” rather than just the latest “shiny object.” In our conversation, we have a discussion about Physical AI, meaning AI that lives outside of the digital domain in things like robotics and self-driving cars. Natan believes we are hitting a “ChatGPT moment” for the physical world, so it was interesting to hear his perspective on this trend. Tulip is the leader in frontline operations. They help companies of all sizes and industries equip their workforces with connected, composable, and intelligent tools. With Tulip’s no-code platform, manufacturers can digitize processes, collect real-time data, and drive continuous improvement by using AI and without writing a line of code. The company recently announced a $120M Series D round of funding at a $1.3B valuation. In this episode of our podcast, we also cover: Chapters: 00:00 Intro - Natan Linder, Co-Founder & CEO, Tulip 03:30 The Physical-AI Moment 10:56 Natan Linder's Early Life and Curiosity 14:58 Early leadership role with Samsung 19:07 Getting involved with Rethink Robotics 25:34 Natan's thoughts on humanoid robots 28:55 Revolutionizing 3D Printing at Formlabs 33:49 Landing Mitch Kapor as an Investor in Formlabs & The "Elevator" Pitch Story 39:38 The Genesis of Tulip & Details of the Platform 50:31 Customer Use Cases 57:11 Tulip's Growth and Future Direction 01:04:30 Why Now Is a Good Time to Join Tulip 01:07:28 Boston is an Epicenter of Advanced Technology This podcast is brought to you by one of the strongest longtime supporters of the local startup ecosystem, Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank. With more than 1,500 bankers and relationship advisors and $44B in loans as of Q4 2025 – SVB delivers expert guidance, specialized products and a team that knows the innovation economy inside and out. Learn more at SVB.com.

Episode 425: Charlie O'Donnell - Author & Partner, Brooklyn Bridge Ventures Apr 27, 2026

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Episode 425 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Charlie O’Donnell, Founder of Brooklyn Bridge Ventures and now, a published author. Charlie is a staple of the NYC startup scene and someone who has had a significant influence in helping to build the ecosystem to what it is today. I first met Charlie back in 2010 at First Round Capital’s offices in NYC. At the time, I was helping out some of the city’s early high-flyers, like Birchbox. As you’ll see if you’re watching the video – or hear in this interview, I actually still have his business card from that meeting. 2010 was still the early innings for New York tech, and our conversation is a fun trip down memory lane. Charlie had his hands in some of the most important building-block companies of that era, including Foursquare, GroupMe, and Etsy. We also dive into the story of his investment in Backupify, a Boston startup founded by Rob May that was eventually acquired by Datto. After his time at First Round, Charlie went on to launch Brooklyn Bridge Ventures, becoming the first VC to plant a flag in Brooklyn. He is now out with a new book titled Founder Unfriendly: A No-Nonsense Guide to How Investment Decisions Actually Get Made. It’s an honest look at what actually happens after you leave a pitch meeting. Chapters: 00:00 Intro: Charlie O’Donnell 01:44 Meeting Charlie Back in 2010 03:27 Advice for Networking and Navigating the Job Market in 2026 06:35 Getting His Career Started in Corporate Pension Fund Industry 12:49 Early Days of the NYC Startup Scene 15:43 Early at Union Square Ventures 20:32 Early USV Deals: Twitter, Delicious, Etsy, Indeed 27:50 Challenges of Building in Recruiting & EdTech Industries 31:32 How Foursquare Led to NYC’s Startup Rebirth & His Role at First Round Capital 43:42 Sourcing GroupMe 49:00 The story of Backupify 52:16 Launching Brooklyn Bridge Ventures 54:35 Becoming a VC Coach 55:27 Founder Unfriendly – Book Details 58:55 Is Your Company a Fit for Venture Capital? 01:05:22 How Your Investors Might Affect Your Exit 01:12:59 More Details About Founder Unfriendly

Episode 424: KJ Hardrict - CEO & Co-Founder, Talvy Apr 20, 2026

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Episode 424 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Kelton (or KJ) Hardrict, CEO & Co-Founder of Talvy. Is the resume officially dead? It’s been a moment that seemed inevitable. I mean, the first resume credit goes to Leonardo da Vinci and that was over 500 years ago. I’ve been in recruiting for over 20 years and I can officially say that this is the first moment where disruption in the industry is truly happening. AI has killed the resume and when you think about it, for a lot of jobs these days that require some level of AI aptitude, what you did 10 years ago doesn’t really count as much anymore. So, I’m saying it… the resume is dead and this is good news for a recently funded startup. Meet Talvy – a video-first networking platform that lets professionals showcase who they are, not just what’s on their resume. It’s like TikTok-meets-LinkedIn which allows people to be seen and voice their skills and interests versus a traditional resume. The company recently announced a $2M seed round of funding led by Link Ventures. Chapters: 00:00 KJ Hardrict Introduction 02:50 KJ’s Experience as a Creator & How He Creates Content 05:23 The Evolution of His Content Creation Process 07:20 Biggest Lessons Learned as a YouTube Creator 09:28 KJ’s background: His Childhood and Path to MIT 15:12 How Sports Influenced Him 15:47 KJ’s Experience at MIT 20:21 Navigating a Major Health Issue 27:07 His Role at Posh 30:14 From Startups to Venture Capital at Link Ventures 34:13 Details on Talvy, the Video First Networking Platform 34:54 The End of Resumes in the AI Era 35:59 How Does Talvy Work? 39:32 Business Model for Talvy 42:13 How Talvy Handles Biases and Restrictions 45:35 The Current “Video First” Culture 48:03 Talvy – $2M in Funding + Launch 49:47 How Being a VC Made KJ a Better Founder 52:50 Navigating Leadership and Team Dynamics 54:16 KJ’s 3 Essential Apps 55:22 Podcast / Book recommendations for Founders 56:32 Hobbies Outside of Work

Episode 423: Sasha Hoffman - Partner, Remus Capital Apr 13, 2026

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Episode 423 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Sasha Hoffman, Partner at Remus Capital. I first met Sasha over ten years ago, when she was the Chief Operating Officer at Piaggio Fast Forward. VentureFizz helped cover the launch of Gita, the cargo carrying robot named Gita. Thus, this interview was long overdue and I was excited to interview Sasha as her career has been so prolific. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:46 Tips For Creating High Impact, Curated Events 17:33 Sasha's Background 20:59 Career Path: From Finance to Startups 22:09 Experience at Goldman Sachs 22:14 Joining Startup - Plastiq 26:03 Sasha's Time at Piaggio Fast Forward 29:09 Navigating Challenges During COVID at Uber 33:05 Insights on Loyalty Programs and User Retention 37:27 Transitioning to Venture Capital and Investing 40:42 The Future of AI and committing to Voice AI 44:02 Remus' "Say, See, Do" Thesis 45:14 Thoughts on OpenClaw and AI 49:19 EquipmentShare IPO and the Overall Market 51:00 Angel Investing 53:14 How to Get Started as an Angel Investor? 56:06 Balancing Work and Having Fun Traveling 01:01:01 Resources for travel deals and incentives This podcast is brought to you by one of the strongest longtime supporters of the local startup ecosystem, Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank. With more than 1,500 bankers and relationship advisors and $44B in loans as of Q4 2025 – SVB delivers expert guidance, specialized products and a team that knows the innovation economy inside and out. Learn more at SVB.com.

Episode 422: David Fialkow - Co-Founder & Managing Director, General Catalyst Apr 06, 2026

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Episode 422 of The VentureFizz Podcast features David Fialkow, Co-Founder & Managing Director of General Catalyst. Entrepreneur, venture capitalist, philanthropist, and Oscar winner - those are just a few of the words that describe David’s legendary career. As you’ll hear from this interview, he emphasizes the importance of storytelling, which he originally learned from filmmaking, but it goes beyond making a compelling documentary. It is an often-overlooked but essential skill for every entrepreneur. Whether you are hiring, winning over customers, or raising capital, being able to align everyone with your mission through a powerful narrative is critical for success. Most of you are likely familiar with General Catalyst. They are one of the top VC firms in the world, having backed a "Who’s Who" of tech giants including Stripe, Anduril, Circle, Airbnb, HubSpot, Snap, Canva, and Discord - just to name a few. In this interview, we cover a lot of ground, plus David shares lots of stories and interesting advice along the way, such as: What it’s like to win an Oscar and making impactful documentary films. David’s thoughts on the Boston tech scene. His long standing partnership with Joel Cutler (which I didn’t know they met when they were seven years old) and the details on their entrepreneurial initiatives in the travel industry including building the largest tour & cruise business in the U.S. The story of how a donation to Children’s Hospital led him to compete in the Ironman triathlon with just 90 days to train. How General Catalyst got started during the 2001 VC winter after dot-com bubble burst. The firm’s myopic focus on founders and their approach to building a firm with long term, intergenerational value. Investing in pillar Boston companies like HubSpot, Circle, ITA Software, KAYAK, and others… and their thought process around expanding the firm to the West Coast. The importance of surrounding yourself with people who know more than you do. And so much more! Podcast Sponsor: This podcast is brought to you by one of the strongest longtime supporters of the local startup ecosystem, Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank. With more than 1,500 bankers and relationship advisors and $44B in loans as of Q4 2025 – SVB delivers expert guidance, specialized products and a team that knows the innovation economy inside and out. Learn more at SVB.com.

Episode 421: Harris Stolzenberg - Partner, Pear Mar 30, 2026

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Episode 421 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Harris Stolzenberg, Partner at Pear VC. I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn and in my travels, I love discovering individuals who are local to the Boston area but are perhaps working for a meaningful company that is headquartered elsewhere. This is what happened when I stumbled on Harris’ profile - I stopped and thought to myself… wait, Pear has an investor in Boston who is leading the firm’s expansion to the East Coast? No way - game on and off I went to connect with Harris and ultimately bring you this interview! Pear is a west coast pre-seed / seed stage VC firm which has invested in over 200 companies like Doordash, Gusto, Vanta, Dropbox, and many more. The firm also offers an exclusive, small batch accelerator program for pre-seed companies called PearX. In this episode of our podcast, we cover: * Harris’s best networking advice plus tactical tips. * His background playing lacrosse at MIT, and the incredible story of how he raised money for the Boston Marathon bombing victims which even led to a personal donation from Oprah. * Getting his start in investment banking before moving into the startup world at Pando and eventually landing his first role at Pear. * The story of Flock, the company retreat platform he co-founded, its eventual acquisition, and the hard-won lessons he took from that experience. * His transition back to the East Coast and his time serving as Chief of Staff at Pillar VC. * His current role at Pear as a Partner, the firm’s approach to investing, and all the details on how the PearX program works. * Harris’ thoughts on the Boston tech ecosystem. * Plus, so much more!

Episode 420: Megan Lanham- CEO & Co-Founder, Rithmm Mar 23, 2026

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Episode 420 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Megan Lanham, CEO & Co-Founder of Rithmm. The betting industry has exploded over recent years. Apps like Kalshi now make it possible to bet on pretty much anything, like what companies will go public this year or where the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding will take place… but, let’s face it… this industry is driven by sports betting. Last year, per ESPN, the sports betting industry hit a record $16.96B in revenue… yowza. And according to the American Gaming Association, Americans are expected to legally wager over $3B on March Madness alone! Professional sports betters have a team of quants running models all day long which is their competitive advantage. So, what if there was an app that gave you, the every day consumer, the same competitive advantage? Meet Rithmm…the AI-powered sports betting platform that surfaces the top betting opportunities backed by predictive models and explained by data. It’s not just what to bet, but why. It’s like having your own data science team in your pocket. The company has raised $8.75M in funding. In this episode of our podcast, we cover: * The state of the industry of sports betting and why parlays are your worst enemy. * Megan’s background growing up in Illinois and playing basketball in college and then coaching D1 for a decade. * Joining a life sciences staffing company at the ground level, scaling to an acquisition and moving into a CEO role. * The decision to head to MIT Sloan for her MBA and how it inspired her current startup. * All the details on Rithmm and a demo of the app. * Acquisition strategies for attracting users. * Entrepreneurial advice for women founders. * What success looks like for Rithmm. * And so much more!

Episode 419: Chip Hazard - General Partner, Flybridge Mar 16, 2026

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Episode 419 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Chip Hazard, General Partner at Flybridge. Before we get into the details of Chip’s career, I have to call out a random fun fact: Chip is the only VC with his own action figure, yes – it’s true. There’s a DreamWorks animated movie called Small Soldiers. The lead character is named Chip Hazard, voiced by Tommy Lee Jones. As you’ll hear in this episode, there’s a great story suggesting that the character’s name was actually inspired by Chip himself, which absolutely makes sense once you hear the story. But beyond the fun facts, as you’ll hear, Chip has a major leg up on most investors because he’s successfully navigated multiple platform shifts – from the internet and mobile to the cloud and now AI. What’s impressive is that Chip and the team at Flybridge saw this latest AI shift coming long before the hype. For proof, you just have to look at his blog post titled “Applied AI: Beyond the Algorithms” which he published all the way back in 2019. Chip has backed some of the most impactful companies in tech, like MongoDB back when it was still called 10Gen. Today, it’s a public company with a $20B+ dollar market cap, and Chip still serves on the board. His portfolio also includes Nasuni which was valued at $1.2 billion following a strategic investment led by Vista Equity Partners in 2024. If you aren’t familiar with Flybridge, they are a seed-stage firm investing in ambitious founders leveraging the power of AI. Last September, they announced their latest fund, a $100M seventh fund. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 04:15 A movie character named after Chip in Small Soldiers 05:39 The Current AI Platform Shift & Patterns he has seen 09:48 Decades of blogging experience and how they stayed ahead of the curve 11:23 Chip's background 12:49 Stanford and Athletics 14:00 How Chip got his career started 15:29 Discovering Venture Capital and Landing at Greylock 19:27 A Walk Through His Investments at Greylock 24:50 Starting Flybridge 28:18 The Details about Flybridge 29:46 What gets you to the point of saying YES to entrepreneurs 32:20 Company storytelling at the seed stage 34:11 Investing in MongoDB 36:46 Key Decisions for MongoDB 42:38 Investing in Nasuni 43:41 Other company investments 46:05 Why They Invested in VoiceRun 48:38 Details on xfactor ventures 51:12 Advice for Entrepreneurs on Conducting Due Diligence on Investors 53:01 How VCs Handle an Investment Post-IPO 55:12 Three apps Chip can't live without 57:08 Podcast Recommendations Podcast Sponsor: This podcast is brought to you by one of the strongest longtime supporters of the local startup ecosystem, Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank. With more than 1,500 bankers and relationship advisors and $44B in loans as of Q4 2025 – SVB delivers expert guidance, specialized products and a team that knows the innovation economy inside and out. Learn more at SVB.com.

Episode 418: Jeff Glass - CEO & Co-Founder, Hometap Mar 09, 2026

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Episode 418 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Jeff Glass, Co-Founder & CEO of Hometap. Jeff’s track record is pretty amazing, yet he is incredibly humble. As both an entrepreneur and an investor, he has…in my opinion… earned a spot as one of the top builders in the Boston tech ecosystem. While success always requires the right market timing and a great team, you also need a leader who truly thrives in the full lifecycle journey of building a startup and that is exactly what Jeff has done throughout his career. Listen to this track record. Back in the Internet 1.0 era, he co-founded Transactive Solutions. This tech company included a web property called Zooba which scaled and had very forward looking technology. The company was acquired by a joint venture between Bertelsmann and AOL Time Warner. Then, in the early days of mobile, he led m-Qube through each company phase from figuring out product market fit to the hypergrowth years and eventually an acquisition by VeriSign. Beyond the exit, m-Qube is legendary for its "alumni network," having produced a generation of founders and executives who have gone on to build many successful companies in Boston and beyond. Jeff also spent years as a VC with Bain Capital Ventures, where he sat on the board of LinkedIn for three years leading up to their IPO. He later joined a portfolio company as the CEO of Skyhook Wireless which was acquired by Liberty Media. Today, Jeff is the CEO and Co-Founder of Hometap which has a very meaningful mission: making homeownership less stressful and more accessible. Hometap allows consumers to access the equity in their homes without taking on a loan or sell their home. Think of it like a startup, where an investor is taking equity as a percentage of ownership in a company for a future return. The same idea applies here for consumers and their home. It’s just one of those ideas that makes a world of sense. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 03:40 Building Extraordinary Teams 07:38 Jeff's Background & Early Career 15:15 Learning How to Sell 23:27 Early Career 28:30 Building Zooba to an Exit 39:49 m-Qube and the early days of mobile 44:33 Powering the Voting System in American Idol and Deal or No Deal 47:15 VeriSign's Acquisition of m-Qube 50:41 The amazing alumni of m-Qube 54:27 Joining Bain Capital Ventures 58:30 Joining Skyhook Wireless as CEO 01:01:15 The Early Beginnings of Hometap: A New Approach to Home Equity 01:06:28 Building Hometap: Raising Capital and Growing Initial Customer Base 01:12:43 The Scale of Hometap 01:16:08 How Hometap Works 01:20:17 What's Next for Hometap? 01:22:09 Jeff's Interests Outside of Work

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