Give First

Techstars
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Give First

In the startup world, Give First means simply trying to help anyone—especially entrepreneurs—with no expectation of getting anything back. It's the pay-it-forward principle that builds strong startup networks. Hosts David Cohen and Brad Feld—Techstars cofounders, lifelong entrepreneurs, and startup investors—talk with mentors and founders about what giving first looks like in action, and how it makes great entrepreneurship possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Building the Future of Aviation with Kevin Noertker of Ampaire

    JUN 26

    Building the Future of Aviation with Kevin Noertker of Ampaire

    In this episode of the Give First podcast, hosts David Cohen is joined by Kevin Noertker, CEO and co-founder of Ampaire. Kevin shares his journey from aspiring astronaut and NASA engineer to leading a revolutionary Techstars-backed company. Ampaire is advancing hybrid electric aviation, aiming to cut aircraft fuel usage by 50-70%, addressing both environmental and economic issues in the aviation sector.  Kevin discusses the concept of 'invariant milestones' for setting and achieving ambitious goals, the challenges of blending the automotive and aviation industries, and the importance of resilient, mission-driven leadership.  The episode also covers Ampaire's fundraising journey, strategic decisions, and Kevin's commitment to the entrepreneurial community. Follow David Cohen on Twitter @davidcohen Listen & subscribe to the Give First podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
  2. Educating the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs with Marc Steren

    MAY 28

    Educating the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs with Marc Steren

    In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen speaks with Marc Steren, Cofounder and Co-CEO of University Startups. The two discuss the entrepreneurial journey and the transformative impact of education.  Marc offers insights into his 30-year entrepreneurial career, from pioneering mobile ticketing to selling his company in 2012, and transitioning to education as a professor at Georgetown University. He also recounts the unexpected success and eventual founding of University Startups, an AI-augmented curriculum designed to empower under-resourced students by providing pathways to higher education and career success through virtual generative AI counselors. The conversation covers the importance of being mission-focused for startup success, the value of running numerous small experiments, and the impact of having celebrity investors like Steven Spielberg and Michael Jordan.  Cohen and Steren also take time to explore the challenges and opportunities within the current educational system, the need for reform, and the unique approach of University Startups in democratizing access to quality education. Follow David Cohen on Twitter @davidcohen Listen & subscribe to the Give First podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min
  3. Sliding into Diem: Emma Bates talks raising $3.7M to build the front door of girl internet

    APR 23

    Sliding into Diem: Emma Bates talks raising $3.7M to build the front door of girl internet

    Emma Bates, co-founder of Diem, is reshaping the way women search the internet. Diem is a social search engine designed to provide women with trustworthy, community-driven results. In this episode of Give First, Emma talks about her journey building Diem, starting with her experience in the Techstars accelerator and the inspiration behind her women-centric approach to search. Emma dives into the challenges of fundraising as a female founder, sharing hard-earned insights on overcoming bias in venture capital. “Fundraising is a game,” Bates explains in her strategies for navigating investor interactions and the importance of staying focused amidst a sometimes discouraging landscape. Listeners will also hear the inside story of Diem's $3.7 million funding round, and the details behind a challenging experience that highlights the gender disparities that still exist in the VC world. Emma's candid discussion with David Cohen offers valuable guidance for any entrepreneur seeking investment. Follow David Cohen on Twitter @davidcohen Follow Emma Bates on Instagram @emmashbates Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min
  4. The Sky’s The Limit

    FEB 13

    The Sky’s The Limit

    Kirill Bigai, Preply CEO and co-founder, launched the company’s first set of values back in 2015, while participating in the Techstars Berlin program. But as the team has changed, so have the values. “It’s an evolution,” said Bigai, who involves his 650+ staff members in their development and incorporates the values into hiring, performance reviews, and operations.   David Cohen agrees that fine tuning and articulating values is smart for business and for company culture. In this edition of Cohen’s Give First Podcast, he and Bigai dig into values, hiring practices, stubbornness and how, when the company expanded outside of the Ukraine, Bigai would call every single customer himself.  Tune in for more.  Books mentioned in episode:  Who by Geoff Smart and Randy Street No Rules Rules by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer Follow David Cohen on Twitter @davidcohen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
  5. The Perfect Storm with Elizabeth Kraus

    10/31/2023

    The Perfect Storm with Elizabeth Kraus

    For 20 years, Elizabeth Kraus was busy being an entrepreneur. So busy and stressed, she wasn’t eating well, had wild energy swings and barely slept despite training for, and tackling long-distance triathlons. A host of other medical challenges led to a thyroid and hormone imbalance diagnosis and medication which she said, “put a band aid solution on all these health issues.”  Until the band aid ripped off.  “It was the perfect storm of disaster,” said Kraus, the chief investment officer for MergeLane Venture Capital Fund. “My body completely shut down in 2023.” Listen as Kraus and David Cohen, longtime friends with frequent career intersections, discuss the breakdown, the warning signs and how she clawed her way back to, almost, normalcy. Kraus recently announced after eight years and investments in 54 female-led companies, MergeLane has made their final investment. Kraus plans to write a book and start a podcast.  “I think lots of people who are earlier in their career just think, well, I'll deal with the health stuff later because I'm young. What could really go wrong?” A lot, as it turns out. Tune in for more.  Follow David Cohen on Twitter @davidcohen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    34 min
  6. Using Your Dragonfly Eyes with Charles Conn

    09/05/2023

    Using Your Dragonfly Eyes with Charles Conn

    Charles Conn is a builder, a creator and an environmentalist. He’s managed to wed those three passions together by investing in the biotech space as the co-founder of Monograph Capital. “The most consistent thing you can do is work in this biology space because when humans have health security, they tend to look after the planet,” said Conn who has also been a member of the Patagonia board for 15 years, and chair for the last few. Patagonia recently transferred all its shares to The Patagonia Purpose Trust to fight climate change and species eradication.  “That was an amazing journey and one that was also quite challenging,” said Conn.  Conn recently released his second book, The Imperfectionist: Strategic Mindsets for Uncertain Times, a sister book to Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything. Listen in as Conn and Cohen discuss the idea that curiosity needs to be the founding point of strategy, and dynamic problem solving needs to be the key framework or mental model for developing strategy. “To creatively solve problems is maybe at the very heart of what it is to be a human,” said Conn.  Follow David Cohen on Twitter @davidcohen Listen & subscribe to the Give First podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min
  7. Bottoms Up: A Conversation with Bevi CEO Sean Grundy

    05/30/2023

    Bottoms Up: A Conversation with Bevi CEO Sean Grundy

    Sean Grundy, co-founder and CEO of Bevi, wouldn’t budge despite calls from, ironically, David Cohen, the GiveFirst podcast host.  Cohen wanted Bevi smart water coolers in more places than just Boston. Grundy wanted to prioritize quality control and customer retention.  “We wanted our mechanical engineers and electrical engineers close by so they could personally put their eyes on any errors, see what was going wrong and fix it,” said Grundy.  That was back in 2014 just after participating in Techstars Boston. Grundy’s phased approach ethos worked then and still works today. In fact, Bevi not only survived the pandemic but recently raised $70 million in a series D funding round.  “The pandemic was brutal,” said Sean Grundy. “It felt like running into a wall.” Listen in as Grundy and Cohen discuss taking a compassionate approach to crisis leadership, gradual recovery and redefining success … all with only a few liquid-related puns.  Follow David Cohen on Twitter @davidcohen Listen & subscribe to the Give First podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    34 min
  8. Startup Community Builder Chris Heivly and his Newest “Build the Fort” Book

    04/25/2023

    Startup Community Builder Chris Heivly and his Newest “Build the Fort” Book

    Described as the foremost expert on how to build startup communities, Chris Heivly has written “Build the Fort: The Startup Community Builder's Field Guide.” Listen in as Chris and David talk about what Heivly discovered while writing and practical steps to take for anyone who wants to launch a startup community. From building a pipeline of founders to feeding that funnel continuously and storytelling, Heivly reminds listeners the first step is culture.  “Connections are the lifeblood of a healthy community” said Heivly. “If the founders don’t have access to the frictionless network that exists to help them do something, they are going to go elsewhere.”  The longtime colleagues also regale listeners with a few stories from their days raising money and starting businesses, including one incident that involved Heivly nursing a recent (and bloody) run in with a hockey puck.  Buy the book now: Amazon Follow David Cohen on Twitter @davidcohen Follow Chris Heivly on Twitter @chrisheivly Listen & subscribe to the Give First podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
40 Ratings

About

In the startup world, Give First means simply trying to help anyone—especially entrepreneurs—with no expectation of getting anything back. It's the pay-it-forward principle that builds strong startup networks. Hosts David Cohen and Brad Feld—Techstars cofounders, lifelong entrepreneurs, and startup investors—talk with mentors and founders about what giving first looks like in action, and how it makes great entrepreneurship possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Channel
    Techstars
  • Creator
    Techstars
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2024
  • Episodes
    88
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Techstars
  • Show Website
    Give First

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