Inside Startup Investing with Chris Lustrino

Kingscrowd, Sam Fiske

Join Chris Lustrino as he talks to startup founders, angel investors, fund managers, investing platform executives, and more about the online private markets. Inside Startup Investing gives listeners the inside scoop on alternative investing such as startups from an investor and founder perspectives.

  1. 5d ago

    Inside Oxeia Biopharma’s Mission to Heal Brain Damage From Concussions

    On this episode of Inside Startup Investing, Chris Lustrino speaks with Dr. Michael Wyand, CEO of Oxeia Biopharma, a clinical-stage biotech company developing a potential breakthrough treatment for concussions and persistent concussion symptoms. Oxeia is leveraging ghrelin, a naturally occurring hormone involved in brain energy regulation and neural repair, to help heal the inflammation and cellular damage caused by traumatic brain injuries. With promising Phase 2a data showing an 85% responder rate among treated patients, the company is pursuing what could become the first FDA-approved pharmaceutical treatment specifically targeting concussion recovery. Chris and Michael discuss the science behind concussions, how brain damage occurs after impact, why “just rest” has remained the standard of care for decades, and how Oxeia’s therapy could fundamentally change the treatment landscape for athletes, veterans, and millions of patients suffering from lingering neurological symptoms. They also dive into the company’s clinical pathway, the business opportunity behind concussion therapeutics, the role of neurogenesis in recovery, and the broader future potential for treating conditions like CTE, Parkinson’s disease, and ALS. If you want to understand the future of concussion recovery, brain health innovation, and biotech investing, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

    25 min

  2. May 20

    How Pytheas Energy Is Using AI to Revive Abandoned Oil Wells

    Pytheas Energy CEO Josh Zuker joins Inside Startup Investing to discuss how the company is using AI and data analytics to revive overlooked oil wells abandoned by major operators. Drawing on his unconventional journey from finance and real estate into oil and gas, Josh explains how Pytheas identifies underperforming “stripper wells,” optimizes production through monitoring technology, and builds long-term value from assets others leave behind. The conversation dives into the economics of oil production, how Pytheas approaches acquisitions and operational efficiency, and why the company ultimately views itself as both an energy operator and a technology company. Josh also shares his vision for turning Pytheas’ growing dataset into a scalable software and analytics platform that could eventually serve independent operators across the oil and gas industry. Chris and Josh also discuss the future of AI in energy, blockchain and tokenization opportunities in commodities, and Pytheas Energy’s long-term vision to scale production, acquire more assets, and potentially pursue an IPO.

    28 min

  3. May 12

    Renji Bijoy, Immersed — The Future of Work Through Spatial Computing

    In this episode of Inside Startup Investing, Renji Bijoy joins Chris Lustrino to discuss why he believes spatial computing glasses will become the next major computing platform after smartphones. Immersed began as a VR productivity platform designed to make remote work feel more collaborative and immersive. Today, the company has over 1.5 million users who use its virtual workspace software to create multiple virtual monitors, collaborate with remote teams, and work from anywhere using VR headsets. But Renji believes the existing hardware from major tech companies still falls short. That led Immersed to develop Visor, its own lightweight spatial computing headset designed specifically for work productivity. The company is betting that slimmer, lighter, AI-enabled glasses can finally bring spatial computing into the mainstream. Chris and Renji explore the future of remote work, AI-powered computing, enterprise adoption, hardware manufacturing, crowdfunding strategy, and why Immersed sees itself competing to become the next major tech platform rather than simply building another VR app.

    30 min

  4. May 7

    Madeline Fraser, Gemist — Modernizing Jewelry With AI and Custom Ecommerce

    In this episode of Inside Startup Investing, Madeline Fraser joins Chris Lustrino to discuss how Gemist is bringing AI, automation, and modern ecommerce infrastructure to the jewelry industry. Inspired by her own frustrating experience buying an engagement ring, Madeline built Gemist to help jewelry brands, retailers, and manufacturers modernize the highly manual process of custom jewelry sales. The company’s platform enables customers to design and visualize jewelry online while automating pricing, rendering, quoting, and product configuration workflows behind the scenes. Chris and Madeline explore why jewelry has historically lagged behind technologically, how COVID accelerated omnichannel adoption, and why younger generations of jewelers are increasingly embracing digital transformation. They also dive into Gemist’s SaaS business model, AI rendering infrastructure, onboarding process, and the company's vision of evolving into a powerful jewelry data platform over time. The conversation offers valuable lessons for founders building vertical SaaS businesses, especially in traditional industries resistant to change. For investors, it highlights a large global market undergoing rapid digital and AI-driven transformation.

    29 min

  5. Apr 30

    George Moringer, Tapouts — The $5M Child Wellness Platform Teaching Kids Emotional Intelligence

    In this episode of Inside Startup Investing, Chris Lustrino speaks with George Moringer about building a platform that teaches kids emotional intelligence through engaging, gamified group sessions. [00:00] Tapouts focuses on helping children ages 4–16 understand and regulate their emotions by turning behavioral science into interactive, easy-to-use tools. [01:00] George shares how the idea originated from his interest in resilience and stress psychology—and the realization that these skills are rarely taught early in life. [02:30] Early product challenges revealed a key issue: parents valued the product, but kids didn’t want to participate—forcing the team to rethink engagement entirely. [04:30] That led to a major pivot toward gamification, rewards, and group-based sessions, which dramatically improved retention and participation. [06:30] Since then, Tapouts has scaled to over 20,000 kids served and more than 200,000 sessions delivered without missing a single class. [08:30] The company’s model leverages small group sessions to create strong unit economics, with margins around 70% while maintaining high engagement. [10:30] George breaks down how Tapouts acquires customers through performance marketing, referrals, and growing organic demand. [12:30] Looking ahead, the company plans to expand its programs, increase lifetime value, and explore new distribution channels like schools, employers, and insurers. [15:00] Ultimately, Tapouts is building a preventative approach to child wellness—teaching emotional intelligence before problems escalate. [17:00]

    33 min

  6. Apr 27

    Inside Startup Investing: Carter Fowler, Totem — The Viral Offline Device Solving a Universal Problem

    In this episode of Inside Startup Investing, Chris Lustrino sits down with Carter Fowler, founder and CEO of Totem, a company building decentralized, offline communication technology. Totem’s flagship product—a wearable compass-like device—lets users locate friends and family without relying on cell service or Wi-Fi. Originally built for music festivals, the product has quickly expanded into families, travel, outdoor recreation, and even accessibility use cases. With over 50,000 users, $3.5M+ in revenue, and profitability achieved in under two years, Totem is proving both strong product-market fit and viral distribution. Carter shares how the company leveraged organic growth to reach hundreds of millions, why decentralized tech may define the future of connectivity, and how Totem is building both a consumer hardware business and a powerful data layer on real-world human movement.

    28 min

  7. Apr 24

    Alaffia: Building a Profitable Social Enterprise Connecting West Africa to Global Markets

    In this episode of Inside Startup Investing, Chris Lustrino speaks with Olowo-n’djo Tchala about building Alaffia, a mission-driven consumer brand rooted in ethical sourcing. (00:00–01:30) Olowo-n’djo shares his upbringing in Togo and how it shaped his vision for a new economic model. (01:30–04:30) He explains how Alaffia organizes women-led cooperatives to produce shea butter and connect them to global markets. (04:30–08:30) The discussion covers fair trade economics, including paying above-market wages while maintaining strong margins. (08:30–13:00) They explore how Alaffia scaled into a national brand through persistence, retail distribution, and product-market fit. (13:00–17:00) Finally, Olowo-n’djo reflects on challenges with outside investors and why maintaining mission alignment is critical for long-term success. (17:00–22:00).

    24 min

  8. Apr 17

    Solgaard: Building a Sustainable Travel Brand by Turning Ocean Plastic into Premium Products

    In this episode of Inside Startup Investing, Chris Lustrino speaks with Adrian Solgaard about building a sustainable travel brand rooted in ocean plastic innovation. (00:00–01:30) Solgaard began as a Kickstarter campaign and quickly gained traction with consumers seeking functional, eco-friendly products. (01:30–03:15) Adrian explains how the company turns ocean-bound plastic into premium luggage and accessories. (03:15–05:40) They discuss product design, including modular systems that differentiate Solgaard in a crowded travel market. (05:40–08:10) The conversation dives into scaling challenges, including manufacturing, supply chains, and maintaining quality. (08:10–11:20) Finally, they explore brand storytelling, mission alignment, and how sustainability drives long-term consumer loyalty. (11:20–14:30)

    27 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Join Chris Lustrino as he talks to startup founders, angel investors, fund managers, investing platform executives, and more about the online private markets. Inside Startup Investing gives listeners the inside scoop on alternative investing such as startups from an investor and founder perspectives.

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