Tech Startup Network Podcast with Ashley DiBiase

Tech Startup Network
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Tech Startup Network is a weekly podcast where we dive into the real stories behind startups directly from the people building them to those backing them. Whether you're a founder, investor, operator, or advisor, Tech Startup Network is your inside look at startups today.

  1. 6d ago

    Finding Your Community in Tech with Kaila Lim

    Kaila Lim is Head of Community at Antler in the US, where she designs the founder experience for one of the world’s most active early-stage investors, shaping how startups are chosen, launched, and cared for across New York, Austin, and San Francisco. Her work sits at an unusual intersection: part talent scout, part culture architect, part the person who makes sure founders leave better than they walked in, whether or not the check ever clears. She believes the room is the product, that care can’t be performed, and that the subtle things are usually the whole thing. Off the clock, she writes, hosts small, cozy dinners, and thinks a lot about how power and softness can live in the same person at the same time. During this episode, we discuss: How Kaila built her career in community and what she does at AntlerWhy the best founders Kayla meets radiate convictionKayla's event philosophy is rooted in intentional preparationOne of the most powerful ways Antler generates deal flowHer advice for founders new to a cityWhat she recommends for aspiring community buildersWhy maintaining strong personal spiritual and wellness practices is non-negotiable for a sustainable community careerHer push to founders And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things community!

  2. Jul 21

    Supporting the Caribbean Tech Ecosystem with Lily Dash

    Lily Dash is the Founder of Future Caribbean and Co-Founder of ACTAI Advisors, where she works at the intersection of artificial intelligence, venture building and economic development. A Barbadian entrepreneur and attorney, she is focused on positioning the Caribbean as a global hub for AI innovation by connecting founders, investors, governments and international institutions to build the next generation of AI-native companies. Through Future Caribbean, Lily is leading one of the region's most ambitious AI initiatives, including the Global Open-Source Agentic AI Buildathon, bringing together world-class partners across technology, finance and development. She is a leading voice on AI's role in transforming emerging markets, with expertise spanning innovation policy, startup ecosystems, digital infrastructure and the opportunities for regions like the Caribbean and Africa to become builders of AI, not just consumers. During this episode, we discuss: What Future Caribbean is and why Lily started itLily's entry into techWhat Future Caribbean's build-a-thon offersWhy the Caribbean is a strong tech hubHow Future Caribbean has grownLily's advice for community builders And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into the tech ecosystem in the Caribbean!

  3. Jul 16

    Creating Deep Tech Week with Andrew Cote

    Andrew Cote is an engineering physicist and aspiring science fiction author that runs Deep Tech Week, the world's largest community of investors, founders, engineers and scientists building startups in physical industries which runs in 8 cities and has had over 50k attendees. Before starting Deep Tech Week he was an engineering physicist designing high temperature superconducting magnets for nuclear fusion, and before that he ran an LLM startup pre-chatGPT in infectious disease research after working on the BioEngineering team at Chan Zuckerberg Biohub throughout the COVID years. He has degrees in sociology, anthropology, applied physics and engineering. During this episode, we discuss: How Andrew spent nearly a decade as an engineer before accidentally starting Deep Tech WeekThe origin of Deep Tech WeekHow Deep Tech Week has grown across 8 cities and 50,000+ attendeesThe growing representation of deep tech in venture capital investmentThe marketing thesis behind Deep Tech WeekDeep Tech Week's upcoming city lineupAndrew’s long-term vision for Deep Tech WeekHis top advice for community builders And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things deep tech!

  4. Jul 14

    Getting More Women on the Cap Table with Natalie Levy

    Natalie Levy spent years navigating male-dominated environments from the classrooms in engineering school and advanced mathematics coursework to derivatives trading on Wall Street to tech sales and investing. She spent years in search of a workplace culture that inspired and supported her, and witnessed countless individuals (often, women) lacking fulfillment who were working too hard while failing to reach the professional roles they had earned. Following the loss of her mother to suicide at the beginning of 2019 she made a life and career transition to honor the loss she experienced and the journey she experienced. Natalie launched She’s Independent to create a space in the world to support and celebrate women stepping into private investing and money flows. She’s Independent exists to offer a real path to access and equity. The investment community is a space offering real belonging and promoting impactful capital allocations together. So that we can live in a world that invests in, supports, and celebrates women. During this episode, we discuss: What led Natalie to start She's Independent and what it offersWhy money is energy and how talking about it openly is essential to growthWhere most of She's Independent's current portfolio liesNatalie's top advice for first-time angel investorsHow founders can get in front of She's IndependentWhat’s next for She's Independent this year And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things investing!

  5. Jul 9

    Building Power Generation Turbines with Dylan Morris

    Dylan Morris is the Founder & CEO of Stone Power Technologies. Prior to starting the company, Dylan has built and run manufacturing companies since high school, scaling manufacturing at Anduril and leading hardware delivery as Head of Manufacturing at Rainmaker, shipping every drone, dispersion system, and radar. During this episode, we discuss: What Stone Power is buildingHow the idea came to DylanWhy energy independence and manufacturing independence are deeply linkedDylan's approach to customer discoveryWhen Stone will be delivering their first product And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things turbines!

  6. Jul 7

    Curating Your Network with Allison Byers

    Allison Byers is a founder, investor, and capital access advocate working to build a funding system that includes The Rest of Us. She’s the founder of Scroobious, a relationship-first capital access platform, author of the book Fundraising for The Rest of Us, co-authored California’s landmark Fair Investment Practices by Venture Capital Companies Law, and serves on multiple boards. Previously, she co-founded a medtech company spun out of MIT, raised nearly $10 million, and brought an FDA‑registered product to market, only to watch the all‑male team that acquired it raise $55 million. That experience led her to uncover the systemic barriers facing underestimated founders and to dedicate her career to dismantling them. During this episode, we discuss: How Allison's path to advocacy began with her own startup experienceWhat Scroobius offers and how it worksA core reason venture capital remains so homogenousOne of Scroobious' most memorable success storiesAllison's top networking adviceWhat’s next for Scroobious in 2026 And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things relationships!

  7. Jul 2

    Backing FinTech Founders with Casey Williams

    Casey Williams is a Partner & COO at Fenway Summer, a VC firm investing in early-stage fintech companies. She focuses on companies building infrastructure for the financial system, with a particular conviction for founders raising their first institutional round in complex, policy-adjacent markets. Casey has walked a non-linear path to venture capital. She began her career as a fourth-grade math teacher through Teach for America, an experience that shaped how she thinks about problem-solving, resilience, and working in under-resourced environments. She then moved into financial inclusion work at Kiva Microfinance and, later, product and R&D at Wells Fargo. Her venture capital career began on the operating side of the business, when she first joined the Fenway Summer team in 2020 as an Operations Associate. She was quickly promoted to COO and has spent years managing every aspect of the business side of the firm, from fund administration to tax and audit processes. Casey has a demonstrated pattern of conviction on non-consensus founders, looking for ideas that sit outside the comfortable consensus of what fintech “should” look like, and a track record of being early. She holds a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma and a B.A. in English Literature from Elon University. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband, two kids, and a growing collection of rescue animals. During this episode, we discuss: Casey's nonlinear career path that led her into investingHer advice for aspiring VCsWhat she does at Fenway SummerThe three things she looks for when evaluating early-stage fintech foundersWhy distribution has become the ultimate moat in financial servicesHow her operator background makes her a genuinely hands-on partnerA common misconception the VC world got wrongWhat Fenway Summer is announcing later in 2026 And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things fintech investing!

  8. Jun 30

    Powering the Future of Space with Andrew Rush

    Andrew Rush is the President and CEO of Star Catcher, a pioneering company advancing the development of the world’s first space-based energy grid. A seasoned space industry executive, Andrew is widely recognized for scaling groundbreaking ventures and driving transformational growth across the commercial and defense space sectors. He first gained prominence as President and CEO of Made In Space, where he led the company from its early startup phase into a profitable leader in space manufacturing technology. Under his leadership, Made In Space achieved historic milestones, including the first-ever manufacturing in space and the creation of the first satellite capable of in-orbit manufacturing and assembly. Andrew also guided the company through its successful acquisition by Redwire Corporation in 2020. At Redwire, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer, overseeing strategic execution, investment planning, and expansion across civil, defense, and commercial markets. During his tenure, Redwire enhanced the International Space Station’s power systems, scaled to over 700 employees, and went public on the New York Stock Exchange. Today, Andrew continues to lead at the forefront of space innovation, shaping the future of space infrastructure and sustainable energy through his leadership at Star Catcher. During this episode, we discuss: Andrew’s expertise building in the space domainHow Star Catcher is building the world's first space-based power gridThe core problem Star Catcher solvesWhy customer validation was baked in from day oneHow their philosophy is crawl, walk, runWhat’s next for Star Catcher this year after closing a $65M Series AWhy the space economy is booming right nowAndrew’s advice for space founders And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things space!

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Tech Startup Network is a weekly podcast where we dive into the real stories behind startups directly from the people building them to those backing them. Whether you're a founder, investor, operator, or advisor, Tech Startup Network is your inside look at startups today.

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