18VC Podcast - Next Gen Builders

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A series featuring student entrepreneurs and new grads turning ideas, side into real ventures. https://www.18-vc.com/

Episodes

  1. MAY 5

    18VC Podcast Ep # 2 Bridging the Gap Between Market-Innovating Startups and Market-Leading Corporations with Jack Crawford at CerraCap Impact Venture Capital

    Episode Summary  In the second episode of the 18VC Podcast, hosts Philip Zeng and Lucas He sit down with Jack Crawford, the Founding General Partner of CerraCap Impact Venture Capital (CIVC) and a professor at the USC Marshall School of Business. Jack discusses the recent December 2025 merger between Impact Venture Capital and CerraCap Ventures, which combined a unique Corporate Intelligence Platform™ with the Sales & Scale™ commercialization engine to help seed-stage startups navigate the Fortune 500 landscape. From his early days as a CPA at PwC to managing a multi-billion dollar portfolio for Oracle, Jack shares how his "epic failure" with a pre-Facebook college portal taught him the life-or-death importance of timing. The conversation explores CIVC’s mission to invest in the intersection of enterprise AI, cybersecurity, digital health, and national security, while raising a new $250 million fund to back the next generation of deep-tech innovators. Episode Highlights The Corner Office in 12 Days: Why Jack left Price Waterhouse Coopers after a single Friday night "inspiration" session to become a serial entrepreneur. The "Epic Failure" of Campus Engine: Lessons learned from signing 118 campuses five years before Facebook, only to run out of capital due to timing and high burn. The CIVC Edge: How combining the Sales & Scale™ engine with Corporate Intelligence allows CIVC to act as a bridge between market-innovating startups and market-leading corporations. The Bowling Pin Strategy: Jack’s philosophy on dominating niche markets first to achieve the validation needed for a $1 billion exit path. Investing IQ: Why CIVC focuses on infrastructure—high-performance computing, AI chips, and security—rather than just overhyped applications. Mind Share Management: An inside look at Jack’s book, The Great Perspective, and how to apply business strategic planning to personal health, family, and friendships. Advice for Aspiring VCs: Why young professionals should look toward corporate venture capital and family offices to build their "circle of trust". Follow Jack LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackc2/ More 18VC & 18VC Podcast: 18VC Website: https://www.18-vc.com/ 18VC Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6b3YoAMLjZLziwqHWy3EXb 18VC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/18venturecapital/ 18VC X: https://x.com/Official18VC Join 18VC Slack Channel: https://join.slack.com/t/18-vc/shared_invite/zt-3ugj1lmxu-WG6kULWaF95rp4UOnCY~kw

    1h 14m

  2. APR 19

    18VC Podcast Ep #1 Revolutionizing Allergy Management with Immuny.ai Co-founders Mackenzie Dennill & Luna Li

    Episode Description: Welcome to the inaugural episode of the 18VC Podcast, a student-run show featuring the stories of student founders, operators, and investors. In this premiere, co-hosts Phillip and Lucas sit down with Mackenzie Dennill and Luna Li, the co-founders of Immuny, a startup born out of the USC ecosystem that is tackling the complex world of pediatric allergy management. Mackenzie and Luna share their journey from meeting at a USC hackathon to pivoting their business through extensive research and personal experience. Mackenzie, a Sag/Aftra actor and grad alum, discusses navigating her own severe allergies and the anxiety of introducing food to her child, while Luna, an undergrad and former stand-up comedian, shares how her mother’s evolving seafood allergies fueled her passion for the project. In this episode, we dive into: The Origin Story: How a USC "Origin Weekend" hackathon team took third place and evolved from "Don't Sweat It" into Immuny. The Problem with "Avoidance": Why traditional allergy management is often "old school" and how the co-founders are shifting the focus from reactive treatment to preventive exposure management. AI as an Ally: How Immuny.ai uses an AI agent to track patterns via voice and photos, helping parents and doctors see a full picture of a child’s food introduction journey. Building Community: The creation of "Bea" the bee and using storytelling to support parents and children. The Founder’s Hustle: Balancing stand-up comedy, acting, and parenthood with the demands of building a startup, including tips for networking and leveraging university resources like the USC Viterbi TIE Hub and the USC Marshall Lloyd Greif Center. Whether you are a fellow student founder or someone interested in how AI is impacting healthcare, this conversation offers a deep dive into the grit and vision required to turn a personal struggle into a life-saving solution. Timeline: 00:00 - Highlight Clip01:08 - Intro03:05 - The Origin Story: From Hackathon to Pivot05:49 - Personal Stakes: Life with Severe Allergies08:44 - The Problem with "Avoidance" & Current Solutions12:30 - Exposure Management as a "Vaccine"15:52 - Market Research & The Pediatric Pivot25:12 - Product Mechanics: The AI Agent34:04 - Community, Branding, and "Beia" the Bee40:58 - Co-Founder Dynamics & Leveraging USC47:51 - The Reality of Startup Trade-offs51:15 - Overcoming Rejection & Role Models56:18 - Advice for Student Founders & Long-Term Vision Connect with Immuny.ai: Immuny’s Website: https://www.immuny.ai/ Immuny’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/immuny/  Luna’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luna-shiyu-li-863071325/ Mackenzie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackenziedennill/ Immuny’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/immunybee Immuny’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@immunybee  Immuny’s YouTube: https://youtube.com/@immunybee  Join Immuny’s Community on Discord: https://discord.gg/pNjPqTUxYw  More 18VC & 18VC Podcast: 18VC Website: https://www.18-vc.com/ 18VC Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@18VCPodcast 18VC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/official18vc/ 18VC X: https://x.com/Official18VC Join 18VC Slack Channel: https://join.slack.com/t/18-vc/shared_invite/zt-3ugj1lmxu-WG6kULWaF95rp4UOnCY~kw

    1h 1m
  • 2 Episodes

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A series featuring student entrepreneurs and new grads turning ideas, side into real ventures. https://www.18-vc.com/

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