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Coffee with a Founder

Coffee with a Founder features unscripted stories with venture backed founders who’ve raised millions of dollars to challenge, change, and create entire industries. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Emmy award winning host, investor, and PR CEO, Beck Bamberger sips coffee and chats with a venture backed founder about the insanity of startups, the nuances of storytelling in tech, and the compulsion to build something from nothing.
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Episodes

Jason Aramburu, Applied Carbon

On today’s episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Jason Aramburu , Co-Founder and CEO of Applied Carbon . In this grounded and honest conversation, Jason shares the uphill climb of building physical climate tech, the hidden costs of going green, and why real solutions don’t come from cartoon villains or VC fantasies....

Aug 19, 202523 minSeason 1Ep. 26

Simon Holland, Vera

On today’s installment, Beck Bamberger sits down with Simon Holland , Founder of Vera , an AI-powered back office automation tool for SMBs. In this episode, he opens up about what it’s like to build teams across continents and the unexpected relationships that have blossomed from company culture.

Aug 14, 202526 minSeason 1Ep. 25

Justin Levine, Shepherd

On this episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Justin Levine , Co-Founder and CEO of Shepherd , to talk risk management in commercial construction and how smart storytelling ties construction to people, places, and community. If you’re into insurtech, startups, or founders who keep it real, this one’s for you....

Aug 12, 202526 minSeason 1Ep. 24

Tushar Bagamane, Vola Finance

On today’s episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Tushar Bagamane , the Founder of Vola Finance. Dialing in from London, Tushar explains how his experience at NYU inspired him to tackle the challenges of financial literacy and inclusion for the underbanked, and what it’s really like trying to build trust with users when you’re asking for sensitive information....

Aug 07, 202520 minSeason 1Ep. 23

Rohan Parikh, Keye

In today’s episode, Beck Bamberger speaks with Rohan Parikh , Co-Founder and CEO of Keye . Rohan opens up about what it truly means to make the jump from corporate to founder, how he builds his team’s culture in the heart of New York, and why thriving amid high-pressure "fire drills" is all part of the journey.

Aug 05, 202523 minSeason 1Ep. 22

Aneesh Dhawan, Knit

On this episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Aneesh Dhawan, Co-Founder and CEO of Knit. Beck and Aneesh discuss his journey from starting his first business as a teenager to dropping out of college to build tech startups, and now revolutionizing how brands gather consumer insights at lightning speed.

Jul 31, 202524 minSeason 1Ep. 21

Rob Gregg, STAND+

On today’s episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Rob Gregg , Founder and CEO of the footwear company STAND+. They talk about how fatherhood is reshaping Rob’s definition of success, why the new luxury is perfect health, and how STAND+ is winning over athletes looking to recover better, off the field.

Jul 29, 202523 minSeason 1Ep. 20

Andrew White, Closinglock

On today's episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Andy White , founder and CEO of Closinglock . After a personal encounter with wire fraud and a push from his wife’s work in real estate, Andy jumped from engineering and machine learning to launch a company focused on securing the home closing process. He talks about the complex (and sneaky) nature of wiring scams, what consumers should be aware of during home closings, and how his tech pivot was driven by both personal experience and curiosity. ...

Jul 24, 202523 minSeason 1Ep. 19

Michael Newton, Qorium

On today's episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Michael Newton , CEO of Qorium . They discussed shaking up the $100 billion global leather industry by creating real leather without the use of cows, utilizing synthetic biology. Beck and Michael discuss the culture clash between American enthusiasm and European balance in the attention economy. With 11 nationalities among its 20-person team, Corium reflects the best of global talent. Michael shares how embracing diversity—and blending American e...

Jul 22, 202523 minSeason 1Ep. 18

Danny Freed, Blueprint

On today's episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Danny Freed , Founder and CEO of Blueprint . Danny shares how the loss of a close friend struggling with bipolar disorder sparked his mental health journey. This experience led him to uncover the outdated, cumbersome software therapists are forced to use, and ultimately inspired him to create Blueprint, which Danny calls software with a soul. He discusses the promise and pitfalls of AI in mental health, the importance of data privacy, and how to ...

Jul 17, 202524 minSeason 1Ep. 17

Orianna Bretschger, Aquacycl

On today's episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with fellow San Diegan Orianna Bretschger , Co-Founder and CEO of Aquacycl . In this episode, Oriana shared why the dirtiest water inspires the best solutions, her mindset shift from scientist to founder, and the realization that you will never please everyone in business. Orianna’s biggest mindset shift after leaving the lab? Stop pitching the tech and focus on the real-world problem you’re solving for each stakeholder. People care about their specif...

Jul 15, 202529 minSeason 1Ep. 16

Trevor Barran, FNCR

In today’s episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Trevor Barran , Co-Founder and CEO of FNCR (formerly "Financier"), a marketplace that connects SMBs with private credit lenders who truly understand their unique needs. With over 2,000 lenders out there, FNCR is helping businesses navigate the complex world of funding. Trevor, a serial entrepreneur, shares how his experience as a seasoned Burning Man attendee influences his approach to team building. Tune in to hear why he believes success lies i...

Jul 10, 202522 minSeason 1Ep. 15

Shauna Sweeney, tendercare

This week, Beck Bamberger sits down with Shauna Sweeney , Founder and CEO of tendercare , an AI-powered platform that’s changing the way we care for aging loved ones. tendercare uses AI to simplify everything from managing doctor appointments to handling passwords and paying bills, empowering families to support their aging family members confidently. Shauna opens up about how the pain of losing her dad’s recognition has reshaped her, and oddly enough, it’s this struggle that makes the challenge...

Jul 08, 202525 minSeason 1Ep. 14

Eli Wachs, Footprint

Eli Wachs, Co-Founder and CEO of Footprint, is set to eliminate identity theft by making our identities portable and impossible to fake. In this episode of Coffee with a Journalist, Eli joins Beck Bamberger and shares what it takes to build something this monumental. From balancing confidence and delusion to confronting the “success slump,” Eli explains why founders need more than just hustle; they need hobbies. He gets honest about founder mental health, finding the right co-founder, and why de...

Jun 26, 202522 minSeason 1Ep. 13

Brett Levenson, Clavata

In this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Brett Levenson , Co-Founder and CEO of Clavata , takes Beck Bamberger behind the scenes of their security-first AI company and reveals the story behind his partnership with Co-Founder and CTO, Ash Bhardwaj. He explains why choosing the right partner is key to both business and life, and how the support from spouses and loved ones made all the difference. The conversation dives into the challenges of leaving comfortable roles, the importance of finding th...

Jun 24, 202525 minSeason 1Ep. 12

Joshua Bowen, Sotto

In this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Joshua Bowen , Co-Founder and CEO of Sotto . They discuss how tech should handle repetitive tasks, allowing people to focus on building real, meaningful connections. Josh shares his belief that if brands strike the right balance, they will earn both customer loyalty and profit. Josh also opened up about the human side of startup life. As a later-in-life dad, he has learned to structure his time around his family, forcing him...

Jun 17, 202522 minSeason 1Ep. 11

David Sulpy, Glue

In this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger chats with David Sulpy , Founder and CEO of Glue . Glue is on a mission to free engineers from the burdens of manual testing and requirements wrangling by using AI to “automate the discovery of specifications,” making test development and execution faster and smarter. The conversation uncovers David’s perspective on human potential, the future of work, and the role technology plays in enabling us to be more human. His vision for the future...

Jun 12, 202522 minSeason 1Ep. 10

Filip Kozera, wordware

In this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger chats with Filip Kozera , Founder and CEO of wordware , a platform that simplifies the creation of AI-driven applications. They discuss Filip’s early struggles arriving in San Francisco with just $3,000 to his name, the importance of a collaborative culture, and the emotional highs and lows that come with a founder’s obsessive drive to create....

Jun 10, 202528 minSeason 1Ep. 9

Richard Schatzberger, ALTR

In this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger speaks with Richard Schatzberger , Founder and CEO of ALTR , which leverages revolutionary nanotechnology to remove the alcohol molecule from drinks. Richard opens up about his seven-year sobriety journey and how stepping away from alcohol led to the creation of ALTR. He also dives into “founderitis” — the constant drive to tackle tough problems — and how he now takes the time to celebrate the small wins....

Jun 05, 202524 minSeason 1Ep. 8

Scott Clark, Distributional

What actually keeps founders up at night? On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger chats with Scott Clark , Co-Founder and CEO of Distributional , a modern platform for enterprise AI testing and evaluation. Scott opens up about the rollercoaster of startup life: the chaos, the constant need to reprioritize, and the lessons learned from his first venture-backed company to present day. He shares the not-so-glamorous side of “second time founder” life, what happens when you hit wall...

Jun 03, 202521 minSeason 1Ep. 7

Oliver Zahn, Climax Foods

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Oliver Zahn , former astrophysicist-turned-food-tech founder at Climax Foods , to dig into the side of startup leadership you don’t often get to hear. Oliver opens up about stumbling through the early days of fundraising, the behind-the-scenes scramble over people issues, and the kind of nitty-gritty decisions that rarely show up on shiny founder profiles. He also shares what resources (and brutally honest advice) he has rel...

May 29, 202524 minEp. 6

Suman Kanuganti, Personal AI

This week on Coffee with a Founder Podcast, Beck Bamberger sits down for an unscripted coffee chat with Suman Kanuganti , two-time venture-backed founder and CEO of Personal AI . Suman discusses the not-so-glamorous realities of startup life and why some founders just can’t resist launching one company after the next. They dig into the gritty distinction between “good chaos” and “bad chaos” in the overhyped AI market, with Suman candidly sharing how having a flood of AI hype companies complicate...

May 27, 202523 minSeason 1Ep. 5

Chat Joglekar, Baton

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger chats with Chat Joglekar , the CEO and Co-Founder of Baton , a platform where real people can sell small businesses. Chat shares what it was like building teams at Zillow and Google to founding a marketplace specifically for selling Main Street businesses. He discusses the challenges of taking the big leap into entrepreneurship later in life and how he's seen personal history pass opportunity onto the next generation....

May 22, 202523 minSeason 1Ep. 4

Dan Hnatkovskyy, Jome

In this episode of Coffee with Founders, Beck Bamberger sits down with Dan Hnatkovskyy, CEO and Co-Founder of Jome , a proptech company addressing America’s housing shortage and affordability crisis. Dan opens up about how navigating personal and professional challenges shapes stronger leaders. His secret? Stay curious, keep communicating, and never stop listening.

May 20, 202524 minSeason 1Ep. 3

Michelle Volberg, Twill

In this episode, host Beck Bamberger sits down with Michelle Volberg , the CEO and Founder of Twill . During their engaging conversation, Beck and Michelle discuss the motivation behind Twill's unique approach, the impact of building a rewarding company culture, and the unexpected joys of working with a passionate team. Michelle also shares her changing perspectives on fundraising and the role of AI in her company. From transforming personal connections into job opportunities to embracing the ch...

May 15, 202521 minSeason 1Ep. 2

Steve Carlin, AiFi

In the premiere episode of Coffee with a Founder podcast, host Beck Bamberger is joined by Steve Carlin , the CEO of AiFi . In this episode, Steve shares how spatial intelligence is reshaping our retail experiences through innovative AI solutions. From eliminating checkout lines to predicting the future of frictionless shopping, Steve provides a visionary perspective on what AiFi is doing to transform the way we shop. They explore the pathways of startup leadership, sharing invaluable insights o...

May 13, 202525 minSeason 1Ep. 1
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