Dr. Langer is a chemical engineer who has pioneered the fields of drug delivery and tissue engineering. His lab at MIT receives roughly $10 Million in annual grants and has 100 researchers. Dr. Langer has helped to launch close to 30 start-ups, and his lab’s innovations have been licensed or sublicensed by 250 companies. Dr. Langer is also a father of three children and a magician. Dr. Langer speaks with Jessica Harris about how he has transformed the bio-materials landscape, from scratch. Liste...
Jul 11, 2025•31 min
Casper is a company focused on sleep. Casper’s leading product is its mattress, which can be ordered online and delivered in a box, sometimes within hours if you live in New York City. Casper makes one type of mattress for all consumers, believing that more choice does not mean more comfort. Philip speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Casper, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
Jul 04, 2025•19 min
Gary is a serial entrepreneur who launched Match.com , the online dating service, in 1993. A host of other online matchmaking personals companies have hatched as a result of Gary’s innovation. Gary also registered a number of lucrative domain names in the early days of the internet including housing.com , jobs.com , and autos.com . He was also the early owner of sex.com, which was the subject of a legal dispute that was ultimately resolved in Gary’s favor. More recently, Gary has been involved i...
Jun 27, 2025•31 min
Bridge International Academies is a private network of nursery and primary schools educating the poorest students in developing countries including Kenya, Uganda and India. Bridge charges families roughly six dollars per month for a pupil to attend school and uses economies of scale to keep costs low across its more than 400 academies. Jay speaks with Jessica Harris about how he and his wife Shannon are building their network of schools, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
Jun 20, 2025•31 min
Casa Dragones is a luxury sipping tequila, made from 100% blue agave. Bob Pittman, founder of MTV, is Bertha’s partner. Madonna, Martha Stewart, Oprah, and Le Bernadin Chef Eric Ripert are among Casa Dragones’ celebrity fans. The first batch of Casa Dragones, about 12,000 bottles, was launched in 2009. Bertha speaks with Jessica Harris about how she launched Casa Dragones, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
Jun 13, 2025•19 min
Tanium is a cybersecurity company that focuses on providing internet safety for the US government and Fortune 500 companies. Clients include Amazon, Target, Best Buy and the Department of Defense. Orion started Tanium with his father David. Orion speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Tanium, from scratch. Listen to the interview
Jun 06, 2025•19 min
Luis is an inventor and computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon . He is one of the creators of CAPTCHA, a system that allows websites to determine whether you’re a human or a computer. CAPTCHAs are wavy, distorted words that people need to type out when they’re submitting a form to a website. Luis’ company ReCAPTCHA proved users were humans while also digitizing books. The company was sold to Google in 2009. He also founded the language learning app Duolingo , attracting over 150 million u...
May 30, 2025•31 min
Kiva Systems is a mobile robotics company that automates the warehouse fulfillment process. Kiva robots deliver inventory shelves to stationary human operators who then pick and pack the product. Mick started Kiva Systems in 2003, and the company was acquired by Amazon for $775 Million in Spring, 2012. Customers include Diapers.com and Zappos (both owned by Amazon), Saks Fifth Avenue, Staples, Toys ‘R Us, and the Gap, among others. Mick speaks with Jessica Harris about how he has pioneered the t...
May 23, 2025•30 min
Instagram is a photo sharing app that was released through the Apple App Store in October, 2010 and reached one million users in just three months. Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012 for one billion dollars. Mike and his partner, Kevin Systrom, are both graduates of Stanford University. Mike speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Instagram, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
May 16, 2025•31 min
Panda Express is an American Chinese food chain with 2,000 restaurants located in airports, malls, universities, military bases, amusement parks, among other locations. Andrew started Panda Express with his wife Peggy in 1983. Panda’s first restaurant was located in a mall in Glendale, California. Andrew speaks with Jessica Harris about how he built Panda Express, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
May 09, 2025•19 min
Lyft is a transportation network company with a peer-to-peer mobile app that enables passengers to request rides with their smartphones. Prior to starting Lyft, John co-founded Zimride in 2007, a carpooling ride-share company available predominantly in college communities. Zimride was sold to Enterprise Rent-A-Car in 2013. Lyft is available across the United States and through partnerships with ride-sharing companies throughout Asia. John speaks with Jessica Harris about founding Lyft, from scra...
May 02, 2025•30 min
littleBits is a hardware company that aims to put the power of electronics in everyone’s hands. The company sells electronic modules that snap together with magnets, making them accessible to both adults and children. Ayah earned a degree in computer engineering from the American University in Beirut, Lebanon and has a Masters from the MIT Media Lab. She is also an interactive artist. Ayah speaks with Jessica Harris about how she built littleBits, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
Apr 25, 2025•19 min
Waze is a crowd sourced traffic navigation app. Drivers share real-time traffic and road information to help other users on the same route. Uri founded Waze in Israel in 2007 and the company was sold to Google in 2013 for $1.1 Billion. Uri is also the founder of FeeX , which also uses crowd sourced information— this time to uncover hidden fees in people’s financial accounts. Uri speaks with Jessica Harris about how the public is building maps around the world using Waze, from scratch. Listen to ...
Apr 18, 2025•30 min
Fresh Direct is an online grocer that disrupted the traditional food supply chain by sourcing food where it’s produced and delivering it to consumers without going through additional retailers. Fresh Direct launched in 2002 from its headquarters in a former paper plant in Long Island City, Queens. Jason speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Fresh Direct, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
Apr 11, 2025•31 min
Essie started her eponymous brand in 1981 with $10,000 after working in the hosiery business. When Essie launched, there were very few companies making nail polish, and nail salons were rare. Essie nail polish is now available in roughly 25,000 salons in more than 100 countries. The company was bought by L’Oreal in 2010. Essie speaks with Jessica Harris about how she launched Essie, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
Mar 28, 2025•30 min
Walker & Company makes beauty and health products for people of color. Prior, Tristan was the first African American entrepreneur in residence at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz . He is also the founder of Code2040 , a program that connects Black and Latino coders with Silicon Valley startups for summer internships. Tristan speaks with Jessica Harris about how he built Walker & Company, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
Mar 21, 2025•31 min
Robert Stephens started making computer tech-support house calls on his dirt bike while he was a college student at the University of Minnesota in 1994. He’d arrive to a customer’s house on time, take off his shoes, wear a clean uniform, and fix the problem. His cheeky “law enforcement” marketing theme caught people’s attention, and the company grew from one employee to now over 20,000. Geek Squad was acquired by Best Buy in 2002, and there are over 1,000 Geek Squad “precincts” across the United...
Mar 07, 2025•31 min
Martine is a pioneer in the satellite industry, launching companies including Geostar, PanAmSat, and Sirius Satellite Radio . She also founded United Therapeutics , a pharmaceutical company focused on cardiopulmonary disorders. In 2013, she became the highest paid female CEO in America. Martine is a helicopter pilot and a parent of four children. She also used to be a man named Martin. Martine speaks with Jessica Harris about her experience transforming gender, satellites, and life duration, fro...
Feb 28, 2025•31 min
Andrew launched Theory , a contemporary clothing company, in 1997 with co-founder Eli Tahari. Theory used the stretchy fabric lycra to create a more modern, slender look initially for young professional women. Theory was sold in 2003 to the Japanese company Fast Retailing and IPO’ed in 2005. In addition to his role at Theory, Andrew has been an advisor and investor in several other clothing companies ranging from Rag & Bone to Alice and Olivia . Andrew speaks with Jessica Harris about his fa...
Feb 21, 2025•31 min
Hot Bread Kitchen is an organization that teaches immigrant women to bake artisanal breads from their home country. HBK provides culinary and management training and English classes to these women who have come to New York City from countries including Bangladesh, Mexico, and Morocco, among others. HBK’s breads are available at select grocery stores including Whole Foods and Dean & Deluca , farmer’s markets in the tri-state area, and at restaurants including Danny Meyer’s Gramercy Tavern , a...
Feb 14, 2025•19 min
Sometimes the company you start looks a lot different from the company you end up with; Azim Premji turned his cooking fat company into one of India’s largest technology companies. With over 70,000 employees and $3Bn in sales, Wipro provides software solutions, research and development, and information technology outsourcing to multinational corporations. Azim is the Chairman of Wipro, and one of India’s five wealthiest men. Azim explains how he turned his father’s company into a technology lead...
Feb 07, 2025•31 min
Sir Kensington’s is a condiment company that sells ketchup, mayo, mustard, etc. Mark and his partner Scott tried to create a gourmet alternative to Heinz and started tinkering with recipes in their off-campus apartment while they were students at Brown University. Unilever acquired the company in April, 2017. Mark speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Sir Kensington’s, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
Jan 31, 2025•19 min
Le Labo is a perfume company that launched on Elizabeth Street in New York City in 2006. Le Labo perfumes are prepared on the spot for the client in each store, and the brand is appreciated for its minimalist peeled-back aesthetic. Le Labo was bought by Estee Lauder in 2010. Fabrice speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Le Labo, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
Jan 24, 2025•31 min
AuthenTec makes fingerprint sensors that could unlock mobile phones and computers. AuthenTec was sold to Apple in 2012 for $356 million, and the fingerprint sensor first appeared on the iPhone 5s in 2013. Scott speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched AuthenTec, from scratch. Listen to the interview
Jan 17, 2025•19 min
ConBody is an exercise program that Coss developed while he was in prison for selling drugs. Coss lost 70 pounds in six months by working out in his 9’x6′ cell. Con body is located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and also offers classes online for those who want prison-style workouts from the solitary confinement of their own home. Coss speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched ConBody, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
Jan 10, 2025•19 min
Jo Malone is a fragrance entrepreneur. She launched Jo Malone London in a retail shop in London in 1994. The company was bought by Estee Lauder in 1999. Jo launched her next company, Jo Loves , in 2011 after a five year hiatus from the fragrance industry. Jo is the author of Jo Malone: My Story . Jo speaks with Jessica Harris about how she launched her fragrance businesses, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
Jan 03, 2025•31 min
KIND is a food company that produces sweet and savory bars with whole nuts, spices, and fruit, among other products. KIND is sold in a diverse array of locations including Whole Foods, Walmart, convenience stores and newspaper stands. Daniel launched KIND in 2003. Daniel is also the founder of PeaceWorks , which sells Mediterranean spreads. PeaceWorks aims to foster peaceful relationships among neighbors in the Middle East and other groups in conflict through joint business ventures. Daniel spea...
Dec 27, 2024•31 min
LegalZoom is an online service that provides legal documents and solutions for consumers and small businesses. The company helps visitors form corporations, file patents, trademark a name, create a living trust, etc. without the fees associated with hiring a lawyer. Brian speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Legal Zoom, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
Dec 20, 2024•19 min
As a teenager, Maguy Le Coze and her brother Gilbert were introduced to the culinary life while helping their parents in their hotel restaurant in Brittany, France. But staying in the French countryside was not for her. Maguy and Gilbert opened Le Bernardin first in Paris, and later in New York City in 1986. Le Bernardin is considered one of the finest restaurants in the world, earning three Michelin stars and four stars from The New York Times since it opened. Celebrity chef Eric Ripert is the ...
Jul 18, 2024•31 min
One third of the world population does not have access to reliable electricity. D.light sells solar lighting and power to consumers in developing countries. The company’s lamps are healthier, cleaner, and cheaper than the traditional kerosene lamp alternatives. Sam speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched d.light, from scratch. Listen to the interview...
Jan 31, 2020•19 min
