What happens when a North Carolina native, seasoned by Silicon Valley and Wall Street, returns home to build a company that marries profit with purpose? For Jason Massey, co-founder and CEO of Ndustrial, it's led to a 14-year journey developing cutting-edge technology that makes industrial facilities more efficient and sustainable. In this episode, Jason shares his unique path, from a childhood in Mebane and studying physics and finance at NC State, to navigating the dot-com bubble in New York a...
Jul 10, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 54
In Part 2 of our conversation with Eric Boduch, Pendo co-founder and CEO of Revcast, we explore the world of venture studios. Having left Pendo to pursue his vision of parallel entrepreneurship, Eric shares how his studio, 24 and Up, identifies, builds, and funds new companies. This episode unravels the unique model of a venture studio, differentiating it from accelerators, incubators, and traditional venture capital. Eric also offers a candid assessment of the Triangle's startup ecosystem, high...
Jun 26, 2025•54 min•Ep. 53
From co-founding one of the Triangle's most successful tech companies, Pendo, to quietly building a new venture studio, Eric Boduch has a deep well of entrepreneurial experience. In this first of a two-part series, Eric sits down with Scot to reflect on his journey, the lessons learned from the dot-com bust, and the evolution of product management. Eric gets into his early days, his path to co-founding Pendo, and the strategic decisions that helped shape its unique brand and culture. If you've e...
Jun 19, 2025•53 min•Ep. 52
What happens when a seasoned entrepreneur spots a gap in the market and decides to take a risk on something entirely new? For Jason Widen, it’s led him from founding Raleigh Founded, a cornerstone of the Triangle’s startup ecosystem, to creating Blue Co. – a flexible warehouse solution designed for service-based businesses. In this episode, Jason shares his journey of building community-driven businesses, from his early days working at a ski resort to launching Raleigh Founded and now expanding ...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 51
Chris Heivly’s journey through the tech world is one for the books, literally - thanks to his deep-rooted love of maps. From his early days studying geography and computer mapping to shaping the future of internet navigation with MapQuest, Chris shares an inspiring story of innovation, risk, and community-building. In this episode, we explore Chris’s entrepreneurial journey, discussing everything from his time building map systems for the U.S. State Department to his pivot into founding one of t...
May 15, 2025•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 50
If you ask someone what’s at the heart of a successful engineering team, the answer might involve tools, talent, or tech. But Hersh Tapadia, CEO and co-founder of Allstacks, believes it all starts with one thing: measurable productivity. While we all know engineering teams face unique challenges, Allstacks is tackling the toughest one—how to measure and improve engineering productivity at scale. In today’s episode, we talk to Hersh about his journey, from growing up in Raleigh to leading a compa...
May 08, 2025•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 49
If you ask anyone about the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Triangle, one name that keeps coming up is Dr. Tom Miller. Known as the champion of engineering entrepreneurship at NC State, Tom has been pivotal in shaping the region’s startup culture for over 40 years. From his early days in eastern North Carolina to founding the Engineering Entrepreneurs Program, his influence is felt across generations of entrepreneurs. Today, we sit down with Dr. Miller to hear his journey, the creation of the E...
Apr 29, 2025•1 hr 53 min•Ep. 48
Who will be crowned champion of Tweener Madness and take home the $25K investment from the Triangle Tweener Fund? The championship features two radically different approaches to innovation: ZW (Robert Fu) – An AI-powered platform helping manufacturers optimize production and R&D in complex industries. InviteJet (Brian Watson & Paul Davis) – A calendar-based marketing solution helping brands reach customers at exactly the right time. ZW (Robert Fu) Platform suite includes ZAI, ZMAP, and Z...
Apr 08, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 47
Who’s Advancing from the Fabulous Four - CivicReach or InviteJet? Welcome back to Triangle Tweener Madness , the high-stakes startup tournament where eight companies go head-to-head for a $25,000 investment from the Triangle Tweener Fund! We’re down to the Fabulous Four, and this week’s semifinal is a clash between a calendar-powered marketing platform and a voice AI company transforming local government services. Two bold visions. One coveted spot in the finals. Let’s meet the contenders. 🔹 In...
Apr 03, 2025•52 min•Ep. 46
What if the most powerful tool for success as an entrepreneur isn’t the latest strategy or tech hack—but the way you perceive and process every challenge you face? In this episode of Triangle Tweener Talks , guest host Rebecca Ross sits down with Katherine Krupka, a leadership strategist and executive coach, to dive into the powerful connection between leadership, perception, and decision-making. Katherine has worked with leaders around the world, from embassies to startups, helping them unlock ...
Apr 02, 2025•15 min•Ep. 45
Who’s Advancing from the Fabulous Four - Moxie or ZW? Welcome back to Triangle Tweener Madness, where four startups remain in the race for a $25K investment from the Triangle Tweener Fund! In this week’s matchup, we’ve got two very different companies: one’s building AI to protect the integrity of academic research, and the other’s helping manufacturers optimize glass and ceramics production with deep tech. The stakes are higher than ever—only one will move on to the championship round. The Cont...
Apr 01, 2025•49 min•Ep. 44
Welcome back to Triangle Tweener Madness , where 8 startups go head-to-head for a $25K investment from the Triangle Tweener Fund! This week, it’s a battle between a logistics platform built for scrappy e-commerce sellers and a surprising new marketing tool using your calendar. Only one can move on to the next round. Let’s meet the contenders. The Contenders 🔹 Deliveri (Jason Brown) – A full-service logistics tech stack for small e-commerce businesses shipping across the U.S., Canada, and Latin ...
Mar 27, 2025•53 min•Ep. 43
Guest host Rebecca Ross sits down with Phil Dixon, CEO of the Oxford Brain Institute and expert on neuroscience in leadership. With years of experience working with top companies like Apple, Google, and Facebook, Phil is bringing his insights to Raleigh Durham Startup Week as a keynote speaker. You’ll hear Phil discuss: Why understanding brain science is crucial for entrepreneurs How emotional threats impact decision-making and productivity The importance of timing when making tough decisions Th...
Mar 26, 2025•10 min•Ep. 42
Welcome back to Triangle Tweener Madness , where 8 startups go head-to-head for a $25K investment from the Triangle Tweener Fund! This week, it’s a clash of categories—govtech vs. asset tech—as two AI-powered platforms pitch their visions for transforming outdated systems. One startup is helping local governments serve residents more efficiently. The other is helping estate sale pros and collectors reclaim time and value in the secondary market. Let’s meet the contenders. 🔹 CivicReach (Chip Ken...
Mar 25, 2025•48 min•Ep. 41
Bootstrapped vertical SaaS software company, Inn-Flow, raised $45m from Mainsail. In this exclusive interview we hear from CEO and co-founder John Erhart the history of Inn-Flow, how they got the deal done and what this means going foraward. ------ Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by: Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/
Mar 22, 2025•29 min
Who’s Moving On in the Battle of EdTech? Welcome back to Triangle Tweener Madness , where 8 startups go head-to-head for a $25K investment from the Triangle Tweener Fund! This week, two edtech startups take the stage in a battle of AI-driven learning solutions—but only one will move on to the next round. The Contenders 🔹 Moxie (Jessica Parker) – An AI-powered research writing platform that helps graduate students, faculty, and researchers streamline the writing and revision process while mainta...
Mar 19, 2025•48 min•Ep. 40
Welcome to the first-ever Triangle Tweener Madness, where 8 startups compete for a $25K investment from the Triangle Tweener Fund! We kick off the competition with two promising startups going head-to-head: John Starke from MyMatR and Robert Fu from ZW LLC. With a distinguished selection committee featuring David Jones (Bull City Venture Partners), Anil Chawla (Entrepreneur and Angel Investor), and Nikin Shah (Front Porch Ventures), the stakes are high as these founders pitch their innovative so...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 39
Welcome to Tweener Madness, the high stakes startup showdown where 8 promising companies go head to head for a $25,000 investment prize from the Triangle Tweener Fund. Each round, 3 members of the selection committee will vote on which startups advance leading up to the finals in early April where one company will take home the top prize. About Tweener Madness: https://www.tweenermadness.com --- Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund , and produced by ...
Mar 07, 2025•2 min
Welcome to Tweener Madness, the high stakes startup showdown where 8 promising companies go head to head for a $25,000 investment prize from the Triangle Tweener Fund. Each round, 3 members of the selection committee will vote on which startups advance leading up to the finals in early April where one company will take home the top prize. Before the competition kicks off, let's meet the people making the tough calls. Where to Find Michael Jones: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdjonesy/ Ca...
Mar 06, 2025•21 min•Ep. 38
Welcome to Tweener Madness, the high stakes startup showdown where 8 promising companies go head to head for a $25,000 investment prize from the Triangle Tweener Fund. Each round, 3 members of the selection committee will vote on which startups advance leading up to the finals in early April where one company will take home the top prize. Before the competition kicks off, let's meet the people making the tough calls. Where to Find Anthony Rotoli: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyroto...
Mar 06, 2025•23 min•Ep. 37
Welcome to Tweener Madness, the high stakes startup showdown where 8 promising companies go head to head for a $25,000 investment prize from the Triangle Tweener Fund. Each round, 3 members of the selection committee will vote on which startups advance leading up to the finals in early April where one company will take home the top prize. Before the competition kicks off, let's meet the people making the tough calls. Where to Find Anil Chawla: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anilchawla/ Ab...
Mar 05, 2025•18 min•Ep. 36
Welcome to Tweener Madness, the high stakes startup showdown where 8 promising companies go head to head for a $25,000 investment prize from the Triangle Tweener Fund. Each round, 3 members of the selection committee will vote on which startups advance leading up to the finals in early April where one company will take home the top prize. Before the competition kicks off, let's meet the people making the tough calls. Where to Find Dave Neal: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davenealvc/ Duke...
Mar 03, 2025•23 min•Ep. 35
Welcome to Tweener Madness, the high stakes startup showdown where 8 promising companies go head to head for a $25,000 investment prize from the Triangle Tweener Fund. Each round, 3 members of the selection committee will vote on which startups advance leading up to the finals in early April where one company will take home the top prize. Before the competition kicks off, let's meet the people making the tough calls. Where to Find Jason Caplain: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncaplain...
Feb 28, 2025•27 min•Ep. 34
Welcome to Tweener Madness, the high stakes startup showdown where 8 promising companies go head to head for a $25,000 investment prize from the Triangle Tweener Fund. Each round, 3 members of the selection committee will vote on which startups advance leading up to the finals in early April where one company will take home the top prize. Before the competition kicks off, let's meet the people making the tough calls. Where to Find Tobi Walter: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiaswalter/ ...
Feb 27, 2025•23 min•Ep. 33
Welcome to Tweener Madness, the high stakes startup showdown where 8 promising companies go head to head for a $25,000 investment prize from the Triangle Tweener Fund. Each round, 3 members of the selection committee will vote on which startups advance leading up to the finals in early April where one company will take home the top prize. Before the competition kicks off, let's meet the people making the tough calls. Where to Find Randy Myer: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randy-myer-8322...
Feb 26, 2025•22 min•Ep. 32
Welcome to Tweener Madness, the high stakes startup showdown where 8 promising companies go head to head for a $25,000 investment prize from the Triangle Tweener Fund. Each round, 3 members of the selection committee will vote on which startups advance leading up to the finals in early April where one company will take home the top prize. Before the competition kicks off, let's meet the people making the tough calls. Where to Find Kevin Mosley: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevincmosley/...
Feb 25, 2025•16 min•Ep. 28
In this special edition of Triangle Tweener Talks , we’re breaking some big news: Walk West has acquired Earfluence! Jason Gillikin, founder of Earfluence (which produces this podcast), and Greg Boone, the incoming CEO of Walk West, join host Scot Wingo to discuss the details of the deal, what it means for the future of both companies, and how this acquisition will reshape the digital marketing and podcasting landscape in the Triangle. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The origin story of Earfl...
Feb 25, 2025•34 min•Ep. 29
In this episode, Keebler founder, Isaac Park, shares some great best practices for how to get a seed raise done in the current environment. ------ Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by: Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/
Feb 24, 2025•28 min•Ep. 31
Welcome to Tweener Madness, the high stakes startup showdown where 8 promising companies go head to head for a $25,000 investment prize from the Triangle Tweener Fund. Each round, 3 members of the selection committee will vote on which startups advance leading up to the finals in early April where one company will take home the top prize. Before the competition kicks off, let's meet the people making the tough calls. Where to Find Jenn Summe: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifersumme/ ...
Feb 24, 2025•24 min•Ep. 27
Welcome to Tweener Madness, the high stakes startup showdown where 8 promising companies go head to head for a $25,000 investment prize from the Triangle Tweener Fund. Each round, 3 members of the selection committee will vote on which startups advance leading up to the finals in early April where one company will take home the top prize. Before the competition kicks off, let's meet the people making the tough calls. Where to Find Lister Delgado: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/listerdelga...
Feb 21, 2025•21 min•Ep. 26
