Share your thoughts with us! In the high-stakes world of startups, few roles have evolved more dramatically than that of the CFO. Today’s finance leader is expected to move beyond spreadsheets — shaping strategy, influencing product development, and building cross-functional trust. M.G. Thibaut has done all of that and more. In this episode, Eddie Lopez is joined by M.G. Thibaut — former CFO of Strava, DroneDeploy, and Copper, and now the founder of Coterie CFO and Executive-in-Residence at Scal...
May 15, 2025•31 min
Share your thoughts with us! The food delivery landscape is changing. As consumer demands grow more sophisticated, companies must innovate—balancing speed, quality, and personalization to stand out in a saturated market. But can convenience and quality coexist in this fast-paced industry? Is there a way to truly personalize the dining experience while catering to the individual needs of each customer? Kelley Morell is the CFO of Wonder, a rising "super app" for mealtime. In this episode, Hercule...
Jan 09, 2025•46 min•Ep. 36
Share your thoughts with us! The financial services industry faces increasing pressure to combat financial crime and comply with evolving regulations. The old way of handling compliance—mostly through manual work—isn't cutting it anymore given how complex and fast-moving today's financial world is. This is where AI comes in, offering a powerful new way to strengthen compliance and protect market integrity. In this episode, Hercules Capital's Catherine Jhung speaks with Erkin Adylov, founder of B...
Dec 05, 2024•36 min
Share your thoughts with us! The biotech and pharma industries are rapidly evolving, with mergers and acquisitions driving innovation and growth. As market demands shift, these deals reshape strategies, bolster R&D, and bring groundbreaking therapies to healthcare. With over 35 years of experience, Stephen Sands has guided high-impact transactions that have shaped the biotech and pharma landscape. In this episode, Janice Bourque speaks with Stephen about his journey from bioengineer to healt...
Nov 21, 2024•47 min
Share your thoughts with us! Vijay Patel is an institutional investor turned corporate venture capitalist. He has spent the last decade at the intersection of finance and healthcare, changing the way CVS Health approaches innovation and strategic investments. His journey from traditional venture capital to leading CVS Health® Ventures has positioned him as a thought leader in corporate venture capital and healthcare innovation. In this episode, Janice Bourque is joined by Vijay Patel to discuss ...
Jul 18, 2024•57 min•Ep. 33
Share your thoughts with us! In an era where breakthrough innovations coexist with concerns over drug affordability, Peter Kolchinsky, founder and Managing Partner at healthcare and life sciences investment manager RA Capital, joins us to shed light on the factors and paths forward. Hercules Capital's Janice Bourque engages with Peter on his No Patient Left Behind initiative, a non-profit dedicated to making medicines affordable for everyone in America. Topics Include: Overview of the "No Patien...
Jun 27, 2024•57 min•Ep. 32
Share your thoughts with us! Navigating the intricate world of venture debt requires a deep understanding of both the legal landscape and financial imperatives. David Ephraim from Morrison & Foerster brings over two decades of experience to the table, making him a leading authority on structuring deals that align legal precision with business innovation. This episode, hosted by Janice Bourque from Hercules Capital, engages David Ephraim in a discussion about the nuances of venture debt, incl...
May 09, 2024•27 min•Ep. 31
Share your thoughts with us! Public market investor turned tech visionary, Casey Woo, has spent the last two decades at the forefront of technology and finance, revolutionizing the way high-growth startups approach operations and strategy. His journey from analyzing markets on Wall Street to leading Operators Guild and FOG Ventures has positioned him as a thought leader at the intersection of technology, finance, and community building. In this episode, Catherine Jhung is joined by Casey Woo to ...
Mar 14, 2024•51 min•Ep. 30
Share your thoughts with us! In the aftermath of the 2020 biotech surge and its subsequent contraction in 2022, the biotech industry has been characterized by significant volatility. There were 21 biotechnology IPOs in 2022, a notable decrease from the record-breaking 104 IPOs in 2021. To review the highs and lows of 2023 and explore what lies ahead in 2024, distinguished biotech analyst and co-founder of Endpoints News John Carroll joins Hercules Capital's Janice Bourque . Carroll brings 45 yea...
Jan 25, 2024•46 min
Share your thoughts with us! The gaming and platform industries are dynamic sectors at the intersection of technology and entertainment, constantly evolving to meet the demands of a global audience. In 2022, the revenue from the worldwide gaming market was approximately $347 billion. Ed Lu, a seasoned executive with 23 years of financial and operational experience, has played a pivotal role in this landscape, dedicating thirteen years as the CFO at online gaming and platform companies. Ed is the...
Jan 04, 2024•57 min
Share your thoughts with us! Healthcare and biotech venture capital plays a critical role in funding innovative medical technologies, drug development, and life-saving therapies. These investments drive advancements in healthcare, transforming science into products that improve global patient outcomes. Terry McGuire is a founding partner of Polaris Partners, with over 35 years of early-stage investing experience in medical and information technology companies. As a venture capitalist, Terry has ...
Dec 14, 2023•34 min
Share your thoughts with us! In the dynamic field of life sciences, skillful operators ensure the efficient development of medical innovations, while insightful investors provide crucial capital and strategic guidance. Rich Aldrich's 30+ year career uniquely bridges both sides, having played key roles in founding and managing successful ventures in the industry. Rich Aldrich is a co-founder and partner at Longwood Fund. Before Longwood, he founded RA Capital Management and has been instrumental ...
Nov 30, 2023•41 min
Share your thoughts with us! The healthcare space has long been a transactional one, seeing patients as numbers instead of human relationships. In 2004, Dr. Rushika Fernandopulle began to challenge the status quo and create an entirely new model of care delivery that finally put patients at the center of healthcare. Rushika Fernandopulle is the co-founder and former CEO of Iora Health, a value-based primary care group based in Boston that was acquired by One Medical in 2021, where he served as C...
Nov 09, 2023•33 min
Share your thoughts with us! Successful biotech companies require a capable CFO to guide the company through conducting clinical trials, securing regulatory approvals, establishing scalable production, and adeptly conveying value to healthcare stakeholders. Mark Hahn is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of CFO experience. He is currently the CFO of Verona Pharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapies for the treatment of c...
Oct 12, 2023•32 min
Share your thoughts with us! The healthcare technology sector has witnessed astonishing growth in investments, skyrocketing from $3 billion pre-pandemic to $29 billion in 2021. Michael Greeley brings invaluable insights to the show as the co-founder and general partner of Flare Capital Partners, a pioneering venture capital firm dedicated to healthcare technology. Before Flare, Greeley was the founding general partner of Flybridge Capital Partners. Earlier in his career, he was with Polaris Part...
Sep 07, 2023•29 min
Share your thoughts with us! Elizabeth Bailey has more than 20 years of experience supporting early-stage startups as a venture capitalist. Today, she is a founding member at RH Capital where she serves as the fund's Managing Director. RH Capital is a women-led, impact venture capital fund that strategically invests in early-stage startups dedicated to revolutionizing women's health. In this episode, Elizabeth joins Hercules Capital’s Janice Bourque to discuss the origin, strategies, and portfol...
Aug 24, 2023•33 min
Share your thoughts with us! The subscription e-commerce market is expected to grow by $784 billion by 2026. Locus Robotics, a subscription-based mobile robotics and software provider, is a pioneer leading the way in warehouse automation. Dustin Pederson is the Chief Financial Officer of Locus Robotics, a company that supplies over 230 warehouse sites with up to 500 bots per site. With 15 years of experience in enterprise software, AI, warehouse automation, education, and aerospace, Dustin helps...
Jun 01, 2023•30 min
Share your thoughts with us! Laureen DeBuono is a highly seasoned CEO, COO, CFO, and Board Member currently serving as Managing Partner at FLG Partners. During her career, she has raised over $2B in financings, led 2 IPOs, and completed over $12B in M&A transactions. In this episode, Hercules Capital's Eddie Lopez and Laureen discuss company restructuring, five qualities CFOs need to be successful, advice for companies that can’t access IPOs, the challenges CFOs may face in the upcoming year...
May 18, 2023•32 min
Share your thoughts with us! In 2006, venture capitalists poured billions into clean energy technologies during Cleantech 1.0, only to lose half of the investments over the next five years. The climate tech investing space has since rebounded and become one of the most popular investment sectors, and new incentives show an exciting opportunity for extended growth over the next few years. Meera Clark is a principal at Redpoint Ventures, where she is passionate about the climate tech, consumer, an...
Feb 23, 2023•33 min
Share your thoughts with us! Scaling a company requires planning, funding, systems, and plenty of grit. Ajay Vashee gained the latter when he became one of the youngest CFOs of a publicly listed company at Dropbox. With the help of his team, Ajay helped scale Dropbox from $45M to nearly $2B in revenue and grow the employee base 30-fold. Ajay later leveraged his experience as an operator to become a general partner at IVP, where he has helped lead investments in companies like DeepL, Jasper, and ...
Feb 09, 2023•32 min
Share your thoughts with us! The challenges of launching a startup can seem endless when you are just starting out. Truth be told, the magnitude of these challenges will only grow as your business grows. But don’t let this deter you. Derek Andersen understood that the obstacles he was facing in entrepreneurship were not unique to him. This notion led him on his quest to create a community for entrepreneurs to share their advice and inspirations with others, proving that entrepreneurs are in fact...
Nov 03, 2022•35 min
Share your thoughts with us! Today we are featuring Marco Zappacosta, co-founder and CEO of Thumbtack. Thumbtack is a modern home management platform that helps homeowners stay up to date on routine maintenance while also connecting them with local service providers who can support with home care. The company was recently acknowledged as one of Fortune's Best Places to Work in Tech and overall for Small/Medium Companies. Marco has been recognized on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 and has been featured in s...
Oct 20, 2022•41 min
Share your thoughts with us! In a world of continuous innovation, it seems like our healthcare system has been left behind. The hassles of health insurance have become the status quo, and far too many of us have fallen victim to the abhorrent costs of medical services. Few of us have the time or wherewithal to battle with insurance companies or chase down medical providers. So, where do we go from here? Is there a way to effectively deliver low-cost healthcare to large numbers of people? Accordi...
Sep 29, 2022•46 min
Share your thoughts with us! Trucking is one of the largest industries in the United States with roughly $800 billion spent annually on trucking services. Despite the high demand for services, 35% of all miles driven by trucking companies are driven empty due to inefficient coordination systems within the industry. Mark Okerstrom, President and Chief Operating Officer of Convoy, the nation’s leading digital freight network, believes the solution to empty freight lies at the intersection of logis...
Jun 23, 2022•24 min
Share your thoughts with us! Sports and games are a huge part of our lifestyle and culture and will continue to be for generations to come. But how can investors and creators encourage growth and take advantage of this unique market? Investor, founder, and entrepreneur Kai Bond had spent over a decade in the gaming industry when he realized he wanted to approach gaming as an investable category. So he partnered with the startup Courtside VC, a venture capital firm that challenges the traditional...
May 12, 2022•43 min
Share your thoughts with us! Raj Verma is the CEO at SingleStore, a database management system that helps modern applications be fast, frictionless, and flexible. When Raj started at SingleStore, he was Co-CEO with SingleStore’s founder, Nikita Shamgunov. By building a healthy relationship and friendship with Nikita, Raj was able to lead with the company’s founding principles, keeping that essence that makes SingleStore so special. Raj’s transition to Co-CEO and later to CEO has as much to do wi...
Apr 28, 2022•38 min
Share your thoughts with us! Christine Tao is the Co-founder and CEO of Sounding Board , a venture-backed startup that recently raised $30 million in Series B funding and has grown four-fold over the past 12 months. Sounding Board’s mission is to help companies develop impactful leaders by leveraging AI-powered pairing technology with a network of leadership coaches. The idea for Sounding Board started when Christine was provided leadership coaching to transition into an executive leadership rol...
Feb 17, 2022•39 min
Share your thoughts with us! While working in investment banking, Peter Lorimer (Betterment, OnDeck, Bank of America Merrill Lynch) realized that the financial services being offered to everyday people were fundamentally broken. This sparked his interest in FinTech, eventually leading him to the FinTech start-up OnDeck. It was while working at OnDeck that Peter first decided he wanted to become the CFO of a FinTech company. Peter first fell in love with the investing and savings app Betterment a...
Jan 27, 2022•32 min
Share your thoughts with us! Jenny Bloom (Zapier, MailChimp) recently retired as CFO of Zapier, a technology startup that helps businesses automate their workflows. Jenny has decades of experience working as CFO for bootstrapped tech startups like Zapier and Mailchimp. In this episode of Ventured Growth with Hercules Capital, Eddie Lopez and Jenny Bloom discuss Jenny's experience in the startup world, how she helped grow Zapier to a $5B valuation with only $1.3M in VC funding, tips for staying l...
Jan 13, 2022•27 min
Share your thoughts with us! Antonio Nieves (Interior Define, ModCloth, Bonobos) is the CEO of Interior Define, a rapidly expanding digital custom furniture brand. Interior Define is a venture-backed startup based out of Chicago, IL that is changing the way people shop for high-quality furniture online. In this episode of Ventured Growth with Hercules Capital, Antonio joins Catherine Jhung to discuss how his background as CFO at major digital brands helped him transition into the role of CEO. Ni...
Nov 18, 2021•35 min
