On average, only 2% of startups are accepted into business incubators. So, what about the other 98%?

Kiran Panjwani, Co-Founder and CEO of FounderWay and our guest on this week’s final episode of the first season of the Coeus Collective Podcast, is on a mission to use AI to provide these 98% of founders with the critical resources they need to succeed.

With a background in startup development from her experience working with 600 early-stage ventures at MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, Kiran has built her career guiding entrepreneurs through the most crucial stages of growth.

In this episode, Kiran shares key best practices for early-stage startups and discusses how AI tools like FounderWay can help entrepreneurs streamline their operations, track progress, and make informed decisions faster. She told us she wants “to directly or indirectly impact 1 billion people,” and FounderWay is how she is going to reach that goal.

From unique startup theory ideas like “problem-customer fit” to analytical discussions about AI’s impact on the role of a founder, this episode is packed with practical advice for founders looking to level up their startups. You’ll be left behind as a founder if you ignore the AI tools that your competitors are using, so don’t miss this opportunity to get ahead.

P.S. At the end of the episode, Kiran flips the script: asking us how we are feeling about this being the final episode of season one: The Founder’s Series!

https://www.founderway.ai/

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:49 Background 08:55 FounderWay's Origins 14:30 Customer Discovery Deep Dive 18:07 AI CoPilot Initial Marketing Strategy 20:38 Building Founder Communities 30:31 AI, Education, and Mentorship 37:34 Most Common Founder Painpoints? 39:29 Building Investor Interest in AI Startups 43:40 Surprises, Challenges, and Advice 47:29 What Would You Change? 48:34 Flipping the Script on Antonio & Leon: End of Season Review 51:34 Plugs

Subscribe to the Coeus Collective on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@CoeusCollective⁠

Stay up to date on the pulse of business news and startup culture with our newsletter: https://coeuscollective.beehiiv.com/

Get more insights and interviews on all socials ⁠@CoeusCollective⁠

Music from this Episode by ⁠Houis⁠

Hosted by Antonio DiMeglio and Leon Li

Special thanks to:

ARWA SHARIF

KAI OTOMO

NICK ARENA

WTF MEDIA

COLLECTIVE DESIGN AGENCY

LEON JON

Since the Silicon Valley Bank collapse of 2023, the startup and small business lending landscape has been undergoing rapid changes. David Silverstein, Co-Founder of Ned and our guest this week on the Coeus Collective Podcast, knows that personalization is key to this transformation. Ned, which just announced a $4.2 million seed fundraise, is leading a customized approach to lending, offering a white-label platform that handles every stage of the lending process, from application to servicing, and empowers lenders to provide fixed and revenue-based loans seamlessly.

In this episode, David explores the current challenges in small business financing and how Ned is building solutions that enhance cash flow insights and lending efficiency. David also discusses how his role as a Founder is informed by his diverse career background, which includes time in the public sector as Press Secretary for former US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and in the media industry as Chief of Staff at MediaLink.

From broad discourse on the current state of the small business funding ecosystem to advice on leading a technical company as a non-technical founder, this episode has it all. Cash flow is essential to the vitality of any business, so don’t miss this opportunity to learn an expert outlook on the current state of play in lending and financing. https://www.nedhelps.com/

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:51 Background as Senate Majority Leader Press Secretary 05:21 Why Get an MBA? 09:43 What is a Chief of Staff? 16:58 What is Ned? 25:43 Why the Name Ned? 29:35 Building a Bespoke Software Business 34:26 Being A Non-Technical Tech Founder 38:28 Fundraising as a First-time Founder 44:31 Why Do Businesses Not Apply for Loans? 49:27 General Advice & Goals 53:15 One Thing You Would Change? 55:05 Plugs

Subscribe to the Coeus Collective on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@CoeusCollective⁠

Stay up to date on the pulse of business news and startup culture with our newsletter: https://coeuscollective.beehiiv.com/

Get more insights and interviews on all socials ⁠@CoeusCollective⁠

Music from this Episode by ⁠Houis⁠

Hosted by Antonio DiMeglio and Leon Li

Special thanks to:

ARWA SHARIF

KAI OTOMO

NICK ARENA

WTF MEDIA

COLLECTIVE DESIGN AGENCY

The healthcare industry is ripe for disruption, and Truffle Health Co-Founder Rui Maki, our guest this week, knows that generative AI is the next game-changer in the industry. Truffle Health is pioneering a new approach to healthcare access, leveraging conversational AI to simplify and improve the patient experience. Their mission? To help individuals navigate the complexities of healthcare, from understanding medical bills to maximizing insurance benefits—all through one seamless platform.

In this episode, Rui examines the challenges facing healthcare today and how Truffle Health is building a solution that empowers patients with clarity and control. We explore how technology can bridge “the incentive gap” between healthcare providers and patients, creating a more transparent and efficient system. Rui also shares the story behind Truffle Health’s creation, the role innovation plays in healthcare, and where the future of healthcare tech is headed.

If you’ve ever felt lost in the maze of medical bills and insurance jargon, this conversation will open your eyes to how technology can revolutionize the way we interact with healthcare. Tune in to hear how Truffle Health is transforming an industry in desperate need of change. https://truffle.health

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:44 Rui's Background 04:29 Choosing Her Co-Founder 07:55 Starting a Company in Grad School 13:19 What Is Truffle Health? 16:17 Customer Experience Walkthrough 23:51 The Lack of Healthcare Literacy 27:22 Future Plans and Business Model 30:06 What the US Can Learn from International Healthcare Systems 36:41 Truffle Health's AI Capabilities 41:13 Memorable Moments & Advice 44:35 One Thing You Would Change? 46:16 Plugs

Subscribe to the Coeus Collective on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@CoeusCollective⁠

Stay up to date on the pulse of business news and startup culture with our newsletter: https://coeuscollective.beehiiv.com/

Get more insights and interviews on all socials ⁠@CoeusCollective⁠

Music from this Episode by ⁠Houis⁠

Hosted by Antonio DiMeglio and Leon Li

Special thanks to:

ARWA SHARIF

KAI OTOMO

NICK ARENA

WTF MEDIA

COLLECTIVE DESIGN AGENCY

JASON WONG

The Web3 landscape is evolving rapidly, and the world of digital ownership is being completely redefined. At the forefront of this transformation is our guest this week, Billy Huang, Co-Founder and CEO of Insomnia Labs. Insomnia is a leading Web3 digital ad firm that’s worked with major brands like Under Armour, Coca-Cola, and L'Oreal. Insomnia Labs is responsible for creating Steph Curry’s record-breaking NFT for Under Armour, and they're pioneering what it means to connect brands with blockchain.

In this episode, Billy shares how Insomnia Labs is bridging the gap between the world’s biggest brands and Web3 technologies. From designing groundbreaking digital assets to leading high-profile NFT projects, Billy examines how blockchain is reshaping marketing and user engagement. He also offers insights into the future of decentralized ownership, discussing how Web3 is creating new opportunities for brands, creators, and consumers alike.

This is a conversation you won’t want to miss, especially if you're interested in how “the ownership layer” of the internet is being built and where it’s headed. Web3 is more than just a trend; it’s a fundamental shift, and Billy Huang is at the helm of this next era of digital innovation. Tune in to get a first-hand look into the world of Web3 from one of the leaders shaping its future. https://insomnialabs.io

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:48 Billy's Background 10:47 Building Insomnia's Team 14:20 Creating Steph Curry's Record-Breaking NFT 16:22 Insomnia's Blockchain Loyalty Program 20:56 Target Web3 Literate Clients? 23:37 Getting Coca-Cola and Under Armour to be Clients 25:47 Fundraising Tips for Web3 Founders 28:40 BIlly's Prediction: App Chains Are The Future 33:12 Future of NFTs Not Correlated to Asset Value 41:54 DAOs - Can Brands Participate? 46:55 Emerging Web3 Trends: Competitive App Chains 49:57 Successes, Challenges, Advice & Plugs

Subscribe to the Coeus Collective on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@CoeusCollective⁠

Stay up to date on the pulse of business news and startup culture with our newsletter: https://coeuscollective.beehiiv.com/

Get more insights and interviews on all socials ⁠@CoeusCollective⁠

Music from this Episode by ⁠Houis⁠

Hosted by Antonio DiMeglio and Leon Li

Special thanks to:

ARWA SHARIF

KAI OTOMO

NICK ARENA

WTF MEDIA

COLLECTIVE DESIGN AGENCY

Right now, Africa’s population is soaring, with the continent expected to house over a quarter of the world’s people by 2050. With African nations being some of the only countries globally to experience venture capital growth last year, the opportunity for the expansion of technology and entrepreneurship in the region is boundless.

This week’s guest is Martins Udotai, Co-Founder of Dinesurf - a restaurant management and reservation booking platform active in thirteen African nations. Users spread the word about Dinesurf immediately after launch, reaching the first $500,000 in gross market value through solely word of mouth.

In this episode, Martins tells us how he has built Dinesurf and dissects the African tech and venture capital landscape. Martins is a leader in representing the forthcoming African tech boom on the international stage, appearing on CNBC Africa and being featured by Vanguard.

This episode is not one you should leave behind: the market for technological progress in the African continent is immense, and our Western media does not cover perspectives like Martins’ very often. From marketplace expansion tactics to exposure to the funding difficulties faced by entrepreneurs on an entire continent, we are grateful to share Martins’ perspective on our show. https://dinesurf.com/

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:42 Martins' Background & Dinesurf Origin Story 09:57 What is Dinesurf? 13:40 AI Concierge Tool for Global Restaurants 16:05 The Catch-22 for Marketplace Founders 21:59 Africa's Population Growth and Macro Trends 28:21 On Building a Team in Nigeria 35:23 Dinesurf to the US? 38:11 Montezing Demand: Dinesurf+? 42:32 Dinesurf's CNBC Africa Feature + Marketing Strategy 44:59 Dinesurf as a Competitor for Uber Eats? 47:32 Advice & One Thing He Would Change 51:44 Plugs

Subscribe to the Coeus Collective on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@CoeusCollective⁠

Stay up to date on the pulse of business news and startup culture with our newsletter: https://coeuscollective.beehiiv.com/

Get more insights and interviews on all socials ⁠@CoeusCollective⁠

Music from this Episode by ⁠Houis⁠

Hosted by Antonio DiMeglio and Leon Li

Special thanks to:

ARWA SHARIF

KAI OTOMO

NICK ARENA

WTF MEDIA

COLLECTIVE DESIGN AGENCY

Despite their delusional self-confidence in their ability to succeed in their side hustles and all of the TikTok investors in their ears, there is a problem with money culture for Gen Z: they don’t talk about their finances. And when you’ve never heard how you should manage your money, you will be left behind.

Enter Katrin Kaurov and Aleksandra Medina, Co-Founders of Frich: a social finance iPhone app for Gen Z that they have grown to over 250,000 users. Frich stands for, well, f**king rich, because they aim to put Gen Z on track to reaching their financial goals.

In this episode, Katrin and Aleksandra discuss how they built Frich from the ground up by utilizing their own observations on their generation’s taboos surrounding money. Katrin speaks of her own experiences in managing her finances while traveling the world as a runway model. She met Aleksandra at NYU Abu Dhabi, and the rest is history.

With a $2.8 million seed fundraising round banked this year, they’re ready to transform the financial status of students on college campuses and beyond. If you’re seeking to build out your initial user base for your mobile app or learn the Gen Z-native perspective on finances, this episode is for you. https://www.getfrich.com/

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:48 Katrin and Aleksandra's Backgrounds 06:33 What is Frich? 13:37 App's Differentiation and Partnerships with Financial Institutions 19:52 The Mastercard Accelerator & Advisor Onboarding 28:04 How They Raised $2.8M Seed Round 31:52 Fundraising Effect on Revenue & Product Roadmap 35:39 On Social Finance & Their Dream Product 40:47 Gen Z's Prioritization of Quality of Life 44:55 To Build for Gen Z, Talk to Them 47:31 Most Challenging Moments & Greatest Successes 52:05 What Would You Change? 53:58 Plugs

Subscribe to the Coeus Collective on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@CoeusCollective⁠

Stay up to date on the pulse of business news and startup culture with our newsletter: https://coeuscollective.beehiiv.com/

Get more insights and interviews on all socials ⁠@CoeusCollective⁠

Music from this Episode by ⁠Houis⁠

Hosted by Antonio DiMeglio and Leon Li

Special thanks to:

ARWA SHARIF

KAI OTOMO

NICK ARENA

WTF MEDIA

COLLECTIVE DESIGN AGENCY

Gaming has taken over the apex position in the entertainment industry, with global annual gaming revenues now higher than the movie and music industries combined. Michael Sacco, Founder of OccaSoftware, empowers indie game developers not only to make their dream games a reality, but also to help them reach a mass market of players.

Michael grew his indie game digital asset marketplace to 40,000 developers in only four months. He used his background as a Senior Product Manager at American Express to turn his passion for gaming into a full-fledged marketplace that also functions as a community for the next generation of game developers.

Michael describes his favorite indie games and tells us why indie games are special and need to be nurtured. After speaking with Michael, we’re convinced that the next generation of great games and franchises will stem from indie games. And we’re convinced that Michael and OccaSoftware will lead the charge to provide developers with the tools they need to succeed. https://www.occasoftware.com/

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:41 Michael's Product Manager Background 04:46 OccaSotftware and Indie Gaming 08:52 Reaching 1K Users in 2 Months 12:33 Getting Feedback From 40K Users 18:18 Building Community through LinkedIn + YouTube 21:18 AI's Impact on Gaming 25:24 The Gaming Takeover of Hollywood 27:48 Indie Gaming's Impact on VR & Web3 30:43 Lessons & What's Next? 36:28 Wish You Started Sooner? 38:55 Where to Find Indie Games? 40:04 Advice & Where to Find Him

Subscribe to the Coeus Collective on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@CoeusCollective⁠

Stay up to date on the pulse of business news and startup culture with our newsletter: ⁠https://bit.ly/coeusnewsletter⁠

Get more insights and interviews on all socials ⁠@CoeusCollective⁠

Music from this Episode by ⁠Houis⁠

Hosted by Antonio DiMeglio and Leon Li

Special thanks to:

ARWA SHARIF

KAI OTOMO

NICK ARENA

WTF MEDIA

COLLECTIVE DESIGN AGENCY

There is only one thing that all humans, globally, do every day: sleep. Sleep makes up one-third of our day, and therefore one-third of our lives. Dr. Dan Gartenberg, Founder of SleepSpace and a renowned scientist whose TED Talk “The Brain Benefits of Deep Sleep” has garnered over 5 million views, has devoted his life to building technologies that improve sleep.

This episode goes far beyond the typical advice of “get your eight hours.” Dan told us that “you can definitely zap the brain” to improve your sleep, so we discussed a wide variety of ways that you can hack your sleep, including advice on distinct sleep environment choices, the use of sound to optimize deep sleep, and even his patent on dream capture technology. (Yes, the type of technology used in the film Inception!)

Dr. Gartenberg is bringing science fiction to life in his work, bridging the gap between cutting-edge scientific research and marketable consumer technologies. In this episode, we also discussed how he has raised $3.5 million, and how he balances his leadership in research while also leading SleepSpace. Dan provides distinct advice for those in the fields of scientific research who are seeking to reach beyond their labs to build a company.

Dr. Dan is full of unique takes on the state of society and sleep, so you won’t want to miss this episode. If you feel like you’re sleeping worse than ever before right now, you’re probably right, and Dr. Dan will explain why.

You’ll leave the podcast informed on the secret science behind how you can get the best sleep of your life, and we’re confident you’ll never feel the same about sleep after listening to this episode. https://sleepspace.com/

SPECIAL PROMOTION:

SleepSpace is offering a thirty-day free trial to all Coeus Collective listeners. Visit the following link to access your trial: https://sleepspace.com/coeus-promo/

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:44 Dr. Dan's Sleep Science Origins 06:01 What Is SleepSpace? 08:00 How To Raise $3.5M in Grant Funding 12:03 Dr. Dan's 5 Million View TED Talk 14:01 Three Predictions for the Future of Sleep 22:21 New Advancements in Sleep Tech 25:47 Does Social Media Decrease Deep Sleep? 29:25 Like Bryan Johnson, Patient Zero Can Be Yourself 36:52 Can Sound Improve Sleep? 43:00 Expert Sleep Tips 48:58 What Would Dr. Dan Change? 51:01 30 Day Free Trial Offer & Plugs

Subscribe to the Coeus Collective on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@CoeusCollective⁠

Stay up to date on the pulse of business news and startup culture with our newsletter: ⁠https://bit.ly/coeusnewsletter⁠

Get more insights and interviews on all socials @CoeusCollective⁠

Music from this Episode by ⁠Houis⁠

Hosted by Antonio DiMeglio and Leon Li

Special thanks to:

ARWA SHARIF

KAI OTOMO

NICK ARENA

WTF MEDIA

COLLECTIVE DESIGN AGENCY