Coffee with a Founder

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Brooke Hopkins, co-founder and CEO of Coval, to talk about testing AI agents, the rise of voice as a platform, and what it takes to build at the edge of a fast-moving market.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Ofek Lavian, co-founder and CEO of Forage. Forage is an EBT payments company helping low-income Americans access food through online platforms like DoorDash, Uber, and Shopify. What used to be an in-person, highly limited system is now becoming digital, unlocking access for millions of people living in food deserts or balancing multiple jobs. The conversation dives into why that gap exists, what it takes to build in a highly regulated space, and how a venture-backed company can both scale fast and solve a deeply systemic problem. If you're into founder-led innovation tackling broken systems that impact millions, don't miss this one.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Aagya Mathur, co-founder and CEO of Aavia. Aagya built the hormone health company after realizing how much of women's health is still misunderstood, underdiagnosed, and frankly ignored. Even for someone with a neuroscience background, getting real answers meant figuring it out herself. This conversation gets into what is actually broken in healthcare today, why it takes years to diagnose common hormone conditions, and how better data can completely change the way patients advocate for themselves. If you're into founder-led innovation tackling outdated healthcare systems, don't miss this one.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Kait Stephens, founder and CEO of Brij. After investing in the space and spotting a massive gap, Kait built Brij to solve a trillion dollar problem: brands losing access to their customer data when selling through retail and marketplaces. The conversation dives into how modern consumers shop across channels, why retail is still massively underbuilt from a data perspective, and how founders today are rebuilding companies to be AI-first from both a product and operational standpoint. If you're into founders tackling messy, real-world commerce problems and rethinking how brands actually understand their customers, don't miss this one.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Nikhil Sethi, co-founder and CEO of Workgrounds. After building and selling his first company to Accenture, Nikhil jumped back in to solve a surprisingly painful problem: booking and managing hotel room blocks for teams. The conversation dives into why group travel is still wildly manual, how distributed teams are reshaping how companies gather, and what it actually looks like to build a company the second time around. If you're into founders rebuilding with the same team, solving unsexy but real problems, and designing companies for how we actually work today, don't miss this one.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Alex Wright-Gladstein, CEO and founder of Sphere. After struggling for years to get a climate-friendly option added to her first company's 401(k), Alex set out to build a better solution for employees who want their retirement savings aligned with their values. The conversation explores the strange world of 401(k) investing, why climate-friendly retirement options have been so hard to access, and how Sphere is making it easier for everyday people to move their money with purpose. If you're into founders turning a frustrating financial system into a clear climate action step, don't miss this one.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Bobby Samuels, co-founder and CEO of Protege, to talk about one of the biggest challenges in artificial intelligence today: data. As AI models grow more powerful, the demand for high-quality training data is exploding. Protege is building infrastructure that helps organizations unlock valuable, often untapped datasets while keeping privacy, compliance, and responsible AI development at the center. Bobby shares what it's like building an AI startup in a market moving at breakneck speed—from navigating the realities of early traction and scaling a data-driven company to balancing founder life with family (including a toddler cameo in the background).

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Natalya Thakur, founder and CEO of KNOVA. The company is building infrastructure that allows financial institutions to operate seamlessly across both traditional assets and tokenized assets from a single technology stack. The conversation explores the future of digital asset infrastructure, lessons from building fintech systems that institutions will actually use, and why thoughtful product development can matter more than startup speed. If you're into founders building the infrastructure layer behind the next generation of finance, don't miss this one.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Matthias Hofmann, co-founder and CEO of Eyebot, for a candid conversation about building a company that's reimagining access to vision care. Matthias shares his journey from growing up in Switzerland with dreams of becoming a fighter pilot, to navigating his own experience with vision loss, and ultimately launching Eyebot—an innovative kiosk-based solution bringing affordable eye exams to retail locations, including Walmart stores.  The conversation explores what it really feels like to hit product-market fit, the operational realities of scaling hardware and distribution, and the pressure that comes with turning a prototype into a national rollout. Matthias also opens up about the role financial stability plays in entrepreneurship, how family keeps him grounded, and what it takes to bottle that rare "lightning strike" moment when everything clicks.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Ethan Smith from Graphite for a follow-up conversation on AEO and GEO, plus what's actually changing right now in how people discover brands inside AI tools. Coming off two conferences in the same week, they get into prompt behavior, why citations are more fragmented than most people think, and why earned media is becoming even more important in an AI-first world. The conversation dives into what's working, what people are doing wrong, and how founders should think about measurement when clicks are disappearing. If you're into the new playbook for getting found in AI search and want the practical version, don't miss this one.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck sits down with Yehuda Kog, co-founder and CEO of Lin Health, just hours after the company announced its $11 million Series A raise. The conversation explores how Lin Health is rethinking chronic pain care through a multidisciplinary digital platform, why pain can be understood as a learned skill and how mental health, anxiety, and depression shape recovery. Yehuda also shares his own decade-long experience living with chronic pain, the company's shift from direct-to-consumer to B2B and the importance of trusted partnerships, including work with organizations like Mayo Clinic. If you're interested in digital health, mission-driven startups and what it really takes to scale a healthcare company while staying human, don't miss this one.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Kyle Kamrooz, co-founder and CEO of Bonus Homes. Kyle is building a new financial category that allows homeowners to unlock their equity without selling their homes. The conversation dives into housing wealth, middle-class retirement gaps, why low interest rates are hidden assets, and what it takes to create an entirely new financial model from scratch. If you're into founders rethinking how everyday Americans build wealth, don't miss this one.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Rema Matevosyan, co-founder and CEO of Near Space Labs. Rema is building stratospheric robotics that capture ultra-high-resolution Earth imagery, giving insurers and climate responders access to data that reflects current reality. We cover climate resilience, insurance underwriting, why balloons beat satellites, and the long-term mindset required to build infrastructure that actually lasts.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Justin Sherlock, co-founder and CEO of Caspian. After scaling Flexport's financing arm past $1B, Justin saw how tariffs and red tape quietly choke capital for global brands. Caspian is his answer, turning months of customs paperwork into days and helping companies reclaim time and cash. We talk about earning a Customs Broker License, building deep domain expertise, and what it takes to hire in San Francisco's competitive startup scene. If you're into founder-led innovation tackling old-world infrastructure, don't miss this one.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Abhishek Chopra, founder and CEO of BQP, to talk about the power of new math in old industries. Abhi shares how BQP is transforming the aerospace and defense industry with quantum-inspired algorithms that replace slow, expensive simulations—cutting design time, slashing costs, and accelerating innovation. We also dig into his journey from aerospace engineer to founder, why better math is key to faster breakthroughs, and how mentorship and balance fuel long-term success.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, host Beck Bamberger sits down with Aleksandr Gampel, co-founder and COO of Cuby Technologies. Alex shares how his path through real estate—and one perfectly timed introduction—sparked the idea for Cuby's ambitious solution to the housing crisis: deployable, tech-enabled micro factories that build homes directly where they're needed. He breaks down what it's really like to scale a hardware-heavy startup in a sector starving for construction labor, and why crafting the right narrative and surrounding yourself with the right people can be just as critical as the technology itself.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, host Beck Bamberger sits down with Rachel Liaw, co-founder and CEO of Fuse Inventory. Rachel shares how she's spent nearly a decade building a venture-backed company in one of the toughest and most unpredictable arenas out there: supply chain. She breaks down what it's been like to weather constant industry upheaval, from tariff swings and COVID shockwaves to the ongoing cash-flow crunch hitting brands of every size. Rachel also digs into how Fuse was using AI long before it was trendy, and why, even with all the innovation, the world of physical goods still comes down to boats, warehouses, and sometimes… pirates.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, host Beck Bamberger sits down with Feifan Wang, founder and CEO of Source Medium. Feifan shares how immigrating to the U.S. at 14, as a non-English speaker, became the foundation of his entrepreneurial resilience, teaching him to navigate uncertainty in the same way he now navigates startup life. He breaks down how Source Medium solves the data chaos facing major e-commerce brands and how his long-term vision of a "Slack analyst that never sleeps" finally came to life.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, host Beck Bamberger sits down with Charles Chiau, co-founder and CEO of Bedrock Ocean Exploration. Charles shares the moment that changed everything: getting lost while piloting a human-occupied submarine and realizing firsthand how dangerously unmapped our oceans really are. With more than 99% of the seafloor still a blur, he explains how this blind spot threatens global infrastructure, from internet cables to energy pipelines.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, host Beck Bamberger sits down with Camden Hunt, CEO and Co-founder of Rock Zero. Camden shares his unconventional journey from chemistry and nuclear physics research to tackling one of the planet's most overlooked climate challenges: the environmental impact of mining and mineral refining. Beck and Camden Hunt dig into the slow pace of innovation in mineral refining, the geopolitics of global supply chains, and the existential drive pushing founders to solve seemingly impossible problems.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, host Beck Bamberger sits down with Loren Burnett, President, CEO, and Co-Founder of Prometheus Materials. Loren shares what it takes to lead a venture-backed climate tech startup tackling one of the world's biggest pollution problems: cement. By harnessing the power of microalgae, Prometheus is creating carbon-negative building materials that could redefine the future of sustainable construction and drastically cut global CO₂ emissions.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, host Beck Bamberger sits down with Matt Pauker, CEO and co-founder of Ivy Invest. Matt Pauker shares his experience as a serial founder, reflections from his time as a venture capitalist, and insight into bringing institutional-grade investing to everyday people. Whether you're a seasoned founder or simply fascinated by the evolving world of investing, this episode offers a candid look at entrepreneurship, the future of finance, and investing in America.  

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, host Beck Bamberger sits down with Perry Bakas, co-founder and CEO of Oxylus Energy. Perry opens up about how becoming a parent has sharpened his focus and intuition as a founder. He also shares his journey from mechanical engineering to startup leadership, and recounts the gritty reality of bootstrapping Oxylus by road-tripping to 40+ pitch competitions across the country.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder,Beck Bamberger sits down with Ben Kellie, Co-Founder and CEO of Applied Atomics. Broadcasting from Alaska—a rare location for venture-backed founders—Ben shares his journey from SpaceX engineer to tackling the challenges of nuclear power deployment. The conversation dives deep into Ben's philosophy on minimizing unnecessary miracles in technology and the PR and messaging hurdles nuclear energy faces.  

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, host Beck Bamberger sits down with Matt Pavelle, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Doctronic. With a groundbreaking 99.2% alignment rate with clinicians on treatment plans, Doctronic is quickly becoming the go-to "AI doctor" trusted across the healthcare and tech industry. Tune in for a founder interview that dives deep into the journey of building a venture-backed startup, and how Matt and his team are democratizing healthcare through innovation, precision, and purpose.  

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Aaron Sekhri, founder and CEO of Le Walk, to talk about building for the next generation of travelers. They delve into how Le Walk combines human-led tours with AI-powered personalization, why content-led growth has been crucial to scaling, and how the brand encourages people to look up instead of down. Aaron also shares smart lessons on partnering with influencers in ways that drive value, not vanity.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Ryan Duitch, founder and CEO of Arro, to unpack one of America's toughest financial challenges: fair access to credit. Together they explore the psychology of venture-backed founders, the grind of scaling a fintech startup, and the rare moments of clarity that keep entrepreneurs pushing through problems that never really end.  

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger chats with Scott Meyer, co-founder of Chipp.AI, on making AI agents accessible to everyone. Scott shares his path from city council member to serial founder, and what building startups outside major tech hubs has taught him about growth, balance, and community.  

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger welcomes Jo Phillips and Will Corbera, co-founders and co-CEOs of Payabli. You'll hear why "running to the fire" is one of their core values, how they approach leadership in a remote world, and what motivates each personally as they navigate the ups and downs of startup life.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Shane Emmons, founder and CEO of Swept.AI, to unpack what it takes to build a trust platform for AI. From the high-stakes world of healthcare to the unforgiving terrain of finance, Shane breaks down the real-world challenges of deploying intelligent agents in industries where failure isn't an option.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Bianca Lê, Head of Special Projects and External Affairs at Mission Barns and founder of Cellular Agriculture Australia. They discuss how technology and science are transforming food through cellular agriculture, and how Mission Barns became the first cultivated meat company to launch in global retail, expanding beyond food innovation into breakthroughs like cell therapy

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Ross Finman, Founder and CEO of Augmodo. From growing up on a llama farm in Idaho (yes, really!) to working at MIT, NASA, and SpaceX, Ross shares his journey to launching a retail-focused company using spatial AI and wearable technology to reinvent how stores operate.  

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Tobias Pohl, Co-Founder and CEO of Celus. Together, they dive into the massive complexity of electronic component selection, the challenges of building technology in a space dominated by tradition, and the stubborn determination required to turn "impossible" ideas into reality.  

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger chats with Nick Ornitz, Co-Founder and CEO of Topline Pro — fresh off a $27M Series B. Joining live from Brooklyn, Nick shares how their core value of "no bullshit" drives everything from company culture to customer success. And yes, they're hiring.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Julia Rodgers, Founder and CEO of HelloPrenup. Together, they dive into the changing attitudes toward prenups and how her company can make legal processes easier, faster, and more affordable. Just don't use AI to write one.  

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Sami Shalabi, Co-founder and CTO of Maven AGI. Together, they unpack the staggering costs of traditional customer experience, the untapped potential of AI agents when engineers share product responsibility with UX teams, and why change management trips up even the best organizations.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Jeff Glueck, Co-founder and CEO of Salvo Health, to explore how virtual care is redefining medicine. After losing a child and facing unanswered questions from traditional medicine, Jeff vowed to use his founder instincts to reimagine healthcare, integrating environmental factors, behavioral science, and data-driven insights into the patient journey.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder,  Beck Bamberger sits down with Lark Meadow, Co-Founder and CEO of Aeon Blue. Their conversation explores Lark's unconventional path from leading a gender rights organization in Hollywood to teaming up with her brother, a renewable energy scientist, to develop transformative electrochemistry technology.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger chats with Dr. James Crowell, Founder and CEO of Crow Industries, about his lifelong dream to industrialize the moon and Mars, and the intersection between futuristic ambition and real-world business grit. Whether you're a founder, a space enthusiast, or fascinated by defense tech, this conversation is for you.  

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger chats with Christoph Jenny, CEO of Planted, about what it takes to build alternative meat that leads on both taste and impact. Joining us from Switzerland, Christoph shares his journey of scaling across Central Europe, winning over die-hard vegans and curious carnivores, and the product development and market research driving it all.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger chats with Surojit Chatterjee, co-founder and CEO of Ema Unlimited Inc., about why AI agents are more than just chatbots and what it means to trade comfort for the chance to eliminate "soul-crushing" work, empowering people to focus on creativity and purpose.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Simon Wijckmans of c/side to talk about making the internet safe and secure enough for our grandparents, navigating compliance headaches, and exploring how building a mission-driven team not only fuels motivation but also makes the journey fun.

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger chats with Priyaa Kalyanaraman, Co-Founder and CEO of Lica World, about becoming one of the first viral vibe coders, democratizing visual storytelling, and how AI is reshaping creative industries. All while unpacking the difference between building a product and building a company.

On today's episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with one of our favorite BAM clients. Ben Allen, Co-Founder and Business Development Officer of GreenLite. Ben shares how GreenLite helps landlords, companies, and franchises cut costs by reducing construction permitting delays and accelerating what Ben calls the three R's: Revenues, Rents, and Royalties.

On today's episode, Beck sits down with Philip Merrick, CEO of pgEdge, for an honest conversation about the importance of working with people you enjoy. Together, they discuss everything from the slow-burning evolution of technology to AI to speeding up data access across the globe. 

On today's episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Drew Mercer, Co-Founder and CEO of PayGround. Drew shares how his cancer diagnosis and the birth of his third child threw him into a whirlwind of medical bills, and how that chaos sparked the idea for PayGround. They also discuss why hustle and humility, not just expertise, can truly make a difference in startup life.  

On today's episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Mason Mincey, Co-Founder and COO of Soarce. If you've ever wondered how plant waste can be transformed into materials eight times stronger than steel or what it's like to scale a hardware company at hyperspeed, you're in the right place. From material science breakthroughs to the gritty realities of manufacturing in the U.S., Mason shares how Soarce is turning ideas into execution at scale.

Today's episode featured a conversation with Dan Beck, the Co-founder and CEO of 401GO. Dan shares his journey working alongside his brother and why staying curious and problem-focused is the heart of entrepreneurship.

On today's episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Charlie Silver, Co-Founder and CEO of Ruby Bio. Charlie unpacks the real challenges of bringing biotech innovations to market, the lessons learned from past successes and failures, and why humility and intellectual honesty are crucial in the world of synthetic biology.  

On today's episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Edward Tian, Co-Founder and CEO of GPTZero. Edward shares the raw, behind-the-scenes realities of building a mission-driven company born from a thesis project at Princeton. Edward opens up about preserving critical thinking, combating "brain rot," and why founders should always build for writers.