#107 Micah Stateson: One Man's Waste Removal

When it comes to diversity and inclusion in the workforce, auticon US is doing just that. David Aspinall, CEO of auticon US, shares how autistic individuals are thinking differently about solving their clients most challenging technological issues. By restructuring their hiring process, supportive job coaching and client management, autistic individuals are finding valuable careers in the workforce that fit their strengths.

Learn more about auticon US here: www.auticon.com/us/

Learn more about Innovate Fort Worth here: www.innovatefortworthpodcast.com

For cancer patients going through chemotherapy, hair loss can be a heartbreaking reality. Lisa Ferrand, CEO of Warrior Caps, is preserving hair from chemotherapy hair loss through her cold cap technology. Her cold caps are sub-zero gel-lined “beanies” that freeze the hair follicle and increases retention of hair during chemotherapy. As a cancer survivor herself, she understands the delicate relationship that people have with their hair and how helping them preserve this sense of normalcy can help them navigate this difficult disease.

Learn more about Warrior Caps here: https://warriorcaps.com

Learn more about HSC Next here: https://www.hscnext.com

When it comes to local community impact, banks play a big role. Meet Brendan McGuire, Regional President of PNC Bank in North Texas. Brendan oversees PNC's lines of business, sponsorship, philanthropy, and branding efforts that are crucial to PNC's national main street banking model. With active roles in various local community organizations, McGuire is recognized as one of the most influential leaders in North Texas. He sheds light on PNC's national footprint, small town feel and its longstanding commitment to supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. McGuire shares insights on where he thinks the North Texas economy is headed, shares advice for entrepreneurs with crazy ideas, and provides valuable banking insights for startups.

Learn more about PNC Bank at www.pnc.com

Learn more about HSC Next at www.hscnext.com

Panthera BioSolutions is a company that's reshaping the landscape of pharmaceutical and biotech innovation. Founded in 2021 by visionaries Hardik Patel and Jason Mastoris, Panthera stands at the forefront of addressing long-standing unmet needs in the industry. Their approach to include the introduction of first-to-market, ready-to-use, leasable cleanrooms in North Texas. Learn how these spaces empower local companies to seamlessly scale up to GMP standards, supporting clinical trial execution, and optimizing costs, as well as educating the future of biotech work force.

Learn more about Panthera BioSolutions at https://www.pantherabiosolutions.com

Learn more about Innovate Fort Worth at www.innovatefortworthpodcast.com

Learn more about HSC Next at www.hscnext.com

Most entrepreneurs are too busy innovating and growing their companies to advocate for themselves in our nation’s capital. But our guest on this first edition of a new series called “The Big Picture” is working to bring the message that entrepreneurship is critical to the future of the American economy to our lawmakers and policymakers in Washington, DC. Meet John Dearie, the Founder and CEO of the Center for American Entrepreneurship, a non-profit research, policy and advocacy organization that works to achieve a policy environment that promotes new business formation, survival and growth. John shares his work at the national level with our audience and sheds light on some local issues that startups and innovators face around the country.

To learn more about the Center for American Entrepreneurship, visit: https://www.startupsusa.org/

To learn more about the Innovate Fort Worth podcast, visit: https://www.innovatefortworthpodcast.com/

To learn more about HSC Next, visit: https://www.hscnext.com/

The producers who work behind the scenes of the podcast join our host to look back on the year that was 2023. Kendel Rogers from HSC Next and Rob Upchurch of RobMakesPods Productions share their experiences of making Innovate Fort Worth and growing it to over 100 episodes. They also share stories of their favorite guests that stood out throughout the year. Kendel, Rob and Cameron discuss some trends in innovation that they saw this year and they reveal the top five episodes of all time. They also share a sneak peek of what is to come in 2024!

One of the most impactful business organizations in Fort Worth in the past 50 years is the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (FWHCC). And the president who is leading that charge through innovation and intentional community programs is Anette Landeros. The FWHCC has developed new programs to better serve their membership and the Historic Northside with revitalization and activation planning. With the announcement of the Main Street America pilot program, accessible pitch competitions, Lanzar Fort Worth featuring the Kauffman Foundation’s Fast Trac program, the Hecho en Fort Worth initiative, and much more, Anette is rapidly improving Hispanic business community in Fort Worth.  

To learn more about the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, visit them at https://fwhcc.org

To learn more about Innovate Fort Worth, visit https://innovatefortworthpodcast.com

What started as a digital community space for women in her community, Victoria Wise realized she was on to something that could have much bigger impact. Tanglewood Moms was the platform that helped launch the media publication Madeworthy that shares original content for family audiences in Fort Worth. Her publications have created a new source for local information that are contributing to the growing culture of Fort Worth.

To learn more about Made Worthy and Tangelwood Moms, visit them at https://tanglewoodmoms.com/madeworthy-magazine/

To learn more about Innovate Fort Worth, visit https://innovatefortworthpodcast.com

When it comes to trash collection, Micah Stateson wouldn’t say it is his dream job. But owning his own business was. While working at a local defense contractor he dreamed of the day he could be his own boss. When he dove into research around multi-family trash collection, he saw an opportunity and decided to change how it was done. Through intentionality and quality service, Micah started Optimized Waste Removal and brought back the business operations and services that are lost in today’s world. He shares how he eventually took the plunge into entrepreneurship, the lessons he has learned he hard way, and how future entrepreneurs can follow in his footsteps. 

To learn more about Optimized Waste Removal,  visit them at https://www.optimizedwasteremoval.com

To learn more about Innovate Fort Worth, visit https://www.innovatefortworthpodcast.com

Healthcare is changing every day, and AmritaGen is pioneering the discovery of a new gene therapy for treating neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. James Simpkins is the CEO of AmritaGen, a company seeking to rebuild brain circuits and stimulate neurological activity in people with mild cognitive impairment. This therapy method can be utilized for delivering drug treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), sporadic AD (sAD), Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and Traumatic Brain Injury. 

To learn more about AmritaGen, vist them at https://amritagen.com

To learn more about Innovate Fort Worth, visit https://innovatefortworthpodcast.com