The Accelerator with Michael Conniff

In a captivating discussion, Marek Palys, co-founder and Head of Sales at Startup House, spoke with Michael Conniff about the unique value proposition of his company in serving startups. 

Marek's entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 26 when he and his best friend decided to quit their jobs and establish their first company, a decision that would lay the groundwork for their future endeavors.

Despite the inherent risks, the pair embarked on this journey driven by a shared vision and unwavering determination. This experience endowed them with invaluable insights and skills that would eventually inform the foundation of Startup House. Today, Startup House stands as a testament to their entrepreneurial spirit, offering a holistic suite of services designed exclusively for startups.

Unlike traditional development firms, Startup House is dedicated to becoming an all-inclusive platform for startups, helping them at every stage, from ideation and concept validation to technology selection, design, and team building. Operating internationally, Startup House has grown rapidly since its inception in 2016, servicing around 80 startups with a full-time staff of 100 people.

Marek emphasized the importance of organic SEO and referrals in their business growth, alongside participation in significant trade shows. He underlined the industry-agnostic approach of Startup House, with their client portfolio spanning diverse sectors. On the topic of successful entrepreneurship, Marek advocated for focus, open-mindedness, and the willingness to embrace potential failure. He underscored the need for feedback from users even before coding begins.

Marek highlighted a few projects of which Startup House is particularly proud, including global initiatives addressing carbon footprints, apps connecting users with NGOs, and cybersecurity solutions. The company's ability to nurture the growth journeys of its client startups, some of which are backed by notable investors like Gen 0 VC, keeps the prospect of nurturing a future unicorn alive. Startup House is more than a technological solution provider - it is a catalyst for startup growth and success.

Join us for an invigorating episode of 'The Accelerator', as host Michael Conniff engages in a rich conversation with Russell Brand, the Director at Responsible Solutions Limited and Entrepreneur in Residence at the Founders Institute. This episode unveils the inspiring journey of Responsible Solutions, a company that emerged in 1994 to introduce open-source technologies to the federal government, a venture that ended up saving taxpayers about a quarter billion dollars over seven years.

Russell sheds light on their journey towards assisting companies in prioritizing efficiency, sustainability, and employee wellbeing. Through this mission, they unearthed that focusing on these elements not only nurtures a healthier work environment but also propels profitability and customer satisfaction, an invaluable combination for all modern businesses.

Recently, their attention has pivoted towards early-stage companies, aiding them in breaking free from the inertia of conventional business practices and steering towards a 'better way'. Russell, an experienced software professional since the 1970s, brings a fascinating perspective, sharing anecdotes from programming wire punch boards to keypunch cards.

An exciting highlight of this episode is when Russell mentions his collaboration with business partner Chris Voltz and the unique skillset they developed: 'finding the hidden gems' in new startups. Many companies that enter their program have achieved amazing feats but often overlook to mention them.

One aspect that sets this conversation apart is when Russell delves into the strong commitment of Responsible Solutions toward mental health awareness. They strive to eliminate the stigma around mental health and utilize superior technologies to address these pertinent issues, an effort that further emphasizes their dedication to responsible entrepreneurship.

To fully appreciate this comprehensive narrative, it's recommended that you also tune into our previous episode featuring Chris Voltz, Russell's business partner. By hearing both sides of the story, you can form a well-rounded picture of their shared vision for corporate innovation, sustainability, and responsible entrepreneurship.

So, whether you're intrigued by the fusion of conventional methods with new-age innovations, the synergistic relationship between profitability and corporate citizenship, or the importance of mental health in the corporate world, this episode is a trove of insights. Tune in and uncover these fascinating tales of startup growth and business responsibility.

Welcome to another inspiring episode of The Accelerator with your host, Michael Conniff! In this episode, we're diving deep into telehealth with our special guest, Jordan Schley, the trailblazing founder of Care2Talk.

Born out of a personal need to connect with his grandfather during the pandemic, Jordan's vision quickly transformed into Care2Talk, a revolutionary telehealth platform tailored specifically for seniors. It's not just a tool, but a lifeline catering to many conditions, from the nuances of aging and dementia to cognitive and developmental disabilities, brain injuries, vision impairment, and physical disabilities.

Together with the B.C. Care Providers, Ontario Long Term Care Association, and the Canadian Mental Health Association, Jordan, and his team are knocking down communication barriers for seniors, and building bridges of conversation with their families and friends.

Here's where it gets exciting! In this episode, Jordan unveils his ambitious plans to expand Care2Talk across the border, into the American healthcare landscape. It sparks a fascinating conversation about the intriguing disparities between Canadian and U.S. healthcare systems. How does Care2Talk plan to navigate these differences? Well, you'll have to tune in to find out!

This episode is brimming with insights on healthcare innovation, the future of telehealth, and strategies to enhance senior care. So, buckle up and get ready for a deep dive into the extraordinary work Jordan Schley and the Care2Talk team are doing.

In this exciting episode of the Accelerator with Michael Conniff podcast, we sit down with Dr. Arlen Meyers, Founder, President, and CEO of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs (SoPE). SoPE is a non-profit global biomedical and healthcare innovation network dedicated to helping doctors bring their ideas to life.

Join us as Dr. Meyers shares the story of how an irritating situation inspired him to create the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs. Despite not initially setting out to be an entrepreneur, he's made a significant impact by enabling physicians to turn their innovative ideas into reality.

Dr. Meyers highlights the importance of integrating entrepreneurship into medical education. By doing so, doctors can provide better care to their patients by offering cutting-edge innovations firsthand. Currently, many potentially life-saving ideas never reach patients due to a lack of entrepreneurial skills among physicians.

To succeed as a medical entrepreneur, Dr. Meyers emphasizes the need for internal motivation, drive, and obsession. He encourages aspiring physician entrepreneurs to make their inventions personal but to avoid taking failure personally. Remember that the majority of startups don't succeed, and setbacks often have nothing to do with the individual's capabilities.

Don't miss this insightful conversation with Dr. Arlen Meyers, as we explore the powerful intersection of medicine and entrepreneurship. Tune in and get inspired to revolutionize healthcare through innovation!

In this episode, we have Aviv Shalgi as our guest. Aviv is the CEO of Solar Simplified, a company that helps homeowners, renters, and businesses save money on their monthly utility bills by connecting them to local solar farms. He's a true visionary when it comes to renewable energy, and we're excited to hear his story.

Aviv started his career working in Israeli intelligence. He has had an interesting career journey. He switched careers five times before becoming an entrepreneur. If you're someone who's questioning your career fit or wondering if you're in the right industry, you'll definitely want to tune in and hear Aviv's unique experiences and insights.

As someone who has worked both as an employee and a founder in the startup world, Aviv has a fascinating perspective on the different mindsets involved. He talks about the challenges and rewards of switching careers, and how he eventually found his true passion.

Aviv co-founded Solar Simplified in 2020, right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. But he saw an opportunity to create a business that could make a positive impact on people's lives, especially those who were struggling financially. Solar Simplified is the perfect intersection of renewable energy and financial savings, and Aviv's passion for sustainability is evident in everything he does.

So if you're interested in learning more about renewable energy and entrepreneurship, join us for this episode of The Accelerator with Michael Conniff Podcast. Aviv's story is truly inspiring, and his vision for the future is something we can all get behind!

Our guest today is Chris Foltz. He is the Global Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Founder Institute, which is the largest pre-seed startup accelerator in the world. Along with that, he is also the Managing Director at Responsible Solutions, with his partner Russell Brand.

Chris is a seasoned businessman, mentor, and startup accelerator genius. He has gone through his own struggles in life and is deeply committed to helping others overcome their challenges. He stands out in the business world with his people-first approach toward entrepreneurship. He brings a ton of experience and expertise to the table. He is a true champion of entrepreneurship and is committed to helping startups succeed.

Chris shares his experience as a mentor at Founder Institute, where he has worked with founders from all around the world. He speaks fondly of his experience with the cannabis industry. 

He opens up about his personal struggles with trauma and addiction, spending 119 days in jail, and how he used these experiences as a driving force to embark on his entrepreneurial journey. He emphasizes the importance of being an authentic mentor and shares the difference between authenticity and honesty.

As an experienced investor, Chris shares a key factor that sets startups apart, and you definitely don't want to miss this! Hint, it's not a groundbreaking innovation that makes a startup stand out. Tune in to find out what it is!

Chris has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with startups, and his insights are invaluable. One of the key takeaways from his discussion is the difference between short-term and long-term success for startups. 

This episode is packed with inspiring stories, lessons learned, and advice for anyone looking to take the leap into the world of startups.

In today’s episode of The Accelerator with Michael Conniff, we're excited to bring you an exciting conversation featuring Sam Bogoch, CEO of Axle AI. Axle AI is a cutting-edge company using AI to revolutionize the media industry and make media smarter. Axle AI is the home of radically simple AI-driven MAM, no-code video workflows, and collaborative browser editing.

What's really cool about Axle AI is that they're focused on serving business clients, rather than just individual consumers. But Sam has hopes for the future, and he's optimistic that Axle AI's technology will eventually be available to everyone.

During the episode, Sam shares some fascinating insights into the early days of Axle AI, which dates back to 2018. At that time, the process of tagging media was a manual and time-consuming task - but with the help of AI, Axle AI is able to streamline and automate that process.

Sam offers his perspective on where AI is headed in the next 5 to 10 years, and what we can expect from this exciting technology. Tune in for an insightful and thought-provoking conversation. 

At The Accelerator with Michael Conniff, we bring you insights into the world of disruptive startups and the entrepreneurs behind them. In this episode, recorded in October 2022, we catch up with Brian Cordero, the Founder, and CEO of Greenclick Technologies, a company that is shaking up the car rental service industry.

Greenclick Technologies is the world's first 24/7 car rental service at hotels, providing on-site car fleets from 5-30 cars to cater to guests' needs when other rentals don't. Their self-serve valet box is the first of its kind in the world and is placed directly in bespoke hotels, connecting guests with exotic rentals. Using custom-tailored data analytics and machine learning, Greenclick Technologies creates new insights for clients and provides an exceptional customer experience.

In this episode, Brian shares the story behind his idea for the company, which was sparked by a personal experience with a parking ticket. He also discusses the importance of hiring a technical founder in a startup and how it has been critical to the success of Greenclick Technologies.

Tune in to this exciting episode of The Accelerator with Michael Conniff to learn more about how Greenclick Technologies is disrupting the car rental service industry and providing a solution to a common problem faced by hotel guests. With their innovative 24/7 service and self-serve valet box, Greenclick Technologies is making waves in the industry, and you don't want to miss out on this insightful conversation.

We recently had the pleasure of hosting Amina Patterson, former Head of Operations at AlphaCode, on The Accelerator with Michael Conniff podcast. Amina is an experienced strategist and startup supporter who shared her insights on the thriving startup scene in South Africa and her time at AlphaCode.

AlphaCode is an accelerator that provides a physical workspace and virtual platform for financial services entrepreneurs. Their mission is to identify exceptional individuals with innovative ideas that have the potential to transform the financial services industry. AlphaCode offers an intensive business training program to equip these entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Additionally, they provide personalized mentorship to guide them through their startup journey and facilitate peer-to-peer learning opportunities.

During the episode, Amina discussed her passion for entrepreneurship and how it led her to support startups. She also shared her experience working at AlphaCode and the valuable resources they provide for entrepreneurs.

If you're interested in learning more about the exciting startup landscape in South Africa or the support and resources available for financial services entrepreneurs, be sure to tune in to our podcast episode featuring Amina Patterson.

Welcome to The Accelerator with Michael Conniff, where we talk to trailblazers in the world of startups and venture capital. In this episode, we sit down with Brandon Shelton, the founder and managing partner of TFX Capital, an early-stage technology venture capital firm that invests in service-driven, high-performing, and commercially tested military and national security Veterans.

Brandon passionately believes that Veterans make great startup founders because of their experience in service. With over 20 years of military, financial, strategy, and operational experience, he brings a unique perspective to investing. TFX Capital's mission is to solve real-world issues by using technology to build ideas that are not new to our society.

During our conversation, we discussed how Veterans' training and experience in high-intensity and change environments have prepared them to handle the challenges of running a startup. Brandon also highlighted the importance of resilience, which comes naturally to those who have been on active duty, as it is an essential characteristic for running a successful startup.

If you're interested in learning more about how Veterans can make great startup founders or want to discover the exciting work that TFX Capital is doing, be sure to listen to this episode of The Accelerator with Michael Conniff.

In this episode, we're talking about an innovative platform that's shaking up the industry and empowering artists like never before. Our guest is Kofi Mensah, the brilliant mind behind SAGOS DISTRO.Kofi is the CEO of SAGOS DISTRO.

Originally from Ghana, Kofi moved to New York seven years ago with a background in music management. He started SAGOS as a side hustle while working in accounting, but his passion for entrepreneurship soon took over. He went on to work with tech firms in music management, and that's how SAGOS Distro was born.

So what makes SAGOS so special? Well, it's a music licensing and distribution aggregator with NFT minting technology that's designed for any active music business. That means labels, recording studios, producers, artist managers, music tech companies, and collectives can all benefit from this innovative platform.

And the numbers speak for themselves. As of early 2023, SAGOS has over 19,000 songs in their catalog, with more on the way. They're in the process of onboarding over 600,000 more songs from different music management companies from the US, Africa, Asia, and Europe. And get this, some of these management companies don't just offer music and video, but also animated music videos. Talk about a game-changer!

The music management industry has a notorious reputation for exploitation, but SAGOS is here to change that. They're a breath of fresh air, rising above the negative reputation of music management and empowering artists and industry professionals like never before.

Join us for an episode that is both engaging and informative.

In this episode, the CEO of Arrow, Rolan Reichel, and Michael had a motivating conversation. Small businesses are being helped by the company to increase their social influence, their impact, and their revenue. With the use of artificial intelligence and a pending patent, Arrow, businesses may use content creation to gain the impact they require. Every company, according to Rolan, is involved in the creation of content, and the companies that succeed are the ones that are able to maintain all of their social media content relevant and interesting.

Rolan has had a career in marketing and technology for more than 15 years. He used his work experience to become an entrepreneur and went on to start Arrow. Discover how Arrow's main objective to promote economic prosperity for the little guy is driven by his love for assisting small enterprises. Rolan talks about how small businesses have a special place in his heart since he grew up in a household that ran a small business. His parents owned a small business in Austin Texas where he grew up.

There has never been a better opportunity to step up your social media game with 41 million individuals employed by small enterprises. What distinguishes Arrow from its rivals is the capacity to create material that is ready to use and doesn't require further input.

Tune in to hear how small businesses in a variety of industries, such as insurance and toy firms, are creating and managing content with Arrow's cutting-edge platform.

Get ready for an engaging conversation as Michael sits down with the unstoppable Jennifer Eden, CEO, and Co-founder of Tampon Tribe. Jennifer, together with her business partner Gabriela Alves(Gaby), embarked on a journey to create a company that is truly making a difference in the world. It all began in Beijing, where Jennifer worked on marketing for Gaby's restaurant. Their successful partnership led to the sale of the restaurant and the start of a new chapter as business partners, with Tampon Tribe at the forefront.

Tampon Tribe is revolutionizing the period product industry with its 100% certified organic cotton and plastic-free period products. Their mission is simple, yet powerful: to eliminate all toxins from period products. Jennifer sheds light on the importance of using organic period products, especially for people suffering from endocrine system disorders.

Jennifer's personal struggles with endometriosis led her to seek alternative period products, and ultimately, led to the creation of Tampon Tribe. Their journey was not without its challenges, but they overcame them all with resilience and grit. And the timing couldn't have been better, coming at a time when the sustainability revolution was gaining momentum.

One of the most striking facts Jennifer shares is that plastic period products, including tampon applicators and pad wraps, have the shortest lifespan of single-use plastics on the planet. But Tampon Tribe is a game-changer, as they are making organic, sustainable, and compostable products that are changing the lives of people and the planet.

Get ready to be inspired and motivated by this truly uplifting conversation. Don't miss out on the chance to learn from a company that's not only successful in business but is also making a real difference in the world. Tune in and be part of the Tampon Tribe revolution.

In today's episode, we sit down with the CEO and Founder of Mall IQ, Batu Sat, to learn more about his AI-powered geofencing solution that is taking the banking, fintech, merchant, and e-commerce industries by storm. The company offers the most scalable and privacy-first Location Intelligence & AI Platform for mobile apps that is store-level accurate, both indoor & outdoor without any hardware deployments.

With over 6 million users across 25 countries, including countries in North America, the Middle East, and Asia, Mall IQ's technology is empowering companies to truly understand their customers' needs and offer them only the most relevant information. Say goodbye to irrelevant spam notifications and hello to a more personalized experience!

Mall IQ's application goes beyond just customer satisfaction. The technology is also being utilized for fraud detection and prevention. The company enables its clients to better monetize their current customers and increase revenues & their most important KPIs such as activation, frequency, wallet share & retention via curated real-time mobile engagement.

And with partnerships with major players such as Microsoft, KPMG, and Oracle, Mall IQ is revolutionizing the industry by offering its cutting-edge technology as an add-on to its partners' products.

But operating across 12 time zones is no easy feat. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work, something that Mall IQ prides itself on providing to its clients.

So if you're interested in learning more about how AI-powered geo-fencing is changing the game for businesses, tune in now to hear from the expert himself, Batu Sat.

In this episode, Michael sits down for a chat with Courtney Presto, the CEO and Founder of Presto(https://presto.social/). This is a revolutionary social media platform that's changing the game for content creators everywhere! With Presto, artists no longer have to struggle to monetize their content - they can start earning as soon as they sign up. This is the first social media platform that monetizes artists with no barrier to entry.

Courtney isn't just talking the talk. She's walking the walk. She's a seasoned content creator with a background in film production and computer science and engineering. And with her experience in market research and the entertainment industry, she understands the challenges that content creators face.

 Presto boasts a truly remarkable global network, working with innovative content creators from an impressive 22 countries. And here's the best part: Presto eliminates the barriers to entry, making it easier for content creators to turn their passion into a livelihood.

One of the highlights from the episode is when she talks about monetization for content creators. The path to monetization is a difficult one for content creators. It can take a minimum of six months for a new content creator to make their first dollar. But with Presto, that uphill climb just got a whole lot smoother.

Tune in to an enlightening episode on content monetization.

In this episode, Michael Conniff sits down with SK Lee, the dynamic founder of The Launch Coaching Lab and successful angel investor. Lee is making a huge impact in the world of startup acceleration, bringing her unique combination of legal and economic knowledge to the table.

As a self-proclaimed "boss lady," Lee believes that businesses can not only be profitable, but also have a meaningful mission that positively impacts society. She is passionate about providing founders with the practical guidance and support they need to succeed, beyond just capital.

One of Lee's key insights is that founders also need therapy in addition to coaching. By exploring their past experiences and motivations, therapy can help them understand their journey thus far and coaching helps them move forward with confidence. 

Don't miss this fascinating episode of The Accelerator with Michael Conniff, tune in to hear SK Lee's inspiring perspective on the world of startups and coaching.