Venture Everywhere

Tuomo Laine is the cofounder of Rentle, a circular economy platform that empowers merchants to expand commerce from unit sales to service, from ownership to access - while retaining full control of their customer experience. Prior to Rentle, Tuomo was a founder and a teacher at Aalto University School of Science and Technology. This episode is hosted by Eamonn Carey, General Partner at Tera Ventures and LP in Everywhere VC. In this interview, Eamonn and Tuomo dive into e-commerce platforms, working with merchants in the circular economy, and how to measure success. Hear the start and pivots of Rentle, and lessons learned from other Scandinavian startups. Listen till the end for Tuomo’s take on the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Finland, and his two favorite podcasts! If you liked this episode, please give us a rating wherever you found us and be sure to subscribe to Venture Everywhere. To learn more about our work, visit Everywhere.vc and ideas.everywhere.vc on Substack. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates and news.

Jeff Chen is the cofounder and CEO of Radicle Science, an AI-driven healthtech B-Corp providing history's first Proof-as-a-Service solution for non-pharmaceuticals to easily prove true effects. Prior to Radicle, he was the Founder & former Director of UCLA’s Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids. Jeff has also advised Senator Feinstein’s Office, Governor Hickenlooper’s Office, the Mexico Senate, and the Royal Court of the Kingdom of Bhutan. This episode is hosted by Scott Hartley, co-founder and general partner of Everywhere Ventures (previously The Fund). In this interview, Scott and Jeff take an in-depth look at what it means to start a new market category, and what it takes to truly differentiate and lead the field in product offerings. Learn Jeff’s contrarian take on effective clinical trials, and hear Scott’s quip on an effective marketing strategy. Listen till the end for superpowers and productivity hacks! If you liked this episode, please give us a rating wherever you found us and be sure to subscribe to Venture Everywhere. To learn more about our work, visit Everywhere.vc and ideas.everywhere.vc on Substack. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates and news.

Mark Straub is the founder and CEO of Smile ID, the leading digital KYC (know your customer) and identity verification provider in Africa. Smile ID helps companies scale rapidly across Africa by confirming the identity of their users in real time, using any smartphone or computer. Prior to Smile, Mark was a venture investor for more than a decade at Khosla Impact and DFJ, covering multiple continents including South Asia and Africa. This episode is hosted by Jenny Fielding, co-founder and managing partner of Everywhere Ventures (previously The Fund). In this interview, Jenny and Mark discuss the layers of complexity involved in doing business in African countries, and how the idea of creating an “Africa stack” came about. Learn how Mark was inspired by his VC experience and portfolio founders to transition from investor to founder. Listen till the end for a comparison on the mentality of an investor vs founder and an unusual superpower! If you liked this episode, please give us a rating wherever you found us and be sure to subscribe to Venture Everywhere. To learn more about our work, visit Everywhere.vc and ideas.everywhere.vc on Substack. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates and news.

Nicole Dunn is the co-founder and COO of Revio, a company building the recurring payments and revenue assurance infrastructure for emerging markets, starting with Africa. Revio helps businesses reduce payment failures and arrears. Nicole is also an early stage investor and has worked with over 60 startups on a mission to unlock unrealized entrepreneurial potential in Africa.This episode is hosted by Scott Hartley, co-founder and general partner of Everywhere Ventures (previously The Fund). In this interview, Scott and Nicole explore the challenges and opportunities in the African payment landscape, and how to prioritize go-to-market strategies in a complex market. Nicole shares with us her journey from growing up in South Africa to getting exposure to diverse perspectives and to co-founding Revio. Learn about Scott’s realization of his entrepreneurial identity and Nicole’s hot take on raising a smaller pre-seed round that forces a focus on traction. Listen till the end for their contrarian views and superpowers! If you liked this episode, please give us a rating wherever you found us and be sure to subscribe to Venture Everywhere. To learn more about our work, visit Everywhere.vc and ideas.everywhere.vc on Substack. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates and news.

Kiaan Pillay is the co-founder and CEO of Stitch, providing payments solutions to help businesses seamlessly connect to the financial system. Stitch builds developer-friendly infrastructure, APIs and tools that simplify and optimize the task of creating delightful financial experiences. Prior to Stitch, Kiaan was the co-founder of Pelichat. This episode is hosted by Jenny Fielding, co-founder and general partner of Everywhere Ventures (previously The Fund). In this interview, Jenny and Kiaan dive into the world of APIs and payment infrastructure. They discuss growth trends and opportunities in South Africa, as well as pursuing venture funding from different sources. Learn about a pivotal gift at the age of ten that sparked the entrepreneurial curiosity in Kiaan. And listen till the end for Kiaan’s current read and his favorite productivity hack! If you liked this episode, please give us a rating wherever you found us and be sure to subscribe to Venture Everywhere. To learn more about our work, visit Everywhere.vc and ideas.everywhere.vc on Substack. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates and news.

Sophia Edelstein is the co-founder and co-CEO of Pair Eyewear, the first direct-to-consumer, customizable eyewear brand reimagining the experience for those who wear glasses. With Pair, adults and children can quickly and easily switch up the style of their glasses in a snap. Sophia is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and on the Inc. Magazine Female Founders 100 list.This interview is hosted by Jules Ehrhardt, partner at FKTRY, a Creative Capital Studio, and an LP in Everywhere Ventures (previously The Fund). In this interview, Sophia and Jules explore Pair’s three-pronged approach to marketing, attracting new customers organically and methodically, and retaining customers from the first purchase. Learn about using personalization as the value prop and putting sustainability and accessibility at the forefront. Listen till the end for Sophia and her cofounder’s road trip to settle on a new home base for their startup! If you liked this episode, please give us a rating wherever you found us and be sure to subscribe to Venture Everywhere. To learn more about our work, visit Everywhere.vc and ideas.everywhere.vc on Substack. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates and news.

Pierina Merino is the founder and CEO of FlickPlay, the first platform to build a commerce and experience layer for digital toys connected to the culture of locations and their communities. Fans can own and play with digital toys from their favorite characters, and engage with other fans through shared love and connection. Pierina’s former life was in architecture and design, launching the first 3D-printed product brand to sell nationally at Nordstrom. This episode is hosted by Anna Barber, Partner at M13 and LP in Everywhere Ventures (previously The Fund), also a former founder. In this interview, Pierina and Anna discuss transforming on-screen characters into real world connections. Hear their thoughts on what drives the next generation of consumer products, content, and engagements. Don’t miss Pierina’s hot take on walled garden experiences on social media and her predictions for a mixed-reality future! If you liked this episode, please give us a rating wherever you found us and be sure to subscribe to Venture Everywhere. To learn more about our work, visit Everywhere.vc and ideas.everywhere.vc on Substack. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates and news.

Aidan Larkin is the co-founder and CEO of Asset Reality, the first end-to-end solution for complex asset recovery. Aidan was a former criminal tax inspector for HM Revenue & Customs in the UK and the world's first seized crypto auctioneer. He was featured in The Economists film ‘Tracking the Traffickers’ and BBC One’s ‘Ill Gotten Gains’ series. This episode is hosted by Scott Hartley, co-founder and general partner of Everywhere Ventures (previously The Fund).  In this interview, Scott and Aidan discuss the art and science of recovering digital assets. Discover how the IRS has recovered more in digital assets than the entire US law enforcement effort, and how a single Bitcoin seizure by the Metropolitan Police in London was worth more than the entire country’s known digital assets! Listen for the factors making it conducive for a country to adopt new forms of payment and also be more susceptible to asset scams. Plus a few tidbits about Aidan’s background that makes him well-suited to his endeavor. If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe to Venture Everywhere and give us a rating wherever you found us. To learn more about our work, visit Everywhere.vc and subscribe to our Founders Everywhere Substack. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates and news.

Christina Ross, founder of Cube, and Jenny Fielding, co-founder of Everywhere Ventures, discuss the challenges of finance, the creation of Cube, FPNA importance, and tips on closing sales. They also touch on productivity and introduce a pre-seed fund.

Ben Huffman is the co-founder and CEO of Contra, the all-in-one platform for independent workers, project-based portfolios, and freelance opportunities. Prior to Contra, Ben co-founded Ripe which was acquired by Hungry in 2020. Ben is also a music producer and audio engineer.  This episode is hosted by Joy Jing, Head of Community at Everywhere Ventures (previously The Fund). In this interview, Joy and Ben explore Contra’s unique commission-free, independents-first model. Hear their thoughts on originality in the age of generative art, creative ownership in the world of synthetic work, and thoughts on up-skilling with AI. Listen till the end for Ben’s favorite podcast that makes founders extremely informed and paranoid, and one nature-inspired productivity hack that is readily doable for everyone. If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe to Venture Everywhere and give us a rating wherever you found us. To learn more about our work, visit Everywhere.vc and subscribe to our Founders Everywhere Substack. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates and news.