

Forward Thinking Founders
Mat Sherman
Forward Thinking Founders is a founder podcast where we interview high potential founders from networks like Y Combinator, The Thiel Fellowship, Product Hunt, Twitter, etc. and brings to light what they're building for the world. Think of it like the opposite of How I Built This, where we interview founders before they are successful, then if they are, we have a moment in time we can look back on in the early days. Does the model work? Look at our early interviews and you'll have your answer.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 13, 2025 • 46min
955 - Building The Personal Agentic Computing Stack w/ Simp4Satoshi (Truffle)
Delve into the groundbreaking Truffle device, designed for local inference in humanoid robotics. Explore the speaker's fascinating upbringing in the Middle East and its influence on their tech journey. Discuss the potential of AI agents that could surpass human economies and the central role of cryptocurrency in this future. Hear a critique of Sam Altman, labeled the 'Antichrist' of Silicon Valley, alongside a critical look at the supposed meritocracy in tech. Unpack the need for a catalyst to spark true innovation in today's landscape.

Jan 10, 2025 • 37min
954 - Building In The Age Of AI w/ Vidy Thatte
In this conversation, Mat Sherman and Vidy Thatte discuss the journey of building various products, the challenges faced in startups, and the impact of AI on creativity and storytelling. Vidy shares insights on his experiences with different projects, the evolution of his ideas, and the importance of learning to code in the age of AI. They also explore the future of AI in creative industries and the potential shift in how we perceive characters in storytelling.
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Jan 8, 2025 • 39min
953 - Disrupting Docusign By Creating a Free E-Signature Platform w/ Marty Ringlein (Agree.com)
In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, Mat Sherman interviews Marty Ringlein, cofounder of agree.com. They discuss the critical elements of growth, the importance of storytelling in sales, and the journey of launching Agree.com. Marty shares insights on the significance of trust in branding, the strategies for funding and growth, and the lessons learned from his entrepreneurial journey. In this conversation, Mat Sherman and Marty discuss the importance of recognizing when to delegate expertise, the role of investors in supporting founders, and the significance of building long-term relationships. They also explore leveraging competitor brands for market advantage and the impact of category selection when launching products. The discussion concludes with rapid-fire insights from Marty on various topics, emphasizing the need for adaptability in the ever-evolving tech landscape.
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Jan 6, 2025 • 43min
952 - Helping Founders Raise VC The Right Way w/ Stéphane Nasser
In this episode, Mat Sherman sits down with Stéphane Nasser to explore the evolution of OpenVC, a platform bridging the gap between founders and investors. Steph shares his personal journey—from living in Portugal to China—and reflects on the challenges of fundraising and the critical role of founder education and support. Together, they dive into the startup ecosystem, discussing the importance of screening submissions, transferable skills, and the emotional and psychological dimensions of entrepreneurship. They also tackle the reality of startup success, the need to build personal wealth before seeking venture capital, and the often-overlooked nuances of early-stage investing. Finally, the conversation sheds light on the role of fundraising advisors, offering insights into due diligence and caution for founders navigating this space. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in the startup journey and the intricacies of venture funding.
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Jul 22, 2024 • 29min
951 - PK & Evan Einhorn (Loanscape) On Building Software To Work With Third Party Originators
In this episode, I interview Pramod Kollamparambil & Evan Einhorn, founders of Loanscape. Loanscape is the modern way to onboard, renew and monitor third party originators. I hope you enjoy this interview!
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Feb 2, 2024 • 26min
950 - Aidan Gold, Partner at HyperGuap
From the HyperGuap website: Aidan built the HyperGuap VC syndicate and fund alongside Gali. Prior to that, Aidan was the Chief of Staff and managed investor relations at eGenesis, a biotech startup that has raised $260M+ to help solve the organ shortage. Before that, Aidan was analyzing investment opportunities for a family office and played a pivotal role in supporting emerging biotech startups through several large financings, IPOs, and drug approvals. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.S. in Neuroscience.
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Jan 1, 2024 • 12min
949 - Ryan Pace (Involio) On Enabling Verified Social Investing
Ryan Pace is the cofounder of Involio. Involio is the new home for traders across all markets to find and follow verified trades.
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Jan 1, 2024 • 20min
948 - Christian Oswald (Rainf4ll) On Enabling The Digital Verification Of Physical Items
Christian Oswald is the founder of Rainf4ll. Having a Rainf4ll enabled item means that you can now have physical items that contain a digital certificate of authenticity, ownership, and event history that continues to grow over time.
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Jan 1, 2024 • 9min
947 - Danilo Dominici (LaundryBud) On Building Uber For Laundry
In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, host Mat Sherman sits down with Danilo Dominici, the founder of LaundryBud. They discuss how Laundry Bud is revolutionizing the laundry industry by providing on-demand laundry services to time-pressed college students. Danilo shares his vision for the company and the challenges he faces as a solo founder. If you're interested in learning more about Laundry Bud or potentially joining the team, make sure to tune in to this insightful conversation. Don't forget to visit their website [laundrybud.com] and follow them on Instagram @laundrybudinc.
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Jan 1, 2024 • 16min
946 - Brian Machado (Globe) On Running Applied AI Experiments
Brian Machado is the cofounder of Globe. Globe is running apploed AI experiments for making better tools for better robots.
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