This is where things shift. The ideas are sharper. The stakes are higher. And every decision starts to look a lot more like a real investment call.

Utilyst is building deep infrastructure software for utilities. HAM is building lightweight AI tooling for developers. One is grounded in physical systems and regulation. The other is riding the fastest-moving wave in tech. Two B2B plays. Two completely different paths to scale.

🧠 What you’ll see in this episode:

•  AI cost is becoming a real problem → efficiency is the next wave 
• Clear problem vs. massive market defined the matchup 
• Investors want dollar impact, not just features 
• Speed + scale potential won this round

👇 Featuring the Exceptional 8 Selection Committee:

• Zakiya Alta Lee-Hill (Principal, IDEA Fund partners)
• Greg Boone (CEO of Walk West)
• Carly Connell (Principal at BCVP)

👉 Subscribe for more episodes as we move through the bracket
👉 Follow along as we go from the Exceptional 8 → Fantastic 4 → Championship

⏱️ Timestamps
 00:00 — Welcome to Tweener Madness
 00:45 — Fabulous 4 Intro: Utilist vs. HAM
 08:10 — Utilist Pitch
 13:00 — Utilist Q&A
 23:05 — HAM Pitch
 26:00 — HAM Q&A
 33:00 — Judges Feedback Begins
 33:10 — Feedback on Utilist
 35:00 — Feedback on HAM
 39:30 — Final Decision (Winner Revealed)

🎯 About Tweener Madness
Tweener Madness is run by the NC Tweener Fund, Powered by NC IDEA and showcases top startups from across North Carolina. The winner receives a $25,000 investment and statewide exposure.

--- 

Tweener Madness is hosted by Scot Wingo, run by NC Tweener Fund, Powered by NC IDEA, and brought to life by Walk West, who leads production and podcast creation.

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Platinum: 
NC IDEA: https://ncidea.org

Gold Sponsors: 
- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 
- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 
- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 
 
Silver Sponsors: 
- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 

------
Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

One is building American-made hardware for musicians. The other is building a social platform that reimagines betting without money.

Both are consumer-focused. Both are founder-driven. But only one moves forward.

🧠 What you’ll see in this episode:

•  A consumer hardware company scaling U.S.-based manufacturing 
•  A sports tech platform gamifying predictions without financial risk 
•  Live investor Q&A and real feedback 
•  The tension between venture-scale returns vs. mission-driven businesses

👇 Featuring the Exceptional 8 Selection Committee:
 - Jan Davis - RTP Angel Fund / Triangle Angel Partners
 - Robbie Hardy - Accel Ventures
 - Jen Summe - Primordial Ventures

👉 Subscribe for more episodes as we move through the bracket
👉 Follow along as we go from the Exceptional 8 → Fantastic 4 → Championship

⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 — Welcome to Tweener Madness
 00:45 — Round 4 Intro: Marla Amplification vs. Build-A-Bookie
 01:15 — Marla Amplification Pitch
 06:20 — Marla Amplification Q&A
 18:00 — Build-A-Bookie Pitch
 22:00 — Build-A-Bookie Q&A
 30:00 — Judges Feedback Begins
 30:10 — Feedback on Marla Amplification
 32:00 — Feedback on Build-A-Bookie
 33:30 — Debate: Venture vs. Lifestyle Business
 35:00 — Final Decision (Winner Revealed)

🎯 About Tweener Madness
Tweener Madness is run by the NC Tweener Fund, Powered by NC IDEA and showcases top startups from across North Carolina. The winner receives a $25,000 investment and statewide exposure.

--- 

Tweener Madness is hosted by Scot Wingo, run by NC Tweener Fund, Powered by NC IDEA, and brought to life by Walk West, who leads production and podcast creation.

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Platinum: 
NC IDEA: https://ncidea.org

Gold Sponsors: 
- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 
- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 
- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 
 
Silver Sponsors: 
- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 

------
Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

One is building real-time infrastructure to help farmers monitor and manage crops remotely. The other is creating an AI-powered coaching platform to improve how interpreters (and eventually other professions) develop skills over time.

Both are ambitious. Both are tackling real-world problems. But only one moves forward.

🧠 What you’ll see in this episode:
- An agtech startup bringing visibility + automation to farming
- An edtech platform using AI to guide workforce development
- Live investor Q&A and unfiltered feedback
- Where clarity, traction, and storytelling make (or break) a pitch

👇 Featuring the Exceptional 8 Selection Committee:
 - Jan Davis - RTP Angel Fund / Triangle Angel Partners 
 - Robbie Hardy - Accel Ventures 
 - Jen Summe - Primordial Ventures 

👉 Subscribe for more episodes as we move through the bracket
👉 Follow along as we go from the Exceptional 8 → Fantastic 4 → Championship

00:00 — Welcome to Tweener Madness
00:45 — Round 3 Intro: Druid Agriculture vs. HuVia Technologies
01:15 — Druid Agriculture Pitch
06:20 — Druid Agriculture Q&A
15:30 — HuVia Technologies Pitch
18:00 — HuVia Technologies Q&A
27:20 — Judges Feedback Begins
27:30 — Feedback on Druid Agriculture
29:50 — Feedback on HuVia Technologies
31:00 — Pitch Lessons (Clarity, Slides, Storytelling)
31:30 — Final Decision (Winner Revealed)

🎯 About Tweener Madness
Tweener Madness is run by the NC Tweener Fund, Powered by NC IDEA and showcases top startups from across North Carolina. The winner receives a $25,000 investment and statewide exposure.

--- 

Tweener Madness is hosted by Scot Wingo, run by NC Tweener Fund, Powered by NC IDEA, and brought to life by Walk West, who leads production and podcast creation.

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Platinum: 
NC IDEA: https://ncidea.org

Gold Sponsors: 
- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 
- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 
- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 
 
Silver Sponsors: 
- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 

------
Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

One is building next-gen cybersecurity to stop AI-driven exploits. The other is helping engineering teams cut AI costs and improve performance. Both are technical. Both are ambitious.
 
But only one moves forward.

🧠 What you’ll see in this episode:

•  A cybersecurity startup tackling unknown AI threats 
•  An AI infrastructure company optimizing token usage and cost 
•  Live investor Q&A and real feedback 
•  What founders get wrong (and right) when pitching technical products

👇 Featuring the Round 2 Selection Committee:

•  Jan Davis - RTP Angel Fund / Triangle Angel Partners 
•  Robbie Hardy - Accel Ventures 
•  Jen Summe - Primordial Ventures 

👉 Subscribe for more episodes as we move through the bracket
👉 Follow along as we go from the Exceptional 8 → Fantastic 4 → Championship

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 — Welcome to Tweener Madness 
00:45 — Round 2 Intro: Iguana Cyber vs. HAM
01:15 — Iguana Cyber Pitch
06:20 — Iguana Cyber Q&A

15:30 — HAM Pitch
18:00 — HAM Q&A

27:20 — Judges Feedback Begins
27:30 — Feedback on Iguana Cyber
29:50 — Feedback on HAM
31:00 — Pitch Lessons (Clarity, Jargon, Slides)

31:30 — Final Decision (Winner Revealed)

🎯 About Tweener Madness

Tweener Madness is run by the NC Tweener Fund, Powered by NC IDEA and showcases top startups from across North Carolina. The winner receives a $25,000 investment and statewide exposure.

--- 

Tweener Madness is hosted by Scot Wingo, run by NC Tweener Fund, Powered by NC IDEA, and brought to life by Walk West, who leads production and podcast creation.

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Platinum: 
NC IDEA: https://ncidea.org

Gold Sponsors: 
- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 
- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 
- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 
 
Silver Sponsors: 
- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 

------
Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

In this Round 1 matchup, Utilyst and BeneDoc step into the arena to pitch their businesses to a panel of experienced investors. Each founder has one shot to make their case, answer tough questions, and prove they deserve to advance.

One moves on. One goes home.

🧠 What you’ll see in this episode:

•  A power infrastructure startup tackling knowledge loss in utilities 
•  A healthtech company rethinking regulatory workflows with AI 
•  Live investor Q&A and real-time feedback 
•  Behind-the-scenes judge deliberation (what actually matters in a pitch) 

👇 Featuring the Round 1 Selection Committee:

•  Jan Davis - RTP Angel Fund / Triangle Angel Partners 
•  Robbie Hardy - Accel Ventures 
•  Jen Summe - Primordial Ventures 

👉 Subscribe for more episodes as we move through the bracket
👉 Follow along as we go from the Exceptional 8 → Fantastic 4 → Championship

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 — Welcome to Tweener Madness  
00:45 — Meet the Selection Committee  
03:05 — Format + What’s new this year  
05:05 — Matchup Intro: Utilyst vs. BeneDoc  
05:35 — Utilyst Pitch  
10:30 — Utilyst Q&A with Judges  
20:40 — BeneDoc Pitch  
26:15 — BeneDoc Q&A with Judges  
40:00 — Judges Deliberation Begins  
41:10 — Feedback on Utilyst  
43:10 — Feedback on BeneDoc  
46:20 — Pitch Lessons + What stood out  
49:05 — Final Decision (Winner Revealed)

🎯 About Tweener Madness

Tweener Madness is run by the NC Tweener Fund, Powered by NC IDEA and showcases top startups from across North Carolina. The winner receives a $25,000 investment and statewide exposure.

--- 

Tweener Madness is hosted by Scot Wingo, run by NC Tweener Fund, Powered by NC IDEA, and brought to life by Walk West, who leads production and podcast creation.

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Platinum: 
NC IDEA: https://ncidea.org

Gold Sponsors: 
- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 
- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 
- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 
 
Silver Sponsors: 
- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 

------
Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

• The evolution of Tweener (from list → fund → statewide platform)
• Why this competition exists (and why founders love it)
• How the bracket works
• What judges are actually looking for
• And of course… the reveal of all 8 competing companies

This isn’t just a competition. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at how early-stage investors think.

🔥 What Were the Biggest Takeaways From the Selection Show?

• Tweener officially expands statewide with NC IDEA partnership
• $4M investment from NC IDEA fuels the next phase
• 50+ startups applied from across North Carolina
• Focus on venture-scale, IP-driven companies (not lifestyle businesses)
• Real investor judges, real feedback, real decisions
• Founders iterate pitches throughout the competition
• Episodes drop starting March 31, leading to a live championship

The stage is set. The pitches are ready. Now it’s time to see who can rise above the rest.

Timestamps

•  00:00 – Welcome to Tweener Madness 2026
•  00:40 – Tweener origin story (List → Fund → Media)
•  02:40 – NC IDEA partnership + statewide expansion
•  04:00 – Why founders love this format
•  05:00 – Sponsors + ecosystem support
•  06:20 – Meet the judges
•  10:10 – How the bracket works
•  12:00 – Selection criteria explained
•  15:20 – What didn’t make the cut (and why)
•  17:40 – The Exceptional 8 revealed
•  22:20 – Bracket matchups
•  23:30 – What’s next + episode schedule

--- 

This episode of Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by NC Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West. 

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Platinum: 
NC IDEA: https://ncidea.org

Gold Sponsors: 
- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 
- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 
- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 
 
Silver Sponsors: 
- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 
- Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html 

------
Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

In this episode, we unpack one of the fastest-evolving roles in modern startups. Evan shares how he went from using ChatGPT as a college student and new BDR to helping build AI-powered systems inside one of the Triangle’s best-known software companies.

The conversation covers how AI is changing outbound sales, why intent signals matter more than generic research, how tools like Clay, Cursor, Cloud Code, Lovable, n8n, and Supabase fit into a modern GTM stack, and why great go-to-market engineering is about making humans better, not replacing them.

Highlights Covered

• What a go-to-market engineer is and why the role is growing fast
• How Evan turned experimentation as a BDR into a new AI-focused role at Pendo
• Why intent signals + research create stronger outbound outreach than either one alone
• How Pendo uses AI to make BDRs faster, more focused, and more effective
• The difference between SDR inbound signals and BDR outbound signals
• How tools like Clay help enrich leads, personalize messages, and trigger outreach quickly
• Why the CRM still matters as the source of truth in an AI-heavy workflow
• How Evan builds internal dashboards using Salesforce, Supabase, Lovable, n8n, and Cloud Code
• Why GTM engineering is likely to split into multiple specialties over time
• How AI can increase sales productivity without replacing the people doing the work

If you’re a founder, operator, or revenue leader trying to understand where AI fits into your go-to-market motion, this episode is a practical look at what that future already looks like inside a fast-moving North Carolina company.

Timestamps:

• 05:05 — Meet Evan Inscoe from Pendo
• 08:05 — Evan’s background and discovering AI early
• 10:28 — What a BDR actually does
• 13:04 — How Evan created his own path into GTM engineering
• 16:29 — What the go-to-market engineer role looked like at the start
• 19:05 — Breaking down the BDR workflow
• 21:40 — Where Pendo is today after nine months of GTM engineering
• 23:00 — How Pendo uses Clay
• 24:45 — What counts as an intent signal
• 26:00 — Inbound vs outbound signals
• 31:00 — Why CRM still matters
• 35:20 — Measuring impact and efficiency gains
• 36:00 — Building dashboards with Lovable, Supabase, and n8n
• 42:35 — Tools Evan recommends most
• 43:40 — Driving adoption across the team
• 45:20 — Where GTM engineering is headed next
• 48:00 — Why AI won’t replace BDRs
• 48:45 — Evan’s next big project

Where to Find Scot Wingo:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
X: https://x.com/scotwingo

Where to Find Evan Inscoe:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evaninscoe/

--- 

This episode of Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by NC Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West. 

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Platinum: 
NC IDEA: https://ncidea.org

Gold Sponsors: 
- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 
- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 
- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 
 
Silver Sponsors: 
- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 
- Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html 

------
Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

The conversation covers the “why” behind the partnership, how the Tweener model works, why statewide startup data matters, how founders can connect with the fund, and why this effort could attract even more outside capital into North Carolina. It’s part ecosystem strategy, part founder playbook, and part invitation to think bigger about what’s possible for startups across the state.

Highlights covered

• NC IDEA and the formerly Triangle-focused Tweener Fund have joined forces to create the North Carolina Tweener Fund powered by NC IDEA. The partnership expands the Tweener model from the Triangle to all of North Carolina
• Robbie shares his own story of receiving an NC IDEA grant in 2009 and how that support helped launch his startup journey
• Scot explains the origin of the Tweener List and how it became the foundation for the fund’s index-style approach
• The fund is designed to invest in a basket of promising North Carolina startups, helping reduce risk through diversification
• The discussion reinforces the idea that North Carolina has a uniquely broad startup base across sectors like AI, healthtech, agtech, aviation, manufacturing, ecommerce, and more
• Thom Ruhe highlights how better startup data helps ecosystem builders, policymakers, and funders make smarter decisions
• Scot and Robbie explain how increased visibility and deal activity can help pull more outside capital into the state
• Founders are encouraged to reach out directly, the approach is intentionally founder-friendly and operator-led
• The episode also outlines how accredited investors can participate, including through AngelList and, in some cases, retirement vehicles like self-directed IRAs

North Carolina’s startup ecosystem has been building toward this moment for years, and this conversation makes one thing clear: the next chapter is going to be bigger, broader, and more connected than ever.

Timestamps:

2:00 – Thom Ruhe introduces the episode and announces the NC Tweener Fund powered by NC IDEA
2:49 – Scot and Robbie react to the early excitement around the statewide expansion
4:00 – Why the NC IDEA and Tweener relationship makes sense from an ecosystem perspective
6:17 – Thom explains the bigger mission: creating a virtuous cycle for North Carolina’s economy
7:20 – Robbie’s background, his 2009 NC IDEA grant, and why NC IDEA mattered to his startup journey
11:05 – Robbie on joining Scot and helping grow the Tweener Fund
12:08 – Thom sets up the fund thesis and why the Tweener model stands out
14:03 – Scot’s background, startup history, and “pay it forward” approach to ecosystem building
16:47 – Scot explains product-market fit and why “tweener” companies are such an important stage
18:59 – The origin story of the Tweener List
20:18 – How the Tweener Fund grew out of the list and why diversification matters
22:50 – The index-fund analogy and how the Tweener model works
23:30 – How AI is changing startup timing and why Tweener is selectively moving earlier in some cases
25:07 – Why the Tweener List matters for policymakers and ecosystem builders
28:03 – Why mapping startups is harder than most people think
29:12 – What North Carolina startup formation data says about the state’s momentum
30:50 – Why becoming one of the most active funds matters for attracting attention and capital
33:20 – How outside VCs discover North Carolina through Tweener’s activity
35:28 – The case for bringing more outside capital into North Carolina
37:30 – How entrepreneurs can approach the North Carolina Tweener Fund
38:47 – How LPs and accredited investors can get involved
41:44 – Fund structure, fees, and why the model aims to be accessible
44:10 – Where to learn more and how to invest through the website
46:53 – Final thoughts on ecosystem impact and investment opportunities
47:52 – Quarterly LP webinars and using retirement vehicles like Alto
49:10 – Closing reflections on building a statewide startup ecosystem

Where to Find Scot Wingo:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
X: https://x.com/scotwingo

Where to Find Robbie Allen:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbieallen/

Where to Find Thom Ruhe:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasruhe/

--- 

This episode of Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by NC Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West. 

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Platinum: 
NC IDEA: https://ncidea.org

Gold Sponsors: 
- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 
- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 
- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 
 
Silver Sponsors: 
- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 
- Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html 
 

------
Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Highlights covered

• How PROTECT3D started with a custom brace for a Duke teammate
• Why “one-size-fits-none” is the real problem in bracing
• The core workflow: iPhone scan → automated digital design → 3D print
• How they reduced design time from 5+ hours to under 5 minutes
• Material/printing approaches and why they use multiple technologies
• Scaling from sports to insurance-reimbursable clinical products
• Expansion into military / defense applications via non-dilutive funding
• Founder lessons: failing fast, surviving COVID-era building, and grit
• Kevin’s advice to younger founders: keep going, the grind is the game

Custom-fit should be the norm, and PROTECT3D is building the rails to make that possible at scale. If you’re a founder working at the intersection of software + real-world manufacturing, this one is packed with practical lessons and a lot of heart.

Timestamps:
00:04:29 — Kevin’s background: Greensboro → Duke mechanical engineering + football

00:05:43 — The spark: 3D-printing a custom brace for an injured teammate

00:06:37 — “One-size-fits-none”: why off-the-shelf bracing fails most bodies

00:10:23 — Turning it into a real company through Duke I&E + early traction

00:12:21 — Early funding: friends & family + NC IDEA Micro Grant path

00:16:45 — The modern 3-step process: app scan → digital fabrication → 3D print

00:17:11 — From traveling to scan athletes… to scanning with an iPhone app

00:23:29 — Scaling breakthrough: design time drops from 5+ hours to <5 minutes

00:24:19 — Growth: working with over half of NFL teams + other leagues

00:25:21 — Beyond sports: clinics, insurance reimbursement, nationwide footprint

00:32:44 — Fundraising + non-dilutive: ~$5.5M raised, including DoD/SBIR support

00:34:44 — Founder lessons: fail fast, market expansion timing, surviving COVID

00:36:25 — Team size: 12 FTE + ~5 contractors; vision for clinical-scale bracing

00:38:30 — New channel: “at-home” scanning + direct-to-consumer experiments

00:41:18 — Kevin’s message to young founders: keep at it, the grind doesn’t stop

Where to Find Kevin Gehsmann:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-gehsmann/
Front PROTECT3D: https://protect3d.io/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
X: https://x.com/scotwingo

--- 

This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West. 

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Platinum: 
NC IDEA: https://ncidea.org

Gold Sponsors: 
- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 
- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 
- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 
 
Silver Sponsors: 
- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 
- Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html 
 

------
Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

“Are we toast?”

Joe Mancini from Front Porch is in a unique position to answer that. His firm sits inside dozens of funds and startups across the Southeast and beyond. He sees what’s working, and what’s not, in real time. So we dug into the thesis behind their “SaaS is Dead” piece, what it actually means, and what founders should be doing right now.

Highlights covered

• Why SaaS is being re-rated in public markets
• Whether this is permanent or cyclical
• AI-native vs. AI-immigrant companies
• The collapse (and split) of the traditional “seed” round
• Why vertical SaaS may explode in this era
• How founders should think about churn in the AI era
• Internal resistance to AI adoption (and why it’s dangerous)
• What venture firms are actually looking for right now

The next decade belongs to founders who deeply understand their vertical, obsess over customer value, and move fast enough to build moats before the standards settle.

Timestamps:
07:00 – From sports radio to venture capital

10:30 – The hybrid fund model explained

16:50 – Why they wrote “Yes, SaaS Is Dead”

18:00 – The SaaS public market re-rating

21:00 – The split in seed investing

23:30 – AI-native vs AI-immigrant companies

27:00 – The 3-layer cycle of every tech revolution

30:00 – The 2x2: where opportunity lives now

33:00 – Why vertical beats horizontal right now

38:00 – Internal AI adoption is non-optional

39:30 – The shift from seat pricing to performance pricing

51:00 – What actually counts as a moat in AI

Where to Find Joe Mancini:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpmancini/
Front Porch Venture Partners: https://www.frontporchvp.com/

Where to Find Scot Wingo: 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/ 
Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/ 
X: https://x.com/scotwingo

--- 

This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West. 

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Platinum: 
NC IDEA: https://ncidea.org

Gold Sponsors: 
- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 
- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 
- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 
 
Silver Sponsors: 
- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 
- Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html 
 

------
Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

That’s good, but it’s not enough. We’re always asking the community of founders we support - what else can we do to help you grow your companies, raise capital, provide more resources, enhance the community, etc. So, in the last two years we launched numerous community facing resources, including Tweener Talks.

What’s Next? 👉 NC Tweener Fund, Powered by NC IDEA! In this episode, Scot and Robbie hit the highlights of our newest adventure:

• Expanding geography from Triangle to NC (strategy and everything else stays consistent)
• Increasing our investment $/Q - that means more companies will be supported
• Bigger pool of potential investors (LPs)
• We'll be expanding our events, content and more
• Stay tuned for future news!

Timestamps:
00:32 – Big Announcement: Becoming the North Carolina Tweener Fund (Powered by NC IDEA)
00:53 – The Origin Story: Tweener List (2015)
01:28 – Launch of the Tweener Fund (2022)
01:35 – Expansion into Founder Content (Tweener Times, Tweener Talks, Community Hub)
03:52 – Robby’s NC IDEA Grant Story (2009)
04:36 – Why the NC IDEA Partnership Makes Sense
05:08 – Expanding Beyond the Triangle to All of North Carolina
06:07 – What Qualifies as a North Carolina
06:53 – Increasing Investments Per Quarter
07:22 – What’s NOT Changing (Commitment + Triangle HQ)
08:32 – Breaking Down NC Regions
09:40 – PitchBook Data: Where NC Startups Are Located
10:23 – Geographic Diversification Strategy Going Forward
11:21 – How to Get Involved (Investors + Sponsors)
12:26 – Thank You + Official Welcome to the NC Tweener Fund Era

--- 

This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West. 

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Platinum: 
NC IDEA: https://ncidea.org
 
Gold Sponsors: 
- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 
- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 
- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 
 
Silver Sponsors: 
- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 
- Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html 

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Highlights covered

• Helen’s origin story: NASA Pathfinder work → distributed systems reliability → ML-based prediction
• The Google chapter: being invited to evaluate anomaly-detection algorithms with SRE teams
• Bootstrapping InsightFinder via NSF/SBIR funding + early angels, before raising traditional VC
• The professor-to-CEO transition: prioritization over “balance,” and learning to adapt daily
• Why founders should lead early sales (especially when the product is new-to-the-world)
• How InsightFinder runs enterprise PoCs using a “replay mechanism” on historical incidents
• “Composite AI” + using LLMs to translate technical insights into understandable narratives

If you’ve ever wondered what “AI that actually works” looks like in the enterprise, and how a research-driven founder earns trust at Fortune scale, this one’s a must-listen.

Timestamps

• 00:02:12 — Intro to Helen + what InsightFinder does
• 00:04:32 — Helen’s background at NC State
• 00:05:49 — Google discovers the research
• 00:06:24 — NSF/SBIR bootstrap + company start
• 00:07:10 — Early ML roots (since 2000)
• 00:08:54 — NASA Pathfinder origin story
• 00:12:03 — Teaching + student questions evolving
• 00:13:28 — Student → PhD → InsightFinder spark
• 00:14:36 — Professor + CEO time management
• 00:17:39 — Learning sales as a founder
• 00:21:24 — Funding path: SBIR + angels + first VC
• 00:22:44 — IDEA Fund connection story
• 00:24:19 — LLM era impact + “composite AI”
• 00:26:45 — LLMs as the interface layer
• 00:28:20 — Plain-English explanation of InsightFinder
• 00:31:04 — Agent workflows (Jira, probing, reports)
• 00:32:31 — Multi-agent + SLM orchestration
• 00:35:32 — PoCs: dogfood + replay mechanism
• 00:37:41 — How early detection works (hours ahead)
• 00:39:00 — Series B + scaling go-to-market
• 00:43:00 — LLMs: maturity + “last mile” problem
• 00:45:30 — Fine-tuning + trust risks
• 00:47:14 — Advice for students + fundamentals

#TriangleTweenerTalks #TriangleStartups #NCState #AIOps #Observability #SiteReliability #SRE #DistributedSystems #MachineLearning #EnterpriseAI #LLMs #AgenticAI #MCP #StartupJourney #FounderStories #B2BSoftware #DeepTech #RaleighDurham #NorthCarolinaTech

--- 

This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West. 

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Gold Sponsors: 

- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 

- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 

- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 

Silver Sponsors: 

- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 

- Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html 

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

In Part 2, we shift gears. This episode is about leverage. David breaks down how he went from running a ~34-person team to operating a multi-city business with ~2.5 people, not by cutting corners, but by rebuilding the company around AI-first systems, orchestration, and context-aware automation.

This is not “AI news.” This is how a founder is actually using AI day to day.

Highlights from Part 2

• AI adoption started as a “copywriting intern,” not a silver bullet
• The biggest fork: people who learned how to talk to models vs. people who gave up
• The real unlock came when David built his first full-stack app himself
• Tools like Cursor and Cloud Code collapsed the barrier between idea and execution
• Offline stopped adding features to a monolith, and started building around it
• n8n became the orchestration layer that glued everything together
• Most business problems don’t need apps, they need glue code
• AI SDRs fail today because context is fragmented and CRMs are a mess
• The right approach is decomposing SDR work into atomic steps
• Context windows are the real constraint, not intelligence
• David now runs a personal “Chief of Staff” GitHub repo with 70–80 skills
• The company itself is slowly becoming a file system agents can read and write from

If you’re thinking about automation, agents, or headcount, this one will change how you think about all three.

Where to Find David Shaner:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidshaner/
Offline Media: https://www.letsgetoffline.com/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
X: https://x.com/scotwingo

Timestamps
00:00–02:30 – Why Part 2 matters
02:30–06:00 – Phase 1: AI as a copywriting intern
06:00–10:00 – Phase 2: coding, Cursor, and the “hit by a bus” moment
10:00–13:00 – Why founders need to build something themselves
13:00–17:00 – Orchestration layers and why n8n won
17:00–21:00 – Why AI SDRs mostly don’t work yet
21:00–24:30 – Context windows, atomic steps, and agent design
24:30–27:30 – Debugging workflows like a human
27:30–31:30 – How Offline reduced headcount without losing velocity
31:30–36:00 – Self-service platforms for restaurants and events
36:00–39:30 – Cloud Code, skill files, and the “singularity” moment
39:30–44:00 – The Chief of Staff repo and what comes next

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This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West. 

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 
 
Gold Sponsors: 
Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-en... 
EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 
Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 
 
Silver Sponsors: 
Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 
Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/conte... 

2025 Sponsors: 
Extensis HR: http://www.extensishr.com/

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Highlights from Part 1

• Offline has effectively been three different companies under one brand
• Early versions tried to reinvent Meetup, and failed
• A city-guide app reached ~3M people/month but couldn’t monetize
• Consumer businesses can look successful while quietly breaking
• Subscription was the first model that truly worked
• Restaurants don’t want “deal seekers”, they want incremental revenue
• Offline works because it optimizes excess capacity, not discounts
• COVID forced a near-shutdown, and a total rethink of operations
• Today, Offline runs across 10 cities with ~600 restaurants and ~10,000 subscribers

Most founders only hear about the winning version of a company. This episode shows the cost of getting there: years of pivots, wrong turns, false confidence, and learning, sometimes the hard way, how markets actually work.

Offline didn’t succeed because of a clever growth hack. It survived because David kept learning, iterating, and refusing to confuse traction with sustainability.

Where to Find David Shaner:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidshaner/

Offline Media: https://www.letsgetoffline.com/

Where to Find Scot Wingo: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/ 

Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/ 

X: https://x.com/scotwingo

Timestamps
00:00–02:30 – Introduction & what this two-part series will cover
02:30–05:30 – David’s background, NC State, and discovering entrepreneurship
05:30–08:00 – The original idea: human connection in a screen-first world
08:00–11:30 – Era 1: trying (and failing) to reinvent Meetup
11:30–13:30 – Era 2: city guides, millions of users, zero monetization
13:30–15:40 – Era 3: subscriptions finally click
15:40–17:30 – COVID, near shutdown, and survival
17:30–23:30 – Why restaurants accept discounts (the airplane seat analogy)
23:30–25:30 – Why Groupon failed restaurants — and why Offline didn’t
25:30–44:00 – Productivity, systems thinking, and process obsession
44:00–45:10 – What’s coming in Part 2
--- 

This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West. 

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Gold Sponsors: 

- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 

- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 

- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 

Silver Sponsors: 

- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 

- Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html 

 2025 Sponsors: 

- Extensis HR: http://www.extensishr.com/

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Tony breaks down the three phases of Phononic: proving the science, surviving productization, and ultimately finding the market where solid-state cooling wasn’t just better, but mission-critical. It’s a candid look at why deep-tech companies require patience, capital discipline, and brutal focus to survive.

This is the episode for founders navigating scale, manufacturing, or markets that don’t yet exist.

Highlights from Part 2

• The three semiconductor problems Phononic had to solve, together
• Why feasibility took ~$10–15M before a real product even existed
• The hidden cost of productization (and why Phase 2 was the most dangerous)
• Why Phononic nearly spread itself too thin across HVAC, cold chain, and data centers
• “Market → product fit” vs. product → market fit
• The moment AI and accelerated computing changed everything
• Why data centers became Phononic’s core focus
• Licensing non-core markets instead of shutting them down
• Tony’s three most important lessons for founders building outside Silicon Valley

Phononic’s story isn’t about chasing trends, it’s about surviving long enough for timing, technology, and market need to finally align.

For founders building deep tech, Part 2 is a reminder: focus is strategy, patience is power, and big outcomes demand big ambition.

Where to Find Tony Atti:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-atti-ph-d-316483/

TradePending: https://phononic.com/

Where to Find Scot Wingo: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/ 

Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/ 

X: https://x.com/scotwingo

Timestamps:

05:55 — Back in conversation: “layman’s version of the 3 problems”

06:06 — The 3 fundamentals: material science, semiconductor processing, packaging

07:40 — The 3 metrics that matter: coldness, electricity consumed, work/heat pumped per area

08:31 — Doing university partnerships “right the first time” (no cap table traps)

09:35 — Key insight: academia solved pieces separately; Phononic integrated all 3

09:47 — First chips built on Centennial Campus; early build process vs today’s automation

10:36 — Cost to feasibility: roughly ~$10M to get to commercially meaningful chips

11:33 — Phase 2 = productization (unexpected + expensive)

11:45 — Big lesson: market/product fit (not product/market)

12:28 — Reality of productization: inventing mechanical/thermal/software/firmware + supply chain from scratch

13:30 — The mistake: trying to productize across 3 huge markets at once (HVAC, cold chain, data centers)

15:34 — Why it was intoxicating: solid-state = smaller/better/faster/efficient + millisecond response time

16:25 — The strategic pivot: raise $100M to go deep in one vertical + license non-core

17:22 — Data centers weren’t obviously mission-critical (then)

18:15 — Inflection: jump to 1.6T + cooling becomes critical for signal integrity

19:08 — COVID tailwinds: vaccine cold chain + air quality/HVAC relevance

19:37 — AI compute explosion: optics → GPUs → switches → whole data center becomes thermal hotspot

20:38 — Licensing moves: PeltierPro for cold chain/merchandising; Halton for HVAC

21:17 — Company snapshot: ~100–140 people; 30k sq ft fab in Durham; Fabrinet Thailand; teams in Thailand + China

21:53 — EBITDA positive Q4; 2026 forecast revised up; possible cash-flow positivity mid-2026

23:26 — Tony’s 3 founder lessons: market/product fit, ruthless focus, dream big (same work for $100M vs $1B)

--- 

This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West. 

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Gold Sponsors: 

- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 

- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 

- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 

Silver Sponsors: 

- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 

- Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html 

 2025 Sponsors: 

- Extensis HR: http://www.extensishr.com/

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Tony walks through the decisions, failures, and inflection points that led to Phononic’s founding: leaving the Northeast for graduate school at USC, working on applied energy systems at JPL during the Mars rover era, and learning painful but formative lessons from a university spin-out that didn’t work.

Then comes the moment you can’t script. In the fall of 2008, while the global financial system is actively collapsing, Tony presents a research thesis on why semiconductors transformed everything except cooling. He walks out that same day with a term sheet and a $2M commitment to found Phononic.

Highlights from Part 1

• Growing up blue-collar in Buffalo and why that shaped Tony’s leadership style
• The career-defining decision to leave the Northeast for USC
• What JPL teaches you about rigor, testing, and humility
• Why most university spin-outs struggle with equity alignment
• How venture capital experience sharpened Tony’s founder instincts
• Why cooling is the last unsolved semiconductor frontier
• Founding Phononic the day Lehman collapsed
• Why the Triangle, and NC State’s Centennial Campus, won as Phononic’s home

Where to Find Tony Atti:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-atti-ph-d-316483/

TradePending: https://phononic.com/

Where to Find Scot Wingo: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/ 

Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/ 

X: https://x.com/scotwingo

Timestamps:

01:40 — Scot tees up why Tony is a “special treat” + why Phononic matters in the Triangle

03:50 — Travel / frequent flyer miles (4M miles + recent global sprint)

05:10 — Why Phononic is a “quiet deep tech giant” more people should know

05:23 — Tony background: blue-collar Buffalo + early “entrepreneur roots” (paper route, driveways, grass)

06:00 — Parents + upbringing + being the only Italian family in an Irish neighborhood

06:50 — “Boardroom to factory floor” comfort as a leadership superpower

07:07 — College path: biochem → decides against med school → USC opportunity

08:20 — USC + energy/sustainability roots before it had a name

08:50 — JPL/Caltech work: solid polymer electrolytes + Mars-era applied R&D

10:07 — JPL geek-out: what JPL does + Tony’s work context

11:42 — Engineering culture: redundancy, testing, quality mindset

11:56 — Funny JPL story: Tony’s dad jokes “it’s all fake, filmed here”

12:26 — The Martian detail: radioisotope thermoelectric generator explanation

12:59 — First startup failure: university IP / cap table misalignment lessons

14:23 — Timeline bridge: how that failure pushed Tony into VC + founding MHI Energy Partners

15:48 — The Phononic founding story starts: 2007–08 crisis + job search

16:46 — Venrock mentor moment: “world doesn’t need another VC” challenge

17:00 — Thesis: semiconductors transformed everything except cooling/heating

17:41 — 3-month “liars and thieves” tour: universities + semiconductor ecosystem due diligence

18:20 — Thermoelectrics vs vapor compression (what makes solid-state different)

19:16 — The pitch day: Lehman collapse on the screens while Tony presents

20:45 — Term sheet drop: $2M commitment + “founded the company that afternoon”

21:33 — Why Venrock matters / halo effect (Scot commentary)

21:59 — Why North Carolina: portfolio company move + Tony relocates

23:26 — Why RTP/NC State won: Centennial Campus enabled fast lab/fab buildout

--- 

This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West. 

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Gold Sponsors: 

- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 

- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 

- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 

Silver Sponsors: 

- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 

- Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html 

 2025 Sponsors: 

- Extensis HR: http://www.extensishr.com/

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

• Pricing without overthinking: how TradePending set pricing before having perfect data
• Sales-first growth: building an outside sales motion that paid for itself quickly
• Scaling with discipline: reaching profitability fast and choosing when to reinvest
• Private equity, from the founder’s seat: rolling equity, staying on, and navigating majority ownership
• Growing TAM over time: expanding the product surface area instead of chasing a massive TAM upfront
• What’s next: stepping aside as CEO, staying on the board, and gearing up for the next auto tech company

Brice’s story is a masterclass in building a durable SaaS company without shortcuts, staying close to customers, making practical decisions early, and expanding only when the foundation could support it. Part 2 shows what happens when disciplined execution meets long-term thinking.

Where to Find Brice Englert:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briceenglert/

TradePending: https://tradepending.com

Where to Find Scot Wingo: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/ 

Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/ 

X: https://x.com/scotwingo

Timestamps:

05:10 – Starting TradePending and early engineering decisions
06:20 – Finding the first lead engineer
06:55 – First product build and rapid time to market
07:25 – SaaS business model and early monetization
08:55 – Pricing strategy and premium positioning
09:45 – Why pricing doesn’t need to be perfect early
10:25 – Sales-led growth and early break-even
11:55 – Refining the sales motion and deployment speed
12:00 – Launching second and third products
13:05 – Reaching meaningful scale and revenue milestones
13:25 – Deciding to explore growth and exit options
14:00 – Choosing a majority private equity partner
15:55 – Staying on post-deal and rolling equity
17:05 – Working with PE and scaling responsibly
18:10 – Acquisitions and expanding the platform
19:30 – Stepping aside as CEO and planning the next chapter
21:00 – Lessons on leverage, risk, and capital structure
22:10 – Using AI tools to build the next company
23:30 – Teasing the next startup
24:10 – Reflections on TAM and long-term growth
26:00 – How TAM expands through customer-led innovation
28:05 – Final takeaways and closing thoughts

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This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West. 

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Gold Sponsors: 

- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 

- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 

- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 

Silver Sponsors: 

- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 

- Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html 

 2025 Sponsors: 

- Extensis HR: http://www.extensishr.com/

------
Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

This is the origin story and early foundation of TradePending, before the scaling years.

You’ll hear:

• How Brice got started and why he chose automotive as the arena
• What the earliest product looked like (and what didn’t work first)
• The “crowded market” problem, and how Brice found an opening anyway
• Early execution lessons: getting something live, getting customers, and learning fast
• The mindset shift from idea → real business momentum

TradePending’s story is a reminder that the early stage isn’t about having the perfect model, it’s about building something real, listening hard, and creating momentum one customer at a time.

Where to Find Brice Englert:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briceenglert/

TradePending: https://tradepending.com

Where to Find Scot Wingo: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/ 

Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/ 

X: https://x.com/scotwingo

Timestamps:

01:57 – Introduction to Brice Englert
02:50 – How Scot discovered TradePending
05:30 – Brice’s background and early career
07:30 – Engineering, Air Force, and selling technology
08:15 – MBA and early entrepreneurship exposure
11:45 – Corporate lessons from UBS
14:00 – Entering auto tech through M&A
17:10 – How acquirers evaluate startups
22:00 – From corporate development to operator
24:10 – The idea behind TradePending
25:50 – Naming the company and early vision
27:00 – Leaving corporate and managing risk
30:55 – Taking the leap into entrepreneurship
33:25 – Early funding and staying lean
34:30 – Customer feedback and early skepticism
38:35 – Competing in a crowded market
40:00 – NC IDEA rejection
40:12 – Rejection as fuel 

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This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West. 

 We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors: 

Gold Sponsors: 

- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs 

- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com 

- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com 

Silver Sponsors: 

- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co 

- Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html 

 2025 Sponsors: 

- Extensis HR: http://www.extensishr.com/

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Tune in to hear:

• How founders can self-service fundraising expectations using real Triangle data
• The most common caps, discounts, and raise sizes at each stage
• Why $1M ARR is a major valuation inflection point
• SAFE vs convertible note vs priced round, when each actually makes sense
• What investors look for at Seed vs Series A (and why many founders get stuck)
• How founder-market fit and AI trends skew early valuations
• Why Triangle companies often raise less, and why that’s a strength

Where to read each part:
Part 1: https://www.tweenertimes.com/p/part-iii-triangle-startup-venture
Part 2: https://www.tweenertimes.com/p/part-iiii-the-triangles-first-and

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
00:00 – 03:00 Why this data exists & the founder questions it answers

03:00 – 07:00 How the Tweener Fund dataset was built (and anonymized)

07:00 – 15:00 The origin of the Tweener List and index strategy

15:00 – 22:00 How funding stages are defined by company progress

22:00 – 35:00 SAFEs, convertible notes, priced rounds — explained

35:00 – 45:00 How deal structures change from Pre-Seed to Series A

45:00 – 59:00 Valuations, raises, and dilution by stage

59:00 – 1:07:00 What founders should actually do with this data

If this is your first time really digging into venture fundraising, you’ll hear a few terms that investors use casually but aren’t always obvious. Here’s a quick guide to the most common ones we reference in this episode:

• Pre-Seed: The earliest stage of venture funding. Often used to fund initial product development, early customer discovery, or getting to a first version of product-market fit. Rounds are typically smaller and more founder-bet driven.
• Seed: The stage where a company has early traction and is working to prove repeatability. Investors expect evidence that customers want the product, not just that it can be built.
• Series A: A growth-oriented round where the question shifts from “Does this work?” to “Can this scale?” Metrics, revenue quality, and go-to-market execution matter much more here.
• Valuation: The implied value of your company during a fundraise. In early stages, this is often based more on progress, team, and market than on traditional financial metrics.
• Pre-Money vs. Post-Money
  • Pre-money: Your company’s valuation before new capital is invested
  • Post-money: Your valuation after the new money comes in
    This distinction matters a lot for understanding dilution.
• Dilution: The percentage of ownership founders give up when they raise capital. More money or a higher valuation doesn’t always mean less dilution — structure matters.
• SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity): A popular early-stage investment instrument that delays setting a valuation until a future priced round. Simple in theory, nuanced in practice.
• Convertible Note: A loan that converts into equity later, usually at a discount or valuation cap. Older than SAFEs and still common, especially with certain investors.
• Valuation Cap: The maximum valuation at which an investor’s SAFE or note will convert. Lower caps are better for investors; higher caps are better for founders.
• Discount: A percentage reduction applied to a future valuation to reward early investors when their investment converts.
• Priced Round: A funding round where the valuation is explicitly set and equity is issued immediately. More complex, but often clearer once companies reach later stages.
• Progress-Driven Investing: Scot’s way of describing how early-stage investors price risk: capital is deployed based on company progress (traction, learning, momentum), not perfection.
• Founder-Market Fit: How well a founder’s background, experience, and insight align with the problem they’re solving. This often plays an outsized role in very early valuations.

---

This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West.

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors:

Gold Sponsors:

• Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs
• EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com
• Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com

Silver Sponsors:

• Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co
• Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html

2025 Sponsors:

• Extensis HR: http://www.extensishr.com/

------
Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Tune in to hear:

• How ReverbNation grew from a side project into a 6M-artist platform
• The spin-out journey behind Adwerx, and why it worked
• Mike’s framework for identifying spinoff opportunities inside existing companies
• Why the team is the company, and why incubated teams can struggle
• The origins of PlayMetrics and the youth-sports system-of-record vision
• How Mike navigates private equity without losing culture or control
• What PE adds that venture capital often can’t
• What it’s like to scale from 25 people to 450+
• Mike’s long view on the Triangle startup ecosystem, then vs. now
• Why he never moved to the Bay Area
• Whether a Mike-led venture studio might be next 👀

Where to Find Mike Doernberg:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldoernberg/
PlayMetrics: https://home.playmetrics.com/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
00:05 — Welcome to Part 2 with Mike Doernberg
00:12 — Coming back from “Home Depot retirement”
00:18 — The origin and explosive growth of ReverbNation
00:27 — Solving the cold-start problem before it had a name
00:33 — Building Promote.it → the foundation for Adwerx
00:42 — Spinning out Adwerx and structuring the deal
00:52 — Should Mike run a venture studio? Scott pushes him
01:00 — Why incubating ideas is easier than incubating founders
01:10 — The spinout challenge: talent dilution
01:15 — The path to PlayMetrics and modernizing youth sports
01:27 — Selling Reverb to focus fully on PlayMetrics
01:38 — Navigating private equity the right way
01:47 — How PE can empower (not suffocate) founders
01:55 — Running a 450-person org and learning a new leadership mode
02:03 — Why Mike stayed in the Triangle — and how the ecosystem evolved
02:16 — Triangle vs. Bay Area: culture, risk, and quality of life
02:30 — Final reflections & Scott’s challenge on a future venture studio
02:38 — Outro & sponsor thank-yous

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This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West.

We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors:

Gold Sponsors:

• Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs
• EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com
• Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com

Silver Sponsors:

• Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co
• Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html

2025 Sponsors:

• Extensis HR: http://www.extensishr.com/

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Mike walks through the founding of Marathon, the rise of early PC-driven consulting, the creation and spinout of SmartPath, raising capital through the old-school angel gauntlets, navigating the DoubleClick acquisition, and why “retirement” lasted all of three months.

Tune in to hear:

• What the early startup ecosystem looked like before the Triangle was “the Triangle.”
• The origins of Marathon and how the rise of PCs and early web consulting created new opportunities.
• How a project inside GlaxoSmithKline became the spark that turned into the SmartPath product.
• Mike’s philosophy for spinning out products successfully, and why strict separation is essential.
• Raising capital in the 90s and early 2000s: angel gauntlets, tough rooms, and memorable TIG stories.
• The SmartPath exit to DoubleClick and why Mike now believes they sold too early.
• How exiting young led him to a very short-lived “retirement” and why founders struggle to sit still.

Where to Find Mike Doernberg:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldoernberg/
PlayMetrics: https://home.playmetrics.com/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
01:02 – Mike’s early background & move to NC
03:30 – Becoming a CPA but wanting more
05:54 – Early exposure to startups at Ernst & Young
07:50 – Why entrepreneurship became inevitable
09:50 – Story of Burl Software and Y2K
12:10 – How Marathon was formed
13:22 – Rising PC adoption and early web consulting
14:51 – Early e-commerce and building internet applications
17:00 – How the GlaxoSmithKline project inspired SmartPath
19:06 – The power of deeply understanding a customer problem
20:34 – Building early commerce & workflow applications
23:40 – SmartPath as an early low-code platform
24:59 – Why selling SmartPath was his biggest mistake
26:00 – Raising venture in the 90s & 2000s
28:20 – The TIG pitching gauntlet
30:00 – A founder’s early-career fear of the unknown
31:10 – The SmartPath exit to DoubleClick
33:00 – Life at DoubleClick & post-acquisition changes
35:20 – Mike retires for 3 months (Home Depot era)
36:50 – Why founders struggle not to build
38:45 – The addiction and community of company building

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This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Every year, BIP Ventures releases its State of Startups in the Southeast report, arguably the most comprehensive snapshot of our region’s innovation economy. In this episode, Scot sits down with Mark to break down the 2025 findings, from AI and valuations to where the capital is really flowing.

Tune in to hear:

• How the State of Startups in the Southeast report came to be, and why it’s become a key annual benchmark for founders and investors.
• The Southeast’s steady growth amid national volatility, and what that says about the region’s resilience.
• Why North Carolina now ranks #2 for capital invested, with a healthy mix of early, mid, and late-stage deals.
• The rise of AI-driven startups, not in infrastructure, but in real applied use cases driving revenue.
• Which investors and funds are most active across the region, from Triangle Tweener Fund to Hatteras, IdeaFund, and CoFounders Capital.
• How Atlanta continues to anchor Georgia’s innovation scene, with momentum in cybersecurity, fintech, and healthcare tech.
• Why balanced growth across industries is dampening volatility and attracting new waves of talent and capital.

Where to Find Mark Flickinger:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-flickinger-24295538/
BIP Capital: https://www.bipcapital.com/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
02:00 – Meet Mark Flickinger & the BIP Ventures origin story
05:30 – How the State of Startups report began
10:00 – What makes the Southeast data different
15:00 – Why the 2025 report matters
18:00 – Trends: AI, capital concentration, and valuation health
23:00 – The Southeast’s unique resilience
27:00 – North Carolina’s rise to #2 in regional investment
31:00 – Triangle Tweener Fund and other active players
37:00 – Atlanta’s current momentum and industry strengths
42:00 – What founders should take away from the data
46:00 – Closing thoughts and Mark’s advice for founders

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This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Tune in to hear:

• Greg's entrepreneurial journey, from his computer science degree at North Carolina A&T to his early career at IBM and his ventures in everything from the bar industry to e-commerce.
• How his marketing agency, Walk West, is growing 30-40% year over year by helping clients adapt to a world where AI has disrupted traditional go-to-market strategies.
• His "Four P" framework for growth: Podcasts, Partnerships, Paid Media, and Public Relations, and why being "seen, heard, and cited" is critical for success in the age of AI.
• The concept of "personality-led growth" and why building trust and a personal brand is essential when abstract brands and ideas are losing their hold.
• Greg’s love for sneakers and what he collects.
• A fascinating conversation about Michael Jordan's business acumen, his brand effect, and his successful ownership of the Charlotte Hornets.
• The "Blockbuster moment" for Google and why they had no choice but to embrace AI.

Where to Find Greg Boone:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregboone/

Walk West: https://walkwest.com/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:

(00:06:00) The evolution of Walk West from a marketing agency to a content studio.

(00:10:00) Greg’s "Four P" framework for business growth.

(00:16:00) Greg's entrepreneurial journey, including his background in computer science and his various ventures.

(00:23:00) A deep dive into sneaker collecting and the business of Michael Jordan.

(00:32:00) Walk West's growth and the importance of partnerships.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

For Dr. Doug Kaufman, it’s a story of new ventures and hard-won lessons.

In this second part of a two-part series, Doug discusses his time at TransLoc, a mass transit technology company he helped lead to a successful sale to Ford.

He shares how he navigated a challenging acquisition process and the importance of a strong, collaborative board. He also talks about the challenges of his most recent venture, Belongly, including the difficult decision to pivot the business and raise capital in a shifting market.

Now, as a Duke professor, executive coach, and partner at an AI consulting firm, Doug offers insights on the critical importance of founder mental health and the power of vulnerability in leadership.

Tune in to hear:

• Why Doug was initially hesitant to get involved with TransLoc, a company focused on "mass transit technology".
• The red flags he ignored when joining TransLoc , and how he turned the company around after discovering it was not financially healthy.
• How TransLoc expanded its services beyond tracking buses to create a "mobility network" and provide data-driven insights to transit agencies.
• The story of TransLoc's acquisition by Ford , and the delicate process of bringing a Fortune 15 M&A team back to the table after walking away.
• Dr. Kaufman’s philosophy on how to run a board, including the importance of setting clear roles and fostering a collaborative team environment.
• A candid account of his experience with his next startup, Belongly, and the painful lessons learned from market shifts and fundraising challenges.
• The psychological impact of founder ups and downs , and why Dr. Kaufman believes vulnerability is a "superpower" for entrepreneurs.

Where to Find Dr. Doug Kaufman:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdougkaufman/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
(00:01:00) Dr. Kaufman describes how he got connected with TransLoc after leaving Spring Metrics. He initially thought "mass transit technology" was boring until a board member convinced him to talk to the founding CEO, Josh Whitten. 
(00:06:00) Dr. Kaufman became the CEO and raised over $6 million in equity from investors like SJF Ventures and Fontinalis, and another $2 million in debt from Square One.
(00:11:00) Dr. Kaufman reveals that he and his team did walk away from the deal once.
(00:17:00) Dr. Kaufman describes the big idea behind Belongly as an effort to address the mental health crisis in young people
(00:28:00) Dr. Kaufman describes his specific type of executive coaching
(00:33:00) The conversation shifts to founder mental health. 

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Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

For Dr. Doug Kaufman, it was to become a serial entrepreneur (obviously). 

Doug's story is defined by a relentless curiosity about human behavior, a series of successful ventures, and some hard-won lessons in the chaotic world of startups.

In this first of a two-part series, Doug recounts his unconventional path from a psychology PhD to joining a hyper-growth tech company, starting his own bootstrapped business, and facing the ultimate test of a founder's resilience in the Triangle.

Tune in to hear:

• Why Doug left the academic track to start his own online education company and a side hustle to fund it.
• His experience in the early days of a hyper-growth startup at Blackboard, and why he eventually left to seek new challenges.
• The story of his move to the Triangle and the founding of his first company, ClearTXT, a one-to-many notification system for universities.
• The unexpected challenges he faced at ClearTXT, including a televised public relations crisis and a patent troll lawsuit.
• Why his bootstrapped company consistently beat a larger, VC-funded competitor in a head-to-head competition.
• The origin of Spring Metrics and his early lessons from joining the Triangle Startup Factory.
• A candid account of his first, disastrous board meeting, and the onset of "founder burnout" that led to a painful but necessary exit.

Where to Find Dr. Doug Kaufman:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdougkaufman/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
(00:02:00) Dr. Kaufman's lifelong fascination with psychology, human behavior, and the personal reasons for his interest. 
(00:04:00) The decision to leave academia to start his first company, Alley Dog, and a computer repair side hustle. 
(00:08:00) Joining Blackboard in 1998 and his experience in a hyper-growth tech startup. 
(00:15:00) Why he left Blackboard to move to the Triangle and start his own company. 
(00:18:00) Founding ClearTXT and navigating a major PR crisis at a large university. 
(00:24:00) The lessons he learned from the chaos of startup life, including a patent troll lawsuit and a successful acquisition. 
(00:29:00) The origins of Spring Metrics and joining the Triangle Startup Factory's first cohort. 
(00:37:00) A frank discussion about his first board meeting at Spring Metrics and the difficult experience that followed. 
(00:44:00) His eventual transition out of the CEO role and the valuable lessons he took from the experience.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

As the CEO and co-founder of Written Word Media, she has built a bootstrapped and profitable business by solving a problem her own mom faced: book discovery in a crowded market.

Tune in to hear:

• Ricci's immigration story from South Africa to the US and the culture shocks she faced along the way.
• Why she left a lucrative Wall Street job after 9/11 to pursue a more impactful career in microfinance.
• How her experiences at The Body Shop and Lulu Publishing laid the groundwork for her own entrepreneurial venture.
• The origin story of Written Word Media, which was inspired by her mom's self-published book and a realization about the "paradox of choice" on Amazon.
• Why the generous Amazon affiliate program in its early days acted as an unintentional seed fund for the business.
• The unique two-sided marketplace model that matches authors with hyper-personalized email newsletters for readers.
• Ricci's philosophy on "private barometers of success" and why bootstrapping allowed her to build a business aligned with her core values.
• Her passion project, The Flop.ai, a newsletter dedicated to demystifying AI and helping people overcome their fear of new technology.
• Her advice for young founders, including why it's okay to take risks and the value of a strong local community.

Where to Find Ricci Wolman:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricciwolman/
Written Word Media: https://writtenwordmedia.com/
The Flop.ai: https://www.theflop.ai/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
(00:04:00) Ricci’s immigration from Johannesburg, South Africa and the major culture shock of moving to the US.
(00:11:00) Her path to Wall Street, working as an investment banking analyst at Bear Stearns, and leaving after 9/11 for a more impactful role.
(00:17:00) Running an e-commerce side hustle on a Yahoo store and the decision to get her MBA at Harvard Business School.
(00:24:00) The move to North Carolina and her career in e-commerce marketing at The Body Shop and Lulu Publishing.
(00:30:00) How her mom's self-publishing journey inspired the idea for Written Word Media.
(00:48:00) The birth of Free Booksy as a sandbox to test marketing and the accidental funding from the Amazon affiliate program.
(00:58:00) The decision to formally start the business with her husband, Ferol, who left ReverbNation to become her co-founder.
(01:04:00) The unique challenges of balancing the two sides of a marketplace business and keeping authors and readers happy.
(01:07:00) Ricci's bootstrapping philosophy and why she optimizes for "private barometers of success."
(01:14:00) Her new passion project, The Flop.ai, a newsletter to help demystify AI.
(01:18:00) Advice for founders on taking risks, choosing the right path, and leveraging the Triangle's supportive community.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

In this episode, Jason shares his unique path, from a childhood in Mebane and studying physics and finance at NC State, to navigating the dot-com bubble in New York and the vibrant startup scene in Silicon Valley. He opens up about the "dysfunction" that birthed new companies from his own efforts and why he ultimately returned to his roots to build Ndustrial into a global leader in industrial energy management.

Tune in to hear:

• Jason's unexpected journey from Mebane, NC, to Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and back again, shaped by a series of "learning experiences."
• The wild story of his early angel investment in Tap Tap Revenge, a mobile game that became an App Store sensation.
• How the "dirty data plumbing" challenge in manufacturing led Ndustrial to pivot from a service business to a SaaS platform for industrial energy management.
• The critical insight that led to Ndustrial's first major product breakthrough: predicting and managing Coincident Peak energy charges for factories.
• Why Ndustrial embraces a hybrid model of SaaS and professional services, contrasting with traditional Silicon Valley expectations.
• His strategic approach to bringing in corporate venture capital from global giants like ABB and GS Energy.
• Jason's vision for Ndustrial, balancing profitability with environmental impact, and why they aim to build a "sustainable business" rather than chasing a quick exit.
• The company's significant work in the cold chain industry, including efforts to optimize food refrigeration and reduce energy consumption.
• The vital role of AI in industrial settings, particularly for contextualizing data and speeding up analysis, even amidst "dirty data."
• Jason's perspective on the Triangle's clean tech ecosystem and the responsibility entrepreneurs have to support each other by buying from local startups.

Where to Find Jason Massey:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmnc/
Ndustrial: https://ndustrial.io/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
(00:06:00) Growing up in Mebane, North Carolina, and his path to entrepreneurship through Wall Street and Silicon Valley. 
(00:13:00) The velocity of failure in Silicon Valley and his first exposure to clean tech. 
(00:17:00) Returning to North Carolina and settling in Mebane with his family. 
(00:20:00) The Tap Tap Revenge angel investment and the lessons learned. 
(00:28:00) The serendipitous founding of Sustainable Industrial Solutions (SIS) and building foundational tech with NC State engineering students. 
(00:37:00) The pivot from SIS to Ndustrial, focusing on industrial production data and the Coincident Peak breakthrough. 
(00:45:00) Why Ndustrial embraces a hybrid model of SaaS and professional services, and their approach to hardware. 
(00:49:00) Ndustrial's $26 million fundraising journey and the strategic value of corporate VCs. 
(00:53:00) Dominating the cold chain market and its massive energy and sustainability impact. 
(01:02:00) The value of being "Switzerland" in the energy markets and building a truly sustainable business. 
(01:10:00) The significant AI play at Ndustrial, using LLMs for contextualizing data and enhancing user interfaces. 
(01:15:00) Jason's commitment to mentoring and supporting the Triangle's entrepreneurial community.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

This episode unravels the unique model of a venture studio, differentiating it from accelerators, incubators, and traditional venture capital. Eric also offers a candid assessment of the Triangle's startup ecosystem, highlighting its strengths and identifying key areas for growth.

Tune in to hear:

• What a venture studio is and how Eric's 24 and Up model co-creates companies with entrepreneurs, acting as an "unpaid co-founder."
• How the venture studio model provides hands-on support, helping companies grow faster and achieve better outcomes.
• The origin stories of Revcast (revenue optimization), Wayfound (AI agent performance management), Troop (brand story consistency with AI), and Sesame (digital identity marketplace), including which ideas came from within the studio and which were external.
• The challenges and opportunities of building companies in a changing macroeconomic landscape.
• Eric's perspective on managing multiple companies simultaneously and the team structure at 24 and Up.
• A candid discussion on the Triangle's startup ecosystem, including its strengths in technical talent and successful founders, and areas needing development like early-stage venture capital.
• Why entrepreneurs have a responsibility to buy from other startups to strengthen the local ecosystem.

Where to Find Eric Boduch:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-boduch-a1b61/
24 and Up: https://www.24andup.com/
Revcast: https://www.revcast.com/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
(00:00:03) Eric's plea: Entrepreneurs must buy from other entrepreneurs to build a stronger ecosystem. 
(00:04:46) What is a venture studio? Eric breaks down his model for co-creating and funding companies. 
(00:06:33) Why Eric chose the venture studio model over accelerators, incubators, or traditional VC. 
(00:12:00) The birth of Revcast: from an internal Pendo idea to a revenue optimization solution. 
(00:17:56) The origin of Wayfound: an AI play in agent performance management. 
(00:21:47) Introducing Troop: leveraging AI for brand story consistency and improving win rates. 
(00:24:34) Sesame: an external idea for a digital identity verification marketplace. 
(00:26:17) Looking ahead: New ventures in social selling, e-commerce, and AI agent technology. 
(00:28:30) Managing multiple companies and the strategic advantage of asymmetric information for early-stage investment. 
(00:33:15) Building the 24 and Up team and the strategy behind raising more capital for the studio. 
(00:36:13) Comparing the Raleigh and Pittsburgh ecosystems: strengths, weaknesses, and the need for "Pendo Mafia" spin-offs. 
(00:43:56) The critical need for early-stage "YOLO" VC funds in the Triangle to back generational companies. 
(00:49:32) The entrepreneur's responsibility to buy from other startups and foster local growth.

Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

This is Part 1 of Eric Boduch's story. Tune in next week for Part 2!

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Eric gets into his early days, his path to co-founding Pendo, and the strategic decisions that helped shape its unique brand and culture. 

If you've ever wondered about the behind-the-scenes of building a high-growth startup and the critical role of product, this conversation offers invaluable insights.

Tune in to hear:

• Eric's early fascination with computers and how he balanced academics with sports from a young age.
• The story of his first startup with Todd Olson (Pendo CEO) and the valuable, albeit tough, lessons learned during the dot-com crash.
• How Eric transitioned into marketing and product roles at larger companies, gaining international experience and an understanding of public company dynamics.
• The origins of Pendo, from its unique name and iconic pink branding to its groundbreaking approach to product experience and company culture.
• Eric's perspective on the "golden era of product management" driven by AI and why understanding user problems is more critical than ever.
• The personal decision behind stepping away from Pendo to pursue his long-held ambition of running a venture studio.

Where to Find Eric Boduch:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-boduch-a1b61/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
(00:05:38) Growing up in Western Massachusetts, the home of Friendly's Ice Cream, and his early start in coding and sports. 
(00:08:28) How Eric chose Carnegie Mellon for computer engineering and developed his entrepreneurial bug. 
(00:12:22) The founding of Cerebellum with Todd Olson and the tough lessons from the dot-com crash. 
(00:17:12) Post-Cerebellum ventures, including ProductSoft and his time at Embarcadero and Vitria. 
(00:22:08) The timing challenges of Smash Technologies and the rise of mobile apps. 
(00:25:19) The genesis of Pendo: from initial ideas with Todd Olson to the early days of building the product. 
(00:28:46) Eric's role in Pendo's early marketing, the struggle to define a category, and the origins of the pink dinosaur brand. 
(00:39:01) The rapid growth and culture-building at Pendo, including the challenges of scaling from 1 to 30+ employees quickly. 
(00:41:44) His transition to leading Adopt (now Pendo for Employees) and the future of software usage. 
(00:44:33) Eric's vision for Pendo as a $100 billion company and the critical role of product data in the age of AI. 
(00:49:06) Why Eric was drawn to venture studios and why now felt like the right time to launch his own.

Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

This is Part 1 of Eric Boduch's story. Tune in next week for Part 2!

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

In this episode, Jason shares his journey of building community-driven businesses, from his early days working at a ski resort to launching Raleigh Founded and now expanding his vision with Blueco. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to pivot, scale, and truly make an impact in your community, this conversation is packed with valuable insights.

Tune in to hear:

• How Jason’s early entrepreneurial experiences shaped his work ethic and future ventures.
• The story behind Raleigh Founded and its pivotal role in connecting Triangle entrepreneurs.
• Why Jason saw a need for Blue Co. – a flexible warehousing solution – and how it supports small businesses like plumbers, electricians, and moving companies.
• The lessons Jason learned from building and scaling businesses in hospitality, real estate, and co-working.
• Jason’s future vision for Blue Co. and his strategy for expanding across the Southeast.

Where to Find Jason Widen:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonwiden
• Blue Co.: https://www.bluecowarehousing.com/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
(00:03:00) Jason’s early years and how a ski resort job sparked his entrepreneurial spirit.
(00:10:15) The start of Raleigh Founded, a co-working space that grew into a hub for Triangle entrepreneurs.
(00:18:00) The inception of Blue Co., a flexible warehouse solution for plumbers, electricians, and moving companies.
(00:26:30) Real-world lessons from Jason’s ventures, including the challenges of starting a restaurant and building a real estate empire.
(00:38:05) Scaling Blue Co. and Jason’s plans for expanding across the Southeast.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

In this episode, we explore Chris’s entrepreneurial journey, discussing everything from his time building map systems for the U.S. State Department to his pivot into founding one of the Triangle’s first startup accelerators, the Triangle Startup Factory.

Tune in to hear:

• Chris’s early fascination with maps and how it led him to become a leader in the tech space.
• The inside story of MapQuest and its revolutionary role in the rise of online mapping, years before Google Maps.
• The entrepreneurial lessons Chris learned while transitioning from MapQuest to venture capital.
• Insights from running one of the first accelerators in the Triangle and how it shaped the region’s startup ecosystem.
• Stories of standout companies from the Triangle Startup Factory, including the success of Archive Social.

Where to Find Chris Heivly:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisheivly/
• Build the Fort Blog: https://heivly.com/blog/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
(00:03:00) Chris's love of maps and how it shaped his career from geography major to tech innovator.

(00:10:15) The breakthrough moment: from computer mapping to building mapping systems for the U.S. State Department.

(00:17:45) The story of MapQuest’s creation, why it was so ahead of its time, and how it revolutionized navigation.

(00:27:30) Chris’s time at Donnelly and the strategic decisions that led to MapQuest's success.

(00:38:05) The evolution from VC to accelerator: Chris’s journey building the Triangle Startup Factory and shaping the local ecosystem.

(00:46:52) Chris’s key lessons for startup founders and how to build a lasting legacy.

In the news:

• Going Against the Flow: Chris Heivly, Managing Director of The Startup Factory: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/going-against-the-flow-ch_b_10596620
• One-on-one: ‘Startup Whisperer’ Chris Heivly talks Raleigh-Durham Startup Week, Triangle’s success, new book: https://wraltechwire.com/2023/04/19/one-on-one-startup-whisperer-chris-heivly-talks-raleigh-durham-startup-week-triangles-success-new-book/

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Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

In today’s episode, we talk to Hersh about his journey, from growing up in Raleigh to leading a company that's reshaping the way engineering teams operate. Hersh shares how Allstacks went from a consulting business to a product-driven company, the challenges of raising capital, and what he’s learned about engineering productivity in the process.

Tune in to hear:

• Hersh’s path to founding Allstacks and his early struggles with raising capital.
• The challenge of measuring engineering productivity and how Allstacks solves it with data.
• Insights on making the leap from consulting to product development and what tech companies need to understand about the market.
• The future of engineering productivity—how AI is playing a role in tracking performance.
• Lessons learned from building a dev-tech startup in a competitive space.

Where to Find Hersh Tapadia:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hershtapadia
• Allstacks: https://www.allstacks.com

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
(00:03:00) From Raleigh to Allstacks – How Hersh’s journey led him to build a product that’s changing the game for engineering teams.
(00:10:15) The Early Days – Raising capital, finding product-market fit, and making the leap from consulting to product development.
(00:17:45) The Allstacks Approach – How data can drive engineering productivity and why it’s more than just tracking output.
(00:27:30) Navigating the Tech Space – The challenges of scaling in the dev-tech world and the lessons learned along the way.
(00:38:05) The Future of Engineering Productivity – What’s next for engineering teams and how AI is shaping the way they work.
(00:46:52) Lessons for Founders – Hersh’s hard-earned wisdom on building a company, raising capital, and navigating the startup rollercoaster.

In the news:

• Allstacks raises $20M to help engineering teams measure productivity: https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/30/allstacks-raises-20m-productivity/
• How Allstacks is changing the way engineering teams measure success: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hersh-tapadia-allstacks/
• The Importance of Data-Driven Engineering Teams in 2025: https://www.businessinsider.com/data-driven-engg-productivity-allstacks

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Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Today, we sit down with Dr. Miller to hear his journey, the creation of the Engineering Entrepreneurs Program, his work with students like Bill Nussey and Chris Evans, and his thoughts on the evolving role of entrepreneurship in education.

In this episode:

• Dr. Miller’s Early Years – Growing up in eastern North Carolina and how his humble beginnings fueled his curiosity in technology and entrepreneurship.
• The Spark at NC State – How a professor’s advice led him to take the leap from big corporations to the startup world.
• Founding the Engineering Entrepreneurs Program – Building the foundation for NC State's first program designed to foster entrepreneurship in engineers.
• The DaVinci Story – How students from his program, like Bill Nussey and Chris Evans, founded DaVinci, a revolutionary tech startup.
• Transforming the Triangle – Tom’s role in developing a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Triangle, impacting thousands of students.
• The Entrepreneurial Mindset – What it takes to build successful startups and why entrepreneurs should embrace risk and failure.
• Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs – Dr. Miller’s invaluable advice on navigating university systems, securing funding, and building sustainable businesses.

Where to Find Dr. Tom Miller:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tkmiller/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:

• (00:03:00) Growing Up in Eastern North Carolina – How Tom’s early experiences shaped his path into technology and entrepreneurship.
• (00:08:26) From Big Corporations to Startups – The moment Tom took the leap from IBM and Motorola to the world of startups.
• (00:14:57) Founding the Engineering Entrepreneurs Program – How Tom built the foundation for engineering-focused entrepreneurship at NC State.
• (00:27:12) The DaVinci Success Story – How Bill Nussey and Chris Evans took the lessons from the program to launch DaVinci and make their mark.
• (00:39:28) Transforming Education – Tom’s role in reshaping the university’s approach to entrepreneurship and how it impacted thousands of students.
• (00:52:13) The Entrepreneurial Mindset – Why embracing failure and risk is essential for founders.
• (01:05:00) Lessons for the Next Generation – Advice Tom would give to young entrepreneurs looking to build their own startups.
• (01:15:40) The Triangle’s Startup Ecosystem – How the region evolved into a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.

In the news:

• Remembering Marshall Brain, Founder of HowStuffWorks: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/marshall-brain.htm

Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

The championship features two radically different approaches to innovation:

•  ZW (Robert Fu) – An AI-powered platform helping manufacturers optimize production and R&D in complex industries.
•  InviteJet (Brian Watson & Paul Davis) – A calendar-based marketing solution helping brands reach customers at exactly the right time.

ZW (Robert Fu)

• Platform suite includes ZAI, ZMAP, and ZFastQ—each targeting different needs in manufacturing and R&D.
• Combines deep manufacturing experience with proprietary AI to handle data-heavy optimization challenges.
• Focused on proof-of-concept engagements with industrial clients, including those looking to reduce energy use or improve yield.
• Emphasizes speed over patents—lean team, bootstrapped hustle, and decades of industry know-how.
• Looking to build out sales and marketing strategy with targeted funding.

InviteJet (Brian Watson & Paul Davis)

• Pioneering “calendar marketing” with branded invites that sync to customers’ calendars for product drops, shipping alerts, and events.
• Deep integrations with Shopify, Klaviyo, and Mailchimp; strong early traction with eComm brands.
• Clear technical moat in managing cross-platform calendar compatibility and high-scale deliverability.
• Future plans include AI-powered segmentation and automation, plus agency partnerships to scale distribution.
• Big focus on customer education and making a brand’s most important moments unmissable.

Selection Committee

• Robbie Allen – General Partner, Triangle Tweener Fund
• Nikita Ramaswamy – Partner, Triangle Tweener Fund
• Scot Wingo – Host & General Partner, Triangle Tweener Fund

Key Discussion Topics

🧠 ZW’s Highlights

• Custom AI models built to solve complex, high-variable industrial problems
• Strong market understanding from years inside Corning and similar legacy companies
• Sales strategy driven by proof-of-concept deals and existing network relationships
• Bootstrapped and scrappy: trade shows, peanut butter sandwiches, and real customer traction
• Plans to scale with the right sales hire and targeted marketing spend

📅 InviteJet’s Highlights

• Calendar invites as a new marketing channel—high visibility, minimal friction, big conversion potential
• Built-in unsubscribe controls, multi-tenant tools, and robust integration roadmap
• Not chasing trends: AI is in the plan but not the product’s core value
• Early success with brands doing weekly drops and time-sensitive promos
• Clear-eyed about the challenges of educating the market—and excited to lead the way

📌 Timestamps
(00:00:04) – Championship kickoff with Scot Wingo
(00:01:25) – ZW fields questions on product, AI architecture, and industrial go-to-market
(00:27:04) – InviteJet dives into scaling, technical differentiation, customer retention, and future roadmap
(01:02:47) – Selection committee debrief and reflections on both companies

So who wins?  🏆 Tune in to find out!

This episode wraps up the Tweener Madness series, where eight Triangle startups competed for a $25K investment and plenty of local bragging rights.

🎙️ Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Welcome back to Triangle Tweener Madness, the high-stakes startup tournament where eight companies go head-to-head for a $25,000 investment from the Triangle Tweener Fund!

We’re down to the Fabulous Four, and this week’s semifinal is a clash between a calendar-powered marketing platform and a voice AI company transforming local government services. Two bold visions. One coveted spot in the finals.

Let’s meet the contenders.

 🔹 InviteJet (Paul Davis & Brian Watson) – A marketing platform that lets brands send calendar invites—yes, calendar invites—to their customers. With integrations into tools like Klaviyo and Mailchimp, InviteJet gives brands a new channel for time-based marketing. Early traction shows that calendar invites can outperform email when it comes to urgency and engagement, especially with unengaged audiences.

🔹 CivicReach (Chip Kennedy) – A voice AI platform built to modernize how local governments serve their residents. CivicReach helps cities and counties automatically answer incoming calls, reducing costs and relieving overworked staff. With integrations into CRMs and payment systems, CivicReach is on a mission to improve public service delivery—without increasing headcount.

🎤 InviteJet’s Pitch

• Provides an alternative to crowded inboxes using calendar invites as a persistent, underutilized communication channel.
• Helps brands boost conversions during product launches, sales events, shipping cutoffs, and re-engagement campaigns.
• Built-in unsubscribe features, strong deliverability, and a UX designed for different calendar clients.
• Exploring a pricing evolution from tiered subscription to usage-based.
• Technical moat in managing calendar clients (Google, Outlook, Apple) and formatting consistent, branded experiences.

🎤 CivicReach’s Pitch

• Targets a clear pain point for cities drowning in calls but short on staff or call center support.
• Focused on voice AI that can route, answer, and assist callers with accurate, up-to-date info—customized to each city’s needs.
• Emphasizes cost savings, improved customer experience, and integrations with existing systems.
• Moat includes proprietary speech-to-text and integrations tailored to government use cases, as well as a custom data layer.
• Structured pilots lead to multi-year contracts, with pricing transparency and ROI baked in from day one.

Selection Committee

• Zakiya Alta Lee-Hill – https://www.linkedin.com/in/zakiyaaltalee/
• Antony Rotoli – https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyrotoli/
• Mitch Mumma – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchmumma/

📌 Timestamps
(00:00:35) – Scot Wingo kicks off the InviteJet vs. CivicReach semifinal showdown.
(00:01:31) – InviteJet answers questions on market education, technical complexity, customer success stories, and pricing models.
(00:23:34) – CivicReach fields questions on ROI, government buying cycles, integration strategies, and its founding story.
(00:41:36) – Founders reflect on the mission, momentum, and long-term potential.
(00:43:12) – The selection committee deliberates.
(00:50:33) – One company advances to the Tweener Madness finals!

🎙️ Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

You’ll hear Katherine discuss:

• The biggest misconception about leadership
• How perception shapes outcomes, both in business and personal life
• Why founders should cultivate their “inner game” for stronger leadership
• How leveraging unconscious potential can help you make decisions faster and more effectively
• And much more!

If you’re a founder or executive struggling with uncertainty and high-stakes decisions, Katherine’s talk is not to be missed at Raleigh Durham Startup Week on April 8th. 

Key Takeaways:

• Leadership isn't just about strategy and decision-making—it’s about how you perceive and process information.
• Cultivating both your conscious and unconscious mind (your “inner game”) is essential for navigating the complexities of leadership.
• The ability to tap into your intuition can help you make better decisions faster and stay calm under pressure.

Links Mentioned:

• Raleigh Durham Startup Week: https://www.raleighdurhamstartupweek.com/
• Connect with Katherine Krupka on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinekrupka/

🎙️ Triangle Tweener Talks is (usually) hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Welcome back to Triangle Tweener Madness, where four startups remain in the race for a $25K investment from the Triangle Tweener Fund!

In this week’s matchup, we’ve got two very different companies: one’s building AI to protect the integrity of academic research, and the other’s helping manufacturers optimize glass and ceramics production with deep tech. The stakes are higher than ever—only one will move on to the championship round.

The Contenders

🔹 Moxie (Jessica Parker) – An AI-powered research writing platform designed for PhD students, faculty, and academic researchers. Moxie helps streamline the writing and review process while preserving intellectual integrity and preventing misuse of generative AI. It’s a closed system, workflow-oriented, and focused on fluency and complexity—going far beyond what tools like Grammarly can do.
🔗 Learn more about Moxie

🔹 ZW (Robert Fu) – A precision AI platform for the materials science industry. ZW’s suite of tools helps manufacturers of glass and ceramics reduce R&D time, cut costs, and lower emissions by optimizing material formulas and manufacturing parameters. With traction in enterprise settings and deep subject-matter expertise, ZW is turning AI into ROI for an overlooked vertical.
🔗 Learn more about ZW

Key Highlights

🎤 Jessica’s Q&A (Moxie)

• Moxie focuses on research fluency and complexity, not just grammatical accuracy.
• Sees usage across the research workflow—writing, reviewing, and iteration tracking.
• YouTube channel and SEO are key drivers of user acquisition.
• Challenges: Pricing accessibility for international students and educating users on AI trust and data privacy.
• Long-term vision: Create a full-stack research platform beyond just writing tools.

🎤 Robert’s Q&A (ZW)

• ZW’s AI reduces energy and costs for manufacturers by optimizing material formulas and operational settings.
• Tailors its models to each customer using proprietary data—ensuring privacy and precision.
• Already saving enterprise clients millions in throughput and energy.
• Challenges: Limited sales/marketing bandwidth, need to scale outside of founder networks.
• Long-term vision: Expand from glass and ceramics into polymers, advanced materials, and beyond.

Selection Committee Insights

💡 Mahati Sridhar saw opportunity for both platforms to scale but emphasized the importance of refining go-to-market and self-service onboarding. She noted ZW’s long-term expansion potential into other verticals.

💡 Jan Davis appreciated Moxie’s collaborative model and grassroots traction via content marketing, while noting ZW’s deeper tech and need for pricing adjustments. She voiced concern about whether ZW can scale without heavy customization.

💡 David Gardner leaned toward ZW’s B2B focus and high-value contracts, noting the risk of Moxie being overtaken by generic LLM tools if defensibility isn’t strengthened.

Who Will Move On? 🏆

After a close and thoughtful debate, the selection committee made their call. Which of these future-forward startups will compete for the $25K prize in the championship round? You’ll have to listen to find out.

Today's Selection Committee:

• Mahati Sridhar (Revolution's Rise of the Rest) – LinkedIn
• Jan Davis (Investor & Entrepreneur) – LinkedIn
• David Gardner (Cofounders Capital) – LinkedIn

📌 Timestamps

• (00:00:35) – Scot Wingo introduces the Fabulous Four and the selection committee
• (00:01:18) – Jessica Parker (Moxie) answers questions on AI defensibility, research integrity, and user acquisition
• (00:18:58) – Robert Fu (ZW) shares insights into AI optimization, customer savings, and sales strategy
• (00:36:42) – Judges reflect on both companies, discuss product-market fit, and debate defensibility and growth
• (00:45:12) – Final votes are cast—who moves on to the final?

🎙️ Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/