
The Restaurant Tech Company Behind Untappd
From Digital Hospitality by Shawn P. Walchef
May 4, 2026 · 39 min · Episode 633
About this episode
Trace Smith discusses his journey from private equity to leading Next Glass and creating a platform for the beverage alcohol industry.
Trace Smith, CEO of Next Glass, shares how an unexpected leap from private equity into the beverage alcohol industry led to building a platform that connects producers, operators, and consumers at scale.
People in this episode
Host: Shawn P. Walchef
Guest: Trace Smith
Topics covered
- restaurant technology
- beverage industry
- entrepreneurship
- private equity
- platform development
Keywords
- restaurant tech
- Next Glass
- Untappd
- Trace Smith
- beverage alcohol
- entrepreneurship
- private equity
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Next Glass, Untappd
Places: beverage alcohol industry
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