Startup Success: A Podcast for Founders & Investors

Medha Agarwal, General Partner at defy.vc, joins Kate to share how founders can stand out to investors in an AI-saturated market, what she looks for before writing a check, why founder-market fit matters, and how AI is reshaping everything from startup defensibility to pricing models. She also offers a look at how devy.vc supports founders well beyond capital.Full show notes, transcript, and companion article: https://burklandassociates.com/podcasts/how-to-stand-out-to-investors-in-an-ai-saturated-market==== Chapters ====01:26 — Medha's Path From Entrepreneur to Venture02:48 — What Makes defy.vc Different Than Other VC Firms03:52 — Their Investment Focus06:49 — More Than a Check: How They Partner with Founders10:44 — Building Trust and Providing Honest Feedback13:07 — What Medha Looks For Before Writing a Check15:12 — Does defy.vc Evaluate AI Startups Differently?16:23 — How VCs Are Using AI17:19 — Advice on How to Stand Out to Investors in an AI-Saturated Market21:09 — More Startups, More Revenue — But What Happens Next?24:14 — What Makes Medha Genuinely Excited About Startups Today26:31 — Don't Forget to Zoom Out and Think Long Term27:53 — Hiring Is a Superpower, Especially Right Now29:38 — Where to Find Medha and defy.vc----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateadams22/🔗 Learn more at https://defy.vc/This episode is produced by:Brenda Hernández Jaimes: Podcast Producer & Talent Coordinator, Ellas MediaAngela R. Chong: Audio Editor & Post-Production Producer, Amplify Podcasts

Winning over investors as a healthtech founder requires fortitude, relentless pitching, and the ability to tell a hard "no" from a "not right now."In this episode, Kate sits down with Melissa Hanna, co-founder and CEO of Mahmee, a healthcare platform transforming how families experience pregnancy and postpartum care. Melissa pitched 500 to 1,000 investors before landing backers like Mark Cuban, Serena Williams, and Steve Case, plus a Series A led by Goldman Sachs.Melissa walks us through how Mahmee built the technology and workforce infrastructure that now has 70 million lives under contract. She also opens up about the fundraising grind and shares her perspective on AI's role in healthcare.Tune in to hear:Strategies for fundraising in this challenging marketHow founders outside the AI space can still leverage AIAn insider's perspective on where AI should and shouldn't be used in healthcareWhy core values are key, even at early-stage startupsMelissa’s advice to fellow founders: accept the struggle, and commit to a problem worth solving.Don't miss this conversation with a founder proving healthcare can be both high-tech and deeply human.---- Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, on LinkedIn🔗 Learn more about Mahmee at: https://www.mahmee.com/This episode is produced by:Brenda Hernández Jaimes: Podcast Producer & Talent Coordinator, Ellas MediaAngela R. Chong: Audio Editor & Post-Production Producer, Amplify Podcasts==== Chapters ====00:17 – Fundraising for a HealthTech Startup in the AI Era02:33 – What Is Mahmee? The Platform Closing Gaps in Maternal Care04:39 – The Inspiration Behind Mahmee: A Mother's Influence06:09 – Taking the Leap: Building the Founding Team07:11 – The US Maternal Health Paradox: Spending the Most, Getting the Worst08:54 – Creating a Healthcare Platform That Adapts to Each Family's Journey10:00 – Stumbling Into New Opportunities11:18 – Where Mahmee Is Today: 70 Million Lives Under Contract16:19 – Where AI Should and Shouldn't Be Used in Healthcare18:38 – The Fundraising Journey: Pitching Hundreds of Investors22:20 – Core Values Aren’t Just for Big Companies25:35 – Parting Advice for Founders: Accept the Struggle27:33 – Where to Find Mahmee

Where innovation meets purpose—HOPE Hydration is proving that sustainability can be both smart and scalable. In this episode of Startup Success, host Kate sits down with HOPE Hydration co-founders Jorge Richardson and Cristina Gnecco, the visionary team behind smart water refill stations designed to make clean drinking water universally accessible—and free. HOPE Hydration is pioneering a model where advertising funds sustainability, turning water stations into connected platforms that benefit both cities and brands. The company recently raised a $20M Series A, marking a major step in their mission to bring smart hydration to urban centers worldwide.We discuss:How AI has helped to fuel HOPE Hydration’s successTheir creative strategies for driving consumer adoptionWhat it means to operate as a certified B CorpHow they stay true to their mission while delivering value to investorsTune in to hear how Jorge and Cristina are blending technology, trust, and purpose to make every refill count—and build a movement toward a more sustainable, hydrated future. And if you’d like a HydroStation in your area, they’d love to hear from you!----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn! 🔗 Learn more about HOPE Hydration at https://www.hopehydration.com/

What does it take to build a biotech startup tackling one of the toughest challenges in women’s health? In this episode of Startup Success, we sit down with Oriana Papin-Zoghbi, Founder and CEO of AOA, whose company is pioneering a novel approach to detecting early-stage ovarian cancer.Oriana shares her journey to founding AOA, the mission-critical lessons she learned from scaling her team too fast, and why she believes “doing the hard things the right way” is the key to long-term success.She offers candid insights on:Her incremental approach to fundraising as a first-time founderThe realities of hiring and why not everyone is a good fit for startup lifeHow scaling consciously can save your startup from chaosWhat it took to recover when rapid growth nearly broke the companyIf you’ve ever questioned what it really takes to turn an idea into a thriving company, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about growth, grit, and what it means to build something that lasts.Chapters:00:18 – Welcome and Introduction00:51 – Oriana’s Career Background03:00 – Inspiration for AOA Dx and Ovarian Cancer Diagnostics05:00 – From Concept to Funding07:54 – Current Stage of AOA Dx08:12 – Challenges Along the Way09:41 – People-First Philosophy12:44 – Building a Robust Hiring Process14:07 – Balancing Learners and Guides in a Startup15:56 – Scaling Consciously18:16 – Organizational Systems and Operational Infrastructure21:02 – Final Words of Wisdom for Founders23:02 – Where to Find AOA Dx----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn! Learn more about AOA, visit: https://aoadx.com/

Most founders know they need marketing to build their business—but few know where to start.In this episode of Startup Success, host Kate sits down with Jacqueline Basulto, Founder & CEO of SeedX, a full-service digital marketing agency helping startups scale with clarity and strategy.Jacqueline shares her path to launching SeedX, and how she’s grown the company to a 65-person team supporting clients across industries. Together, they dive into the fundamentals every founder needs to know about building a strong digital presence.We cover a lot in a short time, including: How AI and “no-click marketing” are reshaping customer acquisitionWhy your website is your #1 asset—even in the age of AIThe smart way to use email marketing to stand out from your competitorsModern marketing tactics that leverage AIIt’s the kind of conversation you’ll want to bookmark and come back to whenever you need a quick marketing refresher. ----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn! Learn more about SeedX at seedx.us and at LinkedIn

Ivan Montoya is a venture capitalist with a fresh perspective on the typical VC–founder relationship. He and his firm, NuMundo Ventures, take an unusually hands-on approach with pre-seed and seed-stage founders—providing a level of support typically reserved for Series A and B stage startups.They often form close bonds with founders even before investing, actively helping with fundraising, pitch decks, go-to-market strategy, and everything in between.On this episode of Startup Success, we explore how Ivan’s trajectory from startup operator to angel investor to VC shaped his approach to backing founders, and how he’s helping the next generation of LatAm entrepreneurs achieve remarkable growth and gain traction in the US.We discuss:How to make your startup stand out at an early stageThe power of working with the right VC partnerLatAm’s startup boom and why their ecosystem is ripe for disruptionWhether you’re a founder, investor, or part of the global startup community, this episode takes you inside an emerging tech scene and reveals a new blueprint for the VC-founder relationship.----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!Learn more about NuMundo Ventures here: https://numundoventures.com/