Middle Tech

Wes Spencer is the CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) of Perch Security, a cybersecurity startup that was recently acquired for $80 million. We discuss what cybersecurity looks like in practice, how hacks happen, and how Perch was acquired after starting just 3 years ago. Visit Perch at PerchSecurity.com Visit us at MiddleTechPod.com  Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

Matt Jennings is Executive Chairman of Kingdom Trust, a financial services company out of Murray, Kentucky that was the first in the United States to legally custody Bitcoin for their clients. Currently, Kingdom Trust is building a platform called Choice that will be the first in the world to handle any asset in a retirement account. We discuss how Kingdom Trust came to be one of the most innovative companies in the fintech space, the platform they're currently building, and Matt's experience building this company in Kentucky.  Visit Kingdom Trust at KingdomTrust.com  Check out the Choice platform at RetireWithChoice.com  Visit us at MiddleTechPod.com  Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

Jai Malik is a Venture Capitalist out of Colombia, Missouri. Jai has recently founded Countdown Capital, a new Venture Fund that will have a focus on entrepreneurs building "deep tech" companies. We discuss the meaning of deep tech, why a commitment to ethics is critical when building a company, and investing in Middle America. Visit Countdown Capital at Countdown.Capital Visit us at MiddleTechPod.com Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sat down with the Founder and CEO of Stuccco, Matt Langan. Stuccco is a software that allows real estate agents to virtually stage their listing by using 3D renderings of furniture and other items, rather than having real furniture brought in. We discuss Matt's experience bootstrapping a software company, maintaining your mental health as a founder, and the importance of product design. Visit Stuccco at Stuccco.com Visit us at MiddleTechPod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sat down with the Founding Partner and CEO of GrowthX, Andrew Goldner. GrowthX is a venture capital firm focused on helping their portfolio companies find product-market fit through their extensive go-to-market program. We discuss the complexities of achieving true product-market fit, content marketing, important sales traits, how to launch a product, and the Nashville startup scene.  Visit GrowthX at GrowthX.com Visit us at MiddleTechPod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sat down with the new Executive Director of SOAR (Shaping Our Appalachian Region), Colby Hall. SOAR was created in response to the decline of the coal industry in Eastern Kentucky and its mission is to drive the development needed to change the region.  We discuss SOAR's mission, the importance of internet access for rural communities, fostering entrepreneurship, and what the future of the region looks like.  Visit SOAR at SOAR-Ky.org Visit us at MiddleTechPod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

Welcome to the Developer Deep Dive series! Sponsored by the Awesome Inc Developer Bootcamp and brought to you by Middle Tech. This Deep Dive series was created to shed light on the essential role developers play in the startup ecosystem. In this episode, we sat down with the co-founder of Silver Fern Group, Stephen VanWingerden, to discuss their technology stack, development practices, and management practices. Silver Fern group uses a variety of technologies such as React, GraphQL, and Microsoft Office integrations. Take a listen to learn more! Learn more about the Awesome Inc Developer Bootcamp at awesomeinc.org/bootcamp Visit us at MiddleTechPod.com Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

On this week's episode, we sat down with Twyman Clements, founder and CEO of Space Tango. Space Tango is putting automated science experiments on the International Space Station by partnering with NASA & SpaceX to carry their "cube labs" into orbit. We discuss Twyman's experience building a space company in Kentucky, the science that Space Tango is facilitating, and what the future of space commercialization with look like. Visit Space Tango at SpaceTango.com Visit us at MiddleTechPod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we're joined by Middle Tech co-founder Nate Antetomaso to recap all that went on during season 3 and what we plan to accomplish in season 4. A lot happened in season 3 - we adapted to remote recording, recorded our 100th episode, grew the team to 10 people, and introduced new forms of content such as blogs and weekly livestreams. We have big plans for season 4 as we continue to double down on the success that we've had thus far. To all those who have supported us along the way - thank you. Your support means the world to us.   Visit us at MiddleTechPod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

In this episode of The Startup Fundraising Journey, we discussed what happens after the investment takes place in the final installment titled “The Partnership”. All the stresses related to the transaction have passed and now you're faced with executing on the growth plan you put in front of your investors. It is always a challenging and stressful job to grow a business, but now that you just closed a funding round, you have someone new in your corner to help you navigate uncharted waters.   Visit Poplar Ventures at poplarventures.com Visit us at MiddleTechPod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

In this episode of The Startup Fundraising Journey, we cover what happens once you get a term sheet. We’ll walk you through what goes into a company’s valuation, what kind of additional due diligence is necessary, and what the approval process looks like to move forward with the investment. This stage of the process is often the one entrepreneurs know the least about, so we hope to provide an inside look into how to prepare for this stage of the process. Visit Poplar Ventures at poplarventures.com Visit us at MiddleTechPod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

Middle Tech was founded in order to grow the startup ecosystem in Kentucky and Middle America using digital media to educate, entertain, and inspire all entrepreneurs, current and future, as well as people working in the technology space. One area we’ve wanted to shed more light on recently is the process of raising venture capital. We’ve found that many first time founders have questions around the topic with few readily available resources, so they find themselves seeking help from a coastal firm with limited familiarity with this region’s entrepreneur ecosystem. We wanted to fill the void, so we partnered with Louisville, KY based venture capital firm Poplar Ventures to create a three part series covering what it is like to raise money in venture capital in middle America. In this series, John Wilmoth and Christian Miller will walk you through the entire journey. We hope this helps founders go into the fundraising process with the confidence and knowledge required to raise the money needed to scale their b

On this week's episode, we sat down with a Ray & Sawyer White, the 5th generation of their family business - a lumber company. While most people would not associate lumber with technology, our conversation with the Whites focused on how new technology is allowing for a shift to sustainability in an industry that's thought to be the opposite. Ray and Sawyer also share what it's been like to grow a business in Kentucky through 5 generations of their family and where they hope to take the company once it's their turn to run it. Visit us at MiddleTechPod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sat down with Bradley Davis, the founder and CEO of Podchaser. Described as the IMDb for podcasts, Podchaser allows users to discover new shows, leave ratings & reviews, find guest appearances, and much more. For podcasters, Podchaser can also aggregate data to show episode analytics and audience demographics. We discuss Bradley's background, how he started the company by posting on Reddit, and where he sees the podcast industry going into the future. Visit Podchaser at Podchaser.com Visit us at MiddleTechPod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sat down with David Willbrand, a Startup & Venture Capital Lawyer at Thompson Hine. David provides a unique perspective on this region and it's startup ecosystem as he has been working in it since 1996. In addition to acquiring a great deal of experience helping founders navigate the legality of starting a company, David has also had a front row seat to watch this region's startup ecosystem grow & evolve over time. We discuss the role that law plays in starting a company, the legal implications of big tech turning into monopolies, and what David has observed during his time serving this region. Learn more about Thompson Hine LLP at thompsonhine.com Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

We wanted to rebroadcast this episode now that AppHarvest has completed their Morehead facility and announced two additional facilities in Richmond & Berea, Kentucky. Additionally, AppHarvest has also announced recently that they will be going public via a SPAC (a full blog covering that announcement can be found here). At the time of this recording, AppHarvest had just broke ground on their Morehead, KY facility. With several environmental and political threats to our food supply, AppHarvest is hoping to make Kentucky the AgTech Capital of the World by creating fresh, quality produce that can be grown efficiently and safely within a day's drive of 75% of the US. Visit AppHarvest at appharvest.com Visit us at middletechpod.com  Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

This week, we sat down with Kendall Weihe. Kendall graduated from the University of Kentucky where he studied Computer Science with a focus on Machine Learning. Kendall loves solving problems with software and has had the opportunity to work for two of the top technology companies in Kentucky, Appriss and El Toro, before eventually landing at Yum Brands to build enterprise applications. On this episode we dove into his background, artificial intelligence, and several other culturally relevant topics related to technology like free speech, censoring, and government regulation. Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sit down with Alex Lazarow to discuss his new book, Out-Innovate: How Global Entrepreneurs--from Delhi to Detroit--Are Rewriting the Rules of Silicon Valley. Alex lives in Silicon Valley, where he is a venture capitalist with Cathay Innovation, a Kauffman Fellow, and an adjunct professor specializing in social-impact investment and entrepreneurship at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. During our conversation, we discuss the primary theme of Alex's book; that innovation is happening everywhere and it might be different than the innovation and practices happening in the Valley. Find Alex's book on Amazon here Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sit down with Kevin Kasey, who is the father of Landon Kasey. Landon founded Reach shortly before passing away. Reach is a platform that allows businesses to connect with "micro-influencers", allowing people with an average social following to get paid for promoting businesses that they're passionate about. We discuss Reach's progress, why Kevin wanted to continue building his son's business, how the Live Like Landon foundation came to be, and how Kevin wants Landon's legacy to be remembered. Visit Reach at reach-influencers.com Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sit down with Kyle Green, Founder and CEO of Handle Global. Kyle and his team are building a software platform that is helping hospital systems manage their supply chain using Handle’s marketplace and capital cycle management (CCM) SaaS product. The powerful combination of these two solutions will change the way hospitals manage their assets, allowing them to focus more on the care they deliver their patients. Handle is especially important today when COVID-19 has created a great deal of stress and chaos in the healthcare system. We discuss Kyle’s background, Handle’s origin story, the company’s future, and advice Kyle has for entrepreneurs solving difficult problems. Visit Handle Global at handleglobal.com Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter