Startup Cornell

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Startup Cornell, hosted by Entrepreneurship at Cornell.

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Latest Episodes

Episode 44: Van Hamilton Barbeau boosts healthcare startups

Our new episode features Van Hamilton Barbeau, AVP at Ochsner Ventures, the venture capital arm of Ochsner Health, which invests in healthcare companies from seed-stage to growth-stage. He has spent his career building, advising and investing in healthcare companies. Barbeau earned his undergrad degree from Cornell in 2011, where he studied political economy in the College of Arts & Sciences. He also has an MBA from Cornell’s Johnson School and a master’s in healthcare policy and research from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences.

Episode 43: Tech company co-founder John Bicket is Cornell's 2025 Entrepreneur of the Year

Our new episode features John Bicket ’02, chief technology officer and co-founder of tech firm Samsara and this year’s Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year 2025. He will be honored on campus April 10 and 11 at the Entrepreneurship at Cornell Celebration Ezra Event. Samsara offers an AI-powered platform to help physical operations organizations improve their safety, efficiency and sustainability by using data from sensors and connected devices. Bicket earned his bachelor’s in computer science from Cornell and a master’s in computer science from MIT.

Episode 42: Student's business pays tribute to African heritage

Our new episode includes a chat with Cornell student Micere Mugweru ’25, the founder of Mizoma Africa. Mugweru is an economics and Africana studies major in the College of Arts & Sciences and a member of the eLab student business accelerator. She's created a Pan-African luxury bag brand dedicated to empowering women by bringing a piece of Africa into cosmopolitan spaces. Each bag is a tribute to African heritage.

Episode 41: Upcycling fruits and veggies into luxury bags

Our new episode features Heather Jiang MBA '16, founder of Allegorie, a small-batch accessory company that turns discarded fruits into beautiful wallets, bags and backpacks. The bags reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions and are designed and created in New York City’s garment district.

Episode 40: Helping young VCs learn the ropes

Our new episode features Sakib Jamal ‘19, vice president at Crossbeam Venture Partners. Jamal was recently chosen for the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, in part for his book, "The Young VC's Handbook," a tactical guide for newcomers to venture capital. In the book, some of the smartest young minds in VC share actionable advice. Proceeds from the book go to help underprivileged children attend primary school in Jamal’s home country of Bangladesh.

Episode 39: Breanna Neff '16 is bringing CBD-infused ingredients to the drink mix market

Our newest episode features Breanna Neff ‘16, founder and chief food scientist at brelixi, a company that makes drink mixes infused with nano-CBD or THC, as well as electrolytes, adaptogens and nootropics. Neff studied food science, technology, business, nutrition and health at Cornell. Before founding brelixi, she worked with Dannon and Evian, as well as in the startup world.

Episode 38: Lloyd Robinson ’87 takes his family’s business to the next level

Our newest episode features Lloyd Robinson ’87, president and owner of Awisco, a family-owned welding business started in 1952. With 10 locations across the New York metro area and a sales presence in South Florida, Lloyd has led the company through lots of changes and has hosted Cornell interns for more than 20 summers. Lloyd graduated from the ILR School.

Episode 37: Jen Barnwell ’96 is a champion for independent and boutique hotels

Our newest episode features Jen Barnwell ‘96, president of Curator Hotel & Resort Collection. Curator is a collection of hand-selected independent hotels and resorts whose mission is to have independent hotels join forces and get the power of scale without sacrificing the spirit of independence.

Episode 36: Smoke Wallin helps entrepreneurs make the best exit

This month, we talk business, mentorship, life lessons and spirituality with Smoke Wallin '88, a serial entrepreneur and managing director & partner at STS Capital, a global boutique investment bank focused on mergers and acquisitions.

Bio of Startup Cornell

Startup Cornell, hosted by Entrepreneurship at Cornell, is a dynamic podcast that delves into the innovative ideas and ventures emerging from the Cornell University community. With a focus on the entrepreneurial spirit that permeates the campus, this podcast showcases the groundbreaking work of students, faculty, staff, and young alumni.

Through engaging interviews and conversations, Startup Cornell provides a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to share their experiences, challenges, and successes. Listeners gain valuable insights into the ideation process, the resources available at Cornell, and the various pathways to turning innovative concepts into thriving businesses.

The podcast covers a wide range of industries and sectors, showcasing diverse interests and expertise within the Cornell community. From tech startups to social enterprises, each episode offers a glimpse into the bold and transformative ideas that are shaping the entrepreneurial landscape.

Startup Cornell aims to inspire and empower listeners by highlighting the journeys of these entrepreneurial individuals.

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