The Unipreneurs Podcast

Benny Rubanov - CampusOven

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 06:30:44 GMT

In this episode, we dig deep into the topics of finding product-market fit, how to find your co-founders, scheduling your startup work time when you also have a full-time job, and navigating the early stages of running a venture.

Alexa Edström is interviewing special guest Benny Rubanov, one of the co-founders of CampusOven, a meal delivery startup focused on providing affordable, nutritious and delicious meals to college students. After a pivot to helping provide meals to frontline hospital workers during the pandemic, they have pivoted again to focus on B2B clients as they navigate running a startup during these unprecedented times. Benny is a graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas who is now working full-time while dedicating his outside hours to building CampusOven with his team. Listen to this episode to learn more about his journey of finding his passion within entrepreneurship and exploring that as a student.

Do you have a recommendation for a student founder we should interview? They can be located anywhere in the world! Send us an email at info@unipreneurs.com as we would love to hear your recommendations and feedback.

Helpful links:

Unipreneurs: https://www.unipreneurs.com/

CampusOven: https://www.campusoven.com/

Benny's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennyrubanov/

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Varika Pinnam - ThinkIDA

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 07:05:30 GMT

In this episode, we dig deep into how to get your venture off the ground, revealing who your customers really are, building a valuable platform, and overcoming imposting syndrome.

Alexa Edström is interviewing special guest Varika Pinnam, co-founder of ThinkIDA - Ideate Act Decide, a web and mobile app to connect underrepresented, female founders to mentors, funding, and resources on a membership basis. Varika is currently a student at the University of Texas at Dallas, studying marketing and computer science while working on her venture outside of school. Her previous internship experience inspired her to jump into entrepreneurial waters after getting involved with an entrepreneurship event on campus.

Helpful links:

Unipreneurs: https://www.unipreneurs.com/

ThinkIDA: https://www.thinkida.com/

Other things mentioned:

Real statistics on family-run businesses as discussed - we mentioned the wrong number in our interview
The playing cards mentioned
Techstars
Venture for America

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Selah Li – Ellure CEO and Founder

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 13:00:41 GMT

In this episode, we dig deep into knowing when you have found a passion that you can create into a venture, how to get started and receive crucial initial support, and not being afraid to dive into a saturated industry such as beauty.

In this podcast episode, Alexa Edström is interviewing special guest Selah (Rui) Li, the CEO and co-founder of Ellure. As lipstick addicts, they had plenty to discuss, but you will love this episode even if you are not into cosmetics because Selah’s journey is truly inspiring.

Selah Li grew up in China and studied a bachelors in industrial engineering at Tongji University where she did an exchange semester in Germany and ultimately decided to pursue her masters in Sweden. During her masters studies, she found herself on a journey into tackling cosmetics consumption and started her own 3D printed cosmetics venture together with Marc and Jasmin. Together, they are shaking up the beauty world.

For more information check out www.ellure.se

Get 10% off your own customized lipstick with the code UNIPRENEURS upon checkout (valid until Sep 30th, 2020)

Helpful links:

Unipreneurs: https://www.unipreneurs.com/

Ellure: https://www.ellure.se/

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Malin Frithiofsson - VC championing women's participation in technology

Sun, 23 Aug 2020 06:02:54 GMT

On today’s podcast episode, Alexa is joined by Emma Lindholm as a co-host. Emma is the co-director of Unipreneurs network and currently a student at Karolinska University Hospital. They are SO EXCITED to be interviewing a very special guest – Malin Frithiofsson.

In this episode, we talk about Malin’s unconventional journey that landed her a job within venture capital. Malin currently works at Chalmers Ventures, part of Chalmers University, where her role is Head of Community Management. She was awarded the Ecosystem Here of the year by the Nordic Startup Awards in 2019 and also happens to be a published author with her own poetry book, a public speaker, and an equality expert.

This episode digs deep into the topic of being a woman in the startup and VC worlds and how men can be our allies to create a more inclusive community. Malin hits us with the facts and really educated us on what the current situation looks like, what research has proven, and how we can move forward.

In Malin's words: "Women make up 50% of the human population. Still, women own only about 9% of all startup Equity and received less then 1% of all venture capital in Sweden last year. Across the world, substantially more patents are given to men and substantially more men found companies and hold seats in company boards. A world innovated, built, and owned by men is also most likely to be built for men – something that is showing with the rising occurence of gendered products and services."

Follow Malin's journey:

Web: https://www.malinfrithiofsson.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malin-frithiofsson/

Other great people/things mentioned:

Follow or email Malin for links via her website
Mark Conley's research https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335679671_We_Ask_Men_to_Win_and_Women_Not_to_Lose_Closing_the_Gender_Gap_in_Startup_Funding

We recorded this during Create Squared in March 2020 and have been on a break since. Episodes will continue regularly again throughout the rest of 2020.

Our website: https://www.unipreneurs.com/

Link to join our slack channel (expires on August 29th 2020): https://join.slack.com/t/unipreneursworkspace/shared_invite/zt-g0h7t9uf-kzYXOMn6ghQ3rXk4fKA1aw

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Gregg Vanourek - Entrepreneurship and Life Design Teacher

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 04:00:13 GMT

On today’s podcast episode, Alexa is joined again by Johann Gross who is filling in for Emma during her trip. Johann is a former student founder still active in the startup scene and he currently works full-time as Partner Manager at the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship. They are SO EXCITED to be interviewing a very special guest – Gregg Vanourek.

Gregg is a high-impact executive, leadership developer, changemaker, and award-winning author – training and speaking internationally on leadership, entrepreneurship, and life design -- which is all about connecting personal and professional excellence. Gregg is one of the most popular teachers from the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship and he’s in town this weekend to host a Design your life workshop for students here in Stockholm. Previously, Gregg was the Former Vice Director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management Program at the KTH-Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and was also the Vice Center Director for the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship.

He is also a Former tech startup executive for K12 Inc. (which is now a market leader with $900 million in sales annually). He is the Co-author of three influential books: “Triple Crown Leadership”, “LIFE Entrepreneurs” (a clarion call for people seeking to infuse their life and work with purpose and passion), and “Charter Schools in Action.” His writing has appeared in or been reviewed by Fast Company, BusinessWeek, U.S. News & World Report, New York Times, Entrepreneur, Inc., Harvard Business blogs. Finally, Gregg was also a student himself. He Graduated from the Yale School of Management (M.B.A.), London School of Economics and Political Science (M.Sc.), and Claremont McKenna College (B.A., magna cum laude, and Academic All American soccer player).

Follow Gregg's journey:

Web: https://www.greggvanourek.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregg-vanourek-5347b11/

TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7KWdzvenmo

Twitter: @gvanourek / @TripleCrownLead

Other great people/things mentioned:

Growth Mindset by Dr. Carol Dweck
Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation - Parker Palmer
The Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship: http://www.sses.se

Our website: https://www.unipreneurs.com/

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Ramtin Massoumzadeh - Labtrino CEO and Co-founder

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 13:11:47 GMT

In this episode, we dig deep into questions around hardware prototyping, building a team, leadership, and navigating co-founder relationships as well as fundraising for the first time.

On today’s podcast episode, Alexa Edström is joined by Johann Gross who is filling in for Emma Lindholm during her trip. Johann is a former student founder still active in the startup scene and he currently works full-time as Partner Manager at the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship. A big shoutout to Johann, we are so grateful and happy to have him on the podcast to help interview our guest speakers.

This episode's special guest is Ramtin Massoumzadeh, the CEO and co-founder of Labtrino. Ramtin originally grew up in Stockholm and studied Vehicle Engineering at the Royal Institute of Technology before starting his venture, Labtrino. Their vision is to pave the way for a more sustainable planet, for us and for future generations. In doing so, they hope that it will become natural for everyone to consider their own imprint on the planet and collectively help to minimize it. They focus on developing smart solutions in the form of embedded mechatronic systems, utilizing cloud services that communicate between web interfaces and smartphones to inform users about their water consumption. Ignorance may be bliss, but too often it goes unnoticed at the cost of others. Therefore, Labtrino aims to close the gap between our collective behaviour in how we consume nature’s resources and our understanding of its implications and consequences. There is a saying: “What you don’t know won’t hurt you”. But once we know, we intrinsically strive to ease the pain. So let us be known, so that we can together make this world a better place for the next generation.

For more information check out www.labtrino.com

Helpful links:

Unipreneurs: https://www.unipreneurs.com/

The Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship: http://www.sses.se

Labtrino AB: http://www.labtrino.com/

Ramtin's Book Recommendation: Thinking, Fast and Slow - By Daniel Kahneman

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Alexander Jacobsen - Waves CEO and Founder

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 11:55:28 GMT

In this episode, Alexander Jacobsen from Waves tells us about his student journey that has lead to him becoming an entrepreneur. Starting as a first year industrial engineering and management student, Alex got involved early with entrepreneurship initiatives at his university. He has had many ideas along the way, two of which he has developed into ventures. His first venture taught him a lot about keeping the relationships in your life nurtured even as you become consumed by your work. His second venture is teaching him even more lessons about building a team, creating a prototype, and managing his role as CEO.

Waves helps you invest in your values by helping you invest in mutual funds with stakes in companies solving some of the biggest challenges of our time. In fact, investing in the right mutual funds is 27 times more impactful than other lifestyle changes you make. WAVES allows you to invest in your values and track your impact. By utilizing existing infrastructure and financial systems to overcome the world’s most pressing issues, their team believes that anyone can change the world, and that it starts with something as simple as an investment.

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What is Unipreneurs?

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 12:23:24 GMT

This episode we are talking about what Unipreneurs is, how it started, and who we are. We are super excited to get into the world of podcasting and we are even more excited to bring you interviews with inspirational students and recent graduates who have started their own ventures. Stay tuned!

Find out more at www.unipreneurs.com and follow us on social media @unipreneurs

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