Shows
AI JournalBeyond the Buzz: How AI Giants, Innovators, and Investors Are Redefining What’s PossibleEpisode Summary
In this episode, we break down four major developments shaping the global AI landscape. From the powerhouse alliance of Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Anthropic redefining AI compute, to Franklin Templeton’s bold leap into agentic AI for asset management, we explore how enterprises are accelerating intelligent automation. We dive into investor Jennifer Neundorfer’s compelling take on building standout companies beyond the AI hype, and examine HUMAIN’s global infrastructure partnership aimed at creating secure, sovereign AI data centers. Together, these stories reveal a clear picture: AI is entering a new era of scale, strategy, and transf...
2025-11-2105 min
EquityJanuary Ventures bets AI's biggest winners won't come from Silicon ValleyWhile everyone's chasing the next AI infrastructure play in San Francisco, some of the most defensible AI companies are being built by founders with deep expertise in legacy industries — and they're not getting funded. January Ventures aims to fill that gap, writing pre-seed checks for underrepresented founders transforming healthcare, manufacturing, and supply chain with AI.
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Dominic-Madori Davis sat down with Jennifer Neundorfer, Co-Founder and General Partner at January Ventures, for a live episode of Equity. The pair dug into how early-stage investing is changing in the age of AI and why building different net...
2025-11-1928 min
Almost InformedLovable says it’s nearing 8 million users as year-old AI coding startup eyes more corporate employeesToday's podcast covers: Lovable, an AI coding startup, is nearing 8 million users and aims to attract more corporate employees. VC Jennifer Neundorfer shares tips for standing out in the competitive AI market. Kaltura acquires eSelf in a $27M deal. Google introduces Gemini to Google TV Streamer. AI PowerPoint-killer Gamma hits $2.1B valuation. Wikipedia calls on AI companies to use its paid API. Venmo launches cash back rewards program. Amazon Music allows users in Canada to chat and stream music. Remote driving startup Vay could secure up to $410M from Grab. Amanda Kahlow raises $30 million for new AI sales startup 1mind.
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2025-11-1113 min
High StakesHow Early Funding Rounds a Shape Startup's FutureThe High-Stakes Decisions Behind Early Fundraising: When to Raise, Who to Raise From, and How Much Equity to Give UpIn this episode of High Stakes, host Paige Soya sits down with Jennifer Neundorfer, Managing Partner at January Ventures, for a candid conversation about the early fundraising decisions that can make or break a startup’s future.Together, they dig into the nuances of when to raise capital, who to take money from, and how much equity to give away and the ripple effects those choices have on company trajectory, investor fit, and founder control....
2025-11-0637 min
UBS On-Air: ConversationsFamily Office Quarterly In Conversation, Q2: Lessons from an early stage venture investorLeora Zach, Client Solutions Specialist for Family Office Solutions, sits down with Jennifer Neundorfer, a founding partner at January Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in pre-seed startups to discuss why family offices should consider emerging managers and how they differ across asset classes.
2024-03-2125 min
Beyond the Cap TableJennifer Neundorfer and Lizzie Carr from January Ventures on signals of a stabilizing fundraising market, how founders can align incentives with their investors, and what's ahead for VC in 2024This is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.
In this episode, we switch it up and discuss our 5th Annual Early Stage Founder Sentiment Report. I’m joined by our investment associate, Lizzie Carr, to dive into the data and share what stands out. Lizzie and I del...
2024-01-3038 min
Beyond the Cap TableEd Zimmerman from First Close Partners on building a fund of funds, investing in over 150 venture managers, and championing diversity in venture capitalThis is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.
In this episode, I interview Ed Zimmermann, venture lawyer at Lowenstein Sandler and Co-founder of First Close Partners, a fund of funds investing in underrepresented fund managers. Ed is a venture veteran who has spent his career supporting and...
2024-01-2337 min
Beyond the Cap TableBrittney Gavini from Pivotal Ventures on how Pivotal is reimagining the world for women in the US, how it maximizes both returns and impact, and how it underwrites emerging managersThis is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.
In this episode, I interview Brittney Riley Gavini, venture investor at Pivotal Ventures. Pivotal Ventures expands opportunity and accelerates equality in the United States through high-impact investments, partnerships, and advocacy. Pivotal Ventures focuses on areas where social progress has stalled—and...
2024-01-1629 min
Beyond the Cap TableAllison Baum Gates from SemperVirens on how to break into venture, her belief in an ecosystem model of investing, and how to make your network work for youThis is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.
In this episode, I interview Allison Baum Gates, General Partner at SemperVirens. Allison and I discuss:
Key lessons from her book Breaking Into Venture, which was informed by her own experience starting from scratch in the industry
Wha...
2024-01-0938 min
Beyond the Cap TablePriyanka Jain from Evvy on how to move from product to CEO, how Evvy is redefining women’s health, and how she successfully raised a $14M Series A in a challenging fundraising environmentThis is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.
We were thrilled to interview Priyanka Jain, Co-founder and CEO of Evvy, and explore her groundbreaking approach to women’s health and her drive to uncover much needed answers for women. In this episode, we discuss:
How Priya...
2023-12-1938 min
Beyond the Cap TableJeremiah Gordon from CapitalG on why building a tribe is crucial to success in VC, why Alphabet invested $100M in Black-led funds and startups, and how to make a venture fund a viable franchiseThis is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.
During this episode, we interview Jeremiah Gordon, General Counsel at CapitalG. Jeremiah shares:
His unique take on the venture capital industry from his various legal, LP, and angel investor viewpoints
What makes a venture fund a viable fran...
2023-12-1231 min
Beyond the Cap TableCharles Hudson from Precursor Ventures on how to build and scale a VC fund from the ground up, what makes founders successful, and how investors can actually move the needle for their portfolioThis is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.
In this episode, we interview Charles Hudson, Founder and and Managing Partner of Precursor Ventures. Charles is a seasoned GP, a leader in the VC ecosystem, a champion of early stage founders, and one of the most productive peo...
2023-12-0534 min
Beyond the Cap TableMariela Salas from SomosVC on why now is the time for Latino/a funders and founders, how to build your personal brand and ‘take up space’, and the power of data in creating changeThis is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.
In this episode, we speak to Mariela Salas, Executive Director of SomosVC, formerly LatinxVC, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the representation of Latino/a investors in the venture capital ecosystem. In this episode we discuss:
What SomosVC is...
2023-11-2831 min
Beyond the Cap TableRoxanne Petraeus of Ethena on transitioning from the military to tech, turning customers into evangelists, and building a company culture that mattersThis is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.
In this episode, we speak to Roxanne Petraeus, Co-founder & CEO of Ethena, a compliance platform for modern teams. Our discussion with Roxanne covers:
What she learned bootstrapping her first company and how it shaped her discipline when sta...
2023-11-2135 min
Beyond the Cap TableShannon O’Leary from the St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation on how diversity drives top decile returns, what makes managers stand out in diligence, and how to land institutional LPsThis is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.
In this episode, we talk with Shannon O’Leary, Chief Investment Officer of the St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation. In this episode, Shannon shares:
Her strategy for the Foundation’s $1.7B investment portfolio
How she delivers top decile return...
2023-11-1440 min
Beyond the Cap TableClaude Grunitzky on building Equity Alliance, shifting culture in venture capital, and cultivating an authentic networkThis is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.
Claude Grunitzky is CEO and Managing Partner at the Equity Alliance, a New York-based fund that invests in venture capital firms and early-stage ventures run by women and people of color. Born in Togo, Claude is also the fo...
2023-11-0743 min
Beyond the Cap TableSonia Kastner of Pano AI on forging new founder archetypes, the massive opportunity for climate tech, and her creative secret to early hiringThis is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.
Sonia Kastner is the CEO and Founder of Pano AI, the leader in wildfire early detection and intelligence. Previously, Sonia spent over 10 years building and leading supply chain and manufacturing organizations within fast-growing mission-driven start-ups. Her global leadership ex...
2023-11-0744 minEquityHow investors are playing offense right now (their words, our two cents)Hello and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines.This is our Wednesday show, where we niche down to a single topic, think about a question and unpack the rest. This week, we're trying something new. Natasha spent a good chunk of last week at the All Raise VC summit, an annual off-the-record event that brings together some of the best and brightest in the investment community. After the summit, she sat down with Mandela SH Dixon -- All Raise's new CEO -- to...
2022-06-0138 min
Beyond the Cap TableTelling people about your idea to attract talent, funding and feedback with Andrew Konya, founder and CEO of RemeshAndrew Konya is the founder and CEO of Remesh, a web-based platform that lets institutions have live conversations with their audiences, or customers at scale, using AI to analyze and organize their responses in real-time. Since the days of that first investment, Remesh has gone on to raise $40M from investors like General Catalyst, Lionbird and Techstars. Before Remesh, there were real tradeoffs between the speed and scale of research vs. the depth and quality of response. Remesh delivers qualitative insights and quantitative scale, enabling organizations to gain fast, frequent, and efficient insights and make decisions with confidence.
2021-06-2345 min
Beyond the Cap TableFinding pain points that you believe in with Alex Yakubovich, co-founder of Scout RFPAlex is the co-founder of two tech companies. His first company, Onosys – was a comprehensive, enterprise-level digital ordering platform for restaurant chains. Note that Alex started Onosys in 2008, so he was on the bleeding edge of the digital revolution for restaurants. Onosys raised angel capital from Zapis Capital, a family office that is a great partner to early stage founders, before they sold to Living Social in 2012. Alex’s second company was Scout RFP, an innovative e-sourcing solution for companies across all industries, which he started in 2014 With Scout, Alex and his co-founders raised $60M from funds like NEA, Menl...
2021-06-0142 min
Beyond the Cap TableLeveraging listening as a marketing strategy with Diane Hessan, founder and Chairman of C Space (Communispace) and CEO of Salient VenturesDiane Hessan is a successful entrepreneur, researcher and author. She is the founder and Chairman of C Space, formerly Communispace, which was the first company to build online communities for market research, and which was ultimately sold to Omnicom. Diane was CEO of the company during 14 years of exponential growth, as C Space worked with hundreds of global brands to gain insight and inspiration from their consumers. A serial entrepreneur, Diane has consolidated all of her investment and advisory work into a new company called Salient Ventures, which helps accelerate the next generation of growth companies in tech.
2021-05-1848 min
Beyond the Cap TableIdentifying a space or product that you can relate to with Sandi Lin, CEO and co-founder of SkilljarSandi Lin is the CEO and Co-Founder of Skilljar, the leading customer education platform used by enterprises like Cisco and Verizon to accelerate product adoption and deepen customer engagement. She has raised over $50M in venture capital from Insight Partners, Mayfield, and Trilogy Equity Partners. Prior to Skilljar, she led product management teams at Amazon. Sandi has bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
In this episode, we get into:
Why it was better for Sandi to throw herself off...
2021-05-0637 min
Boston Speaks Up063: January Ventures Cofounder Jen NeundorferGuest Jennifer Neundorfer is cofounder and managing partner at January Ventures, an investment firm that is trying to address the unique challenges and biases faced by entrepreneurs often under-represented in business, including women and people of color.
Neundorfer believes the next generation of startup investment returns will be driven by a much broader and more diverse set of founders, and she co-founded January Ventures to be the fund of choice for these traditionally underrepresented founders at the earliest stage.
An operator turned investor, Neundorfer has been investing in early-stage startups for the last decade. And as a Latina GP, she...
2021-05-011h 09
Beyond the Cap TableTurning your unique experience into a strength with Tristan Walker, Founder and CEO of Walker & CompanyTristan is the Founder and CEO of Walker & Company, a leading CPG company making health and beauty simple for people of color. Walker & Company products included the Bevel shaving line for Black men and FORM Beauty, a women’s hair care collection designed for all hair textures launched in 2017. Walker & Company raised over $30M in venture funding from funds like Andreessen Horowitz, IVP, Collaborative Fund, GV, Upfront and Felicis. Walker & Company was acquired by Proctor & Gamble in 2018. Tristan is also the founder of CODE2040, a non-profit dedicated to promoting diversity in the tech industry, and is on the boards of...
2021-04-0925 min
Beyond the Cap TableDiscovering your power as a founder and operating with confidence with Esther Crawford, CEO and co-founder of SquadEsther is the CEO and co-founder of Squad, a screen-sharing social platform that drives real connection and engagement. Esther found early success on YouTube and became a pioneer in influencer marketing and spearheaded award-winning digital campaigns for companies like Weight Watchers and Kmart. Squad raised $7M in venture capital from funds like First Round, BBG Ventures, Y Combinator, Halogen Ventures and January Ventures. Squad was acquired by Twitter in December 2020. After finding early success on YouTube, she became a pioneer in influencer marketing and spearheaded award-winning digital campaigns for Fortune 500 companies including Weight Watchers and Kmart.
In th...
2021-04-0140 min
Beyond the Cap TableGenerating momentum for the first raise and why it makes fundraising easier later with Tammy Sun, CEO and co-founder of Carrot FertilityTammy Sun is the CEO and co-founder of Carrot Fertility, the leading global fertility benefits provider for employers. Carrot’s mission is to improve access to high-quality fertility care and dramatically reduce the emotional and financial strain for employees who need it. Tammy was inspired to create Carrot after she spent $35,000 of her personal savings to undergo egg freezing. Carrot supports over 200 companies in more than 50 countries across North America, Asia, Europe, South America, and the Middle East. Carrot has raised $40M in venture capital from leading funds like F-Prime, CRV, Maven Ventures, Precursor Ventures, and Uncork Capital.
...
2021-03-2332 min
Beyond the Cap TableSelling ahead of building and landing your first customer with a PowerPoint pitch with Shadiah Sigala, Founder and CEO of KinsideShadiah Sigala is the Founder and CEO of Kinside, a platform to provide modern childcare benefits for today’s working parent. Childcare issues cost the United States’ economy an estimated $4.4 billion in lost productivity each year and also impact employee retention rates. Kinside serves hundreds of employers by connecting their employees to tens of thousands of reserved spots at top rated daycares and preschools nationwide. Kinside’s intuitive app brings much-needed relief for new parents transitioning back into the workplace, and aids employers in their retention efforts with parents at all stages. Kinside has raised over $4M from investors includ...
2021-03-1138 min
Beyond the Cap TableStarting a company with a co-founder vs. on your own and building the initial team with Julia Collins, Founder and CEO of Planet FWDJulia Collins is the Founder and CEO of Planet FWD, a company on a mission to tackle climate change by expanding regenerative agriculture adoption. The company is building a software platform for regenerative agriculture alongside Moonshot Snacks, its climate-friendly snack brand that carbon neutral, organic, kosher, plant-based, non-GMO and has no sugar added. Planet FWD has raised over $5M in venture capital from funds including Emerson Collective, BBG Ventures, MCJ Collective, January Ventures, Concrete Rose, Kapor Capital, Arlan Hamilton and more.
Julia is a serial entrepreneur who has started companies like Mexicue, Murray’s Cheese Bar, Harlem Jaz...
2021-02-2630 min
Fintech Insider Podcast by 11:FS495. Insights: The VC gender investment gap
As COVID-19, the ensuing economic crisis, and recent calls for racial justice show, the cost of complacency toward matters of equity is reaching an inflection point. With statistics that show that both those making the decisions and those receiving the benefits are overwhelmingly white and male, the VC industry clearly has a diversity problem that needs to be addressed from top to bottom.
In this episode of Fintech Insider: Insights, Simon Tayor is joined by some great guests to dive into the topic:
Jillian Williams - Investment Principal at Anthemis & Head of BLCK VC NYC
David...
2021-01-2248 min
How I Built This with Guy RazHow I Built Resilience: Jennifer Neundorfer of January VenturesJanuary Ventures is an investment firm that is trying to address the unique challenges and biases faced by entrepreneurs often under-represented in business, including women and people of color. The firm's co-founder and managing partner Jennifer Neundorfer says that despite more attention in the recent months, great ideas from these diverse groups have always been there. These conversations are excerpts from our How I Built Resilience series, where Guy talks online with founders and entrepreneurs about how they're navigating turbulent times. Order the How I Built This book at:https://smarturl.it/HowIBuiltThisSee Privacy Policy...
2020-10-0322 min
Your First Million55. Jennifer Neundorfer - Finding the right investor fit for youJen is an operator turned investor who has backed over 50 early stage startups. She is a partner at January Ventures. As an operator, she launched and scaled media and advertising businesses at 21st Century Fox and YouTube. She is a mother to two young children and juggles the demands of being a working mom. She has an MBA from Stanford and a BA from Harvard.
2020-09-2335 min
FNO: InsureTechBONUS - Navigating The Next Normal: InvestorsJoin hosts Jenn, Rob, and Lee as they talk with Katelyn Johnson, Principal at American Family Ventures; & Jennifer Neundorfer, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at January Ventures, and discuss how the world of investments is dealing with COVID-19 in the present, and how it will affect the future. The final submission deadline for Quesnay's Female Founders in InsurTech 2020 competition is July 26 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time (New York/USA). No submissions received after this time will be accepted, so make sure to get yours in as soon as possible. Any last-minute questions or concerns can be emailed directly to...
2020-07-2141 min
Women & WealthWhy Silicon Valley's Women Hold Less Start-up EquityWant the truth about equity ownership among underrepresented minorities at start-ups? Female founders and employees at start-ups own just 26 cents for every dollar owned by men. That's the takeaway from Carta's groundbreaking look at the equity gap in tech. To hear Carta's key findings and explore their implications, listen to excerpts from our expert panelists, including Jennifer Neundorfer, Co-Founder & Partner/Jane VC; Emily Kramer, Head of Marketing/Carta; Esther Crawford, Co-Founder & CEO/Squad; and Julia Collins, Co-Founder & CEO/Planet Forward, Co-Founder/Zume Pizza, Inc. And for more on women in the VC ecosystem, check out our blog. Note...
2020-02-1129 min
Finding FearlessJennifer Neundorfer Chats Women and Money - S1:E21Welcome back to Finding Fearless! Out of all the things that I and the Fearless Foundry team get fired up about, the topic of women and money definitely takes the cake. That's why we invited Jennifer Kaiser Neundorfer on the podcast. Jennifer Kaiser Neundorfer and her founding partner, Maren Thomas Bannon, started Jane VC to bring equity to funding. A powerhouse duo with a background in tech and investments, these women are on a mission to put more money into the hands of female founders, and we’re all for it!In thi...
2019-11-0653 min
Beyond The StethoscopeBTS 30: Your Career Path is Your Right Path with Jennifer Neundorfer (Jane VC)Favorite quotes of the episode: “Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint.” “Rather than being so focused on making the right choices, understanding that we have the ability to make our choices the right choices.” “Starting a business isn’t easy, but it can be really gratifying.” “Happiness to me is contentment and gratitude.” On the topic of leveling out the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship: “It’s important to have an outlet other than work and knowing what it is for you that levels you out and being aware of what you need at that momen...
2019-09-1026 min
Piloting your LifeTransparency in the venture funding process with Jane VC founder Maren BannonWho is Maren Bannon? Maren is Co-Founder and Partner at Jane VC, a venture fund to invest in female-led technology startups. Maren is an entrepreneur at heart who has been building tech businesses for the past 15 years. Previously, she was CEO and Cofounder of LittleLane. Her operating experience also includes leadership roles at health tech startups as well as leading consumer marketing for a $1B product at Genentech. She is the mother to three young daughters and feels energized each day by her vision of creating a different world for them. She has an MBA from Stanford and an...
2018-11-2031 min