In this episode, we are joined by Sapna Shah ’98, founder of Red Giraffe Advisors, which makes pre-seed and seed investments in the future of retail. Sapna takes us through her career journey, transitioning from strategic roles at major retail brands to becoming an entrepreneur and, eventually, an early-stage investor. She offers valuable insights into current industry trends, market shifts, and the challenges facing the retail sector. Additionally, Sapna talks about her own investment criteria and provides practical advice for founders seeking angel investors.

Articles and links mentioned in this episode:

• How to Find Angel Investors - https://www.redgiraffeadvisors.com/how-to-find-angel-investors/
• More Resources (including lists of investors) - https://www.redgiraffeadvisors.com/
• Full Retail X Series podcast - https://www.retailxseries.com/podcast (also on Apple, Spotify, etc)

Visit the Lang Entrepreneurship Center to learn more about the entrepreneurship program at Columbia Business School.

In this episode, we’re joined by Molly Fowler (Founding GP) and Sydney Hertz '24 (Investment Partner) from Dorm Room Fund, a VC firm investing in student-led startups. We discuss Molly’s journey from campaign manager to founding GP, along with the genesis and strategic focus of the fund. We also dive into how they evaluate opportunities at the earliest stages, what student founders can do to stand out, and how aspiring investors should be spending their time to take their careers to the next level.

Please visit the Lang Entrepreneurship Center to learn more about the entrepreneurship program at Columbia Business School.

In this episode, we’re joined by Rob Hayes (CBS ‘95), a board partner at First Round Capital. Rob shares his journey from product manager to VC partner, including early investments in companies like Uber and Square. Rob shares insights into the evolution of seed-stage investing, current market dynamics for early-stage founders, and a framework for how to evaluate companies at this stage.

Please visit the Lang Entrepreneurship Center to learn more about the entrepreneurship program at Columbia Business School.

In this episode, we welcome Paul Canetti, CEO and co-founder of Skej, an AI-powered personal scheduling assistant. Paul discusses the transformative role that generative AI is playing in the startup and technology ecosystem today, challenges and opportunities for founders who are leveraging this technology, and insights into how entrepreneurs and investors should be thinking about defensibility and future innovation in the space.

Please visit the Lang Entrepreneurship Center to learn more about the entrepreneurship program at Columbia Business School.

David Rosenberg ’02 is the Co-Founder and CEO of AeroFarms and Chairman of Hycrete. After successfully exiting from Hycrete, he transitioned his focus to revolutionizing the agriculture industry. We sat down with David to discuss finding a problem to solve, building the right team, and innovating on how we grow produce. David graduated from Columbia Business School in 2002.

Checkout Startup Alley Podcast to learn more about the episode and access the transcript.

Please visit the Lang Entrepreneurship Center to learn more about the entrepreneurship program at Columbia Business School.

Ron Gonen ’04 is the Founder and CEO at Closed Loop Partners. He has experience in founding companies, working for the government, and investing in startups. Ron joins the Startup Alley podcast to discuss his entrepreneurial journey in the waste management and circular economy sectors. He shared with us key lessons learned throughout his career while also highlighting how the sustainability landscape has evolved over the past two decades. Ron graduated from Columbia Business School in 2004. 

Checkout Startup Alley Podcast to learn more about the episode and access the transcript. 

Please visit the Lang Entrepreneurship Center to learn more about the entrepreneurship program at Columbia Business School.

Carolyn and Rich are the co-founders of Manymoons, America’s first circular retailer. The founders graduated from Columbia Business School in 2018 and made the decision to start their own company in 2020. We sat down with the couple to discuss their journey into entrepreneurship and how they balance their personal and professional lives. We cover everything from leaving well-paying jobs to raising capital to leaning on family for support.

Checkout Startup Alley Podcast to learn more about the episode and access the transcript.

Please visit the Lang Entrepreneurship Center to learn more about the entrepreneurship program at Columbia Business School.

Ju Rhyu ’08 is the founder of Hero Cosmetics, a company well known for its revolutionary Mighty Patch. Soon after this recording, the company was acquired by Church and Dwight in September of 2022 for $630m. We spoke with Ju about everything from determining if there is a market for your product to leveraging marketing tools to build brand awareness.

Check out Startup Alley Podcast to learn more about the episode and access the transcript.

Please visit The Lang Entrepreneurship Center to learn more about the entrepreneurship program at Columbia Business School.