Transformation: From Insolvency to a $3 Billion Multinational
Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites
Release Date: 11/04/2020
Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites
IN THIS EPISODE: Host Denise Silber sits down with Harvard alumna Dr. Merritt Moore, who is a quantum physicist, ballet dancer, educator and entrepreneur all at once! They explore her unique multi-disciplinary journey at the intersection of dance and robotics. Dr Moore reveals the challenges and triumphs of merging her two passions, and how her work offers deeper insights into human-machine interaction. Dr. Moore shares how she is creating a new industry by coding robots and performing as a professional ballet dancer on global stages. Dr Moore’s innovative teaching approach in...
info_outline Empowering Success for Early-stage VenturesHarvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites
IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode of the Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs podcast, host Philip Guarino speaks with Bede Moore, an HBS alumnus and the Chief Commercial Officer at Antler, a global leader in pre-seed venture investment. Moore shares his entrepreneurial journey, from his successful e-commerce venture to his current role at Antler, where he leads a team operating in 27 cities worldwide. The conversation explores Antler's mission to empower aspiring founders at the earliest stages of company formation. Key topics include the challenges of scaling, the importance of community and...
info_outline Investing in LatAm with VC Trailblazer Christine KennaHarvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites
IN THIS EPISODE: In this unique episode taking us to Latin America, Denise Silber interviews HBS alumna Christine Kenna, Partner at a leading early-stage VC fund in Mexico, in order to explore and amplify the often overlooked opportunities for venture capital investment in the region. Drawing from her experience as a former Silicon Valley executive, operational manager in LatAm, and board member, Christine Kenna shares insights on identifying innovative business models and supporting entrepreneurs in this emerging market. Listeners will gain valuable takeaways on the region’s...
info_outline Top AI Use Cases in BusinessHarvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites
IN THIS EPISODE: This exciting episode features Jon Down, HBS MBA, professor at the University of Portland and AI entrepreneur who founded two AI companies. He is interviewed by host Denise Silber about the top AI business use cases supported by emerging research, best practices for implementing AI and the key ethical considerations raised by business’s use of AI. The conversation also covers how AI can improve productivity, how companies can navigate the challenges of AI adoption, why you might need to spend more time with AI, the need for responsible AI use, and the...
info_outline Deep Tech: Money MattersHarvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites
IN THIS EPISODE: In this podcast episode, host Philip Guarino speaks with Andrew Lo, a distinguished professor at MIT and an entrepreneur with a focus on healthcare and deep tech ventures. Andrew shares his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, detailing his transition from economics to founding a quantitative investment firm and later exploring the financial challenges of drug development. He discusses the fundraising challenges for deep tech entrepreneurs, how investors’ risk calculation differs for more complex ventures and how this requires continuous investor communication and...
info_outline Crypto ExplainedHarvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites
IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode, our host Denise Silber welcomes recent HBS MBA, Kai-Tai Chang, General Partner at a quantitative crypto fund. Kai-Tai Chang explains, step by step, how cryptocurrency works and presents the key components and stakeholders in a session sure to interest crypto beginners and enthusiasts alike. Specialized in Alpha research, or detecting opportunities that offer returns above the market average, Kai-Tai Chang shares his journey from engineering to the world of cryptocurrencies, highlighting technology’s potential to redefine financial systems....
info_outline From Startup to Fortune 100 ExecutiveHarvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites
IN THIS EPISODE: In this podcast episode, Anthony Soohoo, an entrepreneur with experience in both startups and Fortune 100 companies, shares his insights on the value of corporate skills for entrepreneurs and vice versa. He discusses the differences between startup and corporate work environments, emphasizing the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset in large organizations for innovation and nimbleness. Anthony also reflects on his board experiences and the role of entrepreneurs in governance. Anthony Soohoo discusses how corporate skills can benefit entrepreneurs, touching on empathy and...
info_outline From India to Korea: This HBS MBA will inspire you!Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites
IN THIS EPISODE: In this inspiring episode, host Denise Silber sits down with HBS MBA Pankaj Agarwal, an EdTech entrepreneur who was born in an Indian village and developed a deep desire to pay it forward. Today he and his team are optimizing the education process in thousands of Indian and Korean classrooms thanks to the low-tech invention from Taghive, his Samsung-backed startup headquartered in Seoul, Korea. Because Panjak is a keen observer and deep thinker, you will learn as he shares his story, how simple technology can impact...
info_outline Empowering Youth To Accelerate ChangeHarvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites
IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode, our host Philip Guarino is joined by Dr. Eric Dawson, CEO of RIVET, a company which channels the economic power of young people to fund their work as social innovators. Representing over three trillion dollars in consumer spending, today’s youth are a powerful economic force that is ever more committed to social causes. They don’t lack ideas- they lack resources. Eric discusses the vast potential and creativity of today’s young generation and how RIVET’s innovative microfinancing program empowers them to effect change. This inspiring conversation...
info_outline GenAI for Wealth Management Is Now!Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites
IN THIS EPISODE: Listen in on this week’s episode, as host Denise Silber sits down with HBS MBA and world class entrepreneur, CEO Deborah Yang, to discuss the new world of finance in which GenAI-driven innovation helps us instantly visualize the characteristics of our investment portfolios as never before. Deborah Yang heads up Daizy, a revolutionary AI-powered platform for advisors and wealth firms. As the recipients of the greatest wealth transfer of all time and key drivers of sustainability, Millennials and Gen Z will demand and command the...
info_outlineMark E. Watson III is an entrepreneur who has been investing in innovative companies for over three decades.
In 1998, he founded Aquila Capital Partners to back transformational companies. Among his early investments was Argo Group, in the specialty underwriting sector. When Watson became CEO of Argo in 2000, it was a regional, $300 million underwriter nearing insolvency. In 2019, Watson left Argo as a thriving public company with $3 billion in revenue and clients in 60 countries.
Today, Watson is fully dedicated to Aquila, investing in promising entrepreneurs.
He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, University of Texas’ School of Law and the Harvard Business School Young Presidents Organization.
IN THIS EPISODE:
Although COVID-19 is unquestionably the most serious crisis we have faced in recent times, the world has experienced several significant economic shocks- Black Monday, the tech crash of 2000, 9/11 and the financial crisis of 2008. Mark Watson III, Founder and Managing Partner of Aquila Capital Partners is no stranger to crisis. In this episode he discusses how he overcame these economic shocks in order to transform a $300 million company nearing insolvency into a $3 billion multinational firm.