#95 Jessica Essl: Reimagining Old Spaces for New Businesses
Release Date: 07/11/2023
#144 Rob Lalka: How Big Tech Turned Profits into Power
Innovate Fort Worth
Meet Rob Lalka, Professor of Practice and Executive Director of the Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Tulane University. An expert in entrepreneurship and innovation, Lalka authored The Venture Alchemists: How Big Tech Turned Profits into Power. He has held positions in the U.S. Department of State and organizations like Village Capital and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. To learn more about Rob, visit To learn more about HSC Next, visit
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#143 Sasko Cuklev: Seeking Safety in Self-Driving Trucks
Innovate Fort Worth
Meet Sasko Cuklev, Head of On-Road Solutions at Volvo Autonomous Solutions. He oversees Volvo's autonomous freight trucks operating in Fort Worth, serving destinations in El Paso and Houston. Volvo's new office in Fort Worth's South Main Street is driving innovation and advancing driverless technology. To learn more about Volvo Autonomous Solutions, visit To learn more about HSC Next, visit
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#142 Kendel Rogers and Rob Upchurch: Year in Review, 2024
Innovate Fort Worth
Join us for a year-end review as we reflect on the highlights of 2024. Our producers, Kendel Rogers and Rob Upchurch, discuss favorite episodes, notable guests, and emerging trends in Fort Worth's entrepreneurial landscape. To learn more about Innovate Fort Worth, vitist To learn more about HSC Next, visit To learn more about RobMakesPods Productions, visit
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#141 Danny Bush: Real World Friends, Online Connection
Innovate Fort Worth
Meet Danny Bush, CEO and founder of Fun on the Run Plus One, an app connecting people seeking social activities. Inspired by her experiences as a Hurricane Katrina survivor, Bush created an app to foster lasting connections and turn strangers into friends. To learn more about Fun on the Run Plus One, visit To learn more about HSC Next, visit https://hscnext.com
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#140 Tom Chapman: The Big Picture: Entrepreneurship, Ecosystems and Eyelids
Innovate Fort Worth
Meet Tom Chapman, founder of Chapman & Company, CEO of Peeq Industries, and a seasoned venture capitalist. He is a leading expert on measuring the health and performance of entrepreneurial ecosystems, having studied ecosystems across the nation and conducted extensive research on Fort Worth's entrepreneurial landscape. To learn more about Chapman & Company, visit To learn more about Peeq Pro, visit and use code FTWORTH10 to save on your purchase. To learn more about HSC Next, visit
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#139 Paulo Gregory: The Big Picture: Building Networks in Baltimore
Innovate Fort Worth
Meet Paulo Gregory, an entrepreneurial ecosystem builder in Baltimore, Maryland. A designer, inventor, consultant, artist, and performer, Gregory is also the developer of Cohado, a game that embodies community development and cooperation. He founded The Black Butterfly Network to support entrepreneurs of color in Baltimore and is an active member of the Startup Champions Network. To learn more about Coahdo, visit To learn more about the Black Butterfly Network, visit To learn more about HSC Next, visit
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#138 Bob Litan: The Big Picture: An Economist Walks Into a Bar
Innovate Fort Worth
Meet Robert Litan, an attorney at Berger Montague and a distinguished economist, author, and public policy expert. With nearly four decades of experience, Litan has held significant roles in the U.S. government, including at the Office of Management and Budget and the Justice Department. He also served as Vice President for Research and Policy at the Kauffman Foundation and is currently a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Litan has authored over 30 books, including Good Capitalism, Bad Capitalism, Trillion Dollar Economists, and Better Capitalism. Find...
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#137 Maria Meyers: The Big Picture: Sourcing Resources for Startups
Innovate Fort Worth
Meet Maria Meyers, founder of Sourcelink, a resource navigator assisting entrepreneurs and innovators. She also serves as Vice Chancellor for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Maria is a leading authority on building entrepreneurial communities, particularly for main street businesses and first-time founders. Her work emphasizes the importance of data-driven insights for understanding the health of entrepreneurial ecosystems. To learn more about Sourcelink, visit To learn more about Sparkyard, visit To learn more about Startup Grind,...
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#136 Mark Lawrence: The Big Picture: Building the Future for Innovators
Innovate Fort Worth
Meet Mark Lawrence, founder and managing partner of Inncuvate. This entrepreneurship-led economic development enterprise specializes in creating innovative hubs that transform communities. Mark is an advisor, investor, and active member of management teams for several promising Mid-Atlantic startups. He serves on the boards of organizations like the Startup Champions Network and mentors aspiring entrepreneurs. To learn more about Inncuvate, visit To learn more about Startup Champions Network, visit To learn more about Startup Grind, visit To learn more about HSC Next, visit
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#135 Kirby Smith: Harnessing the Power of Hydrogen
Innovate Fort Worth
Meet Kirby Smith, the CEO of Harnyss, a startup that aims to revolutionize the energy storage industry by offering innovative, sustainable, and reliable solutions. Their products and services are designed to address the growing demand for clean energy and grid stability. With a focus on cutting-edge technologies like solid-state hydrides and supercapacitors, Harnyss is positioned to become a leader in the energy storage market. Their focus on energy density and operational reliability help various industries reach scale with their hydrogen supply. To learn more about Harnyss, visit To learn...
info_outlineWhen it comes to reinventing old spaces in Fort Worth, look no further than the twins who are revitalizing Fort Worth through real estate. Jessica Miller Essl is co-president of M2G Ventures with her sister, Susan Miller Gruppi, and they are creating innovative spaces through human-centric design. They focus on commercial real estate, but also foster investment opportunities to bring in cool businesses that represent Fort Worth’s funky flair. Spaces like The Foundry District, Mule Alley in the Stockyards, and the innovations happening in the O.B. Macaroni building are embracing the history of the area while infusing a vision of the future. She discusses their approach to cultivating Fort Worth’s culture in their projects, what it’s like to work with family, and where they see the future of real estate in Fort Worth heading.
To learn more about M2GVentures, visit https://www.m2gventures.com
To learn more about Innovate Fort Worth, visit https://www.hscnext.com/en/page/innovate-fort-worth-podcast-en