Growth Investor with GrowthCap‘s RJ Lumba

Saving the Bees Through Technology: Beewise CEO Saar Safra

In this episode we speak with Saar Safra, CEO and Co-Founder of Beewise. 75% of all the fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts that we consume around the globe are pollinated by bees. We’re talking for 8 billion people.

Beewise’s mission is to help beekeepers pollinate and produce honey by saving their bees, utilizing modern technology. The company has redesigned the beehive with today’s technology providing climate & humidity control, pest control, autonomous swarm prevention, automated harvesting and real-time problem alerts.

The company has raised over $120 million from leading investors including Insight Partners, Corner Ventures and other notable firms.

Saar is a seasoned entrepreneur and has had three successful exits from the five companies he founded prior to Beewise.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

Powering The Supply Chain: Fashinza Co-Founder and CEO Pawan Gupta

In this episode, we speak with Pawan Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO of Fashinza, a next generation supply chain and a fashion marketplace for brands and manufacturers.

The platform supports everything from design to delivery, with end-to-end production and merchandising support. It provides direct access to vetted suppliers, real-time production tracking, digitized assembly lines, and data driven quality control.

Previously, Pawan co-founded Curofy, which today is the largest network of Doctors in India.  Curofy was acquired by a large US corporate, Edifecs, in an all-cash deal in 2017.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.

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Solving The Food Waste Problem: Afresh CEO Matt Schwartz

In this episode, we speak with Matt Schwartz, Co-Founder and CEO of Afresh. Afresh is on a mission to reduce food waste globally by transforming the fresh food supply chain. The company builds AI-powered solutions that meet fresh food’s many challenges to optimize grocery retail forecasting, ordering, and operations.

Matt co-founded Afresh in 2016 while pursuing his MBA at Stanford.  He began his career as a consultant with Bain & Company.

Afresh has raised approximately $150 million and is backed by Insight Partners, Spark Capital, Walter Robb and other notable investors.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

Transforming The Hiring Process At Scale: Fountain’s CEO Sean Behr

In this episode we speak with Sean Behr, CEO of Fountain. Founded in 2014, Fountain started with a vision to transform the hiring of hourly workers. The company’s purpose-built solution is designed to help companies hire high volumes of workers, faster by combining the power of automation with a data-driven applicant tracking system.

The company is backed by B Capital Group, Softbank, DCM Ventures, and Y Combinator, among others.

Sean joined Fountain as CEO in 2020. Prior to joining the company, he served as CEO and Founder of Stratim (acquired by KAR), an intelligent mobility and fleet infrastructure platform powering the future of transportation.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

Infrastructure’s Boldest Investor: SIP’s Jonathan Winer

In this episode, we speak with Jonathan Winer, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP). SIP was formed in 2019 and is backed by Alphabet, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, and StepStone Group as its anchor partners. SIP’s mandate is to transform infrastructure by harnessing the power of technology.

Jonathan has led three private equity platforms and personally led investments of over $3B with a focus on the application of technology to real assets. Previously, Jonathan was Head of Investments for Alphabet’s urban innovation platform. Earlier in his career, Jonathan worked at the D. E. Shaw group where he built the private equity team across venture capital, growth equity, and structured finance.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

Focus Breeds Excellence: Blackstone Growth Global Head Jon Korngold

In this episode, we speak with Jon Korngold, Global Head of Blackstone Growth (BXG) and Global Co-Head of Technology Investing.  We chat about the macro growth equity picture, BXG’s focus areas and its key developments over the last two years.

I’ve met hundreds of private equity and growth equity investors over the past two decades and Jon is someone truly unique, not just because of his professional accomplishments, which are many, but because of his insights, thoughtfulness and humility.

Blackstone Growth is Blackstone’s dedicated growth equity investing platform.  It is backed by the scale, operating expertise, and global reach of the world’s largest alternative asset manager. Blackstone has $975 billion in assets under management and includes investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

A Next Generation Private Investment Platform: Opto Investments’ CEO Mark Machin

In this episode, we speak with Mark Machin, Co-Founder and CEO of Opto Investments. Opto Investments’ platform provides financial advisors with expert insights and tools to help them discover, execute, and service private investment strategies, such as private equity, real estate, and venture capital, that help their clients build long term wealth.

The company is backed by Tiger Global, 8VC, and MSD Capital, among other notable investors.

Prior to joining Opto Investments, Mark was the President & CEO at CPP Investment Board, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing institutional investors with net assets over $520 billion.  Mark spent the first twenty years of his career with Goldman Sachs investment banking culminating in his role as Asia Ex-Japan Head of Investment Banking and Vice Chairman.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.

If you like the episode, click to subscribe and drop us a comment.

Creating Sustainable Value for Innovative Companies: Norwest’s Sonya Brown

In this episode, we speak with Sonya Brown, General Partner and Co-Head of Growth Equity at Norwest. Norwest is a leading venture and growth equity investment firm managing more than $12.5 billion in capital. Since its inception, the firm has invested in more than 650 companies and currently partners with over 200 active companies in its venture and growth equity portfolio.

Sonya is focused on growth equity and buyouts investing across a wide range of sectors including consumer, retail, internet, education and business services. Her current investments include Babylist, Forum Brands, Jolyn, Junk King, Kendra Scott, Madison Reed, Senreve, and SmartSign. Before Norwest, Sonya was at Summit Partners for almost a decade.

Sonya was recognized by GrowthCap as one of the Top Women Leaders in Growth Investing of 202.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.

If you like the episode, click to subscribe and drop us a comment.

Full Stack AgTech: Absolute Founder and CEO Agam Khare

In this episode, we speak with Agam Khare, Founder and CEO of Absolute, a bioscience company leveraging the best of nature, science and innovation to build a better future for people and the planet.

The company’s AI-driven operating system can be implemented across vertical farms, greenhouses, open farms, and other areas, enabling farmers to grow crops without using synthetic enzymes and GMOs.

Based in Delhi, India, Absolute operates across 16 countries and is backed by Sequoia, Tiger Global, and Alpha Wave.

Prior to Absolute, Agam ran India's leading Industrial Robotics & Factory Automation company working across various sectors - Food & Beverage, Pharma, Auto, Oil & Gas, Steel & Cement.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.

If you like the episode, click to subscribe and drop us a comment.

Delivering A Better Healthcare Experience: Everside Health CEO Chris Miller

In this episode, we speak with Chris Miller, CEO of Everside Health, one of the largest direct primary care providers in the U.S., operating over 375 health centers in 34 states.

Chris is a recognized leader and entrepreneur known for building and scaling companies. He offers a unique blend of business acumen, strategic vision and service delivery to achieve organizational success.

Everside Health, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, offers patients direct and convenient, 24/7 access to their physicians by combining increased physician involvement with a data-driven approach focused on delivering better health outcomes.

The company started as four companies that came together to create a different kind of healthcare experience. It is backed by New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Oak HC/FT, Alta Partners, Greenspring Associates and other strategic investors.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.

If you like the episode, click to subscribe and drop us a comment.