FORGE Fireside

FORGE Fireside with Aadil Diwan

On this edition, Brian chats with Aadil Diwan, the Co-Founder & CTO of SafKan Health, a medical device company focused on Ear Care. Aadil is a graduate of University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering. Aadil speaks about his journey as a former Wildcat, and what set him up for success. Aadil Diwan invented the OtoSet® Ear Cleaning System for the 35 million Americans like himself who are affected by impacted earwax, which is the leading cause of conductive hearing loss. SafKan Health’s medical device brings ear care into the 21st century with a novel system of irrigation and micro-suction technology, all built into an automated and wearable device resembling a familiar and sleek pair of headphones. Aadil's journey underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in entrepreneurship, particularly in the medical device industry. His background in bioengineering and biomedical engineering, coupled with his brother's business acumen, exemplifies how diverse skill sets can complement each other to drive innovation and navigate challenges effectively. The interview highlights the potential for innovation in healthcare, emphasizing the need for solutions that address outdated procedures and improve patient outcomes. Aadil's creation of the Otocet ear-cleaning system demonstrates how identifying gaps in existing practices and leveraging emerging technologies can lead to transformative advancements in medical care, ultimately benefiting both practitioners and patients.

The Business Case for Diversity: Why Investing in Women Makes Sense

Diverse teams and leadership drive better financial performance and innovation, making them a smart investment choice for forward-thinking investors. On this Founder Feature podcast with FORGE Founding Executive Director Brian Ellerman - FORGE Venture Advisor [https://forge.arizona.edu/programs/forge-venture-advisors] Resident founder Heidi Trevethan responds to a recent FORGE Fireside interview about the role of women in tech and investment.   Heidi Trevethan is the Co-Founder and CEO of House Trevethan, a technology studio [https://housetrevethan.com/].  As a serial entrepreneur, Heidi found a passion for the organization - her role is steeped in bringing order out of chaos and ensuring the values and culture of House Trevethan are maintained as they grow. Heidi manages all things financial, sales, and marketing, along with managing clients' expectations. This includes ensuring House Trevethan is an inclusive space for all clients and collaborators. Thanks to Heidi's diligence in the efforts to grow a positive and supportive environment, they've been recognized with an award as a testament to their inclusiveness. She brings that same passion to her account management role when representing clients' best interests during complex project builds. Their culture breaks down typical information silos you find on project teams, and this helps promote honest, transparent, and straightforward communications with all parties. Heidi is proud to be a board member of the Tucson LGBT Chamber of Commerce and chair of the Advocacy Committee. She is also a BNI member and former President of her chapter. Heidi lives in sunny Tucson, AZ, with her husband, son, & two dogs   Learn more about the FORGE Venture Advisors "prove-out" program for young, rapidly emerging, innovation-driven companies seeking profit-market fit here. [https://forge.arizona.edu/programs/forge-venture-advisors]

FORGE Fireside with Marcia Dawood

On this episode, Brian chats with Marcia Dawood [https://www.marciadawood.com/] about the psychology of money and doing good by doing well. A TEDx speaker and the host of The Angel Next Door Podcast, Marcia walks the talk and holds investments in over 50 early-stage companies and funds. She is committed to expanding support for diverse companies that overcome the world’s biggest problems and accelerate positive change. Marcia is on a mission to empower and educate everyone to realize their potential to invest in positive change. She is passionate about bridging the gap from early-stage inception to building thriving, profitable companies. Marcia is an advisor to the SEC’s Small Business Capital Formation Committee, a venture partner with Mindshift Capital, a member of Golden Seeds, and the Chair Emeritus of the Angel Capital Association (ACA), the global professional society for angel investors. Previously, she was the COO of Portfolia as well as a managing partner at BlueTree Capital Group, where she was responsible for investment strategy, diligence research, and member education. Join FORGE Founding Executive Director Brian Ellerman every month for a lively conversation about people, programs, and ideas that advance our entrepreneurial ecosystem.

FORGE Fireside with Scott Cohen and Blake Johnson

This month, FORGE Founding Executive Director Brian Ellerman chats with University of Arizona alumni and Byte Co-Founders Scott Cohen and Blake Johnson. As profiled in FORBES magazine [https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertreiss/2021/03/04/unicorn-founders-blake-johnson-and-scott-cohen-took-no-venture-capital-sold-byte-in-two-years-for-over-a-billion-dollars/?sh=575d909c640a] - "entrepreneurs Scott Cohen and Blake Johnson built this unicorn in record time in what some have called one of the greatest direct-to-consumer success stories of the century. Founded in 2017, Byte launched its products at the start of 2019, and they inked the billion-dollar all-cash deal with Dentsply less than two years later." Hear from Scott and Blake about the entrepreneurial lessons that have made the most difference in their success and what areas of growth they are prioritizing now. Scott Cohen is serial entrepreneur and investor with a demonstrated track record of building start up companies to growth stage, to exit. He has a passion for hiring great leadership teams to solve massive needs in large addressable markets and is skilled in start ups, executive leadership, D2C model, Software as a Service (SaaS), Marketing and Sales Strategy. In the Non Profit Sector, he serves on the Board of Directors of five organizations that span Health, Economic Empowerment, Education, and Poverty Alleviation. He has been named EY Entrepreneur of the Year Blake Johnson is a Los Angeles based entrepreneur who has founded and successfully sold a variety of businesses throughout his career. Winner of the 2021 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and the LABJ Nonprofit & Corporate Citizenship Awards Philanthropist of the Year Award, the current valuations for the 5 businesses he has conceptualized, founded, self-funded and sold exceed $1.15 billion. He has achieved such success by focusing on business fundamentals and forward-thinking endeavors. His thoughts on business, success, and the entrepreneurial mindset can be found at blakebjohnson.com, a thought-leadership website that he maintains.