From Hubs to Grants to Growth: The State of Startups and Innovation in New Jersey with Judith Sheft, Medina Citi and David Stengle

From worm poop to one of the planet's most innovative recyclers with TerraCycle founder and CEO, Tom Szaky.

In this conversation with Jim Barrood, Tom Szaky shares his remarkable journey from a Princeton student selling worm-casting fertilizer in used soda bottles to leading a global recycling and reuse company operating in 20 countries. We explore the future of the circular economy, why most recycling systems fail, how TerraCycle created groundbreaking programs like Loop, and what it takes to build a purpose-driven company that balances profit, innovation, and environmental impact. Plus, Tom discusses fundraising, acquisitions, sustainability entrepreneurship, and why the waste industry may be one of the biggest innovation opportunities hiding in plain sight.

Why AI security can’t be ignored as the technology advances at lightning speed with Jonathan Dambrot, CEO of Cranium AI

Jonathon Dambrot, cofounder and CEO of Cranium AI, shares his journey from teenage magician and chocolatier to cybersecurity entrepreneur. He explains how Cranium secures enterprise AI systems, why AI security is now a top priority, and why he’s bullish on AI’s future, new jobs, and founders building meaningful, scalable ventures today.

From Hubs to Grants to Growth: The State of Startups and Innovation in New Jersey with Judith Sheft, Medina Citi and David Stengle

This episode brings together Judith Sheft (NJ Commissionon Science, Innovation & Technology), Medina Citi (Equal Space), and David Stengle (Startup Grind Princeton) to take stock of New Jersey’s rapidly maturing startup ecosystem—from non-dilutive R&D grants and growing innovation hubs to stronger statewide collaboration. They discuss wins(strategic innovation centers, AI momentum, policy tailwinds like tax credits), ongoing challenges (uneven access to capital, federal funding uncertainty), and 2026 predictions with Jim Barrood.

Funding Trends: AI, Capital Crunch + New Funding Playbook with Carta's Hamza Shad and VC Mellie Chow

Mellie Chow and Hamza Shad trace their winding paths into venture capital. Talking to Jim Barrood, they unpack today’s funding reality: AI-driven “haves vs. have-nots,” concentrated capital, longer fund cycles, booming secondaries, and offer founders practical fundraising advice on targeting the right investors and leading with curiosity, data, and relationships.

Building an AI-first future with humans at the center of it with Udayan Bose and Jim Samuel

NetElixir founder and CEO Udayan Bose and Rutgers professor Jim Samuel join host Jim Barrood to discuss AI’s transformative impact on business and society. They explore NetElixir’s evolution into an AI-first e-commerce agency, Rutgers’ pioneering public informatics program, and their joint research on how generative AI can create economic value while enhancing - not replacing - human potential.