Michigan VCtalk

Ara chats with Robert Wolfe [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-w-0abaaa273/], co-founder and CEO of Zeck [https://www.zeck.app/]. Robert is a serial entrepreneur who’s no stranger to innovation, having previously co-founded Crowdrise and Moosejaw. Now, with Zeck, he’s rethinking how boards and leadership teams operate—transforming clunky, outdated processes into streamlined, digital experiences. Michigan VCtalk is a podcast series produced by ⁠⁠⁠Michigan Venture Capital Association⁠⁠⁠ [https://michiganvca.org/] (MVCA) and hosted by Ara Topouzian, Executive Director of MVCA. This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠Michigan Rise, Pre-Seed Fund III⁠⁠⁠ [https://michiganrise.com/].

Ara chats with Michigan Venture Capital Association [https://michiganvca.org/] members and Venture Fellow recipients Terese Hunwick (Augment Ventures [https://www.augmentventures.com/]) and Caroline Wolanin (Plymouth Growth [https://plymouthgp.com/]). Caroline is one of the first Venture Fellows when MVCA relaunched the program a few years ago. She shares her experience in the program and the exciting work she’s now doing at Plymouth Growth. We’re also joined by Terese Hunwick who gives us insight into her background and the impactful work she’s leading here in Michigan. Michigan VCtalk is a podcast series produced by ⁠⁠Michigan Venture Capital Association⁠⁠ [https://michiganvca.org/] (MVCA) and hosted by Ara Topouzian, Executive Director of MVCA. This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠Michigan Rise, Pre-Seed Fund III⁠⁠ [https://michiganrise.com/].

Ara chats with Ben Marchionna, Chief Innovation Ecosystem Officer at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. [https://www.michiganbusiness.org/] Ben plays a key role in fostering innovation, supporting entrepreneurs, and strengthening Michigan’s tech and startup landscape. We’ll explore his insights on building a thriving innovation ecosystem, the impact of public-private partnerships, and what we all need to be doing to drive investment in Michigans future. Michigan VCtalk is a podcast series produced by ⁠Michigan Venture Capital Association⁠ [https://michiganvca.org/] (MVCA) and hosted by Ara Topouzian, Executive Director of MVCA. This episode is sponsored by ⁠Michigan Rise, Pre-Seed Fund III⁠ [https://michiganrise.com/].

Ara chats with Blake Mischley, Co-Founder of Meet Your Class [https://www.meetyourclass.com/], a platform designed to help students build meaningful connections before their first day. Ara and Blake talk aboutthe inspiration behind the idea, the challenges of launching a startup, and what’s next for Meet Your Class. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, an educator, or just love a good startup story—this episode is for you. Michigan VCtalk is a podcast series produced by Michigan Venture Capital Association [https://michiganvca.org/] (MVCA) and hosted by Ara Topouzian, Executive Director of MVCA. This episode is sponsored by Michigan Rise, Pre-Seed Fund III [https://michiganrise.com/].

In this episode, Ara sits down with Justin Turk, CEO & Co-Founder of Livegistics [https://www.livegistics.com/], the game-changing cloud-based platform revolutionizing the construction and waste management industries. Justin shares his journey from startup to scaling, the impact of real-time data on operational efficiency, and how Livegistics is driving innovation in traditionally paper-heavy industries.