New York Venture Community

Today is a special day. Wendy, the story-building toolbox where kids create, collaborate, and expand their own story worlds, is officially live on iPad. Wendy by The Story Company was born out our Interplay Foundry and is now live as a result of the tireless work by Lance Neuhauser and the rest of the Wendy team. What they've created is nothing short of amazing. Congrats on this incredible milestone. The best part? Wendy doesn’t just entertain - it inspires a love for reading via a healthy, creative screen time alternative that can compete with the likes of short form videos and video games. Why Wendy? ? Healthy screen-time alternative parents can feel good about ? Certified?kidSAFE, with a 5-Star rating from Education App Store ? Create, share and reuse characters with friends again and again ? Build, read and listen to unlimited stories If you know a young storyteller (or a parent looking for a creative and engaging, screen-time alternative), check out Wendy. Download it here: https://lnkd.in/eiWGw8-s #WendyApp #StorytellingForKids #CreativeScreenTime #NowLive #StoryBuilding #StoryToolbox

What if I told you there’s a way to make reading as entertaining and interactive as video games and social media? Wendy by The Story Company - an innovative new app that’s transforming how kids engage with stories - is doing just that. They’re creating a platform to compete in today’s captivating, fast-paced media landscape, and on this week’s ep I chat with Lance Neuhauser - Wendy’s Founder & CEO - all about their mission. If you’re a parent wanting a fresh approach to getting your child excited about reading, this episode is a must-listen and Wendy is a must-try. During our conversation, Lance shares how Wendy empowers kids to create their own worlds, select characters, and shape unique adventures—encouraging a love for reading by making it fun, immersive, and personalized. In an age when screen time often feels like the enemy of education, Wendy brings the best of both worlds, helping kids rediscover reading in a way that’s safe, engaging, and socially connected. Parents will appreciate how Wendy is built with children’s development in mind, thanks to insights from educators, authors, and psychologists. As you might suspect, building a platform like that is no easy feat. We chat all about the significant challenges and strategies in building an app that safeguards kids’ online experiences, respects intellectual property, and offers educational benefits. By bridging the gap between entertainment and literacy, Wendy isn’t just an app; it’s a tool that turns screen time into story time, fueling imagination and learning. Coming out of our Interplay Foundry, I’ve been fortunate to get a front row seat to see Wendy’s amazing growth over the past year so it was quite exciting to record and share this episode. I hope you enjoy. https://lnkd.in/eXXTRwfM

This week, Phuong Ireland and I dive into one of the most crucial yet often perplexing aspects of startup formation: cap table construction and equity distribution. If you're setting up a startup or restructuring your cap table, this conversation is a must-listen. We discuss the essentials of how to navigate structuring equity so that the cap table aligns with industry norms, aiming to attract investors while motivating founders and early employees. From understanding equity splits among co-founders to planning an option pool for future hires, we cover actionable insights that can help founders avoid common pitfalls. This is a tough topic for new entrepreneurs. Hopefully this episode can help folks build a balanced and adaptable ownership structure that supports growth and long-term success. https://lnkd.in/emWEer9B

Determining how much capital a startup should raise during each funding round is hard. On this week's pod ep, Phuong Ireland and I break down the tools and methodologies that founders and VCs use to calculate the right number. If you’re a founder looking to navigate the fundraising landscape with confidence, this episode is a must watch. We cover key fundraising strategies, including aligning milestones with investor expectations, avoiding common pitfalls like over-dilution and the importance of creating a detailed operating model. Listen/watch here: https://lnkd.in/eFdtHVVy

To kick off a new season of the pod, I sat down with Patrick Butler, Founder CEO of BizDefender. Patrick, a seasoned founder with deep technical expertise, discusses his latest venture, BizDefender, a company co-founded and developed in Interplay's foundry. BizDefender addresses the growing epidemic of fraud targeting small and medium-sized businesses. The conversation delves into the various types of business fraud, including hacking, social engineering, and brand spoofing. Patrick explains how BizDefender is stepping up with a simple, accessible solution, including a free-tier product, to help businesses monitor and mitigate these fraud risks, which are often invisible yet devastating. Small businesses are particularly vulnerable to fraud, with median losses that could cripple many companies. BizDefender aims to provide a much-needed defense, offering tools to monitor dark web activity, protect against phishing attacks, and offer human support to navigate the complex landscape of fraud prevention. Check out the pod and give BizDefender a shot to see how it can help your company stay safe at bizdefender.com. https://lnkd.in/eRgMaiPr