In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen sits down with Etosha Cave, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Twelve, the billion-dollar company turning carbon dioxide and water into jet fuel.

Etosha shares what it really takes to build a deep tech unicorn, from the funding playbook for hard science to the hard calls about focus that shaped the company.

She is one of 13 unicorn founders featured in David Cohen and Amir Hegazi's new book, “Chasing Unicorns,” which lays out the PRIDE framework behind Techstars' billion-dollar companies.

Follow Etosha Cave on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/etoshac/

Read Chasing Unicorns here - https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Unicorns/dp/1068476079

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen sits down with James Oliver Jr., Techstars alum, entrepreneur, and author of Burn Bright, Not Out.

James shares his journey navigating the pressures of high achievement and the hidden cost of hustle culture. He introduces the Burn Bright Spectrum, a framework to help founders recognize the difference between healthy ambition and burnout, and explains why rest, micro-wins, and alignment are essential to long term success.

The conversation explores founder mental health, breaking stigma in the startup community, and how sustainable performance drives deeper impact than constant grind.

Follow James Oliver Jr. on LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-oliver-jr/

Order Burn Bright, Not Out ➡️ https://www.amazon.com/Burn-Bright-Not-Out-ShatteringThe-ebook/dp/B0GG8FCCQZ

Check out the Kabila Founder Mental Health Fund ➡️ https://give.socialgoodfund.org/KabilaMentalHealth?ref=ab_7QGjqr7P0pr7QGjqr7P0pr

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen sits down with John Fein, partner at Firebrand Ventures and former Techstars managing director.

John reflects on the winding path of his career, from moments of uncertainty to finding renewed purpose through startups, venture, and community building. He shares how small acts of generosity, like answering a random email or making an introduction, can create lasting impact and open entirely new chapters.

The conversation explores John’s journey through Techstars, the evolution of Firebrand Ventures and The Hill Fund, and his long term commitment to the Kansas City startup ecosystem. Along the way, David and John discuss imposter syndrome, paying generosity forward, and why Give First is less a philosophy and more a practice that compounds over time.

John Fein LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnfein/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.