In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, Mat talks with Bryan, a fourth-year business student at Carnegie Mellon University, about what it's actually like to build inside one of the country's most technical campuses. Bryan co-founded 996 Ventures, a student-run effort that helps connect standout CMU founders with VCs — born out of his own frustrating experience trying to raise capital for his first startup. The conversation is as much a tour of the CMU ecosystem as anything else: the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Association, the CMU SigmaPod entrepreneurship fraternity, and CMU Foundry, the student-run accelerator that's helped campus startups raise over $11M across two cohorts and land spots in YC and other top programs. Bryan explains why he built 996 specifically for CMU students who might not know these programs exist or don't get in — and why he thinks being physically on campus is the only way to really catch founders early, before they're on anyone else's radar. Also covered: What Bryan actually screens for before referring a CMU founder to a VC — customer discovery, industry experience, founder-market fit Why he thinks a campus-embedded model (à la Dorm Room Fund) beats VCs parachuting in from the outside His honest read on why breaking into VC as a current student is nearly impossible without an exit under your belt — and why he's leaning toward starting another company instead The outreach tactics behind his unusually high (~40%) response rate from investors Why being a student is an underrated card to play when asking for help The most exciting company he's come across on campus right now A fun window into how one corner of the CMU startup scene is organizing itself — and a reminder that great founders are often hiding in plain sight on their own campus. Connect with Bryan: 996ventures.com | hello@996ventures.com | X: @Bryanbuildsss

On this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, I talk with George Lampropoulos — a 19-year-old non-technical founder who's built a suite of combat sports apps (including WrestleAI, which has crossed 100,000+ downloads) entirely using AI tools like Rork, without writing a single line of code himself.) George breaks down how he went from losing his savings on a failed app at 15 to building FightAI (his first hit, made with an AI coach that analyzes training videos), then WrestleAI, a boxing app, and now an upcoming MMA app — all powered by computer vision and AI analysis that critiques your form in real time, like having a coach in your pocket. We get into: How George went from paying developers (and losing everything) to building full apps solo with AI The story behind Fight AI, WrestleAI, and the new boxing/MMA apps Why he thinks Rourke beats Claude Code for non-technical builders How AI-powered computer vision analyzes your stance, movement, and technique — and coaches you live His growth playbook: influencer partnerships vs. paid ads, and the real math behind viral content Why "apps are dead" is wrong — the Cal AI example and Apple's $40B app store business His goal to make $1 million before turning 20 — with 8 months left on the clock If you've ever wondered whether you need to know how to code to build something real, this episode is proof you don't. 🔗 Follow George Lampropoulos and the combat sports apps he's building

Joey AI wants to kill the dating app — and replace it with a phone call. In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, Mat talks with Carly Malatskey, founder and CEO of Joey AI, an AI matchmaker that lives entirely in your phone contacts. No app, no swiping, no profile — you call Joey, it gets to know you through an ~8-minute voice conversation about your everyday life (not a highlight reel), and then it texts you a match with context on why. Carly walks through how Joey acts less like a dating app and more like a wingman: telling you who should text first, coaching you through first-date logistics, and debriefing with you afterward to learn and improve the next match. Carly also shares the origin story — from obsessing over relationship science and evolutionary psychology as a Stanford freshman, to working as chief of staff to Ann Miura-Ko at Floodgate, to the fall-2024 voice-AI phone call that convinced her dating was about to change forever. She and Mat dig into go-to-market via trusted communities (alumni networks, professional groups), how she's hiring in the age of AI-assisted coding, and what she's learned from Floodgate's Mike Maples and Ann Miura-Ko about betting on founders and timing. Topics covered: What Joey AI actually is and how the call-to-match flow works Why Joey requires a phone call instead of just text The "wingman" layer: pre-date coaching and post-date debriefs Carly's path from Stanford → Floodgate → founder The fall 2024 voice-AI moment that sparked the idea Distribution through existing trusted communities How Carly is hiring engineers and PMs in 2026 Lessons from Mike Maples and Ann Miura-Ko on evaluating founders Links: Try Joey: calljoey.ai or text/call (310) 234-5639 Follow Joey's build-in-public journey: @calljoeyai on Instagram Follow Carly: Instagram/LinkedIn @carlymalatskey

Scott Hickle, co-founder and CEO of Throne Science, joins Forward Thinking Founders to talk about building the world's first hands-free gut health tracker — a clip-on toilet device that monitors digestive health, hydration, and prostate health automatically with every flush. Scott shares how the idea started at a poker game in Austin, why his mom (a geriatrician) was the unlikely catalyst for the pivot, and how they went from a Raspberry Pi in a Tupperware box to a consumer product shipping today. We get into the science of stool consistency, urine osmolality, and why your prostate sounds different when it's struggling — plus the long-term vision of building the first continuous cancer screening device for six types of cancer. Use code FTF for $100 off at thronescience.com.

In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, Mat Sherman sits down with Meaghan Franks, founder of Sport Sitters, a marketplace that connects college athletes with families for high-trust, high-energy babysitting. What started as an accidental idea at Arizona State quickly became a powerful new way for student-athletes—especially women and non-revenue sport athletes—to earn income through NIL while inspiring the next generation of kids. Parents get vetted, elite athletes in their homes. Athletes get meaningful income, brand-building, and real community impact. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to Meaghan Franks and Sport Sitters 01:10 – The origin story: athletics, parenting, and NIL colliding 03:00 – How Sport Sitters works for parents (matching, safety, experience) 05:00 – Why parents don’t choose the sport—and why that matters for kids 06:40 – Athletes as role models, not just babysitters 09:00 – NIL explained: why Sport Sitters couldn’t exist before 12:00 – The challenge of international athletes and NIL restrictions 14:30 – Meaghan’s journey as a first-time, non-technical founder 17:00 – Building the platform, tech bottlenecks, and lessons learned 19:30 – Why overusing AI slowed development instead of speeding it up 22:45 – Strong demand, scaling pressure, and “good problems” 23:45 – Pricing, payments, and how parents actually book 28:00 – The long-term vision: Sport Sitters as “first-class” babysitting 31:00 – Where to learn more and how to get involved This is a must-listen for founders building two-sided marketplaces, anyone curious about NIL beyond brand deals, and parents interested in a new, elevated approach to babysitting that blends athletics, role models, and community.