Payal Kadakia (ClassPass) - Bringing Your Whole Self to Your Venture [ETL Looks Back]

Vineet Edupuganti is the CEO and co-founder of Cogent Security, which uses AI systems to investigate and resolve cybersecurity vulnerabilities. With a background in machine learning and product management, Edupuganti brings a product-first mindset to solving complex security challenges for modern enterprises. In this conversation with Stanford Adjunct Lecturer Ravi Belani, Edupuganti explores how his journey from Stanford undergraduate to AI cybersecurity entrepreneur taught him to base his thinking on first principles.

Eric Ries is an entrepreneur, author, and creator of the Lean Startup methodology. He is the founder of the Long-Term Stock Exchange and the author of The Lean Startup, The Startup Way, and Incorruptible. In this conversation with Saikat Chaudhuri, faculty director of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) and a professor of Management Science and Engineering, Ries urges aspiring entrepreneurs not to outsource their learning and creativity, while advising them how to benefit customers, avoid corruption, and create mission-driven companies. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.

Adam Nash is the co-founder and CEO of Daffy, a modern donor-advised fund (DAF) built to help people be more generous, more often. Under his leadership, Daffy has grown into one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, recently surpassed $2 billion in charitable assets under management, and became one of the fastest-growing DAF platforms in the country. In this talk, Nash uses examples from throughout his career to share five practical lessons for being a great product leader.

Ryan Nece is co-founder and managing partner of Next Legacy Partners, a multi-strategy venture platform investing in established venture firms, emerging venture firms, and select technology companies. A former Super Bowl champion, Nece transitioned from professional sports to entrepreneurship, founding and scaling multiple businesses before co-founding Next Legacy. In this conversation with Adjunct Lecturer Emily Ma, Nece shares the lessons he has learned about resilience, generosity, authenticity, and thoughtfulness from both painful experiences and huge successes. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.

Jake Miller founded Fellow coming out of Stanford’s d.school Launchpad course, starting with the Duo Coffee Steeper. Fellow products are now in 50 countries. In this conversation with Launchpad instructor and Adjunct Professor Perry Klebahn, Miller shares how he built a roadmap for his company, a portfolio of products, and a distribution plan by focusing on customer experience. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at the Stanford School of Engineering, and published on eCorner by STVP. STVP empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.