How a 23-Year-Old Founder Raised $1M to Tackle Food Waste | EP 36

Explicit content warning

10/03/24 • 23 min

In this episode of UNinvested, host Sahil sits down with 23-year-old entrepreneur Eddy Connors, the non-technical founder of Goodie Bag—a startup tackling restaurant food surplus. Eddy shares his inspiring journey from backpacking in Indonesia to founding multiple companies focused on sustainability and social impact. They discuss the challenges of building a tech company without a technical background, the importance of conviction in entrepreneurship, and the innovative strategies that have propelled Goodie Bag to the brink of closing a $1 million pre-seed round.

What We Explore:

How a transformative gap year in Indonesia inspired Eddy's entrepreneurial spirit
The creation of BerBeda, Eddy's first company making athletic wear from recycled ocean plastic
The decision to graduate college in two and a half years to pursue entrepreneurship
Choosing to build a startup over entering the corporate world
Overcoming hurdles as a non-technical founder and bringing Goodie Bag to life
The significance of a strong team and early sales tactics in startup growth
Insights into fundraising and the TechStars Farm to Fork program
Eddy's personal routines that contribute to his focus and productivity

Where to Find UNinvested:

Website: https://www.uninvested.org/
X: https://x.com/UNinvested_
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uninvested

In this episode, we cover:

[00:17] Introduction to Eddy and the mission of Goody Bag

[00:35] Eddy's journey: from a gap year in Indonesia to founding BerBeda

[03:22] The decision to accelerate college to pursue entrepreneurship

[06:04] Choosing startups over traditional career paths

[09:38] Building Goodie Bag as a non-technical founder

[12:22] Committing fully to GoodieBag and validating the idea

[14:43] Navigating fundraising and experiences with TechStars

[17:55] Early sales strategies and the importance of team dynamics

[19:28] Reflecting on the entrepreneurial journey and lessons learned

[21:41] Eddy's daily routines that enhance focus and productivity

What We Explore:

How a transformative gap year in Indonesia inspired Eddy's entrepreneurial spirit
The creation of BerBeda, Eddy's first company making athletic wear from recycled ocean plastic
The decision to graduate college in two and a half years to pursue entrepreneurship
Choosing to build a startup over entering the corporate world
Overcoming hurdles as a non-technical founder and bringing Goodie Bag to life
The significance of a strong team and early sales tactics in startup growth
Insights into fundraising and the TechStars Farm to Fork program
Eddy's personal routines that contribute to his focus and productivity

Where to Find UNinvested:

Website: https://www.uninvested.org/
X: https://x.com/UNinvested_
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uninvested

In this episode, we cover:

[00:17] Introduction to Eddy and the mission of Goody Bag

[00:35] Eddy's journey: from a gap year in Indonesia to founding BerBeda

[03:22] The decision to accelerate college to pursue entrepreneurship

[06:04] Choosing startups over traditional career paths

[09:38] Building Goodie Bag as a non-technical founder

[12:22] Committing fully to GoodieBag and validating the idea

[14:43] Navigating fundraising and experiences with TechStars

[17:55] Early sales strategies and the importance of team dynamics

[19:28] Reflecting on the entrepreneurial journey and lessons learned

[21:41] Eddy's daily routines that enhance focus and productivity

Previous Episode

[5 mins] OpenAI's o1: The AI That Thinks | EP 35

In this episode of UNinvested, host Sahil dives into the groundbreaking release of OpenAI's new model, o1, which marks a significant leap in artificial intelligence by introducing true reasoning capabilities. Sahil breaks down how o1 differs from previous AI models and explores the profound implications this advancement holds for various industries.

What we explore:

The limitations of older AI models and their pattern-matching approach
How OpenAI's o1 model introduces "thinking" through chain-of-thought processing
The "strawberry" example demonstrating o1's step-by-step reasoning
The impact of o1's human-like reasoning on real-world applications
The future of AI in thoughtful problem-solving and collaboration with humans

Where to find UNinvested:

Website: https://www.uninvested.org/
X: https://x.com/UNinvested_
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uninvested

In this episode, we cover:

[00:00] Sahil introduces the "strawberry" experiment to illustrate AI limitations

[00:25] Discussion on OpenAI's o1 model release and its ability to "think"

[01:25] Explanation of how o1 uses chain-of-thought processing to think

[01:46] How o1 correctly counts the 'R's in "strawberry" by reasoning step by step

[02:08] o1's reasoning process feels more human-like

[02:31] Why o1 is a game changer in AI development

[03:03] Real-world applications of o1 in various industries

[04:00] The shift in how AI assists us, focusing on better answers

[04:24] Limitations of o1 and the future direction of AI

[04:46] Sahil concludes the episode and thanks listeners

Next Episode

[5 mins] Elon Musk’s Technological Leap: Reusable Rockets, Robotaxis, and Humanoid Robots | EP 37

In this episode of UNinvested, host Sahil Seth explores Elon Musk's latest innovations: SpaceX's rocket catch, Tesla's Cybercab robotaxi, and Optimus humanoid robots. Discover how these advancements are shaping the future of space travel, autonomous transportation, and robotics.

What We Explore:

SpaceX's successful mid-air catch of a 250-ton rocket using robotic chopsticks
Tesla's introduction of the Cybercab, a fully autonomous robotaxi
Unveiling of Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots capable of performing complex tasks
The implications of reusable rockets for Mars colonization
The potential transformation of urban transportation with robotaxis
The impact of humanoid robots on the workforce and industry
Ethical considerations and challenges associated with advanced AI and automation

Where to Find UNinvested:

Website: https://www.uninvested.org/
X: https://x.com/UNinvested_
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uninvested

In this Episode, We Cover:

[00:00] Introduction: Sahil highlights Elon Musk's recent technological achievements
[00:30] SpaceX’s Rocket Catch Feat: Discussion on catching a 250-ton rocket mid-air and its significance for reusable rockets
[01:30] Mars Colonization Cost Reduction: Analysis of Musk's plan to reduce Mars colonization costs by 1000x
[02:00] Tesla’s Cybercab Robotaxi: Introduction to the fully autonomous Cybercab and its capabilities
[03:00] Tesla’s Optimus Humanoid Robots: Exploration of Optimus robots and their potential roles
[04:00] Impact on Transportation and Workforce: How Cybercabs and Optimus robots could transform urban transport and the job market
[04:45] Ethical Considerations and Challenges: Discussing the ethical implications of AI and automation
[05:00] Conclusion: Sahil wraps up by reflecting on Musk’s vision and the technological revolution