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New episode of In Good Company is here! 🎙️

This week @alex.chung is sitting down with Sampei, Founder & CEO of @ellisdotcom — a high-tech immigration law firm helping companies build and scale their immigration programs.

He cold emailed his way into his first job at 19. Then came to our Turing x Goodword dinner and left with two clients and a business partnership.

Intentional relationships change everything.

@sahilbloom, Sampei says we should chat next!

Share or save this video if anything Sampei said resonates with you.

#StartupLife #BuildInPublic #ProfessionalDevelopment #TechFounders #networkingtips

From mission-critical incident rooms to boardroom strategy sessions, Shashikanth Mirthipati has spent 15 years turning IT operations into a trust-building engine. As Co-Founder of Provate Inc., he delivers enterprise-grade support and security for businesses across North America proving that in the digital age, reliability isn’t just a service. It’s a promise.

With 15 years in IT operations and service delivery, Shashikanth is the Co-Founder & Director of Managed Services at Provate Inc. Has built a career on keeping businesses running when it matters most. From managing mission-critical incidents for global brands to architecting enterprise-grade support and security for clients across North America, his philosophy is simple: Technology can fail. Trust can’t.

Since co-founding Provate, Shashikanth has transformed the company into a trusted partner for enterprise-grade IT and managed security services. His leadership blends technical precision with a human touch aligning proactive monitoring, industry standard compliance, and seamless onboarding into a service model that clients describe as “effortless.”

Before launching Provate, he spent over a decade managing large-scale service operations for major retail and technology clients, often as the single point of escalation in high-stakes environments. Those experiences shaped his belief that success in this field isn’t measured solely by resolutions, but by relationships.

Today, whether guiding strategic growth, forging client partnerships, or mentoring the next generation of service leaders, Shashikanth remains committed to building something that outlasts any system upgrade: trust that never goes offline.

Heiki Riesenkampf is a machine learning researcher turned engineer, investor, and founder who relocated from Germany to the United States to pursue ventures with global impact. Originally from Estonia, after studies and working in London, Zurich and Berlin, he chose New York as his base to access the scale, capital, and talent needed for building epic companies.

He co-founded Acapela, an asynchronous meeting platform that launched with a $3 million seed round led by Visionaries Club. Following Acapela, he built Commonbase as a solo-founder, developing developer tooling for locally-deployed AI models.

When his EB-1A Green Card was approved, Heiki saw it as unlocking his ability to build long-term in America's unique ecosystem. "It was the first time I could actually think about my US plans in decades, both personally and professionally" he noted.

Now, recognizing that AI alone won't solve America's health crisis, Heiki started Rivendell, a New York based company building a health insurance plan for US startups to help them achieve all their health goals. Rivendell reimagines health insurance by integrating wearables, labs and health coaches into the health plan to help people achieve the best versions of themselves.

James Stirrat is an inventor - a designer and engineer turned founder. Trained as both an architect and a product engineer, his career has bridged physical spaces and digital systems, always with one goal: invent and build the extraordinary.

After graduating in architecture, James pursued dual master’s degrees at Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art, where he was awarded the prestigious Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Industrial Fellowship, a recognition shared with Nobel Laureates and industry pioneers. As well as Harvard, where he took leave to start his first company after the pandemic prevented him from reaching the US.

His early work shaped some of the world’s most iconic built projects. At Heatherwick Studio, he contributed to the design of Changi Airport Terminal 5, pushing the boundaries of airport design and passenger experience on the most celebrated airport in the world. Alongside large scale projects in Italy, China, Russia & the UK.

Moving throughout different modalities of design, it was in software that James saw the next frontier. At 11x, as Chief Product Technology Officer, he redesigned and led the redevelopment of the company’s flagship AI product into one of the world’s first agent-native experiences. That product pushed 11x into one of the largest growth stories of 2024, securing a $24 million Series A and later a $50 million Series B.

After leaving 11x to co-found Build, James & team are building an automation company for the Built World. Building the automation layer for commercial real estate (CRE) development to enable Enterprise investors, operators and developers de-risk and accelerate the world’s most important built projects—data centers, energy, logistics—through a suite of AI workers that automate development workflows from concept to construction.

After relocating to the Bay Area, Build recently closed a heavily-oversubscribed seed round and are hiring in San Francisco, New York and London. As Build continues to grow, it’s clear that the future of the built world (and software) will be defined by organizations that embrace autonomy, scale, and adapt to the relentless pursuit of what's next.

“I still remember trying to explain what I was building in Belgrade. People thought I was crazy to aim for the US market from Serbia.”

Miloš Žikić didn’t wait for permission to build globally. He just started. He launched SpiceFactory, a product studio that would go on to serve clients like Disney and ExxonMobil. He helped ship everything from AI-powered hospitality tools to full-stack enterprise systems.
But Miloš didn’t stop at building companies. He built ecosystems.

He co-founded Heapspace, the Balkans’ largest tech community, and launched HeapCon, now the biggest tech conference in the region. He mentored founders through MassChallenge and the Founder Institute. He judged Google hackathons. He helped young entrepreneurs find their footing in the same rooms he once fought to get into.
His work was recognized across Europe.

His product SavaEvents won Best AI Startup at the Central European Startup Awards. His company received national grants for innovation. He was invited to speak, write, and lead.

“Getting the EB-1A meant I could finally go all in,” he says. “On growing our US presence, hiring talent, launching new products. I am here to build and now I can do it without limits.”

For Miloš, this is a validation. A permission slip to keep going. And proof that you don’t have to be born in Silicon Valley to shape its future.

How did you get your visa? 🇺🇸

“We’re at the beginning of the largest workforce transition in human history, where 80% of knowledge work shifts from humans to AI.”

@markokraemer's entrepreneurial journey began unusually early. At just 12, he founded BluePage, building marketing landing pages for small businesses in Frankfurt, Germany. By 14, he had launched GastroPage, a restaurant digitization platform featuring QR-code menus, years ahead of the pandemic that would make such tools ubiquitous.

Operating legally as a minor in Germany’s tightly regulated business environment required special court permission, an extraordinary exception granted to Marko. While still in high school, he went on to launch Plutus, a software development studio.

“I essentially missed the last two years of school,” he recalls. “During COVID, a friend managed my Microsoft Teams login so I could focus on building the company. I only showed up for the exams.”

After graduating in 2023, Marko founded Kortix with an ambitious mission to build the foundational infrastructure for the AI revolution. The first product, SoftGen, an AI-powered web app builder, scaled from zero to $50K in monthly recurring revenue within four months and was acquired by a private equity firm.

His current focus is Kortix Suna, an open-source platform he describes as “WordPress for AI agents.” In just weeks after launch, Suna amassed 50,000 users, earned 14,000 GitHub stars, and sparked serious enterprise interest with over 200 enterprise bookings.

With a newly approved O-1 visa, Marko now splits his time between San Francisco and Europe as he scales Kortix’s broader vision: helping organizations transition from human to AI-driven knowledge work through both self-serve tools and enterprise-grade implementations.

“We’re building for a future where AI agents can perform 70 to 80 percent of knowledge work,” he says. “This isn’t just automation. It’s a foundational shift unlike anything the labor market has seen before.”

At just 20 years old, Marko's journey from teenage entrepreneur to AI visionary stands as a testament to his belief that innovation has no age limit, and that the future belongs to those who build it.

What would you change about legal immigration in America?🇺🇸

@ellisdotcom @_makinginamerica

Odysseas Lamtzidis builds the systems that keep Web3 from falling apart.

A blockchain security expert with roots in academic research and protocol engineering, Odysseas has spent the last decade pushing the boundaries of how decentralized systems can be made safer, stronger, and more transparent.

He began his journey at the University of Patras, publishing peer-reviewed research on decentralized IoT security and blockchain-integrated precision agriculture—work that earned recognition from IEEE GLOBECOM and MDPI. But it was in the industry where his work began to shape real-world protocols.

At Nomad, he contributed to the design of core infrastructure for cross-chain communication—experience that proved essential when the protocol suffered a $190 million exploit.

“Security isn’t about patching holes,” he says. “”It’s about rethinking how the system is built—before someone else finds the weakness.””

In 2024, he founded Phylax Systems, a venture-backed security startup focused on real-time exploit prevention. The team’s flagship product, the Credible Layer, has already raised $4.5 million in pre-seed funding from Figment Capital, Bankless Ventures, and Robot Ventures.

Beyond his technical work, Odysseas advises blockchain VCs and frequently judges major Web3 hackathons like ETHDenver and ETHBerlin. He’s been named to Forbes Greece 30 Under 30 and featured in outlets like CoinDesk, The Block, and even the U.S. Embassy in Greece.

“I’m not here to make headlines,” he says. “I’m here to build the security foundation this ecosystem actually needs.”

Jeff has spent the last decade focused on a problem most in tech overlook: how to hold artificial intelligence accountable.

As Co-Founder and CEO of Warden AI, Jeff is leading the development of a platform that audits AI systems for bias, fairness, and regulatory compliance—helping companies prove that their algorithms aren’t just effective, but equitable.

His tools are already being used in high-stakes environments like hiring, finance, and healthcare. From real-time fairness dashboards to compliance-ready audit reports, Warden’s platform is engineered for transparency in a world where AI decisions can affect people’s livelihoods.

Before launching Warden, Jeff led product at Signal AI and Quench AI, where he developed enterprise tools that helped Fortune 500 clients manage risk and compliance. He holds an engineering degree from Oxford, and brings a rare combination of deep technical fluency and strategic product vision.

“AI audits shouldn’t feel like a black box,” he says. “If a system’s going to make decisions about someone’s future, they deserve to understand how it works.”

Bringing Warden to the U.S. required more than ambition—it required certainty. For months, Jeff wasn’t sure if he’d be allowed to lead the company’s expansion himself. That changed with the approval of his L-1B visa, giving him the green light to move forward.

“It meant I could finally focus on the work again,” he says. “On helping our clients stay fair—and stay compliant—as AI regulation catches up.”

Is America still the place to build? 🇺🇸

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill

Build in America. For America 🇺🇸

Stoked to have hosted another event for immigrant founders who are locked in for the next generation of American innovation 🚀

Folks gathered to talk shop on building businesses and navigating legal skilled immigration in an ever shifting political climate🗽

Grateful for the awesome folks supporting the mission 🤝 @_makinginamerica

@ellisdotcom @techweeka16z @a16z

📸 @astoldbyb.hill