After a career in corporate sustainability, Alison Rogers Cove founded USEFULL, based in Boston, Massachusetts, to tackle the plastic crisis at the source. USEFULL is a circular solution focused on college campuses that helps them eliminate single-use food packaging by replacing it with a returnable, plastic-free system. We sat down with Alison to discuss the challenges of fundraising as a founder, the impact of tariffs on sustainable businesses, higher education as a market, and the realities of navigating parenthood while running a startup.

Sascha Mayer, Co-founder and Chief Experience Officer of Mamava, is closing the gap in support for breastfeeding parents with freestanding lactation pods. Based in Burlington, Vermont, Mamava provides private spaces in high-traffic areas like airports and workplaces, paired with a mobile app to help parents find them. We sat down with Sascha to discuss how design meets policy, the realities of U.S. manufacturing, and the importance of policy that supports parents.

Throne Science, based in Austin, Texas, is bringing data-driven insights to an essential part of our daily routine. Co-founder Scott Hickle is utilizing his background in engineering and software product management, along with leveraging AI, to build a device that could change how people perceive gut health. We sat down with Scott to discuss his journey in founding Throne, the role of AI, the impact of tariffs on innovation, and what his fundraising journey has looked like.

Tactus, a Boston-based startup, is on a mission to make music truly inclusive and accessible. Their Bluetooth-integrated jackets and vests translate audio into precise tactile vibrations, allowing the deaf and hard-of-hearing community to experience live musical performances. We sat down with Jeremy Chow, CEO and Founder of Tactus, to discuss their work and the various challenges they encounter, such as the barriers to federal research grants and the ways tariffs are raising manufacturing costs.