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2018
Year Started
Year Started

Started in 2018

Discover insights from 9 interviews with founders and CEOs who started their companies in 2018.

9 Companies Started in 2018

Learn from founders and CEOs who launched their businesses in 2018

Jake Karls
Retail

Jake Karls

Co-founder & Chief Rainmaker

Approx. 3.16 Million USD/month
4.8/5
B2C
Manufacturing
70+
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Started 2018

In this interview, Mid-Day Squares co-founder and Chief Rainmaker Jake Karls describes the unconventional journey of building a disruptive snack brand. Karls shares insights on defining the Rainmaker role, transitioning away from weak management positions, and using weekly mediated therapy to preserve family partnerships. He also details the operational decisions to build custom manufacturing, the strategies for retail placement in Walmart and Costco, and the lessons learned from managing burnout and raw material price shocks.

August 25, 2026Read Interview
Travis Kalanick
Technology

Travis Kalanick

Founder & CEO

Not Publicly Disclosed/month
4.8/5
B2B
Manufacturing
2000+
Los Angeles, California, United States
Started 2018

In this interview, Atoms founder and CEO Travis Kalanick shares his vision for automating the physical world through industrial robotics and AI. Kalanick reflects on his lessons from standardizing ridesharing at Uber, the complexities of international expansion in China, and the game theory behind competitive fundraising. He outlines his frameworks for maximizing management capacity, resolving the meta-problem of company scaling, and finding the line between organizational order and chaos.

August 20, 2026Read Interview
Pawan Kumar Chandana
Technology

Pawan Kumar Chandana

Co-founder & CEO

Pre-Revenue/month
4.8/5
B2B
1000+
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Started 2018

In this interview, Skyroot Aerospace co-founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana details the historic orbital launch of Vikram-1, marking India's first successful private orbital flight. Chandana discusses the engineering challenges of solid and liquid propulsion stages, the optimization of small satellite launch vehicles, and the development of reusable rockets. He shares insights on fundraising for deep tech ventures, collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation, and converting national potential into kinetic innovation.

July 29, 2026Read Interview
Mike Novogratz
Finance

Mike Novogratz

Founder & CEO

Not Publicly Disclosed/month
4.4/5
B2B
2472+
New York City, New York, United States
Started 2018

In this interview, Galaxy Digital founder and CEO Mike Novogratz discusses the evolution of cryptocurrency markets, the transition to utility-driven blockchain systems, and Galaxy's strategic expansion into artificial intelligence data centers. Novogratz shares insights on regulatory policy, tokenized real-world assets, and the dynamics of MicroStrategy's leverage. He details the development of Galaxy's gigawatt-scale Helios campus in Texas and reflects on how service, family, and physical trials build professional resilience.

July 22, 2026Read Interview
Krishna Rangasayee
AI

Krishna Rangasayee

Founder & CEO

Not Publicly Disclosed/month
4.7/5
B2B
Manufacturing
235+
San Jose, California, United States
Started 2018

In this interview, SiMa.ai founder and CEO Krishna Rangasayee discusses the transition of physical AI from early adoption to mainstream production. Speaking at the RAISE Summit in Paris, he explains the launch of their Gen 2 silicon and a pin-to-pin GPU system-on-module replacement. Rangasayee outlines their new agentic software wrapper, Palette Ne, which enables programming edge applications in plain English, and highlights strategic partnerships in automotive, robotics, and drone technology.

July 14, 2026Read Interview
Adam Goldstein
Agencies

Adam Goldstein

Founder & CEO

Pre-revenue/month
4.8/5
B2B
1,500+
San Jose, California, USA
Started 2018

In this interview, Archer Aviation founder and CEO Adam Goldstein discusses the future of air taxis, the challenges of launching a new category of transportation, and his vision for making urban travel dramatically faster. He shares insights on innovation, regulation, manufacturing, scaling a new industry, and building a company that could transform how people move through cities.

June 25, 2026Read Interview
David Grutman
Agencies

David Grutman

Founder & CEO

Estimated $15M-$30M USD/month
4.2/5
Agency
2,000+
Miami, Florida, USA
Started 2018

In this interview, Groot Hospitality founder and CEO David Grutman shares how he built one of the most influential hospitality brands in the United States. He discusses entrepreneurship, personal growth, intellectual property, strategic partnerships, investing, and why long-term equity ownership has been the key driver of his wealth and business success.

June 23, 2026Read Interview
Patrick Soderlund
Technology, Gaming

Patrick Soderlund

Founder & CEO

N/A/month
4.8/5
B2C
Freemium
300+
N/A
Started 2018

In this interview, Patrick Söderlund discusses building Embark Studios and creating games designed for long-term player engagement. He shares insights on making difficult leadership decisions, balancing data with creative judgment, and continuously improving products through iteration. The conversation highlights efficient development through better tools and pipelines, adapting business models to market realities, respecting player time, and fostering a culture where honest feedback and disciplined execution drive sustainable success.

November 1, 2025Read Interview
Iman Ghadzi
Creators, eCommerce, Production, Retail

Iman Ghadzi

Founder & CEO

$1M+/month
4.9/5
B2C
Agency
Manufacturing
21–50
UK
Started 2018

In this interview, entrepreneur Eman Gadzhi shares how he built a business empire before the age of 25, growing from a challenging upbringing in South London to becoming a successful investor and business owner. He discusses entrepreneurship, personal branding, digital products, relationships, wealth creation, mental health, and the lessons he learned from overcoming adversity. Eman also explains why purpose, discipline, and helping others have played a major role in his success.

April 23, 2024Read Interview