Space Talks
Season 2
Meet Eric Koester
Meet Jasmine Chen
Meet Sa'idah Durkee
Meet Josh Miller
Season 1
Meet Eric Jeng
Meet Elliot Roth
Meet Claire Liu
Meet Jonah Mutono
Meet Jade Darmawangsa
Meet Makaila Nichols
1 of 2
by Space Community
Eric is the founder and CEO of Creator Institute, a b-corporation whose mission is to inspire, teach and support tomorrow’s creators — authors, podcasters, speakers, entrepreneurs, corporate innovators and course builders. Through his work he’s coached nearly 1,000 first-time creators. Prior to his career in education and EdTech, Eric has been a serial entrepreneur having founded ventures backed by Kleiner Perkins, Ashton Kutcher, Floodgate Capital, Felicis Ventures, Meg Whitman and Steve Blank. He has served as the Managing Director for Next Gen Venture Partners, an early stage technology venture capital firm and today is a venture partner. Eric has also been a corporate attorney specializing in securities, venture capital and startups at Cooley LLP and a finance professional and CPA at a leading biotechnology and diagnostics company and completed his undergraduate degree in business at Marquette University and completed his juris doctorate at The George Washington University School of Law.
Jasmine Chen is a Grammy-nominated audio engineer and vocal producer who works in Music and Film. At 26 years old, Jasmine received her first Grammy nomination, having engineered the HAIM album that's been nominated for Album of the Year. Jasmine has worked with: Addison Rae, Atarashii Gakko, Bhad Bhabie, Cass McCombs, Chynna, Clairo, Claude Fontaine, Clinton Kane, Conan Gray, Courtney Eaton, Dove Cameron, HAIM, JK The Reaper, Jonah Mutono/Kidepo, Kacy Hill, Kelly Clarkson, Normani, Olivia Rodrigo, Simu Liu, Snoop Dogg, and more. In this conversation, Jasmine explains the sound engineering process as well as the less tangible aspects, like creating sonic space and emotional connections to the music.
Join us for a conversation with Sa'idah Durkee. Coach Sa’idah Zeinab Durkee (also known as “Ginja Ninja”) is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt training under Isaac July Jr. and Lloyd Irvin in Washington, DC. At Blue and Purple Belts she became a 3-time IBJJF Gi Masters World Champion, 3-time IBJJF Gi Pan Ams Champion, IBJJF NoGi Pan Ams Champion, and IBJJF World Gi and NoGi Medalist. She is also a photographer/artist and businesswoman and has operated Camp Ginja Ninja for several years.She also takes competing and training very seriously, competing in over 55 tournaments since receiving her blue belt. She has earned 56 Gold Medals, 16 Silver Medals, and 13 Bronze. Some highlights of her competition track record include beating a Black Belt in Gi two months after receiving her blue belt, as well as beating an IBJJF World Champion Black Belt in NoGi while also a Blue Belt. She has competed in, and won, numerous Submission Only Invitationals and SuperFights.
Listen to our a conversation with Josh Miller of Blu Ventures as we discuss fundraising, investment, current market positioning for funding, and all things start-up funding! Josh is an investor at Blu Venture Investors, a venture capital investment company that supports early stage entrepreneurs in the Mid-Atlantic Region. They typically invest $500K to $1.0M in a single round. Blu has invested in Id.Me, True Made Food, Urgent.ly, Revive Superfoods, Senseware, and LePrix.
Eric is a content creator based out of NYC. He interviews strangers in the city to get their stories.
Elliot is the founder of Spira, a company that creates replacements for animal and petroleum compounds in the supply chain using genetically engineered algae. He has presented at SXSW, Synbiobeta and Thought for Food. Elliot is a Kairos, Future Founders and Halcyon Fellow, a Seasteading Ambassador, and sat on the Virginia Governor's Council for Youth Entrepreneurship. Before Spira, Elliot graduated with a degree in biomedical engineering. He trained at the Stanford School, studying synthetic biology for 12 years and worked for 5 years as a product consultant. In his spare time, Elliot plays music and is working on side project to make airships and health clinics on the ocean.
Claire Liu is a professional tennis player. In 2017, she was ranked 1st in the World after winning Wimbledon's Girls' Singles title. Presently, Claire is ranked among the top 100 female tennis players in the world. Outside of the tennis courts, Claire is a talented painter and artist.
Jonah Mutono, previously known as Kidepo, is a British-Ugandan singer-songwriter and producer born in London, England. In June 2020, he was named as one of the ‘Best New Artists of 2020’ by NPR. Jonah's song ‘1949’ was featured on season 7 of CW’s The Flash where actor Jordan Fisher performed a cover during a wedding scene in episode 18. Mutono covered the 1982 Yazoo hit "Only You" for the Love, Victor season three soundtrack, which was released on June 15, 2022. Check out Jonah Mutono's Spotify here!
Jade Darmawangsa is a Youtuber, influencer, entrepreneur and CEO at X8 Media, an influencer marketing agency that works with tech platforms and civic movements. She also founded an incubator program CRE8, an organization that helps creators build long term businesses through blockchain.
Makaila is the founder of a 501c3 called the Blatantly Honest Foundation, national speaker, podcaster and best-selling author of “Blatantly Honest: Normal Teen, Abnormal Life.” In her book, she shares her personal struggles with issues teens may encounter such as: bullying, body image, sexual assault, peer pressure and more. To meet the needs of her younger audience, she has also created two children's coloring books focused on anti-bullying and positive body image: "Buddies Don't Bully" and "Every Body is Beautiful." Thanks to generous sponsors from Central Florida, Makaila and her sponsors have donated over 11,000 coloring books to over 18 elementary school and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.