Summer is in full swing, and so it he momentum across the Dartmouth Founders Project. The past year had brought continued growth to our network. Ten outstanding entrepreneurs have joined the Dartmouth Founders Project, representing a wide range of industries, experiences, and ventures, united by the entrepreneurial spirit that defines the DFP community. We are excited to celebrate and introduce our newest members to you today!
Helena Rosenthal ’08 MED’14
Founder, Northwest Mutual
I’m building a boutique wealth management practice in Beverly Hills focused on advising founders, executives, and multi-generational families on complex capital, tax, and liquidity decisions. My work increasingly sits at the intersection of tax strategy, longevity, and the long-term allocation of wealth during periods of growth and transition.
Jethro Rothe-Kushel ’03
Co-Founder & CEO, Ritual Ads
I'm the co-founder and CEO of Ritual Ads, the only platform of its kind that uses generative AI, predictive AI, and emotional intelligence to create transformational cinematic experiences at scale for the world's most ambitious brands. We are leading the world's most advanced creative engine, a disruptive technology transforming an industry.
Snghyun Byon ’22
Stroke Territory Manager
After co-founding and building Caterlush, I transitioned leadership of the company to my cofounder, who continues to guide the venture forward. I recently joined Stryker as a Stroke Territory Manager and am excited to deepen my experience in medical technology as I work toward my long-term goal of developing innovative neurosurgical devices that improve patient outcomes.
Andy Peay ’92
Owner, Managing Member, Peay Vineyards
I started a family business with my brother and his wife and it became immediately apparent that we each find our lane where we are best suited. Though we communicate on intersecting pieces of the business, we have learned to trust one another’s capabilities. This has led to 30 years of relative harmony.
Parul Sharma TU’25
Co-Founder, MyHistory
As co-founder of MyHistory, I built an AI-native digital legacy platform that helped people preserve personal memories through timelines, audio stories and guided prompts, turning fragmented memories into structured life stories and personalized digital and printed memory books. What fired me up was the human side of AI. I’ve always believed the best technology does more than optimize workflows, it helps people feel seen, remembered and connected. That belief shaped how I built MyHistory and continues to guide how I think about product and leadership. As the venture now winds down, I look back with pride in what we created and gratitude for the learning it sparked. I’m now looking ahead to my next chapter at the intersection of product, AI and early-stage growth. If you are a founder building in AI, I'd welcome the opportunity for a thoughtful conversation.
Jason Hsiao ’98
Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, Humanup
Brad Jefferson '98 and I have spent the past two years earning the trust of 12 of the world's leading child development experts — Tina Payne Bryson, Ned Hallowell, Jessica Lahey among them — to bring their life's work to families in a way that's deeply personal, private, and built for the long arc of raising a child, not just the quick answer. The question driving us is not "what can AI do?" but "what does it mean to be human in a post-AI world, and how do we use this technology to bring people closer?" We believe the answer is this: what makes us uniquely human is our capacity for genuine connection, and if technology can deepen those bonds rather than erode them, there is no more important place to start than family.
Explore what Jason is building
Liyan Shen ’04
CFO, Birdy Grey
Hi! I'm the CFO of Birdy Grey. We are an e-commerce DTC start-up disrupting the bridal industry. Since founding, Birdy Grey has now become the third largest pure play bridesmaids dress company. We have dressed many beautiful bridal parties, like Demi Lovato's recent wedding! I have been here since 2022 and we have landed on INC 5000 twice as one of the fastest growing businesses in the US!
W. Fernando Menendez ’15
Founder & CEO, fscales
Fernando Menendez is the founder of fscales, a performance marketing agency that helps e-commerce brands scale through data-driven creative strategy and paid social advertising on Meta and TikTok. Before launching fscales, he built his expertise at industry-leading agencies SocialCode and MuteSix, where he rose to Director. Today, he partners with brands including Red Bull, Allegiance Flag Supply, and Spongellé to drive growth through high-performing creative and strategic media buying. He founded fscales to bridge the gap between creative and performance marketing, helping brands turn insights into scalable results.
Samantha Webster ’15
AI Deployment Strategist, Assembled
Samantha is an operations and strategy leader with experience scaling AI products in high-growth startup environments. She currently serves as Chief of Staff at Assembled, a workforce management & customer support platform. In her prior role she built the operations function for a higher ed AI startup, where she designed and led AI deployments to 150+ universities, hired and ran a 15-person team, and supported a $100M Series C round. She has worked in product and strategy at Disney and Audible and began her career in management consulting. She is a proud member of the Class of 2015 and has her MBA from Harvard Business School.
Thomas Cornew ’18 TH’18
CEO, Mwamba
At Mwamba, we're building a vertically integrated mining company in Tanzania, operating our own underground gold mines and now expanding into colored gemstones through Mwamba Gems. What excites me most is Wazi, our verification and traceability platform that brings real compliance and provenance to traditionally undocumented mineral supply chains. We're proud to be bridging that gap, proving that responsible mining can be a catalyst for community development and lasting prosperity.