Max Comolli: Supporting Founders In Connecting Effectively With Investors

Ladderworks is a publishing platform of diverse picture books and online curriculum with the mission to empower over a million kids to become social entrepreneurs. Our current series features interviews by our interplanetary journalist Spiffy with inspiring Social Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Builders, and Changemakers who are advancing the UN SDGs.

Hi there, my name is Spiffy, I’m an interplanetary journalist hanging out on Planet Earth. Today I’m interviewing Max Comolli, head of growth at The ORCA Network, who is building infrastructure that helps founders connect with investors.

Spiffy: Hi Max, thanks a million for talking to me today. Tell me, what challenge is The ORCA Network addressing?

Max: Thanks for having me, Spiffy. Right now, not everyone has the opportunity to work on the problems they care most about. Starting your own company is one of the best ways to make real change in the world, but it requires a lot of resources and support from a lot of people, and in today's world, those people and resources are not easy to find. We are trying to change that.

Spiffy: Very cool! What motivates you to do it?

Max: What motivates me most is seeing the positive energy of people who are able to follow their passions by building their own company. Getting to play a small role in their journeys makes me and the entire ORCA team so proud of what they accomplish. I love hearing incredible stories about people doing things they never dreamed of and changing the world through innovation. Their success is our success!

Spiffy: What is the impact of your work?

Max: Our work at ORCA helps anyone from any background start a company. We do this by connecting the founders of companies to people, tools, and resources that can invest in them and support them. Many of the founders we support are starting their first companies and do not know how to meet investors or what they should work on. The ORCA platform provides the structure and education necessary to grow as an entrepreneur!

Spiffy: Thanks for speaking with me today, Max—it’s been an honor!

Max Comolli is the head of growth at The ORCA Network, where he connects with startup founders across the nation. He graduated from Stanford University in 2021. In his free time, he loves to read science fiction, learn new languages, and spend time with his friends and family. (First published on the Ladderworks website on September 14, 2023.)

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of Ladderworks LLC.