In this episode of Mind the Machine, Cheryl sits down with Andy Ballester, co-founder of GoFundMe and now the founder of EyePop.ai, a platform bringing computer vision to the edge. Andy shares the origin story of GoFundMe, the startup lessons that still hold true, and how his latest venture is solving real-world problems—from underwater infrastructure inspections to medical courier QA—using AI-powered vision models. They explore the mindset needed to build enduring companies in fast-moving tech spaces, how to stay grounded amid the chaos of AI innovation, and why asking for help is one of the hardest—and most human—things we can do.
00:00 – Welcome to Mind the Machine
00:34 – The Origin of GoFundMe
05:00 – Lessons in Startup Longevity
08:24 – Pivoting During Crises Like COVID
12:05 – Building iPop: Making Computer Vision Accessible
16:02 – Why Edge AI Matters (Privacy, Speed, and Cost)
21:00 – Collaborating with Qualcomm’s AI Hub
25:01 – Staying Grounded in the AI Hype Cycle
29:44 – Real-World Use Cases: Water Mains, Lab Samples, and Logistics
36:35 – How AI Can Help People Ask for Help
43:39 – Training the Next Generation in an AI-Powered World
48:12 – What Founders Need Most in 2025
51:20 – Final Reflections from Andy: “What Should We Build Today?”
Where to find Andy Ballester and iPop AI:
🌐 Website: https://eyepop.ai
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewballester/
Follow Cheryl:
🌍 Website: https://findgood.tech
📱 Instagram: / findgood.tech
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ckgoodman/