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Startups in the Real World: Founder Stories from the Frontlines

by Rob Weber | at Minnebar 19 | 9:35 – 10:15 in Proverb-Edison | View Schedule

What does it really take to build and scale a startup in today’s complex environment? In this candid panel, successful founders share the unfiltered realities of startup life—from navigating macroeconomic uncertainty to tackling the technical challenges of building scalable products. Expect real-world stories, tactical insights, and lessons learned from the frontlines. Whether it’s making tough trade-offs, scaling tech stacks, or fundraising in today’s climate, this session goes beyond the headlines to explore what building a startup looks like now.

  • Eric Martell, Founder at Pear Commerce. Pear is the retail ecommerce platform that connects CPGs to retailers, converting shoppable tools into actionable insights that fuel performance marketing.
  • Meredith (Miller) Englund, Founder & CEO at Camperoni. Camperoni is a website and service that helps Minnesota parents find and register their children for camps and activities, including summer camps, breaks, and no-school days.
  • Heath Schubert, CEO/Co-founder at HLRBO. HLRBO (Hunting Land Rentals by Owner) is an online platform that connects landowners with hunters looking to lease land for hunting.
  • Stephen Regenold, Founder at GearJunkie. GearJunkie is the leading voice of the outdoors and active lifestyles with breaking news, product reviews, and buying guides.
Intermediate

Rob Weber

Rob Weber is Managing Partner of Great North Ventures, an early-stage venture fund focused on helping founders launch and scale companies in Minnesota and across the U.S. Prior to Great North Ventures, Rob co-founded NativeX (formerly named W3i/Freeze.com) in 2000. Rob has been a successful entrepreneur since the age of 16 when he, along with his brothers, launched their first consumer app and media tech business. By the age of 20 the Weber brothers had turned their basement endeavors into a multi-million dollar business, and Rob became CEO.

In 2006, Rob shared the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award with his twin brother, and business partner, Ryan Weber. Rob was also named to the 2007 Inc. 5,000 CEO’s Under 30 list.

Rob received his B.S. in Entrepreneurship from St. Cloud State University. Rob has been one of the most active regional angel investors since 2005 when he co-founded the 32 Degrees angel fund. Rob previously served on the Board of Directors for Minne*, the 30,000+ member community of Minnesota tech enthusiasts.

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