Nano Cap Podcast

Hosted by Will Tjernlund

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Nov 2026

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About the show

On the Nano Cap Podcast, we dive into the unique world of publicly traded companies with a market capitalization under $50 million – the nano caps. These are not just numbers on a stock ticker; they are stories of ambition, struggle, and triumph. Each episode, I'll sit down with the leaders and visionaries behind these companies. We’ll uncover the challenges they face, the innovations they bring, and the strategies that drive them forward in a competitive market.

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November 5, 2026Episode 8626 min

GEN Restaurant Group - $GENK - Ep:086 - Nano Cap Podcast

On the Nano Cap Podcast, Will Tjernlund interviews Luke Hewko, CFO of GEN Restaurant Group ($GENK) , about the company’s announced $100 million restaurant deal with Chubby Group and its plans to grow GEN Korean BBQ as a consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand. Hewko explains how GEN uses its existing restaurant supply chain to bring frozen marinated meats, including beef bulgogi and kalbi short ribs, to grocery and club retailers such as Costco, Albertsons, and Safeway. He also shares why refrigerated, ready-to-heat Korean BBQ meals are the company’s next big product bet and how GEN plans to use its remaining restaurants to test new products with diners. In this episode How GEN plans to transition restaurant operations to Chubby Group while retaining ownership of the GEN Korean BBQ brand Why GEN started with frozen marinated meats and how it plans to expand beyond its West Coast retail footprint How GEN plans to use co-packers to grow without building its own manufacturing facilities What it would take to reach GEN’s goal of a $100 million annual revenue run rate within three years What Hewko learned from launching direct-to-customer sales at Haas Automation and serving as CFO of a Bitcoin ATM operator Subscribe to the Nano Cap Podcast for interviews with the people behind some of the smallest but mightiest publicly traded companies from around the world. GEN Restaurant Group: https://genkoreanbbq.com/ Nano Cap Podcast: https://www.nanocappod.com/ DISCLAIMER - The contents of this podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, legal, or other professional advice. Listeners should not construe any information discussed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any securities or investments. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or professional before making any financial decisions. Guests may have paid to be on the podcast.

November 3, 2026Episode 8520 min

Allarity Therapeutics - $ALLR - Ep:085 - Nano Cap Podcast

Allarity Therapeutics (ALLR) CEO Thomas Jensen joins Will Tjernlund on the Nano Cap Podcast to discuss precision medicine, ovarian cancer treatment, and the development of stenoparib, an investigational oral cancer drug. Jensen explains how Allarity’s Drug Response Predictor (DRP) uses messenger RNA expression from tumor samples to identify patients who may be more likely to respond to a specific treatment. He shares the company’s origins in Danish academic research and why matching existing drugs with the right patients could create new opportunities in cancer care. The conversation explores Allarity’s Phase 2 clinical trial in advanced recurrent ovarian cancer, a VA-funded study evaluating stenoparib in small cell lung cancer, and the clinical development milestones Jensen is targeting through 2027. Jensen also discusses the role of artificial intelligence in drug development, the challenges of collecting reliable biological data, and the patient experiences that motivate his work. Topics include: Allarity Therapeutics’ precision oncology strategy Stenoparib and PARP inhibitor research Drug Response Predictor technology and cancer biomarkers Ovarian cancer and small cell lung cancer clinical trials AI, mRNA data, and personalized cancer treatment Subscribe to the Nano Cap Podcast for conversations with the leaders behind some of the smallest but mightiest publicly traded companies from around the world. Allarity Therapeutics: https://allarity.com/ Nano Cap Podcast: https://www.nanocappod.com/ DISCLAIMER - The contents of this podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, legal, or other professional advice. Listeners should not construe any information discussed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any securities or investments. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or professional before making any financial decisions. Guests may have paid to be on the podcast.

October 30, 2026Episode 8431 min

Alliance Advisors - Joe Caruso - Ep:084 - Nano Cap Podcast

Will Tjernlund welcomes Joseph “Joe” Caruso, CEO and co-founder of Alliance Advisors, to the Nano Cap Podcast for a conversation about proxy voting, shareholder communications, and retail investor engagement. Caruso explains why nano-cap and micro-cap companies can struggle to reach their own shareholders, and how those barriers can affect critical votes, capital raises, and business growth. What is the difference between an objecting beneficial owner (OBO) and a non-objecting beneficial owner (NOBO)? Caruso breaks down these shareholder classifications in plain English and shares why he is advocating for changes that would give public companies more direct access to their investors. He also explains how a company can struggle to achieve a shareholder quorum even when investors might support its proposals. The conversation explores how shareholder engagement has evolved from mailed proxy statements and phone calls to text-to-vote campaigns, email outreach, and investor communities on Reddit and Stocktwits. For smaller public companies with limited budgets, reaching shareholders efficiently can make a meaningful difference. Topics include: How proxy solicitation and shareholder voting work OBO vs. NOBO classifications and shareholder transparency Why retail investors matter to nano-cap and micro-cap companies How voting participation can affect financing and share issuance Digital communication tools for investor relations Caruso’s case for reforming shareholder communication rules Listen for a behind-the-scenes look at corporate governance and the role individual investors play in the future of small public companies. Subscribe to the Nano Cap Podcast for more conversations with the people behind some of the smallest but mightiest publicly traded companies from around the world. Alliance Advisors: https://allianceadvisors.com/ Nano Cap Podcast: https://www.nanocappod.com/ DISCLAIMER - The contents of this podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, legal, or other professional advice. Listeners should not construe any information discussed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any securities or investments. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or professional before making any financial decisions. Guests may have paid to be on the podcast.

October 28, 2026Episode 8327 min

Niki BioSolutions - $NIKI - Ep:083 - Nano Cap Podcast

Could Alzheimer’s biomarkers help identify risk years before symptoms appear? Will Tjernlund interviews Dr. Alidad Mirskandari of Niki BioSolutions about Alzheimer’s blood test development, early detection, and the path from clinical research to commercially available diagnostics. Dr. Mirskandari shares his journey from biology and genetics to an MBA, consulting, Wall Street, and biotech leadership. He explains Niki BioSolutions’ strategy for pharmaceutical biomarker testing services and its work toward a clinical biomarker panel, subject to validation and clinical utility studies. In this episode, we discuss: How Alzheimer’s biomarkers may change five to twenty years before symptoms emerge. How pharma biomarker testing can support patient recruitment and clinical studies. What it takes to develop lab-developed tests, demonstrate clinical utility, and pursue insurance reimbursement. Why biotech commercialization needs to begin alongside product development. How earlier risk identification could inform monitoring, treatment discussions, and referrals to neurologists. Lessons from the dot-com crash and Dr. Mirskandari’s vision for Niki BioSolutions over the next five years. Listen for a look at the science, business, and reimbursement challenges shaping Alzheimer’s diagnostics and the future of early detection. Niki BioSolutions: https://www.nikibiosolutions.com/ Nano Cap Podcast: https://www.nanocappod.com/ DISCLAIMER - The contents of this podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, legal, or other professional advice. Listeners should not construe any information discussed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any securities or investments. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or professional before making any financial decisions.

October 21, 2026Episode 8225 min

Birchtech - $BCHT - Ep:082 - Nano Cap Podcast

In this episode, Birchtech CEO Rick MacPherson shares how he helped turn university research into commercial technology that captures mercury from power plant emissions. We discuss the company’s expansion into water treatment to remove PFAS “forever chemicals” and his plans to bring these solutions to more utilities and communities. Birchtech: https://www.birchtech.com/ Nano Cap Podcast: https://www.nanocappod.com/ DISCLAIMER - The contents of this podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, legal, or other professional advice. Listeners should not construe any information discussed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any securities or investments. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or professional before making any financial decisions.

October 12, 2026Episode 8127 min

Health In Tech - $HIT - Ep:081 - Nano Cap Podcast

In this episode, Tim Johnson, CEO of Health and Tech, shares his journey from insurance industry veteran to innovator leveraging AI and technology to transform health insurance. Discover how his unique approach is shaping the future of self-funded benefits and the role of AI in insurance innovation. Health In Tech: https://healthintech.com/ Nano Cap Podcast: https://www.nanocappod.com/ DISCLAIMER - The contents of this podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, legal, or other professional advice. Listeners should not construe any information discussed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any securities or investments. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or professional before making any financial decisions.

October 5, 2026Episode 8026 min

Syntholene Energy - $SYNTF - Ep:080 - Nano Cap Podcast

In this episode, Dan Sutton, CEO of Syntholene Energy, discusses the future of synthetic fuels, the potential of small modular reactors, and Iceland's geothermal resources. Discover how innovative energy technologies can revolutionize the global fuel industry and contribute to decarbonization efforts. Syntholene Energy: https://syntholene.com/ Nano Cap Podcast: https://www.nanocappod.com/ DISCLAIMER - The contents of this podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, legal, or other professional advice. Listeners should not construe any information discussed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any securities or investments. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or professional before making any financial decisions.

September 28, 2026Episode 7918 min

Aprea Therapeutics - $APRE - Ep:079 - Nano Cap Podcast

In this episode, Oren Gilad, CEO of Aprea Therapeutics, shares insights into targeted cancer therapies, the science behind synthetic lethality, and the company's latest clinical progress. Discover how innovative approaches are changing the paradigm of cancer treatment and what the future holds. Aprea Therapeutics: https://aprea.com/ Nano Cap Podcast: https://www.nanocappod.com/ DISCLAIMER - The contents of this podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, legal, or other professional advice. Listeners should not construe any information discussed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any securities or investments. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or professional before making any financial decisions.

September 14, 2026Episode 7824 min

MBody AI - $MBAI - Ep:078 - Nano Cap Podcast

John Fowler, CEO of Mbody AI, shares insights on the evolution of robotics, the company's strategic approach to market expansion, and the lessons learned from the cannabis industry that shape their current growth strategy in autonomous robotics. Mbody AI: https://mbody.ai/ Nano Cap Podcast: https://www.nanocappod.com/ DISCLAIMER - The contents of this podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, legal, or other professional advice. Listeners should not construe any information discussed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any securities or investments. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or professional before making any financial decisions.

September 7, 2026Episode 7728 min

Z Squared - $ZSQR - Ep:077 - Nano Cap Podcast

In this episode, David Halabu, CEO of Z Squared, shares his journey from finance and trading to pioneering AI infrastructure. Discover how his diverse background influences the company's innovative approach to repurposing cryptocurrency mining hardware for AI data centers and the strategic considerations behind site selection and development. Z Squared Inc: https://www.zsquaredinc.com/ Nano Cap Podcast: https://www.nanocappod.com/ DISCLAIMER - The contents of this podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, legal, or other professional advice. Listeners should not construe any information discussed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any securities or investments. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or professional before making any financial decisions.