America's Angels: Nick Travers Investing in Bai Drinks to Nuclear Reactors

How do you go from handing out beverage samples at Costco to backing a nuclear reactor startup? In the premiere episode of America's Angels, Austin-based angel investors Jennifer Kames and Andrea Kelmans sit down with fellow investor Nick Travers to unpack the wild, winding journey of startup investing—from a $300 million bet on Bai drinks to the front lines of the nuclear energy renaissance.

Nick shares the story of cornering Bai's founder at a Princeton street fair, riding that investment to a $1.7 billion acquisition, and learning hard lessons from cowboy-themed energy drinks, medical devices, and cancer immunotherapy along the way. The conversation then goes deep on nuclear: the Department of Energy's reactor pilot program, the founders behind Austin's Allo Atomics, and why small modular reactors may be the key to powering our AI-driven future. The episode wraps with the inaugural "Gong Debate"—can angel investors actually move the needle on a capital-intensive nuclear startup?—plus a pitch for an Alicia Keys theme song.

Whether you're a seasoned investor, a founder chasing your first check, or just curious about the Austin tech boom, this episode is packed with real stories, real lessons, and zero investment advice. Subscribe to America's Angels on your favorite podcast platform, follow us on social media at @americas_angels, and visit americasangelspodcast.com to stay up to date as we take the show on the road this season.