Coffee with a Founder Podcast: Ofek Lavian, Forage

28- Apr-2026

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Ofek Lavian, co-founder and CEO of Forage.

Forage is an EBT payments company helping low-income Americans access food through online platforms like DoorDash, Uber, and Shopify. What used to be an in-person, highly limited system is now becoming digital, unlocking access for millions of people living in food deserts or balancing multiple jobs.

The conversation dives into why that gap exists, what it takes to build in a highly regulated space, and how a venture-backed company can both scale fast and solve a deeply systemic problem.

If you’re into founder-led innovation tackling broken systems that impact millions, don’t miss this one.

show notes:

1:42: What Forage is and how it enables EBT payments online

3:36: The reality of food insecurity and how widespread EBT usage is

5:44: Why Ofek left big tech to build in this space

7:55: Why major payment companies avoided EBT

10:59: Advice for founders on solving big problems

13:03: What’s next for Forage and expanding beyond payments

17:44: Lessons from building one of the hardest companies

Read More About The Episode:

1:42: What Forage is and how it enables EBT payments online

Ofek explains how Forage helps low-income Americans access food through digital payments.

3:36: The reality of food insecurity and how widespread EBT usage is

The conversation highlights how many Americans rely on EBT and how common it is over a lifetime.

5:44: Why Ofek left big tech to build in this space

Ofek talks about his background in payments and why this problem became impossible to ignore.

7:55: Why major payment companies avoided EBT

Ofek explains the regulatory complexity and why others chose not to build in this space.

10:59: Advice for founders on solving big problems

The conversation dives into why founders should chase large, meaningful problems first.

13:03: What’s next for Forage and expanding beyond payments

Ofek shares how the company is moving into affordability and broader financial tools.

17:44: Lessons from building one of the hardest companies

Ofek reflects on founder mindset, resilience, and the scale of the opportunity ahead.