Category Visionaries

Pujun Bhatnagar, CEO & Co-Founder of Kintsugi: $8.2 Million Raised to Build the Future of Sales Tax Automation

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Pujun Bhatnagar, CEO & Co-Founder of Kintsugi, a sales tax automation platform that's raised $8.2 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Sales tax compliance on autopilot: Kintsugi simplifies the complex process of sales tax management, integrating with platforms like Shopify and QuickBooks to automate tax calculations, filings, and compliance with over 48 U.S. jurisdictions.
Post-2018 legal shifts created opportunity: The South Dakota vs. Wayfair ruling radically changed sales tax collection, sparking Pujun's idea for Kintsugi as businesses began grappling with new compliance challenges based on customer location rather than business headquarters.
Avalara's gap in the market: Pujun observed that incumbents like Avalara were slow to adapt to these legal shifts, leaving a gap for Kintsugi to fill with a more nimble, AI-driven solution.
Product-led growth through a seamless onboarding: Kintsugi's GTM strategy focuses on providing immediate value—offering users a self-service platform where they can onboard and see their tax liabilities in minutes, without lengthy sales interactions.
Building trust through transparency: To build trust in a sensitive area like taxes, Kintsugi offers detailed, auditable reports and a guarantee that covers penalties if errors occur. They focus on transparency and reliability.
Scaling fast with the right team: Pujun emphasized the importance of assembling a strong team, scaling from 3 to 47 employees in 10 months, and aiming for exponential growth, with a goal to 10x their revenue in the next 12 months.
 
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Sponsors:
Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership.
www.FrontLines.io
The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. 
www.GlobalTalent.co
 

Jake Schuster, CEO & Founder of Gemini Sports Analytics: $7 Million Raised to Build the Future of Sports Analytics

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Jake Schuster, CEO & Founder of Gemini Sports Analytics, a sports analytics platform that's raised $7 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Gemini Sports Analytics enables data-driven decisions in sports: Jake identified a gap in the sports industry—where advanced data tools used in other sectors were missing. His platform empowers general managers and decision-makers at professional, collegiate, and Olympic teams to directly interact with data, helping them make informed decisions without needing data science expertise.
Sports management is decades behind in data sophistication: Jake highlighted how many sports organizations, run like overgrown family offices, lag behind Fortune 500 companies in using modern data tools. Private equity groups are starting to bring financial services-level sophistication into the sports industry, creating a market opportunity for Gemini.
Early product missteps helped shape Gemini’s current focus: The company's initial product was built for the wrong user, focusing too much on data scientists. Jake quickly pivoted, shifting focus to non-technical decision-makers who want direct access to insights without relying on analysts.
Pivots came from feedback and honest founder reflection: After six months of product discovery, Jake realized the market for the initial version wasn’t there. He emphasizes the importance of not being too stubborn, even when doggedly trying to make something work, and being open to necessary pivots.
Creating a new budget line item for teams is challenging: Jake shared that Gemini is pioneering a new workflow for sports organizations, which means teams must create new budget categories for the platform. He compares Gemini’s pricing to hiring additional staff to help teams understand the value.
Jake’s solo founder journey as a non-technical leader: As a non-technical founder, Jake turns his naivety into a strength by challenging his team to accomplish things without being limited by perceived technological constraints. He has built a strong engineering team to execute on his ambitious vision.
 
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Sponsors:
Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership.
www.FrontLines.io
The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. 
www.GlobalTalent.co

Jeremy Almond, CEO & Founder of Paystand: $100M Raised to Power the Future of B2B Payments

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Jeremy Almond, CEO & Founder of Paystand, a B2B payment network that has raised over $100 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Venmo for Enterprise: Paystand is a next-gen B2B payment network that saves companies millions of dollars by providing radically better economics, processing over $10 billion in payments and supporting around a million businesses.
Building Through Focus: Jeremy emphasized the importance of staying focused. Paystand's growth is attributed to a brick-by-brick approach, first targeting specific markets like Oracle and Microsoft ecosystems before expanding.
Scaling Milestones: Key company milestones were centered around unlocking the next stage of growth—from securing initial customers to making sales repeatable, and then scaling the business through focused enterprise sales strategies.
Blockchain Innovation: Paystand’s payment platform is powered by blockchain, offering instant, automatic payments at zero cost, without reliance on traditional systems like Visa or Mastercard.
Real Business Value, Not Blockchain Hype: While Jeremy is a believer in blockchain, he insists Paystand sells based on real value to customers, such as instant payments and reducing costs, not blockchain hype.
The Next 10 Years: Jeremy envisions a future where businesses use blockchain infrastructure, replacing legacy systems like Visa and Mastercard, ultimately creating more efficient, tax-free financial ecosystems for companies globally.
 
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Sponsors:
Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership.
www.FrontLines.io
The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. 
www.GlobalTalent.co

Allen Narcisse, Founder & CEO of Gigs: $5.7 Million Raised to Build the Future of Blue Collar Hiring

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Allen Narcisse, Founder & CEO of Gigs, a blue collar hiring platform that has raised $5.7 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Combining Rigorous Data and Empathy: Allen shares how his experiences at Uber and Lyft influenced his approach to Gigs. By integrating Uber's data-driven rigor with Lyft's empathy for workers, Gigs aims to provide both high-tech solutions and compassionate user experience.
Empowering Job Seekers: Gigs addresses the issue of low engagement in job applications by empowering users with better job information. The platform focuses on providing detailed job descriptions, pay transparency, and location specifics to enhance job seeker engagement.
Marketplace Dynamics: Allen discusses overcoming the chicken-and-egg problem by initially focusing on job availability before job seekers. This approach ensures that job seekers have a meaningful number of opportunities upon joining the platform.
Creating High-Intent Job Seekers: Gigs aims to improve job matching by offering comprehensive job details that are often missing from traditional job boards. This strategy enhances job seeker readiness and improves the hiring process for employers.
Strategic Job Seeker Acquisition: Allen reveals how Gigs targets job seekers by focusing on specific job listings and their related data. This targeted approach not only optimizes user acquisition but also lowers customer acquisition costs (CAC).
Branding Strategy: The branding of Gigs is designed to stand out from traditional job boards. With a bold red color and minimalist design, Gigs aims to convey simplicity and friendliness, contrasting with the more corporate feel of existing job platforms.
 
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Sponsors:
Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership.
www.FrontLines.io
The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. 
www.GlobalTalent.co

Hersh Tapadia, CEO of Allstacks: $16 Million Raised to Build the Value Stream Intelligence Category

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Hersh Tapadia, CEO of Allstacks.
Topics Discussed:
An intersectional career between engineering and biomedicine, how Hersh found a career between disciplines
Stakeholder expectations, unexpected challenges and what ‘delivering’ really means
Solving the surprise issue, and why everyone wants to plan for an anticipated outcome
Harmony, building teams, and why individual accomplishment isn’t enough for success
Why value stream intelligence gives employees the tools to create a more satisfying, meaningful workplace experience
 
Favorite book: 
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

Itzik Alvas, CEO & Co-Founder of Entro Security: $24 Million Raised to Build the Future of Non-Human Identity Management

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Itzik Alvas, CEO & Co-Founder of Entro Security, a non-human identity management platform that has raised $24 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Military Experience Taught Perseverance: Itzik credits his time in the Israeli Defense Force, specifically in the cyber intelligence unit, for shaping his approach to perseverance. This has been crucial in overcoming challenges as an entrepreneur.
Non-Human Identity Management Innovation: After multiple cybersecurity breaches in his previous roles, Itzik identified a massive gap in managing non-human identities and secrets. This personal experience directly led to the creation of Entro Security.
Early Days Post-Seed Raise: The first few months after securing seed funding were highly operational—setting up offices, building the team, and finding early design partners to provide feedback on their solution.
Creating a New Market Category: Entro Security is pioneering the non-human identity management space, addressing the growing issue of programmatic credentials that are often mishandled by DevOps teams, posing significant security risks.
Unique, Memorable Branding: Unlike traditional cybersecurity companies, Entro’s branding is youthful, fun, and memorable, a conscious choice to stand out in an industry that often feels sterile and overly serious.
Go-To-Market Approach: Entro’s sales efforts are focused on direct sales and channel partnerships, with a primary focus on the US market. Itzik emphasizes the importance of aligning go-to-market strategies with event participation based on specific goals like lead generation or brand awareness.
 
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Sponsors:
Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership.
www.FrontLines.io
The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. 
www.GlobalTalent.co

Ian Kalin, CEO & Co-Founder of TurbineOne: $22 Million Raised to Power the Future of Operational Intelligence

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Ian Kalin, CEO & Co-Founder of TurbineOne, a company revolutionizing operational intelligence that has raised $22 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Revenue Over Funding: Ian emphasized that while capital raised is important, his primary focus is on revenue growth, highlighting the importance of financial sustainability over just fundraising milestones.
Strategic Seed Extension: TurbineOne strategically executed a seed extension to secure additional capital while fine-tuning their market approach before moving to a Series A, showing the importance of timing and strategy in fundraising.
Importance of Accuracy: Ian stressed the importance of accuracy in financial reporting and fundraising details, reflecting the high stakes of credibility in investor relations.
Focus on Market Opportunity: Ian discussed the massive market potential in operational intelligence, positioning TurbineOne to capitalize on growing needs in sectors such as defense and emergency response.
Operational Challenges: The conversation touched on the operational complexities of managing advanced AI and machine learning tools, from data integration to real-time decision-making.
Customer-Centric Innovation: Ian shared how TurbineOne's product development is deeply customer-centric, driven by direct feedback and the specific needs of operators in high-stakes environments.
 
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Sponsors:
Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership.
www.FrontLines.io
The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. 
www.GlobalTalent.co
 

Jonathan Corbin, CEO and Co-Founder of Maven AGI: $28 Million Raised to Build the Future of Customer Experience

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Jonathan Corbin, CEO & Co-Founder of Maven AGI, a customer experience platform that's raised $28 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
The Maven AGI Vision: Jonathan discusses how Maven AGI was founded to revolutionize customer experience by leveraging large language models, aiming to provide seamless and instant customer support.
Lessons from HubSpot: Jonathan shares insights from his time at HubSpot, focusing on building a strong company culture and the importance of creating "wow" moments for customers to ensure ongoing product engagement.
Challenges in Customer Experience: He highlights the common issues in customer experience management, particularly the fragmentation of data across various systems, leading to poor customer journeys.
The Role of AI in Customer Support: Jonathan explains how Maven AGI uses AI agents to address customer inquiries with a 93% success rate, reducing the need for human intervention and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Navigating Market Complexity: Maven AGI positions itself as a horizontal solution, capable of solving customer experience challenges across multiple verticals, making it a versatile tool for businesses of all sizes.
Marketing Strategy Insights: Jonathan discusses Maven AGI’s evolving marketing strategy, emphasizing the importance of showcasing customer success stories to demonstrate the platform's value.
 
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Sponsors:
Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership.
www.FrontLines.io
The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. 
www.GlobalTalent.co
 

Mukund Karanjikar, CEO of CleanJoule: $55 Million Raised to Power the Future of Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Mukund Karanjikar, CEO at CleanJoule, a sustainable aviation fuel producer that has raised $55 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
$55 Million in Funding: CleanJoule has successfully raised $55 million, including a strategic investment from Asia, bolstering their efforts in sustainable aviation fuel development.
Sustainable Aviation Focus: Mukund emphasizes the importance of sustainable aviation fuel as a critical component in reducing the carbon footprint of the aviation industry.
Development and Production Capabilities: CleanJoule is not only focused on developing sustainable aviation fuels but also on producing them, positioning itself as a key player in this emerging market.
Strategic Investor Relations: The late addition of a strategic investor highlights the ongoing interest and potential in the sustainable aviation sector, especially from international markets.
Market Positioning: By branding themselves as both a developer and producer of sustainable aviation fuel, CleanJoule is differentiating itself from competitors who may only focus on one aspect of the supply chain.
Importance of Every Dollar: Mukund underlines the significance of every dollar raised, reflecting the high stakes and capital intensity of scaling in the clean energy sector.
 
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Sponsors:
Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership.
www.FrontLines.io
The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. 
www.GlobalTalent.co
 
 

Kevin McNamara, CEO & Founder of Parallel Domain: $44 Million Raised to Power the Future of Autonomy

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Kevin McNamara, CEO & Founder of Parallel Domain, a synthetic data generation and simulation platform that's raised over $43.9 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Parallel Domain’s Core Offering: Kevin explained that Parallel Domain provides simulation software used to develop, train, and test AI, particularly for real-world applications like autonomous vehicles, drone delivery, and security systems.
From Pixar to Parallel Domain: Kevin's journey from working on animated movies at Pixar, to video games at Microsoft, and eventually to Apple's autonomous systems project provided the foundation for Parallel Domain.
The Early Days and First Customer: The company’s early days were marked by ideation, prototyping, and the first significant breakthrough—a contract with Nio, a Chinese electric car company, which provided essential initial revenue and traction.
Expanding Beyond Autonomous Vehicles: Although initially focused on autonomous vehicles, Parallel Domain now supports industries like agriculture, supply chain, and robotics, showcasing the broad applicability of its simulation technology.
Shifting to Product-Led Growth: Kevin revealed that Parallel Domain is transitioning to a product-led growth strategy, including the introduction of a free trial tier, making their advanced simulation technology more accessible.
The Vision for the Future: The long-term vision for Parallel Domain is to become the go-to platform for any developer working on vision or perception-enabled technologies, with plans to expand into broader applications like retail, manufacturing, and beyond.
 
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Sponsors:
Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership.
www.FrontLines.io
The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. 
www.GlobalTalent.co