Category Visionaries

Henry O'Connell, CEO & Founder of Canary Speech: $26 Million Raised to Build the Future of Vocal Biomarker Technology

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 Henry O'Connell, CEO & Founder of Canary Speech, a healthcare technology company that has raised $26 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Origins at a Bagel Shop: Canary Speech started when Henry and Jeff Adams, the lead developer behind Amazon Echo, met and discussed the future of using voice to detect diseases. This meeting laid the foundation for Canary's vocal biomarker technology.
Incredible Speed and Accuracy: The company's AI-driven platform analyzes 40 seconds of voice data, delivering results in milliseconds with 93-96% accuracy for diseases like Alzheimer’s, mild cognitive impairment, and Parkinson’s. It’s revolutionizing early diagnosis.
Real-time Patient Insights: Canary Speech enables doctors to assess multiple conditions — from neurological diseases to anxiety and depression — during a live conversation. This allows for more comprehensive care without additional time-consuming tests.
Global Reach and Language Capabilities: Canary Speech’s models are already being used in multiple countries and languages, including English, Japanese, and Spanish, extending healthcare accessibility to underserved regions.
Strategic Partnerships with Microsoft: Microsoft’s investment and integration of Canary Speech into the Azure platform have expanded the company's reach globally. They’re now exploring partnerships that could further embed Canary’s solutions into healthcare systems.
The Transition to SaaS: After two years of project-based revenue, Canary Speech transitioned into a SaaS model, allowing for recurring revenue streams and long-term scalability in healthcare and call centers.
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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
 

Katy Carrigan, CEO of Goody: $32 Million Raised to Build the Future of Corporate Gifting

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 Katy Carrigan, CEO of Goody, a corporate gifting platform that's raised over $32 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Modernizing Corporate Gifting: Goody is transforming the outdated corporate gifting model by curating a marketplace of items people actually want, moving away from generic fruit baskets and other uninspiring gifts.
Product-Led Growth Strategy: Goody's go-to-market approach is rooted in product-led growth, with a focus on inbound sales driven by SEO, SEM, and word-of-mouth, rather than a large outbound sales team.
Pivot from Consumer to B2B: Initially launched as a consumer gifting app, Goody shifted to B2B after realizing its product was being used in business contexts. The team capitalized on this by focusing on executive assistants who handle company gifting.
Targeted Growth Through Communities: Katy shared Goody's strategy of penetrating niche buyer groups like executive assistants, HR teams, and marketing departments to drive growth within companies, using customer feedback to guide expansion.
High Conversion Rates Through Constant A/B Testing: Katy emphasized the importance of conversion optimization through rigorous A/B testing on marketing pages and user experience to drive sign-ups.
The Power of Referrals: Goody introduced a successful referral program that contributed significantly to user growth, highlighting how key user moments—like the completion of a gift—can trigger referrals.
 
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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
 
 
 

Rohit Bhadange, CEO & Founder of Zamp: $14 Million Raised to Solve the Sales Tax Problem Killing eCommerce Companies

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 Rohit Bhadange, CEO & Founder of Zamp, a modern sales tax solution for e-commerce and SaaS companies that has raised $14 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Zamp automates sales tax compliance for e-commerce and SaaS companies: Zamp ensures small and mid-market businesses spend less time managing sales tax and more time focusing on revenue-generating activities.
The risk of sales tax non-compliance: If businesses fail to properly collect and remit sales tax, they could face serious financial and even criminal penalties, particularly with increasing audits by states.
Sales tax is a growing issue since 2018: The Supreme Court ruling in Wayfair vs. South Dakota significantly increased the burden on businesses to charge sales tax even without physical presence in a state.
Lack of education is a key problem: Many businesses are unaware of the complexities of sales tax, leading to non-compliance. Zamp’s approach focuses heavily on educating their customers through various channels to mitigate this risk.
Zamp combines technology with expert services: Rohit emphasizes the importance of blending automation with expert advice, especially in compliance-heavy industries where trust is critical.
Building trust through content: Rohit underscores the power of founder-led content and consistent, informative outreach to build credibility with potential customers and partners.
 
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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
 
 

Sebastian Stranieri, CEO & Founder of VU Security: $24 Million Raised to Build the Future of Digital Identity & Fraud Prevention

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 Sebastian Stranieri, CEO & Founder of VU Security, a fraud prevention and identity protection platform that has raised $24 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
The Future of Digital Identity: Sebastian explained how the digital identity of individuals is scattered across the internet, making it nearly impossible to erase personal data. His vision is to give users control over their identities, allowing them to manage, revoke, or approve access to their information.
The Intersection of Cybersecurity and User Experience: Balancing security with user experience is no longer a trade-off. Sebastian emphasized that today’s technology should provide both, enabling companies to deliver secure yet frictionless services to their users through AI and behavior-based models.
SaaS Business Model Evolution: VU Security shifted to a SaaS-based, transactional business model, offering clients flexibility with consumption-based pricing. This approach allows them to cater to the specific needs of their clients, from financial institutions to government entities.
Global Expansion Through Strategic Partnerships: Over 60% of VU’s revenue comes from partnerships with large firms. These collaborations have allowed VU to expand into 23 countries without direct investment in each market, leveraging partners for localization and implementation.
Building Trust in the Early Days: Winning the trust of VU's first major client was challenging. Sebastian shared the story of how one bank executive bet his career on VU’s technology, a move that underscored the importance of trust in the cybersecurity space.
Leveraging Awards for Credibility: Early on, VU Security relied on prestigious industry awards to signal credibility in the marketplace. One major recognition from MIT’s Technology Review helped validate the company as an innovator in the cybersecurity field.
 
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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
 
 

Ilya Preston, CEO & Co-Founder of Paxafe: $14 Million Raised to Power the Future of Decision Intelligence in Logistics

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 Ilya Preston, CEO & Co-Founder of Paxafe, a decision intelligence platform for temperature-controlled logistics that has raised $14 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Founding Paxafe: Paxafe was founded in 2018 to address inefficiencies in temperature-controlled logistics. Initially, the company offered IoT devices for real-time location tracking, but they eventually pivoted to focus on decision intelligence, optimizing cold chain processes.
From Sensors to Intelligence: While sensors and IoT devices have helped track goods, the real issue remains in converting that data into actionable insights. Paxafe’s platform helps companies reduce waste and improve decision-making by offering a more comprehensive approach to supply chain management.
Market Evolution: Paxafe transitioned from being categorized as a risk management platform to focusing on decision intelligence. Unlike competitors optimizing for black swan events, Paxafe's value lies in improving day-to-day decision-making, such as routing optimization and carrier selection.
Building the GTM Function: Paxafe didn't set up a formal marketing function until after closing their Series A. Since then, they have focused on standing up inbound and outbound processes, showing how GTM can rapidly accelerate growth when implemented strategically.
Effective Marketing Strategies: Conferences have been a high ROI channel for Paxafe, allowing them to engage with cross-functional teams. Consistent and high-quality content creation has also proven to be a key driver for pipeline expansion.
The Importance of Clear Fundraising Processes: Ilya emphasized the importance of running a tight fundraising process with clear communication, goals, and timelines. Early on, he learned the importance of being explicit about whether you’re fundraising during investor meetings to avoid confusion later.
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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

Karoli Hindriks, Founder of Jobbatical: $23 Million Raised to Build the Future of Global Mobility with AI-Powered Relocation Solutions

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 Karoli Hindriks, Founder of Jobbatical, a relocation visa support platform that has raised $23 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Simplifying Global Mobility: Jobbatical is working to make relocating to a new country as simple as booking a flight, leveraging AI and automation to streamline the employee visa process, cutting costs and reducing friction for both individuals and HR teams.
Pivoting to Meet Customer Needs: Originally starting as a cross-border recruitment platform, Jobbatical pivoted in 2019 to focus solely on solving the relocation challenges their customers highlighted, such as visa management.
Embracing Borderless Living Technology: Karoli describes Jobbatical as a creator of “borderless living technology,” aiming to build a new category that transcends traditional immigration tech and adapts to the modern, highly mobile workforce.
Service Layer on Top of SaaS: Jobbatical blends software with a service layer, automating tasks like filling out visa forms and reducing manual work, significantly enhancing the user experience.
Tackling Legacy Providers: Jobbatical is disrupting both large immigration law firms and internal HR teams by offering a more cost-effective and seamless solution to global relocation.
Future Vision: Karoli envisions a world where the current paper passport becomes obsolete, replaced by a digital identity that makes global relocation frictionless, supported by AI-driven platforms like Jobbatical.
 
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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
 

Elad Ferber, CEO & Co-Founder of Synthpop: $8 Million Raised to Build the Future of Healthcare Administration with AI

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 Elad Ferber, CEO & Co-Founder of Synthpop, a healthcare technology company that's raised over $8 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Synthpop's Vision: Synthpop is leveraging AI to revolutionize healthcare administration by streamlining back-office functions, which Elad sees as the biggest opportunity to transform the industry.
Prior Experience with Spry Health: After leading Spry Health, Elad learned that healthcare systems are slow to adopt change, even with great products. This drove him to build a faster-growing healthcare company.
Fast GTM Traction: Synthpop achieved impressive growth, reaching nationwide scale and processing over one million administrative tasks in just 17 months, a milestone that took them less than six months to reach with their first paying customer.
Category Focus: Synthpop operates in highly consolidated verticals such as durable medical equipment and diagnostic testing. This focus has enabled rapid adoption and clear value delivery in less traditional healthcare settings.
Positioning as "Labor, Not Software": Synthpop positions itself as a labor solution, not a SaaS product, differentiating by automating repetitive administrative tasks such as insurance verification, reducing labor costs for healthcare providers.
Composable Intelligence as the Future: Elad believes that in the next five years, AI will simply be viewed as scalable intelligence, with Synthpop at the forefront as a composable intelligence platform for healthcare providers.
 
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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

Siddharth Sridharan, CEO & Co-Founder of Spendflo: $15.4 Million Raised to Build the Future of SaaS Spend 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 Siddharth Sridharan, CEO & Co-Founder of Spendflo, a SaaS spend management platform that has raised $15.4 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Spendflo's Unique Offering: Spendflo not only provides SaaS procurement automation but also acts as a virtual procurement team that guarantees savings by negotiating and managing software renewals.
SaaS + Service Layer Model: Sid believes the future of SaaS will likely include a service layer for specific segments like mid-market customers, but it won’t be universal across all verticals.
Market Fit and Customer Profile: Sid emphasizes the importance of understanding your ideal customer profile (ICP) deeply and tailoring offerings to fit their specific needs and stages of their growth.
The Pandemic Opportunity: Spendflo's founding during the pandemic was advantageous as SaaS spending surged, allowing the company to identify and capitalize on a widespread problem faced by CFOs.
Event Marketing Strategy: After initial cold outbound struggles, Sid highlights the importance of in-person event marketing combined with account-based marketing for mid-market engagement, including creative approaches like hosting pickleball events.
Fundraising Lessons: Sid attributes fundraising success to a combination of early traction, a strong team, and a clear vision, supported by participating in programs like Accel Atoms that structure the fundraising journey.
 
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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

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