Category Visionaries

Dan Lorenc, CEO & Founder of Chainguard: $250 Million Raised to Power the Future of Software Supply Chain Security

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 Dan Lorenc, CEO & Founder of Chainguard, a software supply chain security platform that has raised $250 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Focus on Open Source Security: Chainguard aims to provide a secure source for open source code, addressing the risks associated with the widespread use of open source software in modern applications.
Industry Recognition Post-SolarWinds: The importance of software supply chain security became mainstream after the SolarWinds breach in December 2020, highlighting vulnerabilities in the software development process.
Founding Story: Inspired by the increasing attention on software supply chain security, Dan and his co-founder Matt decided to leverage their experience at Google to address these challenges, officially launching Chainguard in October 2021.
Initial Funding and Market Timing: Chainguard was founded during a peak period for venture capital investment, enabling them to secure initial funding quickly and focus on exploring market needs.
Strategic Pivot: Early on, Chainguard experimented with multiple products before pivoting to focus on the one with the greatest demand, resulting in a successful transition and growth in revenue.
Marketing and Awareness: Chainguard invested heavily in brand awareness through social media, PR, and content creation, aiming to be recognized as a leader in the software supply chain security space.
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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

Justin Dearborn, Founder & CEO of Praia Health: $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Consumer Experience in Healthcare

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 Justin Dearborn, Founder & CEO of Praia Health, a healthcare technology platform that has raised $20 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Consumer-Centric Healthcare: Justin explains how Praia Health is creating a digital journey for patients that mirrors consumer experiences outside of healthcare, aiming to enhance convenience and personalization.
Telehealth and Digital Adoption Post-Covid: The pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth and digital solutions in healthcare, with patients increasingly choosing providers based on their digital experiences.
Founding Story and Unique Incubation: Praia Health was incubated at Providence Health System's Digital Innovation Group, which identifies technology gaps, builds solutions, and then spins them out as separate companies.
Go-To-Market Strategy: Praia Health employs both direct and indirect strategies, targeting innovative health systems and partnering with established companies to enhance existing investments in patient engagement.
Sales Process in Healthcare: Selling to health systems is complex and lengthy, involving numerous stakeholders and stringent security assessments, but Praia Health's mature platform simplifies implementation and integration.
Fundraising Challenges: Fundraising in the current climate is challenging, but Praia Health successfully secured funding from notable venture firms with healthcare system LPs, emphasizing the importance of showing a strong ROI.
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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

Brock Leonti, CEO & Co-Founder of Prescribe FIT: $15 Million Raised to Build the Future of Orthopedic Care

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 Brock Leonti, CEO & Co-Founder of Prescribe FIT, an orthopedic care platform that's raised $15 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Innovative Orthopedic Care: Prescribe FIT integrates lifestyle modifications and weight loss into traditional orthopedic treatments, enhancing pain management and mobility for patients.
Patient Success Stories: Brock shares a compelling story of a patient who lost 174 pounds through the program, significantly improving her mobility and quality of life.
Founding Insight: The idea for Prescribe FIT emerged when Brock recognized the potential of prescribing physical activity as a form of medicine, akin to issuing daily doses of medication.
Market Research and Pivot: Initially spending a year and a half in research and market validation, Prescribe FIT pivoted based on feedback from hundreds of physicians, leading to the current successful product iteration.
Covid-19 Impact: The pandemic accelerated acceptance of digital health solutions in orthopedics, validating Prescribe FIT’s approach and boosting market traction.
Human-Centered Approach: Prescribe FIT emphasizes a human-centered care model, with each care coordinator managing up to 100 patients, ensuring personalized support and scalable growth.
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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
 

Eli Wachs, CEO & Co-Founder of Footprint: $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Automated Onboarding

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 Eli Wachs, CEO & Co-Founder of Footprint, an automated onboarding platform that's raised $20 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Stand-Up Comedy and Foundership: Eli balances his role as a founder with stand-up comedy, using it as a creative outlet and a way to connect with people outside of selling B2B SaaS products.
Solving Onboarding Frustrations: Footprint simplifies user onboarding with UX components that verify and store data, addressing KYC (Know Your Customer) needs while enhancing user experience.
Initial Vision and Evolution: The company started with a focus on combining security and identity. This led to their current emphasis on user-friendly onboarding, which has become a core value proposition.
Navigating Early Challenges: Eli emphasizes the importance of planting seeds through early-stage meetings and building trust over time, even if immediate results aren't evident.
Security as a Differentiator: Footprint's use of advanced security measures like Nitro Enclaves sets them apart, ensuring user data remains secure even when in use.
Target Market and Go-To-Market Strategy: Footprint initially focused on fintech and banks, leveraging relationships with fintechs to gain traction with banks. They later identified opportunities in real estate and auto markets, where KYC is not mandated but increasingly necessary.
 
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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
 

Senan Ebrahim, CEO & Founder of Delfina: $10 Million Raised to Build the Future of Intelligent Pregnancy Care

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 Senan Ebrahim, CEO & Founder of Delfina, an intelligent pregnancy care platform that's raised over $10 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Inception of Delfina: Senan was inspired to create Delfina after witnessing a preventable stillbirth during his time as an MD PhD student at Harvard, leading to his focus on using AI to predict and prevent pregnancy complications.
Personal Motivation: A personal emergency involving his wife’s pregnancy highlighted the inadequacies in maternal health care, driving Senan’s commitment to improving the system.
Maternal Health Crisis: The US maternal health crisis is exacerbated by a reactive, profit-driven healthcare system, with particularly poor outcomes for marginalized groups such as Black and Native women.
Predictive Technology: Delfina's AI-powered platform can predict complications as early as 12-14 weeks into pregnancy, providing crucial insights to OB-GYNs and midwives.
Founding Journey: The first 90 days involved building the initial AI models and recruiting key team members, including his brother Ali as CTO and Priyanka Badia for product development.
Early Adoption and Validation: Delfina spent two years clinically validating their models with partners like Mayo Clinic before securing early customers, highlighting the importance of scientific validation in healthcare.
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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

Spencer Dusebout, CEO & Founder of Aidium: $19 Million Raised to Build the Future of Mortgage CRM

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 Spencer Dusebout, CEO & Founder of Aidium, a CRM platform for mortgage professionals that's raised $19 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Unique CRM Focus: Aidium targets the mortgage sector, providing an end-to-end solution from lead generation to client retention, filling a significant gap in the market.
Market Challenges: Spencer highlights the difficulties of disrupting a market dominated by legacy software and navigating stringent compliance requirements.
Customer-Centric Development: Aidium started by serving top producers, leveraging their influence and feedback to refine the product and expand within large organizations.
Iterative Go-to-Market Strategy: The company’s approach evolved from targeting top producers to a broader account-based marketing strategy focusing on enterprise clients.
Acquisition Insights: The acquisition of Whiteboard Technologies added valuable capabilities and customers, but Spencer emphasizes the complexity and all-consuming nature of acquisitions.
Fundraising Realities: Spencer shares that fundraising is a grind, requiring numerous pitches and a focus on finding investors who truly understand and align with the company’s 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

Joe Witt, CEO & Co-Founder of Datavolo: $21 Million Raised to Unlock the Potential of Unstructured Data for 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 Joe Witt, CEO & Co-Founder of Datavolo, a pioneering company in the AI data ingestion space that has raised $21 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
NSA to Commercial World: Joe transitioned from working at the NSA, where he focused on data collection and security, to founding Datavolo, leveraging his expertise in large-scale data ingestion.
From Open Source to Enterprise: The journey of Apache NiFi, an open-source project initiated at the NSA, and how it became a cornerstone for Datavolo's technology in managing unstructured data.
Generative AI and Data Ingestion: Joe discusses the crucial role of data ingestion for generative AI, emphasizing the need to capture and process unstructured data for effective AI training and application.
Target Audience: Datavolo primarily targets data engineers who interact with AI engineers, providing tools to automate and optimize data pipelines.
Marketing Strategy: The importance of educating the market about the steps involved in integrating company-specific data with large language models (LLMs), and the benefits of automated data ingestion.
Funding and Growth: Insights into Datavolo’s successful fundraising journey, emphasizing the importance of a strong founding team and a clear vision in securing investment.
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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

Daniel West, CEO of Prospection: $36 Million Raised to Build the Future of Patient-Centric 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 Daniel West, CEO of Prospection, a patient-centric intelligence platform that's raised over $36 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Category Creation Insights: Daniel emphasized that category design goes beyond marketing; it involves reshaping the entire business strategy, including messaging, sales enablement, and customer targeting.
Addressing Care and Share Leak: Prospection tackles significant issues in pharma by addressing care and share leaks, where patients do not receive optimal treatment, leading to poor outcomes and financial losses for pharma companies.
Market Positioning: Transitioning from selling to business intelligence teams to engaging with commercial leaders in pharma has been crucial for Prospection’s GTM strategy, focusing on delivering meaningful insights to drive better patient outcomes and market performance.
Challenges and Decisions: Daniel shared the tough decisions involved in turning away revenue that didn’t align with their category creation strategy, highlighting the importance of focus and alignment with long-term goals.
Role of the CEO in Category Design: Effective category design must be led by the CEO or be a core pillar of the CEO’s strategy, ensuring alignment across the organization and commitment to the long-term vision.
Learning from Experience: Daniel discussed the importance of adapting previous SaaS and tech industry experiences to fit the specific needs of Prospection, especially in terms of sales roles and understanding the unique combination of skills required in their niche market.
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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

Krenar Komoni, CEO & Founder of Tive: $82 Million Raised to Build the Future of Supply Chain Visibility

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 Krenar Komoni, CEO & Founder of Tive, a supply chain visibility platform that's raised $82 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Founding Story: Krenar started Tive in 2015 after witnessing the inefficiencies in tracking shipments in his father-in-law's trucking business.
Product Innovation: Tive's launch of the world's first single-use 5G-ready tracker in 2020 significantly improved product-market fit and customer adoption.
Customer Shift: Initially targeting VP-level supply chain executives, Tive's ideal customer profile shifted to logistics managers and transportation coordinators who handle shipment operations.
Sales Strategy: Cold calling and direct customer engagement were crucial in understanding market needs and iterating the product for better market fit.
Market Discovery: Tive found a significant market in produce logistics, where real-time temperature tracking ensures product quality upon delivery.
Core Value: Krenar emphasizes transparency with customers, building trust by proactively communicating issues and maintaining high customer support standards.
Actionable Takeaways: 
Adapt Your Target Customer Profile: Initially targeting VP-level executives may not always be the best approach. Identify and engage directly with the individuals who handle the day-to-day operations, as they may have a greater need for your product.
Leverage Cold Calling for Customer Insights: Don’t underestimate the power of cold calling and direct engagement with potential customers. This approach can provide valuable insights into market needs and help refine your product offering.
Innovate Cost-Effective Solutions: To succeed, especially in hardware products, it's crucial to find ways to reduce costs without sacrificing quality. Tive achieved this by working closely with manufacturers in China to produce affordable, high-quality trackers.
Prioritize Transparency with Customers: Building trust through transparency is essential. Proactively communicate any issues and maintain high standards in customer support to foster strong, long-lasting relationships.
Understand and Adapt to Market Needs: Flexibility and willingness to pivot are key. Tive initially targeted the pharma industry but shifted focus to produce logistics when they found a more immediate and accessible market opportunity.
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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

Fabi Riesen, CEO and Founder of Loft Dynamics: Over $29 Million Raised to Build the Future of Flight Training

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 Fabi Riesen, CEO & Founder of Loft Dynamics, a flight training platform that's raised over $29 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Loft Dynamics: The only company with qualified simulators using head-mounted virtual reality display technology, offering a revolutionary visual system for professional flight training.
Origin Story: The idea for Loft Dynamics originated from Fabi’s passion for aviation and his experience with early virtual reality technology, leading to the founding of the company in 2016.
Validation: The European Aviation Authority's interest in 2018 validated their innovative approach and helped pivot the project into a business, leading to their first revenue-generating customers in 2019.
Market Expansion: Loft Dynamics has made flight simulators more affordable and accessible, opening up new markets including small helicopter operators and flight schools.
Marketing Strategy: The company's marketing strategy focuses on demonstrating the product's value by getting pilots to try the simulators, leveraging their immediate recognition of the technology's advantages.
Investor Alignment: Fabi emphasizes the importance of aligning investors with the company's passion and vision, which has been crucial in securing $29 million in funding to date.
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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