Category Visionaries

David Plon, CEO & Co-Founder of Portrait Analytics: $10M Raised to Build an AI-Powered Thought Partner for Institutional Investors

Portrait Analytics is transforming institutional investment research by building an AI-powered thought partner that helps investors throughout their research process. With $10M in funding, Portrait's platform accelerates idea generation, context building, and portfolio monitoring by leveraging advanced language models to analyze vast amounts of financial data. In this episode of Category Visionaries, David Plon shares how his lifelong passion for investing, combined with early experiments in AI at Stanford Business School, led to creating a solution that's reimagining how institutional investors conduct research.
Topics Discussed:
Evolution from early AI experiments to a full-fledged investment research platform
Approach to finding and converting early customers in the pre-ChatGPT era
Strategy for standing out in the crowded AI landscape
Implementation of the jobs-to-be-done framework in product development
Vision for AI becoming the operating system for investment firms
 
GTM Lessons For B2B Founders:
Leverage trusted relationships for early validation: Plon's industry experience and network provided crucial early adopters who could bridge the credibility gap for a novel AI solution. When launching innovative technology, founders should identify and activate relationships where trust can overcome initial skepticism about new approaches.
Focus on jobs-to-be-done over features: Portrait succeeded by deeply understanding specific research workflows and tasks investors need to accomplish, rather than leading with AI capabilities. Plon explains, "AI is a how, not a what." B2B founders should focus messaging on the concrete progress users want to make rather than the underlying technology.
Identify natural product-qualified leads: Portrait targets users who have already attempted DIY solutions with tools like ChatGPT, indicating both pain awareness and willingness to adopt AI solutions. B2B founders should look for similar revealed preferences that suggest prospect readiness for their solution.
Position AI products as team members: Rather than creating a new budget category, Portrait positions its solution as an alternative to hiring junior analysts - connecting to existing buying patterns. B2B founders should align their value proposition with familiar purchasing decisions their target buyers already make.
Build content marketing flywheels: Portrait leverages the research insights their platform generates as marketing content, creating a natural loop between product value and audience building. B2B founders should identify similar opportunities where their product's output can fuel marketing efforts.
 
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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
 

Francesco Volpe, Founder of Renaissance Fusion: $30M Raised to Build the Future of Nuclear Fusion Technology

Renaissance Fusion is pioneering the development of nuclear fusion technology, aiming to create safe, sustainable energy through a innovative approach that combines high-temperature superconductors, stellarator reactors, and liquid metal cooling systems. In this episode of Category Visionaries, Francesco Volpe shares insights into building a deep tech startup in a highly complex and capital-intensive industry, while addressing technical challenges and public perception hurdles around nuclear technology.
Topics Discussed:
Technical foundations of Renaissance Fusion's approach to nuclear fusion
Contrasting approaches to nuclear energy policy between France and Germany
Strategies for addressing public perception and safety concerns
Dual-track go-to-market strategy leveraging superconductor technology
Capital requirements and fundraising in deep tech
Key technological milestones and development roadmap
 
GTM Lessons for B2B Founders: 
Build revenue bridges to long-term vision: Renaissance Fusion demonstrates how deep tech startups can generate early revenue through component technologies while working toward their ultimate vision. Francesco explained their strategy of commercializing superconductor technology to non-fusion markets, creating immediate revenue opportunities while developing their fusion technology.
Address market psychology head-on: When dealing with technologies that face public concern or skepticism, Francesco emphasizes the importance of direct education and transparent communication. Rather than avoiding difficult conversations about safety and risk, the company has made public acceptance a core pillar of their technology development.
Structure technical innovation to reduce capital requirements: In capital-intensive industries, Francesco shows how to strategically sequence development to reduce initial capital requirements. By starting with smaller demonstration projects and revenue-generating components, they've created a path to their ultimate billion-dollar reactor while raising manageable funding rounds.
Balance multiple stakeholder perspectives: Renaissance Fusion successfully navigates complex relationships between private investors, government grants, and public interests. Francesco highlighted how they align different stakeholder priorities - from investor returns to environmental impact - through clear communication about risk/reward tradeoffs and development timelines.
Leverage adjacent markets for validation: Their strategy of selling superconductor technology to established industries like wind energy and medical imaging provides technical validation and market credibility while developing their core fusion technology. This approach helps de-risk the broader vision for both investors and customers.
 
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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
 
 

Ignacio Medrano, Founder & CMO of Savana: $44M Raised to Transform Healthcare Intelligence Through AI

Savana is pioneering the transformation of healthcare data intelligence through advanced AI and natural language processing. By converting unstructured medical records into actionable databases, Savana enables healthcare providers and researchers to make data-driven decisions and accelerate medical research. In this episode of Category Visionaries, Ignacio Medrano shares his journey from practicing neurologist to tech founder, and how Savana navigated the complex European healthcare market to build a new category in healthcare intelligence.
Topics Discussed:
The evolution of AI acceptance in healthcare from 2014 to present
Navigating European healthcare regulations and data privacy
Pivoting from direct hospital sales to pharmaceutical companies
The impact of COVID-19 on healthcare data sharing culture
Building predictive algorithms for disease identification
The future of AI-driven personalized healthcare
 
GTM Lessons for B2B Founders:
Find revenue where barriers are lowest: When Savana discovered hospitals weren't ready for their solution, they pivoted to pharmaceutical companies who had immediate needs and budgets. This kept them alive until the market matured. B2B founders should identify alternative buyers who can provide early revenue while waiting for their primary market to develop.
Regulatory challenges can create opportunities: Savana turned Europe's strict data privacy regulations into an advantage by developing compliant solutions that could scale as regulations evolved. B2B founders should view regulatory constraints as potential differentiators rather than just obstacles.
Crisis can accelerate market readiness: COVID-19 transformed European attitudes toward healthcare data sharing, creating new opportunities. B2B founders should stay prepared for external events that can suddenly accelerate market adoption of their solution.
Product-market fit requires cultural alignment: Savana's initial doctor-focused tool failed because it conflicted with medical culture around evidence-based decision-making. B2B founders must deeply understand not just customer needs, but also their professional values and decision-making frameworks.
Healthcare requires different ROI calculations: Traditional market efficiency metrics often don't apply in healthcare due to political and social considerations. B2B founders entering healthcare must account for non-financial factors in their value proposition and sales strategy.
 
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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
 

Darko Vukovic, CEO & Founder of PolyAPI: $5 Million Raised to Transform Enterprise Middleware Through Native Code Development

In this episode of Category Visionaries, we explore PolyAPI's journey to revolutionize enterprise middleware. As a category maker in the integration space, PolyAPI is challenging traditional low-code/no-code approaches by enabling developers to build robust enterprise integrations using native programming languages. Through conversations with Darko Vukovic, we learn how his deep industry experience and strategic focus on developer-first principles are reshaping how enterprises approach connectivity and integration challenges.
Topics Discussed:
The evolution from enterprise integration platforms to native code development
Building credibility in enterprise sales through transparency and documentation
Creating a new market category between iPaaS and application development
Strategic fundraising approaches for deep tech startups
Future vision for AI-powered enterprise connectivity
GTM Lessons For B2B Founders:
Build credibility through transparency: Rather than hiding their product behind NDAs, PolyAPI published detailed demos and documentation early. Darko explained, "We think that our domain and our product set is just so hard to copy and replicate... so we were never worried about competitors catching wind of what we're doing." This transparency helped enterprise buyers see that PolyAPI wasn't vaporware.
Target technical decision makers with depth: PolyAPI succeeded by focusing on enterprises that had already rejected low-code platforms and were building in-house solutions. This created a clear target market of sophisticated buyers who understood the limitations of existing solutions and were willing to adopt a new approach.
Start marketing through 1:1 engagement: Instead of broad marketing campaigns, PolyAPI began with individual conversations to gather feedback, find alpha testers, and evolve into beta testing. This grassroots approach helped them refine their product and messaging before scaling up marketing efforts.
Find investors who deeply understand your space: Out of 20 initial VC conversations, 19 passed, but Ross Mason (Mulesoft founder) immediately invested. Darko noted, "That kind of signal is really important because the one person who deeply understands the space was super excited to invest." This validated their approach and provided valuable strategic guidance.
Build relationships with VCs continuously: Even six months after their latest round, PolyAPI is already preparing for Series A by maintaining relationships with 20+ VCs and working toward clear metrics. This ongoing engagement creates leverage for future fundraising by demonstrating consistent progress.
 
 
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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
 

Patrick Heissler, CEO of Scrona: $15.5M Raised to Transform High-Precision Manufacturing with Next-Gen Printing Technology

Scrona is revolutionizing semiconductor and display manufacturing with its high-accuracy MEMS-based printing platform. In this episode, Patrick Heissler shares his journey since taking the helm as CEO in 2024, focusing on transforming promising research technology into an industrial-scale solution. With $15.5M in funding and partnerships with major semiconductor manufacturers, Scrona is poised to redefine high-precision manufacturing across multiple industries.
Topics Discussed:
Transitioning from research-driven development to industrial-scale manufacturing solutions
Building strategic partnerships to drive technology adoption in complex supply chains
Scaling semiconductor-based printhead technology from 8 to 100+ nozzles
Expanding from semiconductor applications to life sciences and consumer electronics
Developing next-generation platforms with 1000+ nozzles and AI-driven control systems
Creating an ecosystem approach to serve both large-scale manufacturers and smaller innovators
 
GTM Lessons for B2B Founders: 
Success Often Starts with Ecosystem Position: Heissler emphasizes that beyond having great technology, success depends heavily on "being at the right spot at the right time, having the right contacts." B2B founders should strategically position themselves within their target industry's ecosystem and build relationships before attempting major market entry.
Find Your "End Market Champion": When introducing platform technology, Heissler stresses the importance of securing a major customer who can "pull you through the whole supply chain." Rather than trying to push technology into resistant supply chains, founders should focus on convincing end-market leaders who have the influence to drive adoption throughout their ecosystem.
Balance Custom Solutions with Standard Products: Scrona maintains focus on high-value custom projects while partnering with Notion System to serve smaller customers. This strategy allows them to maximize team impact on strategic priorities while still capturing broader market opportunities. B2B founders should consider similar hybrid approaches to market development.
Product Definition Drives Market Entry: Upon joining as CEO, Heissler's first priority was defining a clear product roadmap with specific deliverables, starting with the 8-nozzle Gen 3 printhead. Early-stage founders should focus on converting technology capabilities into concrete products that customers can evaluate and implement.
Selective Project Strategy: Rather than pursuing every opportunity, Heissler advocates focusing on "value inflecting projects that bring us forward." B2B founders should carefully select initial projects based on their potential to advance company strategy, not just generate revenue.
 
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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
 

Steff Gerhart, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of ecoLocked: $6 Million Raised to Transform Buildings into Carbon Sinks

ecoLocked, backed by over $6 million in funding, is pioneering a revolutionary approach to carbon removal by developing CO2 negative concrete admixes. In a recent episode of Category Visionaries, co-founder and co-CEO Steff Gerhart shared insights into how the company is leveraging biochar technology to transform the construction industry's environmental impact while scaling carbon removal solutions.
Topics Discussed:
The critical need for scaling carbon removal technologies beyond emission reduction
Biochar's dominance in the carbon removal market and its scaling challenges
Construction industry's massive environmental impact (15% of global emissions)
Product development and market validation in the conservative construction sector
Geographic expansion strategy across European markets
Building trust and credibility in the risk-averse concrete industry
 
GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: 
Target Early Adopters Strategically: Steff revealed their approach to finding first customers by focusing on concrete producers who already marketed sustainable products and had previous startup partnerships. She explained, "We look for customers who are already marketing their material as environmentally less harmful, sustainable...and we checked that they had either partnered with startups before or they have done some innovative approach within their own operations."
Time Your Market Entry Carefully: The team deliberately delayed broad marketing efforts until their product was market-ready. Steff shared, "It was always a big question for us, when should we really go out and become very vocal about what we are doing? Because we knew it would take some time and there's the risk then that you go out...but you're not ready. And until you get ready, you are kind of yesterday's news."
Balance Technical Transparency with Vision: In a risk-averse industry, ecoLocked found success by carefully balancing technical transparency with maintaining excitement about their solution. Steff noted, "We kind of need to balance these conversations by obviously being open in what our product can and cannot do...without scaring them away or not getting them excited."
Invest in Education Before Sales: For innovative products in traditional industries, education is crucial. ecoLocked invested in creating infographics, videos, and thought leadership content to help potential customers understand carbon removal and sustainability concepts. As Steff explained, "A lot of people are not very knowledgeable about sustainability, about carbon removal...This is a whole new topic that they have never been in touch with before."
Consider Funding Strategy Carefully: Deep tech startups face unique fundraising challenges compared to digital products. Steff advised, "If you rise in deep tech, in climate tech...you need hardware. In our case, we needed a laboratory. This is a whole different story in terms of how quickly the hockey stick goes up and how much money you need early on."
 
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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
 

Sivan Iram, CEO & Founder of Flow: $20.6M Raised to Transform Commercial Insurance Wholesaling with AI

Flow is revolutionizing commercial insurance wholesaling through AI-powered operations, focusing on bringing enterprise-grade service to small and mid-market accounts. With $20.6M in funding, Flow has developed a system of AI agents that help brokers streamline every step of the insurance placement process, from submission structuring to policy analysis and comparisons.
Topics Discussed:
Flow's evolution from a platform-based solution to an AI-enhanced email-first approach
The critical role of wholesale brokers in commercial insurance
Challenges and opportunities in serving small and mid-market accounts
How AI technology enables superior service delivery in insurance
The importance of human expertise alongside technological innovation
Marketing strategies in B2B insurance technology
GTM Lessons For B2B Founders:
Listen to how customers want to work: Flow initially built a platform requiring users to log in, but discovered clients preferred email. Rather than forcing behavior change, they adapted their solution to work within existing workflows while adding AI-powered efficiency behind the scenes.
Focus on underserved segments: By targeting small and mid-market accounts that traditional wholesalers found unprofitable, Flow created a compelling value proposition. Their AI-driven approach made these segments economically viable while delivering superior service.
Product-market fit requires deep industry understanding: Despite having a working product and paying customers, Flow didn't achieve true product-market fit until they understood the fundamental role of expertise and guidance in wholesale insurance.
Cold outreach can work with the right approach: After initial failed attempts at cold emails, Flow found success by having messages come from existing brokers rather than generic company accounts, demonstrating the continued importance of relationships in B2B sales.
Build for the frontline decision-maker: Flow recognized that their success depends on winning the mental battle when brokers decide how to place business. By focusing on the frontline teams' needs, they've created a compelling service that drives organic 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
 
 

Damien Garot, CEO & Co-Founder of Stellar: $9.3M Raised to Build the Future of Reliable Internet Connectivity for Autonomous Vehicles

Stellar is revolutionizing mobile connectivity by solving one of technology's most persistent challenges: reliable internet access in moving vehicles. With $9.3M in funding, Stellar has developed innovative software that seamlessly aggregates multiple networks (cellular, WiFi, and satellite) to ensure consistent connectivity, laying the foundation for the autonomous vehicle revolution. In this episode of Category Visionaries, Damien Garot shares how Stellar is bridging the digital divide between urban and rural areas while enabling the next generation of connected mobility.
Topics Discussed:
The technical approach to solving mobile connectivity issues through network aggregation
Stellar's dual go-to-market strategy targeting both immediate fleet solutions and long-term automotive integration
The evolution of autonomous vehicles and their dependency on reliable connectivity
Cultural differences in autonomous vehicle adoption across regions
The importance of social acceptance and safety perception in autonomous technology
How Stellar's technology mapping reveals connectivity gaps in major tech hubs
The impact of winning the European Startup Prize for Mobility on fundraising
GTM Lessons for B2B Founders:
Bridge the gap between long-term vision and immediate revenue: Stellar developed a plug-and-play solution (Global) to generate immediate revenue while pursuing longer-term automotive partnerships. This approach provides market validation, customer feedback, and credibility with major manufacturers.
Adapt your strategy to market realities: The original plan rarely survives contact with the market. Stellar evolved from focusing solely on automotive integration to include a dual-track approach serving both immediate and future market needs.
Build credibility through industry recognition: Winning the European Startup Prize for Mobility played a crucial role in Stellar's fundraising success, demonstrating how industry awards and endorsements can influence investor decisions, particularly in European markets.
Understand regional investment dynamics: European fundraising often requires long-term relationship building with investors. Stellar spent up to 18 months nurturing investor relationships before securing investments, highlighting the importance of patience in European markets.
Target both immediate pain points and future opportunities: While autonomous vehicles represent a massive future opportunity, Stellar addresses current connectivity challenges for existing vehicle fleets, creating immediate value while building toward their larger 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
 
 
 

Jessica Zhang, CEO & Co-Founder of Pier: $2.5M Raised to Build the Future of Credit Infrastructure

Pier is revolutionizing credit infrastructure by enabling companies to launch compliant credit products through their API-first solution. Having raised $2.5M from notable investors including Y Combinator, Airbnb, OpenAI, Experian, and Morgan Stanley, Pier is transforming how businesses offer innovative credit solutions to their users. In this episode of Category Visionaries, Jessica Zhang shares her journey from identifying a critical market need at her previous company to launching Pier in 2023 and securing their first major customer within just four weeks.
Topics Discussed:
Building an API-first solution for compliant credit products
The evolution from identifying market pain points to product development
First principles approach to reimagining credit infrastructure
Strategy for landing enterprise customers with 80k+ ARR deals
The role of compliance in credit infrastructure
Vision for democratizing access to credit through trusted brands
GTM Lessons For B2B Founders:
Leverage previous company experience: Zhang and her co-founder's insights from their time at Stilt gave them unique competitive advantages in understanding customer pain points. Sometimes the best startup ideas come from seeing unfinished business or unsolved problems at previous companies rather than a single "aha" moment.
Focus on high-quality early customers: Pier specifically targets customers who are leaders in their respective categories, focusing on companies with 4.5+ star ratings and strong growth trajectories. This creates a "golden standard" playbook that can be replicated across similar verticals, making future sales much easier.
Embrace organic growth channels: Despite having no dedicated sales or marketing team, Pier achieved significant growth through word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied customers and investors. They prioritized genuine in-person conversations at industry conferences over cold outreach.
Move fast despite obstacles: The founders didn't let perfect timing dictate their launch. Despite missing YC batch deadlines and personal commitments, they moved forward because they had validated customer demand. Their ability to secure their first customer within four weeks validated this approach.
Build for specific pain points: Instead of creating a general solution, Pier focused heavily on the compliance aspect of lending infrastructure after identifying it as the most painful and challenging part for potential customers through extensive market research and conversations.
 
 
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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
 
 

Matt Bivons, CEO & Founder of Canopy: $30M Raised to Build a Modern Servicing Platform for Scaling FinTechs

Canopy, an API-first loan management and servicing platform, has raised over $30 Million to revolutionize how companies manage and service loans. In this episode of Category Visionaries, Matt Bivons shares his journey from designer to founder, and how Canopy is transforming loan servicing from a cost center into a profit center. With over five years of experience serving B2B lenders, Canopy's platform enables companies to create flexible, personalized lending products while maintaining robust infrastructure for loan management.
Topics Discussed:
Evolution of Canopy from a student credit card concept to an enterprise loan servicing platform
The challenges of building infrastructure for financial services
Product-led growth in B2B enterprise software
The journey from designer to marketer to founder
Market segmentation and category creation in fintech
The transition from consumer to B2B lending focus
Development of "intelligent servicing" through AI and ML
 
GTM Lessons For B2B Founders:
Embrace market signals for pivots: Matt initially planned to build a student credit card but pivoted to loan servicing infrastructure after recognizing stronger market demand. He shares, "I realized at that moment that was the market pool, that was the signal that was saying I need to pivot." B2B founders should remain attuned to market feedback and be willing to adapt their vision accordingly.
Find your wedge by going deeper: When Canopy eliminated 50% of their sales pipeline by cutting consumer lending, it enabled deeper penetration into B2B markets. Matt explains, "We were just spread way too thin, and we needed to go a lot deeper in the market that we're being pulled into." B2B founders should consider strategic trade-offs between market breadth and depth.
Validate distribution assumptions: Matt learned that self-serve "lending as a service" attracted the wrong customers and complicated pricing. He notes, "It attracted the wrong type of customer... charging per API call is very confusing to most people when you're dealing with lending." B2B founders should thoroughly test go-to-market assumptions before scaling.
Build trust through education: Canopy discovered that most sales cycles take about a year and require building deep trust. Matt emphasizes, "The combination of content marketing and direct sales, which is all about building trust, is where we are right now." B2B founders should invest in educational content and relationship building for complex sales.
Segment your market precisely: Canopy analyzes their market by both vertical (logistics, healthcare, etc.) and horizontal loan types (revolving credit, merchant cash advance, etc.). Matt explains, "If the verticals are the business model, the loan type is the horizontal that goes across them." B2B founders should develop detailed market segmentation to guide product and GTM strategy.
 
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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