Category Visionaries

Jason Corso, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of Voxel 51: $15.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Developer Tools for Machine Learning

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 Jason Corso, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of Voxel 51, an AI software company that has raised $15.5 Million in funding. 
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Academic Foundations in AI and Transition to Entrepreneurship: Jason's journey from academia to founding Voxel 51, driven by a desire to have a broader impact beyond academic papers, showcases the transition from theoretical research to practical, impactful entrepreneurship.
Initial Experiments and Pivots: Voxel 51 began with consulting and pilot projects, including with the Baltimore City Police Department, but quickly learned the market wasn't ready for their initial offering. This led to a significant pivot towards developing developer tools for video understanding.
Embracing Open Source as a GTM Strategy: Jason and his team decided to leverage open source as their go-to-market strategy, which was crucial for engaging with the community, validating their product, and building a base for future commercial relationships.
Learning and Adapting from Market Feedback: The transition from CEO to Chief Science Officer for Jason was part of Voxel 51's evolution. It underscored the importance of aligning founders' strengths with company needs, emphasizing growth in scientific and technical leadership.
Category Creation and Market Education: Voxel 51's journey involves educating the market about the value of developer tools in the AI space, particularly for video data, and establishing a new category around data set management and workflow management systems.
The Importance of Community and Authentic Engagement: Jason highlights the significance of engaging with the user community authentically, providing value through open source software, and using community feedback to refine and expand their offerings.

Jared Siegal, CEO and Founder of Aditude: $15 Million Raised to Build the Future of Publisher Monetization

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 Jared Siegal, CEO and Founder of Aditude, a monetization operating system for publishers that has raised $15 Million in funding. 
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Jared's Unconventional Path to Tech: Originally aiming to become an architect, influenced by George Costanza from Seinfeld, Jared pivoted to business school, which led to a serendipitous meeting with the founders of Answers.com, setting his tech and ad industry journey in motion.
The Birth of Attitude: Faced with a grueling five-and-a-half-hour daily commute, Jared made a spur-of-the-moment decision to quit his job, without a clear plan for the future. This bold move marked the beginning of Aditude, initially as a consultancy, before evolving into the tech company it is today.
Transition from Consultancy to Tech Company: The turning point came when a VC firm's offer made Jared realize the potential to pivot Aditude into a SaaS model, leading him to hire his CTO and transition to offering tech-based solutions.
Publisher-Centric Approach: Aditude's success is deeply rooted in its close relationships with publishers, treating them not just as clients but as part of the family, a philosophy that has been crucial to the company's growth and client loyalty.
GTM and Marketing Strategies: Initially relying on word-of-mouth for growth, Aditude has recently expanded its marketing efforts, including hosting unique, engaging events for publishers, to build relationships and drive business.
Future Vision for Aditude: Looking ahead, Jared outlines ambitious plans for Aditude, from aggressive growth and potential acquisitions to becoming the largest ad tech company globally, all while maintaining a founder-friendly, relationship-first approach to business.

Fraser Patterson, CEO and Founder of Skillit: $13 Million Raised to Tackle the Skilled Labor Crisis in Construction

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 Fraser Patterson, CEO and Co-Founder of Skillit, a construction staffing platform that has raised over $13 Million in funding. 
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Origin Story of Skillit: Frustrated by the challenges of hiring and retaining skilled workers, Fraser leveraged his unique background in construction and academia to launch Skillit, aiming to solve the skilled labor crisis through a tech-enabled platform.
The Aha Moment: Realizing the potential of using knowledge as a leading indicator of skill, Skillit was born out of the necessity to digitize and streamline the hiring process in the construction industry, offering digital craft assessments to accurately assess a worker's skill set.
Innovative Features: Skillit stands out by providing data-rich, 360-degree worker profiles, far surpassing the capabilities of traditional job boards and enabling employers to find, filter, and connect with skilled workers with unprecedented ease.
Digital Skill Assessments: Skillit's approach to digital skill assessments for physical trades by using knowledge-based questions to accurately gauge a worker's expertise is a game-changer in the construction hiring process.
Business Model and Growth: Offering a subscription and usage-based model, Skillit caters to the needs of employers with varying hiring requirements. The platform has seen significant growth, with customer growth of 540% year-over-year and skilled worker growth of 1000% in the same period.
Vision for the Future: Fraser envisions Skillit not only as a solution to the current skilled labor shortage but also as a platform that could potentially transform skilled labor into one of the greatest assets on earth by training and upskilling talent to meet the world's housing, infrastructure, and clean energy goals.

Daniel Grunstein, CEO and Co-Founder of Crowded: $6.4 Million Raised to Transform Nonprofit Financial Management

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that delves into GTM stories from the tech world's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're chatting with Daniel Grunstein, CEO and Co-Founder of Crowded, a digital banking platform designed specifically for nonprofits, that has raised $6.4 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Global Citizen Turned Fintech Innovator: Daniel's unique background, spanning continents and cultures, from Sweden to Australia to the US, shaped his perspective and approach to solving complex problems in the fintech space, especially for nonprofits.
Identifying a Unique Market Need: The genesis of Crowded stemmed from Daniel's personal experiences with the financial disarray in large, multi-chapter nonprofits. His intimate understanding of these challenges drove him to create a solution that no one else was offering.
COVID-19 as a Catalyst for Change: The pandemic played a crucial role in Daniel's decision to leave the comfort of salaried positions within established financial institutions. The constraints faced by these giants during uncertain times sparked his entrepreneurial journey.
Product-Led Growth: Crowded's marketing philosophy centers around a product-led approach, highlighting the platform's unique features tailored specifically for nonprofit financial management and compliance, differentiating it from both traditional banking and modern fintech solutions.
Embracing Challenges and Competition: Daniel candidly discusses the diverse competitive landscape Crowded operates within, from niche fintech startups to major banks and peer-to-peer payment platforms, outlining strategies for differentiation and success.
Impactful Decisions and Team Dynamics: Key hiring decisions, particularly in leadership positions like CTO, significantly influenced Crowded's trajectory, underscoring the critical impact of assembling a driven, cohesive team on the startup's culture and success.

Cesar Herrera, CEO and Co-Founder of Yuvo Health: $28 Million Raised to Revolutionize Healthcare Access

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 Cesar Herrera, CEO and Co-Founder of Yuvo Health, a healthcare technology company that has raised $28 Million in funding. 
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Personal Drive from Lived Experience: Cesar's commitment to healthcare stems from his personal experiences growing up uninsured in the United States, driving him to ensure others don't face similar barriers to access.
Entrepreneurial Journey: Initially unsure about entrepreneurship, Cesar's realization of the systemic issues within healthcare access propelled him to start Yuvo Health, aiming to operationalize solutions for underserved communities.
Yuvo Health's Mission: The company focuses on making health centers more financially sustainable through value-based care, a model that emphasizes pay for outcomes rather than services, incentivizing the maintenance of community health.
Early Challenges and Pivot: Yuvo Health's initial challenge was proving the business model's viability to investors. A pivotal moment came when partnering with Ryan Chelsea Clinton Health Center, demonstrating demand and laying the foundation for their current success.
Growth and Impact: From a small pilot managing 3,000 patients to being at risk for nearly 40,000 patients, Yuvo Health's scale in value-based care is rapidly increasing, with aims to double patient impact by next year.
Future Vision: Looking ahead, Yuvo Health aims to enable health centers across the U.S. to serve an additional 20 million people lacking access to care, expanding state by state to meet this ambitious goal.

Brett Kleger, CEO of Datacubed Health: $43 Million Raised to Revolutionize Clinical Trial Data Collection

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 Brett Kleger, CEO of Datacubed Health, a data collection and patient engagement platform that has raised over $43 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Background Transformation: Brett shares his journey from a "recovering lawyer" to leading a tech company focused on clinical trials, highlighting his passion for creating a meaningful impact in healthcare.
Access to Clinical Trials: Datacubed Health aims to democratize access to clinical trials, allowing individuals from any socioeconomic background and location to participate, challenging the traditional model that favored those with proximity to major medical centers and financial means.
Patient-Centric Approach: The company distinguishes itself by prioritizing patient experience in clinical trials, using behavioral science to engage participants effectively, a shift from viewing patients merely as data sources.
Navigating a Pandemic: Brett discusses the challenges and strategic shifts needed to adapt Datacubed Health's operations and growth plans in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the importance of remote work adaptation and employee support.
Strategic Growth: Key priorities for 2024 include sensible growth, advancing patient data collection sophistication, and achieving profitability, with a focus on expanding market reach within the clinical trial space.
Vision for the Future: Brett envisions a future where access to cutting-edge medical treatments is not limited by geography or financial status, aiming to make novel healthcare solutions available to all through improved clinical trial processes.

Amit Bhatia, Co-Founder and CEO of Data People: $21 Million Raised to Build the Future of Recruiting 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 Amit Bhatia, Co-Founder and CEO of Datapeople, a recruiting intelligence platform that has raised $21 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Diverse Background: Amit's journey from an investment banker and a neural net engineer to a founder in the recruiting tech space highlights a diverse set of experiences leading to his current venture.
Market Revelation: Amit's realization about the massive, yet underoptimized recruiting space while working at Morgan Stanley provided the impetus for founding Datapeople.
Bootstrap Beginnings: The initial four years of bootstrapping and building a job search engine offered Amit a "PhD" in understanding the nuances of job searches and employer postings.
Problem Identification: Discovering that the issue wasn't with platforms like LinkedIn or Indeed, but rather the way jobs were presented, led to the development of Datapeople's unique solution.
Enterprise Ready Journey: Transitioning from a job search engine to a sophisticated platform for both recruiters and hiring managers marked a significant growth phase for the company.
Customer Diversification: Amit emphasized the importance of serving a wide range of industries beyond tech to ensure the solution's applicability and success across the job market.

Meryem Arik, CEO and Co-Founder of Titan ML: $2.8 Million Raised to Revolutionize LLM Deployment

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 Meryem Arik, CEO and Co-Founder of Titan ML, a leading LLM deployment solution that's raised $2.8 Million in funding. 
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Unconventional Beginnings: Meryem’s journey into tech was fueled by her passion for rugby, a sport where she learned the importance of teamwork and resilience. Her unique path from sports to banking, and finally to tech entrepreneurship, highlights the diverse experiences that shape innovative leaders.
Solving a Crucial Problem: Titan ML addresses the inefficiency of ML engineers spending excessive time on infrastructure rather than core business problems. Meryem discusses the importance of providing a solution that allows engineers to focus on what truly matters for their business.
The Rise of Titan ML in a Post-ChatGPT World: The conversation delves into how the launch of ChatGPT highlighted the urgent need for Titan ML's services. Meryem shares how the AI frenzy post-ChatGPT propelled the demand for their LLM deployment solutions, illustrating the market's rapid evolution.
Navigating the Fundraising Journey: Meryem reflects on the iterative process of fundraising, likening it to finding product-market fit. She emphasizes the value of adapting and learning from each pitch to better convey the company's story and vision.
Advocating for Women in Tech: Discussing the underrepresentation of women in tech and venture-backed startups, Meryem calls for a shift in perspective to view gender diversity as a business opportunity, rather than a charitable cause. Her insights challenge the industry to recognize and address systemic issues starting from education.
Looking Ahead: Meryem outlines her vision for Titan ML to become an essential, though perhaps invisible, component in LLM and generative AI deployments. Her ambition for the company to be as fundamental as deploying a database speaks to the transformative potential of Titan ML's technology.

Khaled Hassounah, CEO and Founder of Ample: $290M Raised to Build the Future of EV Batteries

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 Khaled Hassounah, CEO and Founder of Ample, a pioneering EV battery solution that has raised over $290 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
From Software to Clean Energy: Transitioning across various sectors, Khaled found his calling in addressing the clean energy challenge, demonstrating his versatility and commitment to making significant social impacts.
The Genesis of Ample: The founding of Ample was driven by the realization that the current infrastructure cannot support the rapid transition to electric vehicles (EVs), necessitating a new approach to energy delivery for EVs.
Modular Battery Swapping: Ample’s innovative solution to the EV charging challenge involves modular battery swapping, a concept that drastically reduces charging times and infrastructure demands.
Customer-Centric Business Model: Unlike traditional approaches, Ample focuses directly on end-users and fleet operators, partnering with automakers to integrate their battery swapping technology without selling directly to them.
Overcoming Skepticism: Khaled discusses how Ample navigates the initial skepticism around battery swapping by showcasing their unique, modular approach, which differs significantly from past attempts in the space.
The Future Vision of Ample: Looking ahead, Khaled envisions Ample expanding its global network of battery swapping stations and possibly reinventing their technology and business model to further accommodate the evolving needs of EV energy delivery.

Jordan Domash, CEO and Co-Founder of Responsiv: $3M Raised to Power the Future of Legal Research

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 Jordan Domash, CEO and Co-Founder of Responsiv, a legal tech company that has raised $3 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Jordan's Journey: From starting his career in consulting to an eight-year tenure at Relativity, a leading company in legal tech, and finally founding Responsiv to address the inefficiencies in legal research.
Chief of Staff Insights: Jordan's unique role as Chief of Staff at Relativity, where he gained deep insights into product development, customer needs, and the complexities of legal technology.
The Genesis of Responsiv: Inspired by the challenges faced by in-house attorneys in accessing accurate legal information, Responsiv was born to offer a streamlined, AI-enhanced solution for legal research.
Understanding the Market: Responsiv caters to in-house legal teams across various industries, focusing on regulated organizations and rapidly growing tech companies for its initial customer base.
Disrupting Traditional Legal Research: Aiming to replace the outdated methods of legal research dominated by platforms like Westlaw and LexisNexis, Responsiv offers a modern, AI-driven alternative that's tailored for the corporate legal environment.
The Future of Legal Tech: Jordan's vision for Responsiv extends beyond providing legal research tools; he aims to create a comprehensive platform that supports in-house attorneys in every aspect of their work, from accessing legal information to drafting actionable documents.