Category Visionaries

Hikari Senju, CEO and Founder of Omneky: $10 Million Raised to Empower Brands With AI-Powered Ads To Maximize Performance

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Hikari Senju, CEO and Founder of Omneky, an ad tech platform that's raised over $10 Million in funding.
Topics Discussed:
Hikari’s background in tech, and what it was like coming from a tech-focused family background
Having a long-term fascination with AI technology and the potential power of generative models
The Omneky approach of generating content with the best distribution across a whole range of platforms, supported by customer feedback and review
Omneky’s success in securing ‘sticky customers’ who keep their revenue retention high
The future prospects for Omenky’s growth, and why it’s of paramount importance that they keep a laser focus
 
Favorite book: 
Titan: Life of John D.Rockefeller Sr.

Kaitlyn Albertoli, CEO and Co-Founder of Buzz Solutions: Nearly $6 Million Raised to Build the Future of Infrastructure Inspection

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Kaitlyn Albertoli, CEO and Co-Founder of Buzz Solutions, an infrastructure inspection platform that's raised nearly $6 Million in funding.
Topics Discussed:
Kaitlyn’s career background and the track which led her to focus on sustainability, from selling chocolate to automated infrastructure inspections
The origins of Buzz Solutions, and how automating the analysis of existing visual data led to a whole new market category
The power of ‘computer vision’ at the heart of Buzz Solutions’ offering, and how it grants new levels of efficiency to their clients
Why infrastructure inspections are a critical component of a more sustainable economy, and what it means for our planet
The importance of patience in settling into a new market category, and why, with the right idea, your time will always come
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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
 

Sophie Novati, CEO and Founder of Formation: $9 Million Raised to Build a Virtual Fellowship Program for Software Engineers

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 Sophie Novati, CEO and Founder of Formation, a virtual fellowship program for software engineers that has raised $9 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Tech-Driven Education: Sophie emphasizes the importance of using engineering and product thinking to solve education problems at scale, leading to Formation's adaptive learning platform.
Unconditional Support: Formation offers unlimited technical training until participants secure a signed offer letter, a unique value proposition in the training program space.
Dynamic Curriculum: Every lesson and assignment at Formation is dynamically computed based on individual performance, ensuring personalized and effective learning experiences.
Mentorship Model: Formation's mentors, who are compensated but primarily driven by impact, provide just-in-time mentorship based on students' real-time needs and challenges.
Navigating Market Changes: Sophie discusses how the current job market has become more competitive, necessitating longer job hunts and more rigorous preparation for software engineers.
Commitment to DEI: Formation partners with companies like Netflix to support diversity hiring initiatives, aiming to build a more inclusive and equitable workforce.

Yadhu Gopalan, CEO and Founder of Esper: $100 Million Raised to Build the Future of Android Device Management

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Yadhu Gopalan, CEO and Founder of Esper, an Android device management platform that's raised over $100 Million in funding.
 
Topics Discussed:
Being an introvert in business, and what it takes to push yourself to the forefront as a founder
What it’s like working at some of the biggest names in tech, for companies like Amazon and Microsoft
How software development can often move faster than the mechanisms for deployment and customer feedback
The critical importance of MDM in running any contemporary business which relies on software to run
Why targeting a client’s pain points will always get you the attention you need, regardless of who you’re talking to
 
Favorite book: 
Thinking Fast and Slow

Nate Kharrl, CEO and Co-Founder of Spec: $30 Million Raised to Build the Future of Fraud Defense

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 Nate Kharrl, CEO & Co-Founder of Spec, a fraud defense technology platform that's raised $30 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Personal Journey from Fraudster to Fraud Fighter: Nate's unique background as a former eBay fraudster who now combats fraud highlights his deep understanding of the field and the irony of his professional journey.
Founding During a Pandemic: The idea for Spec originated in 2014, but the COVID-19 pandemic created the perfect timing for Nate and his co-founder to finally launch the company, addressing the surge in fraud and scam activities.
Understanding the Fraud Landscape: Nate differentiates fraud from cybersecurity, explaining that fraud involves the misuse of systems for nefarious purposes, while cybersecurity focuses on protecting systems from unauthorized access.
Customer-Driven Product Evolution: The first customers of Spec helped shape the company's product by providing real-world feedback, leading to a better understanding and articulation of their core value proposition.
Navigating Enterprise Sales: The transition from founder-led sales to a dedicated sales team has been challenging, but essential for scaling the business and addressing the complex needs of large enterprises.
Future Vision with AI: Nate envisions leveraging AI to make complex fraud detection more accessible and efficient for non-technical users, enhancing the platform's value and usability.
 
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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

Igor Jablokov, CEO of Pryon: $50+ Million Raised to Build the Future of Enterprise Knowledge Management

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Igor Jablokov, CEO of Pryon, an AI-powered enterprise knowledge management platform that's raised more than $50 Million in funding.
Topics Discussed:
Igor’s background in the tech industry, working with Apple to create Siri, and the state of AI today
A great Bill Gates quote about our biases when thinking about the short and the long term
Why the man Igor most admires is Benjamin Franklin
Facing disbelief when introducing innovative ideas, and why Igor doesn’t care about how other people define certain things
Regulation in the AI industry and where AI is headed
 
Favorite book: 
The Complete Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series Books 1-7

Swapnil Shinde, CEO and Co-Founder of Zeni: $47+ Million Raised to Build the Finance Operations Category

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Swapnil Shinde, CEO and Co-Founder of Zeni, a finance operations platform that's raised over $47 Million in funding.
Topics Discussed:
Swapnil’s background in computer science, and starting a service that was like Spotify for Indian music
Working together with his identical twin brother
Why startup bookkeeping is generally fragmented, complex, and lacking in insights, and how Zeni helps solve those problems
Creating a new service category and disrupting a longstanding business
Why fundraising becomes easier with every startup you found
 
Favorite book: 
Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day

Nishika de Rosairo, CEO and Founder of HumanQ: $3.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Human Development

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Nishika de Rosairo, CEO and Founder of HumanQ, a platform dedicated to unlocking human potential that's raised $3.5 Million in funding.
Topics Discussed:
Nishika’s background growing up and living in four continents, and her passion for unlocking human potential
How education creates a problem for people because they are forced to choose between the left or right side of the brain
The workings of HumanQ and how it harnesses the power of AI to help people transform
Success stats, with 95% of people declaring HumanQ programs make them more equipped to add value in their workplace
Why Nishika would advise her past self to take faster and bigger bets sooner
 
Favorite book: 
Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable (Tim Grover Winning Series)

Kelsey Bishop, Founder and CEO of Candor: $5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Professional Relationship-Building

In today’s episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Kelsey Bishop, Founder and CEO of Candor, a culture-building platform that's raised $5 Million in funding.
Topics discussed: 
How her experience loving some teams she worked with, but not others, led Kelsey to start Candor
Kelsey’s favorite founder, his success story, and why she admires him
Building a platform that allows people to get to know colleagues on a personal level, and the one element that plays a big part in the success of Candor
Using TikTok as a marketing tool, and why luck and timing play a big part in fundraising
The importance of following your intuition rather than someone else’s advice
 
Favorite book:
The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream

Raghu Gollamudi, CEO and Co-Founder of Included: $5.4 Million Raised to Build the Future of HR Analytics

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Raghu Gollamudi, CEO and Co-Founder of Included, a people analytics platform that's raised $5.4 Million in funding.
Topics Discussed:
Raghu’s experimenting with tech as a kid, which included blowing a TV fuse in a country where TVs were very expensive
His background in engineering and telecommunication in India, building a startup during the .com crash, and working at Microsoft
Why Raghu admires an innovator who’s making sanitary napkins more accessible 
Creating an AI-powered HR analytics platform that provides insights and actionable recommendations to leaders
Lessons Raghu learned from fundraising, and what his vision is for the future of Included
 
Favorite book: 
Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers