Category Visionaries

Funding the Future: Zamir Shukho, CEO and General Partner of Vibranium VC

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Zamir Shukho, CEO and General Partner of Vibranium VC.
Topics Discussed:
Zamir's background working with startups and building acceleration programs, and what he learned about what business leaders need
Vibranium VC’s focus on Silicon Valley software companies, with a particular interest in B2B SaaS, sales, marketing, fintech and media solutions
Common pitching mistakes, being prepared to address tough questions and be open to feedback from investors
The challenges of category creation including the need to convince potential markets and new customers to adopt new concepts
Excitement about opportunities in the SaaS market, particularly B2B startups utilizing AI to enhance their software products

Craig Unger, CEO and Founder of Hyperproof: Over $22 Million Raised to Pioneer the Compliance Operations category

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Craig Unger, CEO and Founder of Hyperproof, a security assurance and compliance operations platform that's raised over $22 Million in funding, about the central role of security in developing critical cloud services, and how a trust deficit can derail even the most promising plans for the future. Hyperproof is fully committed to helping companies keep the promises they make to their clients, creating an entirely new business application that makes it easy to gather and re-use evidence, set reminders to complete compliance tasks, and automate tedious manual tasks, all with a level of transparency previously unheard of.
We also speak about Craig’s background in the tech Industry for 31 years, his time working for microsoft and what it taught him about trust in the sector, bridging the gap between security and compliance, and Hyperproof’s vision for the future of enhancing trust and transparency across the board.
Topics Discussed:
Craig’s decades-long career in the tech space, from some of the industry’s biggest names to experiences in the startup economy
Lessons learned about trust and transparency as the foundation of critical business decisions and their impact on long-term development
The Hyperproof value proposition and how they position themselves in a crowded marketplace
The challenge of educating a market about the importance of compliance operations, and how Hyperproof makes it happen
Finding a product-market fit after more than a year in operation, and what made Hyperproof feel they’d finally got things right 
 
Favorite book: 
The Scarlet Letter

Dan DeMers, CEO of Cinchy: Over $24 Million Raised to Build a Data Collaboration Platform That Makes Data Integration Obsolete

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Dan DeMers, CEO of Cinchy, a data collaboration platform that's raised over $24 Million in funding, about why the time has come for an alternative to rigid data contracts and the integration-heavy approach to business unit collaboration. By evolving isolated data silos into meshed products where data is well-governed white being freely available to all who need it, Cinchy gives business teams the power to execute and oversee their own desired outcomes and implement real change.
We also speak about Dan’s background between technology and big finance, what it was like transitioning from programming to management, creating a brand new category for his business, and Cinchy’s aim to make data integration all but obsolete.
Topics Discussed:
Dan’s background in technology and big finance, transitioning from a programmer to manager, and the insights it gave him into the complexities of big enterprise.
Cinchy’s value proposition of eliminating silos, streamlining data governance, and ultimately making data integration obsolete
Establishing the Data Collaboration Alliance non profit to advocate for better data and collaborate with those who share the vision.
How bold messaging helps Cinchy make an impact in a marketplace saturated with vaporware
The importance of peer-review sites to for building credibility in a skeptical marketplace
 
Favorite book: 
Play Bigger: How Pirates, Dreamers, and Innovators Create and Dominate Markets

Hanna Asmussen, CEO and Co-Founder of Localyze: Over $48 Million Raised to Build the Leading Global Mobility Platform for Companies and Employees

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Hanna Asmussen, CEO and Co-Founder of Localyze, an HR platform for talent mobility that's raised over $48 Million in funding, about why today’s global economy needs a new way of connecting and hiring staff from all over the world. By taking care of every aspect of the administrative process for bringing in international staff, from up-to-date information about visa requirements, fully transparent tracking of the process, and the potential to scale up successful hires, Localyze is making the international hiring headache fade into memory.
We also speak about Hannah’s background in engineering and consultancy, why she’s much happier in her role as CEO, competing with traditional immigration law firms  both in the marketplace and through the courts, and the personal experiences which inspired her to found Localyze.
Topics Discussed:
Hannah’s career background as both a consultant and engineer, but why she’s now most comfortable in her role as CEO
How the complex nature of different legal systems across the world creates a real headache for employers in the hiring process
Digitizing the immigration law industry, and how Localyze’s disruption attracted competition from established market actors
How Localyze leveraged chance encounters and existing networks to secure their first paying customers
Hannah’s personal experiences of moving across borders which inspired her to co-found Localyze to improve the process
 
Favorite book: 
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable

Axel Bichara, Co-Founder and General Partner of Baukunst: $100 Million Raised for Venture-Driven Growth at the Intersection of Technology and Social Change

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Axel Bichara, Co-Founder and General Partner of Baukunst, a VC fund that backs creative technologies, about the key criteria they look for in prospective partners before making that ever-important early stage investment. From identifying extraordinary individuals to making sure there’s a market to be exploited, Baukunst focuses on the spaces in which technological innovation and social changes can precipitate new ways of living and almost endless opportunities.
We also speak about Axel’s background in investment and how it brought him to found Baukunst, changes in the VC space as it emerged from a fledgling funding opportunity to a major source of market capital, and how running a VC firm can end up consuming your entire life.
 
Topics Discussed:
Axel’s background in the investment space, from the early days of venture capital and his days as a student to founding Baukunst
Changes in the VC sector, from fringe finance to some of the world’s largest capital funds
Why generalization in an investment space focusing on innovation is unlikely to be a winning strategy in the long term
Why efficiency and low burn rates are key for new investments until you can be sure of product market fit
The potential pitches Axel and Baukunst are looking for in the future, and how to prepare yourself for investment

Mark DeSantis, CEO of Bloomfield: $8.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Agriculture Robotics

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Mark DeSantis, CEO of Bloomfield, a Pittsburgh based AgTech startup that's raised $8.5 Million in funding, about why visual plant-level health and performance assessments are fundamental to specialty crop farming. No matter how well trained and highly motivated, visual crop assessment is subjective, but Bloomfield’s automated analysis provides objective, precise and comprehensive data about every plant, continuously.
We also speak about Mark’s background as an entrepreneur and his journey into the ag-tech space, the power of AI and innovative imaging technology in the assessment and management of speciality crops, how data-driven innovation can address the challenges of feeding a growing population, and the future of AI in the agricultural economy more generally.
 
Topics Discussed:
Mark DeSantis’ entrepreneurial background and what brought him to the ag-tech business
The wide application of AI technology and automation across critical components of the agriculture sector
Individual monitoring and assessment of speciality crops as a game-changer for the industry
The looming challenge of feeding a growing global population, and the role of automated technologies in future food security
The future of Ai in the agriculture sector more generally, and how Bloomfields is preparing to position themselves as leaders in the space

Jon Carter, CEO and Founder of Prado: $5.7 Million Raised to Improve Fresh Food Accessibility Nationwide

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Jon Carter, CEO and Founder of Prado, an e-commerce operating platform that's raised $5.7 Million in funding, about the challenges of chasing efficiency in the meal-plan industry, and how data can help transform the space. With a one-stop software solution covering everything from web hosting and customer fulfilment to automation for kitchen operations, Prado powers-up the entire backend of a meal delivery business.
We also speak about Jon’s career background between contemporary health issues and the online catering sector, Prado’s initial focus on meal-prep firms and expanding across the industry, the importance of customer pain points and the intersection of meal plans and meaningful health outcomes.
Topics Discussed:
Prado’s origin story and the challenges confronting contemporary food service firms dealing with perishable products and complex logistics
The personal experience which led Jon to focus on the intersection of health, food-prep and technology
Jon’s vision of outsourcing nutrition to a trusted third partner, and Prado claiming their ‘share of stomach’
How an initial focus specifically on meal-prep firms expanded into  sector-wide support for firms across the catering sector
Why Prado keeps their focus on real-world pain points rather than creating categories for their clients
 
Favorite book:
The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds--Not Crushes--Your Soul

Daniel Liebeskind, CEO and Co-Founder of Topia: $6 Million Raised to Help Organizations Build Their Own Metaverse

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Daniel Liebeskind, CEO and Co-Founder of Topia, a metaverse platform that's raised $6 Million in funding, about why digital worlds are the future of everything from webinars, branded content and corporate meetings tools, and how Topia is positioning themselves at the center of the next big thing. Built on allowing people to access tools and relevant information whenever they need them, and a slew of customizable application options, Topia increases real retention through real-time connections in digital space.
We also speak about Daniel's background as a software engineer and his passion for building things, what a ‘metaverse platform’ actually is, the power of customizable metaverse spaces for contemporary businesses, and navigating the hype surrounding the metaverse concept to establish something built to last
Topics Discussed:
Daniel's background in software engineering and his lifelong passion for building better solutions to intractable challenges
Topia’s origins at Digital Burning Man back in 2020, and how it expanded through into other events and sourced new partners
The concept of a metaverse platform itself, combining the real-time, interactive, and experiential aspects of the internet
Topia's approach of giving companies more control over their ecosystems and the ability to customize their metaverse experiences
The challenges of finding valuable use cases for metaverse technology, and navigating the hype surrounding the industry’s biggest buzzword
 
Favorite book: 
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Chris Golec, CEO and Co-Founder of Channel99: $5 Million Raised to Power the Future of B2B Marketing

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 Chris Golec, CEO & Founder of Channel99, a B2B marketing platform that has raised $5 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Early Career Shifts: Chris transitioned from chemical engineering to tech entrepreneurship, starting with his first company in 1996, Supplybase, focusing on B2B supply chain software.
Birth of Account-Based Marketing (ABM): Chris was instrumental in coining and pioneering the ABM category with his company Demandbase, addressing the frustration of B2B marketers lacking targeted marketing technologies.
Challenges of ABM: Chris discusses the initial struggles of gaining traction for ABM and how it eventually grew into a significant category in B2B marketing.
Founding Channel99: After leaving Demandbase, Chris founded Channel99 to help B2B marketers measure the efficiency of their marketing spend and business outcomes.
Remote Work Challenges: Chris expresses concerns about building a strong company culture remotely and the benefits of in-office collaboration for innovation and team bonding.
Silicon Valley's Future: Despite some narratives about the decline of Silicon Valley, Chris believes the region's ecosystem of innovation and venture capital will remain strong.
 
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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 Woods, CEO and Co-Founder of Orbit: Over $22 Million Raised to Power the Future of Communities

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Patrick Woods, CEO and Co-Founder of Orbit, a community growth platform that's raised over $22 Million in funding, about why, in an economy where software is ‘adopted’ more than ‘sold,’ a sense of community can be a genuine driver of growth. Providing in-depth knowledge and powerful insights about sentiment, company size and almost everyone involved in your business, Orbit allows their clients to leverage an entire audience in pursuit of growth.
We also talk about Patrick’s background in marketing, brand strategy and customer success, why he eventually settled on a community-first approach to driving growth with Orbit, and why modern companies need to learn how to scale human-centric relationships.
Topics Discussed:
Patrick’s background in marketing, brand strategy and customer success leadership, and the insights it gave him into how leading brands are built
Ending up in San Francisco and how it felt to enter the startup economy for the first time
Why modern businesses should allocate more focus to building communities, and the long-term benefits it can bring
The radical change in how customers relate to their software, and the difference between being ‘bought’ and ‘adopted’
Moving from business jargon to a more holistic understanding of how humans engage in their commercial journeys
Favorite book: 
The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business
Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters