Category Visionaries

Naftali Harris, Co-founder and CEO of SentiLink: $85 Million Raised Eliminate First-Party Fraud, Syntheic Fraud, and Identify Fraud

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 Naftali Harris, Co-Founder & CEO of SentiLink, an identity verification platform that's raised $85 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Founding Story: Naftali and his co-founder Max discovered a massive fraud problem while working at Affirm, leading them to create SentiLink to solve identity verification issues.
Initial Insight: They encountered multiple fraudulent credit applications with the same name and birthdate but different SSNs, highlighting a gap in existing identity verification systems.
Market Impact: SentiLink works with seven of the top 15 US banks, five of the ten largest credit unions, and over 300 financial institutions, processing over a million identity verifications daily.
Core Values: The company's core values, especially "follow through," play a critical role in building trust with partners and ensuring operational excellence.
Long-Term Vision: SentiLink aims to be the default solution for identity verification, similar to how CRMs are used in sales, addressing the fundamental question of "Who are you?"
Fraud Evolution: Identity fraud evolves in waves, presenting both challenges and opportunities for SentiLink to continuously innovate and adapt their solutions.
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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

Rishabh Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of Fermàt: Over $12 Million Raised to Power the Future of Commerce Experiences

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 Rishabh Jain, CEO & Co-Founder of Fermàt, a content commerce platform that's raised over $12 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
From Ad Tech to Entrepreneurship: Rishabh shares his transition from being a VP of Innovation at Liveramp to founding Fermàt, driven by the changes in digital tracking announced by Apple.
Innovative Product Offering: Fermàt allows commerce brands to create customizable stores for every piece of content they launch online, enhancing user experience and conversion rates.
Target Customers: Fermàt primarily works with small to medium-sized D2C brands in categories like food and beverage, beauty, apparel, and home goods.
Impressive Growth Metrics: Fermàt saw a significant inflection point in Q4 of last year, with a 125x growth in GMV in twelve weeks and rapid customer acquisition in subsequent quarters.
Overcoming Market Challenges: Rishabh discusses the pressures faced by e-commerce brands today and his medium-term optimism driven by new AI tools.
Exciting Future Developments: Rishabh teases new AI-powered features coming in May, allowing brands to create unique, engaging shopping experiences tailored to various themes and moods.

Lasse Andresen, CEO and Founder of IndyKite: $10 Million Raised to Empower Teams to Move Beyond Legacy Identity and Access Management

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Lasse Andresen, CEO and Founder of IndyKite, an identity platform that's raised $10 Million in funding, about why identity management is at the center of so much in our modern world. With an identity-type agnostic approach to managing authentication for their customers, IndyKite helps people get the most out of every one of their devices without sacrificing all-important security.
We also speak about Lasse’s career history, involvement with other companies and a multi-billion-dollar public market launch, technology's impact on improving customer experiences, and the power of open-source software to drive a new generation of change across a whole range of industries.
Topics Discussed:
Making all the mistakes a founder could make, learning, and moving forward towards success at the end
The roller coaster ride of taking a company public, and why Lasse aspires to do the same thing with IndyKite
Why major developer conferences can function as a hotbed of innovative energy and bring about an incredible exchange of ideas
Why Lasse disagrees with the revolving door of contemporary hiring and prioritizes

Tiffany Ricks, CEO and Founder of HacWare: $2.6 Million Raised to Build the Future of Security Awareness

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 Tiffany Ricks, CEO & Founder of HacWare, a security awareness platform that's raised $2.6 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Transition to Product: Tiffany transitioned from running a consultancy to building HacWare after identifying phishing as a recurring vulnerability in her clients’ businesses.
Phishing Impact: Phishing attacks lead to significant breaches, with 3.4 billion phishing emails sent daily and 71% of small businesses experiencing phishing attacks that lead to ransomware.
Automated Solution: HacWare automates phishing simulations and security awareness training using AI, significantly reducing the labor hours required from 40 hours a week to just 1 hour a month.
Educated Buyers: Small and mid-market businesses are becoming more knowledgeable about cybersecurity needs, understanding the importance of solutions like VPNs, password managers, and security awareness training.
Continuous Improvement: HacWare releases software updates weekly, maintaining focus on customer pain points and continuously enhancing their platform’s capabilities.
Future Vision: In five years, HacWare aims to provide comprehensive human risk assessments across various digital platforms, similar to credit scores, to identify and mitigate potential security risks.
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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

Paul Valente, CEO and Co-Founder of VISO Trust: $17 Million Raised to Build the Future of Third-Party Cyber Risk Management

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 Paul Valente, CEO & Co-Founder of Viso Trust, a third-party risk management platform that's raised $17 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Evolution of Security: Paul highlighted how digital transformation has drastically increased reliance on third-party services, making third-party risk management a critical focus.
Background and Vision: Drawing from his extensive experience as a CISO, Paul discussed the challenges he faced and how they led to the creation of Viso Trust.
AI Integration: Viso Trust leverages AI to automate third-party cyber risk management, reducing the workload by 90% and significantly speeding up the assessment process.
Customer Adoption: With over 35 large enterprise customers and a network of 2.5 million companies, Viso Trust is rapidly scaling and has enabled the assessment of tens of thousands of third parties.
Empathy with CISOs: Paul's background as a CISO provides him with unique insights into the needs and pain points of security leaders, shaping Viso Trust's approach to customer engagement.
Go-to-Market Strategy: Viso Trust employs a mix of direct sales, thought leadership, and product-enabled sales, focusing on reducing friction and providing value to both assessors and vendors.
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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

Jamie Turner, Co-Founder and CEO of Convex: $30 Million Raised to Build the Future of State Management

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Jamie Turner, Co-Founder and CEO of Convex, a state management platform for web developers that's raised nearly $30 Million in funding, about why more and more people moving into the software space is placing more pressure than ever on the pace and scale of software development. With Convex, Jamie and his team are offering a streamlined development solution allowing people to spend more time focusing on the front-facing, human-orientated part of their market-winning idea, while spending as little time as possible on their backend technology.
We also speak about Jamie’s career experience as both an entrepreneur and as part of Dropbox, why state management can be a complex problem for app developers, Jamie’s vision for the future of more accessible software, and what sets Convex apart from any potential market competition.
Topics Discussed:
Jamie’s career between entrepreneurship and market-leading tech company Dropbox
Why state management is a critical issue for contemporary business, and how it is so often underappreciated
Convex’s unique offering to streamline the software development processes, and give developers more time to focus on the front-end
Why a glut of new entrants into the software space drives a need for innovative software development solutions
The challenges of starting a business, and why learning to love to learn new things is an important skill for any new entrepreneur
Why people are more important than systems, and building a business around your team will never let you down
 
Favorite book: 
Invisible Man

Tine Karlsen, CEO and Co-Founder of Vev: $7 Million Raised to Power the Future of No-Code Visual Design

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Tine Karlsen, CEO and Co-Founder of Vev, an all-in-one design platform that's raised $7 Million in funding, about why a web-dominant economy demands a new generation of design tools to empower visual creativity without sacrificing smooth functioning. Learning by doing, Vev has developed a seamless visual developing platform that integrates with the hard technology of back-end software to cover everything from paywall pieces to interactive scrolling narratives.
We speak about Tine's background in the Norwegian tech sector and her thoughts on what makes it special as an early adopter of innovation, the hands-on learning that helped her become a 'Jack-of-all-trades,' why media companies led the way in Vev's market development, and why giving designers the power to build without code is streamlining the world of web design like never before.
Topics Discussed:
How Tine came to found a company through learning by doing, and what it means to be a 'jack-of-all-trades'
The unique position of the Norwegian tech sector and how a high tech transition is pushing new currents of innovation
Why traction in the media industry was critical to Vev's market growth
How inclusivity is key to Vev's value proposition, putting design tools in the hands of creatives without cumbersome code
How code-free design is transforming an existing market category, and what it means for the future of web design
Vev's vision to establish themselves as the go-to front end builder in the next 3 years
 
Favorite book: 
The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers

Christelle Rohaut, CEO of Codi: $23 Million Raised to Power the Future of Modern Workspace Solutions

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Christelle Rohaut, CEO of Codi, a flexible workspace solution startup that's raised $23 Million in funding, about why tomorrow’s cities need a more flexible approach to space usage, and how Codi is positioning themselves as a leader in the marketplace of flexible office leases. With a portfolio of office solutions available for clients and a ready-made support system to help businesses scout, secure and establish themselves in the spaces that are right for them.
We also speak about Christelle’s background in urban planning and her passion for making cities better places to live in, the impact of disruptive companies like AirBnB on the way our cities work, what it means to establish an office-as-a-service business model, and why flexibility in finding solutions will always be a cornerstone of good business.
Topics Discussed:
Christelle’s urbanist background and her passion for building better cities for everyone
The fundamental differences between US and European urban landscapes, and what it means for the people who live in them
What the office-as-a-service model means for Codi’s clients, and what it means to build a long term relationship with clients
The comprehensive support package Codi provides for their clients, and why a good office is so much more than just space
Bridging the gap between tenants and landlords, and securing a lease that works for all the stakeholders involved
Christelle’s predictions for the future of Codi, and how a new way of office working will change the cities of tomorrow
 
Favorite book: 
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Alan Cowen, CEO and Founder of Hume AI: Over $17 Million Raised to Measure and Improve How Technology Affects Human Emotion

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Alan Cowen, CEO and Founder of Hume AI, a research lab and technology startup that's raised Over $17 Million in funding, about how unchecked machine learning can lead very quickly to exploitation, and why we need to develop technology more in line with people’s mental health. With algorithms targeted specifically for more positive behavioral outcomes, positive emotions and desirable life outcomes, Hume AI is charting a new course in the development of human-AI interaction.
We speak with CEO and Founder Alan Cowen about his background education in psychology and being a pioneer in the field of data science and human emotion, his motivations for founding Hume AI and the risks of unchecked machine learning development for people’s mental wellbeing, and how he sees the current frenzy surrounding AI technology developing in the years to come.
Topics Discussed:
Alan’s background education in psychology, and being one of the people who brought data science to the study of human emotion 
Experiences at Google’s AI program and the decision for Alan to strike out on his own with a new company
The potential risks of unchecked AI development and the risks of exploitation even when unintentional
Why wellbeing-aware algorithms are an essential part of a healthy relationship with the technology we rely on every day
The current media frenzy surrounding ChatGPT and similar language models, and what it means for AI in the future
Where Alan believes AI should sit in our future society, and some practical suggestions for how we might get there.
 
Favorite book: 
Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control

Will Sealy, CEO and Co-Founder of Summer: Over $18 Million Raised to Build the Future of Student Debt Financing

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Will Sealy, CEO and Co-Founder of Summer, a student debt technology platform that's raised over $18 Million in funding, about why so many Americans are still paying back student loans well into their senior years, and the long-term impacts this debt burden can have on individuals and the companies they work for. By partnering with employers and financial institutions to reach hundreds of thousands of employees, Summer helps their clients manage everything from financial planning to college tuition fees, and savings to pay off loans in a swift, sustainable, and well-structured way.
We speak to CEO and Co-Founder Will Sealy about his personal experiences with the burden of student debt and the origin story of Summer, transitioning from government work to entrepreneurship, challenges operating in the student loan sector and why it needs improvement, and how Summer intends to change the narrative about college education ROI in contemporary America.
Topics Discussed:
Will’s personal experiences dealing with shortcomings and challenges in the student loan sector, and his inspiration for founding Summer
Will’s background briefing members of Congress on the challenges and potential solutions for the student loan sector
How Summer manages to secure partnerships with financial institutions and employers across the economy
A range of potential solutions for student debt relief, and why so many borrowers are in urgent need of assistance
Why Summer is seeking to transform the established narratives surrounding ROI on a college education
Why Will hopes for more affordable tuition and more accountable colleges as part of a long term student loan solution
 
Favorite book: 
Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist