Category Visionaries

Otto Hanson, CEO of TermScout: $7 Million Raised to Build the World’s Leading AI-Powered Contract Review Software

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Otto Hanson, CEO at TermScout, a contract review platform that's raised $7 Million in funding, about why the current approach to signing contracts wastes time, money and risks potentially souring key relationships, and how TermScout plans to trim the fat from this most basic business process. Providing neutral, independent, third-party data to build confidence in the terms of a deal, TermScout has achieved an incredible rate of more than 40% of their clients agreeing to a contract without any further negotiation necessary.
We also speak about the TermScout story and Otto’s background in business law, exactly what inspired him to start such a specific startup, the big ideas which have shaped his career and why he’s happy to leave the corporate world behind, and why keeping agile and always pivoting can help you identify unique approaches to solving profitable problems.
Topics Discussed:
Otto’s career in business law and what it taught him about contracts as the critical components of doing modern business
The problems which pushed Otto to start a contract-focused startup, and how businesses can save time and money through the process
Why learning and adjustment is key to moving forward in business, identifying new ways to approach perennial problems
Why identifying a ‘bad contract’ is about more than just reviewing specific clauses
How ease of use and accessibility helped TermScout build momentum and gather customers
Why TermScout invested so heavily in marketing, and how they’re getting the message out to their mark
 
Favorite book: 
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

Tomas Reimers, Co-Founder of Graphite: $22.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Code Reviews

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Tomas Reimers, CEO of Graphite, a code review platform that's raised $22.5 Million in funding, about why high-speed teams need more than what the open source software space can offer, and how Graphite delivers development solutions in real-time, with relevant insights to guide people with their nose to the grindstone. Their unique offering has seen the company generate impressive growth, with more customer requests than they can handle.  
We also speak about Tomas’ experience working at Facebook, and the lessons he learned from one of the world’s tech giants, how networking with users helped Graphite develop a unique PLG strategy, the fundamental differences between developing software in an open source vs. closed environment, and exactly what it means to be part of a ‘fast moving team.’
Topics Discussed:
Tomas’ career in tech, and what three years at Facebook taught him about good team and engineering culture
The difference between open source and closed software development, and why GIThub is great but might not work for everyone
How Graphite makes sure customers re-engage with their product after fixing identified features
What it means to be part of a ‘fast moving team’ and why Graphite’s offering appeals to those in the corporate economy
Why so many of Graphite’s clients insisted that they manage the solution themselves
How Graphite copes with a deluge of client requests, and their plans for expansion in the years ahead
 
Favorite book: 
The Last Days of Night: A Novel

Florian Wimmer, Co-Founder & CEO of Blockpit: $15 Million Raised to Power the Future of Crypto Tax Management

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Florian Wimmer, Co-Founder & CEO at Blockpit, a crypto tax platform that's raised $15 Million in funding, about why their comprehensive cryptocurrency calculations are set to become an essential product for those looking for trouble-free future trading in the crypto markets. Inspired by Florian’s personal experience trying to tabulate his own crypto investments, Blockpit gives users the tools they need to get their earnings in order without the headache of manual calculations.
We also spoke about Florian’s career across multiple industry sectors, why he’ll never go back to the corporate world, how what started s hobby, and why starting in Austria was a great incubator for the company’s European expansion.eventually grew into the Blockpit business we see today, 
Topics Discussed:
Florian’s career across multiple corporate sectors, and why he’s much happier in the startup space now
The personal tax headache which led Florian to seek a software solution working out crypto valuations across multiple platforms
The Blockpit value proposition for their customers, and why crypto tax calculation is tomorrow’s must-have product
Why Austria was an ideal starting place for a crypto tax platform, and how a strict regulatory environment helped Blockpit prepare for a wider market launch
The Blockpit customer base, and why retail investors are the natural market fit for their software solution
 
Favorite book:
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't

Joshua Aaron, CEO Aiden, $3 Million Raised to Build the Future of Software Packaging and Deployment

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Joshua Aaron, CEO of Aiden, a software packaging and deployment platform that’s raised over $3 Million in funding, about how the power of automation is bringing exponential change to our modern high-tech economy, and where Aiden fits into this exciting future. By layering automation onto a people-focused approach to software development, Aiden delivers innovative solutions for mid-market clients across a whole range of countries.
We also speak about some of the books and business leaders which have influenced Joshua’s approach to business, his career in technology building innovative solutions for several major financial and business institutions, what makes Aiden’s offering so attractive to their clients, and exactly why AI & Natural Language Processing is such an important part of their business model.
Topics Discussed:
Joshua’s career in consulting, designing data centers and trading floors for companies like Credit Suisse First Boston.
The role of automation in Aiden’s business model, and how it is helping improve software delivery across the world
How Aiden’s paradigm-shifting approach to software development helped them stand out from the background market noise
Proving ROI from existing customers as an effective education strategy for potential clients of automated services
Why Aiden’s future looks to even more automation, particularly in the area of software updates
 
Favorite book: 
Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't

Mike Adams, Co-Founder & CEO of Grain: $22 Million Raised to Power the Future of Meetings

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Mike Adams, Co-Founder & CEO of Grain, a meeting insights platform that raised $22 Million in funding, about how to build the next in-demand product by really drilling down into the problems people deal with on a daily basis. Grain exists to capture, copy, and share key points from live conversations automatically so clients can concentrate more effectively on the conversation itself instead of losing focus on writing notes about it.
We also talk about how Grain acquires customers as a startup and builds strong relationships with them, tailoring their solution to a client’s specific problem. In addition to that, we also talk about Mark’s challenges in navigating remote work through the pandemic, despite his dislike towards remote working.
Topics Discussed:
Mike’s journey from Utah to San Francisco where he built his first start-up and eventually started Grain
Mike's experience building MissionU, an education company which was sold to WeWork back in 2018, which is where the idea for Grain came from.
Mike's admiration for Sid Sijbrandij, the Co-Founder and CEO of GitLab, particularly about their solid business and company culture.
How Mike met his Co-founder and decided to start a company that could record every meeting or interview and store that data in their own software.
How Grain acquires big names as a startup. He talks about building good and genuinely needed products that actually solve problems. They were always doing one-on-one on-boarding meetings with their customers to build relationships and tailor the product to the customer's needs.
Grain’s competitive landscape and market creation. Mike considers Grain as a ‘new flavor inside an existing category’.
Mike’s greatest challenge while building Grain: COVID and navigating through completely remote work. 
Grain’s vision for the next three years and how those visions excite Mark.
 
Favorite book: 
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

Funding the Future: Jeff Crusey, Deep Tech Venture Investor

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Jeff Crusey, a venture investor with a special interest in the world of deep tech innovation, about why investing in a startup should be about much more than just cutting a check with an eye to future returns. With years of experience in aerospace, climate and energy transition, cybersecurity and deep tech, Jeff brings credibility and critical insight to any venture he gets involved in, supporting new founders to flourish as they transform the future of technology.
We also speak about exactly what drives Jeff’s passion for venture investing, why it’s a promising time for many deep tech adjacent sectors, why Jeff is determined to bring more to an investment than just taking up space on the board, and his key tactical insights for those looking to secure startup investment.
Topics Discussed:
How the deep tech space is driving the future of innovation, in everything from aerospace and defense to the green energy transition
Why a world of geopolitical turmoil means a lot of opportunity for innovative tech startups, but why that doesn’t always mean building bombs
The potential for state-startup collaboration and why the long established stigma against government might be starting to shift
Why investing should mean much more than just cutting a check or taking up a seat on the board
The challenge of accurate valuations for truly transformative tech companies, and potential workarounds
Tactical insights for tech startups looking to secure investment, from extending more than a six-month runway to keeping your strong teams together no matter what

Funding the Future: Mike Janke, Co-Founder of Data Tribe

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Mike Janke, Co-founder of Data Tribe, a venture capital firm driving change through a whole new approach to investing, about how a hyper-targeted and hands-on approach has helped them achieve a 96% success rate when it comes to guiding their partners to transformative market change and, ultimately, commercial viability. By carefully selecting only truly innovative startups and embedding deep in their operations, Data Tribe are making a name for themselves and their world-changing technologies.
We also speak about Mike’s unorthodox entrance into the startup sector from a background in the military, what really excites him about the investment cycles he’s involved in, why so many of Data Tribe’s partners originate from the state-supported sector, and why there’s no real way to scale the Data Tribe hyper-focused approach to venture beyond a few hand-picked partners.
Topics Discussed:
Mike’s path to venture capital, from the military to being a six-time founder in the startup tech sector and beyond
The deluge of investment funding innovation in the state sector, and how Data Tribe helps build-out commercial viability beyond it
How Data Tribe ended up behind six of the World Economic Forum’s ‘technologies of the year.’
Why Data Tribe focus on a small number of hand-selected partners, and what makes their approach impossible to scale further
What makes for a good investment pitch, and why you should always leave it to the investor to set the valuation
Why category creation isn’t a panacea, and why an innovative technology will guarantee a new category if it’s truly transformative

Taj Adhav, CEO of Leasecake: $17 Million Raised to Make Lease and Location Management Easy

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Taj Adhav, CEO of Leasecake, a location management platform that’s raised over $17 Million in funding, about why it’s time the commercial leasing industry got its own version of LinkedIn or Uber, and how Leasecake believes they’ve got what it takes to claim the space. Through empathy and building trust with their clients, Leasecake is able to provide simple, streamlined solutions to some of the sector’s most acute pain points, saving time and money for tenants and property owners alike.
We also speak about how Taj’s early experiences in a commercial tenant household helped make him aware of the stress and strains for tenants, how his family felt about him leaving behind a Fortune 500 career to move into the startup space, why he feels that being a great CEO means you never stop learning, and why he’s convinced that Leasecake are leading the way in creating their own category.
Topics Discussed:
Taj’s career in everything from CPA to Disney Cruises, and why he left it behind to move into the startup space
The lessons Taj has learned by doing as leader of his own enterprise, and why it’s all about the people
The critical problems and pain points in the commercial leasing sector that form Leasecake’s value proposition for their clients
Why trust and empathy are critical for a business that people need to put their trust in to make some very big decisions
Why Leasecake’s new approach to leasing puts them in a category all of their own
How a more simplified solution respects the efforts users go to when carrying out even simple tasks
 
Favorite book:
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

Pratap Ranade, Co-Founder & CEO of Arena: $32 Million Raised to Build the Future of Enterprise Decision Making

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Pratap Ranade, Co-Founder & CEO of Arena, an enterprise decision making platform that’s raised $32 Million in funding, about why rapid advances in AI technology are leaving many enterprises in the dust, and why driving improved institutional learning cycles means a faster, more efficient world for all of us. By delivering rapid learning cycles through data feedback and automated decision making, Area intends to make its mark on the modern economy through the better business choices being made with its tech.
We also speak about how Pratap transitioned from physics to startup tech, his first forays as a founder and how they helped him understand what it took to be a leader in business, the history of hierarchy in human organization and how Arena promises that AI can do it better.
Topics Discussed:
Pratap’s background education in physics and what eventually pushed him to set out on a startup journey
Pratap’s first founder experience, and the success and lessons he brought forward to Arena
Pratap’s admiration for Steve Jobs as the creator of products with real impact on people’s lives
How data can drive innovation and learning through improved learning cycles and more efficient feedback loops
The history of hierarchy in human organization and how it might be holding us back
Why data is at the heart of keeping large enterprises as agile as their startup contemporaries
 
Favorite book: 
Player of Games by Anne Banks

Warren Lebovics, Co-Founder of Pequity: $19 Million Raised to Build the Future of Employee Compensation

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 Warren Lebovics, Co-Founder & CEO of Pequity, an employee compensation platform that has raised $19 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Journey to Entrepreneurship: Warren’s transition from product and design roles at LinkedIn and other tech companies to co-founding Pequity with his wife Caitlin.
Identifying the Problem: How Caitlin’s experience as a compensation manager at Cruise Automation revealed the inefficiencies in current compensation processes and inspired the creation of Pequity.
Core Offerings: Pequity's three main products—Ranges, Offers, and Comp Cycle Management—designed to streamline and improve compensation workflows with a focus on user experience and proactive pay equity.
Market Needs and Triggers: Addressing the growing demand for flexible and scalable compensation solutions, especially in light of new pay transparency laws and the limitations of legacy systems and spreadsheets.
Competitive Edge: Pequity’s commitment to building a superior product with a user experience akin to B2C applications, setting it apart from competitors and attracting loyal customers.
Future Vision: Aiming for widespread adoption of Pequity’s compensation tech in mid-market and enterprise companies to ensure fair pay and compliance with pay transparency regulations.