BUILDERS

Andreas Cleve, CEO and Co-Founder of Corti: $32 Million Raised to Power the Future of Patient Consultations

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Andreas Cleve, CEO and Co-Founder of Corti, a patient consultations platform that's raised $32 Million in funding, about why so much important information from patient consultations is underutilized and ultimately wasted, and how Corti plans to change all that. By activating the data produced by every patient-provider interaction via a bleeding-edge ai platform, Corti’s mission is to give healthcare professionals a set of supportive tools that transcend today's time-consuming technologies.
We also speak about the personal experiences which helped draw Andreas into the healthcare space, transitioning from the technology sector, his first forays with AI and chatbot technologies, and how being an industry thought-leader means dealing with regulation as you move to build a new market modality.
 
Topics Discussed:
Andreas’ very personal experience which led him to take an interest in healthcare, and why he believes many people have similar stories
Transitioning from the technology sector to establish himself as a healthcare entrepreneur, and how it feels to be a founder
Andreas’ first forays into the AI space with Obvio, a chatbot for healthcare facilities
Why timing is critical to startup success, and how it influences market alignment for new businesses
The reality of working with regulators as a thought leader in any industry, and the differences between the European and US market

Andrew Scheuermann, CEO of Arch Systems: $25 Million Raised to Help Organizations Unlock Factory Data to Drive Factory Improvements

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Andrew Scheuermann, CEO of Arch Systems, a machine data and analytics company that's raised $25 Million in funding, about the struggles people all over the world face with accessing the tools and resources necessary to build truly smart solutions. Powered by rich machine data, the Arch Systems FX Platform has been developed to automatically surface actionable insights for manufacturing operations, driving better decisions at every level of an organization, whatever they’re trying to achieve.
We also talk about Andrew's background in engineering, machine building, and entrepreneurship, what it was like striking out on his own to found and lead a tech startup, what manufacturing optimization really means in practice, and how a late-stage pivot from horizontal developer to vertical analytics helped Arch Systems secure their elusive product-market fit.
Topics Discussed:
Andrew's background in engineering, machine building, and entrepreneurship, and what it means for his current business
Making the transition to being a founder and CEO, and the business leaders which inspired his journey
What manufacturing optimization and machine data analytics means for those pursuing innovative solutions all over the world
Why Arch Systems initially struggled to secure a product-market fit, and the strategic pivot which turned everything around for them
The future of where Andrew sees the company, from new materials to expanding into new markets
 
Favorite book: 
Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies

Robert Kozikowski, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Tensorflight: $7 Million Raised to Build the Future of Commercial Property Inspections

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Robert Kozikowski, Chief Product Officer of Tensorflight, a property intelligence platform that's raised nearly $7 Million in funding, about why having eyes in the sky is providing critical value insights for people working in the property sector. Having honed their offering from drone analytics for agriculture to a more focused offering deploying satellite imagery and machine intelligence to inspect properties at scale for their clients, Tensorflight is helping people across the world get a better understanding of what their portfolio is really worth.
We also speak about Robert’s background in software engineering for some of the biggest names in tech, why data is so important for the financial sector, how scaling up brings exponential benefits when it comes to knowledge, and how Tensorflight differentiates itself from potential competitors to carve out a niche in a fairly crowded market.
Topics Discussed:
Robert’s software engineering past and what it was like working at Google
The inspiration for Tensorflight and how the company evolved through several different iterations
 Why satellites came to replace drones as the technology at the heart of Tensorflight’s offering
How data came to be one of the most important decision-making tools across the insurance sector
How Tensorflight differentiates itself from competitors in the property assessment space with a more comprehensive technology offering
 
Favorite book: 
Underwriting Commercial Property

Reed Switzer, CEO of Hopscotch: $10M to Build the Future of B2B Payments For SMBs

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we chat with Reed Switzer, CEO of Hopscotch, an all-in-one B2B payments platform. Reed talks about his unconventional start in the B2B payments space, and how Hopscotch enables customers to achieve a frictionless payment experience by streamlining invoicing, bill pay, and cash flow management.
Reed also shares his thoughts on the growth and traction the company has experienced since its launch and how they’ve been able to "rise above the noise" in a competitive market. Reed believes that building trust with customers is crucial for success. And having a high level of conviction in what you're building, and maintaining transparency are key to building a successful brand. Hopscotch achieves this through a strong brand identity, storytelling, and providing valuable content beyond their core offering.
 
Topics Discussed:
How Reed came up with the idea for Hopscotch after seeing the challenges faced by most B2B companies using antiquated payments platforms and systems that came up short
How Hopscotch works to eliminate friction in the payment process by automating invoicing, streamlining communication between clients and vendors, and making it easy to manage cash flow
Reed’s experience in starting a business venture at a young age and how this helped him develop resilience and adaptability.
Reed’s thoughts on maintaining a balance between vision and adaptability - the importance of staying true to your vision while being open to evolving and adapting to changes in the market.
How Hopscotch aims to create its own market category by focusing on business profiles and innovative features that cater to the specific needs of their target audience.
Reed’s vision for Hopscotch on becoming the control tower for small business finances, simplifying the entire finance stack, and fostering a strong community among its users.
 
Favorite book: 
Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations

Mollie Breen, CEO and Co-Founder of Perygee: $6.4 Million Raised to Build the Future of IT/OT Security

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Mollie Breen, CEO and Co-Founder of Perygee, an IoT/OT security platform that's raised $6.4 Million in funding, about why so many security teams often find themselves making critical decisions about their IoT and OT device security using imperfect information, and the vulnerabilities that can ultimately cause for companies. With an innovative solution unifying reams of scattered, unstructured data into a single space compounded by custom workflows to supercharge productivity, Perygee is putting the power of decisions back in the hands of those who need it most.
We also speak about Molly’s background at the NSA and what it taught her about the vulnerabilities of IoT and operational technology devices, how that insight eventually led to her founding Perygee, and why they made a conscious decision not to follow the trend of selling based on fear.
Topics Discussed:
Molly’s background as a mathematician working at the NSA, and how the experience exposed her to the vulnerabilities of IoT devices
The risks posed by networked devices like security cameras, HVAC systems, and access controls, and why they need to be addressed
Perygee’s solution deploying contextual information about device operation, assisting in identifying and remediating key vulnerabilities
How engaging with CISOs involved directly in security operations helped Perygee establish credibility and trust in their market
The Perygee marketing approach, eschewing dark colors and the established model of selling ‘based on fear’

How B2B Market Categories Are Created with G2’s Godard Abel (Behind the Category)

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Godard Abel, Co-Founder and CEO of G2, the world's largest and most trusted software marketplace tracking over 2100 software categories.
Topics Discussed:
The founding story of G2
The problems with traditional analyst firms
How G2 has built a foundation on trust
How categories are created at G2
How G2 is leveraging AI and what’s coming next
Godards number one piece of advice for B2B founders looking to create a market category

Funding the Future: Rak Garg, Principal at Bain Capital Ventures

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Rak Garg, Principal at Bain Capital Ventures, a $10 Billion venture capital firm, investing primarily in early-stage cybersecurity or artificial intelligence companies, about why investing in every stage of the developer cycle is building a more efficient software ecosystem for all of us. With verticals in everything from national security to climate change, Rak sees AI-enhanced software development as being crucial to a new generation of software solutions and the companies building them.
We also speak about Rak’s upbringing in the technology hotbed of the Bay Area, how his childhood passion led him to engineering education and a career across a wide range of software solutions, the current state of venture capital and the role it has in driving innovation, and why, for a venture capital firm, there are just never enough hours in the day.
 
Topics Discussed:
Growing up in the Bay area, surrounded by technology, and an earl fascination which led to engineering school
Rak’s career across a range of tech companies before finally arriving in the venture capital space
The current state of the venture space after a depressing year for capital, and why Rak is optimistic for the future
The ‘AI+Workflow’ systems create a whole new generation of software, and the startup companies leading the way forward.
Not all customers are deep in the technology world, and how technically-minded founders need to approach them in an accessible way
Why tech startups need a clear strategy for standing out from the competition and drawing the attention they need for early-stage growth

Funding the Future with Brett Calhoun, GP at Scale VC

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Brett Calhoun, Managing Director and General Partner at Scale VC, about why investing in extraordinary founders is front and center of their business model, and what they can bring to the table to give them a boost. With an industry-agnostic, idea-to-pre-seed stage funding focus, in everything across a broad spectrum of hardware and software innovations, Scale does what their name suggests, providing insights and guidance to get tomorrow’s business leaders where they need to be.
We also speak about Brett’s background in finance, valuation and venture capital, and the vision which would ultimately see him join Scale VC, the growing tech ecosystem in the American MidWest, the firms that Scale have already helped guide towards growth and success, and the criteria they look for in the partnerships of tomorrow
 
Topics Discussed:
Brett’s background across the world of finance, and the insights he brings to the table as the MD of Scale VC
What fascinated Brett about the venture capital space, and the portfolios he’s managed over the years
The importance of local partnerships and why Scale is building together with the University of Missouri
The MidWest’s growing tech ecosystem, spearheaded by a few companies and with more to surely follow
What Scale VC looks for in its ideal founder profile, and how to prepare a world-beating pitch

Ryan Janssen, CEO and Co-Founder of Zenlytic: $5.4 Million Raised for AI-Assisted Business Intelligence to Drive Better Decisions

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Ryan Janssen, CEO and Co-Founder of Zenlytic, a business intelligence tool for commerce brands that's raised $5.4 Million in funding, about why siloed data can obscure all kinds of critical business insights, and how automation with a human touch can help everyone get a better idea of what’s going on. With an easy-to-access portal for deep diving into a company’s data, assisted by Zoe the natural language interface, Zenlytic promises enterprise-grade business intelligence and insights you can really trust.
We also speak about why Ryan considers himself a true nerd, his career moving back and forth between the engineering and venture investment space, having a front-row seat for the development of today’s large language models, why Zenlytic decided to target primarily commerce-oriented companies, and why getting their product in front of people as quickly as possible is the core of their sales strategy. 
Topics Discussed:
Ryan’s background between software engineering and the venture capital space, and why he considers himself a true ‘nerd’
Studying at ‘AI school,’ and having a front-row seat for the development of today’s iconic large language models
Why data is only as good as the tools you have to make sense of it, and the Zenlytic value proposition as a business intelligence platform
Zenlytics AI-powered data analyst and the advantage of having a fully accessible business intelligence system available 24/7
Why getting their product in front of people with a demo is Zenlytic’s preferred sales strategy, and how they make it happen
 
Favorite book: 
The Lean Startup

Roei Ganzarski, CEO of Alitheon: $30 Million Raised to Help Organizations Trace the Untraceable

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Roei Ganzarski, CEO of Alitheon, a company that builds solutions for authentication, identification, and traceability of parts, products and people, about how counterfeiting and piracy have emerged as a global challenge for businesses across almost every sector, and the new tools needed in the fight against them. By protecting their client’s products from black market competition, as well as detecting and tracking down costly fakes, Alitheon makes sure that authenticity is rewarded, the way things should be.
We also talk about Roei’s upbringing in Asia and how his father’s work in shipping took him around the world before coming back to Israel, the culture differences he’s experienced in the Pacific Northwest of America, just how ubiquitous fakes and forgeries are in the modern economy, and why making sure products are what they claim to be doesn’t just help customers, but can fight crime and save our environment as well.
Topics Discussed:
Roei’s youth spent traveling around the world with his parents before moving back to live in Israel
The culture shock of moving to the Pacific Northwest, and what it’s like adjusting to a less straight-talking culture
How Roei became fascinated with the fight against counterfeits, and the origin story of Alitheon
Why counterfeits can do more than just hurt a bottom line, and the potential impacts on workers’ rights, criminal networks, and the environment
Future prospects for consumer-grade anti counterfeit technology, and the impact it could have on society
 
Favorite book: 
Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle