Category Visionaries

Tom Lee, Co-Founder of LOVO AI: $7 Million Raised to Build the Future of AI Voiceovers

Tom Lee is the Co-founder of LOVO AI, a California-based AI voice & synthetic speech company. LOVO’s platform accelerates content production by giving creators access to highly adaptable AI voiceovers, synthetic speech, and custom voice cloning capabilities.
In this episode, Tom shares how having the right team culture and employing a product-led growth approach has helped LOVO rise above the noise and quickly gain traction in the AI space.
Topics Discussed:
Brief overview on AI voice and synthetic speech and the role that data plays in improving the technology
How customer education efforts, marketing, and content creation has helped LOVO with user acquisition
LOVO’s diverse user base - from individual content creators,  to SMBs and Fortune 500 companies
Adapting tech to customer’s needs using hypothesis, experiment, and analysis
Targeting individual customers to support LOVO’s vision of product led- growth
How Tom helps instill the right culture and beliefs in his team
How to effectively navigate the issues and ethical concerns around AI technology
The biggest challenge Tom encountered when bringing his idea to market
How LOVO is providing revenue sharing opportunities for voice actors and democratizing access to quality voices 
LOVO’s goal of becoming an established content creation and IT platform 
 
Favorite book: 
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

Adrian Ferrero, CEO of Biome Makers: $24 Million Raised to Bridge the Divide Between Natural Environments and the Digital World

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Adrian Ferrero, CEO of Biome Makers, an agriculture technology startup that’s raised over $24 Million in funding, about why it’s time we let data drive decisions about our relationship with the natural world, in ways that can be both beneficial to the environment, and also make great business sense. Biome Makers was founded with a mission to bridge this digital-ecological divide, providing critical insights to farmers about one of their most important natural assets - the soil in which they grow their crops. By understanding its critical microbial and chemical composition farmers can understand how to make the most of what they’ve got to work with, both today and for years to come.
We also spoke about the rapid transformation of the agricultural sector in recent decades, why farmers are hungry to adopt new innovations, and why the old-fashioned approach of ‘resetting’ soil biology for cultivation just isn’t sustainable anymore. Improving the way we work with our land is Biome Makers’ clear and determined mission, making a genuine impact that helps them attract not only investment, but also bring together the right kind of team. 
Topics Discussed:
Topics Discussed:
How the story of an agricultural landscape in the North of Spain seeded the idea for a disruptive tech startup in California
Why the agricultural sector might not be the way you think, and why so many farmers are hungry for new innovation in almost every aspect of their operation
How monoculture and a lack of data caused the degradation of precious soil ecology, and how Biome Makers intends to restore balance
Why doing something that ‘makes sense,’ and working to create real impact, keeps Adrian motivated every day
How being a mission-oriented company helps attract and retain some of the industry’s top talent
The future of the ag-tech space, from drones to data and autonomous assistance
 
Favorite book: 
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

Joseph Fung, CEO of Uvaro: $15 Million Raised to Build the Career Success Platform Category

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Joseph Fung, CEO of Uvaro, a career success platform that’s raised over $15million in funding, about why reframing a host of familiar categories like recruitment and training support leads to a whole new approach to business that puts people first. Career success means taking a human-oriented approach to professional development, helping people find the positions that really work for them, and helping them really deliver on what their host companies need. It’s a whole new perspective on the oldest challenge in business.
We also spoke about why it just makes sense to work with a partner when it comes to professional development, the increasing importance of skills suitability in an economy defined by rapid career transitions, and how the real stories of Uvaro’s members are the best possible promotion for a company that builds everything on trust. By fostering a sense of genuine community and facilitating organic interactions, Uvaro is rapidly changing the way we will all soon approach the prospects of work.
Topics Discussed:
Why we should all invest in a career development partner with the skills and insight to get us where we need to be
Why putting people in the right positions helps entire industries do amazing things
How the pandemic pushed Joseph to reframe his company’s commercial activities, and why a comprehensive career success approach has paid dividends
What a future economy where we all change jobs more regularly means for career development, skills support, and finding success
Why trust is key for a company promising personalized support, and how Uvaro’s organic communities help build it from the ground up
How real support includes unique features like deferred membership payments to help the next generation get started on their road to a better life
 
Favorite book: 
The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done

David King Lassman, Founder of GigXR: $7 Million Raised to Bring Immersive Learning to Healthcare

David King Lassman is the Founder of GigXR, a global provider of immersive extended reality training solutions that aims to transform collaborative learning in healthcare education.
In this episode, David shares how he saw a big potential in the application of mixed reality in education, and the serendipitous moment when he was able to acquire immersive learning research assets from another company,  which led to the creation of GigXR. 
Topics Discussed:
David’s background as a serial entrepreneur in the ed tech space, and the origin story of GigXR
The current state of the mixed reality market
How solution providers can tap into the education space, and how GigXR was able to effectively market its value proposition 
Effects the pandemic has had on the healthcare industry, and how GigXR has learned to shift  their training operations for remote learning
Why David decided to focus on the application of extended reality in the healthcare market before expanding to other verticals
What excites David the most about the future of immersive training in  healthcare

Charlie Andersen, CEO of Burro: $12 Million Raised to Build the Future of Autonomous Farming

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Charlie Andersen, CEO of Burro, an autonomous farming startup that’s raised over $12 Million in funding, about why human-robot collaboration is the future of the agriculture sector. Having grown up on a farm, Charlie understands the challenges facing contemporary farmers more than most people. Burro is determined to provide scalable, practical solutions for what Charlie describes as ‘some of the hardest working people on Earth.’ Their vision is that by allowing robots to handle some of the essential mobility and logistics work, human laborers have more time to focus on the complex, critical tasks they’ll always be better at.
We also spoke about the current state of the farming industry and the pressure on producers to do more with less, why a significant amount of labor (and income) is wasted on basic mobility tasks, and how automated assistants can be beneficial to everyone involved in the Industry. We also discussed the future of robots in farming, and why the idea that they might replace humans is probably best left to the world of sci-fi.
Topics Discussed:
How farming led Charlie to the world of automated technology, and why he had always held a passion for the more industrial side of agriculture
The current state of modern agriculture, and why technology is needed to keep things working in the future
Why migrant farm laborers are some of the hardest working people on Earth, and how Burro’s technology is there to support, not supplant them
Why Charlie doesn’t see much competition in the autonomous farming space, and the challenges of developing functional product solutions
Why developing a prototype might excite the market, but building a market-ready model is a totally different thing
The future of autonomous technology in farming, and why human-robot collaboration is more likely that a machine labor revolution

Saket Saurabh, CEO of Nexla: $15 Million Raised to Build the Future of Data Operations

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Saket Saurabh, CEO of Nexla, a no-code data operations platform that’s raised over $15 Million in funding, about why the limitations of our analytics are stifling the tremendous potential of the data we all generate. Working over several years to produce a market-ready solution to most people’s near total data illiteracy, Nexla is ready to expand their reach, offering a no-code, fully automated software package to ensure that anyone and everyone can get the most out of the 21st-century’s most valuable commercial commodity, data.
We also spoke about what it was like moving from India to Silicon Valley, what pushed Saket to make the change, and the magical innovation environment he encountered once he arrived. We discuss why the bay area remains one of the world’s most exciting tech startup hubs, and how standing out there needs more than just a well-built piece of software. To bring true innovation to the market means a campaign of awareness raising and education, letting people know that large-scale disruption is on the way, and this is where Saket spends most of his energy these days.
Topics Discussed:
A life transformed by technology - what brought Saket to Silicon Valley and how it profoundly affected his life
The perfect mix of openness and energy which make the bay area such an idea place to start a business
The power of networking, and why talking to people about their ideas always pays dividends in the long run
The limitations of data literacy among the general population, and how that negatively impacts the business climate
Why Nexla spent 3 years developing their specialized software solution, and why they’re now confident it's time for mass adoption
How machine learning and systematic engineering approaches are a powerful problem solving combination

Eric Velasquez Frenkiel, CEO of Pomelo: $70 Million Raised to Build the Future of Remittance

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 Eric Velasquez Frenkiel, CEO & Founder of Pomelo, a money transfer platform that's raised over $70 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Innovative Money Transfer: Pomelo uses credit to facilitate international money transfers, reducing transfer fees to zero and providing instant access to funds.
Founder’s Journey: Eric transitioned from leading SingleStore, a successful database technology startup, to founding Pomelo after identifying a personal need for a better money transfer solution.
Military Influence: The responsibility and problem-solving skills Eric gained in the Israeli military significantly shaped his approach to entrepreneurship.
Product-Led Growth: Pomelo focuses on a product-led growth strategy, emphasizing customer experience and community engagement.
Market Validation: The initial launch saw 125,000 people sign up on the waitlist, validating strong market demand.
Regulatory Navigation: Pomelo leverages the Visa and Mastercard networks to provide a secure, transparent money transfer solution, avoiding the traditional pitfalls of cash-based systems.
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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
 

Ryan Lasmaili, CEO of Vaultree: $16 Million Raised to Build the World’s First Fully Functional Data-in-Use Encryption

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Ryan Lasmaili, CEO of Vaultree, an encryption as a service platform that’s raised over $16 Million in funding, about why we need a new solution focused on working with encrypted data to plug some serious leaks in our security system, Vaultree has spent more than 8 years developing an entirely unique software solution, allowing people to access, analyze, and process encrypted data without ever making it vulnerable to outsiders. Keeping our data safe while we work is the new frontier of security, and one which Vaultree looks set to lead in the years to come.
We also speak about why Ryan doesn’t feel the need to follow other founders’ approaches, how he and his team managed to split their time between full time work, and why now that the software is ready to go it’s time for the real work to begin. Bringing real innovation to market is always a challenge, and for Vaultree, a company some feel is trying to achieve the impossible, educating people about the need for the software is less of a challenge than convincing them it’s not too good to be true.
Topics Discussed:
Living in 26 countries, and why Ryan’s life has always been on the move
Why focusing on yourself is a professional development strategy just as valid as looking for established leadership figures
Why existing encryption solutions for data are basically just ‘workarounds,’ and why Vaultree set out to do something different
Why it took the Vaultree team 8 years to develop their technology, and why is was definitely worth the wait
How to sell a solution that most people perceive must be impossible, and why leaders in new markets have to master the art of narrative
How Vaultree plans to make this new technology part of our daily lives, as invisible as the tech in our phone handset
 
Favorite book: 
Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds

Ivan Maryasin, CEO of Monite: $6 Million Raised to Build the Automated Finance Management Category

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Ivan Maryasin, CEO of Monite, an automated finance management platform that’s raised over $6 Million in funding, about why it just makes sense to automate the way you manage your money, and how Monite’s plug-in solution promises a seamless translation to more effective financial management for SMEs in the SaaS sector and beyond. Listening to their potential customers and letting the market demand shape the ‘lego bricks’ of Monite’s software solutions has helped this niche-market business hyper target suitable partners and set the stage for large scale expansion in the future.
We also speak about why dreaming big brought Ivan to the world of business, and how he feels its the most effective way to make a genuine impact, how actions are more likely to define your company culture than whatever plans you write on a whiteboard, and why letting the market lead you can be a lucrative approach to developing software solutions. Innovation is never easy, especially when you need to spend time and resources educating your customers, but succeed and you might just redefine good business sense.
 
Topics Discussed:
Why Ivan came to Silicon Valley, but why the European market is much more accessible for migrant workers
How poor financial management can really cost you, but why most people are unaware of the impact it has on their business
Why plug-in functionality and integration with existing software was an essential component of Monite’s software development process
How Monite let the market lead them to a solution their customers were already demanding
The challenges of innovating in a new market space, and why education is critical to driving demand
Why everything you do is a ‘touch point’ with your reality, and how every choice you make manifests the world you want to live in
 
Favorite book: 
What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture

Agapitos Diakogiannis, CEO of Seafair: $6.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Maritime Recruitment

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Agapitos Diakogiannis, CEO of Seafair, a maritime recruitment platform that’s raised over $6.5million in funding, about why hiring the right staff in the maritime industry is one of the world’s most significant recruitment challenges, and how mistakes in this largely unseen network can have very real consequences for supply lines, energy, and pretty much everything else. With Seafair, Agapitos is on a mission to bring maritime recruitment into the 21st century, building a labor marketplace which helps harmonize the hiring process for companies operating across multiple jurisdictions, identify and vet key characteristics of potential employees , and give them an integrated platform for managing paperwork, wages, and everything else they need to know in this often fragmented industry.
We also spoke about the challenges of launching a potentially disruptive company in a historically conservative industry, and how striking a balance between a reputation for innovation with the reliability of an established market presence is a critical narrative challenge for Seafair, and one which they are still fine-tuning in their branding strategy. At the end of the day, it all comes down to being able to solve people’s problems, and that’s where Seafair’s true strength lies, word-of-mouth recommendations which can be difficult for mainstream marketing strategies to reach.
Topics Discussed:
How a long career in the shipping-tech industry gave Agapitos critical market insight and helped identify an ideal niche for recruitment innovation
Why the maritime industry is a particular challenge in terms of recruitment, and why the ideal staff can be difficult to identify in a global labor pool
How a fragmented regulatory, cultural and economic landscape means that integration and harmonization are key for recruitment support solutions
How putting clients first will always help ensure a sustainable business model in the long run, and how Seafair has achieved their critical velocity
Why support for seafarers is just as important as their employers when looking to build a truly sustainable business
Balancing a disruptive reputation with a pragmatic approach to problem-solving, and how a unique combination of these divergent messages help Seafair get their message across
 
Favorite book: 
The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers