Fund/Build/Scale Lessons from Operant AI's Startup Journey: “ We're not wasting time on wheel spinning.”
Two of the three co-founders of Operant AI — CTO Dr. Priyanka Tembey and CMO Ashley Roof — joined me to talk about building the first runtime application protection platform and navigating the challenges of cloud-native security. The company announced a $10M Series A in September 2024 — In October, we discussed taking the leap into entrepreneurship, the lessons they learned through customer discovery and education, making early hires count, and the importance of early-stage team dynamics.
RUNTIME: 48:14 EPISODE BREAKDOWN(2:28) “ I think it was within six months that we were able to have our first customer conversation.”
(3:46) What can customers do with a runtime application protection platform?
(9:38) “ What is interesting about our team is we don't come from prior security vendor companies.”
(12:59) Ashley explains how her first “real job” at Google eventually led her to Operant AI.
(15:51) “ I had many years of imposter syndrome to get over.”
(17:57) Why working with design partner teams is key, particularly for stealth startups.
(20:43) Priyanka discusses the company’s early customer education efforts.
(24:23) Ashley on why previous runtime application protection products hit “the trough of despair pretty fast.”
(28:26) Turning design partners into paying customers was part of their seed-to-Series A transition.
(31:04) Priyanka explains how Operant AI runs proof-of-concept programs for customers.
(34:28) Why they decided to start up in stealth.
(36:29) “ I honestly don't know how any consumer company could possibly start in stealth.”
(38:35) “ We have the technical leadership in place now… to scale the product further.”
(41:02) Inside their recruiting strategy and process.
(44:35) What’s changed since closing the Series A?
LINKS- Operant AI
- Dr. Priyanka Tembey co-founder, CTO
- Ashley Roof, co-founder, CMO
- Operant AI Secures $10M Series A to Protect the Modern Cloud Across APIs, Applications and AI
- SOC 2 compliance
Thanks for listening!
– Walter.