Jacob Bank, founder and CEO of Relay.app, former product lead at Google, discusses the transformative role of AI agents in modern workflows. He shares insights on Relay's evolution from a workflow tool to an AI-driven automation platform and the significance of robust integrations. Jacob emphasizes customer acquisition through community building and usage-based pricing models. Additionally, he reflects on entrepreneurial lessons, the future of AI in business, and the dynamic shifts it brings to team structures and productivity.
44:54
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
From Prototypes To Relay
Jacob Bank started Relay in 2021 after exploring many prototypes and named it for human-computer handoffs in workflows.
He ran a 2023 beta as an AI-powered workflow tool before pivoting toward automation and agents in 2024.
insights INSIGHT
Positioning Shapes Market Opportunity
Positioning matters: labeling Relay as a no-code automation tool narrowed its audience and perception.
Shifting to an AI agent platform broadened the opportunity to help more businesses with transformative workflows.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Prioritize Robust Integrations
Prioritize integrations across the dozen core tool categories most businesses use like email, CRM, and messaging.
Focus on depth and robustness over vanity counts to reach a useful critical mass for customers.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Join host Nataraj as he sits down with Jacob Bank, founder and CEO of Relay.app, a platform building AI agents to revolutionize how we work. **About the Episode:**This conversation explores the evolution of AI agents and how Relay is solving customer problems by automating cross-tool workflows. Jacob, a former product lead at Google (Gmail, G Suite), shares his entrepreneurial journey from academic AI research to building productivity tools. He discusses the challenges of product development in the fast-paced AI landscape and the importance of integrations for a successful product.Jacob explains how Relay transitioned from a workflow tool to an AI-powered automation platform. He delves into their customer acquisition strategy, focusing on product-led growth and community building, with a strong emphasis on content and partnerships.**Key Discussion Points:*** Evolution of Relay from workflow tool to AI agent platform* Building AI agents that integrate with various tools* Prioritizing integrations and the importance of robust APIs* Balancing AI automation with human-in-the-loop capabilities* Customer acquisition and the power of community building * Usage-based pricing models for AI agents* Jacob's entrepreneurial lessons learned* Scaling strategies and fundraising considerations* The future of work with AI agents**About the Guest and Host:****Jacob Bank:** Founder and CEO of Relay.app. Former product lead at Google (Gmail, G Suite), founder of Timeful (acquired by Google).→ LinkedIn: Search for Jacob Bank (currently waiting for LinkedIn Integration)→ Website: https://www.relay.app/**Nataraj:** Host of the Startup Project podcast, Senior PM at Azure & Investor.→ LinkedIn: / natarajsindam→ Twitter: https://x.com/natarajsindam→ Email updates: https://startupproject.substack.com/→ Website: https://thestartupproject.io**Timestamps:*** 00:00 - Introduction and Guest Introduction* 00:58 - What is Relay and how did it get started? * 07:18 - Transitioning to an AI agent platform * 08:06 - Prioritizing tool integrations* 12:14 - Traction and company scale* 13:30 - Driving adoption and product-led growth* 19:57 - Upcoming integrations* 24:19 - Open-source integrations discussion* 26:38 - Competition and differentiation* 28:15 - Pricing models* 30:19 - Lessons from previous company* 32:35 - The future of AI agents* 38:06 - Scaling and fundraising* 41:43 - Working at Google vs. StartupSubscribe to Startup Project for more engaging conversations with leading entrepreneurs!→ Email updates: https://startupproject.substack.com/#StartupProject #Relay #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Agents #AIWorkflows #NoCode #Automation #Productivity #SaaS #Integrations #CommunityBuilding #ProductLedGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Podcast #YouTube #Tech #Innovation
Startup Project: Build the future 