S2E29: I set up a series A inside my growth stage company | Matthew Scullion (Matillion)

With over $100 million in recurring revenue, data productivity company Matillion was a thriving, established enterprise. Yet CEO Matthew Scullion spotted a fundamental threat on the horizon. In this episode of the GetPaid podcast, Matthew tells host Manny Medina why he pivoted Matillion’s focus, preemptively, before the rising tide of AI disrupted both their data engineer user base, and the product itself.

Matillion’s response is Maia: an AI‑powered “agentic data engineering team.”

To build Maia, Scullion assembled the “Maia A‑Team,” a small, multi‑functional startup within the larger organisation. Modelled after a Series A company, the A‑Team favoured agility and short feedback loops over the rhythms of a growth‑stage business.

This approach helped quickly prove the concept, learn new go‑to‑market motions, and validate the product through a lighthouse programme with key customers. In this episode, Scullion shares the conviction that came from seeing the technology work. The Maia pivot required rethinking the company’s core assumptions and structure, but ultimately delivered validation at speed.

Commercially, Maia shifts Matillion from selling incremental tools to practitioners, to delivering greater enterprise value to executive buyers such as CDOs and CIOs. That unlocks larger budget pools often reserved for BPO, consulting, and human capital. Scullion also explains how zero‑dollar contracts helped Matillion partner with customers early, securing critical validation and public success stories ahead of launch.

Matthew’s story is a clear reminder to turn the “fear” of disruption into a focused strategy. As AI and agentic solutions reshape how business gets done, Matillion’s journey offers practical lessons for leaders on the edge of inevitable change.

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