Category Visionaries

Joselyn Lai, CEO & Co-Founder of Bedrock Energy, brings her passion for sustainability to the geothermal energy space. The discussion dives into her motivation for harnessing geothermal power to combat the climate crisis. Joselyn outlines how Bedrock is making geothermal systems cost-effective and accessible, particularly for urban developments. She emphasizes the dual economic and environmental benefits of their technology and shares insights from a successful pilot project, illustrating the promising future of geothermal energy in reshaping sustainability.

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 Mike Weiland, CEO & Co-Founder of Govly, a public sector procurement platform that's raised over $13 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: From Necessity to Innovation: Govly was born out of the need for software to manage internal operations at Mike's previous government contracting company, leading to a platform that now serves the industry. The Value of Process in Government Contracting: Despite the bureaucracy, Mike highlights the dependability of government contracts due to their strict rules and regulations. Misconceptions About Government Contracting: Many believe that all government opportunities are available on public forums like Sam.gov, but Mike explains the importance of private contract vehicles in the process. Marketing Approach: Initially, Govly's growth was driven by founder-led sales and word-of-mouth, with a significant marketing push only beginning recently. Challenges in Fundraising: Timing and market conditions play crucial roles in successful fundraising. Maintaining relationships with top VC firms is essential. Growth and Stickiness: Govly's platform has become business-critical for its users, leading to significant growth, from $360,000 ARR in 2022 to an expected $4 million by the end of this year.   //   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

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 Mykolas Rambus, CEO & Co-Founder of Hush, a cybersecurity company that's raised $7.5 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Navigating the .com Bubble: Mykolas shared how his first company, Lobby7, navigated the .com bubble burst by pivoting business models and ultimately selling in 2003. Building Wealthex: Wealthex emerged from the 2008 financial crisis, providing a Bloomberg-like platform for private bankers using public internet data, leading to a successful exit. The Birth of Hush: Hush was founded to address data privacy, focusing on removing personal information from the internet to prevent cyberattacks on employees. Tackling Cybersecurity Threats: Mykolas discussed the rise of AI-driven cyber threats and how Hush proactively mitigates risks by eliminating accessible personal data. Effective Marketing in Cybersecurity: Hush's marketing strategy revolves around building trust through referrals and email campaigns to ensure companies are aware of the service when they need it. Vision for Privacy: Mykolas envisions a future where 20% of the American workforce is protected by services like Hush, significantly reducing cybersecurity risks and enhancing data privacy. // 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

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 Liz Gilligan, CEO & Founder of Material Evolution, a sustainable cement company that has raised $19 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Cement Chose Liz: Liz transitioned into cement research serendipitously, finding the vast potential impact of decarbonizing an industry responsible for 8% of global emissions. Startup in a Garage: Early on, Material Evolution operated from Liz’s parents' garage, where they developed two tons of material during the pandemic, showing resourcefulness and resilience. Initial Target Market: The company's initial customers are concrete manufacturers in the precast industry, which offers a controlled environment to test and refine their sustainable cement. Navigating Traditional Industries: While many traditional cement companies are open to innovation, some resist change. Liz focuses on engaging with forward-thinking clients eager to adopt sustainable solutions. Regulatory Changes: The evolving regulatory landscape, including carbon taxes and updated standards, supports the adoption of new, sustainable materials and technologies. Challenges of Scaling: Building factories presents significant challenges, from securing adequate power supply to navigating environmental regulations. Material Evolution is learning and iterating from each step in this process.   //   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  

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 Claudius Jehle, CEO & Co-Founder of Volytica Diagnostics, a battery diagnostics platform that has raised over $9 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Pioneering Battery Diagnostics: Claudius transitioned from mechanical engineering to e-mobility, focusing on the degradation and quality assessment of electric bus batteries, leading to the foundation of Volytica Diagnostics. Innovative Technology Development: Initially working with telematic IoT devices, Claudius developed algorithms to analyze field data from batteries in real-time, which became the core IP of Volytica Diagnostics. Navigating Early Challenges: The company faced significant challenges during its early days, especially amid COVID-19, including securing funding and negotiating licensing agreements with academic institutions. Strategic Early Adopters: Claudius emphasized the importance of speaking at industry events and leveraging his network to attract early adopters, though he noted the need for a more scalable approach like webinars and online marketing. Global Monitoring: Volytica Diagnostics now monitors over a gigawatt hour of batteries across various applications worldwide, including utility-scale systems and public transport, showcasing their expansive growth and traction. Critical Go-to-Market Decisions: The decision to focus on API-based integrations and partnering with established companies in the logistics and utility sectors was pivotal, allowing for scalable and widespread adoption of their technology. //   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  

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 Lars Grønnegaard Hansen, CEO & Co-Founder at Dreamdata, a B2B revenue attribution platform that has raised over $12 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Tech Scene Evolution in Copenhagen: Lars discusses the growth of the tech scene in Copenhagen, highlighting the emergence of successful companies like Vivino and Zendesk, which have paved the way for newer ventures like Dreamdata. Dreamdata’s Founding: Coming from a background in user experience and product development at Trustpilot, Lars and his co-founders launched Dreamdata to address the challenges B2B marketers face in linking marketing efforts directly to revenue generation. Focus on Data Integration: Dreamdata differentiates itself by integrating deeply with modern data stacks, allowing B2B marketers to perform sophisticated revenue attribution and optimize marketing spend based on data-driven insights. Changing the Attribution Conversation: Lars emphasizes the shift from using attribution merely as a tool for assigning credit to viewing it as essential for operational optimization and strategic planning in marketing. Automated Marketing Optimization: Dreamdata aims to automate B2B marketing processes, drawing parallels to advancements in B2C marketing automation that have transformed customer acquisition strategies. The Future Vision for Dreamdata: Looking ahead, Lars sees Dreamdata at the forefront of automating go-to-market strategies for B2B companies, enabling them to scale efficiently with technology-driven solutions.   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  

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 Gary Ong, CEO & Founder of Celadyne, a green hydrogen platform that's raised over $5 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Genesis of Celadyne: Gary discussed how his PhD research in material science led to the founding of Celadyne, focusing on hydrogen technologies to aid industrial decarbonization and durable trucking. Navigating COVID Challenges: The startup faced significant challenges during COVID-19, including finding alternative lab spaces and working in shifts to maintain progress. Simplifying Technology for Commercialization: Gary explained how focusing on the most critical feature—gas permeability—helped streamline the development process and reduce the commercialization timeline. Government Contracts: Securing contracts with the Department of Energy and Department of Defense required patience and a deep understanding of their unique needs and specifications. High-Touch Marketing Approach: Celadyne uses a high-touch, B2B marketing strategy, leveraging existing connections within the hydrogen ecosystem to engage with key decision-makers at major OEMs. Fundraising Insights: Gary emphasized the importance of selecting investors who offer more than just capital, highlighting the value of expertise and strategic alignment in the fundraising process. //   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

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 Chris McCall, CEO & Co-Founder of Valid8, a verified financial intelligence platform that's raised $14.8 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Genesis of Valid8: Chris shared the origin story of Valid8, inspired by a high-profile Ponzi scheme investigation and the need for verified financial data. First Customer Journey: It took two and a half years to acquire their first paying customer due to the high bar for quality and feature completeness required by accountants and lawyers. Market Segmentation: Valid8's primary markets are accounting, government, and legal, with accounting being the largest segment, followed by state and federal government clients. Marketing Philosophy: The company recently invested in marketing, focusing on a sage persona that delivers deep subject matter expertise to highly sophisticated professionals. Category Creation: Chris explained the emerging category of Verified Financial Intelligence (VFI), which ensures data quality and supports evidence-based professional opinions. Future Vision: Valid8 aims to drive transparency and efficiency in the financial system by reducing sample risk and enhancing data transparency, ultimately lowering the cost of capital.   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

Welcome to Marketing From the Front Lines, where we have unfiltered conversations with the B2B marketers who are bringing innovative technology to market. In today's episode, we're speaking with Ani Chaudhuri, CEO & Co-Founder of Dasera, a data security platform that has raised $21 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: RSA Highlights: Ani shared his experience at RSA, where he walked 21 miles in four days, emphasizing the intense activity and engagement at the event. Evolution of Tech Companies: Ani discussed how building tech companies has evolved over 20 years, highlighting the shift from owning servers to leveraging existing infrastructures. Data Security Fundamentals: Dasera's approach to data security revolves around four key questions: where is my data, what data do I have, who has access, and what risk is introduced. Market Readiness: Ani emphasized the importance of market readiness for success, explaining how the increasing awareness and regulations around data security have benefited Dasera. Fundraising Insights: He detailed the stages of fundraising, from pre-seed to Series A, and how focusing on customer success and market validation was crucial. Future Vision: Looking ahead, Ani believes the future of data security will involve more comprehensive and automated solutions that integrate signals from various platforms to provide context-aware security.   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

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 René Janssen, CEO & Founder of Lepaya, an employee training platform that has raised over $85 Million in funding.  Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Global Upskilling Need: René describes the universal need for upskilling among the 3.3 billion global workforce, driven by rapid changes in job requirements and skill sets. Lepaya addresses this by offering a platform that combines technology with human expertise to enhance work effectiveness and prevent burnout. Personal Drive: The idea for Lepaya stemmed from René's own experiences at Lazada, where he observed significant inefficiencies and employee turnover due to inadequate skills training and development processes. Combination of Tech and Human Touch: Lepaya differentiates itself by integrating technology with human-led training, recognizing that essential workplace skills—like leadership and communication—are inherently human and benefit from real interaction. Market Size and Opportunity: The global market for employee development is vast, with current spending estimated at around $400 billion annually. Lepaya positions itself within the 'people development' category, focusing on universally applicable skills across industries. Challenges in Market Adoption: Initially, Lepaya faced challenges in market penetration due to its innovative approach, which significantly deviates from traditional training methods. The solution required educating potential clients about the unique benefits of integrating technology with personalized human training. Vision for the Future: René envisions Lepaya as a leader in the people development space, significantly impacting how companies invest in human capital to remain competitive and ensure employee well-being and productivity. 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