Category Visionaries

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Stephany Kirkpatrick, CEO and Founder of Orum, an API integration platform for instant payouts that's raised over $85 Million in funding, about why the future of financial services looks fundamentally different, with everyone given the freedom to build their potential. With fully-developed financial infrastructure enabling their customers to more effectively save, manage and receive funding, Orum’s mission is to eliminate the constraints of socioeconomic status for all. We also speak about Stephany’s background in financial planning, how she became a ‘savings and payments nerd,’ why payout solutions can really help businesses grow through easier access to all important finance, why 250 million Americans are in need of a better financial system, and how to build something new based on breaking free from the status quo. Topics Discussed: Stephany’s career background as a financial planner, and how she eventually became a ‘savings and payments nerd’ The current state of our financial infrastructure, and why 250 million Americans need something better The central role of a real-time payments network in keeping on top of a business’ finances in the modern economy How socioeconomic status shapes our economic potential, and why Orum is on a mission to shatter those constraints Why Orum’s unique offering lies in its superior optimization and orchestration services for their customers   Favorite book:  Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

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 Stephany Lapierre, Founder & CEO of Tealbook, a supplier data platform that's raised over $72 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Inspiration from Family Legacy: Stephany was inspired by her entrepreneurial family background, particularly her grandmother's successful management of a Pepsi bottling and distribution business. Origin of Tealbook: The idea for Tealbook was sparked by Stephany's experience in consulting, where she saw the inefficiencies in supplier data management at large companies like Johnson & Johnson. Competitive Differentiation: Tealbook stands out by using machine learning to automate the enrichment and distribution of supplier data, eliminating the need for manual data entry and portals. Creating a New Category: Tealbook coined the term "supplier data platform" to differentiate itself in the market and has worked with analysts and thought leaders to establish this new category. Raising Capital as a Female Founder: Stephany shared insights on the challenges female founders face in raising capital and the importance of building a complementary team and finding the right voice in investor meetings. Vision for the Future: Stephany envisions Tealbook becoming the gold standard for supplier data, integrated into every major procurement system, and expanding its data packs to unlock more use cases and deliver greater value to clients. //   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

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Kirby Winfield, Founding GP at Ascend VC, about his love for angel investing and the passion he feels in providing founder-friendly venture capital with genuine value to add to their partners’ offerings. By leaning into projects they have a genuine love for and interest in, Ascend gives so much more than just capital, forging a unique identity among a crowded field of VC firms through real commitment and support to turn business aspirations into commercial reality. We also speak about Kirby’s background in the startup space and taking his first company public in 1990s, how Ascend was founded and developed its investment strategy, the future of venture capital in a post-covid economy, and why, when trying to raise funds, building relationships is a never-ending process that takes dedication to get right.   Topics Discussed: Kirby’s career in the startup space, and taking his first company to market as far back as the late 90s The inspiration for founding Ascend and the unique approach to investment which places this generalist VC in a class of its own How Kirby learned to pursue his own path in the investment space, and stopped worrying about emulating others’ success Why, as a founder seeking funding, it’s important to stay committed to a consisted cycle of building investor relationships The vital role of personal fit in pursuing investments, and why everyone should play to their strengths Being a ‘recovering marketer,’ and setting out on a path towards more specialist skills and expertise

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Brian Lozes, Founder & CEO of Kinemagic, an industrial immersive experience platform that's raised $3 Million in funding, about why virtual spaces for clients to review critical engineering solutions is the future of the industry, and how Kinematic is making it happen. By providing a fully immersive walkthrough experience for clients to really understand what’s being built before expending time and resources on a solution that might need some reworking, Kinemagic is making some of our most important sectors more efficient, saving time, money, and wasted effort. We also speak about Brian’s background in the engineering and construction space and how he found himself living the problem statement that Kinemagic would eventually solve, why VR is allowing people to really see into the future, and the future of the technology itself including what it means for Brian’s industry and beyond. Topics Discussed: Brian’s career in engineering and construction, and what it taught him about the importance of thorough design inspection How Brian ended up living the problem statement that Kinemagic would ultimately set out to solve The massive inefficiency associated with reworking projects once construction has already started and the impact it has on the industry Why immersive VR is a game changer for the construction industry, and how it’s being deployed across a whole range of sectors Reality capture as an innovative offering helping clients get a real-world window on the projects they’re launching The future of VR technology and why we will all soon be living in an augmented world   Favorite book:  No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Eden Full Goh, Founder & CEO of Mobot, a mobile app testing platform that's raised over $17 Million in funding, about why realtime mobile testing is critical for the future of our app-driven lifestyles, and how Mobot positions itself as an indispensable tool in streamlining the process.  We also speak about her journey as a young entrepreneur and how she developed her company into a successful venture. She discusses her passion for environmental sustainability and how it led to the creation of Mobot, the importance of having a strong team, seeking mentorship, and staying true to one's values while building a business. Topics Discussed: How Eden took an early interest in entrepreneurship which has continued to shape her career The inspiration for Mobot and how Eden knew she was on to a winning idea by keeping things simple Why failure is a part of building a business that all entrepreneurs will have to confront at some point How mentorship plays a critical role in developing a person’s career Building a business while staying true to your principles in a highly competitive marketplace   Favorite book: Atomic Habits

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Shane McRann,  CEO at CHAMPtitles, a digital title management platform that's raised over $31 Million in funding, about why challenges of identifying ownership for key assets can have implications far beyond the sector they’re focused on, and how CHAMPtitles’ simplified, streamlined process helps get transfers and sales in motion. With an innovative digital platform to help people register their movable assets, CHAMPtitles’ long-term mission is to help people across sell, insure, and borrow money against them, empowering their critical economic choices. We also speak about Shane’s long road towards founding CHAMPtitles, through years of experience in finance and managing some unusual asset classes, why titling is so critical to economic empowerment, and how a system that people in the US take for granted could be a game changer for both governments and their constituents in other parts of the world. Topics Discussed: Shane’s career across finance and asset management, and the inspiration for CHAMPtitles’ tech offering Why registration is key to unlocking the true value of our most important assets How Blockchain technology is revolutionizing the way trust-based industries function Why building networks of both investors and mentors is a crucial element of developing a successful business How identifying real-world problems will always be the key to building a company with genuine product-market fit Why Shane envisions CHAMPtitles as a ‘B to G to C’ company, as long as ‘c’ stands for ‘constituents’   Favorite book:  The Monk and the Riddle: The Art of Creating a Life While Making a Living

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Craig Rupp, Founder & CEO at Sabanto, an AG tech company that's raised over $22 Million in funding, about why autonomy is the future of agriculture, and how Sabanto’s innovative offering is driving the next generation of farm tech. With a full stack of solutions covering practically every field in row-crop planted agriculture, Sabanto allows their clients to deploy autonomous technology into the world’s oldest economic sector. We also speak about Craig’s career path before founding Sabanto, and what finally led him to AG tech, the complex challenges associated with planting and producing agricultural products and how it took years to develop a marketable product, and why autonomy is set to establish itself firmly in the future of farming. Topics Discussed: Craig’s career trajectory up until founding Sabanto, and how he eventually found himself at the cutting edge of agro-tech The challenges of building real-world solutions to agriculture’s complex challenges The years-long process of developing a marketable product, from outreach with farmers to finding the right engineers The lack of labor facing contemporary farmers, and why AG tech supports, rather than supplants, farm workers Why a future of autonomous farming will be more flexible and efficient, and why Craig is excited to be a part of it   Favorite book:  How to Win Friends & Influence People

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Guilhem de Marliave, Co-Founder & CEO of Elistair, a tethered drone manufacturer that's raised over €8 Million in funding, about why a new generation of tethered drones fills a critical niche in the contemporary information economy. By eliminating the restrictions of short battery life and broadening the compliance with certain regulations against flying, Elistair is developing a unique niche in the rapidly-maturing drone market, where specific tools for specific tasks looks set to be the future. We also speak about Guilhem’s first-hand experiences dealing with the limitations of free-flying drones, the inspiration for the ‘tethered drone’ concept, the strategic and practical benefits of tethered drones for certain critical tasks, and why Elistair’s offering is a supplement, not a replacement, for the free-flying models most of us associate with drone technology. Topics Discussed: Guilhem’s experiences in the nascent drone sector, and his inspiration for developing tethered models The limitations of free-flying drones, and how the tethered system helps overcome many of them The critical spaces in which tethered drones have a clear advantage over free-flying drones, but why they’re not a replacement for every function The slow pace of regulations compared to the development of technology, and why tech firms need to work with regulators to build a system that works for everyone The current state of the drone sector, and the handful of companies really leading the process of innovation How the drone market is maturing into one where specific models for specific tasks looks set to be the future   Favorite book:  The Roots of Evil: A Postmodern Exploration of the Unintended Consequences of Civilization

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Ron Benegbi, Founder & CEO at Uplinq,  a credit assessment and scoring platform for small business lenders that's raised over $5 Million in funding, about why small businesses the world over have been excluded from ethical credit servicing for so long, and why bringing them into the world of financial services is a great move for everyone in these uncertain economic times. By providing empirical, data based insights to support both creditors and their clients, Uplinq facilitates smart financial decision making and ultimately long term, sustainable success. We also speak about Ron’s extensive startup experience and why Uplinq is the business in which he has found the most passion, what it’s like building a business up from nothing, and why, in business, if it’s not a win-win solution, then you’re most likely looking at both parties losing out in the long run. Topics Discussed: Ron’s experience in the startup economy, and why, out of five businesses he’s started so far, Uplinq is the one he’s most passionate about The critical role of small business in the modern economy, and why supporting them building a better business environment for everyone The challenges of financial access for small businesses, and the bureaucratic burden which they struggle to overcome How Uplinq uses data to empower decision makers and drive smart investment in tomorrow’s successful enterprises Why Ron sees the status quo as the biggest challenge to overcome, and supports other business working to change it, even Uplinq’s competitors   Favorite book:  Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't

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 Brian King, CEO of LODAS Markets, a marketplace for alternative investments that has raised $8.5 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Background in Marketplaces: Brian's extensive experience includes being part of the startup team for Bats Markets and launching Bats Europe, which is now the largest exchange in Europe. Inspiration for LODAS Markets: The idea for LODAS Markets stemmed from observing family and friends trapped in illiquid investments, motivating Brian to create a more liquid marketplace for alternative investments. Initial Traction: LODAS Markets has attracted significant buy-side interest, with over $1-$2 billion represented in the marketplace from institutional investors such as insurance companies, hedge funds, and PE firms. Overcoming Marketplace Challenges: Balancing the chicken-and-egg dilemma of attracting both buyers and sellers was a major challenge, which the company overcame by leveraging relationships with financial advisors and creating top-of-funnel strategies. Competitive Landscape: LODAS Markets faces limited competition in creating secondary markets for private real estate and private funds, distinguishing itself as an ATS (Alternative Trading System) functioning like a stock exchange for real estate. Vision for the Future: Brian envisions a future where alternative investments are interconnected through technology, making it easier for investors of all kinds to access and thrive in this market. //   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