Category Visionaries

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Devin Horsman, CTO & Co-Founder at Arcturus, a volumetric content platform that's raised over $22 Million in funding, about the growing gap between what technology is capable of and how most of us continue to access media today. A volumetric content platform working to bring the spatial reality of holographic recording to the vast volumes of video we all consume every day, Arcturus intends to give us all an unmatched viewing experience more immersive than ever before. We also speak about the vision of independence which led Arcturus to entrepreneurship, the highs and lows of going on a startup journey, the role augmented reality and holographic recordings is likely to play in the future of our media landscape, and how Arcturus has a grand vision to replace video everywhere it exists today. Topics Discussed: How the idea of pursuing his own independent vision led Devin to the road towards entrepreneurship The current developments in video and media technology set to transform our media landscape of the future The highs and lows of a startup journey, and how Devin finds the strength and motivation to keep moving Why Devin believes that building the right team will always be the key to good business, and how he believes it can be done Arcturus’ grand vision to replace video everywhere it exists today, and just how they plan to go about making it happen   Favorite book:  Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Omri Gazitt, CEO & Founder at Aserto, an authorization as a service platform that's raised over $5 Million in funding, about why authorization in the cloud-economy era is absolutely essential, and how Aserto is hoping to make this perennial problem a thing of the past. With a distributed systems architecture putting the right authorization in the hands of the people who need it most, Aserto helps empower relevant decision-makers while keeping security at the highest possible standard. We also speak about Omri’s entrepreneurial journey and his experiences with multiple startups, the importance of authorization in the cloud economy era, why product-market fit is the biggest challenge for every company, and why a distributed system for access authorization is absolutely key, all without sacrificing security. Topics Discussed: Omri’s entrepreneurial journey and his experiences working with multiple startups over the years How Omri came to settle on authorization as a perennial problem that needed to be solved  The critical role of authorization in the cloud-economy era, and why it’s not just an issue of ‘who can log in’ The central importance of product-market fit for any startup trying to make it in business today Why Omri thinks that at the end of the day, the most important thing in business is to stay focused and true to your vision   Favorite book: Steve Jobs

  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 Rajat Mishra, Founder & CEO of Prezent, a presentation productivity platform that's raised over $24 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Personal Drive and Vision: Rajat's journey from a senior executive at Cisco to founding Prezent was driven by a desire to democratize business communication, helping professionals improve their presentation skills and save time. Initial Challenges and Learnings: The early days of Prezent involved numerous iterations and extensive customer feedback to refine the product, highlighting the importance of quickly prototyping and validating ideas with real users. Targeting Large Enterprises: Despite the challenges, Rajat's focus on large enterprises paid off, leveraging his background and network to secure major clients by demonstrating immediate value through a simple and intuitive product. Significant Time and Cost Savings: Prezent's platform can save up to 75% of the time spent on creating presentations, translating into substantial cost savings and efficiency gains for enterprises. Complementing Technology with Services: By partnering with service providers for last-mile execution, Prezent ensures a comprehensive solution that combines software and services, catering to all aspects of business communication. Future Vision: Rajat envisions Prezent as the go-to platform for all business communication needs, democratizing presentation success and enabling professionals to become better communicators.  

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 Nik Talreja, CEO & Co-Founder of Sydecar, a deal execution platform for venture investors that's raised over $16 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Identifying Inefficiencies: Nik shares how his experience as an attorney revealed the inefficiencies in venture capital operations and led to the creation of Sydecar to automate and standardize the process. Transition from Law to Startup: The journey from a successful legal career to startup founder was driven by a desire for greater impact and excitement, despite the initial risks and uncertainties. Value of Grit: Nik emphasizes the importance of grit and team building as key traits for successful founders, based on his observations and personal experiences. Long-Term Vision: Sydecar’s mission is to transform the venture capital industry with a focus on long-term goals, aiming for a paradigm shift over the next 10-20 years. Growth and Traction: Sydecar has shown impressive growth, moving from a concept to a platform with a rapidly increasing annual run rate, driven by customer satisfaction and word-of-mouth. Partnership Opportunities: The potential for Sydecar to partner with traditional fund administrators and law firms, offering an embeddable solution to modernize their services.  

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Sam Mallikarjunan, Co-Founder & CEO of OneScreen, an offline advertising platform that's raised $10 Million in funding, about why in an oversaturated marketplace confronted with regulatory limits and suspicion from the public, it might be time to take advertising back into the physical world. Bridging the digital divide by providing their clients with real-time analytics about their physical advertising strategies, Onescreen helps to deliver the measurable metrics that marketers crave from traditional media that might have once been considered dead. We also speak about Sam’s unique career trajectory, his years at HubSpot and the lessons he learned about what it takes to make it in the tech sector, how the pandemic provided the original impetus for OneScreen’s innovative strategy, and why taking the leap into the startup space might not be for everyone unless you’re ready to do a lot of independent learning Topics Discussed: How working in the cigar industry eventually brought Sam to a dynamic career in marketing Sam’s time at HubSpot, from the unique job application strategy that got him in the door to the lessons he brought with him when he left How the pandemic provided the impetus for a marketing innovation which would eventually become OneScreen Why measurable indicators are the thing that modern marketers crave above all, and how OneScreen provides them from physical marketing strategies Why, unless you’re ready to do a lot of independent learning, the startup adventure might not be for everyone Why an oversaturated digital marketing space is limiting the ROI for targeted advertising, and what other options are available

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 speak with Sid Jha, Founder & CEO at Arbol, a climate risk management platform that's raised over $20 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Sid’s early life in India and how he came to find himself fascinated with the natural world The current state of the insurance landscape and how Arbol looks set to disrupt it The inherent challenge of climate-based risk that comes from complexity and connectivity between natural systems How blockchain will change the way insurance functions and even create new potential markets Why transparency is key to building trust and sustainability in the insurance industry //   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 Jeff Radke, Co-Founder and CEO at Accelerant, an insurance technology company that's raised over $500 Million in funding, about why empowering underwriters with cutting-edge technology helps everyone get access to the coverage they need. After years of dissatisfaction from industry veterans regarding the aging technology stacks the industry was working with, Jeffrey and his team have given people access to the data they need to drive the right insurance decisions. We also speak about Jeff’s choice to get into the insurance industry at a very young age and how that led him to where he is today, building the relationships which have helped him grow both professionally and personally, how Accelerant grew to writing over a billion dollars last year, and why the path to success sometimes means changing direction.   Topics Discussed: Jeff’s early start in the insurance space and what stimulated this decision at such a young age Industry dissatisfaction with the insurance sector’s aging technology, and why Jeff and his team thought they could do it better Why relationships are so important to Jeff’s career, and also to his personal growth as an individual Why, when it comes to insurance, data is much more important than the technology it’s built on The flywheel of Accelerant’s business growth and why Jeff is optimistic about the future Why a pivot at the right moment might be just what you need to keep on the path to success   Favorite book: Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute

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 Sid Upadhyay, Co-Founder and CEO of Wizehire, a small business hiring platform that's raised over $37 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Bootstrap to Venture-Backed: Sid discusses Wizehire’s journey from a bootstrapped company to securing $37 million in funding, emphasizing the importance of achieving product-market fit before seeking venture capital. Customer Obsession: Wizehire’s success is attributed to a relentless focus on customer needs, delivering a hiring platform that goes beyond traditional applicant tracking systems. Navigating Market Challenges: Sid shares how Wizehire adapted during the early months of the pandemic by pivoting industries and expanding their addressable market. Community Building: The importance of engaging with niche communities and providing value beyond just sales, helping to build long-term trust and organic growth. Category Creation: Insights into the commitment required for category creation and the role of storytelling and partnerships in establishing a new market category. Future Vision: Sid outlines Wizehire’s goal to support small businesses from hiring to other critical functions like payroll and insurance, aiming to level the playing field for SMBs.

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Hala Borno, Founder and CEO of Trial Library, an evidence-based platform for improving patient recruitment and diversity in oncology clinical trials, about why a more representative candidate pool is key to the future of better health for everyone. Trial Library partners with study sponsors to recruit candidates from a wide range of backgrounds to make sure that the principles of health equity are built into the process from the bottom up. We also speak about Hala’s personal experience with her mother’s care choices that led her to a career in medicine, how she balances maintaining a commitment to patients with the responsibilities of being a CEO, what it means to build a public benefit company with empathy as its ‘North star,’  and why diversity in clinical trials depends largely on healthcare providers’ role as the gatekeepers. Topics Discussed: How her mother’s personal challenges with overcoming health barriers led Hala to a career in medicine Hala’s background as a researcher in health equity, and what that term means in the context of the modern economy What it’s like to found a ‘public benefit company’ with empathy as its guiding principle in a highly competitive economy How Trial Library generates income by acting as a recruitment intermediary for study sponsors and helping them meet diversity targets The challenges of keeping a commitment to patient health while also taking on the responsibilities of a startup CEO Why healthcare providers remain the gatekeepers to clinical trials, and what their role in achieving health equity in the future is likely to be   Favorite book:  The Emperor of All Maladies

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Iain Cooper, CEO of SeekOps Inc., an emission monitoring company that has raised $23 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Iain’s journey from Scotland, to England, and how he ended up in Austin, Texas as the CEO of SeekOps. The CEOs Iain admires most and what makes them stand out among a crowded field of their peers How Iain felt going from the dizzying heights of the corporate world to statup CEO How SeekOps successfully navigates between their clients in the industry, regulators, and ultimately, their bottom line SeekOps traction and growth predictions for the next 3 years, how they continue to generate exponential returns and what that means for their scaling in the future //   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