Podcasts about seed round

This episode originally aired in February 2024 and quickly became one of the most popular episodes of The Journey. Whether you're tuning in for the first time or revisiting this conversation, this episode will help you make informed decisions in your business!   Ever thought about raising venture capital for your business? In this episode, Morgan DeBaun breaks down everything a founder should know before diving into the venture fundraising process, sharing her invaluable insights from the perspective of both a fundraiser and an investor.   In this episode: 00:00 Introduction to Venture Funding 00:10 Should You Raise Money? 00:48 Understanding Angel Investors 02:55 The Importance of Traction 05:23 Navigating the Seed Round 06:44 Legal Considerations and Mistakes 08:29 Painting a Big Vision 10:57 Executing Your Plan 11:48 Hitting Milestones and Fundraising Timelines 12:31 The Importance of Momentum 13:31 Series Seed and Extensions 15:16 Navigating Series A 17:29 Series B and Beyond 19:19 Balancing Operations and Fundraising 20:56 Final Tips and Resources   First up, Morgan dives into a crucial question: Should you even raise venture capital for your business? Spoiler alert: More often than not, the answer is no. But for those who do opt for the fundraising path, Morgan warns that the venture capital journey won't be easy.   Through the episode, Morgan breaks down the phases of venture funding, from the Friends and Family and Angel Round to the critical Seed Round, all the way to the Series A, B, and C Rounds and beyond. She shares the benefits and challenges of each round and highlights what founders should pay attention to as they navigate the process. Morgan shares what she looks for in the entrepreneurs she chooses to support as an angel investor: resilience and grit. It's these qualities that often make the difference between success and failure in the cutthroat world of startups. Not sure if venture funding is the right choice for your business? After you listen to the episode, check out Morgan's workshop [link below] which will help you decide if fundraising is the appropriate next step for your startup. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review!   Pre-order Rewrite Your Rules: https://worksmartprogram.com/book/   Make sure you are following Morgan on TikTok to follow along with her beauty and wellness journey! https://www.tiktok.com/@morgandebaun?_ Join the Newsletter for More Exclusive Content: https://worksmartprogram.ac-page.com/thejourneypodcast Visit Mormatcha.com to make a purchase. Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thejourneybymdb Produced by MicMoguls.

This first time founder just raised a $38 million Series A. The crazy part is that for all of 2021, 2022, 2023, he had almost no revenue. He spent all that time building and pivoting. Finally he launched in 2024—and it blew up.I saw his LinkedIn post and his revenue chart doesn't look like a hockey stick... it looks like straight a vertical line. He built a health benefits platform—it doesn't get less sexy than that. And yet, it absolutely exploded to millions in ARR in less than a year.All because he figured out how to make something that every single company in the U.S. needs, exceptionally simple. Here's the story.Why you should listen:Why choosing the right co-founder is the most important thing.Why having a mission is crucial to make it through the ups and downs.How to listen to and understand customer pain points. Why pivots are not a bad thing, and can actually be the key to crazy traction.How to use external deadlines to drive urgency and focus .KeywordsThatch, startup journey, co-founders, healthcare innovation, product market fit, venture capital, entrepreneurship, health benefits, business challenges, pivoting, healthcare, startups, product development, market demand, customer needs, external deadlines, product market fit, scaling, company culture, founder intuitionTimestamps:(00:00:00) Intro (00:02:27) Finding the Right Co-Founder(00:10:23) Why You Need to Go All In(00:16:20) The Seed Round & Pivoting From the Original Idea of Thatch(00:30:08) How to use external deadlines to drive focus(00:37:55) The Growth in 2024 & The Business Model(00:42:16) The Benefits of Forcing Functions(00:45:58) How Many Customers are Using Thatch Today?(00:47:50) Finding True Product Market Fit(00:52:10) People Didn't Believe in ThatchSend me a message to let me know what you think!

On Episode 804 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is celebrating Valentine's Day in the supply chain by sharing your best trucking love stories.  Trump writes a love letter to the world by slapping every country with reciprocal tariffs. What you need to know before April 1. Response raised $4 million to simplify spend and procurement management. We'll meet CEO and co-founder Keivan Shahida. Before you head out on a date, you may want to know whose car you're getting in. If you're shipping freight, you want to know who is hauling that load. J. J. Keller's Mark Schedler talks all about background checks and MVR reports. Stephenson & Co. founder John Stephenson shares insights from their latest industry benchmarks. LTL signup form – Free Introductory Session - February 18, 2025 https://stephenson-co.com/2025-ltl-industry/ Truckload signup form – Free Introductory Session – February 25, 2025 https://stephenson-co.com/truckload-industry/ Small Package Delivery Industry – Free Introductory Session – February 20, 2025 https://stephenson-co.com/small-package-delivery/ Catch new shows live at noon EDT Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on FreightWaves LinkedIn, Facebook, X or YouTube, or on demand by looking up WHAT THE TRUCK?!? on your favorite podcast player and at 5 p.m. Eastern on SiriusXM's Road Dog Trucking Channel 146. Watch on YouTube Check out the WTT merch store Subscribe to the WTT newsletter Apple Podcasts Spotify More FreightWaves Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 804 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is celebrating Valentine's Day in the supply chain by sharing your best trucking love stories.  Trump writes a love letter to the world by slapping every country with reciprocal tariffs. What you need to know before April 1. Response raised $4 million to simplify spend and procurement management. We'll meet CEO and co-founder Keivan Shahida. Before you head out on a date, you may want to know whose car you're getting in. If you're shipping freight, you want to know who is hauling that load. J. J. Keller's Mark Schedler talks all about background checks and MVR reports. Stephenson & Co. founder John Stephenson shares insights from their latest industry benchmarks. LTL signup form – Free Introductory Session - February 18, 2025 https://stephenson-co.com/2025-ltl-industry/ Truckload signup form – Free Introductory Session – February 25, 2025 https://stephenson-co.com/truckload-industry/ Small Package Delivery Industry – Free Introductory Session – February 20, 2025 https://stephenson-co.com/small-package-delivery/ Catch new shows live at noon EDT Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on FreightWaves LinkedIn, Facebook, X or YouTube, or on demand by looking up WHAT THE TRUCK?!? on your favorite podcast player and at 5 p.m. Eastern on SiriusXM's Road Dog Trucking Channel 146. Watch on YouTube Check out the WTT merch store Subscribe to the WTT newsletter Apple Podcasts Spotify More FreightWaves Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, host Ben Murray sits down with Luis Garcia, the innovative president and co-founder of Pete, to unravel his inspiring journey. From his early days as a software engineer in Venezuela to launching a leading online university in the U.S., Luis shares key experiences that shaped his path in the world of digital education. Luis dives deep into the challenges of creating effective digital education materials and evaluating learning outcomes. He explains how Pete harnesses the power of generative AI to address these challenges, providing scalable training solutions for companies looking to enhance their workforce learning without extensive resources. Learn how Pete transforms existing materials into engaging courses and creates interactive learning experiences that effectively evaluate understanding. The episode also explores Pete's impressive growth trajectory and the potential of AI to revolutionize online education. With 16 customers and counting, Pete is poised for further expansion, demonstrating the increasing demand for innovative learning solutions. Listen in to discover Luis's vision for the future of corporate education and how Pete is setting the stage for transformative change in the industry. Show Notes: 00:00 Software Engineer Turned Education Pioneer 03:35 Rethinking Learning Evaluation Methods 09:35 Simulation Engine for Learning Scenarios 10:57 Collaborative Course Creation Model 14:55 Initial Cash Infusion and Growth 17:20 Community Investment and Job Growth 20:00 AI Boosts EdTech and Growth Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/pete-secures-2-million-in-seed-round Luis Garcia's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisegarcia/ Pete's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pete-learning/ Pete's Website: https://www.pete.com/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Spotify link... https://open.spotify.com/show/2nq6d35q9nFAFlanaJc2Do iTunes link... https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-life-being-human/id1360368906 Continue reading Ep 347 – Geode Seed Round Pitch at Dr. Kathryn Colleen, PhD RMT.

In episode #256, I address fundraise sizes. Let's break down common pre-seed and seed round raises. - Pre-seed round sizes - Seed round sizes - Sources from TheSaaSNews.com Join my SaaS community for the latest data, trends, and templates: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Volta, a new startup with a team split between two headquarters in Milan and Paris, has secured a €6 million pre-seed round ($6.3 million) to develop a new vertical software-as-a-service platform focused on B2B sales. In more practical terms, the Volta team pitches its product as an equivalent to Shopify but focused on B2B transactions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we dive into how Ensemble's Feature Enhancement technology is transforming the landscape of machine learning by empowering both novice and expert data scientists to achieve state-of-the-art results without the need for complex models or a PhD. We'll explore how Ensemble seamlessly integrates with any ML pipeline to intelligently enrich tabular and time series data, significantly improving model performance while reducing computational costs. Try Ensemble AI: https://ensemblecore.ai/ Alex Reneau: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-reneau-4b3086160/ Zach Albertson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zalbertson/ Get on the AI Box Waitlist: ⁠⁠⁠https://AIBox.ai/⁠⁠

Jason Marks is the Co-founder and CEO at TELO. TELO is developing EV pickup trucks in the footprint of a Mini Cooper with a bed the size of a Toyota Tacoma and the power of a mainstream truck. They're focused on urban use cases for pickup trucks, whether that be a weekend adventurer who lives in a city or an organization whose employees need trucks for work in urban environments but are fed up with navigating giant vehicles through traffic, parking, and underground lots.We were eager to hear Jason's perspective on why now is the right time to build an electric vehicle from the ground up, what makes TELO's approach uniquely positioned for a significant market opportunity, and why existing truck manufacturers haven't pursued this segment. Plus, we dive into the fascinating history of why today's pickup trucks have become so massive in the first place.MCJ is proud to support TELO as an investor through our venture capital fund, backing founders like Jason who are reshaping industries to be cleaner, more profitable, and more resilient.In this episode, we cover: [2:26] Jason's background in automotive [4:37] An overview of TELO and its purpose [6:13] How pickups have grown significantly larger over the past 15-20 years[11:15] The current EV truck market [12:47] Truck density in urban environments and challenges [15:51] TELO's approach to building EV an pickup[17:58] China's EV phenomenon and landscape [23:08] Current US EV market [24:51] TELO's unique approach to EV pickups[28:09] The company's battery chemistry [29:49] TELO's progress to date [32:05] Big milestones Jason and his team are working towards including homologation [35:59] TELO's go to market [38:20] Jason's vision for the future of his business[39:24] TELO's latest Seed Round led by Neo [41:08] Where TELO needs help [41:44] Biggest surprises in building a vehicle companyEpisode recorded on Oct 4, 2024 (Published on Nov 21, 2024) Stay Connected with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedIn | XVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ NewsletterEnjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.

What does it take to transition from being a dedicated emergency medicine physician to a groundbreaking entrepreneur? In this thought-provoking episode of The Angel Next Door Podcast, Marcia Dawood explores the journey of Dr. Liz Clayborne, the inspiring founder behind NasaClip. Liz's story sheds light on the innovative process of developing a medical device and the unique challenges she encountered while fundraising for her venture.Dr. Liz Clayborne is not your average entrepreneur. A committed emergency medicine physician and faculty member at the University of Maryland, Liz pivoted her career by creating NasaClip—a revolutionary hands-free nosebleed rescue device. Motivated by her ER experiences, where she treated numerous nosebleed cases, Liz designed a user-friendly solution and successfully raised funds from angel investors, VCs, and now a current Wefunder crowdfunding campaign.In this episode, Liz shares her journey from idea to market, detailing the various stages of fundraising and the obstacles she faced. This episode is essential for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, medical innovations, and using different fundraising strategies to achieve key milestones. To get the latest from Dr. Liz Clayborne, you can follow her below!LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethpclayborne/https://wefunder.com/nasaclip Sign up for Marcia's newsletter to receive tips and the latest on Angel Investing!Website: www.marciadawood.comLearn more about the documentary Show Her the Money: www.showherthemoneymovie.comAnd don't forget to follow us wherever you are!Apple Podcasts: https://pod.link/1586445642.appleSpotify: https://pod.link/1586445642.spotifyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/angel-next-door-podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theangelnextdoorpodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marciadawood

Justin sold his first bootstrapped startup for over $10M. He raised $2M out of the gate for his second and then grew from $250K to $3M ARR in one year. He raised $40M in total, including a Series B from Bessemer. And yet, just a week before recording the episode, he shared a post on LinkedIn about a recent panic attack that left him frozen for 15 minutes. It turns out, the sheer pressure of running a startup gets to him-- like it does to most founders-- and shows up in the forms of panic attacks. Fortunately, he's getting better, but like all of us, mental health is something he has to grapple with, despite all the success he's had.We discuss mental health in startups, what it takes to be successful, the difference between bootstrapping and the VC-backed route, and how he grew his startup from nothing to 8 figures in just 4 years.Why you should listen- Mental health issues among founders are common but rarely discussed.- Startup life often requires sacrificing work-life balance for success.- How seemingly simple problems can lead to tremendous value and growth.- Why starting a startup isn't for everyone.Keywordsstartup stress, mental health, entrepreneurship, product-market fit, venture capital, startup journey, growth, leadership, team dynamicsTimestamps(00:00:00) Intro(00:01:07) The Stress of Being a Startup Founder(00:05:42) The Responsibility for your Workers as a Founder(00:07:27) Work Life Balance Can't Exist(00:15:39) The Origin of Aiwyn(00:20:30) The First Product(00:27:46) The Main ROI and Business Model of Aiwyn(00:30:52) Starting During the Pandemic(00:32:14) The Seed Round & Growth(00:37:01) Series A(00:41:41) Reputation Matters(00:43:42) Finding True Product Market Fit(00:44:13) One Piece of AdviceSend me a message to let me know what you think!

In this episode, we dive into how Ensemble's Feature Enhancement technology is transforming the landscape of machine learning by empowering both novice and expert data scientists to achieve state-of-the-art results without the need for complex models or a PhD. We'll explore how Ensemble seamlessly integrates with any ML pipeline to intelligently enrich tabular and time series data, significantly improving model performance while reducing computational costs. Try Ensemble AI: https://ensemblecore.ai/ Alex Reneau: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-reneau-4b3086160/ Zach Albertson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zalbertson/ Get on the AI Box Waitlist: ⁠⁠⁠https://AIBox.ai/⁠⁠

Running payroll is hard in any country, but perhaps especially so in Brazil thanks to consistently changing laws and extremely influential unions that make it significantly harder to get it right. Fernando Gadotti struggled with this as the co-founder and CEO of DogHero, LatAm's version of Rover. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, we're thrilled to have Marty Ringlein, CEO and co-founder of Agree.com, joining us to share his invaluable insights on navigating the startup landscape. Marty brings a wealth of experience, from leading multiple successful startups to high-profile acquisitions by giants like Twitter and Eventbrite. In today's discussion, Marty delves into the significance of perfecting your pitch through frequent practice, the importance of building investor relationships before seeking funds, and the innovative solutions his company offers. Agree.com is revolutionizing the e-signature, invoicing, and payment processing space, employing cutting-edge technology like OCR and generative AI to streamline workflows and ensure data privacy. We'll explore how Marty's team of six operates remotely across different time zones, driving rapid development and user growth. Marty also shares some unconventional yet effective guerrilla marketing strategies that have helped Agree.com gain traction, along with his journey in securing a $3 million pre-seed fund. Additionally, we'll cover practical advice for SaaS entrepreneurs on fundraising and standing out in a crowded market. From novel product features to Marty's forward-thinking approach to business operations, this episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiring stories. Tune in to learn from one of the industry's most dynamic leaders! Show Notes: 00:00 E-signature challenges: contract completion, payment integration. 03:27 Generative AI boosts OCR accuracy for invoices. 08:02 $50M threshold: key for organizational collaboration activation. 10:28 MVP facilitates bank transactions via Stripe integration. 14:53 Tracking users and signature numbers for engagement. 17:49 Inserts promotional cards into magazines at airports. 20:21 Capital needed to compete against major incumbents. 25:37 Build early relationships and stand out uniquely. 26:48 Originality matters over following predictable strategies. 30:39 AR, AP automation optimizes financial and sales processes. Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/agreecom-secures-3m-in-pre-seed-round Marty Ringlein's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martymadrid/ Agree's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/agreehq/ Agree's Website: https://agree.com/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Greetings, SaaS CFO enthusiasts! In this episode, we have a fascinating conversation with Bilal Tahris, the co-founder and CEO of FlowIt, a company revolutionizing people development through its AI-powered digital coach. Bilal's journey is nothing short of extraordinary—starting out as a diesel mechanic apprentice, he transitioned to helming his family business before diving into the SaaS realm. Join our host, Ben, as Bilal shares how FlowIt focuses on sectors often overlooked, such as healthcare, manufacturing, and hospitality, and aims to improve employee engagement and retention. We delve into the unique modules FlowIt offers, designed to connect with frontline workers and address their specific needs. Bilal articulates how the company's innovative approach not only gathers insights through frequent, efficient surveys but also leverages AI to provide valuable, actionable feedback to leadership. We also explore FlowIt's impressive growth and strategic expansion plans into the German and Nordic markets, with an eye on entering the Americas. Bilal opens up about their successful fundraising journey, sharing valuable lessons and tips for other founders navigating similar paths. Whether you're an aspiring SaaS founder or simply intrigued by innovative business solutions, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. Tune in! Show Notes: 00:00 Engaging frontline workers through digital development. 05:38 AI enhances company insights and decision-making efficiently. 08:29 Newly unified employee platform expands in modules. 12:10 Decided to fundraise 3 million Swiss francs. 16:56 Secure strong investors early; double VC prospects. 18:22 Insight on aligning timelines and key metrics. 21:30 Learn more about Bilal's journey at Flowit AI. Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/flowit-raises-4-2-million-in-seed-round Bilal Tahris' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bil%C3%A2l-tahris-9074b320/ FlowIt's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flowit-ag/ FlowIt's Website: https://www.flowit.ai/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Piotr met his co-founders at a party in Coachella. He built them an app for influencers to post online. That simple idea evolved into one of the world's first influencer marketplaces. While so many other tried and failed, Piotr and his team targeted marketing agencies with big budgets. They grew to $150M in revenue over a 10 year period. This summer, they were acquired by Publicis Groupe for $500M. This is the story of how it all started, where the idea came from and how partnering with IBM of all companies drastically changed Influential's trajectory. Piotr also goes through in depth what it feels like to actually sell your company, and to go from living like a salaried employee to having tens of millions of dollars.Why you should listen: Why the right go-to-market channel is the difference between failure and a $500M exit.How to shift from a manual process to a tech-enabled marketplaceHow to know which partnerships are key— and which are totally useless.What it feels like to go from a regular person to having $10s of millions in the bank. KeywordsInfluencer marketing, startup journey, product-market fit, technology, partnerships, exit strategy, ad agencies, growth strategies, entrepreneurship, venture capitalTimestamps:(00:00:00) Intro(00:01:27) The Start of Influential(00:11:49) Raising the Seed Round(00:14:41) How to leverage a partnership with a large incumbent(00:21:26) Series A and Superbowl Campaign(00:30:02) Winning because of go-to-market(00:35:43) The Acquisition(00:38:56) One Piece of AdviceSend me a message to let me know what you think!

Welcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! Today, our host Ben is joined by the dynamic team behind Toystack, a groundbreaking DevOps platform on Kubernetes designed to simplify and scale deployment for startups and SMBs. We have Mukund, Arun, Sravan, and Torun here to discuss how Toystack operates like an innovative coworking space for DevOps, providing essential services like security, logging, monitoring, and alerts. Together, they delve into the origins of Toystack, targeting developers and startups who lack dedicated DevOps engineers, and how it accelerates product development while cutting costs. We'll explore their user growth strategy, community engagement on Discord, and future plans for integrating AI and new frameworks. The team will share insights on their monetization approach, focusing on converting trial users to paying customers, and their ambitious goals to double their user base in the coming months. We'll also hear about their journey in securing initial revenue, their decision to maintain the name "Toystack" despite enterprise considerations, and their adventures in funding and team dynamics. Whether you're part of a small startup or an enterprise team, you won't want to miss the valuable lessons and strategies from the co-founders of this innovative platform. So tune in and get ready to be inspired by the story of Toystack! Show Notes: 00:00 Investment banker turned entrepreneur with ecommerce marketplace. 05:30 Effortless cloud deployment for developers without DevOps. 07:04 Toystack: Scalable DevOps platform for startups' deployment. 12:24 Launched in February, achieved 7000 users globally. 16:19 Focusing on product-led growth for next years. 18:57 We bootstrapped until gaining traction before fundraising. 23:38 Doubling user growth, fostering an active community. 25:49 Community support and deployments are crucial metrics. 28:17 Toystack showcases live open source project deployments. Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/toystack-ai-raises-325k-in-pre-seed-round Toystack's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/toystack/ Toystack's Website: https://toystack.ai/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Ameba takes the unstructured data in a retailer's supply chain systems, sprinkles in some generative AI, and makes the whole thing more efficient.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we dive into how Ensemble's Feature Enhancement technology is transforming the landscape of machine learning by empowering both novice and expert data scientists to achieve state-of-the-art results without the need for complex models or a PhD. We'll explore how Ensemble seamlessly integrates with any ML pipeline to intelligently enrich tabular and time series data, significantly improving model performance while reducing computational costs. Try Ensemble AI: https://ensemblecore.ai/ Alex Reneau: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-reneau-4b3086160/ Zach Albertson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zalbertson/ Get on the AI Box Waitlist: ⁠⁠⁠https://AIBox.ai/⁠⁠

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast, where we dive deep into the financial strategies and innovations within the SaaS industry. In today's episode, our host Ben sits down with Paul Kleen, the founder of Pitchit, a pioneering company in the lead qualification space powered by AI. Since its inception in August 2022, Pitchit has transformed the way sales teams handle and prioritize leads, particularly in the telecommunications sector. Paul shares insights into the fully remote structure of Pitchit, their unique pricing model that moves away from traditional SaaS frameworks, and the company's impressive revenue metrics, ranging from hundreds of millions to billions annually. You'll hear about the innovative lead scoring system, the challenges and successes in fundraising, and the strategic go-to-market approaches that set Pitch It apart. This episode is a treasure trove of information for anyone navigating the SaaS landscape, providing a glimpse into how AI is disrupting traditional sales processes and the future of remote work. So grab your headphones and tune in to this enlightening conversation with Paul Kleen on The SaaS CFO Podcast. Show Notes: 00:00 AI agent qualifies leads and books meetings efficiently 03:57 We target telecommunications dealers selling to consumers. 09:28 Selling AI-based lead qualification service, not features. 11:24 Spam filtered, engagement evaluated, scored cold, warm, hot. 15:49 Human interaction in customer service remains indispensable. 18:29 Keynotes attract influencers, driving effective customer acquisition. 21:05 Niche-specific expos more valuable than broad ones. 23:48 Raised funds minimally to avoid potential pivots. 28:59 Product market fit measured by qualified leads. 32:55 Selected niche clients before publicly raising funding. 33:51 Start stealthily, refine product before advertising broadly. Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/pitchit-raises-2-5-million-in-seed-round Paul Kleen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulkleen/ Pitchit's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pitchitai/ Pitchit's Website: https://www.pitchit.ai/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to another exciting episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, we are thrilled to have Roee Barak, founder, and CEO of Upward AI, as our guest. Roee, based in Tel Aviv, shares his fascinating career journey that took him from law school to the tech industry. With nearly a decade of experience in various business roles, including business development, sales, and marketing, Roee decided to launch his dream venture, Upward, to revolutionize AI-powered research and productivity tools. Join us as we dive deep into Roee's story, exploring the genesis of Upward and the innovative solutions it offers for high-stakes research in various industries. Roee provides a detailed walkthrough of how Upward helps users perform significant research, from defining objectives to gathering and synthesizing data, all the way to creating comprehensive reports and presentations. We also discuss Upward's go-to-market strategy, initial success on Product Hunt, and its impressive growth to over 1,000 paying subscribers in its first year. Lastly, Roee shares valuable insights on fundraising, team building, and the challenges of staying ahead in the fast-evolving AI landscape. Hear firsthand how Upward plans to transition from a single-user focus to a collaborative platform, aiming to bring substantial productivity gains to teams and enterprises. This episode is packed with lessons and inspiration for aspiring founders and SaaS enthusiasts. Don't miss it! Show Notes: 00:00 Need for a knowledge tool and productivity. 05:24 Content sourcing, research hub, notepad for outcomes. 06:56 Focused on end-user research tool before organizations. 11:33 Co-founders' AI journey: from skepticism to mainstream. 15:10 Key metric: New research projects from customers' usage. 16:46 Upward transitioning to collaborative research platform development. Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/upword-raises-3-million-in-pre-seed-round Roee Barak's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roee-barak-20882887/ Upword AI's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/upwordai/ Upword AI's Website: https://www.upword.ai/ SaaS Metrics Course here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/the-saas-metrics-foundation-live-cohort-new?mc_cid=b89d27187d&mc_eid=20fbb3e1b5 To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Valuations for AI startups are continuing to skyrocket. This time, OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever raising a whopping $1 billion as a seed round for his AI startup Safe Superintelligence Inc, with just around 10 employees and nowhere close to having a product. It's the epitome of a growing trend of a breakneck gen AI race for top talent. 

The U.S. Department of Defense is a mammoth organization. It not only employs millions of service members and hundreds of thousands of civilian employees, but also has the world's largest military budget that's used to buy and maintain more equipment than can likely fit into a single paragraph. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, we sit down with Nathan Mackinnon, co-founder and CEO of Subble, a subscription management platform helping companies identify and optimize their software spend. Nathan shares his journey from being the 13th employee at a startup called ActivePipe, where he transitioned from software engineer to product management, all the way through to a successful exit in 2022. Nathan and his co-founders started Subble after recognizing the challenges companies face in managing their software spend, particularly in the post-COVID era. Subble helps companies discover what software they're using, identify unused licenses, and ultimately save money on their software bills while improving security. Throughout the episode, Nathan discusses the evolving software spend management space, Subble's target market, and their go-to-market strategies. He also shares insights on their fundraising journey and the importance of building relationships and networks as a founder. Join us as we dive into Nathan's entrepreneurial experience and learn more about how Subble is helping companies take control of their software spend in this exciting new category. Show Notes: 00:00 Team identified software management problem, decided to solve. 06:09 Diverse approaches to software management and procurement. 08:47 Various stakeholders care about unique distributed problems. 12:23 Using direct approach to educate, form partnerships. 13:48 Fortuitous meeting led to accelerated product launch. 17:41 Seeking feedback on Subble's journey; future follow-up? Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/subble-secures-1-million-in-pre-seed-funding Nathan Mackinnon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-mackinnon-648b23205/ Subble's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/subble/ Subble's Website: https://www.subble.com/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, we welcome Oksana Tolmatshova, co-founder and CEO of Esgrid, a company providing affordable value chain sustainability management tools for medium-sized enterprises and financial institutions. Oksana shares her 20+ year background in banking and fintech, including her experience studying sustainable finance to understand the essential role the financial sector plays in implementing sustainability. Oksana explains how Esgrid solves the problem of the lack of ESG data for small and medium enterprises by streamlining the collection and analysis of this data. Founded in August 2022 by Oksana and 3 other co-founders, Esgrid impressively secured their first paying customer before even writing a line of code for their MVP. The Esgrid platform creates network effects as more companies in a value chain provide their ESG data, making it simple to share with other partners. Recently raising a €500,000 pre-seed round, Oksana provides fundraising tips like selling your experienced team early on and being open to alternative funding sources beyond just VCs. She also shares Esgrid's key metrics, including the number of companies on the platform that have completed ESG assessments and maintaining a high success rate in boosting client efficiency. Tune in to hear more about Oksana's entrepreneurial journey with esgrid and their mission to improve the sustainability of thousands of SMEs across the EU. Show Notes: 00:00 Studied sustainable finance, saw lack of data. 06:11 New in market, sales cycle: 2-3 months. 09:34 Found co-founders, grew the business together. 13:07 Network growth, product-led, and sustainability partnerships. 16:50 Challenges in sustainability investment amid legislative noise. 18:00 Lessons: Team is key, seek diverse funding. 21:12 Appreciate insights and look forward to following. Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/esgrid-secures-500-000-in-pre-seed-round Oksana Tolmatshova's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oksanatolmatshova/ Esgrid's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/esgrid/ Esgrid's Website: https://esgrid.com/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! Get ready for a truly inspiring and eye-opening episode as we sit down with the dynamic Patrick Rafferty, CEO and founder of UserHub. From an unexpected start in commercial real estate appraisal to becoming a trailblazer in the SaaS world, Patrick's journey is nothing short of extraordinary. In this episode, Patrick unveils how a moment of serendipity led him to his first role in tech and catapulted him into the world of SaaS. Discover the story behind his meteoric rise at Reonomy, where he went from knowing nothing about product management to leading a team of 60 in just seven years. But that's not all—Patrick also gives us an inside look at the creation of UserHub, a groundbreaking user-based billing platform designed to revolutionize how SaaS companies manage billing. We'll explore what sets UserHub apart, its ideal customer profile, and their innovative solutions that blend user management and subscription management into a seamless experience. Plus, Patrick shares invaluable lessons about fundraising, the importance of practice pitches, and the all-crucial metric of time-to-value. Whether you're an aspiring SaaS entrepreneur, a seasoned CFO, or just someone passionate about tech innovation, this episode is brimming with actionable insights and fascinating stories. So, sit back, relax, and let's dive into this captivating conversation with Patrick Rafferty! Show Notes: 00:00 Transitioned from real estate to tech innovation. 05:44 Targeting early-stage SaaS companies for CRM. 08:58 Managing product and engineering, buying SaaS products. 11:41 Product development started in early 2023. Early design partners focused on adoption. 16:21 Seek fundraising advice, practice with lower-priority associates. 19:00 User hub enables fast implementation, optimizing developer experience. 20:23 User Hub to expand and target big companies. Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/userhub-secures-3-2m-in-pre-seed-funding Patrick Rafferty's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-rafferty-b927642b/ UserHub's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/userhubdev/ UserHub's Website: https://userhub.com/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

18th July: Crypto & Coffee at 8

Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, we're thrilled to dive into the fascinating journey of Santiago Moreno, the co-founder of Crezes. Santiago began his career in the financial sector in Colombia but quickly realized his passion lay elsewhere. A transformative stint at Uber opened his eyes to the power of technology and innovation, paving the way for his eventual foray into the startup world. Join us as Santiago shares his experiences from Uber, his ventures into early-stage startups, and how he merged his background in real estate with cutting-edge technology to create Crezes. We'll explore how Crezes is revolutionizing location intelligence in Latin America, helping retailers, advertisers, and commercial real estate brokers make data-driven decisions to optimize their physical spaces. From pivoting business models to securing crucial seed funding, Santiago offers invaluable insights into the challenges and triumphs of building a SaaS company from the ground up. Whether you're a startup enthusiast, a seasoned entrepreneur, or simply curious about the evolution of location intelligence, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable advice. So, tune in and get ready to be inspired by Santiago's compelling entrepreneurial journey! Show Notes: 00:00 We provide location data for LATAM businesses. 05:12 Location is crucial for success in commercial space. 07:32 Solving data access issues for businesses. 11:46 Cautious approach to client expansion, improving product. 15:41 Focus on solving problems and being profitable. 17:44 Revan emphasizes revenue and proof of concept. SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/crezes-raises-750k-in-pre-seed-round Santiago Moreno's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/santiago-moreno-g/ Crezes' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crezes/ Crezes' Website: https://crezes.com/

Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's fascinating episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Kim Getgen, founder and CEO of Innovation Force. Kim brings with her over 25 years of robust experience in commercialization, having navigated the diverse worlds of large corporations and startups. After a pivotal realization in 2019, Kim fully embraced her entrepreneurial spirit, leading her to launch Innovation Force, an innovative AI-powered SaaS platform that democratizes innovation. With a successful history that includes co-founding a cybersecurity company acquired by McAfee, Kim's insights are invaluable. We'll dive deep into how Innovation Force ims to solve major inefficiencies in corporate innovation, explore their impressive client list including Portland General Electric, and discuss their strategic approach in targeting complex, regulated industries. Notably, Kim will also share how her network, including her ties with Harvard Business School, played a crucial role in their funding journey. Join us as we uncover the strategies behind Innovation Force's mission to standardize and streamline the innovation process, making impactful change accessible to companies of all sizes. This episode is packed with insights on commercialization, innovation processes, and entrepreneurial journeys. You won't want to miss it! Show Notes: 00:00 Measure, track, and scale global innovation impact. 04:46 AR VR goggles in utility worker innovation. 07:40 Deep energy industry involvement, innovation for change. 10:34 Innovation program for 5G technology with Portland. 14:23 Startup success, exceeded funding goals with resilience. 17:35 Key milestones: MSA with EPRI, Linda Hill's support 19:46 Finding customer to bootstrap, good and bad. 23:11 Lynda solves process bottlenecks with cultural insights. Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/innovationforce-raises-pre-seed-funding Kim Getgen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimgetgen/ Innovation Force's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovation-force/ Innovation Force's Website: https://www.innovationforce.io/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

CEO of USWC Media, LLC. aka U.S. WEED CHANNEL Shane Doull is an OC OG, (born and raised here). Like many boys Shane was always into waves, motorcycles, and the beach. But, unlike most, Shane was a federal criminal at age 14 when he started dealing weed to classmates. He expanded to muling cannabis across the border at age 19. Then quit the trade with the birth of his first daughter at age 21. Returning to Legal Cannabis in 2009 he started a journey that is as hair-raising as it is inspiring. With over a dozen firsts and wins for Cannabis legalization and media freedom Shane leads the path to legal global Cannabis lifestyle media. In 2009, he launched the world's first legal mobile cannabis store, Grand Daddy Phoenix. His arrest and subsequent realizations about the lack of media support for the Cannabis community, and the legal system's injustices and destructive properties on families like his led him to achieve groundbreaking milestones that will forever impact and protect the lives of Cannabis consumers worldwide. While securing America's first unanimous not guilty verdicts for dispensary operations Shane founded U.S. WEED CHANNEL. He successfully negotiated with Roku, Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta, X, TikTok, the USPTO and dozens more to ensure legal Cannabis media worldwide. Under his leadership, U.S. WEED CHANNEL is the first and only federally certified globally broadcast Cannabis lifestyle TV network in history. USWC broadcasts in 145 countries, can be viewed on virtually any screen worldwide. He has grown its viewership to over 170,000 installations on Roku, and over 25,000 dedicated followers. Shane even returned to school to obtain certification at raising Capital via a $3 million Seed Round. U.S. WEED CHANNEL represents a historic opportunity for celebrities, influencers, content producers, and most important the first ever opportunity for advertisers and major brands to engage with the Cannabis community on a global scale... before their competitors. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. 

Mary Ann, Haje and Kirsten are back on the mic for this week's episode, which was is jam-packed with deals, hot topics, and the latest dramaaaaaa in the tech world. For Deals of the Week, Haje wanted to chat about Formation Bio, an AI-focused drug development startup that just raised a whopping $372 million in Series D funding, led by Andreessen Horowitz. Next, Kirsten broke down the surprising partnership between Volkswagen Group and Rivian and how its initial $1 billion investment could grow up to $5 billion. To wrap up our deals, Mary-Ann highlighted Nubank's acquisition of Hyperplane, an AI-for-banks startup. Moving onto our themes, Haje took us on a deep dive into the fediverse, a decentralized network of social media platforms like Mastodon, Threads, and even Trump's Truth Social. The fediverse has seen a surge in popularity, especially after Elon Musk acquired Twitter (now X). Mastodon, for example, has just about tripled its user base since Musk took over. The appeal lies in its decentralized nature, offering users more control and niche communities. Whether you're a photographer, a journalism enthusiast, or just someone fed up with traditional social media, the fediverse has something for you.Last but not least, we discussed the ongoing debate around DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) in tech in a more controversial segment. Scale AI's founder Alexandr Wang recently sparked a debate by advocating for MEI (Merit, Excellence, Intelligence) over DEI. This has drawn support from big names like Elon Musk and Palmer Luckey but also significant criticism.The stats are troubling: new women recruit levels in the U.S. data industry have dropped dramatically, and DEI-related job listings are down.Equity will be back on Wednesday with a new interview episode, so stay tuned!Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes over at Simplecast. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.

18-year-olds Christopher Fitzgerald and Nicholas Van Landschoot have founded APIGen, a platform to build custom APIs from natural language prompts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a press release this morning, the European Commission named Apple as the first of tech's so-called “gatekeepers” to be charged for violating the EU's Digital Markets Act. Apple is one of six tech giants named by the European Commission as “gatekeepers” last year, alongside Alphabet, Amazon, ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft. While we continue to keep our eyes on the EU's attempts to ensure a competitive marketplace, that's not all we got into on the Equity podcast this morning. Rebecca Bellan led the show this morning and reported that X still has a Verified bot problem, but this time they came for TechCrunch writers (herself included). The experience had us wondering if X's competitors will step up, and create platforms with more safety…and fewer bots.Rebecca also had an IPO update for our listeners this morning as Shein finally filed for its public debut in London, and we closed out our startup coverage with a look at Sir Jack A Lot's startup for retail traders. The startup, which recently raised a $4.5 million seed round, had us hyped on the retail trading space and its continued growth.Finally, Haje closed out today's show with a teardown for Feel Therapeutics. The startup recently raised a $3.5M seed deck to revolutionize mental health care with a science-forward approach that integrates wearable devices, mobile apps, and clinician dashboards. Hit play to hear how they did it!Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes over at Simplecast. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.

Greetings, SaaS CFO Podcast listeners! In today's episode, I, your host Ben, am thrilled to have a conversation with Edward Tsinovoi, the co-founder and CEO of IO River. Edward brings over 20 years of extensive experience from the SaaS and deep tech industries, having held pivotal roles at Akamai, the renowned content delivery network responsible for advancements in edge computing. In this episode, we delve into the fascinating journey of IO River, a cutting-edge company revolutionizing how digital content is delivered across the globe. Edward explains IO River's unique approach to leveraging multiple edge platforms, ensuring enhanced performance, reliability, and cost efficiency for high-traffic companies. We also explore IO River's extraordinary growth since its founding in 2022 amidst challenging market conditions, its successful $5.4 million seed funding, and how it continues to save clients significant resources while boosting their online services. Edward shares insights into their go-to-market strategy, the critical importance of preparation in fundraising, and the metrics that guide IO River's rapid expansion. Whether you're a CFO, a tech enthusiast, or interested in SaaS innovations, this episode is packed with valuable insights. So, tune in, and let's dive into the world of IO River with Edward Tsinovoi! Show Notes: 00:00 Internet has undergone major revolutions in 2030. 04:16 Target companies: media, OTT, gaming, e-commerce, travel. Benefit: resiliency, not reliant on single vendors. 07:36 Founded Iowa river in 2022, despite challenges. 12:48 Preparation, fundraising, experienced partners, short process, success. 14:39 Challenges of multi CDN strategy in industry. 18:34 Focused on ARR and customer value-driven strategy. 21:41 Learn more about Edward and IO river. Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/io-river-raises-5-4-million-in-seed-round Edward Tsinovoi's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-tsinovoi/ IO River's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/io-river/ IO River's Website: https://www.ioriver.io/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, we are thrilled to have David DeWolf, President and CEO of Knownwell, join us. David shares his incredible journey from being an engineer to founding and scaling Three Pillar Global, a digital product development company, to nearly $200 million in revenue with 2,500 employees worldwide. After taking a brief hiatus, David launched his latest venture, Knownwell, in September 2023. Knownwell is diving headfirst into the enterprise AI space, focusing on revolutionizing how B2B service companies institutionalize client intelligence to drive growth and retention. Tune in as David provides fascinating insights into his entrepreneurial journey, including the challenges and triumphs of starting a new business, the intricacies of customer-driven development, and valuable advice on raising pre-seed capital. Whether you're a SaaS founder or just curious about the evolving landscape of AI in business, you won't want to miss this conversation. Show Notes: 00:00 Former engineer turned successful digital product entrepreneur. 03:49 Targeting middle market with potential for reinvention. 07:23 Market needs customer-driven execution, enterprise AI focus. 09:47 Professional services struggle with client intelligence, churn. 12:48 Seizing opportunity, filled coffers for enterprise AI. 15:51 Raising capital without product, validating market need. 20:19 Created roadmap, focusing on marketing metrics and pipeline. 22:12 AI understands, David shares experiences. Appreciative. Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/knownwell-closes-2-million-in-pre-seed-round David DeWolf's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ddewolf/ Knownwell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/knownwell/ Knownwell's Website: https://knownwell.com/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

It's no secret that the bar for startups to land a Series A has risen, but has it risen too high? According to Jenny Fielding, a co-founder and Managing Partner at Everywhere Ventures, startups are facing what she calls “The Series A Chasm.” In a post on X this month, Fielding said, “there's a huge backlog of seed stage companies with nice traction – just not $3m ARR + 30% MOM growth kinda traction.” The post sparked a conversation online, and Fielding joined Haje Kamps on Equity to talk through it all. Looking beyond Fielding's portfolio, we can see that the early stage storm has been brewing for quite some time. According to data from Crunchbase, seed companies have raised about $7 billion so far this year, which is down $1 billion year over year and down significantly in the later stages. Crunchbase has even taken to calling this a moment of “extended adolescence” for startups, with an increase in companies raising $5 million+ seed rounds instead of a Series A. Of course, this meant we had to address the AI elephant in the room, and the $135 million seed round Musk's xAI raised last December. Note that after 6 months, the company behind Grok has already announced a $6 billion Series B round. It was an interesting chat, so press play and join the conversation!Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts.You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes over at Simplecast. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.

“Fundraising can be exhausting, so it's really important to spend time with the right people who just won't waste your time [...], pay attention and ask the right questions.”  Today's 40 Minute Mentor is Avion Gray, Co-Founder and CEO of Belong, a new wealth-building platform.  Avion started her career in investment banking, before working as Head of Product & Commercialisation at industry-leading POS systems and merchant service provider Clover, where she oversaw the launch and expansion of the business in the US and across Europe.  Following her deep drive to do something that she could bring every aspect of her being to, Avion is now building Belong, together with Co-Founder and behavioural economist, Samantha Rosenberg.  Having only recently come out of stealth, Avion and Samantha have already built incredible traction in the market, including having raised the largest pre-seed round ever raised by female Founders in Europe.  We unpack all that and much more in today's episode.  Episode chapters:  ➡️ Avion's upbringing & education being the biggest equaliser [03:57]  ➡️ Finding her entrepreneurial spirit [07:00]  ➡️ Career foundations [09:00]  ➡️ Clover's expansion to the US and Europe [11:30]  ➡️ Taking the leap into entrepreneurship [14:20]  ➡️ The paradox of wealth [16:40]  ➡️ More about Belong [18:32]  ➡️ Nick Hungerford's mentorship [24:18]  ➡️ The sacrifice for entrepreneurship [29:07]  ➡️ Raising the biggest pre-seed round in Europe [32:23]  ➡️ Practical advice for wealth building [37:40]  ➡️ Audience Question: How would you describe Belong's culture? [41:42]  ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Avion: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aviongray/?originalSubdomain=uk  ➡️ Find our more about Belong: https://www.be-long.co/ ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! I'm your host, Ben, and today we have an exciting episode lined up for you. Joining us is Sergio Gonzalez, the co-founder and CEO of Remuner—a groundbreaking SaaS platform aimed at optimizing remuneration for sales and customer success teams. With a rich background in business management consulting and entrepreneurship, Sergio has already founded and successfully exited multiple companies across diverse sectors, including fintech, food delivery, and digital signature services. In this episode, Sergio shares his journey from consulting to launching his fifth venture, the vibrant startup scene in Barcelona, and how Remuner helps companies streamline their variable compensation processes through a no-code, cloud-based platform. We'll delve into Remuner's focus on customer-facing teams, their diverse customer base, fundraising insights, and the company's future. Whether you're a burgeoning SaaS founder or interested in innovative compensation solutions, this episode is packed with valuable insights you're going to love. So, let's get started! Show Notes: 00:00 Optimizing remuneration for growth with SaaS platform. 04:58 We connect with customer systems using out-of-the-box connections. 08:44 Complicated B2B SaaS business teams' compensation. 11:56 Started 5 months ago, pleased with traction. 15:53 September launch showed early traction, changed fundraising strategy. 18:53 Currently focused on user adoption and engagement. 20:02 Focus on executing, engaging customers, iterating efficiently. Links: SaaS Fundraisng Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/remuner-raises-2-million-in-pre-seed-round Sergio Gonzalez's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergiogonzalezgaspar/ Remuner's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/remuner/ Remuner's Website: https://remuner.com/en/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to this special episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! Today, we're delving into the cutting-edge world of data product management with Nadiem von Heydebrand, the dynamic CEO and co-founder of Mindfuel. In today's conversation, Nadiem shares his fascinating journey from working as a data scientist and consultant to leading a pioneering company that's transforming how businesses manage and value their data initiatives. We'll explore the origins of Mindfuel, sparked by a crucial conversation about the necessity for a product mindset in the data industry. Nadiem will discuss the unique challenges and strategies in building Mindfuel's groundbreaking SaaS application, which aligns data management with business opportunities and distinctly quantifies efforts in dollar values. Join us as we unpack the significance of UI/UX in their product Delight, learn about their recent fundraising success, and get insights into their ambitious expansion into the US market. Whether you're a manager, business professional, or just a tech enthusiast, this episode is packed with valuable insights on navigating the intricate landscape of SaaS and data product management. Show Notes: 00:00 Customer meeting triggered need to justify investment. 04:06 Friend became successful product manager; shared secret. 06:59 Data product management solves data management problems. 11:50 Discovered in 2020, invested in research. 15:23 Research, feedback, rejection, problem discovery, product development. 16:55 Second reason: tailored services for major enterprises. 21:02 Bootstrapped company with professional services, raised funding. 24:59 Understanding and justifying key performance indicators is crucial. 27:46 Excited for US market entry with support. Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/mindfuel-closes-3-75-million-in-seed-round Nadiem von Heydebrand's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiemvh/ Mindfuel's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindfuelai/ Mindfuel's Website: https://www.mindfuel.ai/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

His travel startup crashed 90% overnight. Here's how he used AI to grow past $2M/year—to $2M a month:For a while, Andrew was crushing it. Accelerator -> $750K pre-seed -> $2M ARR -> $2.5M seed round. Then COVID hit. He was selling to events like CES, SXSW, etc.  Revenue dropped from $160K/month to under $10K... overnight. After nearly going bankrupt, he finds a way to pivot. A year later, his business takes off.2020 - $02021 - $1M2022 - $5M2023 - $15MNow - $24M.Why you should listen:-  Andrew shares a technique to land early customers. He offered to PAY his customers to use the product.  - Learn how to deal with massive swings in revenue and unpredicted events. Early-stage founders are always one deal, one employee, one fundraise away from success... or failure.- Learn why you "can never celebrate until the money is in the bank"Timestamps:(00:00:00) Intro(00:01:16) The Start of Stay22(00:07:15) The Seed Round(00:11:53) Pivoting the go to Market(00:19:38) Investors Pulling out Due to Covid(00:26:56) Finding the Opportunity in the Pandemic(00:31:31) Tapping into the Blogger Market(00:37:31) Growing Back from Zero(00:38:49) Finding True Product Market Fit(00:39:35) One Piece of Advice

Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, we delve into the intriguing world of video analytics with our guest Chelsie Hall, CEO of Viral Moment. With a rich background in tech and product management, Chelsie brings a wealth of experience to the fore, having worked with the Department of Defense and Department of State before venturing into entrepreneurship. Today, she's here to discuss how Viral Moment, a B2B SaaS platform, leverages cutting-edge AI to decode the complexities of video content on social media platforms, offering brands unprecedented insights into viral trends and the effectiveness of their digital marketing strategies. Join us as we explore the challenges and breakthroughs in video analytics and what the future holds for digital content visibility. Show Notes: 00:00 Tech career, product management, own companies, video understanding. 05:24 Paradigm shift in social media entertainment. 07:45 Rapid changes in market create revenue opportunities. 11:34 Focus on product, customers, solve real problem. 13:56 Exciting time for AI and social video. Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/viralmoment-raises-2-5-million-in-seed-round Chelsie Hall's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsie-hall/ ViralMoment's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/viralmoment/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Bill Shufelt, co-founder of Athletic Brewing, hasn't just built a successful drinks company — he's revolutionized the entire American market for non-alcoholic beer. And he's done it in just six years. Bill gave up a comfortable life in finance because he knew that if he was interested in drinking non-alcoholic beer, other people would be too. But it was an uphill battle, because non-alc beer has been a stigmatized product in the U.S. almost since Prohibition. He was turned down by almost every brewer he approached, and at times was reduced to approaching strangers in liquor store parking lots to help him sell his product. Today, Athletic Brewing has grown to become the 13th-largest U.S. craft brewery and the second-largest non-alcoholic beer brand in the U.S. In 2022, Athletic was ranked as the 26th fastest-growing private company in America by Inc. Magazine and named one of TIME's “100 Most Influential Companies.” Join us for a fascinating conversation, as Bill explains how he built the company, and where he sees the market going next. Key Insights: Why non-alc beer is a major volume saver for retail and on-premise accounts. How Athletic got its first Whole Foods placement (awesome story!). How 66 individual investors took Athletic from its Seed Round all the way to Series B. Why DTC is the best channel for innovation. What the U.S. non-alc drinks segment can learn from their counterparts in Europe. The path Athletic sees for NA beer to grow to 10-20% of all adult beverages. Stay tuned for our next episode dropping on November 29.  Shoutout to our sponsor! A big round of thanks to AccelPay — a leading ecommerce solution for bev-alc brands. From a one-tap, compliant checkout to comprehensive sales data, AccelPay has you covered and can make your existing website a storefront. For an exclusive 10% off your account, visit: https://www.accelpay.io/bod About Erica Duecy, host: Erica Duecy is co-founder of Business of Drinks, a podcast and content consultancy, and one of the drinks industry's most accomplished digital and content strategists. She has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies. She also has led digital editorial teams at Architectural Digest and Saveur magazines. Her content, podcast, and video programs have won more than 40 digital and editorial awards. She is a WSET Advanced-certified wine and spirits communicator, and author of the cocktail book Storied Sips (Random House), about the real-life stories behind the world's most famous cocktails.  To learn more about Erica Duecy: https://www.instagram.com/ericaduecy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-duecy-4a35844/ https://twitter.com/ericaduecy About Felicity Carter, host: Felicity Carter is co-founder of Business of Drink and the Editorial Director of Areni Global, the London-based fine wine think tank. Previously, she was Editor-in-Chief of Meininger's Wine Business International, a trade magazine she built into a global must-read, with subscribers in 38 countries. She is a regular media commentator, appearing on platforms as diverse as CNN, France24 and the New York Times, and has consulted to New Zealand Wine and the Dutch government. Felicity is an international wine judge as well as a regular keynote speaker at the wine industry's biggest conferences and events. Her work has appeared in The Guardian US, The Sydney Morning Herald and numerous other publications.  To learn more about Felicity Carter: https://twitter.com/felicitycarter https://www.linkedin.com/in/felicity-carter-a5754380/ https://www.instagram.com/carter.felicity/ And if you like what you heard, help us spread the word! Follow Business of Drinks, and rate and review our episodes on any platform where you're listening. It helps us find new listeners. Thank you!

In the inaugural episode of The Data Minute podcast, Peter Walker (Head of Insights at Carta) sits down with Dave Anderson (GP at Beat Ventures) to discuss recent venture industry data around two key questions: • In today's fundraising market, how many individual checks should the average founder plan to raise in their first SAFE round?• Do early-stage companies from California tend to raise at higher valuation caps than companies in other states — and if so, why?Along the way, Peter and Dave take detours into a number of emerging trends and perspectives, from founders returning to “cluster cities” like San Francisco and New York, to the premium that investors pay for companies in accelerator programs like Y Combinator, and much more.Subscribe to Carta's weekly Data Minute newsletter: https://z.carta.com/4cSucXw Explore interactive startup and VC data, with Carta's Data Desk: https://z.carta.com/3vOwjuS This presentation contains general information only and eShares, Inc. dba Carta, Inc. (“Carta”) is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services, and is for informational purposes only.  This presentation is not a substitute for such professional advice or services nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business or interests. © 2024 eShares, Inc., dba Carta, Inc. All rights reserved.

Marketing is not just about creativity but the strategic use of data and information. It's not enough to have an eye-catching campaign; today's marketers need the keys to the kingdom—understanding who their customers are, what they want, and how best to deliver it. But there lies the rub: in an age where privacy is prized, how do we obtain this precious data without pushing our customers away? This conundrum is at the heart of why understanding your customer's journey, and the data that illuminates it, is such an essential facet of the marketing landscape. It's a topic that's always hot on my mind as the host of More Perfect Marketing, and it's one I took a deep dive into with my latest guest, Chris Rodriguez. In our chat, we peeled back the layers of modern marketing challenges, from navigating personal privacy concerns to leveraging the full power of data analytics without alienating the very audience we aim to charm. Chris's insights were like a beacon in the often murky waters of data tracking and utilization; he shared his perspective on the evolving need for back-end information in B2B marketing, the art of capturing data from personas who guard their information like a treasure, and the journey towards less invasive, yet effective, data extraction techniques. Email nurturing, segmentation, and contextual messaging emerged as the stars in Chris's strategy for gathering data without the user's direct input. It's about respecting the audience's boundaries while creatively engaging them in a way that feels personal and unobtrusive. This approach doesn't just meet the end goal of data collection; it enhances the user experience, ensuring that marketers walk the tightrope between useful and bothersome with grace. Chris carries with him not just knowledge, but a palpable passion for uncovering the right answers in marketing through systematic, data-driven processes. He's a 20-year marketing veteran with a passion for driving growth and tangible results for brands and entrepreneurs. He has worked with over 30 startups across all tiers of funding (Seed Round to Series E) and sizes (

Ever thought about raising venture capital for your business? In this episode, Morgan DeBaun breaks down everything a founder should know before diving into the venture fundraising process, sharing her invaluable insights from the perspective of both a fundraiser and an investor. First up, Morgan dives into a crucial question: Should you even raise venture capital for your business? Spoiler alert: More often than not, the answer is no. But for those who do opt for the fundraising path, Morgan warns that the venture capital journey won't be easy. Through the episode, Morgan breaks down the phases of venture funding, from the Friends and Family and Angel Round to the critical Seed Round, all the way to the Series A, B, and C Rounds and beyond. She shares the benefits and challenges of each round and highlights what founders should pay attention to as they navigate the process. Morgan shares what she looks for in the entrepreneurs she chooses to support as an angel investor: resilience and grit. It's these qualities that often make the difference between success and failure in the cutthroat world of startups. Not sure if venture funding is the right choice for your business? After you listen to the episode, check out Morgan's workshop [link below] which will help you decide if fundraising is the appropriate next step for your startup. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review! Additional Resources: Fundraising Masterclass: https://worksmartprogram.ac-page.com/masterclass-fundraise  Join the Newsletter for More Exclusive Content: https://worksmartprogram.ac-page.com/thejourneypodcast Visit Mormatcha.com to make a purchase. Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thejourneybymdb 

This is our startup-focused, Wednesday episode, so today we're counting down important venture rounds and chatting our way through other startup and VC news. Here's the rundown:Plex raises $40M, targets profitability: The media streaming company thinks that it can reach black ink by the end of this year, or early 2025. Not bad for a very expensive industry.Rebellions raises $124M to take on Nvidia: What is designing new AI chips and is partnered up with Samsung? Rebellions, which is now quite a lot richer in cash terms thanks to a new round.Nile is building a new data system for SaaS: Multi-tenancy is tricky, but why should SaaS companies have to reinvent the wheel?Aurora Solar joins the layoff parade: Solar is booming, but that doesn't mean that vertical SaaS companies in the space are growing as fast as they planned.And on the venture front, Giant Ventures raised $250 million for two funds, Poland's SMOK Ventures closed a new $25 million vehicle, while Ubiquity Ventures proves that solo GPs are not dead yet, want to go for a walk.For episode transcripts and more, head to Equity's Simplecast website.Equity drops at 7 a.m. PT every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. TechCrunch also has a great show on crypto, a show that interviews founders and more! Credits: Equity is hosted by TechCrunch's Alex Wilhelm and Mary Ann Azevedo. We are produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.

This is our startup-focused, Wednesday episode, so today we're counting down important venture rounds, and chatting our way through other startup and VC news.Here's what we got into:Artisse AI's seed round caught our eye for two big reasons: First, its selfie app is cool; and second, despite competing in a crowded space, it's seen revenue climb rapidly. It's gotta be doing something right.Elsewhere, Bilt Rewards is proof that fintech is still alive and kicking, and Kittl is another example of a European startup taking on a massive global market.And Bulk Exchange has raised $4.5 million, and I'm still shocked at how far Byju's has fallen.In Venture Capital Land, General Catalyst might buy an Indian venture capital firm — further evidence of just how critical India might prove in the coming years for tech companies. Also: some former Xerox investors have their own new fund to report.We'll be digging into the Brex situation on Friday, so stay tuned for more about fintech soon!For episode transcripts and more, head to Equity's Simplecast website.Equity drops at 7 a.m. PT every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. TechCrunch also has a great show on crypto, a show that interviews founders and more! Credits: Equity is hosted by Editor in Chief of TechCrunch+ Alex Wilhelm and TechCrunch Senior Reporter Mary Ann Azevedo. We are produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.

Here's what we got into:Stocks are down around the world to start a week that only features a single key earnings report, TSMC this Thursday. Next week really starts the tech reporting deluge, so get ready.In crypto, bitcoin's price failed to pump after its ETF products launched, which surprised some. Also surprising was the value jump that the Ethereum blockchain offers. Buy the rumor, sell the news? (Elsewhere, a crypto exchange raised around $100 million. In 2024! Who would have expected that!)Uber is killing Drizly: You can still get booze delivered to your house, but Axios notes that the $1.1 billion acquisition by Uber has run its course. Pour one out.On the deal front, Spot Technologies raised $2 million, while TechCrunch reports that Kuda raised $20 million last year at a flat valuation. That's pretty solid a result for a fintech startup that last raised in 2021.To close out, Apple is the world's smartphone king and has found a way to sell its Watch product sans legal issues, while Microsoft is very busy with AI. Credits: Equity is hosted by Editor in Chief of TechCrunch+ Alex Wilhelm and TechCrunch Senior Reporter Mary Ann Azevedo. We are produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.