Category Visionaries

Front Lines Media
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Category Visionaries

Welcome to Category Visionaries — the show dedicated to exploring exciting visions for the future from the founders who are on the front lines building it. In each episode, we’ll speak with a visionary founder who’s building a new category or reimagining an existing one. We’ll learn about the problem they solve, how their technology works, and unpack their vision for the future. Brought to you by:  www.FrontLines.io/podcast — Podcast-as-a-Service for B2B tech brands. Launch your show in 45 days.

  1. Ken Bagnall, CEO & Founder of Silent Push: $22 Million Raised to Transform Threat Intelligence Through Adversary Infrastructure Monitoring

    2 DAYS AGO

    Ken Bagnall, CEO & Founder of Silent Push: $22 Million Raised to Transform Threat Intelligence Through Adversary Infrastructure Monitoring

    Silent Push is revolutionizing threat intelligence by tracking threat actors’ infrastructure setup before attacks occur. After selling his first cybersecurity company to FireEye and serving as VP of Products there, Ken Bagnall launched Silent Push to address fundamental gaps in how organizations detect and prevent cyber threats. The company has achieved remarkable traction, securing 50% of global Fortune 50 companies as customers within 18 months of launch. Topics Discussed: - Evolution from traditional threat intelligence to proactive infrastructure monitoring - Building a complex data collection and behavioral analytics platform - Strategic focus on enterprise customers versus SMB market - Leveraging research and expertise to drive brand awareness - Balancing free community tools with enterprise sales motion - Geographic expansion challenges and opportunities GTM Lessons For B2B Founders:  - Focus on markets that appreciate technical depth: Ken’s first company struggled selling sophisticated email security through MSPs to SMBs who couldn’t appreciate the technical value. After being acquired by FireEye, they discovered enterprise customers who deeply understood and valued their capabilities. This taught them to focus Silent Push exclusively on enterprise customers who can recognize and properly value technical innovation. - ”Shout loudly in a small room”: Silent Push’s early GTM strategy focused on penetrating tight-knit threat intelligence communities within industry verticals. By establishing themselves as experts in these concentrated groups and consistently sharing valuable insights, they built strong brand awareness among their exact target customers. The strategy proved highly effective, helping them land major enterprise accounts quickly. - Build the right kind of community product: While many security companies struggle with free products, Silent Push succeeded by requiring user authentication, monitoring usage patterns to identify sophisticated users, and actively nurturing promising accounts. Ken emphasized that it’s not purely product-led growth, but a ”weird hybrid” approach tailored to their market position. - Leverage research strategically: Rather than joining the ”echo chamber” of threat research, Silent Push focuses on uncovering and publishing novel findings that demonstrate their unique capabilities. This approach not only builds credibility but creates content that can be monetized across multiple customer segments affected by the same threats. - Take the right path to the CISO: Instead of pitching CISOs directly, Silent Push targets threat intelligence teams who can validate their technology hands-on and become strong internal champions. This circumvents initial skepticism about threat intelligence products at the CISO level by letting the technology prove itself first.

    26 min
  2. Christian Stein, CEO & Co-Founder of Threedy: $11.5M Raised to Power the Future of Industrial 3D Computing Infrastructure

    JAN 31

    Christian Stein, CEO & Co-Founder of Threedy: $11.5M Raised to Power the Future of Industrial 3D Computing Infrastructure

    Threedy is revolutionizing how industrial companies interact with 3D data through its innovative visual computing infrastructure. Born from the Fraunhofer research organization, Threedy has transformed from a research project into a venture-backed company that’s reshaping how organizations utilize complex 3D data across their operations. In this episode of Category Visionaries, I spoke with Christian Stein, CEO and Co-Founder of Threedy, about the company’s journey from research institute to commercial enterprise, and their vision for the future of industrial 3D applications. Topics Discussed: - Evolution from research project to commercial venture - Technical approach to handling industrial 3D data - Challenges of transitioning from research to commercial sales - Building and structuring an effective go-to-market team - Fundraising journey and timing considerations - Strategy for expansion beyond automotive industry - Vision for the future of 3D data accessibility GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: - Start with Focus: Threedy learned to narrow their sales approach from broad technological possibilities to specific use cases and sweet spots. B2B founders should identify and focus on their most compelling use cases rather than trying to sell all possible applications of their technology at once. - Timing Market Entry: The company’s experience with fundraising during the metaverse hype cycle demonstrates the importance of market timing. Christian shared how delaying fundraising by six months significantly impacted their ability to capitalize on market momentum. B2B founders should carefully consider market conditions and industry trends when planning major business moves. - Bridge Technical to Commercial: As a technical founder, Christian learned to structure the sales organization with the same systematic approach used in software development. B2B founders should apply their domain expertise to sales processes while recognizing when specialized commercial leadership is needed. - Strategic Customer Base Expansion: Starting with German automotive customers provided early validation, but Threedy recognized the need to diversify into new verticals and geographies. B2B founders should plan their expansion strategy to reduce dependency on any single industry or region. - Evolution of Sales Approach: Threedy’s early sales efforts were hindered by overwhelming prospects with technical complexity. They succeeded by simplifying their message and empowering sales teams to focus on specific use cases. B2B founders should ensure their sales narrative is accessible and actionable for their target buyers. // 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

    14 min
  3. Saurabh Kapoor, CEO & Co-Founder of Metafuels: $22 Million Raised to Pioneer Synthetic Aviation Fuel Technology

    JAN 27

    Saurabh Kapoor, CEO & Co-Founder of Metafuels: $22 Million Raised to Pioneer Synthetic Aviation Fuel Technology

    Metafuels is revolutionizing the aviation industry by developing synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technology that combines renewable electricity, CO2, and water to produce jet fuel without petroleum feedstock. Having raised $22 million in funding, the company was born during the COVID-19 pandemic when its founders transformed their longtime vision into reality. In this episode of Category Visionaries, Saurabh Kapoor shares insights on commercializing deep tech, addressing market skepticism, and building a new category in sustainable aviation. Topics Discussed: - Technical approach to synthetic sustainable aviation fuel production - Evolution from consultancy to deep tech startup during COVID-19 - Addressing critics and market skepticism in the SAF space - B2B marketing strategy for industrial-scale technology - Commercialization roadmap and scaling challenges - Vision for transforming aviation fuel infrastructure GTM Lessons for B2B Founders: - Timing market entry with macro disruptions: Metafuels launched during COVID when traditional consulting work slowed, allowing the team to fully focus on their vision. The pandemic created space for deep work on complex technical and business challenges before going to market. - Building credibility in skeptical markets: Rather than trying to counter every criticism, Kapoor focused on addressing legitimate concerns while demonstrating clear technological and cost advantages. For deep tech founders, this means acknowledging valid challenges while showing how your solution fundamentally changes the equation. - B2B marketing for industrial tech: With large-scale industrial products, traditional B2B marketing tactics don’t apply. Metafuels focuses on building awareness of cost leadership and fostering long-term ecosystem partnerships rather than traditional lead generation. - Strategic scope limitation: The team made an early decision to avoid food/feed chain competition, demonstrating how technical founders can use clear scope boundaries to strengthen their market position and narrative. - Infrastructure-scale go-to-market: Metafuels’ approach shows how to sequence a major infrastructure play - starting with demonstration facilities, then moving to commercial projects by 2026, before full fuel production and sales in 2028. This creates clear proof points for stakeholders at each stage. // 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

    15 min
  4. Trey Sutten, CEO & Co-Founder of Siftwell Analytics: $5 Million Raised to Transform Healthcare Analytics with AI-Powered Predictions

    JAN 18

    Trey Sutten, CEO & Co-Founder of Siftwell Analytics: $5 Million Raised to Transform Healthcare Analytics with AI-Powered Predictions

    Siftwell Analytics is revolutionizing how health plans leverage data and AI to improve patient outcomes. With over $5 million in funding, Siftwell combines claims information with proprietary datasets and machine learning to predict patient behavior and explain why certain individuals need specific interventions. In this episode of Category Visionaries, I spoke with Trey Sutten, CEO and Co-Founder of Siftwell Analytics, to learn about their journey from concept to creating actionable insights that help health plans better serve their members. Topics Discussed: - The evolution from health plan operations to founding a healthcare technology company - How Siftwell uses AI to predict and explain patient behavior patterns - The current state of AI adoption in healthcare across different operational levels - The challenges of marketing deep technology in a referential industry - Building a category that transcends traditional predictive analytics - Future vision for automated, personalized healthcare interventions GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: - Leverage Operator Experience in Product Development: Siftwell’s success stems from combining deep industry expertise with advanced technology. As Trey explains, many technologists enter healthcare with ”cool mousetraps” but don’t understand the complexity of problems facing managed care organizations. B2B founders should either deeply learn their target industry or partner with domain experts who can translate technical capabilities into meaningful solutions. - Focus on Results Over Technical Specifications: While model accuracy matters, Trey emphasizes that customers care more about concrete outcomes like reduced emergency department visits or lower readmission rates. B2B founders should prioritize communicating business impact over technical superiority, especially when selling to C-suite buyers who care about operational results. - Navigate Category Creation Through Problem-Solving: Rather than forcing themselves into existing categories, Siftwell created their own space by solving specific customer problems. They used the familiar entry point of predictive analytics but differentiated by combining it with deep operational expertise and actionable insights. B2B founders should consider how their unique approach to solving customer problems might transcend traditional category definitions. - Build Go-To-Market Around Industry Context: In healthcare’s highly referential market, Siftwell prioritizes face-to-face interactions, speaking engagements, and leveraging existing relationships. They focus on educating prospects about practical implementation rather than technical complexity. B2B founders should align their marketing strategy with their industry’s buying patterns and decision-making culture. - Choose Strategic Investors for Long-Term Success: Trey emphasizes the importance of founder due diligence in fundraising, particularly in finding investors who understand the industry, company culture, and vision. B2B founders should look beyond capital to ensure their investors can provide relevant expertise and support for their specific market. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe.  www.GlobalTalent.co

    16 min
  5. John Belizaire, CEO of Soluna: $180 Million Raised to Power the Future of Renewable Computing for AI

    JAN 18

    John Belizaire, CEO of Soluna: $180 Million Raised to Power the Future of Renewable Computing for AI

    Soluna is pioneering a new category of renewable computing, building data centers co-located with renewable energy power plants to monetize stranded or wasted energy while providing sustainable compute power for AI workloads. With over $180 million in funding, Soluna is constructing a distributed network of facilities around the country that enables massive AI compute capabilities while driving demand and resiliency in the renewable energy sector. In this episode of Category Visionaries, John Belizaire shares Soluna’s journey from addressing a stranded wind power project in Northern Africa to becoming a leader in sustainable computing infrastructure. Topics Discussed: - The evolution of Soluna’s business model from blockchain computing to AI workloads - How renewable energy curtailment creates opportunities for data center innovation - The landscape of renewable power plant ownership and development - Building relationships with major power producers and investment funds - The technical challenges of creating flexible, distributed computing facilities - Content marketing strategies for category creation and demand generation GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: - Master the missionary sell: John emphasized the importance of education and de-risking in the early stages of category creation. When introducing a novel solution, focus on addressing customer concerns systematically and finding early adopters willing to validate your approach. The first six months were spent convincing power plant owners that computing facilities could work effectively with their operations. - Leverage content marketing for scalable education: Initially relying on outbound calls, Soluna transformed their pipeline by investing heavily in content marketing through podcasts, newsletters, articles, and social media. - This education-first approach led to 80% of their pipeline becoming inbound leads. B2B founders should view content as a scalable way to address common customer questions and concerns before the first meeting. - Build an integrated content engine: Rather than viewing content creation as an overwhelming task, start with recorded conversations that can be repurposed across multiple formats. One conversation can become a blog post, podcast episode, video content, and email sequences. This approach creates a content library that continuously generates marketing assets while maintaining consistent messaging. - Target the convergence of major trends: Soluna positioned itself at the intersection of renewable energy, cryptocurrency, and AI computing. While some of this alignment was fortunate timing, the company’s planned evolution from cryptocurrency to broader computing applications allowed them to capitalize on the AI boom. B2B founders should look for similar convergence opportunities in their markets. - Focus on systemic industry problems: Soluna identified that renewable energy curtailment was a widespread issue affecting plant profitability. By understanding the ”McDonald’s and Burger King problem” of optimal resource locations creating grid congestion, they developed a solution that addressed a fundamental industry challenge rather than a point problem. // 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

    30 min
  6. Steffen Vollert, Co-founder of Volt: $87 Million Raised to Build the World’s Leading Global Real-Time Payment Network

    JAN 13

    Steffen Vollert, Co-founder of Volt: $87 Million Raised to Build the World’s Leading Global Real-Time Payment Network

    In a recent episode of Category Visionaries, I sat down with Steffen Vollert, Co-Founder and Interim CEO of Volt, to explore their journey building a global real-time payment network. With over $87 Million in funding, Volt has evolved from a European open banking solution to a worldwide payment infrastructure platform, connecting major payment systems like Pix in Brazil and PayTo in Australia. Beyond his role at Volt, Steffen shared an unexpected side venture - a vintage tractor restoration business that provides a therapeutic counterbalance to the digital world of fintech. Topics Discussed: - Evolution from European open banking to global real-time payments - The transition through different leadership roles (CTO, COO, CEO) - Early product market fit challenges and iterations - Strategic focus on PSPs and enterprise customers - The impact of COVID on early company formation - Building marketing and sales teams in fintech - Fundraising journey through multiple rounds - Organizational scaling beyond 150 employees GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: - Speed to MVP Beats Infrastructure: Volt launched their initial prototype in just six months, compared to the industry standard of 2-3 years. Steffen explained, ”We really focused on what is the fastest path to deliver something that has enough value for a merchants who actually put us on their checkout as a payment option.” B2B founders should prioritize delivering core value quickly over building perfect infrastructure. - Vertical Focus Drives Team Success: The team discovered that sales and marketing professionals in payments are highly specialized by vertical. Steffen noted, ”Many salespeople in the industry are so specialized, they really join companies with a focus for their vertical where they have their network.” B2B founders should commit to specific verticals long-term to attract and retain top talent. - Product Market Fit is Continuous: Rather than a single moment, Volt experienced multiple ”false” product market fits before achieving true traction. Steffen shared, ”Every product advantage nowadays is temporary. You always need to be fast, you always need to be scrappy, you always need to think ahead.” B2B founders should view product market fit as an ongoing process rather than a destination. - Strategic Channel Selection: Volt deliberately chose to focus on large PSPs as distribution partners rather than pursuing SMEs directly. Steffen explained, ”We really want to focus our resources on where we can move the needle for our revenue impact.” B2B founders should evaluate distribution channels based on internal efficiency and resource constraints. - Investment Partner Alignment: During fundraising, Volt prioritized investors who deeply understood their space over pure capital. Steffen emphasized, ”For us it was much more important than the money itself... having partners on the other side to understand what we build, why we build it, why it’s tough, why it’s not going to be a straight line.” B2B founders should seek investors who truly understand their market dynamics and challenges. // 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

    27 min
  7. Aron Kirschen, CEO of SEMRON: $7.3M Raised to Build Ultra-Efficient 3D AI Chips

    JAN 10

    Aron Kirschen, CEO of SEMRON: $7.3M Raised to Build Ultra-Efficient 3D AI Chips

    SEMRON is pioneering the development of revolutionary 3D AI chips that pack massive computing power into a tiny silicon area without overheating. By leveraging an innovative semiconductor device that’s ultra-efficient, SEMRON aims to enable the next generation of edge AI capabilities. In this episode of Category Visionaries, I sat down with Aron Kirschen, CEO and co-founder of SEMRON, to explore how they’re tackling the fundamental hardware limitations holding back AI at the edge. Topics Discussed: - The development of SEMRON’s novel semiconductor technology that avoids electron movement - The current state of edge AI hardware and its limitations - The impact of ChatGPT on the semiconductor industry - Building a deep tech startup in Dresden, Germany’s microelectronics hub - The long-term vision for democratizing AI compute power GTM Lessons for B2B Founders: - Patience in Deep Tech: The semiconductor startup timeline requires thinking in 3-5 year horizons for go-to-market, not the typical 1-year timeline of software startups. SEMRON spent four years developing their core technology before reaching process freeze and beginning customer demonstrations. - Focus on Enterprise-Scale Relationships: Rather than pursuing a broad customer base, SEMRON targets 5-6 major customers who can each generate millions in revenue. This shapes their entire go-to-market approach, emphasizing deep technical engagement over traditional marketing. - Leveraging Technical Feedback Loops: SEMRON’s strategy involves working directly with customer engineering teams to deploy proprietary AI models on their hardware. This creates valuable feedback loops that reshape product development based on real application needs. - Strategic Location Advantages: While Dresden may not be Silicon Valley, its history as Europe’s microelectronics hub provides crucial advantages for semiconductor startups - from talent to manufacturing partnerships with companies like TSMC, Infineon, and Global Foundries. - Cost-Driven Innovation: True hardware revolutions happen when the driving technology becomes extremely cheap. SEMRON focuses not just on technical performance but on dramatically reducing the cost per compute to enable mass adoption of edge AI capabilities. // 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

    22 min
  8. Charlotte Dales, CEO & Co-Founder of Inclusively: $20 Million Raised to Transform Workplace Personalization

    JAN 9

    Charlotte Dales, CEO & Co-Founder of Inclusively: $20 Million Raised to Transform Workplace Personalization

    Inclusively is pioneering workplace personalization technology that helps enterprises better support and retain their workforce. With $20 million in funding, Inclusively has evolved from a hiring platform to a comprehensive solution that matches employees’ unique needs with company resources and accommodations. In this episode of Category Visionaries, Charlotte Dales shares her journey from selling her first startup to American Express to building a new category in workplace technology that addresses the growing skills gap and changing needs of the modern workforce. Topics Discussed: - The dramatic story of Charlotte’s first startup exit to American Express - Evolution of Inclusively from a hiring platform to workplace personalization solution - How changing workforce demographics are driving the need for personalized employee support - The shift in corporate DEI strategy from isolated initiatives to integrated workforce planning - Building and scaling enterprise sales in a challenging market environment - Leveraging strategic partnerships to accelerate growth and market penetration GTM Lessons For B2B Founders:  - Choose your investors and board strategically: Charlotte learned the importance of building a supportive board that acts as true partners. As she noted, ”You really need to find people who want to be on a team with you when it comes to a board and investors and in the trenches.” Founders should carefully evaluate potential investors beyond just capital, looking for those who will provide meaningful support during challenging times. - Trust your instincts on pivots: When market conditions change, founders need to be willing to evolve their product strategy. Charlotte explained, ”Where there’s a will, there’s a way... If your product isn’t perfectly aligned to what the market needs, you pivot.” The key is balancing quick decisions in urgent situations while taking time for careful consideration when possible. - Rethink traditional enterprise marketing: Cold outreach and demand generation may not be effective for enterprise sales in today’s environment. Inclusively found success by systematically leveraging investor and customer networks, with Charlotte sharing, ”We tripled our weekly meeting rates” after implementing a structured approach to warm introductions through investors. - Build product with enterprise design partners: When pivoting their product strategy, Inclusively worked closely with Salesforce as their first pilot customer. Charlotte emphasized the value of ”interviewing them, having them help us build this product” to ensure market fit. Founders should seek out and deeply engage with marquee customers who can help shape and validate new solutions. - Align marketing with customer success: For enterprise companies, Charlotte recommends closely integrating marketing with the teams delivering customer value. This ensures marketing messages reflect real customer needs and wins, noting ”Anything we learn from a customer perspective is going into marketing within the same day.” // 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

    31 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Welcome to Category Visionaries — the show dedicated to exploring exciting visions for the future from the founders who are on the front lines building it. In each episode, we’ll speak with a visionary founder who’s building a new category or reimagining an existing one. We’ll learn about the problem they solve, how their technology works, and unpack their vision for the future. Brought to you by:  www.FrontLines.io/podcast — Podcast-as-a-Service for B2B tech brands. Launch your show in 45 days.

Information

  • Creator
    Front Lines Media
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    500
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2022 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Category Visionaries

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