Category Visionaries

Front Lines Media
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Category Visionaries

Welcome to Category Visionaries — the show dedicated to uncovering the go-to-market journeys behind the world’s most exciting B2B tech startups. In each episode, we sit down with a visionary founder who’s not just building a company, but creating or redefining a category. We’ll explore how they identified their market opportunity, crafted their early GTM strategy, scaled traction, and navigated the challenges of building something truly new. If you’re a builder, marketer, or founder, this show is your backstage pass to the GTM blueprints powering category-defining companies. Brought to you by:  www.FrontLines.io/FounderLedGrowth — Founder-led Growth as a Service. Launch your own podcast that drives thought leadership, demand, and most importantly, revenue. Don’t Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

  1. Stwart Peña Feliz, CEO of MacroCycle: $7.6M Raised to Build the Future of Plastic and Textile Upcycling

    4D AGO

    Stwart Peña Feliz, CEO of MacroCycle: $7.6M Raised to Build the Future of Plastic and Textile Upcycling

    MacroCycle is pioneering a revolutionary approach to plastic and textile waste, transforming how companies address sustainability challenges while maintaining cost parity with traditional materials. With $7.6 million in funding raised, this upcycling platform has developed breakthrough technology that can process contaminated and colored waste materials that traditional recycling methods cannot handle. In this episode of Category Visionaries, we sat down with Stwart Peña Feliz, Co-founder and CEO of MacroCycle, to explore how his team is creating high-quality recycled materials through an energy-efficient process that could reshape the entire recycling industry. Topics Discussed: MacroCycle's proprietary upcycling technology that combines damaged materials into high-quality products The shift from licensing technology to manufacturing products due to market demands for proven scale Strategic partnerships with food & beverage and fashion brands seeking recycled content The regulatory landscape driving mandatory recycled content requirements across Europe and US states Brand positioning challenges in sustainability versus profitability conversations The looming supply shortage: why there won't be enough recycled materials for the next decade Building founder brand recognition through distinctive visual identity and conference presence GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Pivot your business model based on customer feedback: Stwart initially planned to license MacroCycle's technology but discovered customers wouldn't adopt unproven technology at scale. Rather than forcing the original model, they shifted to manufacturing products directly, using a capital-light approach by renting existing petrochemical facilities. This pivot allowed them to prove their technology while generating revenue. B2B founders should remain flexible about their go-to-market approach and let customer readiness dictate strategy rather than forcing an idealized model. Position around regulatory compliance, not just benefits: While sustainability messaging resonates, Stwart found that regulatory pressure creates the strongest buying motivation. Upcoming EU and US state regulations will mandate minimum recycled content, creating penalties for non-compliance. Companies partnering early with MacroCycle gain supply chain advantages in a market facing a projected decade-long shortage of recycled materials. B2B founders should identify regulatory tailwinds in their industry and position their solution as compliance infrastructure rather than nice-to-have benefits. Achieve cost parity to eliminate buyer friction: Stwart learned that even environmentally conscious brands won't pay premium prices for sustainable solutions unless legally required. This insight drove MacroCycle's focus on reaching cost parity with traditional materials through their more efficient upcycling process. In commodity markets especially, B2B founders must match incumbent pricing to achieve adoption, using operational advantages rather than premium positioning to win market share. Underprice to accelerate fundraising momentum: Stwart used a counterintuitive fundraising strategy, deliberately undervaluing MacroCycle to generate multiple competing term sheets. Like pricing a $500K house at $400K to create bidding wars, this approach accelerated their fundraising timeline and ultimately achieved higher valuations through competition. B2B founders confident in their traction should consider strategic underpricing to create investor FOMO and compress fundraising cycles. Build distinctive founder brand in commodity spaces: Operating in recycling - a crowded commodity market - Stwart recognized the need for radical differentiation. He adopted a signature bright blue jacket for all conferences and presentations, creating instant recognition across continents. This visual branding became so effective that their lawyers suggested trademarking the color for recycling applications. B2B founders in commodity industries should invest heavily in memorable branding to stand out from undifferentiated competitors.   //   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   //   Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

    25 min
  2. Adi Bathla, CEO & Co-Founder of Revv: $33 Million Raised to Power the Future of Auto Repair

    5D AGO

    Adi Bathla, CEO & Co-Founder of Revv: $33 Million Raised to Power the Future of Auto Repair

    Revv is transforming one of America's most traditional industries with AI-powered technology that helps auto repair shops navigate the complexity of modern vehicles. With over $33 million in funding and explosive growth from 2 to 75+ employees in just 24 months, Revv has found product-market fit in a massive, underserved market. In this episode of Category Visionaries, we sat down with Adi Bathla, CEO and Co-Founder of Revv, to explore how he built an AI platform that's revolutionizing auto repair workflows and compressing sales cycles from 21 days to just 3 days. Topics Discussed: Revv's origin story and Adi's path from NASA award winner to auto industry entrepreneur The regulatory catalyst driving massive industry transformation (government-mandated automatic emergency braking by 2029) How modern cars evolved from mechanical devices to "computers on wheels" requiring specialized repair knowledge The challenge of acquiring first customers in a traditionally offline, relationship-driven industry Revv's approach to integrating with existing shop workflows rather than forcing adoption of new platforms The intense transition from founder-led sales to scalable go-to-market systems Building a mathematical rebuild of their sales process that compressed cycles from 21 days to 3 days Scaling from onboarding 20 shops per month to over 100 shops per month in just 12 months GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Meet customers where they are, not where you want them to be: Adi learned early that success in offline industries requires deep integration with existing workflows rather than forcing behavioral change. "Meeting an offline industry user where they are in their workflow rather than asking them to move towards your way of doing things" became a core thesis. Revv integrates with shops' existing scanning tools and estimatics software, running in the background to provide insights without disrupting established processes. B2B founders entering traditional industries should prioritize workflow integration over user interface innovation. Leverage regulatory triggers as market catalysts: Revv's timing was driven by government regulation mandating automatic emergency braking in all vehicles by 2029, which accelerated the adoption of advanced driver assistance systems across the vehicle fleet. This created an acute pain point as repair shops struggled to service increasingly complex technology. Adi explained, "The best birthplace of startups is when there is a government regulation or a functional change or net new technology that didn't exist before." B2B founders should identify regulatory shifts in their target markets and align their product development with compliance deadlines. Embrace the pain of rebuilding your go-to-market repeatedly: As Revv scaled, Adi made the difficult decision to completely rebuild their sales process multiple times. "There's no shame in admitting that what worked from the 0 to 5 journey is going to not work for the 5 to 25," he explained. The company rebuilt their entire sales motion to compress cycles from 21 days to under 3 days by redefining customer personas, creating targeted talk tracks, and engineering demos that immediately showcase ROI. B2B founders must be willing to tear down and rebuild successful systems as they scale. Focus on value propositions that drive immediate business impact: Revv succeeds because it promises both revenue generation and liability protection - compelling value propositions for shop owners. Their demos pull actual repair data from prospects' systems and show concrete ROI numbers, leading to a 60%+ demo-to-close rate. Rather than selling on features or efficiency gains, they demonstrate how their platform directly impacts the bottom line and reduces legal risk. B2B founders should anchor their value propositions on measurable business outcomes rather than product capabilities. Double down on unsexy, fragmented markets: The auto repair industry represents 400,000 businesses in the US alone, with 80% still operating as independent shops. While consolidation exists, the fragmented nature creates massive opportunity for horizontal solutions. Adi noted, "The more unsexy the industry, the more rich I think they are." These markets often lack sophisticated software solutions and have customers starved for technology that genuinely solves their problems. B2B founders should consider overlooked industries where technology adoption has lagged behind actual business needs.     //   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   //   Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

    29 min
  3. Alexis Normand, CEO & Co-Founder of Greenly: $78 Million Raised to Build the Future of Carbon Management

    JUN 28

    Alexis Normand, CEO & Co-Founder of Greenly: $78 Million Raised to Build the Future of Carbon Management

    Greenly is transforming how businesses approach carbon management, evolving from a consumer app to a comprehensive B2B platform that serves over 3,000 corporate customers. With $78 million in funding, the company has positioned itself at the forefront of the carbon accounting market by making sustainability tracking accessible and automated for mid-market companies. In this episode of Category Visionaries, we sat down with Alexis Normand, CEO and Co-Founder of Greenly, to explore the company's remarkable journey from multiple pivots to becoming a leader in carbon management software. Topics Discussed: Greenly's evolution from a consumer carbon tracking app to B2B carbon management platform The strategic pivots that led to finding product-market fit in corporate carbon accounting How regulatory pressure and supply chain demands are driving market adoption The company's approach to building a beautiful, educational brand in a complex technical space Scaling from zero to 3,000 customers through direct acquisition and growth tactics The differences between European and US markets for sustainability software Moving upmarket from SMB to mid-market to improve retention metrics GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Embrace rapid experimentation without killing past initiatives: Alexis didn't immediately abandon previous products when exploring new directions. Instead of completely shutting down the consumer app and banking API, Greenly ran multiple experiments simultaneously. This approach allowed them to maintain revenue streams while testing new markets. The key insight is that early-stage founders should add new experiments rather than kill existing ones, only sunsetting products once new initiatives prove more viable. Leverage market timing and external pressure: Greenly's success wasn't just about building great software—it was about timing their entry when external forces were creating demand. The trickle-down effect of large enterprises requiring carbon data from suppliers created natural buying pressure. As Alexis explained, "When companies start to pledge a real decarbonization pathway, they're asking their suppliers to track their footprint too." B2B founders should identify similar cascading market dynamics where regulatory or business pressures create natural demand for their solutions. Start with underserved segments to build product depth: Rather than targeting large enterprises with existing solutions, Greenly focused on SMBs and mid-market companies who couldn't afford expensive consultants. This strategy allowed them to serve 3,000 customers and encounter "all the corner cases," building a more robust product. While VCs initially questioned the SMB approach, this volume taught them which customers had staying power versus those who only needed periodic compliance help. Make complex topics accessible through brand and education: Greenly's consumer heritage influenced their B2B approach, focusing on education and simplification rather than assuming buyer expertise. Their core value of "making people smarter about climate" translated into clear explanations of concepts like Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. As Alexis noted, "Explaining rather complex things simply is actually harder than you think." B2B founders in technical categories should prioritize education and clarity over industry jargon. Follow the economics to find your true market: Greenly's multiple pivots weren't random—they followed customer willingness to pay and market size potential. When the consumer app reached 40,000 users, they calculated the banking API market at $50-100 million total addressable market. Corporate carbon accounting offered significantly larger opportunity. B2B founders should consistently evaluate whether their current path leads to venture-scale outcomes and pivot based on economic realities, not just product traction.   //   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   //   Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

    27 min
  4. Shreesha Ramdas, CEO & Co-Founder of Lumber: $21 Million Raised to Transform Construction Workforce Management

    JUN 26

    Shreesha Ramdas, CEO & Co-Founder of Lumber: $21 Million Raised to Transform Construction Workforce Management

    Lumber is revolutionizing how construction companies manage their workforce through a comprehensive back-office automation platform. With over $21 million in funding, the company is addressing critical challenges in an industry where 41% of the workforce will retire by 2031, leaving a massive knowledge and labor gap. In this episode of Category Visionaries, we spoke with Shreesha Ramdas, CEO and Co-Founder of Lumber, about his journey from serving the tech industry to tackling one of the most transformation-resistant sectors in the economy. Topics Discussed: Lumber's origin from 200+ customer discovery interviews with construction firms The company's focus on back-office automation versus field management Lumber's multi-channel marketing strategy emphasizing events and content The challenge of change management in construction technology adoption How AI is creating new opportunities to modernize legacy workflows The company's vision of building a knowledge graph for construction workers GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Lead with value in customer discovery, not just research requests: Shreesha hired an SDR to set up 200 meetings with construction firms, but didn't just ask for their time. Instead, he offered concrete value - either an industry best practices guide or one year of free service if they helped shape the product. This approach appealed to early innovators who wanted to be part of industry transformation. B2B founders should always answer "what's in it for them" before asking prospects to invest their time in discovery conversations. Events require 60-day pre-and-post commitment for success: Lumber generates 30% of its leads from industry events, but Shreesha emphasizes that showing up isn't enough. They start outreach two months before events, targeting previous attendees with promotional activities like free tickets or after-party invitations. During events, they focus on booking demos on-site rather than leaving follow-ups to chance. Post-event, they dedicate 60 days to aggressive follow-up because "those leads age faster than anything else." B2B founders should treat events as 4-month campaigns, not 2-day activities. Use AI to solve change management challenges, not just productivity: Rather than forcing manual timesheet users to adopt mobile apps, Lumber uses AI to digitize handwritten timesheets with 94% accuracy. This eliminates the change management barrier while gradually transitioning users to digital workflows. Shreesha noted that change management is "the toughest thing about construction industry" because workers are focused on building, not adopting new tools. B2B founders in traditional industries should use AI as a bridge between old and new workflows rather than demanding immediate behavioral change. Position against established category leaders, not alongside them: Lumber deliberately positions itself as the "back office" solution while Procore owns the "field management" category. Shreesha explained that back offices are "always thinly staffed" but "always overwhelmed" with regulatory compliance, payroll complexity, and worker management. Rather than competing directly with Procore's field focus, they created their own category serving CFOs, controllers, and payroll admins. B2B founders should identify underserved buyer personas adjacent to established categories rather than trying to displace category leaders directly. Leverage vertical AI opportunities to rewrite industry rules: Shreesha sees AI as the reason construction tech is finally attracting significant investment. The key is using AI to "rewrite the existing rules" rather than just digitizing current processes. For construction, this means taking workflows that have been manual for decades and reimagining them entirely. B2B founders should look for AI applications that fundamentally change how work gets done in their vertical, not just make existing work more efficient.   //   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   //   Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

    32 min
  5. Sean McCarthy, Co-Founder & CEO of BackOps AI: $8 Million Raised to Automate Supply Chain Operations with AI

    JUN 25

    Sean McCarthy, Co-Founder & CEO of BackOps AI: $8 Million Raised to Automate Supply Chain Operations with AI

    BackOps AI is transforming supply chain operations by automating the human-intensive processes that plague logistics companies daily. With $8 million in funding, the company has developed AI-powered solutions that autonomously resolve supply chain issues like damaged shipments, delivery problems, and vendor inquiries. In this episode of Category Visionaries, we sat down with Sean McCarthy, Co-Founder and CEO of BackOps AI, to explore how his experience at Amazon led to building an AI platform that handles 80% of supply chain problems without human intervention. Topics Discussed: BackOps AI's mission to remove human capital from supply chain issue resolution The evolution from Amazon shipping experience to founding an AI automation company Building and launching the Relay product for autonomous problem resolution Targeting 3PLs and industrial companies with high-volume, repetitive supply chain issues The changing sentiment around AI adoption in supply chain operations Strategic vision to become the central system of record for supply chain operations GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Target problems that scale with volume: Sean discovered that whether customers were nine-figure Amazon sellers or shipping 50 packages daily, they all faced identical supply chain problems. This universality across different company sizes and tech stacks validated the market opportunity. B2B founders should look for problems that persist regardless of customer sophistication or existing technology investments, as these represent fundamental market gaps rather than feature requests. Build prototypes that fail 50% of the time and still get customers: BackOps secured their first paying customer within 30-45 days despite having prototypes that "50% of the time just didn't work." Sean credits this to showing tangible ROI potential even with imperfect technology. B2B founders should focus on demonstrating clear value proposition over perfect execution in early stages - prospects can envision the full potential if the core value is evident. Position against human labor, not just competitors: BackOps rarely competes against other software solutions. Instead, they compete against hiring additional warehouse staff or outsourced development agencies. Sean explains customers evaluate them against "maybe they were planning on opening a new warehouse and adding two or three headcount." B2B founders should identify whether their primary competition is human labor or alternative solutions, as this fundamentally changes positioning and pricing strategies. Leverage domain expertise for customer development: Sean's Amazon background provided immediate credibility and a network of potential customers in 3PLs and fulfillment. His firsthand warehouse experience allowed him to articulate problems with authority. B2B founders should systematically leverage their professional background not just for product insights, but as a channel for early customer development and validation. Avoid generic AI positioning in favor of specific use cases: Sean emphasizes the challenge of selling AI products that "can kind of do anything" versus traditional software with clear functions. BackOps focuses on showcasing specific problems they've solved for similar businesses rather than generic "agentic workflow" messaging. B2B founders in AI should lead with concrete use cases and customer outcomes rather than technical capabilities or broad AI potential. Plan the system of record roadmap from day one: While BackOps launched with Relay, Sean has a clear vision to become the central nervous system that eliminates the need for "18 different systems." He positions this as their path to avoid commoditization and create defensible value. B2B founders should design their initial product as the foundation for a broader platform that consolidates multiple point solutions in their target 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   //   Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

    21 min
  6. Brittany Christenson, CEO of AidKit: Over $8M Raised to Transform Government Aid Distribution Through Technology

    JUN 23

    Brittany Christenson, CEO of AidKit: Over $8M Raised to Transform Government Aid Distribution Through Technology

    AidKit is revolutionizing how emergency aid and government benefits reach people in need. Having distributed over $350 million to more than 500,000 individuals and small businesses, the company is addressing critical inefficiencies in government aid systems during a time of unprecedented policy upheaval. In this episode of Category Visionaries, CEO Brittany Christenson shares how AidKit is building technology that delivers aid with dignity while navigating a rapidly changing political landscape that includes the dismantling of USAID, proposed cuts to SNAP and Medicaid, and plans to shift disaster relief responsibilities from FEMA to state and local governments. Topics Discussed: AidKit's origin story as founders built the platform to solve their own emergency aid distribution challenges during the pandemic The current political climate's impact on government aid programs and how it's creating both challenges and opportunities How outdated procurement processes and billable-hour consulting models create systemic inefficiencies in government aid systems The false trade-off between fraud prevention and accessibility in aid distribution Using AI and big data to simultaneously improve fraud detection while making aid more accessible Building technology that reduces administrative burden for both caseworkers and aid recipients AidKit's partner-first approach to business development and customer relationships The company's unique alignment between revenue objectives and social impact metrics GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Build from your own pain point and expand organically: AidKit's founders created the platform to solve their own emergency aid distribution challenges during the pandemic. When neighboring states asked to use their system, they recognized the broader market opportunity. B2B founders should pay attention when their internal solutions generate external interest—this organic demand often signals strong product-market fit and can provide a natural path to scale. Challenge industry pricing models that misalign incentives: Brittany identified that the prevalent billable-hours consulting model in government aid creates perverse incentives that discourage efficiency and innovation. AidKit deliberately structured their pricing to reward successful outcomes rather than time spent. B2B founders should examine whether traditional industry pricing models align with customer success and consider alternative structures that better incentivize the outcomes customers actually want. Leverage disruption as a growth catalyst: Despite the challenges posed by massive government aid cuts and policy changes, Brittany views the disruption as creating opportunities to build better infrastructure. She notes that "there is never massive disruption without opportunity." B2B founders should develop frameworks for identifying and capitalizing on market disruptions rather than just defending against them. Use technology to eliminate false trade-offs: AidKit demonstrates how AI and modern data sources can simultaneously improve fraud prevention while making aid more accessible—previously seen as competing priorities. Brittany explains that "in 2025 with AI, those trade-offs don't exist." B2B founders should look for areas where technology can resolve longstanding industry tensions and create solutions that deliver multiple benefits previously thought to be mutually exclusive. Align business metrics with customer success: AidKit's revenue model directly correlates with the amount of aid distributed and number of people served. This creates perfect alignment between business growth and social impact. B2B founders should structure their business models so that their success metrics directly align with customer success metrics, creating sustainable growth that benefits all stakeholders. Focus on procurement reform for government sales: Brittany emphasizes that procurement reform is essential for getting better technology into government systems. She notes the need to make procurement "more navigable for better tech solutions" instead of relying on "custom built monolithic systems that are incredibly expensive to maintain." B2B founders selling to government should engage with procurement reform conversations and position their solutions as alternatives to traditional, expensive custom builds.   //   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   //   Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

    18 min
  7. Simon Jagers, Founder of Samotics: $80 Million Raised to Build the Data Fabric of Smart Factories Through Sensorless Industrial Monitoring

    JUN 20

    Simon Jagers, Founder of Samotics: $80 Million Raised to Build the Data Fabric of Smart Factories Through Sensorless Industrial Monitoring

    Samotics is pioneering a revolutionary approach to industrial asset monitoring, delivering condition, performance, and energy efficiency insights for hard-to-reach industrial equipment without requiring sensors to be installed on the machines themselves. Founded by Simon Jagers, the company has developed Electrical Signature Analysis (ESA) technology that monitors over 10,000 machines by analyzing electrical data captured remotely, enabling companies to prevent unplanned downtime and save 10-20% energy without compromising performance. In this episode of Category Visionaries, Simon shares the fascinating journey from a failed AI-first approach to discovering breakthrough technology that's now being integrated with ABB drive systems to create the data fabric for smart factories of the future. Topics Discussed: The evolution from data-driven AI approach to hardware-enabled sensorless monitoring How railway switch monitoring led to the breakthrough discovery of remote electrical signature analysis Samotics' strategy of targeting hard-to-reach assets in extreme industrial environments The challenge of creating the "sensorless condition monitoring" category in a vibration-dominated market Building a service-heavy go-to-market model in an AI-first technology company Partnership strategy with ABB to integrate ESA technology into drive systems GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Target the "either us or nothing" market segments: Simon's breakthrough came from identifying industrial assets operating in extreme conditions where traditional monitoring was impossible or impractical. ArcelorMittal's conveyor moving steel plates across a 1500°C blast furnace exemplified this perfectly - they had two choices: Samotics' unproven technology or no monitoring at all. B2B founders should actively seek market segments where incumbent solutions physically cannot compete, creating natural "blue ocean" opportunities. Focus on unique positioning rather than universal applicability: Initially, Samotics tried to monitor every type of machine possible, believing their AI could handle any scenario. Simon learned to focus specifically on the 25% of rotating equipment that operates in extreme or hard-to-reach conditions where their remote sensing advantage was undeniable and easy to communicate. B2B founders should resist the temptation to be everything to everyone and instead dominate the specific use cases where their solution provides clear, defensible advantages. Embrace service components even in technology-first companies: Despite starting as an AI company with inclinations to automate everything, Samotics discovered that the human service element - having mechanical and electrical experts bridge AI findings with customer needs - became one of their most appreciated product components. They now deliver hardware, AI, and dashboards as a service with regular customer calls and visits. B2B founders should test whether adding high-touch service elements enhances rather than detracts from their technology value proposition. Build category credibility through scale and proof points: Simon emphasizes that category creation requires time, credible data, and real-world examples at scale. With over 10,000 machines monitored, Samotics can now make credible claims about accuracy and effectiveness. The category definition evolved from internal team alignment to external market education. B2B founders attempting category creation must first achieve meaningful scale and documented success before expecting market adoption of their category framework. Use enemy-based positioning strategically in early stages: Samotics initially positioned aggressively against traditional vibration-based monitoring, using humor and edge to grab attention from early adopters who appreciated the contrarian approach. However, Simon notes this was effective primarily for reaching experienced early adopters who understood the technology's limitations but were drawn to unique solutions. B2B founders should consider enemy-based positioning as a tactical tool for early adoption rather than a long-term brand strategy.   //   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   //   Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

    28 min
  8. Rick Bentley, Founder of Cloudastructure: $57 Million Raised to Build the Future of AI Video Surveillance

    JUN 20

    Rick Bentley, Founder of Cloudastructure: $57 Million Raised to Build the Future of AI Video Surveillance

    Cloudastructure has raised over $57 million to transform video surveillance from a passive recording tool into an active crime prevention platform. What started as a solution born from a laptop theft in a South of Market office has evolved into an AI-powered service that protects multifamily properties across the country. In this episode of Category Visionaries, we spoke with Rick Bentley, founder of Cloudastructure, about his unconventional path to building a category-defining company—from working at the legendary General Magic to self-funding his startup by working as a contractor in Baghdad. Topics Discussed: How a laptop theft incident revealed the fundamental flaws in traditional video surveillance systems The breakthrough moment when Google open-sourced TensorFlow in 2015 and its impact on computer vision Cloudastructure's pivot from broad security applications to finding product-market fit in multifamily properties The company's unique crowdfunding success, raising $35 million from 13,000 individual investors Building a hybrid AI-human monitoring system with guards operating from India The technical evolution from basic object detection to holistic, cross-camera intelligence using LLM-like systems GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Timing technology waves requires patience and resourcefulness: Rick spent over a decade keeping his cloud video vision alive before the infrastructure caught up. He recognized that Moore's Law would eventually make broadband faster than video files would grow larger, solving the technical constraints. He funded the company through consulting work, including a dangerous stint in Baghdad, demonstrating that sometimes founders need to get creative about survival during technology transition periods. B2B founders should identify self-resolving technical limitations and prepare to bridge the gap through alternative revenue streams. Vertical expertise beats broad horizontal approaches: Cloudastructure's breakthrough came when they hired Whitney, a VP of sales with deep multifamily industry relationships. She brought not just contacts but intimate knowledge of purchasing processes, budgets, and pain points specific to property management companies. Rick noted, "She knew what their budgets were, what their approval processes were, what their pain points were." B2B founders should prioritize hiring salespeople with vertical domain expertise over generalist sales talent when targeting specific industries. Product-market fit emerges from pain intensity, not market size: The multifamily space proved ideal not because of its size, but because of the acute pain property managers experience. Rick explained the stark difference: "The next morning you could have a dozen people in your leasing office because their cars got broken into last night" versus "an email that says these guys showed up, we did a talk down, they ran away." B2B founders should prioritize markets where their solution prevents catastrophic scenarios over those with mild inconveniences, even if the latter appears larger. Crowdfunding can validate B2B concepts when VCs miss the opportunity: After traditional VCs dismissed Cloudastructure as too late to market, Rick raised $35 million through crowdfunding with 13,000 individual investors. This approach not only provided capital but validated market demand from a broader audience. The success came from clearly articulating the value proposition to non-technical investors who could understand the basic premise of preventing crime versus just recording it. B2B founders facing VC skepticism should consider alternative funding sources that might better appreciate their value proposition. Build the full stack when integration creates competitive advantage: Cloudastructure didn't just provide software—they built the entire monitoring infrastructure, including training guards, developing custom interfaces, and managing the complete service delivery. Rick emphasized, "You can't just hop on Fiverr or whatever and say, I need someone to do this. You need to build the tools for them." This vertical integration created defensible value that pure software solutions couldn't match. B2B founders should consider owning more of the value chain when seamless integration significantly improves customer outcomes.   //   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   //   Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

    32 min
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5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Welcome to Category Visionaries — the show dedicated to uncovering the go-to-market journeys behind the world’s most exciting B2B tech startups. In each episode, we sit down with a visionary founder who’s not just building a company, but creating or redefining a category. We’ll explore how they identified their market opportunity, crafted their early GTM strategy, scaled traction, and navigated the challenges of building something truly new. If you’re a builder, marketer, or founder, this show is your backstage pass to the GTM blueprints powering category-defining companies. Brought to you by:  www.FrontLines.io/FounderLedGrowth — Founder-led Growth as a Service. Launch your own podcast that drives thought leadership, demand, and most importantly, revenue. Don’t Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

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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