The StartUp to ScaleUp Game Plan

Thinking big - aiming to change the world!

William Tunstall-Pedoe's claims to fame include, in his first startup, Evi – which he sold to Amazon -  creating the AI technology that now powers Alexa in 100s of millions of devices globally, coding the AI software behind the anagrams in the Da Vinci Code, and calculating that April 11th 1954 was the most boring day in history!
William’s latest venture – Unlikely AI – who’ve recently raised a $20m seed round led by Amadeus & Octopus - is his most ambitious venture yet & could radically change the future of software & AI development
We explored:
why does the world need a contrarian approach to AI?
thinking big - aiming to change the world
creating magical products that delight customers
codifying the company's culture 
mentoring & investing in dozens of startups
For more insights into Unlikely AI head over to https://unlikely.ai/ & for advice on recruiting exceptional leaders for startups & scale-ups check out https://alpinasearch.com/
 
 
 
 
 
 

Blockchain: game-changing technology or marketing hype?

Ambre Soubiran is the CEO at Kaiko – a cryptocurrency market data provider who in June ‘22 raised a $55m Series B led by Eight Roads. Kaiko aims to become the Bloomberg of the blockchain & cryptocurrency worlds!
We explored:
Why Ambre gave up a successful banking career to build a blockchain startup
How blockchain data services will empower decision-makers across many industries
Why being too early can become a competitive advantage in a data-centric market
Why successful entrepreneurs should obsess less about fundraising- it's not how about raising money, it's how you spend it!
How to ensure a diverse international culture from Day 1
How Ambre handled closing a Series B & giving birth to her baby on the same evening!
For more insights into Kaiko head over to https://www.kaiko.com/ & for advice on hiring leaders for B2B SaaS scale-up heads over to https://alpinasearch.com/

Building a European SaaS unicorn

Bastian Karweg is the Group CEO at Echobot & Leadfeeder – these 2 saas ventures were recently acquired & merged by Great Hill Partners to create a ground-breaking sales intelligence & go-to-market platform & appointed Zoominfo's former CEO, Derek Schoettle, as their Chairman.
We explored:
the strategic thinking & ambition behind the Echobot & Leadfeeder "arranged marriage"
the opportunity to combine PLG with sales-led growth in an impactful go-to-market strategy 
key challenges & opportunities of unifying the 2 brands & the platforms 
the "unfair advantage" of having Zoominfo's former CEO as your Chairman!
how to build a culture of trust throughout your business
the ways in which the pandemic has super-accelerated digital adoption in Europe
For more insights into Echobot & Leadfeeder check out https://www.echobot.com/ & https://www.leadfeeder.com/
And for advice on recruiting exceptional leadership talent for B2B Saas scale-ups check out https://alpinasearch.com/
 
 

The future of software & the future of work!

Tariq Rauf is the Founder & CEO at Qatalog - backed by $18.5 million in funding from VCs like Atomico, Mosaic & Salesforce Ventures - whose digital work hub enables organisations to scale fast with transparency, automated knowledge flow, & tightly aligned teams & projects.
We explored:
How Tariq started coding when he was 6, built his 1st software business when he was 12, developed software for major corporations throughout his teenage years & then chose to re-train as an architect!
How architects learn to anticipate, & accommodate in their designs, rapid growth in user numbers unlike software designers who typically fail to plan for this
The "productivity paradox" - why are productivity tools destroying productivity?
Why Covid has, by accident, enabled us to find the ideal working environment for knowledge workers
Will the latest generation of employees ever embrace 9-5 working practices & daily commutes?
For more insights into Qatalog check out https://qatalog.com/ & for guidance on recruiting exceptional leaders for B2B software scale-ups head over to https://alpinasearch.com/
 
 
 

Stravito: building a winning enterprise Saas business

Thor Olof Philogène is the Co-Founder & CEO at Stravito who've sold their AI-driven saas research & insights platform directly to blue chips like Mcdonalds, Electrolux & Pepsi Lipton.
We explored:
Applying the Eric Ries concept of “validated learnings” when launching a SaaS business 
How a small European venture can sell enterprise SaaS directly to blue chips like McDonalds 
Why focus is your best friend - and how to retain that focus as your business grows
The advantages of front-load your hiring 
How to build an effective autonomous culture
For more Stravito insights check out https://www.stravito.com/ and for advice on hiring exceptional leaders for B2B Saas scale-ups head over to https://alpinasearch.com/
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

How to go as fast as possible without the wheels coming off!

Alex Mifsud is the CEO & Founder at embedded finance disruptor Weavr – who recently raised a $40m Series A led by Tiger Global. Other investors include QED, Anthemis, LocalGlobe, Mubadala Capital and Seedcamp.
Alex walked me through his:
journey from academia to tech entrepreneurship
learnings - including "how to go as fast as possible without the wheels coming off"!
product philosophy: "put yourself in the shoes of customers and start designing the solution you would love to have if you were them"
views on hiring & diversity: “the danger of cloning versus the danger of lone wolves”
perspectives on the challenges of being a tech entrepreneur: “if it were a very straight line it would be a really boring job”!
For more insights into Weavr check out https://www.weavr.io/ and for guidance on hiring leaders for B2B SaaS scale-ups head over to https://alpinasearch.com/

DeepStream – the saas startup helping companies handle supply chain disruption

Jack Macfarlane is the CEO at DeepStream Technologies.
DeepStream's SaaS solution delivers a seamless, visible & automated procurement experience to clients like Maersk and BritishVolt.
DeepStream was originally backed by TechStars and angel investors - before raising a Series A, led by Beringea, in 2021
Jack discussed:
Switching from investment banking to become a tech entrepreneur
Ensuring your employees develop a shared winning mentality & contribute to the company's vision
Navigating the path from your startup dream to the reality of scaling your business
Diversity – building an eclectic mix of people from the outset
Why Procurement is changing from a cost centre to a profit-generation centre
For more insights into DeepStream check out https://www.deep.stream/ and for advice on recruiting leaders for your SaaS scale-up head over to https://alpinasearch.com/

Buddy: SaaS startup helping hospitals to improve the patient experience

Jussi Maatta is CEO & Founder at the Finnish health tech disruptor, Buddy Healthcare.
 
Buddy's platform helps healthcare providers reduce their huge waiting lists & enhance the patient experience.
We explored:
implementing agile processes right the way across your organisation
how a company's name can encapsulate the company's culture and ethos
the pandemic's impact on the demand for virtual care solutions and better patient experiences
how Russia's invasion impacted the team's Ukrainian developers 
staying fit & healthy to cope with the stresses & strains of leading a SaaS startup
hiring a dynamic team of diverse individuals to help shape & deliver the company's vision 
For more insights into Buddy Healthcare check out https://www.buddyhealthcare.com/en/
 
And for guidance on hiring leadership talent for B2B saas scale-ups, head over to https://alpinasearch.com/
 

Sastrify: how to hyperscale & have a lot of fun at the same time!

Sven Lackinger is the co-founder & CEO at Sastrify - a rapidly scaling SaaS venture who’ve raised $23m dollars from major VCs like HV Capital and FirstMark for their SaaS procurement solution.
 
We explored:
Why 4 co-founders is too many - you're better off with 2 co-founders who then hire “experts” for the other c-suite roles
The benefits of hiring world class talent anywhere in the world & how to build a completely remote team & culture
Why Sastrify has launched so many virtual cultural initiatives like Friday Checkouts – where people thank a colleague for something they’ve done and share their weekend plans - and global online chess tournaments to build friendships across timezones and countries
How Sastrify are creating a new product category to enable large enterprises to procure and operate their software
 
 
N.B. This episode was recorded in early March 2022 - shortly after Russia invaded UkraineFor more insights into Sastrify check out https://www.sastrify.com/ & for advice on hiring leaders to scale your B2B SaaS venture head over to https://alpinasearch.com/

Transforming customer engagement & loyalty

Sampo Parkkinen is the CEO & founder at Revieve whose SaaS platform uses AI, AR & computer-vision to help brands and retailers like Number 7, Superdrug & JC Penney personalise the customer experience and build long term customer relationships.We explored:
Why scaling yourself - as a leader - is the hardest thing to do as an entrepreneur
“The Power Focus” – learning not to chase every opportunity and not to try to put out every fire
How & when to transition your SaaS business from focusing on SMBs to winning large enterprise clients
Why e-commerce is moving from transaction driven to relationship driven - shaking up the entire consumer brand experience
For more insights into Revieve check out https://www.revieve.com/ & for guidance on recruiting leaders talent for B2B SaaS scale-ups head over to https://alpinasearch.com/