In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, we're excited to welcome Freddie Monk, the co-founder and CEO of Aya Data. Freddie takes us through his incredible journey from working as a strategy consultant at EY in London to moving to Ghana, where he co-founded Aya Data with a Ghanaian friend and their previous boss. Freddie's unique path illustrates the potential of talent and innovation in Ghana, as well as the opportunities he saw to create socially impactful business ventures.

Freddie sheds light on how Aya Data evolved from providing data annotation services to becoming a full-service AI consultancy firm. He dives into Aya Data's significant projects, including a precision agriculture platform that leverages remote sensing data and custom AI models to provide tree-level or plant-level analytics. Additionally, he talks about their second SaaS product, which is an African language speech solution designed to democratize communication for those who can't read or write in English or French.

We also explore the vibrant tech landscape in Ghana and Aya Data's recent pre-seed funding round of $900K, which is set to propel their growth even further. Freddie discusses their mission to scale their SaaS products, the importance of protecting proprietary data, and the strategic plans for expansion into new global markets. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in AI, agriculture, global tech innovation, and the burgeoning opportunities within the African tech ecosystem. Tune in to be inspired by Freddie’s story and the groundbreaking work of Aya Data.

Show Notes:

00:00 Excited for impactful work and entrepreneurial opportunities.

03:03 Harness Ghana's talent, create jobs, provide services.

07:29 Primary customers: big farms; secondary: insurance, investment.

10:31 Mobile payments grow; medical tech innovates solutions.

16:23 Validating milestones, major partnerships, protectable IP achievements.

19:51 V7 Labs' data room template aids fundraising success.

22:49 Investing to scale SaaS products globally.

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/aya-data-raises-900k-in-seed-round

Freddie Monk’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/freddie-monk-38347456/

Aya Data’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aya-data/

Aya Data’s Website: https://www.ayadata.ai/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

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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! In today's episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Roy Pereira, the CEO and co-founder of Unified. Roy's journey through the tech world is nothing short of captivating; from dropping out of university to jumpstart his entrepreneurial career, to navigating the ins and outs of Silicon Valley, and eventually founding multiple startups. Unified, his latest venture, provides an innovative API integration infrastructure that saves SaaS companies valuable time and resources.

Join us as Roy delves into the specifics of Unified's services, the challenges and triumphs of building API integrations, and the strategic evolution of their pricing models. We also discuss the startup's unique approach to inbound marketing, their lean yet efficient team dynamics, and the arduous but rewarding path of fundraising in today's market. Roy shares invaluable advice for fellow SaaS founders and gives us a glimpse of what's on the horizon for Unified. Don't miss this insightful episode packed with practical wisdom and entrepreneurial inspiration!

Show Notes:

00:00 Unified to: Simplifies API integration, saves time.

05:21 Developed new, customer-friendly, sliding scale pricing model.

08:34 Founded in 2023; automated platform for efficiency.

13:24 Raising funds is difficult; requires targeted networking.

16:05 Metrics-focused meetings emphasize KPIs and customer journeys.

17:30 Expanding API integrations; aiming for 500 total.

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/unified-to-secures-1-1m-cad-in-pre-seed-round

Roy Pereira’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roypereira/

Unified’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unified-to/

Unified’s Website: https://unified.to/

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 enlightening episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! Today, we're thrilled to host Brian Elliott, CEO and co-founder of Blitzy—a groundbreaking company pushing the boundaries of software development through AI. Brian’s journey is nothing short of inspiring, starting from his education and service at West Point and Army Special Operations, to Harvard Business School, where he met his co-founder, Sid, and laid the foundation for what would become Blitzy. Their mission? To democratize and accelerate software development using cutting-edge AI technologies.

In our conversation, Brian delves into the nitty-gritty of building a tech startup from the ground up. He recounts the initial spark for Blitzy, which began as a pro bono project for a local bakery, and how it quickly evolved into a robust platform serving major enterprises, especially in finance and insurance. He elaborates on the unique value proposition of Blitzy—generating enterprise-quality code at breakneck speeds, dramatically compressing development cycles, and offering unparalleled efficiency.

We also look ahead to the future of SaaS, contemplating how innovations like Blitzy might reshape the industry landscape. With discussions on product development, pricing, and go-to-market strategies, Brian provides a wealth of insights that are sure to inspire aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned professionals alike. So, plug in those headphones and join us for a captivating discussion that bridges technology, business, and innovation.

Show Notes:

00:00 Served Army, founded Blitzy using AI innovations.

04:52 Achieved enterprise software breakthrough, patenting technological innovations.

06:25 Expensive product tailored for businesses' code needs.

10:31 Extensible full-cycle system for legacy tech industries.

15:55 Boston's ecosystem excellent for attracting talented researchers.

18:49 Revenue focus; manage pipeline; assess code quality.

20:12 Converted service customers to engaged SaaS users.

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/blitzy-raises-4-4-million-in-funding

Brian Elliott’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briancelliott/

Blitzy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blitzyai/

Blitzy’s Website: https://blitzy.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