Keeping up with the Speed of AI: A Tech Startup Journey with BackEngine
In this episode of Tech Startup Stories, Natalie Binns reconnects with Eli Portnoy, founder and CEO of BackEngine, to explore how the company has evolved over the past year while navigating the rapidly changing world of artificial intelligence and enterprise software.
BackEngine helps organisations integrate AI into existing business workflows, enabling teams to automate processes, improve productivity, and unlock greater value from emerging AI technologies. Eli shares how advances in generative AI have reshaped both customer expectations and software development, requiring startups to adapt faster than ever before while remaining focused on solving meaningful business problems.
The conversation explores AI adoption, enterprise software, startup growth, product strategy, customer experience, change management, and the future of AI-powered business tools. Eli also reflects on why successful AI implementation depends as much on people and organisational change as it does on technology itself.
This episode is ideal for startup founders, SaaS leaders, product managers, AI professionals, and anyone interested in the future of enterprise software and artificial intelligence.
The Right Channels: A Tech Startup Journey with Overe
In this episode of Tech Startup Stories, Natalie Binns reconnects with Paul Barnes, founder and CEO of Overe, to discuss the realities of scaling a cybersecurity startup over the last 12 months and the lessons learned while building within the Microsoft 365 security ecosystem.
Overe is a cybersecurity platform focused on continuous assurance and identity security for Microsoft 365 environments, helping managed service providers and enterprises improve visibility, reduce security risk, and automate complex policy analysis that would traditionally require extensive consultancy work.
Paul shares how the company evolved from focusing primarily on product-market fit to building stronger revenue foundations through channel partnerships, international expansion, and refined customer qualification strategies. The conversation explores the complexities of selling new cybersecurity technologies through distributors, the challenges of balancing enterprise opportunities with a focused ICP, and how AI and lean operations are helping the business scale more efficiently.
This episode is ideal for startup founders, cybersecurity professionals, MSPs, SaaS leaders, and anyone interested in channel-led growth, product strategy, and building sustainable technology businesses.
Beyond the Tech: A Tech Startup Journey with Bytespark.ai
In this episode of Tech Startup Stories, Natalie Binns reconnects with Dr Ali Raza, founder and CEO of ByteSpark.ai, to explore how the business has evolved over the past year through product pivots, AI innovation, and the realities of scaling a startup in a rapidly changing market.
ByteSpark.ai is an AI-driven recruitment and decision intelligence platform designed to help organisations identify stronger candidates, improve hiring accuracy, and make better people decisions through behavioural and contextual analysis rather than outdated keyword filtering systems.
Dr Ali Raza shares the lessons learned from navigating product-market fit, repositioning the business model, and building trust-based partnerships while operating in a challenging regional and economic environment. The conversation also explores the development of Persona, ByteSpark.ai’s behavioural assessment and decision intelligence platform, which helps organisations evaluate leadership fit, team compatibility, and long-term hiring potential.
This episode is ideal for startup founders, HR leaders, recruiters, AI professionals, and anyone interested in recruitment technology, behavioural intelligence, and the future of AI-assisted hiring.
Funding Fun: A Tech Startup Journey with Uniblock
In this episode of Tech Startup Stories, Natalie Binns speaks with Kevin Callahan, founder of Uniblock, about building infrastructure in the fast-evolving Web3 ecosystem.
Kevin shares how Uniblock is addressing one of the biggest challenges in blockchain development: fragmentation. By providing a unified API that connects multiple infrastructure providers, the platform simplifies how developers build, scale, and manage Web3 applications.
The conversation explores the realities of building in a volatile market, where sentiment, funding, and adoption shift rapidly. Kevin reflects on the importance of focusing on fundamentals, improving developer experience, and creating long-term value beyond short-term hype.
For founders, developers, and those interested in Web3, this episode offers practical insight into simplifying complex systems, building resilient products, and navigating uncertainty in emerging technology markets.
Darkest before the Dawn: A Tech Startup Journey with First Concepts
In this episode of Tech Startup Stories, Natalie Binns speaks with Polina Sali, co-founder and CPO of First Concepts, about building a product at the intersection of creativity, design, and artificial intelligence.
Polina shares her non-linear journey from architecture to startups, shaped by global disruption, experimentation across disciplines, and a deep curiosity about how creative and technical thinking can work together. The conversation explores how First Concepts is addressing the fragmentation of creative workflows by providing a centralised space for ideas, references, and execution.
The episode also examines how AI is being applied in a more intentional way, supporting rather than replacing creative work, and how founders can navigate uncertainty, financial pressure, and pivotal moments that redefine their path.
For founders, designers, and product builders, this episode offers valuable insight into building in emerging spaces, creating tools for creatives, and developing products that align with how people actually think and work.
Don't Underestimate the Power of Time: A Tech Startup Journey with GAIO Tech
In this episode of Tech Startup Stories, Natalie Binns speaks with Sophie Carr, founder and CEO of GAIO Tech, about building a startup in the rapidly evolving world of generative AI.
Sophie shares her journey from early-stage failures and pivoting away from an EdTech startup, to identifying a new opportunity in Generative AI Optimisation (GAIO). Drawing on her background in SEO and content strategy, she explains how brands can influence AI-generated responses and why this represents a fundamental shift in digital visibility.
The conversation explores the realities of startup building, including the importance of resilience, finding the right co-founder, and learning when to pivot based on market signals. Sophie also breaks down her approach to scaling, why focusing on fewer, high-quality clients can outperform rapid growth, and how building a product-led business requires a different mindset from service-based work.
This episode is ideal for founders, marketers, and operators interested in AI, SEO, and the practical challenges of building a tech startup from the ground up.
Learning What Works: A Tech Startup Journey with Demand Genius
In this episode of Tech Startup Stories, Natalie Binns reconnects with Tom Rudnai, co-founder of Demand Genius, to explore how the business has evolved over the past 12 months following its early-stage growth and pre-seed funding round.
Tom shares an honest perspective on what really changes after raising investment, from increased external credibility to the internal pressures of delivering on expectations. The conversation dives into how Demand Genius has navigated a highly competitive and rapidly evolving AI search market, shifting its focus from content marketing to helping B2B brands influence how they appear in AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT.
The episode also explores the realities of experimentation in startup growth, why many traditional sales and marketing approaches are becoming less effective, and how original research has become a key differentiator in cutting through market noise.
For founders, marketers, and SaaS leaders, this episode offers practical insight into scaling a startup, hiring for early-stage environments, and building a go-to-market strategy in an increasingly crowded landscape.
No Clear Path: A Tech Startup Journey with Mantis Biotech
In this episode of Tech Startup Stories, Natalie Binns speaks with Georgia Witchel, founder and CEO of Mantis Biotech, about building a biotech infrastructure startup from the ground up and navigating the realities of early-stage growth.
Georgia shares how her early exposure to programming shaped her path into technology, and how her experience working in startups led her to identify a critical gap in the biotech space. Mantis Biotech was created to provide foundational software infrastructure for biomedical companies, an area often overlooked compared to more established industries.
The conversation explores the importance of early customer engagement, why cold outreach remains a powerful growth tool, and how Georgia balanced selling and building simultaneously to gain traction. She also reflects on the non-linear nature of startup growth, the challenges of execution, and the lessons learned from her journey through Y Combinator.
For founders, operators, and anyone interested in biotech startups or SaaS infrastructure, this episode offers practical insight into building a company from idea to early scale.
From Scrappy to Scalable: A Tech Startup Journey with AdLib
In this episode of Tech Startup Stories, Natalie Binns speaks with Mike Hauptman, founder of AdLib, about building a programmatic advertising platform in one of the most complex and fragmented areas of marketing.
Mike shares how AdLib evolved from an early-stage idea into a powerful solution that helps agencies and brands consolidate multiple ad platforms into one streamlined workflow. From navigating disconnected systems to improving campaign performance, this conversation explores the real challenges marketers face today and how technology can simplify them.
The episode also dives into Mike’s unconventional founder journey, including years of bootstrapping, multiple product pivots, and a defining moment when his entire infrastructure disappeared overnight. Rather than folding, the team rebuilt stronger, more focused, and fully in control of their future.
If you’re interested in programmatic advertising, ad tech innovation, or building a startup without venture capital, this episode offers practical insights grounded in real experience.
Fighting Founder Fires: A Tech Startup Journey with The Hog
This week on Tech Startup Stories, Natalie Binns speaks with Hudson Liao, founder of AI go-to-market platform The Hog, about building a startup from the ground up in the fast-moving AI martech space.
Hudson shares how his journey from student firefighter to finance, biotech, and startup growth roles shaped his approach to building companies. He explains the challenges of product-led growth, the importance of testing and learning from feedback, and how The Hog uses social intent to identify and connect with the right customers.
The conversation also explores the realities of founder life, balancing a fast-growing startup with running a nonprofit, standing out in a crowded AI market, and Hudson’s perspective on how AI will create new opportunities for those willing to adapt and innovate.
Behind the Scenes: A Year of Tech Startup Stories
In this special episode of Tech Startup Stories, host Natalie Binns is joined by marketing leader and long time mentor Donna St. John for a behind the scenes reflection on the podcast’s first year. Natalie shares why she started the show, what has surprised her most about the founders she’s interviewed, and how the conversations have shaped her thinking as both a founder and a marketer. The episode explores common challenges across startups, the realities of funding and growth, the tension between short term results and long term brand building, and why curiosity and discomfort play such an important role in building resilient businesses.
Reinventing Renting: A Tech Startup Story with Bills Included
In this episode, we unpack how Hussein Akins transformed a frustrating rental experience into Bills Included, a startup simplifying utilities and billing for renters and landlords across the UK. Hussein shares his shift from law and financial services into entrepreneurship, the early problems that pushed him to build a solution, and the partnerships that helped him turn an idea into a growing business. He also opens up about building a mission-driven company that focuses on fairness, transparency, and sustainability in the rental sector. A grounded and practical look at what it really takes to solve a real-world problem and build a tech startup with impact at its core.
Bitten by the Startup Bug: A Tech Startup Story with Petscreening
When John Bradford set out to solve one problem in his own property portfolio, he had no idea he was about to build a category-defining SaaS company used across millions of rental homes in the United States. In this episode, John shares how a single dog-bite incident led to the creation of Petscreening, why he bootstrapped the entire journey, and how he grew it into a platform that now supports landlords, residents, and pet owners across multiple housing sectors.
We explore the early days of building the MVP, why he hid his involvement from his own employees to get honest feedback, and how scrappy trade-show hustle landed him a major breakthrough client. John also dives into leadership, culture, scaling challenges, and the unexpected impact of political experience on navigating regulation.
From building a dog-friendly office inside an old textile mill to launching the nationwide FIDO Score and FIDO Alert programmes, this is a candid and energetic look into how vision, grit, and a love of pets turned a simple idea into a transformative industry standard.
From Google to Founder: A Tech Startup Story with Warmly,
In this episode of Tech Startup Stories, Max Greenwald, CEO and founder of Warmly, shares his journey from Google software engineer to building an AI agent platform that's transforming how sales and marketing teams collaborate. In this episode, Max reveals why he left big tech to solve his own sales and marketing challenges, how intent data helps identify warm leads before they know about you, and why aligning teams around funnel stages instead of channels eliminates attribution wars. He also discusses his open-close framework for iterating on messaging, why he only hires scrappy startup people who move fast and break things, and his advice for anyone stuck in corporate dreaming of building their own business.
From Cracked Guitars to Customer Experience: A Tech Startup Story with BluStream
Ken Rapp, CEO of BluStream, reveals how a cracked guitar led to building a SaaS platform that transforms the post-purchase customer experience. In this episode of Tech Startup Stories, Ken shares why the gap between delivery and customer delight is the biggest missed opportunity in e-commerce, how BluStream helps brands achieve 90% customer retention through product-focused messaging, and what it took to pivot from IoT hardware to a pure SaaS model after ten years. Learn why validating problems with 50+ customers before building, choosing long-term investors over quick wins, and organizing teams around six-month goals instead of rigid job descriptions are essential lessons for tech founders navigating the uncertain journey from startup to scale.
The Reluctant Founder: A Tech Startup Story with Complyance
Richa Kaul never planned to be a founder, but when she spotted a gap in enterprise security compliance technology, everything changed. In this episode of Tech Startup Stories, the Complyance CEO shares how she raised funding like an American founder in the UK market, what it means to truly validate a product before scaling it, and why she waited three years before investing in marketing. From embedding herself in client processes to choosing investors based on people over prestige, Richa offers candid insights on building in a crowded cybersecurity space, navigating fundraising as a female founder, and why sometimes the best businesses start without a grand plan. If you've ever wondered whether to bootstrap or raise venture capital, how to stand out in competitive markets, or what it takes to walk the walk before talking the talk, this conversation delivers practical wisdom from someone who's living it.
Trading Job Security for Startup Risk: A Tech Startup Story with Nexum Pensions
João Cabral left a steady salary to build Nexum Pensions around a simple idea. Let pension contributions follow the person, not the employer. In this episode we talk through the moment he chose risk over comfort, why multiple small pots still frustrate people who change jobs, and how Nexum keeps things easy for HR and payroll. We cover the first pilots, the early product choices that removed friction, and a go to market plan that works with providers while speaking directly to employers. It is a clear look at moving from employee to owner with focus, discipline and a problem worth solving. Listen in for practical lessons you can apply today.
LinkedIn-Led Growth: A Tech Startup Story with LandingRabbit
Season 2 of Tech Startup Stories features Toni Hopponen, founder of LandingRabbit. He explains how LinkedIn became central to his go-to-market strategy, why founder visibility can outperform cold outreach, and what it takes to build a scalable SaaS product in the fast-moving AI era.
Creating the Right Business Environment: A Tech Startup Journey with Visionary Farms
In this episode of the Tech Startup Stories Podcast, Elena Boos, founder of Visionary Farms, reveals how she is rethinking office spaces by bringing nature indoors with smart plant technology. Discover her journey from vertical farming to building a hardware startup focused on well-being, sustainability, and innovation.
The Fun of Starting Again: A Tech Startup Story with SlashExperts
Season 2 of Tech Startup Stories continues with Braydan Young, co-founder of SlashExperts. Discover why he thrives in the chaos of early-stage startups, the lessons he’s carrying into his third venture, and how SlashExperts is reinventing B2B sales with trust, peer-to-peer proof, and smarter scaling.