Default Global Podcast: Navigating Global Expansion, Remote Teams, and International Talent

🔊 How can you grow your startup from $1 billion to $100 billion and conquer the global market? In this episode of the Default Global Podcast, I sit down with Klaus Wehage , a global expansion pro and co-author of Global Class . Klaus has helped over 2,000 leaders from 50+ countries figure out how to scale internationally and nail fundraising in tough markets. Klaus also spills lessons from 400+ t...

💹 Raising $77M in funding and taking on a $60B market, this episode has so much for founders. On this episode of Default Global, I sat down with Alexander Jekowsky , the CEO and co-founder of Cents . Alex has raised $77M, including a $40M Series B, to build a tech platform for the laundromat industry, a market most people don’t even think about. We talk about why raising $77M doesn’t mean success...

🔊 In this episode of Default Global Podcast, I chatted with Khalil Zlaoui , CEO of CaseBlink , to unpack his remarkable journey of raising $1.1 million in pre-seed funding for an AI-powered immigration legal tech startup. Khalil gives some real talk about tackling the fundraising scene, making the most of accelerator programs, and crafting a standout pitch in the busy AI world. Key Takeaway: Fund...

In this episode of Default Global, I sit down with Frederic Branczyk , the founder and CEO of Polar Signals . Frederic has an incredible story, he went from leading cutting-edge observability projects at Red Hat to raising $10.8 million for a startup that’s redefining continuous profiling for cloud-native environments. Key Takeaway: The fundraising strategies that helped him close two successful r...

🔊 Startup founders raising capital in 2024, this one’s for you. In this episode of Default Global, I sit down with John Corrigan , Co-Founder and COO of Kurve , to unpack the challenges and lessons of raising venture capital. With 18+ years of experience, including a successful exit and raising $35M in climate tech, John delivers hard-earned insights for founders navigating today’s funding landsc...

🔊 In this episode of Default Global, I sat down with Vladimir Baranov , an Executive Coach and founder of Human Interfaces . With 20+ years in FinTech, DeepTech, and SpaceTech, Vladimir has worked with leading names like PayPal, NASA, and startups that have achieved successful exits. Key Takeaway: What Vladimir learned from working with 30+ companies about expanding into global markets. How choos...

🔊 In this episode of Default Global, I chat with Ivan Burazin , Co-Founder & CEO of Daytona , to learn more about his amazing story. Ivan discusses how he established CodeAnywhere on a shoestring, turned the SHIFT Developer Conference into one of Europe's largest gatherings with over 5,000 attendees, and made $7 million for Daytona in only 16 months. Daytona’s open-source project has alr...

💰 Getting funding for hardware startups in 2024 is no walk in the park. But Michael Corr , CEO of Duro Labs , shows it’s absolutely possible—even in a space most investors usually avoid. In this episode of Default Global , we uncover Michael’s inspiring journey, from bootstrapping his startup to closing an impressive $11M seed round. He explains how Duro Labs bridges software and hardware to stre...

🔊 In this episode of Default Global, I sit down with Marty Ringlein , co-founder of Agree.com and an investor known for spotting high-potential startups like Stripe, SpaceX, Roblox, Coinbase, Deel, Uber, and others. Marty has backed over 10 unicorns at the seed stage, bringing a wealth of experience in identifying what makes a startup ready for substantial growth. His insights reveal how founders...

🔊 In this episode of Default Global, I talk with Garret Grajek , CEO of YouAttest and a veteran in identity governance within the cybersecurity space. With over 30 years of experience and 13 patents, Garret shares actionable tips on securing seed funding, navigating today’s valuations, and finding the right investors. He also discusses the challenges of scaling a global team and emphasizes that b...

In this episode of Default Global, we dive deep into the fundraising journey of Kristian Kamber , Co-Founder and CEO of SplxAI , a company breaking new ground in the generative AI cybersecurity space. Kristian shares how he raised $2 million in pre-seed funding, navigated over 200 VC meetings, and successfully scaled his global-first AI company with a distributed team. With over 10 years of experi...

🔥 In this episode, we dive into the playbook that helped Chris Port , Co-Founder of Noded AI , secure $4M in seed funding in 2024. Chris, with leadership experience at Boomi and Dell, shares how he approached his fundraising journey—from creating an alpha version of his product to building investor relationships with major players like Bold Start Ventures, Bessemer, and the co-founders of Slack a...

What does it take to have Sam Altman as an investor❓ In this episode, we sit down with Tyler Maloney , CEO of TeachMe. To , a company revolutionizing how people master new skills—from sports to music. With the support of top investors like Sam Altman and Bling Capital, TeachMe. To has skyrocketed, achieving tenfold growth in just one year, raising $5 million in seed funding, and securing over $25...

❓ How do you generate $30 million in revenue while supporting over 500,000 lives? Meet Dr. Sanjay Doddamani , Founder and CEO of Guidehealth in this episode of Default Global Podcast, to explore his recent journey raising a $14 million seed round. He also reflects on his experiences with Upstream Care, where he raised over $140 million, and contrasts that with his current fundraising journey. 🔊...

🎙 In this episode, Niko Skievaski takes us behind the scenes of his impressive fundraising journey, sharing how he successfully raised over $100 million across two companies. 💰 From leading Redox through a $45M Series C round to securing $1.5M in seed funding for Althea in 2024, Niko offers actionable insights for founders navigating the venture capital landscape. Tune in to discover: Niko succes...

Curious about U.S. companies tapping into the Mexican tech talent market 🌎 Discover what’s behind the successful hiring expansion of U.S. giants like Zillow and Lyft into Mexico. You’ll learn efficient strategies as well as common misconceptions and blockers U.S. companies face during their hiring expansion into the region. If your company is planning a business or hiring expansion into Mexico, t...

From Uber and Hilton to creating a $300M AI platform. → The real challenges of Silicon Valley fundraising. → How he raised $2.5 million after meeting 130+ investors. → Why focusing on customer feedback changed everything. That’s what Paul Kleen, founder of Pitchlt, an AI startup will share with us in our podcast episode. Whether you're a first-time founder or a startup seeking your seed round...

Ever wondered what it takes to pivot from a failed startup to a promising new venture, all while navigating the complexities of global hiring and remote work? Meet Philippe Noël, the Co-founder and CEO of ParadeDB, a YCombinator-backed company shaking up the database industry. Join us as he shares the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey, the lessons learned from his previous startup, Whi...

Unlock the power of diversity and community-building in the tech industry in this electric session of Default Global! Tune in as today's guest, the vivacious Joliz Cedeño , Executive Director of Techqueria , charts her journey from the orchards of Puerto Rico to the tech parks of New York and how it has fuelled her fight for equity in the tech space. Discover how community-centered upbringing...

🔊 Join us in this spectacular episode of Default Global with Andrew Butt , the ringleader of a rebate management revolution and the CEO of Enable . Tracing back to Andrew's early fascination with flying and computing, we explore how this unique blend spiraled into the birth of a trailblazing software category adopted by industry titans worldwide. 🌎 Get ready to unravel Andrew's fascina...

🎧 Unearth the gripping journey of Ohad Samet , the Co-founder and CEO of TrueML , in this riveting episode of Default Global. Hear Ohad unravel his exhilarating professional odyssey which spans from being a fresh graduate to starting his own venture in the fintech industry, offering a truly captivating and enlightening perspective on fintech's evolution. Through the lens of his global experi...

🎧 Tune into this riveting episode of Default Global where we converse with the Head of Information Technology, Jason Loyola , at InDebted . Jason navigates us through his dynamic tech journey, which began with a help desk role and led him to be the leading IT personnel at a global pioneer of smart debt collection. Get an insider's view on Indebted's revolutionary approach, which is flip...

🔊 Buckle up for a rollercoaster ride through the cloud-native tech landscape with our guest, Ian Crosby , Field CTO at Aptum ! Join us as Ian recounts his captivating journey from writing software for the Canadian Navy to playing a pivotal role in a cutting-edge managed services organization. 🤿 We delve deep into the evolution of cloud-native technology, the influence of open source, and the fut...

Dive into the dynamic world of global hiring and remote work with William Uranga, Director of Talent Acquisition at Spokeo, in this insider look at the tech industry. Unearth the secrets behind successful team building in a tech-driven environment, as Uranga shares his unique perspective from working in tech powerhouses such as Groupon and GoDaddy. Discover how to achieve the ideal team dynamic an...

Immerse yourself in the world of global hiring, remote work, and tech leadership in this compelling episode of Default Global. Our guest - Karim Fanous , Senior Vice President of Engineering at StrongDM , unravels fascinating insights about scaling engineering organizations, dealing with the challenges of remote hiring, and fostering an inclusive workspace. Born out of his decade-long journey from...