Earlier this month, Blue Seedling and 97212 Ventures hosted an all-star panel of experts at the iconic One Vanderbilt building in New York City. More than 100 attendees enjoyed stellar food, networking with a view, and a panel of industry experts, including:
- Tzveta Raynova, Business Development Director at Comcast
- Daniel Chesley, Venture Capitalist, AI Investor at Work-Bench
- Eyal Bino, Early Stage Investor with 97212 Ventures
- Jordan Elkind, Head of Brand Positioning at Blue Seedling
- Tiernan Ray, Editor at The Technology Letter, and panel moderator
The conversation focused on the importance of messaging and positioning GenAI solutions so buyers understand the specific business value that purpose-built tech can deliver.
Three key takeaways from the discussion
- The days of being able to market yourself as a “GenAI startup” are numbered. Just like cloud and mobile technologies before it, embedding GenAI capabilities will soon become the new table stakes. We’re not there quite yet, but in the meantime, startups have to navigate the positioning and messaging landscape very carefully. You’ll need to adapt your strategies to stay ahead of the curve and cement your place in the evolving enterprise GenAI landscape.
- You can’t target one buyer. Who is the right audience for your GenAI technology? Our panel felt it was a bit of a mixed bag. Some argued the business buyer—the business execs with the budget and a deep understanding of the use cases—was the way to go. Others championed the AI/innovation/digital transformation group leader, who acts as gatekeeper and connector for these kinds of enterprise tech solutions.
The key takeaway? You can’t pick just one. You have to target both audiences and make sure your messaging is tailored specifically for each of them. It’s a delicate dance, but getting it right could be the difference between success and failure in the enterprise AI space. - There’s a balancing act between vertical solutions and holistic platforms. When it comes to enterprise B2B, vertical AI solutions tailored to specific use cases tend to deliver more value than generic, horizontal AI platforms. For companies grappling with distinct compliance or industry-specific workflows, purpose-built AI that deeply understands those nuances can be a game-changer. However, pitching this vertical approach can be tricky because stakeholders often favor a more comprehensive, coherent AI platform over a big “bag” of point solutions. Navigating the balance between expertise and platform cohesion is critical for startups looking to succeed in the enterprise AI space.
It’s no longer enough just to have a great GenAI product. That matters, sure—but that alone won’t win the battle for you. Startups that know how to sell to the decision-makers and technical gatekeepers will come out on top in the increasingly crowded enterprise GenAI space. The bar is high, but the opportunities are endless for those willing to put in the work.
This annual event is now officially a Blue Seedling tradition.
Thank you to Eyal Bino from 97212 Ventures and Eyal Peled from Greenberg Traurig, LLP, for their collaboration on another successful founder community event. And we’d also like to extend our sincere gratitude to our esteemed panelists, as well as Tiernan Ray, moderator extraordinaire. We’re already looking forward to next year.
If you’d like to be invited to future Blue Seedling events, contact us here.
