Navigated to 453: StackAI: From MIT PhD to 7-Figure Enterprise AI Platform - with Bernard Aceituno

453: StackAI: From MIT PhD to 7-Figure Enterprise AI Platform - with Bernard Aceituno

September 18
43 mins

View Transcript

Episode Description

Bernard Aceituno went from PhD research at MIT to founding StackAI, a no-code AI platform that's now generating 7-figures in ARR with over 100 enterprise customers and $16M raised.

In this episode, Bernard shares how he pivoted from academia to entrepreneurship, why his first product wasn't solving the right problem, and how a perfectly-timed MVP launch on Hacker News created overnight demand. He explains the painful lessons of chasing too many customer segments before finding focus with enterprise IT teams.

You'll learn:

  • What signals showed Bernard it was time to pivot from dataset management to workflow automation
  • Why chasing too many ICPs nearly derailed the company and how they found focus
  • How posting a scrappy MVP on Hacker News created 20 customer meetings in just two days
  • Why attempts at reseller channels failed and what Bernard learned from waiting too long to hire sales
  • How focusing on enterprise IT unlocked large contracts and steady expansion inside customer accounts

Full show notes โ†’ saasclub.io/453


This episode is brought to you by:

๐Ÿ’– Gearheart โ†’ Book a free strategy session + get 20% off select services


Get weekly SaaS lessons and new founder stories โ†’ saasclub.io/email

See all episodes

Never lose your place, on any device

Create a free account to sync, back up, and get personal recommendations.