Welcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! Today, we dive into the fascinating story of Deepak Shrivastava, the founder and CEO of Sunrise AI. In this episode, we'll unravel Deepak's journey from the world of investment banking to becoming a CFO and entrepreneur. He shares his profound insights into the appeal of SaaS revenue models, steering through the complexities of the tech industry, and his experiences in steering a travel tech company during the uncharted territories of the pandemic. 

Deepak gives us an inside look into his latest venture, Sunrise AI, an innovative company that's shaking up the fintech space with AI-powered credit and due diligence services. Listen in as he discusses the challenges outdated credit assessment methods present and how his company aims to revolutionize this space with technology that's more inclusive and fits the modern economic realities. 

Join us as Deepak opens up about the early stages of building Sunrise AI, from securing initial funding to navigating go-to-market strategies. His perspective on the importance of storytelling in fundraising and the strategic emphasis on validating his product in the market offers invaluable lessons for any startup founder. 

As we probe into the operational side of a new venture, Deepak also discusses team dynamics, pricing strategies, the power in targeting a niche initially but keeping options open for adjacent markets, and the critical metrics he's using to steer Sunrise AI towards success. 

Don't miss out as we explore Deepak's vision for a fairer credit system—one that breaks free from traditional bias and strives for inclusivity. So tune in, as we unpack the story of a SaaS entrepreneur set on making a significant impact in the fintech world. 

Show Notes:  

00:00 CFO with background in investment banking, tech, SaaS. 

05:41 Credit reporting for landlords beyond traditional methods. 

07:05 Corporations as individuals, assessing credit risk, SMBs. 

10:20 Seeking mid-market property owners for prop tech. 

15:13 Study collected data, predicted rent payment accuracy. 

17:07 Struggles with capital, storytelling, and investor alignment. 

19:17 Metrics and marquee brands validate market receptivity. 

Links:  

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/sunrise-ai-secures-pre-seed-funding-round 

Deepak Shrivastava’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepak-shrivastava-3baa12/ 

Sunrise AI’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sunrise-ai/ 

Sunrise AI’s Website: https://www.sunrise.ai/ 

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