Meet John Corrigan, Co-Founder and COO at Kurve:
John Corrigan is the Co-Founder and COO of Kurve, an AI-powered developer tool revolutionizing data discovery and feature engineering. With over 18 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur and executive, John has a track record of success, including the acquisition of his previous company, SummitSync, in 2020.
Beyond Kurve, John is deeply committed to innovation and mentorship. He’s a venture partner at Remarkable Ventures, supporting climate tech initiatives, and actively mentors startups through the Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator. His blend of technical expertise, entrepreneurial acumen, and dedication to fostering the next generation of startups makes him a compelling leader in the tech industry.
Listen Up: John Corrigan, Co-Founder and COO at Kurve — Full Podcast Episode on Spotify
Watch Now: Vit’s In-Depth Talk with John Corrigan
Quick Read: John Corrigan, Co-Founder and COO at Kurve, Interview Highlight
Introduction and Identifying the Problem
In the latest episode of the Default Global Podcast, I had the privilege of speaking with John Corrigan, Co-Founder and COO of Kurve, an AI-powered developer tool aimed at revolutionizing data discovery and feature engineering. John shared with us his journey identifying the challenges Kurve seeks to solve. He mentioned how companies moved from traditional RDS databases to data lakes and warehouses, leading to a disconnect in data schemas and the costly manual process of data discovery.
John emphasized:
“Kurve produces a graph of your data, enabling organizations to communicate on one sheet about their databases,”
This tool not only boosts AI adoption but also enhances alignment between technical and business teams in the ideation, experimentation, and production phases.
The Fundraising Landscape
I was keen to explore John’s fundraising journey and how it differed from his past experiences with Summit Sync. He pointed out the scarcity of sophisticated AI and machine learning investors compared to SaaS.
He noted:
“There are probably half a dozen to a dozen serious investors in AI,”
The importance of targeting the right investors and constructing a beneficial cap table cannot be overstated.
“Your partners early on matter significantly,”
he advised, highlighting the need for due diligence on potential investors and understanding their strategic intentions beyond just providing capital.
Insights from an Investor’s Perspective
Having experience both as a founder and an investor, John shared valuable insights. He stressed the importance of investor support beyond mere financial backing, noting:
“Every investor will tell you they’re more than the money, and that is not a true statement.”
He praised investment firms with a clear focus and deep expertise, like Zeta Partners, which specialize in data science and machine learning, viewing them as far more effective than generalist funds.
Strategies for Raising Capital
John provided practical advice for entrepreneurs navigating the fundraising process. He believes having either a developed product or significant customer traction is essential. For first-time founders, programs like ERA and Y Combinator can offer critical developmental support. John illustrated the significance of precise targeting when seeking investors, advising founders to invest time in understanding which investors align with their domain and expertise.
“Spend more time doing targeting and filtering,”
he said, suggesting a focused approach can drastically reduce the number of meetings required to secure funding.
Climate Tech and Its Evolution
John’s involvement in climate tech as a venture partner was another fascinating topic we explored. He remarked on how the field is finally becoming venture-ready due to enterprises recognizing the profitability of decarbonization.
“Going green saves green and is more profitable,”
he explained, noting the newfound viability of climate tech startups due to cheaper company initiation costs and a growing enterprise interest in sustainable solutions.
Top Advice for Founders
Concluding our conversation, John distilled his advice for fundraising success into three succinct points:
“Revenue solves all known problems. Don’t run out of money. Don’t run out of money and don’t run out of money.”
His emphasis on financial sustainability underscores a critical aspect of entrepreneurial resilience.
This conversation with John Corrigan offered a wealth of insights not only into Kurve’s journey but also into the broader entrepreneurial and investment landscape, providing actionable advice for founders at any stage of their journey.
