In this episode of Founders Future, host Michelle Saeed sits down with Ray Ortega, founder and CEO of Grata Software, a company transforming how small businesses leverage technology through custom AI solutions, web and mobile app development, and IT consulting. With over 15 years of experience in software development and IT, Ray shares his entrepreneurial journey, including overcoming failed startups and personal challenges that led to founding Grata.

Ray dives into the industry gap that inspired Grata—highlighting how small businesses often lack access to high-level tech consulting, unlike large Fortune 500 companies that rely on expensive consultants who sometimes deliver unvalidated solutions. Grata Software’s mission is to empower small to mid-sized businesses to compete with bigger players by automating processes and improving operational efficiency with custom software.

Listeners get an inside look at how Grata approaches client engagements, starting with free consultations that analyze business processes to identify bottlenecks and opportunities for automation. Ray shares a compelling case study where Grata helped a client drastically reduce FEMA flood claim processing time by 80% through automation, and how AI is now enabling even greater efficiencies.