Beyond the Cap Table

Sonia Kastner of Pano AI on forging new founder archetypes, the massive opportunity for climate tech, and her creative secret to early hiring

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This is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.

Sonia Kastner is the CEO and Founder of Pano AI, the leader in wildfire early detection and intelligence. Previously, Sonia spent over 10 years building and leading supply chain and manufacturing organizations within fast-growing mission-driven start-ups. Her global leadership experience spans Nest Thermostats, multiple solar energy companies, and extensive work across the IoT ecosystem. Prior to starting her career in technology, she worked in economic development for New York City under Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

In this episode, Sonia discusses:

  • How she structured the initial idea generation stage for Pano and built conviction to go all in on this opportunity
  • How she raised over $45M for Pano and what she’s learned about running a successful fundraising process at various stages
  • Why her background in operations and supply chain give her a unique perspective as a founder and CEO 
  • How to build a team from Day 0 and her creative secret to finding early hires
  • How to tackle enterprise sales at the early stage and the key to landing Pano’s first customer
  • Her approach to recruiting mentors and leveraging them both personally and professionally
    • ...more
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    Beyond the Cap TableBy Jennifer Neundorfer, January Ventures
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