The president, CEO and founder of machine learning startup Sailes recognizes the crucial role of collaboration in innovation, and maintains that technology works best when it allows people to connect more effectively and efficiently.
That’s the concept behind Sailebot, the AI tool he created to assist enterprise sales teams with prospecting, and it’s why he’s attending and speaking at the Technical.ly Builders Conference on Thursday May 9, part of Philly Tech Week 2024 presented by Comcast. Smith participates in a 2 p.m. Lightning Talks session titled “How do innovation ecosystems tell their story (honestly)?”
We recently caught up with Sailes to find out what he’s learned from fellow builders during his time in the Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs accelerator program and what he’s looking forward to at the event.
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How did Sailes’ experience with the Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs accelerator program help you as a founder, and the company in general?
It’s cliche, but running a company is like being on an island. I’ve said this before, but I literally received value as soon as I walked down the hallway in the LIFT Labs space and saw 5 or 6 other founders sitting and talking. Since I started Sailes, that’s literally never happened. Maybe I would be at a conference or backstage before a speaking event and I would get to meet a founder, but to be onsite to collaborate with my peers in a mutually beneficial space was an instant gamechanger.
More specifically, access to decision-makers who were trying to solve real business problems — and the ability to look behind the current at a leading global enterprise leaning into AI — gave us a leg up in resonating and speaking the language of the market.
How does Sailes fit in with your local tech ecosystem?
From working in a shared space down the hall from the leading local VC to participating in StartupCrawl events and always raising our hand to mentor, Sailes is ingrained in our local communities.
What’s unique about Sailes’ approach to using AI to support enterprise organizations?
Sailes created the first AI that was personalized to salespeople and capable of automating the entire prospecting lifecycle. The thing is…we started building in 2019! There was no precedent for fully autonomous workflows, so we built it ourselves. For enterprises, that means a single product that replaces point solutions and does not require their systems, infrastructure or data to be successful. This independence paired with our expertise has helped us accelerate adoption at F1000 — and F50 — enterprises.
What are you excited about for the Builders Conference on May 9?
Of course I’m excited to speak about Sailes, but — as I pointed out above — the chance to be in the same room with other builders is second-to-none. Exchanging ideas in a collective, asking questions, and forging relationships — this is the goldilocks zone of innovation. I can’t wait to be amongst our peers.
What else would you like people to know about you and Sailes ahead of Philly Tech Week?
Sailes is an American brand. Our company was founded on the Fourth of July in 2018 — to give sales reps freedom from manual prospecting. There’s no better place than Philadelphia to share our story and connect with all those building the future.
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