361: Fuel AI/ML Cohort 2023 Part 1

Summary On this special episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Caleb Talley, Grace Gill, Darian Harris, and Tom Douglass head north to the Ledger in Bentonville, where they sit down with four of the participants in Fuel’s AI and machine learning 2023 cohort. Fuel is specifically designed for seed and growth-stage technology companies ready to scale and become enterprise-ready. Members of the cohort receive mentorship and education from leaders in their vertical, as well as coaching and connections from Fuel’s enterprise partners. Caleb, Grace, Darian, and Tom sat down with Andrew Bart of AlgoFace, Dexter Caffey of Smart Eye Technology, Kevin Butler of Edify, and Keith Fix of Retail Aware to discuss their entrepreneurial journeys and their experiences with Fuel thus far.    Show Notes (0:35) Introducing This Year’s Fuel Accelerator  (2:51) Andrew Bart and AlgoFace (13:11) Dexter Caffey and Smart Eye Technology (23:14) Kevin Butler and Edify (32:44) Keith Fix and Retail Aware   Links Fuel  Caleb Talley Grace Gill Darian Harris Tom Douglass Andrew Bart AlgoFace       Dexter Caffey Smart Eye Technology Kevin Butler Edify.ai       Keith Fix Retail Aware   Quotes “Even in the mentor sessions, I know we’re here to acquire enterprise-level customers and learn how to be better at doing that and optimizing that process. But the reality is I came here to meet people. The way I’ve operated in life historically is that things tend to develop organically…People do deals with you ultimately because they like you and they trust you. And look, I just want to engage with people in the community. I’ve met an incredible group of people. The exposure [through Fuel] has been nothing short of amazing.” - Andrew Bart, (6:11)   “The business climate [in Northwest Arkansas] is something that’s completely different than any other place I’ve been in the States as well as globally…It’s a completely different environment here business-wise. I don’t think a lot of people understand that.” - Dexter Caffey, (18:26)   “Getting exposure to mentors and business people around the area is a huge benefit [of Bentonville]...But even though it’s a small market, Walmart, a Fortune 1 company, is here. We’re not limited in where those connections go and where the results of Fuel take companies, and I see that as one of the big benefits here.” - Kevin Butler, (27:06)   “I don’t think anyone really understands or knows what’s happening in [Northwest Arkansas] until you get here. It’s just such a hidden gem.” - Keith Fix, (37:29)