Eli Wachs, CEO & Co-Founder of Footprint: $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Automated Onboarding

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Eli Wachs, CEO & Co-Founder of Footprint, an automated onboarding platform that's raised $20 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Stand-Up Comedy and Foundership: Eli balances his role as a founder with stand-up comedy, using it as a creative outlet and a way to connect with people outside of selling B2B SaaS products. Solving Onboarding Frustrations: Footprint simplifies user onboarding with UX components that verify and store data, addressing KYC (Know Your Customer) needs while enhancing user experience. Initial Vision and Evolution: The company started with a focus on combining security and identity. This led to their current emphasis on user-friendly onboarding, which has become a core value proposition. Navigating Early Challenges: Eli emphasizes the importance of planting seeds through early-stage meetings and building trust over time, even if immediate results aren't evident. Security as a Differentiator: Footprint's use of advanced security measures like Nitro Enclaves sets them apart, ensuring user data remains secure even when in use. Target Market and Go-To-Market Strategy: Footprint initially focused on fintech and banks, leveraging relationships with fintechs to gain traction with banks. They later identified opportunities in real estate and auto markets, where KYC is not mandated but increasingly necessary.   //   Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io   The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co