From Scrappy MVP to AI-Driven Success: Jiga’s Journey to Transform Manufacturing

In this episode of Lobster Talks, Gabriel chats with Yonatan - co-founder of Jiga (YC W21) - about how a simple WordPress MVP grew into an AI-powered platform reinventing global manufacturing. Yonatan reveals the ups and downs of hitting walls, pivoting from marketplace to SaaS (and back again), and ultimately nailing product-market fit. They also discuss staying humble when things finally take off, fundraising highs and lows, and insights from Israel’s vibrant startup community. If you want real, practical lessons on iterating fast, listening to users, and leveraging AI for operational efficiency, this one’s for you! Chapters 0:00 Introduction & How Jiga Got Started 3:20 Building a WordPress MVP & Getting Early Revenue 6:45 Pivoting from Transaction Model to SaaS (and Back) 10:02 Staying Scrappy Through Challenges & Hitting Walls 14:15 How AI Boosted Margins & Automates Ops 17:40 Surviving the Early “No Revenue” Stage 21:30 Lessons from the Israeli Startup Scene & YC Community 25:51 Why Being Humble Matters (Even During Success) 29:14 Jiga’s Vision for the Future & Final Takeaways Enjoying the conversation? Subscribe for more founder interviewsDrop a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or SpotifyShare your biggest takeaway in the comments! Thanks for watching!