453: StackAI: From MIT PhD to 7-Figure Enterprise AI Platform - with Bernard Aceituno
Update: 2025-09-18
Description
Bernard Aceituno went from PhD research at MIT to founding StackAI, a no-code AI platform that's now generating 7-figures in ARR with over 100 enterprise customers and $16M raised.
In this episode, Bernard shares how he pivoted from academia to entrepreneurship, why his first product wasn't solving the right problem, and how a perfectly-timed MVP launch on Hacker News created overnight demand. He explains the painful lessons of chasing too many customer segments before finding focus with enterprise IT teams.
You'll learn:
- What signals showed Bernard it was time to pivot from dataset management to workflow automation
- Why chasing too many ICPs nearly derailed the company and how they found focus
- How posting a scrappy MVP on Hacker News created 20 customer meetings in just two days
- Why attempts at reseller channels failed and what Bernard learned from waiting too long to hire sales
- How focusing on enterprise IT unlocked large contracts and steady expansion inside customer accounts
Full show notes → saasclub.io/453
This episode is brought to you by:
💖 Gearheart → Book a free strategy session + get 20% off select services
Get weekly SaaS lessons and new founder stories → saasclub.io/email
Comments
In Channel
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States00:00
00:00
x
