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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 Ayal Yogev, CEO and co-founder of Anjuna, a confidential computing platform that has raised $42 million in funding.
Key topics discussed in this episode:
Ayal frames confidential computing as a fundamental solution to the core problem of data security - that once an attacker gains root access to infrastructure, it's game over. Rather than applying band-aid solutions, Anjuna tackles the issue at its root. Founders should strive to deeply understand the underlying causes of customer pain and orient their solutions accordingly, even if it requires pioneering a new approach.
The rise of confidential computing is not happening in isolation - it's part of a broader shift in computing architecture driven by innovations from Intel, AMD, and cloud providers. Anjuna is strategically riding this wave, positioning itself as the software layer that makes the new capabilities accessible. Founders should stay attuned to tectonic shifts in their industry and explore how their offering can be the bridge to help customers adopt new paradigms.
Despite the challenges of category creation, Anjuna has landed marquee customers like large global banks at an impressive velocity. Ayal attributes this to the transformative value prop of confidential computing for these accounts. Founders pioneering a new space should identify lighthouse customers who have the most acute need and willingness to innovate, then dedicate resources to securing those wins to build credibility and momentum.
Ayal acknowledges the catch-22 of analyst influence in a nascent category - customers want validation from Gartner/Forrester, but analysts won't engage deeply without customer evidence. He advises a balanced approach of using customer wins to earn analyst mindshare, while tapping analyst insights to refine positioning. Founders should plot a phased strategy to build presence with analysts in lockstep with commercial traction.
Ayal candidly shares the emotional toll of the founder/CEO journey, from losing sleep to grappling with the weight of responsibility. To cope with the inevitable lows, he recommends building a tight-knit support system spanning family, advisors, investors, and founder peer groups. Entrepreneurs shouldn't try to shoulder the burden alone - having a network of trusted confidants to turn to for advice and empathy is invaluable.
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