Category Creation vs. Redefinition: Why Geminus Chose to be the ‘iPod of Industrial Optimization’

Every B2B tech startup faces a crucial positioning decision: create a new category or redefine an existing one? In a recent Category Visionaries episode, Geminus founder Greg Fallon revealed why they chose the latter path – and how it’s shaping their go-to-market strategy.

The Evolution of Their Positioning

Initially, Geminus thought they needed to create a new category. Their AI technology was revolutionary, combining machine learning with computational physics in ways never seen before. But Greg’s thinking evolved: “I used to think that we’re creating a new category, and I’ve come to realize that there are a set of tools that have been around for about 40 years that kind of call themselves industrial optimization.”

This realization led to a powerful analogy: “I would say that we’re redefining a category, and I liken ourselves to the iPod. There were music players for sure, but the iPod completely changed what a music player was.”

The Problem with Category Creation

The challenge wasn’t just about positioning – it was about the fundamental nature of their market. As Greg explains, “In the industrial space, the biggest challenge is credibility. You’re dealing with the largest corporations in the world and it’s difficult from a startup to work with these corporations.”

Creating a new category would mean educating the market from scratch, a particularly difficult task in conservative industrial sectors. Instead, they chose to position themselves within the familiar framework of industrial optimization while emphasizing their revolutionary impact.

Finding the Right Frame

The optimization challenge was well understood. Greg notes that “most machines are operated really far away from optimum, like 20, 40%.” By framing their solution within this existing problem space, they could focus on differentiation rather than education.

Their message resonated particularly well when tied to sustainability goals. Greg points out that “the UN most recent climate report said that if the machines that are out there just improved their efficiency to the best they had ever done, not the best they can do, you would reduce global greenhouse gases by, like, 12%.”

Building on Existing Buyer Behavior

This positioning strategy aligned with how their ideal customers already thought about solutions. Greg explains they target companies that “understands what we do inherently and has already looked at other forms of AI and is familiar with some of the drawbacks.”

By positioning themselves within a familiar category, they could focus conversations on their unique approach rather than justifying the need for optimization itself.

The Partnership Advantage

Category redefinition also made it easier to build crucial partnerships. “We have found [it] helpful to identify credible companies to whom we can add value as a partner, who can bring us credibility to their customers who might be these large corporations,” Greg shares.

These partnerships, like their relationship with SLB (formerly Schlumberger), were easier to establish because partners could understand where Geminus fit within their existing solution landscape.

Looking Forward

While they chose to redefine rather than create a category, their vision remains revolutionary. Greg explains: “My vision for the next three to five years is to have AI helping to optimize every machine, plant and system on the planet. I think in the three years, it’s most kind of very expensive assets. And I think as we get to five to ten years, it’s everything from your iPhone to your car to your battery in your car.”

For B2B founders facing similar positioning decisions, Geminus’s experience offers valuable lessons. Sometimes the path to revolutionary impact isn’t through creating something entirely new, but through radically improving something familiar. Just as the iPod didn’t invent portable music but redefined it, Geminus isn’t inventing industrial optimization – they’re revolutionizing it.