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 Jake Schuster, CEO & Founder of Gemini Sports Analytics, a sports analytics platform that's raised $7 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
- Gemini Sports Analytics enables data-driven decisions in sports: Jake identified a gap in the sports industry—where advanced data tools used in other sectors were missing. His platform empowers general managers and decision-makers at professional, collegiate, and Olympic teams to directly interact with data, helping them make informed decisions without needing data science expertise.
- Sports management is decades behind in data sophistication: Jake highlighted how many sports organizations, run like overgrown family offices, lag behind Fortune 500 companies in using modern data tools. Private equity groups are starting to bring financial services-level sophistication into the sports industry, creating a market opportunity for Gemini.
- Early product missteps helped shape Gemini’s current focus: The company's initial product was built for the wrong user, focusing too much on data scientists. Jake quickly pivoted, shifting focus to non-technical decision-makers who want direct access to insights without relying on analysts.
- Pivots came from feedback and honest founder reflection: After six months of product discovery, Jake realized the market for the initial version wasn’t there. He emphasizes the importance of not being too stubborn, even when doggedly trying to make something work, and being open to necessary pivots.
- Creating a new budget line item for teams is challenging: Jake shared that Gemini is pioneering a new workflow for sports organizations, which means teams must create new budget categories for the platform. He compares Gemini’s pricing to hiring additional staff to help teams understand the value.
- Jake’s solo founder journey as a non-technical leader: As a non-technical founder, Jake turns his naivety into a strength by challenging his team to accomplish things without being limited by perceived technological constraints. He has built a strong engineering team to execute on his ambitious vision.