The Geminus Playbook: How to Build Enterprise Credibility When Your Product is Too Innovative

When your technology is years ahead of the market, being “innovative” can actually work against you. In a recent Category Visionaries episode, Geminus founder Greg Fallon revealed how they overcame this challenge in the conservative industrial sector.

The Credibility Challenge

“In the industrial space, the biggest challenge is credibility,” Greg explains. “You’re dealing with the largest corporations in the world and it’s difficult from a startup to work with these corporations.”

This challenge was particularly acute for Geminus. Their AI technology promised to optimize industrial machines that were operating “20, 40% away” from optimal efficiency. But convincing risk-averse industrial buyers to trust a startup with their mission-critical operations required a carefully orchestrated approach.

The Partnership Solution

Rather than trying to build credibility from scratch, Geminus identified established players who could validate their approach. “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.

This led to strategic partnerships with companies like SLB (formerly Schlumberger) in energy engineering. These relationships weren’t just about distribution – they provided crucial validation in an industry where failed experiments can cost millions.

Finding the Right First Customers

Beyond partnerships, Geminus developed a precise definition of their ideal early adopter. Greg notes: “We found that if we can focus on to start a very small audience that is highly credible, that understands what we do inherently and has already looked at other forms of AI and is familiar with some of the drawbacks, we can resonate instantly.”

They specifically target companies with “very strong relationships between their chief digital officer, their digital transformation teams and their operating units.” This precision helps them identify organizations most likely to embrace innovation.

Modern Tools for Traditional Industries

To scale this targeting, Geminus employs sophisticated technology. Greg explains they use “really sophisticated tools that are available now to help target customers and really understand which customers are more likely to resonate with.” Tools like 6sense help them analyze “what are their employees searching on? What keywords are they looking at? How do they stack rank?”

Positioning Innovation Through Familiarity

Rather than positioning themselves as completely new and different, Geminus frames their innovation within familiar contexts. “I used to think that we’re creating a new category,” Greg shares, “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… 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.”

Building Thought Leadership

The final piece involves cultivating relationships with industry thought leaders. Greg explains: “We partner with not only companies, but individuals who are thought leaders and help leverage them for both their network and their credibility.”

These relationships helped Geminus secure major media coverage, including a recent CNN appearance that boosted their visibility and credibility. The key was crafting a story that aligned with broader industry narratives around sustainability and efficiency.

For B2B founders bringing innovative technology to conservative markets, Geminus’s experience offers valuable lessons. Success requires more than just superior technology – it demands a strategic approach to building credibility through partnerships, precise targeting, and thought leadership that resonates with your specific market segment.