Vintra delivers AI-powered video analytics solutions that transform any real-world video into actionable, tailored and trusted intelligence. Our enterprise-grade software solution makes existing security cameras – whether fixed or mobile – smarter and improves how organizations and governments automatically monitor and search video for critical security and safety events.

Organizations with the most risk to their people, places, and things are almost always the most reactive rather than proactive in their security approaches. This problem is so interesting, fun and intellectually stimulating to solve. We get to use this fascinating new technology - deep learning - to help cameras see and understand the world. Additionally, when our solution works for a customer there are thousands and thousands of people that get to experience better security and safety. This experience - both the feeling of being secure and the actualization of it - is core to the human condition and our team feels really privileged to help people in this way.

It can be pretty lonely, especially early on, when there are very few team members, customers or partners that believe in you. Ariel and I have both loved being “co-founders” so we have someone else to celebrate and commiserate with on the journey

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Going to steal one from Dr. Emily Anhalt here because it’s been so true for Ariel and me. It is “Trust your future self”. There is this version of a founder that is better equipped than your present self with greater experience and wisdom to solve problems. ‘You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can still make the whole trip that way.’ I love that and have leaned on that often.

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Exceeding the accuracy rates of state of the art detectors with our initial core detector technology. That technical innovation laid the groundwork for us to have a number of exciting moments winning our first large enterprise deployment deals.

There were three reasons Ariel and I chose Bonfire. First, during our fundraising process we were exploring a strategic partnership with another company and Jim’s advice on how to navigate the situation was incredibly valuable. We got to see his “value-add” first hand before we even were in business together. Second, we were attracted to Bonfire’s laser focus on B2B software and the ecosystem of advisors and resources they surrounded their entrepreneurs with to provide counsel. Third, we both just really liked Jim and appreciated the deep curiosity and interest he had in the business we are building.

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The whole team at Bonfire has been the right mix of encouraging and hard truth telling to Ariel and I. For example, when the pandemic hit, Jim was one of the first calls I made and he encouraged me and helped me navigate through a really tricky time in our business.  Similarly, Jim, Brett, and Mark haven’t shied away from pointing out hard truths when Ariel and I need to hear them and that has only served to help sharpen our focus and improve the business we are building. I know when I call anyone on the Bonfire team, I’ll get the support I need and that’s proven to be true many times over.

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From a business/entrepreneur standpoint, we’ve both enjoyed reading Extreme Ownership, which outlines how the Navy Seals build high-functioning teams.