What does it take to build an AI startup that actually solves real problems? In this episode of The AI Space Podcast, host Sanjay Kalluvilayil, founder and CEO of Stonehaas Advisors, sits down with Greg Michaelson, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Zerve. Greg shares his unconventional journey—from Baptist preacher to Ph.D. in applied statistics to early DataRobot executive and now AI platform innovator. His insights into product-led growth, startup execution, and the state of AI tooling are sharp, candid, and highly actionable.
Greg opens up about Zerve’s mission to redefine data science and AI development environments for code-first users. From grappling with the inefficiencies of notebooks to designing an architecture that’s collaborative, serverless, and built for scale, Greg explains how Zerve is eliminating roadblocks for AI practitioners. He also discusses the company’s $7.6M seed round, the realities of venture capital in a post-2020 funding landscape, and why ideas are cheap but execution is everything.
This episode covers critical ground: startup strategy, ethical AI, business scaling, compute cost management, and the real challenges of democratization. Whether you're a founder, engineer, investor, or AI enthusiast, you’ll leave with fresh clarity and renewed drive.
🎧 Watch the full episode of The AI Space Podcast hosted by Sanjay Kalluvilayil on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/kVZGi6m-quc
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00:00 Execution Over Ideas
01:56 Trends in AI for 2025
05:14 Scaling Businesses in a Tight Market
07:12 Greg's Journey to AI
10:51 Building for Experts in AI
19:23 Entrepreneurial Strategy and Mindset
24:09 Navigating Seed Funding Challenges
28:51 The Value of Accelerators in Startup Growth
35:33 Navigating Revenue and Product Development
36:01 Essential Tools for AI and ML Architecture
43:09 Scaling the Business Without Complexity
45:30 Democratizing AI for Diverse Industries
51:20 Balancing Innovation with Ethical AI Practices
54:08 Encouragement for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
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Website: https://stonehaasadvisors.com/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaykalluvilayil/Linkedin
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Host Bio:
Sanjay Kalluvilayil is a visionary leader with 30+ years of experience with a specialty in Go-to-Market Strategy & Execution. He is the Founder of Stonehaas Advisors, The AI Space Podcast, and working on some stealth AI start-ups.
Company Bio:
Stonehaas Advisors provides a Comprehensive Portfolio of Consultancy & Fractional CXO Services to Guide Companies Across the Full Cycle of Business & Technology Initiatives. The company empowers Founders and businesses struggling with cash flows to grow, transform, and scale to new levels and dimensions.