{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/632498166f582400138c0fa7/684ae9d17631e3569ee70d63?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"#66 Elisabeth Bykoff, Founder of Boxsy","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/632498166f582400138c0fa7/1749739768065-ee838aa8-06be-42c1-b9f7-7f6dd43467d9.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p><a href=\"https://www.boxsy.io/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Startup Founders Can Accelerate Their Fundraising with Boxsy</a></p><p><br></p><p>Elisabeth Bykoff went from aerospace engineering in France to building Boxsy, an AI-powered platform that helps startups scale operationally while connecting them with investors and ecosystem partners. In this episode, she shares her 20+ year journey in the US, the challenges of being a non-technical founder in AI, and why she believes the venture ecosystem needs more transparency on both sides.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>What You'll Learn:</strong></p><ul><li>How to transition from services to product companies successfully</li><li>Why taking calculated risks as an immigrant entrepreneur pays off</li><li>The evolution from \"ops in a box\" to agentic COO platforms</li><li>How AI is changing fundraising and startup operations</li><li>Why VCs and startups both need more transparency</li><li>The challenges of losing multiple CTOs as a non-technical founder</li></ul><p><br></p><p>⏰ <strong>KEY TIMESTAMPS:</strong></p><p><strong>00:00</strong> - Introduction: Meet Elisabeth Bykoff, Founder of Boxsy </p><p><strong>02:30</strong> - From French Aerospace Engineering to Seattle (Early Background) </p><p><strong>05:45</strong> - The Boeing Rejection: Pivoting from Engineering to Business </p><p><strong>09:15</strong> - 10 Years at PWC: Building Salesforce Practice and Getting Green Card </p><p><strong>12:00</strong> - Leaving Partnership Track: Jumping into Pre-IPO World with Aptus </p><p><strong>15:30</strong> - Key Learning: Services vs. Product Company Transition </p><p><strong>18:45</strong> - Series A Experience: From $290M Revenue to $1M ARR </p><p><strong>21:20</strong> - The Boxsy Origin: \"Ops in a Box\" Concept During COVID </p><p><strong>24:15</strong> - 2023 Validation Year: Patient Approach to Market Research </p><p><strong>27:40</strong> - The Pivot Discovery: Investors Want Transparency Too </p><p><strong>30:45</strong> - Current Focus: Fundraising Readiness and Investor Matching </p><p><strong>33:30</strong> - Target Market: VCs Managing 10-400 Portfolio Companies </p><p><strong>36:20</strong> - The Challenge: Losing Two CTOs Since July 2024 </p><p><strong>39:15</strong> - Non-Technical Founder Reality: Lovable vs. Months of Development </p><p><strong>41:25</strong> - Future Predictions: More Solo Entrepreneurs, Hands-On VCs </p><p><strong>44:30</strong> - Book Discussion: \"French Landing\" - 20 Stories from 20 Years </p><p><strong>47:15</strong> - Healthcare Horror Stories: Why Pet Insurance Makes More Sense </p><p><strong>49:45</strong> - Optimistic Outlook: AI as the Next Internet-Level Breakthrough</p><p><br></p><p>🔗 <strong>Connect with Elisabeth:</strong></p><p>LinkedIn: <a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabethbykoff/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabethbykoff/</a></p><p>Read Her Book: \"<a href=\"https://www.amazon.com/French-Landing-Womans-Journey-American-ebook/dp/B0DYKCVC2Q\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">French Landing</a>\" (Available in audiobook, narrated by Elisabeth)</p><p>Website: <a href=\"https://www.boxsy.io/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.boxsy.io/</a></p><p><br></p><p>🎯 <strong>About Boxsy:</strong> Boxsy is a unified platform helping founders raise faster and investors make smarter, data-backed decisions.</p><p><br></p><p>#Entrepreneurship #AI #StartupOperations #Fundraising #VentureCapital #Immigration #TechFounder #BookLaunch</p><p><br></p><p>Enjoy the episode!</p><p>If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.</p><p>You can find us here: <a href=\"https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders</a></p>","author_name":"Chibit"}