GTM impact

This article is part of our series on N47's GTM approach. Learn more about how we partner with builders.

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We are passionate about helping bring out the best in builders and their products. What excites us at N47 is working closely with exceptional founders, whether we invest in their companies or not.

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Through our unique GTM approach, we have helped startups close over 350 customer deals, generate more than $100 million in bookings, and build world-class teams. These outcomes are a product of our three sprints: Customer Discovery, Pipeline Acceleration, and Team Building.

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Below are just a few success stories.

Customer discovery

Encord is the leading data development platform for computer vision & multimodal AI teams. It was founded in 2020 by Eric Landau and Ulrik Stig Hansen. We joined forces in 2024 by leading their Series B, and have helped them build out their customer discovery.

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THE PROBLEM

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Encord had built an impressive platform that streamlined management, curation, and annotation of AI data. While the technology was strong, the team was still exploring where it could deliver the greatest market impact.

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N47 x ENCORD

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Throughout the GTM process, we tested and validated new industry applications for Encord’s technology. 

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One of our early hypotheses was the potential fit in the aerospace sector, especially in labeling satellite images. We introduced Encord to multiple key players in the space, helping the company explore how their platform could enhance AI workflows using high-resolution imagery and geospatial data. 

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Together, we worked through real-world validation of Encord’s annotation and labeling systems for satellite imagery.

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IMPACT

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One of the introductions we made was to one of the world's leading geospatial intelligence companies. After several months of collaboration, the company adopted Encord, a milestone that began with N47’s early hypothesis and targeted introductions. 

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This engagement not only opened the aerospace sector for Encord but also demonstrated the adaptability and market relevance of its platform in high-value, data-intensive industries.

Pipeline acceleration

Founded in 2014, Skydio leads in autonomous flight, pushing the edge of what’s possible with AI-powered drones built for mission-critical use. We joined forces in 2019, during their Series C, and we’ve helped Skydio expand its market penetration since.  

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THE PROBLEM

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After years of intense product development, in 2019 Skydio launched a product designed to address many use cases in public security and critical infrastructure. After product-market fit was found and initial proof of concepts (POCs) were successfully concluded, it was time to expand the sales pipeline.

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N47 x SKYDIO

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Together with the Skydio sales team, we worked to understand the ideal customer profile (ICP) and mapped multiple customers who fit similar patterns to those in the POCs they had run before. After creating a list of approximately 100 companies within the close N47 network, and a broader list of ~1,000 companies that would fit the ICP, we pitched Skydio’s solution to the market.

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IMPACT

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We delivered over 30 qualified leads, resulting in six closed deals. These deals brought Skydio ~$7.5 million in bookings and helped them establish a strong position in particular market segments. One such segment was utilities, where N47 initially introduced Dominion Energy. The company innovatively adopted Skydio for asset inspection, emergency response, feeder inspection, and security patrol.

Team building

Tractian uses AI to predict equipment failures and eliminate unplanned downtime, transforming maintenance from reactive to a strategic advantage for industrial operations. It was founded in 2019 by Igor Marinelli, Leonardo Vieira, and Gabriel Lameirinhas. We led their Series A in 2022 and have worked closely with the team to build their inside sales motion.

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THE PROBLEM

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In 2022, Tractian was in the early stages of its go-to-market journey in the United States. The company had no inside sales team, and its lead generation and customer targeting efforts were still unstructured. 

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N47 x TRACTIAN

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We partnered closely with Igor, Leonardo, and Gabriel to build Tractian’s inside sales function from the ground up in the US. Together, we defined the ideal profile for their first hires, connected them to their first BDR, and developed all onboarding materials. We also helped them create sales battle cards and mapped the target customer universe, establishing a clear, repeatable playbook for execution. This ensured their new team would be ready to hit the ground running.

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IMPACT

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Within the first three months of launching the new inside sales motion, Tractian generated over $15 million in qualified pipeline across 350 leads. This was a direct result of the structured approach and playbook designed with our GTM team.

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Curious about our approach? Connect with our team.

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