Listen "Sam Garven on Building Safer Workplaces with AI: Say Hello Canopy"
Episode Synopsis
Episode SummaryIn this compelling episode, Georgie Healy interviews Sam Garven, co-founder of Hello Canopy, a revolutionary AI-powered misconduct and psychosocial safety reporting platform. Sam shares her personal journey from experiencing workplace harassment to founding a startup aimed at creating safer workplaces. She discusses Canopy’s mission, the challenges of building an AI product as a non-technical founder, and the unique aspects of the Australian startup ecosystem. Sam also opens up about her experience with the Techstars Accelerator and emphasises the importance of building in public and embracing vulnerability. This episode is packed with insights on leadership, innovation, and resilience.Timestamps00:00 Introduction to In the Blink of AI and Sam Garven00:36 Updates on Canopy’s Rebrand and Progress in 202503:05 Overview of Canopy: AI-Driven Misconduct and Safety Reporting06:44 Sam’s Personal Experiences and Inspiration Behind Canopy09:04 Becoming a Founder: From HR Expertise to Building a Startup11:29 Industry Gaps in Misconduct Reporting and Canopy’s Unique Approach16:31 Sam’s Experience in the Techstars Accelerator Program21:29 The Importance of Building in Public and Embracing the Cringe27:21 Challenges of Being a Female Founder in the Australian Startup Ecosystem33:36 Metrics, Data Validation, and AI’s Role in Canopy’s Product39:04 Privacy, Data Security, and the Challenges of Sensitive Information45:16 Sam’s Vision for Canopy’s Future: Global Impact and Diverse Use Cases47:18 Thoughts on VC Investment and Expanding the Team49:21 Closing Call to Action: Joining Canopy’s Waitlist and Providing InsightsNotable Quotes"Building in public is free marketing. Why wouldn’t I take my potential customers and advocates on the journey with me?" – Sam Garven"We deal in such sensitive information that we can’t afford to break trust and call it a whoopsie." – Sam Garven"Women are natural super connectors, and that’s a critical skill for building startups." – Sam Garven"Embrace the cringe. LinkedIn is cringy, but it’s also where you’ll find people who believe the same things you do." – Sam Garven"On the worst day of someone’s life, Canopy needs to be there to make reporting simple and effective." – Sam Garven✨ Connect with Georgie HealyLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georginahealy/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgina_healy/Twitter: https://x.com/georgina__healy?lang=enThe Day One NetworkIn The Blink of AI is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.Sign up to get your weekly insights into the up-and-coming AI startups: https://dayone.fm/newsletter In the Blink of AI is made possible by our wonderful partners Vanta🦙Vanta is the all-in-one solution for startups to become compliant quickly and build a security foundation with ease. Startup customers get $1000 off Vanta at http://dayone.fm/blink Mentioned in this episode:PMB TrailerPMB Trailer