There are a lot of startup companies out there — 75,000 plus according to AngelList. Time to break through the noise and find the top players.

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The Outsell for Startups interview series is here. Finally! I’ve been wanting to release this series for a while, and I’m excited to finally post this kick off entry. We’ve even pieced together a quick preview of what you can look forward to hearing on the Outsell for Startups podcast. Take a listen or feel free to keep reading.

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For starters, who am I? Why am I the one who’s chasing down companies and rambling on the mic? My name is Ben Sampson, and I’m a member of the Outsell team with multiple hats, one of those duties is supporting Outsell’s coverage of startup companies in our industry. I have had a strong interest in startups for years, started a few companies, and recently jumped to the other side of the fence and started investing in a few companies. When the opportunity arose to work with Outsell’s analyst team to look for the coolest, most disruptive, fast moving, ever-so-amazing startup companies, I naturally leapt at the chance. Be ready to hear from me frequently in the near future.

What is Outsell for Startups all about? Outsell for Startups is focused on the identification, coverage, and support of startup companies operating in the industries of data, media, information, and technology across the globe. What you can expect from this division of Outsell is active sourcing and coverage of companies that we feel are truly disruptive and provide a solution that could potentially have a significant impact on the industry. I will be sitting down with these founders and CEOs asking questions to garner an understanding of:

• What is the problem this company is solving?

• Why is the solution disruptive?

• What are the challenges the company is facing?

• Where is the company going in one to five years?

• In a nutshell why should the industry be paying attention?

Why are we doing this? To ensure our CEO community outperforms with coverage of emerging companies, supporting clients with exits & M&A, and working to drive industry growth. This isn’t new for Outsell. For many years, Outsell’s analyst team has identified the top emerging players and provided insights. Each year, Outsell’s analyst compiles a list of 250 of the top startup companies in the industry. We narrow the list down to Outsell’s 30 companies to watch and invite 10 to join us for the annual Outsell Emerging Company Growth Tank. An audience of 150 executives and CEOs select the Outsell Emerging Company Of The Year. For my first interview, I decided to sit down with the 2017 Outsell Emerging Company of the Year, Ruth Pickering with Yewno.

The first interview goes live on February 5, but you can subscribe to the show now with your Apple podcast app, Stitcher, or on Sound Cloud. I will also be writing up the interviews and sharing them on Outsell’s blog for those who would rather read.

Welcome to Outsell for Startups!