This Startup is Bridging the Gap Between Customer Needs and Business Goals – Squad AI Startup Review

Product management can sometimes feel like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle in a dimly lit room. Teams want to align their business strategies with actual customer needs, but often find themselves lost in a maze of features and data. Heads of product and their dedicated teams pour hours into crafting strategies, only to struggle with the challenges of gathering meaningful user feedback.

What if those hurdles could turn into opportunities? Squad AI is stepping up to help product managers and teams bridge that gap. By transforming raw user feedback into actionable insights, they’re making it easier to create product roadmaps that truly reflect customer needs. Think of it as having a GPS for product development that ensures every turn taken is the right one.

Recently, we chatted with Steven Crake, the co-founder of Squad AI. He shared valuable insights into how their innovative approach not only meets the demands of product teams but also aligns product strategies with ultimate business goals. Let’s dive deeper into this conversation and see how Squad AI is reshaping the future of product management.

What is Squad AI?

Squad AI is built for product managers, heads of product, and software development teams who struggle to align their strategies with customer needs. Its main focus is on solving a big problem, which is the gap between business goals and real user demands. Many product teams find it challenging to gather, analyse, and act on insights from customer feedback and market data.

To address this, Squad AI employs artificial intelligence to transform raw user inputs into clear, actionable insights. This process assists teams in identifying trends and opportunities that inform product strategies and roadmaps. The platform goes a step further by automating the creation of essential product documentation and requirements. This reduces time spent on administrative tasks, helping teams remain focused on impactful areas.

What sets Squad AI apart from others in the market is its unique use of opportunity solution trees. This approach links business outcomes directly to customer feedback, creating numerous pathways that guide teams toward meaningful product decisions. Unlike many competitors that simply integrate AI into existing workflows, Squad AI places AI at the core of its offering. This thoughtful incorporation ensures that product strategies are rooted in data and customer satisfaction, addressing a critical gap in the current landscape of product management tools.

Squad AI Founders

Steven Crake is not just a co-founder of Squad AI; he embodies the spirit of a tech innovator committed to realigning product management with customer needs. His extensive background in software management, with over a decade serving leading financial institutions like JP Morgan, equips him with the insights necessary to address the disconnect between business objectives and user feedback. Holding a degree in Software Engineering from the University of Waikato, Steven’s passion for creating value through technology has influenced his approach at Squad AI.

Alongside Crake, the founding team also boasts impressive credentials. Daniel Bathurst, with over ten years of product leadership experience, brings a wealth of knowledge from the finance, blockchain, and e-commerce sectors. His inclination towards coaching aspiring product managers adds depth to the team’s mission. Hamish Jackson-Mee, the design guru, is no stranger to award-winning software, having previously served as design director at Paramount Global. Then there’s Peter McArthur, bringing over 12 years of engineering expertise, and Adam Flanagan, with a strong focus on blockchain technology. Together, this diverse team of experts lays the groundwork for a robust and versatile startup.

In the early days of Squad AI, the challenges were substantial. Crafting a product that truly resonated with users required multiple iterations. The team diligently rebuilt their application three times, constantly refining based on customer feedback. Each version aimed to enhance the usability of the platform and maintain a central focus on AI’s capabilities. The ongoing commitment to advancing their vision has now culminated in a nearly complete version that aligns closely with their original objectives.

The inspiration for Squad AI sprung from a common frustration experienced by its founders throughout their careers. The team observed that many businesses were merely producing features instead of creating genuine value for users. This recurring theme motivated them to develop a solution that would bridge the gap between strategic goals and actual customer demand. The formation of Squad AI became a collaborative effort to address this persistent issue in product management, leveraging AI to refocus strategies on what truly matters: customer satisfaction.

Interview with Steven Crake, Co-Founder of Squad AI

The opportunity to interview Steven Crake, co-founder of Squad AI, proved insightful for understanding the startup’s mission and challenges. Crake’s extensive background in software management, particularly in aligning product development with customer needs, was evident throughout our conversation.

Q: Can you explain what Squad AI does and who it serves?

A: Squad AI helps teams align business outcomes with their product strategy. We target product managers, heads of product, and software development teams. Product managers seek tools that streamline workflows and transform user feedback into actionable insights. Heads of product require robust analytics to ensure their teams make data-driven decisions. Software development teams need tools that reduce administrative burdens while providing clear documentation and requirements.

Q: What primary problem does Squad AI address?

A: We focus on the disconnect between business objectives and customer needs in product development. Many teams struggle to effectively gather and analyse user feedback and market insights. This can lead to strategies that don’t fully address customer demands or leverage market opportunities. Squad AI transforms this decision data into actionable insights, connecting outcomes with customer feedback through our unique opportunity solution trees.

Q: Can you share more about your founding team?

A: Our founding team possesses diverse expertise. Daniel Bathurst brings over ten years in product leadership across finance and blockchain sectors. Hamish Jackson-Mee excels in design, having created award-winning software previously with Paramount Global. Peter McArthur contributes extensive engineering experience, having worked on scalable applications. Adam Flanagan focuses on blockchain technology. Together, we have over four decades of combined experience in building software for startups and large enterprises.

Q: What inspired the creation of Squad AI?

A: Our team often witnessed businesses prioritising features over delivering real value. This frustration motivated us to develop a solution that bridges the gap between strategic goals and actual customer demand. We sought to create a tool that ensures product strategies are data-driven and customer-focused.

Q: What have been the challenges in the early days of the startup?

A: Building a new way of thinking about product management amid rapidly changing AI technologies proved challenging. We focused heavily on customer experience. This led us to rebuild our application three times based on feedback, each iteration improving our workflow. Now, we are launching V2, which reflects our vision of making AI central to the user experience rather than an afterthought.

Q: How does Squad AI differentiate itself from competitors?

A: We stand out with our innovative approach. We merge AI-driven insights with opportunity solution trees to create a data-driven path from business goals to customer satisfaction. Many competitors simply bolt on AI to existing workflows. We, however, restructure product strategy for a future where agent-based development prevails.

Q: What are the near-term plans for Squad AI?

A: With the upcoming V2 launch, we introduce a new interface and a strategy canvas. We also add multi-player capabilities and integrations with popular tools like Typeform and Notion. Currently, we have 166 active users from 108 different organisations. Though we are still in Beta and haven’t enabled billing, our user base reflects the demand for our solution.

Q: What advice do you offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?

A: Start today and prepare for late nights and self-doubt. Success often arises from iteration, so don’t give up easily. Building AI products involves significant challenges. It requires more than just adding an AI feature; it demands a readiness to rethink workflows and deliver real value.

Feedough’s Take on Squad AI

Squad AI demonstrates a compelling vision for the future of product management by directly addressing the disconnect between business goals and user needs. Their unique use of AI and opportunity solution trees offers a fresh approach that could disrupt the status quo. This startup not only automates tedious tasks but also provides valuable insights that empower teams to make informed decisions. As they prepare to launch V2 with enhanced features, the future looks bright. However, continuous user feedback will be crucial for refining their offerings. If they stay adaptable and focused on real user value, they could become a leading solution in the market.