Ignite Startups: Real-Time Intelligence for Revenue Growth AI with Burak Aksar of Spiky AI | #117

Ignite: Conversations on Startups, Venture Capital, Tech, Future, and Society

In this episode of the Ignite Podcast, Brian Bell speaks with Dr. Burak Aksar, founder of Spiky AI, a company transforming sales enablement with AI-driven insights. Burak shares his journey from Turkey to Boston, where he earned a PhD in computer engineering, specializing in explainable AI and high-performance computing systems. Inspired by inefficiencies in online communication during the pandemic, he transitioned from academia to entrepreneurship, creating Spiky AI to help revenue teams improve communication and scale winning behaviors using real-time insights. Burak discusses how Spiky AI acts as a real-time co-pilot for sales teams, offering actionable guidance during meetings to enhance performance and streamline workflows. The platform reduces ramp-up times by 30%, improves team communication, and increases revenue by identifying and replicating successful sales strategies. By addressing the limitations of first-generation tools like call summaries and keyword tracking, Spiky AI brings a more personalized and impactful approach to sales coaching and behavior change. Looking ahead, Burak envisions Spiky AI evolving into a platform that integrates insights across sales, customer success, and product teams, reducing silos and enabling smarter collaboration. He also shares his excitement for emerging technologies like knowledge graphs and their potential to redefine AI applications. Burak's advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to master customer interviews and build resilience—skills he credits with driving his success in both academia and business. Chapters

Introduction to Dr. Burak Aksar & Spiky AI (00:01 – 00:35)

Burak’s Journey: From Turkey to Boston (00:36 – 01:52)

Challenges of Immigration and Building Resilience (01:53 – 03:16)

From Academia to Spiky AI (03:17 – 04:51)

Identifying and Solving Online Communication Issues (04:52 – 08:13)

Scaling Winning Behaviors Across Teams (08:14 – 12:45)

Real-Time Sales Insights with AI (12:46 – 14:35)

The Importance of Personalization in Sales (14:36 – 16:20)

Revenue Intelligence and AI’s Role (16:21 – 20:04)

Delivering ROI for Sales Teams (20:05 – 23:10)

Overcoming Go-To-Market Challenges (23:11 – 27:55)

Sales vs. Product: The Startup Balancing Act (27:56 – 32:00)

Breaking Down Communication Silos (32:01 – 36:23)

The Future of AI in Sales Enablement (36:24 – 39:03)

Lessons for Founders and Burak’s Book Picks (39:04 – 44:52)

Rapid Fire: Drummers, Tech, and Icebreakers (44:53 – 47:44)

What’s Next for Spiky AI (47:45 – 50:00)