"Fundraising is not that easy." — Xiao Zhang, CEO and Co-founder of Collov AI

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Xiao Zhang, CEO and Co-founder of Collov AI, joins Jeff Martin to share how his team is transforming real estate staging with lightning-fast AI-powered visual generation—and what it really takes to fund and build a high-performance startup.

Xiao reflects on the early struggles of fundraising, the evolution of Collov’s business model, and the importance of finding product-market fit through continuous customer feedback. From hiring domain experts to building a lean team and defining clear KPIs, he unpacks the lessons learned from scaling a deep-tech company in a fast-moving category. Whether you're a technical founder navigating your first raise or a leader exploring AI's impact on traditional industries, this conversation offers a tactical look into focus, discipline, and building with purpose.

This episode is packed with startup wisdom—from leadership evolution to business model design to the power of saying no—making it a must-watch for anyone building at the intersection of AI and user experience.

Chapters

00:00 Navigating the Challenges of Fundraising

01:15 Introducing Call Of: AI in Visual Generation

04:59 Targeting the Real Estate Market

08:57 Building a Lean and Focused Team

10:30 Evolving Business Models and AI Innovations

16:02 Lessons Learned from Scaling Challenges

19:38 Hiring in the Competitive AI Landscape

23:26 The Importance of Customer Feedback

26:51 Strategic Goal Setting and Team Alignment

30:18 Leadership Evolution and Management Style

33:49 Advice for Technical Founders

38:38 Desert Island Scenario: Music Choices

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