Raul Popa CEO at TypingDNA
At TypingDNA we are obsessed with passive authentication and typing biometrics. Our mission is to improve security without compromising user experience. We started research in 2014 and launched publicly in late 2016. Our technology really shines at being the most available online biometric technology - it works with any keyboard, on any device, works passively behind the scenes, and doesn’t need more than one previous sample to start working. We provide typing biometrics authentication as a service, an API that anyone can use for 2FA and fraud prevention use cases.
We are present in New York, USA and Romania, EU.
Education both in the country and abroad
BA in Romania - 1998-2002 Bachelor of Science in Sociology @ Universitatea „Babeș - Bolyai” Din Cluj - Napoca. He studied Statistics, Data Analysis, Quantitative methods, Social psychology
MA in Sweden - 2003-2004, Masters in Media Studies, Communication @ Malmö University
Raul completed multiple certified online courses on machine learning at Stanford University.
Work Experience as employee
16 years in software programs development. Launched and grew several innovative software products, and coded core software components used by millions. e.g. Adobe.
Serial founder experience & management experience
"I had previously co-founded two other companies. Although my role was not that of the CEO, it gave me a good idea about what it means to work for your own company."
Playing
Years of playing with machine learning for side projects, user behavior analysis and other pattern recognition problems
Abilities
Ability to learn continuously and fast, ability to say no, ability to help other people succeed, and the ability to make smart people follow your vision
Raul’s Advice
Always start small.
If you can’t understand how children use technology today, you’re too old to be a founder.
Things never go as planned. But do plan, nonetheless.
Best CEOs do one thing well: prioritize.
Being smart is not enough. You have to be resilient, persistent, and optimistic (+ a bit of luck).
Give first.
2016 started working on Typing DNA, Oradea
Having the right co-founders What you want to have is a shared vision and the ability to function together.
Humility is the rarest and highest of all virtues of a team player.
Pitch decks suck, use videos
You should make your pitch as simple and as short as possible.
Best agile framework: JFDI.
Accelerators
Microsoft Accelerators Bootcamp
Techstars NYC (2018) alumnus
Startups die because they run out of money.Your non-American accent is just fine.Launch before it’s perfect. Plan B is not a solution, it’s a distraction. Best price is the one the client is ready to pay.
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Keep in mind
Time, not money, is the single most valuable currency you'll ever have.
Competition and sharks are similar. Highly unlikely to die because of them.
A business should not aim to be profitable in the first years. Trying to incubate business also does not work.
Money is the wrong motivation for starting a business. Aiming to bring something new on the market, that is the right motivation
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