Artem Bugara
FounderArtem Bugara is the co-founder, CEO of NewsCatcher. Artem works with data and risk teams to help them integrate actionable signals from online news. Previously he ran a team of data engineers for one of the largest underwriting companies within the aviation, energy, and space insurance sectors.
He earned a degree in Econometrics from Toulouse School of Economics.
Maksym Sugonyaka
FounderMaksym Sugonyaka is the co-founder and CTO of NewsCatcher. After one year of a stable job, Maksym understood that the only place where he could realize his potential was entrepreneurship. Now in NewsCatcher, Maksym is the one to take key strategic and technical decisions in order to make the best News API on the market.
He has a Master's Degree in Data Science and Finance from Paris Sorbonne. But then, he became a self-taught Data Engineer.
Origins
Me (Artem) and Maksym, childhood pals since school days and university companions, teamed up to launch NewsCatcher in February 2020. Both Data Engineers with a knack for problem-solving, we were fed up with the status quo but passionate about data, laying the groundwork for our startup. Embracing the ethos of rapid iteration, we wasted no time, kicking off our journey by creating a Telegram chat dubbed "First million".Following Y Combinator's mantra of swift action, we rolled out our beta in April 2020, fuelled by AWS credits from YC Startup School. Our early strides were apparent when a Python package we crafted gained traction on Reddit, attracting a flurry of sign-ups. By June 2020, we debuted our V1 product on RapidAPI, landing our first paying customer—a serendipitous encounter with a US student bound for YC W24 batch. Our trajectory continued with applications to accelerators like TinySeed and YC, ultimately opting for TinySeed's rapid application process, albeit declining YC's offer later on. With strategic hires and laser-focused growth, we had a revenue surge from $3,000 to $25,000 MRR within a year. We circled back to YC, securing entry in May 2022 with $300,000 ARR. Despite hurdles, like my temporary detour to aid the Armed Forces of Ukraine, we thrived, clinching enterprise contracts and elevating ARR to $450,000 by Demo Day. Post-YC, while grappling with revenue challenges hindering our progress, we gleaned valuable insights into customer alignment, reaffirming our dedication to efficient growth and customer-centricity.