Summary:
Ryan Smith, ex-founder of $300M cannabis tech startup LeafLink, is now leading Mura, an AI-powered logistics software for service businesses
Mura automates emails, billing, and scheduling for companies like HVAC and plumbing, freeing up technicians for actual repairs
The startup has raised $6 million from investors like Level One Fund and Lerer Hippeau
Smith focuses on demonstrating tangible benefits of the software, not just the AI buzzword, to traditional service businesses
Mura's transactional pricing model charges only when the tool is used, with a goal to become fully autonomous "dark software"
The Audacious Pivot: From LeafLink to Mura
Ryan Smith, an Under 30 Enterprise Technology alum, made waves in 2016 with LeafLink, a cannabis industry software startup that raised over $300 million. Now, he's shifting gears with Mura, an AI-driven logistics software company aimed at revolutionizing service businesses like HVAC and plumbing.
How Mura is Transforming the Service Industry
Mura's AI automates emails, billing, and scheduling, freeing up technicians to focus on actual repairs rather than paperwork. The startup has already secured $6 million from venture capital firms like Level One Fund and Lerer Hippeau.
"Money is just a tool to do the building. We can build greater things with so much less now." — Ryan Smith
The Challenge: Convincing Traditional Businesses to Embrace AI
Many service companies are family-run and steeped in tradition, but Smith sees a generational shift in ownership toward more technologically progressive leaders. His strategy? Focus on what the software can do, not just the AI buzzword.
Early Success and Future Goals
Mura is already working with large service companies, including Tolin Mechanical, part of Service Logic's HVAC group. Unlike typical SaaS models, Mura's pricing is transactional, charging only when the tool is used. The ultimate goal? To become invisible "dark software" requiring no human interaction.
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