What I Learned Exiting an AI Company

In August 2024, Aware Group was acquired by HSO. After eight years of building — from a New Zealand startup to a globally recognized AI/IoT systems integrator — I handed the keys to a new owner.

Here's what I'd do the same, and what I'd do differently.

What I'd Do the Same

Start with real problems. We never built technology looking for a use case. Every solution — from conservation AI to digital agriculture — started with a customer who had a problem they couldn't solve with existing tools. That discipline kept us grounded.

Invest in the Microsoft relationship. Our deep partnership with Microsoft's IoT and AI teams gave us access to pre-release technology, global events, and customers we could never have reached alone. Partnerships like this aren't just business development — they're R&D accelerators.

Build things that go on stage. The ability to create compelling, high-stakes demonstrations opened doors that no sales deck ever could. When you can stand backstage and make the live demo work for an executive keynote, people trust you with their real problems.

What I'd Do Differently

Transition to product earlier. We were brilliant at services and custom solutions, but the transition to product-led growth should have started in year two, not year five. Services revenue is real, but product revenue scales.

Be more intentional about the exit from day one. We built a great company, but the exit path emerged organically rather than strategically. If I were doing it again, I'd have a clearer picture of what "done" looks like from the beginning.

Say no more often. When you're good at building demos and solving hard problems, everyone wants your help. Not every opportunity is worth pursuing, and the cost of context-switching in a small team is higher than most founders admit.

The Through-Line

The through-line of Aware Group — and of my career — is helping people understand what technology can actually do. Not what it might do someday, not what the marketing says, but what it can do right now, for your specific situation. That's what I'm still doing today.