# Lessons from a vertical AI success story

## EvolutionIQ’s path to product-market fit — and a $730M acquisition

I joined Applied Intuition as a new-grad engineer back in early 2019, when it was just a handful of us working above a bar on Murphy Ave in Sunnyvale...

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## Featured Articles

### [Firsthand: Seven Years Inside Applied Intuition, the Quietly Dominant Physical AI Company](https://review.firstround.com/firsthand-applied-intuition/  "Firsthand: Seven Years Inside Applied Intuition, the Quietly Dominant Physical AI Company")

### [“AI-Powered” Isn’t a Position](https://review.firstround.com/positioning-playbook-for-ai-products/ "“AI-Powered” Isn’t a Position")  
  
A playbook for building a distinctive brand when too many AI products sound the same, look the same and have the same positioning.

### [Why founders should bet on first-time executives | Praveer Melwani (CFO, Figma)](https://review.firstround.com/why-founders-should-bet-on-first-time-executives-praveer-melwani-cfo-figma/ "Why founders should bet on first-time executives | Praveer Melwani (CFO, Figma)")  
  
In this latest episode of Executive Function, Brett sits down with Praveer Melwani, CFO at Figma. Praveer joined Figma in 2017 as the company's first...

### [Guideline's Path to Product-Market Fit — The Early Decisions That Powered Its Acquisition by Gusto](https://review.firstround.com/guidelines-path-to-product-market-fit/ "Guideline's Path to Product-Market Fit — The Early Decisions That Powered Its Acquisition by Gusto")  
  
Ten years after shaking up the retirement fund industry for SMBs, Guideline has been acquired by Gusto. Here, co-founder Kevin Busque shares the early...

### [Speed as a Habit](https://review.firstround.com/speed-as-a-habit/ "Speed as a Habit")  
  
All things being equal, speed will determine whether your company succeeds or not. Here's how to make it core to your culture.

### [The Founder Dating Playbook – Here’s the Process I Used to Find My Co-Founder](https://review.firstround.com/the-founder-dating-playbook-heres-the-process-i-used-to-find-my-co-founder/ "The Founder Dating Playbook – Here’s the Process I Used to Find My Co-Founder")  
  
Gloria Lin opens up about her pre-founder journey, from how to find a co-founder and early conversations, to the set of 50 questions she prototyped to...

### [From 0 to $1B - Slack's Founder Shares Their Epic Launch Strategy](https://review.firstround.com/from-0-to-1b-slacks-founder-shares-their-epic-launch-strategy/ "From 0 to $1B - Slack's Founder Shares Their Epic Launch Strategy")  
  
“HELL YEAH WE'RE USING @SlackHQ AT WORK I. LOVE. SLACK.”

### [40 Favorite Interview Questions from Some of the Sharpest Folks We Know](https://review.firstround.com/40-favorite-interview-questions-from-some-of-the-sharpest-folks-we-know/ "40 Favorite Interview Questions from Some of the Sharpest Folks We Know")  
  
Given the high-stakes nature of every hire, interviewing chops are always in need of sharpening. We’ve spent the past few months reaching out to some...

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