On this episode of Ascend: Stories of Scale, Angelique and DJ sit down with Yan Grinshtein, founder of Cepien AI, to discuss building startups in today’s AI-driven world.
From resilience and founder mindset to AI-powered research, the conversation explores what it takes to create products people truly need.
Yan also shares why understanding real customer needs is a key competitive advantage, and how Cepien AI is transforming research synthesis by turning weeks of analysis into minutes while keeping human insight at the center.
Key Takeaways
- GTM strategy in the AI era and why resilience matters more than perfection in startup building
- The shift from traditional SaaS pricing to usage-based AI models
- Product-led growth and reducing onboarding friction
- Why “try before signup” experiences are becoming essential
- The long-term economics of AI infrastructure and in-house LLM strategies
- Balancing automation with authentic human understanding
This episode is a candid look at the intersection of startups, AI, product research, and sustainable growth.
Founders: Yan Grinshtein (CEO/Co-Founder), Preethi Chunduri (CTO/Co-Founder), Robert Fitton (VP of Tech/Co-Founder)
Speakers
Yahn Grinshtein
CEO/Co-Founder, Cepien AI
Yan is a global design leader, startup builder, and entrepreneur whose journey spans immigration, homelessness, and multiple successful startup exits. As the first designer at four startups, he helped shape products and systems that scaled globally and contributed to lasting company growth.
Now serving as CEO/Co-Founder, Yan brings a grounded perspective on leadership, design, resilience, and building products that genuinely matter.
Angelique Strauss
CEO/Founder, AScaleX
Angelique Strauss is the CEO of AScaleX, where she works with companies to improve operational efficiency, accelerate revenue growth, and build strategic partnerships that support long-term scale. With more than ten years of experience leading international teams, she has helped organizations unlock significant business expansion and drive measurable growth.
- 10+ years of experience across B2B technology, fintech, edtech, security & compliance, enterprise technology, and professional sports.
- Venture growth and fundraising leader with contributions to over $50M in combined funding across fintech and edtech companies.
- Generated over $2M in client pipeline from a single integrated campaign.
- Contributed to more than 60% of new business generation in under a year through strategic GTM execution.
- Known for combining operator-level execution with strategic leadership to drive scalable growth.
- Forbes Business Council member and contributor
DJ Windsor
Co-Founder & Content Strategist, Windsor Edge
DJ is the Co-Founder & Content Strategist at Windsor Edge, where he helps founders and startup teams build trust-driven content systems that generate pipelines and differentiate them in crowded markets.
Before Windsor Edge, he helped the American Institute for Boys and Men establish itself as a leading voice in its niche through research, branding, and strategic messaging. He also worked in data management at Tufts University and previously built a wellness brand with an audience of 15,000+ followers.
