Jun 26, 2024 - News

Veteran Indy tech exec launches generative AI startup

Justin L. Mack

Backstroke launch with Matt Biondi — Olympic gold medalist Matt Biondi speaks to the crowd alongside tech exec R.J. Taylor at Backstroke's launch event in Indianapolis. Photos: Courtesy of Mollie Kuramoto/High Alpha

A new local tech startup is looking to make a marketing splash with the help of generative AI, $2 million in seed funding, and eight-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Matt Biondi.

Driving the news: Backstroke, led by the husband and wife duo of Indy tech executive R.J. Talyor and data scientist Allyson Talyor, launched last week and represents the latest example of Central Indiana flexing its tech and innovation muscles.

R.J. Talyor and Biondi talked gold medals and personal motivation at a packed house for a launch event in downtown Indianapolis.
Venture firms High Alpha and Ground Game Ventures co-led the company's seed funding round with participation from Allos Ventures.

How it works: Backstroke leverages the generative AI tech that powers tools like ChatGPT to create customized marketing emails at scale.

Its AI messaging platform also works for SMS, mobile push alerts and customer marketing for mid-market business-to-consumer brands.

Flashback: Before starting Backstroke, R.J. Talyor was one of the first 50 employees at email marketing trailblazer ExactTarget, where he led messaging product teams through the company's $2.5 billion acquisition by Salesforce in 2012.

He later founded Pattern89, a creative AI platform that was acquired by Shutterstock in 2021.

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Veteran Indy tech exec launches generative AI startup

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