In this interview, we delve into the extraordinary journey of Dr. Shay David, the Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of retrain.ai, and explore the fascinating path that led him to the forefront of talent intelligence. Join us as Shay shares his experiences, significant accomplishments, leadership style, and the core principles that have shaped his remarkable career. Discover how retrain.ai stands out in the market, Shay’s approach to navigating challenges during the pandemic, and his inspiring vision for the future of work and responsible AI. Get ready to be inspired by Dr. Shay David’s passion for problem-solving and his relentless commitment to empowering individuals and businesses through cutting-edge skills and innovative solutions.
Personal Journey as a CEO and Motivation to Pursue this Career
As a scholar and serial entrepreneur, Dr. Shay David’s journey as a CEO has been fueled by curiosity and a passion for building innovative solutions. With a BSc in Computer Science and a BA in Philosophy (Magna Cum Laude) from Tel-Aviv University, an MA from New York University, a Ph.D. from Cornell University, and a Post-doc from Yale Law School, Shay’s academic background provided him with the tools to ask tough questions and explore the link between large-scale open information systems and access to knowledge.
Prior to co-founding retrain.ai, Shay was known as a co-founder of Kaltura (Nasdaq KLTR), a publicly traded video leader. As a visionary technologist, he has always been driven to find ways innovation can be harnessed to help people. The inspiration for retrain.ai came from observing the growing skills gap between workers and employers during the era of digital transformation, which was further exacerbated by the onset of the pandemic. In response to this global crisis, Shay and his co-founders launched retrain.ai in June 2020 with a mission to equip over 10,000,000 individuals with cutting-edge skills, creating a nimble workforce ready to compete in the 21st century by 2025.
Significant Accomplishments and Success Stories
As a CEO, Shay takes immense pride in the rapid growth of retrain.ai and its transformation into a leader in the talent intelligence space within just three years. This success is attributed to the efforts of a global team representing four countries, characterized by a nearly 50/50 gender split and some of the strongest data scientists in the world. The recognition as one of the top 10 most promising startups by Globes, designated by Israel’s premier venture capital firms, in December 2022, and the successful closure of a $14 million investment round led by AI-focused Radical Ventures, totaling $34M in funding, brought great pride and validation to Shay and his team.
Leadership Style and Approach to Driving Growth
Shay’s leadership style revolves around maintaining a keen focus on customer value. The entire team at retrain.ai is driven by a deep understanding of what they are building, why they are doing it, and how their platform provides value to users on a daily basis. Shay firmly believes that embracing entrepreneurship may sometimes feel chaotic, but with clarity on the value chain, everything else falls into place.
Differentiation Strategies and Initiatives
retrain.ai’s success is grounded in strategic initiatives that set the company apart from its competitors. Prior to the official launch in 2020, Shay and his co-founders assembled a strong data science team and invested two years in building the most robust skills taxonomy on the market, comprising more than 50,000 skills, four times that of their closest competitor. Additionally, the company adheres to the principles of Responsible AI, ensuring bias mitigation, fairness algorithms, data robustness, data quality and rights adherence, and accountability standards. A key milestone was the launch of the first annual Responsible HR Forum in May 2023, bringing together experts from various sectors to explore Responsible AI practices in HR tech systems.
Navigating Challenging Situations and Achieving Positive Outcomes
Shay draws on his early entrepreneurial experience, realizing the importance of timing and solving real problems. The launch of retrain.ai was meticulously timed to address the global skills gap emergency, accelerated by the digital transformation and further catalyzed by the pandemic-induced workforce disruption. Embracing AI and assembling a skilled data science team allowed retrain.ai to develop products that keep workers employed and businesses competitive through skills-focused workforce strategies, resulting in innovation and growth over the past three years.
Guiding Values and Principles in Decision-Making
In Shay’s role as CEO, product/customer-value alignment takes center stage. Ensuring the company’s solutions address real problems for the right audience remains the top priority. This customer-centric approach guides all decisions, with tasks contributing to customer value highlighted as top priorities, followed by tasks that directly support these core activities.
Staying Informed About Industry Trends and Contributions to Success
Shay’s commitment to lifelong learning and curiosity drives him to stay informed about new developments, products, ideas, and philosophies. Regularly reading and exploring new technologies, combined with practices like yoga and meditation, help maintain a balanced and inspired perspective. He acknowledges that life and entrepreneurship come with fluctuations, and he embraces a spirit of self-inquiry, gratitude, and adaptability.
Future Aspirations as a CEO and Vision for the Company
Looking ahead, Shay’s aspirations as a CEO are anchored in continuous problem-solving and customer value creation. retrain.ai aims to support the future of work by aligning people with best-fit roles and emphasizing upskilling and reskilling to nurture talent. The company will streamline its technology to provide speed, precision, and high-value ROI to customers and partners. Additionally, retrain.ai will remain actively involved in the AI landscape, contributing expertise to the Responsible AI movement through various forums and initiatives.
Accolades, Awards, and Industry Recognition
Dr. Shay David and retrain.ai have earned numerous accolades, including being named one of the Top 10 Most Promising Startups by Globes, among the Most Admired Companies to Watch, a Top Work Tech Vendor, a Global Top 50 Emerging Company for Workforce Development, one of the UK’s 100 Most Impressive & Successful CEOs in the Machine Learning Space, and among the Most Innovative Companies in the industry.
As a CEO, Dr. Shay David’s journey has been marked by a commitment to solving real problems, creating value for customers, embracing innovation, and driving the growth and success of retrain.ai in the talent intelligence space. His vision for the future revolves around continued problem-solving, customer-centricity, and active engagement in shaping the Responsible AI landscape. With a passion for building and a heart for helping people, Shay’s impact as a CEO is set to leave a lasting mark on the future of work and the power of Responsible AI.
