For distributors that embrace it, AI is changing the game for sales and marketing. 

Watch on-demand to hear from experts who shared how AI can help distributors reach the right customers, grow wallet share and deepen customer relationships.  

The panel also covered how AI can help distributors identify new market opportunities, make smarter sales decisions, and reshape their approach to marketing – from understanding customer behavior to refining your presence in your market.  

Watch now on-demand.

Thank you to our sponsors:

About our panelists:

Benj Cohen

CEO & Founder, Proton

Benj Cohen is the CEO and founder of Proton, the leading AI-powered CRM for distributors. His company’s mission is to build transformative software for the unique needs of distributors. His journey began at Benco Dental, his family's business established in 1930. With a deep understanding of distributors’ needs, Benj founded Proton during his data science studies at Harvard. He's a recognized speaker on AI and modern sales practices in distribution, featured in publications like MDM, DSG, and Industrial Supply Magazine. His company, Proton, announced a $20 million Series A round of funding in 2022, led by Felicis Ventures. In 2023, Benj was recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30 – the first leader in distribution to receive such recognition.

Varun Sridharan

Director of Decision Analytics & Science Platform Technology, Infor

Varun Sridharan is the Director of Decision Analytics & Science Platform Technology at Infor. With over a decade of experience, he specializes in developing customer-centric, ML-based solutions for complex problems. Varun has a proven track record of identifying lucrative business opportunities, crafting strategic product visions and leading high-performing teams. He has successfully driven business growth, unlocking opportunities worth $3 billion through exceptional customer experiences. His diverse experience spans startups to Fortune 10 companies, navigating the complete product lifecycle from innovation to scaling. Varun’s technical expertise and leadership skills enable him to excel in dynamic environments and foster creative thinking. 

Sahitya Senapathy

Founder & CEO, Endeavor.ai

Sahitya Senapathy is the founder and CEO of Endeavor.ai, one of the fastest-growing artificial intelligence startups in San Francisco. Endeavor.ai recently raised a $7M seed round led by David Sacks (Co-founder/COO of PayPal) at Craft Ventures, a Tier 1 Silicon Valley venture capital firm, alongside private equity firms in New York and the Midwest. Sahitya attended the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania and received three degrees in computer science, finance and business. He started his career at the Air Force Research Laboratory, where he built autonomous drones and was awarded a secret-level clearance at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, N.M. He then worked at Amazon Web Services (AWS) on Generative AI before ChatGPT was released, and was most recently at Palantir, where he led 8-figure Generative AI implementations for Fortune 500 manufacturers.

About our host:

Jonathan Bein, Ph.D.

Managing Partner, Distribution Strategy Group

Jonathan Bein, Ph.D. has worked with many distributors to make their marketing a profit center. He has developed and applied analytic approaches for customer segmentation, customer lifecycle management, positioning and messaging, pricing, and channel strategy for distributors.