Lean Startup Circle - Silicon Valley

Using AI to Make Smarter Bets: Forecasting & Decision-Making for Bootstrapped Businesses

Innovation always feels like a gamble—especially when you’re bootstrapping. The difference between a good bet and a bad one can mean the life or death of your business. Yet too many founders rely on gut instinct.

This session will show you how AI can help small business owners make smarter, leaner decisions without losing flexibility. We’ll explore how AI-powered forecasting can help you decide where to invest your time and money, giving you credible ranges and probabilities for outcomes instead of false certainty.
We’ll tackle the real challenges SMB founders face, like:

• How do you forecast realistically when you don’t have much data?
• How can you use AI to quickly test assumptions and avoid wasted spend?
• How do you stay agile without getting lost in dashboards and complexity?

Let’s cut through the hype and talk about how AI can give bootstrapped founders sharper instincts, better forecasts, and the confidence to place smarter bets when the stakes are highest.

About Tristan Kromer
Innovation coach and founder of Kromatic, Tristan Kromer, has a vast background in aiding innovation teams, leaders, and startup ecosystems globally. With experience as a startup entrepreneur and corporate product manager, he advised government agencies, set up innovation boards, and trained global coaches. Tristan has supported a diverse set of organizations, including nonprofits like ChildFund and big brands like Unilever and Salesforce. Collaborating with over 30 tech accelerators such as Innovation Norway and Vinnova, he also donates time to offer free consultancy to budding entrepreneurs.