Samuel Olamide, VP of Product at Edgetrace Tells Us What He’s Looking For From TechRound100 Entrants

About Myself

I’m a software engineer turned product leader with a deep passion for building intelligent systems that solve real-world problems at scale. My journey began as a Fullstack Engineer, where I developed expertise across Next.js, Node.js, React.js, and Python, but what truly drives me is the intersection of advanced technology and tangible impact.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working on transformative projects across fintech, logistics, and web3. As Technical Lead and Senior Backend Engineer at Insomnia Labs, I spearheaded the ICC Fan Passport project. A platform that served over 2 million users during the ICC Cricket Tournament. I also managed complex Avalanche-based web3 integrations. This experience taught me the critical importance of building systems that perform flawlessly under pressure while maintaining exceptional user experiences.

As Founding Engineer at Valley, I designed an AI-driven SalesTech platform that fundamentally changed how sales teams operate. By leveraging Large Language Models and Retrieval Augmented Generation systems, we automated complex workflows, eliminated manual processes, and dramatically improved conversion rates. This is where I discovered my true calling: using AI not just as a buzzword, but as a practical tool that creates measurable business value.

About Edgetrace

Edgetrace is transforming how critical industries interact with video data. As a YC Winter 2024 company, we’ve built an advanced AI-powered video intelligence platform that makes video data easily accessible and actionable for law enforcement agencies, transportation hubs, and enterprise security teams.

What sets Edgetrace apart is our focus on precision in mission critical applications. We provide high accuracy video search capabilities, semantic understanding, automated annotations, and real-time analytics through both a comprehensive platform and API. Our technology enables real-time crime centers, investigation suites, missing persons searches, traffic monitoring, and emergency coordination. Essentially helping organisations find the moments that matter in vast amounts of video data.

We work with any ONVIF-compatible camera system, which means our clients can leverage their existing infrastructure while gaining cutting-edge AI capabilities. This approach delivers significant cost savings while dramatically improving operational efficiency. From airport security to crisis response coordination, Edgetrace is helping organisations move from reactive to proactive security operations.

Advice for companies entering TechRound100 2025

Focus on demonstrating real traction and measurable impact. Judges see hundreds of compelling ideas, but what stands out are companies that can articulate concrete results (revenue growth, user adoption, efficiency gains, or problems solved).

Back your vision with data that proves you’re not just building something interesting, but something that creates genuine value.
Equally important is showing deep understanding of your problem space. Don’t just explain what you do, demonstrate why it matters and why you’re uniquely positioned to solve it. The best applications reveal founders who have lived with the problem, understand the nuances, and have insights that competitors miss.

How entrants should stand out from the crowd

Tell a story that connects your technology to human impact. Too many applications get lost in technical jargon or feature lists. Instead, lead with the transformation you’re creating, how are you changing lives, businesses, or industries? Make your judges feel the problem you’re solving and visualise the future you’re building.

Additionally, demonstrate momentum and adaptability. Show how you’ve evolved based on customer feedback, pivoted when necessary, or overcome significant challenges. Judges aren’t looking for perfection; they’re looking for resilience, learning velocity, and the ability to execute in uncertainty.

Final thoughts

I believe the UK startup ecosystem is thriving because of its diversity of ideas and approaches. Whether you’re working in sustainability, fintech, AI, or emerging technologies, what matters most is authentic innovation.

Building something that genuinely advances your industry forward. TechRound100 celebrates this spirit, and I’m honored to help recognise the companies pushing boundaries and creating the future.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​