Key Takeaways Adam Markowitz is the co-founder of Drata, a startup that automates compliance processes for 8,000 clients.
The startup reached $100 million in annual revenue in three and a half years.
Markowitz said the startup achieved “lightning-in-a-bottle product-market fit,” filling a vital need for customers.
Adam Markowitz spent five years working as an aerospace engineer on NASA’s Space Shuttle Program before realizing that his interests were more Earth-focused. He taught himself how to code, founded a digital portfolio startup called Portfolium in 2013 and sold it to the learning management system company Instructure for $43 million in 2019.
In 2020, he co-founded his current startup, Drata, which automates compliance, governance, risk and assurance for thousands of customers worldwide. Drata has skyrocketed to $100 million in annual recurring revenue in three and a half years and now assists companies like Chipotle in automating compliance.
Here’s how Markowitz grew his company and his advice for entrepreneurs. Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and concision.
Adam Markowitz. Credit: Drata
Tell me a little more about your startup.
At its core, Drata is built on a simple belief: Trust is our most valuable asset in business today and in the future. I learned that firsthand as an aerospace engineer on NASA’s Space Shuttle Program, where nothing moved unless every component was validated, documented and trusted to perform. Tech companies today face a similar directive when earning the confidence of customers, partners and auditors. That’s where Drata comes in. Drata is an AI-native trust management platform helping automate governance, risk, compliance and assurance.
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