What Would You Do with $20 Million in Seed Funding?

Entrepreneur John Winner, BBA ’11, hopes to lead an AI-driven revolution.

When John Winner, BBA ’11, was in middle school, he started his first business. He helped his neighbors in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, set up their home computers and assisted with technical problems. Three decades later, his work has expanded considerably, but Winner remains driven by the same overarching goal.

“I have consistently seen opportunities to help people leverage new technologies,” says Winner, now CEO of Kizen, a company that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to streamline work and save time. “And that happened from the first business when I was 13 to what we do today with Kizen.”

The company recently raised over $20 million in seed funding for its work in industries ranging from health care to financial services to B2B technology. It uses AI to accelerate data processes and reduce the amount of time employees spend on any given task. For instance, the software can help doctors and nurses more quickly access patient information, provide a diagnosis, and deliver care.

Winner thinks the software could significantly reduce the average work week. “We really see over the coming years that AI is going to fuel an unprecedented age of prosperity for everyone around the world,” he says. “And that’s going to impact everything from health care to work — enabling things like a 20-hour work week — to universal access to world-class education.”
 — Alice Popovici

This story appeared in the Fall 2023 issue of McCombs magazine.