​I was a pleasure to open the fall season with Balint Orosz, CEO and founder of Craft Docs. Balint has built a remarkable career on creating intuitive and user-friendly software innovations. He grew his first company, Distinction, from three to 35 employees in just four years before it was acquired by Skyscanner in 2014. As Head of Product, Apps at Skyscanner, Balint led the integration process, scaling the company to five global offices. He managed significant product developments, UX, and strategic changes, later becoming Senior Director of Product Management, where he led mobile, identity, and machine learning teams across five countries.

​In 2019, Balint ventured on his own once again, driven by frustration with existing document creation and sharing apps. He founded Craft Docs, a comprehensive writing tool that allows users to write, store, and share documents seamlessly and quickly. Craft Docs combines simplicity with depth, enabling the creation of high-quality, aesthetically pleasing digital content. This dedication to crafting a tool that enhances productivity while reflecting one's digital identity has made Craft Docs a favorite among professionals and creatives alike. In 2021, Craft Docs won the Mac App of the Year award and surpassed one million installs, experiencing rapid growth in the USA, UK, Japan, and Germany.

​In April 2021, Craft Docs secured an $8 million Series A round led by Creandum, with participation from InReach Ventures, Gareth Williams (former CEO and co-founder of Skyscanner), and several other tech entrepreneurs, many of whom are ex-Skyscanner. Notable backers include Carlos Gonzalez (former CPO at Skyscanner, CTPO at GoCardless), Filip Filipov (former VP Strategy at Skyscanner), Ross McNairn (former CEO at Dorsai, CPO at TravelPerk), Stefan Lesser (former Technology and Partnership manager at Apple), and Akos Kapui (former head of Technology at Skyscanner, VP of Engineering at Shapr3D).

​In September 2022, Craft raised $12.2 million in a Series B round led by EBRD Venture Capital, with continued support from earlier backers Creandum and InReach Ventures. This funding has positioned Craft Docs to enhance its ultra-high-quality and rapid product shipping culture, and expand its team. Additionally, the funds will support the integration of advanced features and strategies, as well as the development of remote and hybrid work cultures.

Attendees had the chance to hear Balint discuss the importance of form and function in digital tools, the innovative business model iterations at Craft Docs, the role of AI in their strategy, and their approach to fostering a dynamic remote and hybrid work environment.