Professional Overview
Ishmael Samuel serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and co-founder of Paragon, an embedded integration platform headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Paragon’s core product facilitates SaaS companies in seamlessly connecting their applications with their customers’ data, streamlining integration processes with external apps. This platform targets software developers looking to improve product interoperability with other software ecosystems.
Ishmael is an experienced engineer, executive, and entrepreneur with a demonstrated mission to leverage technology for building innovative solutions. Prior to founding Paragon, he operated a software development agency named CTRL LA, where he combined sales and technical leadership roles, building a strong foundation for his startup experience.
Roles & Responsibilities
In his capacity as CTO at Paragon, Ishmael’s focus encompasses:
- Driving the technical vision and architecture of the embedded integration platform.
- Overseeing engineering team growth, including onboarding and mentoring new engineers, as highlighted in a recent May 2024 presentation where he detailed best practices for onboarding new hires.
- Collaborating closely with co-founder Brandon Foo to identify product-market fit and address critical market needs informed by their prior entrepreneurial ventures.
- Playing an instrumental role in securing funding rounds and engaging with investor communities; he has publicly discussed strategies for raising capital for technical startups (e.g., in interviews dating November 2022).
Network and Mentorship
Ishmael actively participates in the startup ecosystem as a mentor to emerging companies, contributing to the growth of technical startups through programs such as:
- Techstars New York City powered by J.P. Morgan (Mar–May 2024),
- Midlands African Chamber cohorts (Nov 2023–Apr 2024), where he provided guidance on business planning, marketing strategies, pitch preparation, and go-to-market strategy refinement for early-stage tech ventures.
Publicly Recognized Achievements and Influence
- Featured as a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and Y Combinator W20 alumnus, underscoring both his leadership and innovation credentials in the technology startup arena.
- Recognized within the investor and entrepreneurial communities, with Paragon experiencing sustained year-over-year growth, including approximately 17x usage growth in recent years (per July 2024 updates).
- Ishmael and Paragon co-founder Brandon Foo have shared insights on lessons learned from prior startups and applied these experiences toward building sustainable, scalable offerings at Paragon.
Key Insights for Engagement
- Ishmael emphasizes the importance of network leverage in founding ventures, demonstrating a data-driven and methodical approach to due diligence, particularly when selecting co-founders and partners, reflecting a long-term vision of collaboration.
- His combined entrepreneurial and technical skillset allow him to bridge engineering leadership with strategic business growth, indicating a decision-maker well-versed in both technical robustness and go-to-market execution.
- His active mentorship involvement suggests a strong commitment to community development and knowledge sharing, important for building lasting industry relationships and partnerships.
Online Presence
- [LinkedIn Profile](http://www.linkedin.com/in/ishmaelsamuel) — Over 500 connections, emphasizing a substantial professional network within the tech and startup ecosystems.
- Active on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) under the handle @ishthedestroyer, where he shares insights on product-building challenges and startup narratives.
- Regular appearances on podcasts and video interviews discussing technical leadership, startup funding, and onboarding strategies for engineering teams.
Paragon remains a high-growth SaaS integration platform with co-founders Ishmael Samuel and Brandon Foo at the helm, leveraging prior entrepreneurial experience to address developer pain points in software integrations. Ishmael’s blend of technical leadership, fundraising acumen, and strategic mentorship positions him as a key figure influencing Paragon’s continued expansion within the competitive SaaS ecosystem.
