Founder Journey ft. Ryan Osten
Thu Feb 05 2026
From Global Exit to the EV Frontier with Ryan OstenHow do you scale a startup to 5,000+ dealerships and then navigate a massive acquisition? In this episode of the Founder Journey, recorded live at Toronto Tech Week (powered by StartWell), we sit down with Ryan Osten, Co-Founder & CEO of Lyteflo and former COO of Gubagoo.Ryan breaks down the grit required to dominate the automotive SaaS space and explains why he’s betting his next chapter on solving the "EV problem" for dealerships. Whether you are a founder looking for scaling tactics or an operator curious about the future of electric mobility, Ryan’s insights on "Carfax for batteries" and post-exit life are essential listening.In this episode, we discuss:- The Gubagoo journey: Scaling to global adoption and the Reynolds and Reynolds acquisition.- The "post-exit" reality: Lessons learned operating within a larger corporate structure.- The EV shift: Why battery health and incentive navigation are the new dealership goldmines.- Founder fundamentals: Sales, fundraising, and maintaining a long-term vision.Thank you to our podcast partners at www.startwell.co for their continued support.
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From Global Exit to the EV Frontier with Ryan OstenHow do you scale a startup to 5,000+ dealerships and then navigate a massive acquisition? In this episode of the Founder Journey, recorded live at Toronto Tech Week (powered by StartWell), we sit down with Ryan Osten, Co-Founder & CEO of Lyteflo and former COO of Gubagoo.Ryan breaks down the grit required to dominate the automotive SaaS space and explains why he’s betting his next chapter on solving the "EV problem" for dealerships. Whether you are a founder looking for scaling tactics or an operator curious about the future of electric mobility, Ryan’s insights on "Carfax for batteries" and post-exit life are essential listening.In this episode, we discuss:- The Gubagoo journey: Scaling to global adoption and the Reynolds and Reynolds acquisition.- The "post-exit" reality: Lessons learned operating within a larger corporate structure.- The EV shift: Why battery health and incentive navigation are the new dealership goldmines.- Founder fundamentals: Sales, fundraising, and maintaining a long-term vision.Thank you to our podcast partners at www.startwell.co for their continued support.