Experienced Executive and Global Sales Leader with a Proven Track Record of Driving Growth for Over 20 Years in the Software, Healthcare, and Technology Industries SEATTLE, Aug. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Banzai International, Inc. (NASDAQ: BNZI) ("Banzai" or the "Company"), a leading marketing technology company that provides essential marketing and sales solutions, today announced the appointment of Matt McCurdy as Vice President of Sales to lead strategic growth and enterprise customer adoption of its ...

Summary of Banzai International (BNZI) Conference Call - July 16, 2025 Company Overview - **Company Name**: Banzai International Inc. - **Ticker Symbol**: BNZI - **Industry**: Marketing Technology - **Business Model**: Provides AI-enabled marketing and sales solutions for businesses of all sizes [1][4] Key Developments - **Recent Updates**: Significant developments occurred in the last 30 to 45 days, indicating a proactive approach to growth and innovation [2] - **Product Suite**: Offers a variety of AI-powered tools including demand generation, social sharing, video creation, and an AI-powered webinar platform called Demio [5][6] Financial Performance - **Q1 2025 Results**: - Revenue increased by **213% year-over-year** [8] - Gross margin improved by **1,700 basis points**, rising from **64.7% to 82%** [9] - Paid off **$20.3 million** in liabilities ahead of schedule, indicating strong balance sheet management [9] - Secured an **$11 million** debt facility to support acquisitions and operations, enhancing financial flexibility [10] Strategic Initiatives - **Net Income Improvement Program**: Implemented a **$13.6 million** program leading to substantial improvements in net income during Q1 [11] - **Customer Growth**: Expanded customer base to over **90,000 customers** across the product suite [11] - **Executive Hires**: Added key executives, including Dean Ditto as CFO and Michael Kurtzman as Chief Revenue Officer, both with extensive experience in scaling businesses [12][13] Product Highlights - **Demio Platform**: Recognized as the number one webinar platform for marketers, featuring AI capabilities such as an AI moderator for real-time audience engagement [16][17] - **Subscription Model**: Approximately two-thirds of annual recurring revenue (ARR) comes from contracts of one year or longer, focusing on mid-market to enterprise segments [18][19] Acquisition Strategy - **Act On Update**: The company decided against pursuing the Act On acquisition due to unfavorable market conditions and potential shareholder dilution, but remains open to future acquisitions supported by the new debt facility [20][21] Conclusion - **Future Outlook**: Banzai International is positioned for growth with a strong financial foundation, innovative product offerings, and a strategic focus on acquisitions that align with shareholder interests [21][22]

Company Overview - Banzai International, Inc. is a leading marketing technology company that provides essential marketing and sales solutions, focusing on AI-enabled video engagement, production, and webinar solutions [1][5] - The company aims to help businesses of all sizes target, engage, and measure both new and existing customers more effectively [5] Leadership Appointment - Michael Kurtzman has been appointed as Chief Revenue Officer, effective June 16, 2025, to lead operations and customer-facing functions [1][4] - Kurtzman brings over 20 years of global experience in driving growth across startups, growth-stage ventures, and Fortune 50 companies, with a proven track record of expanding revenue from $10 million to over $100 million [2][3] Strategic Goals - The primary objective of Kurtzman's role is to increase revenue in the Video business unit to $50 million over the next three years [4] - Responsibilities include accelerating self-service subscriber growth, enterprise and mid-market expansion, and customer retention, while ensuring continuous evolution of product offerings [4] Product and Market Focus - Banzai's product suite includes Demio, CreateStudio, and OpenReel, which are designed to drive engagement, retention, and revenue [5] - The company serves a diverse range of customers, including notable names like Autodesk, Dell Technologies, and New York Life [5]

Financial Performance - Q1 2025 revenue reached $3.4 million, a 213% increase year-over-year compared to $1.1 million in Q1 2024[20] - Gross profit for Q1 2025 was $2.8 million, representing a 297% increase compared to $0.7 million in Q1 2024[20] - Gross margin expanded to 82.1% in Q1 2025, a 17% increase from 64.7% in Q1 2024[20] - Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) reached $14.9 million, reflecting a 268% annualized growth rate compared to Q4 2024[21] - The company repaid $20.3 million of outstanding liabilities ahead of schedule[21] Strategic Initiatives - Banzai acquired Vidello, a video hosting and marketing suite provider[21] - A definitive agreement was signed to acquire Act-On, projected to increase FY 2025 revenue by $27 million on a pro-forma basis[21] - The company expanded its customer base to over 90,000 total customers[21] Future Outlook - The acquisition of Act-On is projected to grow Banzai's pro-forma consolidated 2024 revenue to $44 million[28] - The company is implementing a $13.6 million annualized net income improvement program[42] - Forecasted gross profit percentage is 82%[39]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved gross profit of $2,800,000 in the quarter, an increase of 297% year over year, with gross margin expanding from 64.7% to 82.1% [1][13] - Annual recurring revenue (ARR) reached $14,900,000, representing a 268% annualized growth rate compared to Q4 2024 [2][12] - Adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $1,700,000, compared to a loss of $1,500,000 in Q1 2024 [2][14] - Net loss improved by $4,000,000 compared to Q4 2024, with a net loss of $3,600,000 in Q1 2025 [2][14] - Total revenue for the quarter was $3,400,000, compared to $1,100,000 in the same quarter last year [12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The consolidated business delivered revenue of $3,400,000 in Q1 2025, a 213% increase compared to 2024 [5] - The company expanded its customer base to over 90,000, including notable clients such as Cisco, Adobe, and Microsoft [6] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company serves customers in over 90 countries across various industries, including healthcare, financial services, e-commerce, technology, and media [6] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on targeting the mid-market and enterprise segments while supporting small business customers, emphasizing a disciplined approach to acquiring high-value customers [7] - The strategy includes building integrations and AI enablement to simplify customer workflows and enhance product offerings [8][9] - The acquisition of Acton Software is projected to increase revenue by $27,000,000 in FY 2025 on a pro forma basis [3] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the acquisition pipeline for 2025, despite macroeconomic uncertainties, indicating a strong supply of attractive companies [21] - There is a positive demand environment, with many customers expanding or renewing contracts for longer terms, indicating strong demand for the company's services [23] - The company aims for cash breakeven operations in 2025, with a focus on improving the balance sheet and advancing towards profitability [16][28] Other Important Information - The company completed a $20,300,000 debt repayment ahead of schedule, improving stockholders' equity by $5,700,000 in Q1 [4] - The company is building a suite of synergistic products that drive value for its customer base, with a scalable and asset-light business model [16] Q&A Session Summary Question: Updates on the expected timeline for the Acton acquisition and acquisition pipeline for 2025 - The company is actively working on the Acton acquisition and sees a strong pipeline of interesting acquisition opportunities for 2025 [20][21] Question: Signs of caution from the customer base regarding marketing or demand generation budgets - The company is experiencing the opposite, with customers renewing on longer contracts and showing strong demand [23] Question: Changes in the sales cycle due to macro and tariff concerns - The sales cycle has not changed significantly, with larger customers moving to longer contract terms, providing guaranteed revenue [24][25] Question: Plans to become breakeven or cash flow positive in Q2 - There are no liquidity concerns, and the company is looking to reach cash flow breakeven in 2025, with significant improvements in net income [26][28] Question: Conditions precedent to close the Acton deal - The main condition is a financing contingency, and updates will be provided as progress is made [29] Question: AI strategy and R&D investments for AI products - The company is focused on integrating AI features into its products, enhancing customer capabilities and efficiency [36][40] Question: Thoughts on share price - Management believes the share price is currently detached from the company's reality, but they are focused on delivering better financial results to improve market perception [52][54][56]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Gross profit for Q1 2025 was $2,800,000, an increase of 297% year-over-year, with gross margin expanding from 64.7% to 82.1% [1][12] - Annual recurring revenue (ARR) reached $14,900,000, representing a 268% annualized growth rate compared to Q4 2024 [2][12] - Adjusted EBITDA showed a loss of $1,700,000, compared to a loss of $1,500,000 in Q1 2024 [2][13] - Net loss improved by $4,000,000 compared to Q4 2024, totaling $3,600,000 for Q1 2025 [2][13] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consolidated revenue from video-related products was $3,400,000 in Q1 2025, a 213% increase compared to Q1 2024 [5][11] - The company launched Create Studio 4.0, enhancing its video creation capabilities [3][5] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The customer base expanded to over 90,000, including notable clients such as Cisco, Adobe, and Microsoft [6][12] - The company serves various industries, including healthcare, financial services, e-commerce, technology, and media, with customers in over 90 countries [6] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on targeting mid-market and enterprise segments while supporting small business customers, emphasizing a disciplined approach to acquiring high-value customers [7][8] - The strategy includes building integrations and AI enablement to simplify customer workflows and enhance product offerings [8][9] - The acquisition of Acton Software is projected to increase FY 2025 revenue by $27,000,000 on a pro forma basis [3][6] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the acquisition pipeline for 2025, indicating strong interest from potential acquisition targets despite macroeconomic uncertainties [19][20] - There is a positive demand environment, with many customers opting for longer contract terms, indicating confidence in the company's offerings [21][22] - The company aims for cash breakeven operations in 2025, with a focus on improving financial health and profitability [15][24] Other Important Information - The company completed a $20,300,000 debt repayment ahead of schedule, improving its balance sheet and stockholders' equity by $5,700,000 in Q1 2025 [3][4] - The company is actively pursuing AI integration in its products, with significant investments in R&D to enhance capabilities [35][44] Q&A Session Summary Question: Updates on the expected timeline for the Acton acquisition and acquisition pipeline for 2025 - The company is actively working on the Acton acquisition and sees a strong pipeline of attractive acquisition opportunities for 2025 [17][19] Question: Signs of caution from customers regarding marketing or demand generation budgets - Management noted the opposite trend, with customers expanding or renewing on longer contracts, indicating strong demand [20][21] Question: Changes in the sales cycle due to macro and tariff concerns - There has been no significant change in the sales cycle, with larger customers moving to longer contract terms [22][23] Question: Plans to become breakeven or cash flow positive in Q2 - The company is not facing liquidity concerns and aims for cash flow breakeven in 2025, with Q1 expenses primarily being one-time costs [24][25] Question: Conditions precedent for closing the Acton deal - The main condition is a financing contingency, and updates will be provided as progress is made [27] Question: Consideration of AI acquisitions in EMEA - The company is open to AI acquisitions in EMEA, having already made an acquisition in London [28][29] Question: AI strategy and R&D investments - The company is focused on integrating AI into its products, enhancing user capabilities and efficiency [35][44] Question: Thoughts on share price - Management believes the share price is currently detached from the company's reality and hopes improved financial results will be reflected in the share price [52][56]