AI Advisory for Mid-Market Companies — We help mid-market companies turn AI into measurable business results.
We help mid-market companies figure out where AI creates real value and then make it happen. Not pilots that stall. Not demos that disappear. Measurable business results. Learn more Learn more Learn more Learn more
Sound familiar?
"We spent six figures on AI and have nothing to show for it."
U.S. businesses have invested $35 to $40 billion in AI initiatives. 95% have seen no measurable return. The ones who succeed share one trait: they picked a specific business problem, defined a success metric, and proved value before scaling. We tie every AI investment to a specific business metric before writing a line of code.
Read: 74% Want Revenue from AI. 20% Are Getting It."We know we need AI but we don't know what to do first."
The rule is simple: automate the repeatable, keep humans on the judgment calls. Start with your operations, your costs, your revenue model. Look for processes with high volume, clear rules, and measurable outputs. The technology comes second. The business problem comes first.
Read: The Simple Rule that Separates AI Winners from Everyone Else"The last consultant gave us a strategy deck and disappeared."
We don't hand off strategy decks. We do the work. I have been the CEO, the CTO, and the operator. I know the difference between a recommendation that sounds good in a boardroom and one that actually survives contact with reality. When I work with a company, I care about the outcome as much as anyone on the team.
"Our competitors are moving faster and we're falling behind."
MIT found that only 5% of companies create real value from AI. They don't use better technology. They make six operational decisions before writing a line of code: pick one pain point, define success metrics, run fast pilots with real data, prove ROI before scaling, build internal capability, and treat AI as a process change.
Read: What the 5% Who Succeed with AI Actually Do DifferentlyTwo ways we help.
AI Strategy and Implementation
We identify where AI can increase revenue, cut costs, or speed up operations in your business. Then we build it, test it, and prove it works. Every engagement starts with a business problem and ends with a measurable result.
Learn moreTechnical Leadership
You need senior technical leadership but not a full-time hire. We work alongside your team as a strategic partner. Step in as CTO, lead AI initiatives, or advise your existing technical leadership. The engagement fits your situation.
Learn moreThis isn't theory.
I built and sold an enterprise machine learning company. 8-figure exit to a public company after 10 years as CEO. I have been building ML products since the early 2000s, before most people knew what machine learning was.
That experience taught me how all the pieces connect. Technology, revenue, and operations are not separate problems. They are one system. Most advisors see one piece. I see the whole board.
PhD in Computer Science, Princeton University. When we evaluate technology, we go deep. Architecture, technical debt, AI capabilities, team quality. We see what generalist advisors miss.
$50M+ in enterprise software sales. We know how to connect technology to revenue. We have done it for two decades.
More about us
What people say.
"I benefited greatly from Stef's mentorship, his tremendous depth in technology and skill managing a complex business. He builds organizations of universally highly talented people and strong relationships with everyone he interacts with. Stef will never compromise on quality, requiring excellence from everyone in the organization. I would work for him again in a heartbeat."
Patrick Austermann
Engineering Leader | 2x founder | 2 exits | 1 IPO
"I worked with Stef at Edgestream for more than two years and was consistently impressed with his business, technology and management skills as well as his terrific work ethic. Stef's tenure at Edgestream was of enormous value and his contributions incredibly valuable."
William Natbony
Multi-business CEO and Financial Services Attorney
Common questions.
What does Zaruko do?
We help mid-market companies turn AI into measurable business results. We identify where AI can increase revenue, cut costs, or speed up operations, then we build it, test it, and prove it works. Every engagement starts with a business problem and ends with a measurable result.
Why do most AI initiatives fail?
Most AI initiatives fail because they start with technology and work backward. U.S. businesses have invested $35 to $40 billion in AI initiatives and 95% have seen no measurable return. The companies that succeed pick a specific business problem, define a success metric, and prove value before scaling.
What experience does Zaruko bring?
Zaruko is led by Stefanos Damianakis, who co-founded and sold an enterprise machine learning company (8-figure exit to a public company after 10 years as CEO). He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Princeton University and has contributed to over $50M in enterprise software sales.
Let's talk.
Tell us what you're working on. We'll be straight with you about whether we can help.