Solink is an AI-driven video intelligence platform that combines video with business systems and data to detect threats, send real-time alerts, and uncover insights that improve security and operations. It works with existing cameras, POS and access control systems, and is simple to install, use, and scale. Trusted by leading brands across 35,000+ locations in more than 60 countries, Solink has built a reputation as a trusted partner that goes above and beyond to help customers succeed.
CEO Mike Matta co-founded Solink in 2010 while at university, building the company from a startup concept into a global enterprise with more than 360 employees worldwide. Before launching Solink, Mike served as Associate Director of Corporate Strategy at Bell Canada Enterprise, where he guided the company through its 2008 corporate restructuring during a leveraged buyout by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. He also led the execution and integration of major transactions including Bell’s acquisition of Virgin Mobile Canada and The Source. An engineer by training, Mike holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo.
1. Career Journey: Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career, especially one that shaped your leadership approach at your current company?
My engineering background was all about data and process. But leading a company? That takes something different. You need the ambition of an entrepreneur who’s willing to chase those low-probability goals. I quickly figured out that the goal wasn’t just to sell a product; it was to build real partnerships. I often think about Solink’s first customers. They weren’t just buying a product; they were taking a huge risk on an unproven company. That experience cemented my core belief: the relationship has to go way beyond the typical vendor-customer dynamic. It has to be a true, nurtured partnership.
2. Career Path: What initially brought you to this specific career path, and how did it lead to your role in this company?
My career started with internships right out of university, where I figured out how businesses actually tick. I deliberately moved from just solving hardcore engineering problems to diving into analytics and data because I wanted to tackle bigger business challenges. This let me mix technical skills with a real-world grasp of how companies run, thrive, and the role culture and talent plays. In the end, I decided to go all-in on building a product in an industry where I knew there was a lot of potential to use data to solve business problems, which is what we’ve done at Solink. I wanted a role where I could really make a difference.
3. Company Differentiation: What makes your company stand out from competitors in the market? Can you share an example that highlights this?
Solink empowers organizations to bring digital-level intelligence to physical spaces by unifying video, data, and alerts into one platform. We help businesses automatically detect, verify, and respond to risks and operational issues with AI-driven, real-world visibility. For example, the Solink platform connects cameras, access control, POS systems, sensors, and other operational data into a single cloud platform. Our customers use our AI to analyze activity across their locations in real time, distinguishing real risks and inefficiencies from routine behavior, surfacing anomalies, and instantly pairing every alert with verified video context. This transforms thousands of hours of footage and siloed systems into clear, trusted insights that teams can act on immediately. We have 35,000+ customer locations using Solink across multiple industries including retail, restaurants, banks, warehouses.
4. Product Innovation: Are you working on any exciting new products or projects? How do you think this innovation will positively impact your customers?
We’re constantly evolving the Solink platform, but one area that’s particularly exciting is how we’re making AI-driven insights even more prescriptive. Right now, our customers get instant video-verified alerts for things like unusual activity or policy non-compliance. The next phase is moving beyond just the ‘what’ and diving deeper into the ‘why’ and ‘how to fix it.’ We’re building AI that can act as a virtual loss prevention or operations manager. This innovation is going to dramatically increase our customers’ ROI. It’s not just about catching problems anymore; it’s about providing actionable, real-time guidance that drives measurable improvements in everything from shrink reduction to operational efficiency, and customer experience. We want to turn data into intelligent action.
5. Success Insight: What was the tipping point for your company’s recent success? Was there a change in strategy or approach that others might learn from?
The real turning point wasn’t sudden. It was a learning curve over years of building. The early Solink team was always rethinking the product, especially when we shifted from just providing security for banks to focusing on the broader physical security market. Arriving at a point where we could repeat our success and grow beyond those first few customers was a huge hurdle. But if I had to name the one thing that let Solink really take off, it was a simple strategic move: bringing in exceptional leaders. People who are just much better than me at their jobs. My rule for a leader is, ‘Would I work for them and know I’d learn from them?’ We’ve hired some incredible people here who have been the engines for Solink’s success and expansion.
6. Challenges and Lessons: Can you share a significant challenge your company faced and how you overcame it? What key lesson did that experience provide?
A significant challenge we faced early on was customers constantly pushing us into new areas, for example, asking us to build a POS system. It sounds like a great opportunity, but the lesson was realizing that we needed to be really opinionated about where we could have the biggest impact. It’s hard, but building the internal rigor to say ‘no’ to things, even when a valued customer is asking for it, is important. You can’t be great at absolutely everything, and knowing when to say ‘no’ will keep you focused on what makes you successful.
7. Leadership Impact: In just a few words, what differentiates your leadership role from others in the company? What impact does this have on company culture or product success?
As Solink scales, my role is to be one of the few generalists in the organization. As we’ve grown, we’ve hired people with specialist skills, who know more about a particular area than I do, so we can build best in class product, engineering, marketing, finance and operations teams. Now, I get to use my generalist capacity to understand all the functions in the company, ask questions, and really keep a holistic view. It allows me to reinforce a culture where our focus remains solving the biggest customer problems, which is critical for our ongoing success.
Learn more about how Solink’s AI-driven video intelligence is transforming security and operations across global enterprises at the website here.
Related News:
Q&A: Carsten Brinkschulte Dryad Networks’ Mission to Prevent Wildfires
Q&A: Rohit Garewal on Leading Object Edge Through Transformation
