Tessa Court is a name that has swiftly become synonymous with ambition, innovation, and success in the world of digital marketing and business intelligence. As the CEO and co-founder of IntelligenceBank, she has carved a distinctive path as one of Australia’s leading tech entrepreneurs. Tessa’s journey from a global marketing executive to a trailblazing startup founder is a compelling example of how vision and execution drive impactful business innovation in the digital age.
TLDR: Tessa Court is the CEO and co-founder of IntelligenceBank, an Australian-born SaaS company providing digital asset management and marketing operations solutions to global enterprises. With a strong background in digital strategy and marketing, she identified a gap in managing digital workflows — and built a scalable solution. Her leadership has positioned the company for international growth and recognition, solidifying her status as a force in tech entrepreneurship. Tessa’s story reflects the power of leveraging industry knowledge and technological acumen to disrupt traditional processes.
From Corporate Strategist to Startup Visionary
Tessa Court’s journey into entrepreneurship is rooted in a successful corporate career. Before founding IntelligenceBank in 2009, she held roles at various prestigious organizations, including Microsoft and Hitwise, a global online competitive intelligence company. At Hitwise, she served as the Director of Strategy and saw firsthand the growing challenges marketers faced managing their assets and content across increasingly complex digital ecosystems.
It was during this time that Tessa began to formulate an idea that would eventually become IntelligenceBank. She noticed a lack of platforms that catered specifically to marketers in terms of easily managing, locating, and distributing digital content, while maintaining compliance and branding accuracy. Rather than wait for someone else to solve the problem, she decided to tackle it head-on.
The Birth of IntelligenceBank
Founded in Melbourne, IntelligenceBank began as a digital asset management (DAM) platform with an emphasis on marketing operations efficiencies. Tessa’s goal was clear: to help marketing teams move faster while staying compliant and on-brand. Over time, the platform evolved into a comprehensive system that includes features like:
- Digital asset management
- Marketing project management
- Brand guidelines and compliance workflows
- Content approval and audit trails
What separates IntelligenceBank from competitors is not just the technology — it’s the focus on user experience and compliance, something that Tessa emphasizes frequently. These unique selling points have helped the company gain traction in highly regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, government, and legal services.
Leadership Style and Company Culture
Tessa’s leadership style is characterized by a strong emphasis on collaboration and clear communication. She leads with transparency and believes in empowering her team to innovate and solve complex problems. In interviews and public speaking engagements, she often credits her team as essential to the company’s growth and success.
One of her key beliefs is that technology should not just be about function — it should be intuitive and beautiful to use. This reflects in the IntelligenceBank platform itself and in the company’s culture, where creativity and usability are encouraged across technical and project roles.
Another notable aspect of her leadership has been her commitment to diversity and inclusion. Tessa has made active efforts to build mixed-gender teams and support women in technology — an industry that often struggles with diversity representation.
Milestones and Global Expansion
Under Tessa’s leadership, IntelligenceBank experienced remarkable growth both in Australia and internationally. The company secured funding rounds led by key venture capital firms such as Five V Capital, and expanded operations to the United States, establishing an office in Los Angeles to serve its growing base of North American clients.
Some of the major milestones achieved by IntelligenceBank under Tessa’s direction include:
- Winning multiple technology and innovation awards
- Securing enterprise clients like ANZ, KPMG, and Deloitte
- Being listed among Deloitte’s Tech Fast 500 companies
- Expanding the workforce across Australia, North America, and Europe
In a competitive SaaS environment, these achievements not only reflect Tessa’s business acumen but also her ability to future-proof the product in an ever-evolving digital marketing landscape.
Challenges Faced and Lessons Learned
No entrepreneurial journey is without challenges, and Tessa Court’s story is no exception. From fundraising obstacles to building brand credibility in the early days, she confronted and overcame hurdles that would dissuade less determined individuals. Interestingly, one of the most demanding aspects she’s spoken about is the balance between building a scalable tech platform and maintaining the flexibility that enterprise clients demand.
One of the key lessons Tessa often shares is the importance of listening — to clients, to employees, and to the market. IntelligenceBank’s product roadmap has evolved largely based on direct customer feedback. This customer-centric approach has made the platform more aligned with user needs.
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Speaking Engagements and Industry Recognition
Tessa Court is not just a CEO — she’s a thought leader. Her expertise is widely recognized, and she’s a sought-after speaker at tech conferences, women-in-business panels, and marketing forums. She frequently discusses topics such as SaaS growth, marketing tech, and women in leadership.
Her insightful commentary has appeared in a variety of business publications including Forbes, SmartCompany, and Business Insider Australia. In addition, she was named one of the Top 50 Small Business Leaders by Inside Small Business and is often recognized for her role in elevating Australia’s profile in the global tech scene.
Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs
For those looking to follow a similar path, Tessa offers valuable advice:
- Start with a real problem: The best businesses solve genuine pain points.
- Know the industry: Deep domain knowledge can be a game-changer when developing B2B solutions.
- Build strong teams: Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you in key areas.
- Stay agile: Be willing to pivot and adapt as market needs and technology evolve.
Tessa also encourages aspiring founders to “trust their instincts but validate with data,” highlighting the balance between intuition and informed decision-making that underpins successful entrepreneurship.
Looking Ahead
As of today, IntelligenceBank continues to strengthen its position in the enterprise martech ecosystem. With digital transformation accelerating across industries, the need for organized marketing operations is more critical than ever. Tessa Court envisions IntelligenceBank growing deeper integrations with third-party platforms, adopting AI to boost workflow efficiencies, and expanding into even more international markets.
Her commitment to innovation and customer-centric design ensures that she’ll remain at the forefront of business technology, continuing to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and tech leaders.
Conclusion
Tessa Court’s entrepreneurial story is a masterclass in identifying industry inefficiencies and crafting a solution that not only fills the gap but also defines new standards in efficiency and user experience. Her rise from marketing strategist to the CEO of a global SaaS company reflects the power of execution, resilience, and visionary thinking. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned business leader, her journey offers both inspiration and actionable insights that are crucial in the modern digital economy.