100x Entrepreneur

From a last-minute YC application to a $5 billion Company built on deep technical insight.In this episode, Viral Bajaria, Co-Founder and CTO of 6sense, takes us back to the very beginning. He recounts his early days at Hulu, where managing massive data systems during the Super Bowl taught him how data could drive real business decisions.Joining one of Y Combinator's early batches, Viral recalls being interviewed by Sam Altman and Garry Tan, and how the team quit their jobs after getting in, moved into a small townhouse, and began writing code. While most startups begin with small customers, 6sense started with some of the biggest enterprise logos. Viral explains why repeatability and implementation are harder when selling only to large accounts, and how those lessons shaped their approach to building sustainable growth. He also reflects on the difficult years when growth stalled, when the company had to rebuild its product, and when they learned that great technology means little without strong go-to-market execution. It is a story about timing, conviction, and the patience to build for what will not change.0:00- Trailer 02:26- First job at Hulu & exposure to big data06:36- YC interview by Sam altman & Garry tan08:22- Quitting job for YC11:07- First version: Big data analytics platform12:12- Getting in YC batch that downsized from 130 to 4713:27- The need & opportunity for a Merger15:49- Why Founders should learn to let go & avoid slow death16:07- Why everybody at YC advised against the merger?18:16- A VC next door that chased 6sense20:18- Rebuilding the product for B2B20:57- How this startup started with the biggest logos?21:59- Repeatability is hard when selling only to enterprise22:47- There were lot of startups, with lot more money23:32- How to build for things that won't change in 10 years?29:24- Ad platforms only targeted People, Not companies32:02- Why did 6sense get a new CEO?33:50- Funding rounds that led to $5Billion37:20- What 2013 Co's were doing can be done with 1% today38:39- When competition raises a $100M round39:40- If you build a company on LLM, there is no data moat42:02- What is the extent of guard rails for Agents?43:59- Viral's Investments in India & US Companies54:44- Co's should raise money to appear bigger than you are56:55- Vibe spending: People are spending money to try AI59:52- Is there a right time for vibe mode for every industry?01:02:00- Service as a software is selling agency to customer01:03:58- Why co's in the US-india corridor will succeed?01:17:27- Why Viral invested in Neon?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

How do you know whether an iOS app you have built has potential to be big? Getting an email from Steve Jobs is probably a strong indicator.Ashish Toshniwal, founder of 10Kr and YML (Y Media Labs), started by trying a bit of everything: classifieds, Groupons, and Facebook apps. That email made him quit his job, but as Ashish says, it took him and YML 14 years to become an overnight success. YML helped businesses go mobile-first long before it became a buzzword, with over 45 Fortune 500 clients including Apple, PayPal, Meta, and Disney. Along the way, Ashish shares the real decisions every founder faces, such as when to take VC money, when to sell, and how to think about repeat business. He also reflects on turning down opportunities like Credit Karma equity (now worth $7billion), showing the tough choices early-stage founders make just to survive and keep their business running.This is a story about timing, focus, and conviction, and what happens when you build something real: from Calcutta to Silicon Valley, one decision at a time.0:00 – Trailer03:24 – How the Co-founders met05:28 – The first 3 ideas: Classifieds, Groupons & Facebook apps06:30 – An email from Steve Jobs made Ashish quit his Job07:59 – Building apps when App Store launched (Apple as a client too)09:20 – YML was famous but not profitable10:07 – Becoming the “app guys” of Silicon Valley11:56 – The pivot: Stick with products or move to services?13:43 – 6 acquisition offers on the table: Sell or not?16:57 – The first exit: 60% acquired at $60M18:38 – “We'd never seen that kind of money”19:26 – IOS engineering was like AI engineering20:13 – “If we don't have repeat business, we don't have business”22:09 – Silicon valley is not a zipcode, it's a mindset23:54 – Clients came for design, stayed for engineering26:11 – Does motivation change when equity shrinks?29:01 – Firing and re-hiring yourself as founder CEO30:50 – Why the final decision to sell YML was made32:55 – The golden window of mobile34:26 – Could YML have been a billion-dollar company?37:34 – Turning down Credit Karma equity: now worth $7B38:39 – Why CEOs are like travel agents41:50 – Why Ashish invested in Neon44:22 – What wealth truly enables47:36 – Investing early in Tesla, Nvidia, and Meta49:07 – Why founder-led companies outperform in public markets50:54 – It's easy to build products, harder to build real businesses52:44 – If your product isn't 10x better than ChatGPT, you have no chance53:04 – The future of jobs: 5 roles merging into 2 with agents on top57:25 – ChatGPT will not go after human-in-the-loop59:35 – The first real challenge to Google's dominance1:01:59 – Building AI agents that do real work is incredibly hard-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informSend us a text

Jay Vijayan, founder of Tekion, and Tesla's former CIO, has one of the most remarkable careers in technology and automotive.Jay joined as CIO when Tesla had almost no revenue and stayed through its growth to $5 billion ARR and $35 billion market cap. Elon Musk brought him in to build Tesla's own ERP system at a time when most companies would have chosen ready-made solutions like SAP or Oracle.Today, Jay leads Tekion, a company valued at over $4 billion that has raised more than $640 million and has companies like GM, BMW, Hyundai, and Exor as both customers and investors.Jay talks about how Tekion is rethinking the experience of buying & servicing cars connecting dealers, manufacturers, and partners on one platform. He explains why the company spent four years building its first product, why they acquired real dealerships to understand the business end-to-end, and what it takes to build tech for such a complex industry.This conversation is about building deep, meaningful products, making hard choices early, and maintaining focus when the world is moving too fast.00:00 – Trailer02:42 – What value Tekion brings to the automotive industry?03:56 – Enabling dealers with car buying and servicing05:41 – Helping manufacturers connect all customer touchpoints07:02 – Supporting partners across loans and financing07:34 – What was the industry like before Tekion?09:37 – Why Tekion spend 4 years in stealth mode11:50 – Acquiring dealerships to study the product end-to-end16:38 – Should vertical SaaS companies invest in sector businesses?20:30 – Stay Informed, but don't get swayed by trends22:57 – Why Subscription model didn't work for cars25:30 – How can founders navigate overhyped trends safely?26:22 – Differentiation in AI: solving valuable, sticky problems28:24 – Every business function should have an AI agent30:31 – How can AI agents improve car servicing?32:56 – When customers turn investors36:58 – Why experts opposed acquiring dealerships?40:08 – Why build an ERP backend as an early stage company?44:21 – Do not outsource core customer functions46:37 – Taking on a failed family business51:38 – Paying off huge debt over 10+ years55:21 – When seed investors get a 400x growth58:06 – What is the right attitude early in your career?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Switzerland has quietly built one of the world's most stable and trusted startup ecosystems.Thomas Dübendorfer, founder and president of SICTIC, Switzerland's largest angel investing network with over 500 members and more than 400 startups joins Neon show.Thomas talks about how Switzerland's startup scene has changed over the past decade from a cautious investor community to one that now has 58 unicorns across sectors like fintech, AI, crypto, and deeptech. He explains what Switzerland is doing in AI and commercial research, why a $900 billion economy still invests only $4 billion in startups, why most exits happen through acquisitions rather than IPOs, how Zurich and Bengaluru can build stronger startup ties and what India can learn from a country that builds quietly. Thomas also shares his own journey: leaving Google, building nine startups (three acquired), and backing over 40 founders as an angel investor. This episode is a rare inside look at how Switzerland, at the intersection of centuries-old wealth and technology, is building a strong innovation ecosystem.00:00 – Trailer01:07 – How has the Swiss startup ecosystem evolved over 12 years? 03:36 – Why a $900B economy draws only $4B in startup funding 04:35 – What is Switzerland known for around the world? 05:12 – The lesser-known Unicorns 07:12 – How can Zurich and Bengaluru build stronger startup ties? 10:39 – Swiss institutions that are built to last 11:24 – Building a strong nation among powerful neighbors 12:32 – Alfred Escher: The founder of ETH Zurich 12:57 – How Gotthard Tunnel shaped Swiss finance and engineering 13:49 – Top companies that define Switzerland today 16:15 – What is Switzerland doing in AI? 18:49 – What are the exit routes for Swiss startups: IPOs or acquisitions? 20:19 – Why Zurich has a high concentrations of family offices 22:44 – Where Switzerland stands in Europe's startup landscape 24:16 – Why build companies when you can just fund them? 27:26 – How Thomas chose his 40 angel investments 28:57 – What do the Swiss think about the Indian startup ecosystem?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Ever received a push notification on your phone? There's a good chance it came through MoEngage.Raviteja Dodda, founder of MoEngage, shares the story of building a SaaS company from India that now sends 80 billion messages to 2 billion users across 1,200 brands. A decade-long  journey of MoEngage from its early years to becoming a category leader in customer engagement. He shares how the company grew by focusing on Indian customers as the strongest validation of product-market fit, before expanding globally by building regional teams with autonomy and hiring people with a founder's mindset to navigate new markets.Ravi also shares the why behind differences in pricing between US and Indian customers (think Swiggy vs DoorDash) and how revenue margins vary when selling in India versus abroad.Whether you're curious about the software powering some of the most familiar brands and apps we use every day, or want a behind-the-scenes look at how MoEngage built an $800M global SaaS business from India,then this episode is for you.0:00 – Trailer1:12 – Founder of software powering messages to 2B Users3:50 – Building one of India's first mobile apps8:49 – Acquiring India's top consumer Internet companies10:12 – Mobile → online → offline: Covering all touchpoints13:19 – How MoEngage became a category leader16:52 – Customer support is extremely rewarding in India24:12 – Reasons for Pricing gap: Swiggy vs. DoorDash27:55 – Revenue margins: India vs. abroad28:30 – Moving OLA from internal solution to Moengage29:54 – Key milestones in MoEngage's journey32:32 – Revenue split across customers33:37 – GTM to take a product built in India global41:19 – Why MoEngage should've entered Europe earlier43:51 – Middle East as the fastest-growing market44:21 – People who create v/s people who execute playbooks50:05 – How to sign large global customers from India?52:54 – Spotting early adopters in new markets55:59 – Can new companies win in mature categories?59:13 – MoEngage's position in AI1:01:54 – Building a $10M ARR SaaS: US vs. India1:03:57 – Scale in India first or go US on Day 0?1:08:45 – MoEngage's IPO timeline1:10:05 – Most exciting SaaS companies from India1:14:11 – Regional teams as mini-startups1:16:51 – What worked for MoEngage in fundraising?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

This episode with Prof. Arun Kumar is a look at the Indian economy beyond headlines and GDP numbers. We discuss the paradox behind India's growth story: when GDP rises, does it really reach the people? We explore how poverty in India has officially fallen from 27% to 5.3% in just over a decade, yet real wages have been shrinking, especially for rural workers. If fewer people are poor on paper, but incomes aren't rising, what's actually driving this improvement?We talk about how the structure of India's economy is changing, how wealth is concentrated, and the weakening of the public sector to how the black economy distorts policy outcomes.We discuss why state finances are now becoming a silent crisis, and how India's macroeconomic stability, while strong, hides inequalities that threaten long-term growth. The episode also explores the solutions, which India needs to fix over the next 20 years to make growth truly inclusive and meaningful for everyone.0:00 – Trailer1:01 – Does GDP growth translate to ground reality?6:46 – Is India truly the 4th largest economy?10:30 – Poverty fell 22% in 12 years, yet wages dropped.14:06 – Does the poverty line reflect reality?18:07 – What % of India is really poor?21:00 – Are middle-class families going into debt for basics?23:26 – How are rich, middle, and poor defined?24:44 – Wealth is shifting26:56 – How stable is India's macroeconomy?30:48 – Why India cannot open up some sectors34:27 – Why R&D spending remains low in India35:36 – Is the consensus on need for public sector falling?38:18 – Black economy kills public sector41:37 – How healthy are the Indian state economies?44:51 – Is the tax split b/w centre and states working?47:05 – How can India create jobs in Unorganised sectors?53:12 – What are the solutions to fix Indian economy in next 20 years-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

“When I saw Google change the destiny of the planet, I could not imagine doing anything else but working with brilliant entrepreneurs.”-Asha Jadeja Motwani and her husband, Rajeev Motwani, the Silicon Valley legend of technical startups, are together the founding stakeholders of Google.In the late 1990s, they came to the United States as most Indians, as students. From being part of Google's early days to their journey as investors and now, extending that into an active participation in American politics. She speaks about Rajeev's pivotal role in mentoring Larry Page and Sergey Brin, co-authoring the PageRank paper, and helping shape Google's DNA. Today, through the Motwani Jadeja Foundation, Asha continues to build on that legacy; funding entrepreneurs, supporting Indian voices in global think tanks, and opening doors at Davos and Washington. Asha also reflects on how the Indian diaspora can play a far greater role in shaping the future of India-US partnership and why entrepreneurs are critical to the future of this relationship.If you're an entrepreneur building in the India–US corridor, or curious about the opportunities the two nations are creating for startups, then this episode is for you.00:00  – Trailer01:25 – How Rajeev became founding stakeholder of Google03:48 – The early days of Google: first office to first funding07:52 – Investments of Dot Edu Ventures10:03 – Asha's role in American politics10:45 – How Indians in Silicon Valley can strengthen US–India corridor12:18 – The lack of Indian scholars in think tanks13:14 – Do Indians have enough influence in American politics?13:52 – Is Silicon Valley & the Indian diaspora shifting right?15:00 – The impact of Trump on India–US relations17:36 – Asha's role in opening doors for India globally21:09 – How the Motwani Foundation selects projects and people24:08 – Entrepreneurs as a critical part of US–India value creation24:54 – What's missing in US–India value creation?26:33 – Report on “jailed for doing business” in India27:56 – The legacy of Rajeev Motwani-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Cybercrime is predicted to drain the world of $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, making it one of the greatest threats to modern business.Shikhil Sharma, co-founder & CEO of Astra Security, is building one of today's most trusted pentesting platforms. Just last year, Astra uncovered over 2 million vulnerabilities across customer systems, preventing more than $69 million in potential lossesShikhil shares why Astra was built as a product- and marketing-first company, how storytelling helped the brand connect with people by clearly showing its purpose and expertise and how founder–investor relationships are built on conviction and trust. He breaks down why pricing transparency is no longer optional for B2B companies and how trust is emerging as the true currency of go-to-market. We discuss what it takes to build a SaaS company in today's AI-first world, from raising leaner rounds and running with smaller teams to creating products that customers love from day zero. Beyond the playbooks, this is a conversation about building durable companies and the mindset that drives Shikhil as a founder: success isn't bought, it's rented, and the rent is due every day.0:00 — Trailer0:56 — Early college days that led to a startup5:00 — AI could cut startup costs and team size by 80%8:43 — Why seed rounds should be under $500K11:45 — Marketing can beat sales in early-stage SaaS16:07 — Is Google search under threat from consumer AI?20:23 — Why B2B startups must display pricing transparently25:41 — What VCs lend founders beyond capital?28:36 — How 42 CIOs backed Atomicwork30:58 — Replace GTM with COT- currency of trust33:34 — Why 20-year SaaS playbooks no longer works35:37 — How AI is changing cybersecurity41:38 — How the founders first met in college46:33 — Are “hard startups” actually easier to build?51:50 — Neon X Astra Security-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

“Push something a millimetre in the private sector, you make an inch of progress. In the public sector, it's a mile of progress.”Subroto Bagchi started his career as a clerk in the Odisha government in 1976, leaving postgraduate studies. Today, eight years after serving at the rank of cabinet minister in the same government, he has certainly changed countless lives, not nameless faces. In this conversation, he passionately shares stories of young men and women from Odisha who overcame generational challenges by getting skilled, gaining not just jobs but identity.While this conversation could have focused on his remarkable journey building Mindtree in 1999 with 9 Co-founders and taking it to IPO, it goes beyond entrepreneurship. It's about stories from hinterland India, seen through the eyes of a founder who spent 16 years in the private sector before serving his home state. Subroto also reflects on India's big picture: instead of just chasing the trillion-dollar goal, we should also focus on improving quality of life for the 94% in the unorganized sector. This episode shares stories beyond metros, it highlights how building scalable solutions in business can translate into meaningful social impact. 0:00  – Trailer1:47 – 10-6-4-2 Method to evaluate ITIs6:15 – Muni Tigga: Locomotive Pilot story9:12 – Basanti Pradhan: Story of 50% of garment workers in Tiruppur from Orissa15:49 – Sumati Nayak: How skills give us identity19:16 – Joy of building Mindtree vs. joy of working in govt20:35 – The difficult stories of people moving away for Jobs23:32 – How Mr.Subroto accepted the Job?31:13 – The story behind “The Day the Chariot Moved”33:26 – How 8 years in hinterland India changed Mr. Subroto37:14 – India vs. Bharat42:04 – India's priorities beyond the $5 trillion economy43:43 – Quality of life for a gig worker in India vs. a developed country45:29 – Reality of 94% India that is unorganised47:50 – What India gives its vocationally trained students?49:09 – Stereotypes about govt, that maybe not true anymore52:03 – The highly efficient & incorrupt politicians54:00 – Where the government has succeeded in delivery?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Find Mr.Subroto Bagchi's latest book here: The day the Chariot MovedSend us a text

Ashu Garg has backed companies like Databricks, Turing, Cohesity, Jasper, and Eightfold.ai as General Partner at Foundation Capital. Over the years, he's seen multiple waves of innovation but in his words, nothing in the last 45 years comes close to the transformation AI is bringing right now.Ashu discusses how the next wave of AI products will be driven by combining reasoning with reinforcement learning, and cautions every startup building on top of foundation models: that their vendors will also be their competitors.He also talks about how agents are moving from simple copilots to autonomous workers, how the internet itself will have to be reinvented for an agentic world, and what happens when your agent can not only draft emails but also buy plane tickets or make payments on your behalf.We also get into the realities of building AI companies today: why your competitor isn't GPT-5 but GPT-7, where startups can actually outcompete big tech, whether geography still matters, and how relationships and access still shape outcomes in an age that feels completely digital.This is one of the most insightful conversations you'll hear on what it takes to build durable AI companies in this era and where the next generation of billion-dollar startups will come from.0:00- Trailer0:42 – Foundation models as biggest competitor of AI startups4:19 – Agents are visible; reasoning is underneath6:20 – The leap of AI from autonomous to automation9:27 – Why the internet must be reinvented for AI10:49 – What if agents act (and do payments) on your behalf? 13:06 – Is Ashu using agents for himself?13:54 – No tech shift in 45 years compares to today15:38 – Who is accountable for what your agent does?17:57 – Who has advantage: first-time or repeat founders?19:27 – Does geography matter for founders anymore?21:19 – Whose AI will become the user's default?25:44 – Where do startups have an edge in AI?28:25 – How can startups outdo their model providers31:21 – Does distribution still matter in the Agentic era?33:29 – Why experience and access will always matter35:36 – Startups today must compete with GPT-7, not GPT-537:09 – Why Dollars on talent poaching in AI makes sense42:20 – Are only 1,000 people at AI's cutting edge?43:32 – What does Ashu garg look for in a founder?45:15 – How to build more billion-dollar companies?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

A full founder's arc: starting small, building global SaaS companies from Hyderabad, taking one to IPO, another to a billion-dollar exit, and then choosing to begin again (and again).Kiran Darisi began at Zoho, founding team member of Freshworks at 25, and stayed twelve years till the company went public. Today he is building Atomicwork, reinventing service management in the AI era. Sreedhar Peddineni started with Host Analytics back when SaaS was still called application service provider, went on to create the customer success category with Gainsight, and is now on his third venture with GTM Buddy.In this episode, we talk about what it takes to build companies that last for decades. We discuss how startups can find the “Goldilocks zone”,why smaller teams are creating more value than ever, and the mistakes founders often make when moving from SMB to enterprise.Both founders share how AI is reshaping every layer of SaaS, why it's both eating the pie and expanding it and what's left for entrepreneurs when the biggest AI companies are chasing every vertical.This conversation looks back at some of India's iconic SaaS companies, shares lessons from two decades of building, and looks ahead to the future of SaaS from India.0:00 — Atomicwork x GTM Buddy1:17 — Why They Chose to Be Founders Again8:27 — How to generate pipeline predictability at a startup?16:46 — Becoming Freshworks' Co-Founder at 2519:43 — How Atomicwork Co-Founders Connected & Chose Their Problem23:25 — Building Companies That Last for Decades27:18 — Why Smaller, High-Quality Teams Win30:21 — 1st vs 2nd Founders: What They Get Wrong31:56 — Scaling: SMB → Mid-Market → Enterprise33:36 — Category Creation at Gainsight40:03 — Disrupting vs Expanding Large Categories44:08 — How to Choose the Right Market49:08 — Why Atomicwork Chose This Category53:11 — The 'Goldilocks Zone' for a Startup Category57:11 — Can Salesforce Be Replaced?58:26 — Neon Fund x Atomicwork1:01:27 — Neon Fund x GTM Buddy1:03:44 — If Big AI Goes Everywhere, What's Left for B2B SaaS?1:07:36 — What to Build in the AI Era?1:10:35 — Is AI Expanding the Pie While Eating It?1:17:03 — How Useful Are Custom GPTs for Companies?1:20:34 — Workflows vs AI Workforce-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

A 14-year journey from bootstrap to scale.Exotel's story is one of India's most remarkable SaaS journeys. Shivakumar Ganesan, started Exotel in 2011, bootstrapping it from the ground up. In 2012, he raised a seed round of ₹2.5 crore, but for the next eight years, the company grew without any external funding. Then came COVID and revenue went from $10M to $5M and what followed were bold strategic moves.3 funding rounds, 2 major acquisitions, and the decision to stay focused on the Indian market despite advice to go global first. Today, Exotel powers calls for delivery executives, cab drivers, and banking relationship managers across the country.In this conversation, Shivku shares what it's like to tackle India's unique AI challenge of building voicebots in 30+ languages, and how automation could reduce contact center jobs by as much as 80%. He talks about the tough transition from serving SMBs to enterprise customers and how he has built a ₹2500 crore+ business without leaving India.If you're interested in B2B companies built from India, this episode is full of insights on timing, reading the market, and creating deep moats in overlooked opportunities.0:00 – Trailer0:42 – Exotel enabling 2 Billion Calls Monthly5:04 – 4 Fundraises & 2 M&A's in 18 Months12:06 – How Acquisitions Affect Company Finances18:11 – Why 90% of M&As Fail22:02 – Why Acquisitions Are Extremely Hard22:59 – How AI Will Change Customer Relations26:46 – How Customer Spending Will Shift with AI29:10 – AI Could Reduce 80% of Jobs30:27 – Where AI Offers Hope31:47 – India's Unique AI Challenges34:60 → Actually 35:00 – Building in India for the US Market38:17 – Why Exotel Didn't Enter the US Market39:49 – Indian SaaS Co's Should Go Public42:50 – The Mega Cycles of Tech Transformation45:37 – Customer Segments: SMBs to Startups to Enterprise56:45 – Find Large Uniquely Indian Markets to Solve59:44 – India's Shift from Price to Quality Is 20 Years Away-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

The software that powers 25% of India's e-commerce transactions, processes a billion orders each year, and in 2025 alone fulfilled 20 million quick-commerce orders: Unicommerce sits at the core of India's digital retail ecosystem. It is one of the few SaaS companies from India to go public, doing so after nearly a decade of steady growth without fresh primary capital until its IPO in 2024.In this episode of The Neon Show, we sit down with Kapil Makhija, CEO of Unicommerce, the company quietly running India's $60B E-retail market (set to hit $2 Trillion in the next two decades). The conversation goes beyond the company's journey to unpack how perceptions of Indian SaaS customers are changing: from the old belief that they “don't pay” to a more nuanced reality where they value communication, support expectations, and long-term relationships define success.We also look ahead to the future of SaaS in India: from the impact of AI, to the challenges of scaling from zero to $100M, to the balance between pricing and value, and identifying the sectors most ready for building large SaaS companies.This episode is for anyone curious about the story of SaaS in India, from how it is being built, scaled & the opportunities ahead.00:00 – Trailer01:15 – India makes you product-ready & pressure-tested03:45 – GTM: India doesn't reward size, it rewards focus05:00 – Joining Unicommerce the week Snapdeal acquired it10:10 – Digital-first brands vs. traditional brands12:36 – Why Excel and manual ops were the real competition?14:25 – The acquisition of Shipway17:02 – How will the company achieve 1000 Cr Revenue?19:40 – How the decision to go public was made23:40 – Success in SaaS isn't sign-ups, it's retention29:31 – The myth that Indian customers don't pay33:30 – Do Indian customers want Enterprise support but SMB pricing?36:40 – The impact of AI on SaaS39:10 – Founder vs. CEO: Is there a difference?47:29 – White spaces in e-commerce waiting to be built50:35 – Q-commerce vs. E-commerce: where are brands betting?52:07 – How SaaS companies decide if they're IPO-ready?55:10 – Can India build billion-dollar SaaS companies at home?58:15 – How long does the 0 → $100M journey really take?01:01:15 – How to build a ₹100 Cr SaaS company today?01:09:53 – Are pricing advantages in SaaS sustainable?01:12:22 – How much do brands actually spend on tech?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

The 21st century has shattered old assumptions about diplomacy.Relationships between nations are no longer guided by ideology or morality, but driven by pragmatism and national interest.This week, former diplomat Rajiv Sikri who served 36 years in the Indian Foreign Service, offers a deep dive into how global power dynamics are shifting. We discuss why the United States still remains the only true great power, yet its tariff policies are reshaping global trade and forcing countries like India to rethink their strategies. And explores how the Russia–Ukraine conflict has reshaped security and political choices. For India, Russia remains a vital partner, while Europe has chosen to cut ties despite its heavy dependence on Russian energy and Britain continues to commit billions to Ukraine even with its own economy struggling. Rajiv also examines China's growing alignment with Pakistan and what this means for India's long-term security and economic positioning. Rajiv also argues that a future global conflict may not involve every country, but rather regional conflicts with worldwide consequences.This episode provides a clear-eyed analysis of global diplomacy; its complexities, evolving alignments, and the choices India faces in navigating an increasingly multipolar world.0:00 – Why US remains the world's true great power3:35 – Has the WTO collapsed?5:23 – How US Tariffs have destabilised the world7:12 – Can India become an Agri-exporter?11:32 – Why Trump puts the MAGA base first13:21 – The Russia-Ukraine war explained22:24 – Diplomatic relationships are no longer based on ideology25:22 – Why Europe cutting ties with Russia may backfire27:52 – Why Britain funds Ukraine despite its weak economy29:57 – Did Operation Sindhoor reveal open Chinese support to Pakistan?33:32 – What China risks from India's rise?37:24 – Why morality doesn't exist in global politics38:30 – Will China's attitude towards India change?39:28 – How China dominates global manufacturing44:40 – Why global investors should bet on India49:20 – Israel's War Acts53:17 – How will WW3 actually be?56:07 – Can the world create an organisation not dominated by the West?59:29 – Why India must act cold-blooded in its national interest1:01:13 – Are India's global moves headed in the right direction?1:03:43 – Lessons from 36 years as a diplomat-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Ashok Atluri founded Zen Technologies in 1993, bootstrapping from Hyderabad at a time when India was importing 70% of its defence equipment and private players contributed just 5% of procurements. It took Zen five years to win its first contract from the Indian Army in 1998.Today, the company builds simulators and anti-drone systems, and has grown its market cap from ₹40 crore to over ₹13,000 crore.Ashok shares that India needs to make it easier for private, self-funded R&D companies to succeed in defense tech and why the focus should be in building technology with India's own IP. We also discuss the policy shifts he has seen in India's defense tech over the last 32 years, and how policies like IDDM and Make-II have reshaped India's defense manufacturing.This is an episode with a founder who has spent over three decades turning India's defence technology from an import-dependent sector into one that can build defense tech with its own IP.0:00  – Trailer  1:18  – Why entering defense tech must be easier  8:48  – Building simulators for the army  10:53 – Zen's entry into anti-drone systems  12:26 – 400x growth in 12 years  13:41 – Policy shifts in defense tech  15:42 – How Indian-owned IP can transform defense?  19:24 – How big is India's defense simulations market?  22:06 – From ₹60 Cr to ₹930 Cr in 4 years  25:27 – How are simulations built for future weapons?  29:15 – India's defense budget (foreign tech vs. local tech)  30:23 – The entry barriers in the 1990s and even today  31:43 – Is doing business with the government harder for some sectors?  36:06 – Surviving 32 years being financially conservative  37:29 – How Indian government is pushing exports in defense tech  40:35 – Zen's anti-drone systems used in Operation Sindhoor  42:31 – Will there be an India–China conflict?  43:15 – Where does China stand in defense tech?  44:08 – How India should back its wealth creators  49:12 – Policies that are enabling Indian defence companies today  49:37 – Parrikar's influence on private sector role in defense tech-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

From idea to IPO and beyond. What does it take to back a company for nearly two decades?There are no written rules to navigate one of the most important relationships in a startup. One between a founder and an investor.This episode is an inside look at how one of India's longest founder-investor relationships was built and tested, between Yashish Dahiya (Policybazaar) and Sanjeev Bikhchandani (Info Edge).In 2008, a ₹20 crore cheque was signed for 49 percent of the company, based solely on a powerpoint idea.What followed were regulatory challenges, shifting business models, new investors on-board, and moments of disagreement. But through 17 years, six funding rounds, and an IPO, they stayed aligned.These are two entrepreneurs who built their first ventures a decade apart; Sanjeev in 1997, Yashish in 2008 and have seen the Indian startup ecosystem evolve from the ground up.If you are building or funding startups this conversation will resonate with you for its honesty and give takeaways for your own journey.0:00 – Infoedge Ventures X Policybazaar1:08 – Sanjeev's first memories of Yashish before Policybazaar5:33 – Pitching of the Policybazaar idea 11:08 – How Info Edge almost didn't invest in Policybazaar15:56 – What shaped Yashish as Founder & Sanjeev as Investor25:14 – How the founder–investor bond evolved 27:08 – The Boardroom Dynamics at Policybazaar31:08 – Moments of Disagreement: ₹840 Cr raised, ₹700 Cr still in the bank34:38 – What makes an investor-founder relationship work?46:02 – What We've Learned after 17 years of building together49:03 – How India can build Long-term founder-investor bonds-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

The global strategy consulting market stands at $39.5 billion, with Asia commanding $9.1 billion. India contributes just $1.09 billion. This is despite having the talent; Indians run global back-offices for McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, and other consultancies. Yet, India continues to outsource strategy to the Big 4.Sanjeev Sanyal, PM Modi's Economic Advisor joins us to break this down.We discuss the factors helping and hindering India's growth opportunities. Sanjeev has long worked on improving the process reforms with the belief that this country needs small reforms that will bring huge impact.We also discuss AI, with a policymaker who strongly believes unregulated AI will be catastrophic. Sanjeev shares his opinions on what could be the government's approach to regulation, with acceptance of the limited predictability of future with AI.If you want to understand India from a policymaker's eye this episode is for you.0:00- Trailer0:55 – Why India Needs Many Small Reforms2:50 – Was WFH Technically Illegal Until 2000?3:57 – India as the GCC Capital for the world7:02 – How did India go from filing 6,000 to 1 Lakh Patents?13:45 – Why India Can't build Its Own Big 4+317:40 – When professional bodies in India don't work together21:05 – What happens when branding is banned?24:08 – Restrictions That need to stay27:11 – How India's IT Sector Grew Without a Governing Body30:06 – Are we risking catastrophic failure with Unregulated AI?36:10 – Can We Regulate AI Like the Stock Market?41:39 – Why India Must Shut down Population Control47:10 – Will AI Replace Lawyers and Accountants?49:14 – What India Isn't Ready For?51:31 – India as a historically risk taking nation54:31 – Why are professional bodies holding onto protection?56:55 – The Business Culture Problem in Kolkata58:32 – Sanjeev's Work in Agroforestry-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

This episode is not just about Kerala; it is about how a state with limited land, strict environmental regulations, and a long history of outmigration is approaching investment and growth.Kerala is a small, densely populated state with limited land to spare, not the typical site for industrial expansion. Yet it's taking a distinct approach to building a knowledge based economy.P. Rajeev (Minister for Industries, Law and Coir, Govt of Kerala) joins us to break this down.We discuss how Kerala rose from the bottom to become the top-ranked state in Ease of Doing Business, what's behind the ₹1.5 lakh crore in investment pledges, and why the state is prioritizing high-value industries over land and labour-intensive manufacturing. We also unpack how Kerala plans to convert MOUs into functioning factories and real jobs, and why startups that once moved away are now beginning to stay. Tune in if you're curious about how Indian states are attracting investment and rethinking their development models.0:00 – Trailer1:18 – Is Kerala Still Fighting Old Perceptions?5:59 – Kerala to Focus on Value-Added Manufacturing7:45 – How to Start an IT Firm in Kerala & Where It Missed the Tech Bus10:35 – What's Blocking Startups from Scaling in the State?11:15 – Can Kerala Retain Its Best Talent?14:20 – Kerala's Vision for a Free-Thinking Knowledge Economy16:36 – Repositioning as an Investor-Friendly Destination19:22 – What the “Nature, People, Industry” Motto Really Means22:22 – Will Kerala Deliver on Its Investor Summit Promises?23:42 – Why Vizhinjam Could Be a Game-Changer26:00 – How Indian States Are Competing for Investments28:47 – Is Stagnation in Productive Sectors Slowing Development?32:38 – Is Kerala's Geography a Barrier to Growth?33:24 – Are Its Environmental Rules Too Rigid for Industry?34:22 – Is Communism Holding Kerala Back?37:48 – When the Communist Govt funded a Private Co.41:17 – The Real Kerala Story43:28 – The History Behind Kerala's Education Revolution45:14 – What the Kerala Model Must Fix48:06 – Internet as a Basic Citizen Right48:56 – Kerala's Health Workers on the Global Frontlines51:19 – Can Outsiders Easily Buy Land in Kerala?53:01 – The State's Only Unicorn Company54:21 – Can Startups from Kerala Go Public?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

AI is changing how companies build and scale. But most pitch decks haven't caught up.Karthik Chakkarapani, CIO of Zuora, has heard plenty of startup pitches but only a few stand out. He shares why most pitches fall flat, how to fix them, and how to present both the founder and the company in a way that drives real interest.We unpack what should go into your 30-second elevator pitch, why “Time to Value” needs its own slide, and how to bring up AI without sounding like everyone else.SaaS is changing fast and it's no longer just about features, but about speed, clarity, and proof of value. We explore how the next wave of SaaS companies can truly differentiate themselves.Building a startup is different in a post-UI world, where users don't click through screens but simply prompt systems to act. We discuss what it takes to build in a world of API-driven AI agents, along with real lessons on what most founders get wrong about working with large companies.If you're building SaaS in 2025, this conversation is for you.0:00 – Trailer1:05 – How the CIO Role Has Changed3:21 – How Zuora Enables the Subscription Economy5:45 – Is SaaS Becoming Headless?7:55 – Are We Entering a Post-UI World?10:37 – What's the New Competitive Advantage?12:31 – Will Entry-Level Jobs Be Replaced by Tools?14:05 – What Metrics Will Matter in an Agentic AI World?15:55 – How to Measure AI Adoption in Your Company18:38 – What's the Hype-to-Reality Ratio for AI?20:19 – What Is the Biggest ROI AI Has Delivered?23:53 – How Startups Can Get Deployed in Enterprises27:10 – How Founders Should Use AI in Their Pitch28:45 – Bolt-On AI vs. Built-In AI32:26 – Most Common Myth About CIOs35:03 – Why You Need a Prompt Library36:04 – What to Avoid in Your Pitch Deck37:21 – How Atomic Work Came Onboard42:47 – The Underrated Soft Skills Founders Need47:55 – 3 Examples of Killer 30-Second Elevator Pitches51:59 – The “Time-to-Value” Slide Explained53:46 – What Founders Get Wrong About Enterprises54:58 – Top SaaS Misconceptions About Enterprise57:00 – Where Enterprises Adopt AI the Fastest59:45 – How the Next SaaS Companies Will Differentiate1:00:33 – Bay Area vs. Bangalore vs. Chennai1:03:33 – Rapid Fire Round-------------​​India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Three failed startups. One of India's biggest B2B exits. Then returning 75% of investor money in the next venture. An entrepreneur who's lived that arc is bound to have insights for anyone building or thinking of building.Paras Chopra, founder of Wingify (sold for $200 million), Nintee, and now Lossfunk, joins us this week.We discuss the small decisions that quietly define your startup: what product to build, how to structure your team, and why setting the right communication culture early can help.Paras shares what most founders overlook early on : Pricing isn't about effort you put but about the value you create, why having competitors might actually be better than having none, and how financial metrics often distract from what really matters to customers.Paras talks about what changed between each attempt of building his startups, and why some lessons only reveal themselves the hard way and what shifts after you've seen both failure and success. Whether you're launching your first company or planning your next, this conversation will give you the clarity needed to tilt the odds in your favor.Check out The Book of Clarity by Paras Chopra.00:00 – Startups Should Be Like Cults02:25 – Building a Founder's Value System03:25 – Bet on What Won't Change in 10 Years05:15 – What AI Can't Do Well (Yet)10:00 – Do Humans Even Want Accuracy?10:57 – What Founders Should Not Build or Sell13:35 – Are many competitors better than none?19:47 – Why Repeating Success Is Hard21:20 – Customer Value Metrics > Financial Metrics23:35 – Why Paras's Startup after Wingify Didn't Work27:00 – What Is Micro Communication?30:41 – Writing Culture in a Startup32:50 – Obsess Over Organisational Design37:15 – Is Luck in Our Hands?41:24 – Why Bias Is Risky for Entrepreneurs42:35 – Great Startups Look Like Toys at First44:00 – Why Deep Tech Startups Struggle to Succeed46:09 – Paras's New Venture Lossfunk49:23 – Why Uncertainty Is a Startup Moat55:56 – What Most Founders Get Wrong About Pricing57:36 – Should Price be on Effort or Value?59:23 – Wingify Innovated on Just One Metric1:00:25 – What Is Failure for Paras?1:04:08 – Diversify Your Self-Worth Like a Portfolio1:05:21 – The Startup Game Is a Mental Game1:06:43 – Did Wingify Create Wealth or Just Money?---​​India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.---Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7---This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

50% of products and features built are never used.To build the right product, every founder must answer two questions:Are you solving a real problem? And are you solving it the right way?Technology has rarely been democratic, it's often elitist. So at times, it ends up solving made-up problems that don't really exist. Yet, some companies have built truly great products.What sets them apart? Do they share any similarities? Are there lessons for entrepreneurs?We have with us Krishna (Vasanth) Namasivayam who has previously worked on AI products at NVIDIA, Meta, and Dropbox.Vasanth is founder of Featurely.AI. Featurely is fixing how products get built. It does it by simulating users — not as bots, but as human-inspired digital twins.0:00 – Trailer02:10 – Why I chose NVIDIA in 2015?03:55 – Working on integrity at META04:23 – Rethinking AI for Dropbox04:51 – NVIDIA builds for the future05:45 – People loved working for Jensen08:16 – What makes META so special?10:57 – Decision-making at META was democratic11:41 – Dropbox was once the most VIRAL product12:55 – The power of founder-led companies14:28 – Tech is Elitist, Build for a Few16:43 – Silicon Valley trend of Solving Made-up problems19:27 – A magic wand that Finds the right problem22:17 – Synthetic users vs. perfect AI agents25:00 – Why synthetic users can fail (and why that matters)25:35 – What is the Future with AI agents & synthetic humans?26:30 – Why openAI can't/won't choose User research27:16 – The simplest explanation of LLMs28:36 – Why ChatGPT succeeded like no other31:04 – Bite-sized Info for 6-second attention span31:37 – The Next Frontier in AI: Predicting Human Behavior33:55 – Uses of Synthetic Humans from Product to Policy35:55 – The biggest surprise of building a startup37:00 – One Mistake Product folks make38:24 – One emotional truth about startups39:04 – What does Featurely do?42:51 – How Featurely will measure success46:36 – All future software will be hyper-personalized50:24 – 3 AI companies to admire (one not built yet)52:28 – How will Work be in 2025?53:59 – How AI gets things (almost) right every time57:02 – Why Featurely chose Neon Fund01:02:51 – What the Bay Area does differently01:04:54 – Learnings from Fundraising01:06:49 – The vision to Build a Category defining Company-------------​​India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Geopolitics is now measured in Nanometers. Anything with a battery or a plug has a semiconductor inside. But these chips aren't just tech anymore, they're shaping who becomes the next Superpower.In the 1980s, India was just two years behind the world in semiconductors. Today, we're 12 generations behind. What went wrong?India's top semiconductor expert, Raja Manickam, returns to The Neon Show to break it all down.We discuss how the U.S. lost the chip race it started, China's strategic rise, and how one visionary turned Taiwan into the most valuable island in the world.Raja Manickam dives into what the $10B India Semiconductor Mission is getting right and where we may fall behind. He explains why

There are No Checklists or Frameworks on HOW TO BE A VC?So how do you even know if it's the right path for you?Unlike most jobs, venture capital comes with an extremely long feedback loop. It can take years before you know whether the bets you made actually worked out. That's why most seasoned VCs say: only choose this path if you're in it for the long haul.This conversation will help you think through that choice. Whether you're considering VC as a career, love building businesses, or just want to understand who really calls the shots on a cap table.On The Neon Show, we have with us two operators turned investors:Gaurav Ranjan, Principal at Prime Venture Partners, has led deals including Dozee, Hitwikcet, Poshn and Gallabox.Naman Lahoty, Partner at Stellaris Venture Partners has been part of investments like Zouk, Nestasia, Dashtoon and Lumio.They share lessons from evaluating thousands of startups - what they've unlearned about pattern-matching in investing, why Excel projections mostly fail and why founder empathy might be the most underrated edge in venture capital.It's truly a conversation between three VCs on what it really takes to be a VC today.0:00 – Stellaris Partners X Prime Ventures0:43 – How Founders Turn Into VCs4:19 – Do VCs Need an MBA or Consulting Background?6:32 – Why Startup Projections Rarely Come True8:43 – Are VCs Naturally Good Founders?11:19 – Startups we Evaluated & Founders we Met14:51 – From First Pitch to Deal Close19:02 – Why VC Feedback Loops Are Extremely Long21:00 – No Checklists. No Frameworks.25:27 – Why On-Demand Rebranded as Quick Commerce Won?29:20 – The Stellaris Framework to Evaluate Founders35:53 – Why Indian VCs Must Think Independently38:28 – Rapid Fire: The Big One We Missed39:16 – The One We Loved But Didn't Back42:23 – Startups We Wish We'd Invested In43:55 – Investors We Admire the Most47:20 – Do We Believe Peter Thiel's Theory?52:35 – Startup Stories: Slack, Flickr, Dozee, Rupicard57:15 – The GTM Hack That Led to Product Discovery58:15 – Babygogo & Atomic Work59:55 – All-Nighter Code Sprint for the Demo1:00:55 – Lessons Founders Taught Us1:06:30 – What We Miss About Being a Founder1:10:28 – When Do You Decide If You Are a Good VC?1:13:28 – Building a Fund V/S Building a Startup-------------​​India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Vertical SaaS customers don't buy software for 10 months, they buy it for 10 years. That's the opportunity and the challenge. Switching costs are high, which makes it hard to get in but once you're in, you're in.But regular SaaS playbooks don't work here. Forget PLG. Forget design partners. These industries have been burned too many times by bad software. Here, Trust defines GTM. Think warm introductions and on-site meetings, not cold emails and Zoom calls.But for founders building in vertical SaaS, there's little to learn from. So in this episode of The Neon Show, we bring together three founders who are building in the trenches of Vertical SaaS.Omkar Patil, Co-founder of Pienomial, helping biopharma companies run faster clinical research and unlock insights from complex drug data.Kumar Siddhartha, Co-founder of Merlin, rebuilding ERP from the ground up for the US construction industry.Divyaanshu Makkar, Co-founder of WizCommerce, modernising sales and commerce tools for wholesale distributors.If you're building SaaS for niche markets or wondering why traditional playbooks are failing, this episode is for you.0:00- Pienomial X WizCommerce X Merlin0:51 – What are we building in Vertical SaaS?4:29 – Vertical SaaS buyers are sticky by nature6:57 – How to build for industries used to Below-Par Tech?10:46 – Fix what your customer hated about the last vendor12:17 – Why these industries pay billions for implementation?13:38 – How we got our First customers?20:03 – Warm intros and word-of-mouth still win23:56 – Why Design Partners don't work in Vertical SaaS?27:17 – Why you should never sell your first product for free?30:29 – Can you Co-build products with early customers?34:33 – Building Your Own Platform Vs Building on Top of one39:33 – Building alongside Legacy players or innovating around them?44:31 – SaaS isn't going anywhere, AI will amplify it46:49 – Can AI agents really be reliable?48:42 – Which roles shouldn't be automated?52:16 – How to approach GTM where users guide you?54:43 – Why trust is everything here?58:54 – How to sell softwares used for 10 years?1:01:02 – How to win when the product demo comes last?1:03:16 – Why NOW for traditional industries with unsolved problems1:09:17 – Thoughts on agentic workflows1:13:02 – Why be Bearish on the “AI Employee Concept”?1:16:57 – Rapid Fire : Google or Perplexity?1:17:37 – LLMs: Open-source or Closed?1:18:19 – Favorite work software + We're hiring!1:19:42 – One business buzzword that should disappear1:20:55 – A Vertical SaaS company we admire (and why)-------------​​India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are thosSend us a text

Recko's acquisition by Stripe is one of India's biggest B2B exits. It's a great headline. But headlines don't tell the full story. They capture one final outcome not the numerous obstacles faced.In this episode, Saurya Prakash Sinha, co-founder of Recko, tells us what really happened behind the scenes. From the early days when no one was buying, no VC was funding, and they had just $500 left in the bank to building a product Stripe couldn't ignore. Saurya also shares hard-won lessons about product-market fit, customer validation, and why usage matters more than ARR in early-stage B2B.Tune in if you want to learn about the full story behind the headlines.0:00 - Trailer1:01 - Why Stripe emailed 2 founders in Bengaluru4:34 - How Recko discovered its core problem9:34 - What IF customers and investors reject?12:33 - How to Build with zero validation?14:18 - Solving what the Big Four couldn't at Myntra17:37 - What to expect when building Products in Finance?19:46 - Bought for the Product, Team or Scale?21:53 - “Customer voice is the loudest in the room”25:28 - Why VCs didn't “get” Recko28:27 - How to raise when investors follow success playbooks?30:36 - Why build products to compete with the Best?33:18 - The First cheque and first customer at Pingsafe36:45 - How to manage Acquisitions before making them public?41:02 - How Pricing is led during Buyouts?42:36 - The culture of Writing at Stripe44:08 - Why do companies Acquire?49:16 - Why ARR at early stage is not the right metric?52:26 - How to find what value your product really adds?56:38 - Why $100M+ acquisitions are rare?-------------​​India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

The dollar will lose its status as the world's reserve currency & the greatest wealth transfer in history is already underway - warns the founder of one of India's fastest-growing unicorns!In this episode, Deepak Garg, founder of Rivigo and AnywhereJobs shares why Rivigo's iconic Relay model succeeded, and what ultimately limited it. He predicts Zomato's dominance, questions funding choices of startups and shares why India may miss the AI revolution without a radical energy shift.From Bitcoin vs. gold and Trump's potential Nobel Peace Prize to Tesla becoming a $30 trillion company, Deepak's predictions are bold and grounded in years of pattern recognition.If you're a founder, investor, or macro nerd, this is an episode you won't forget.0:00- Rivigo & Anywhere Jobs02:16 – When your business outgrows the market04:18 – Capital raising is a Double-edged sword05:02 – Which ideas truly need funding?07:33 – Build teams with Accuracy, not Kindness09:39 – How to know if you've chosen the right market?10:41 – Why Zomato is India's best Consumer tech bet16:00 – How the Power is shifting b/w nations today?20:18 – Will Dollar cease to be a Reserve currency?22:36 – Is Bitcoin better than Gold?26:59 – Who will be the Next global Superpower?31:56 – India in the Next 20 years34:22 – When 2 players control 80% of India's Private sector35:52 – Why China is far ahead of India in Nuclear Energy?40:17 – Will Trump win a Nobel Peace Prize in 2025?42:01 – How Tesla could become a $30 trillion company?47:15 – Wealth transfer from Wall Street to Main Street50:30 – Where India should focus in AI-------------​​India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Venture capital is much fancied today.Is this job which looks like cutting cheques for products and founders you like, for everyone?As for any work, there are traits you should have and some which won't help you on the job.We have with us Kushal Bhagia (All In Capital), Karthik Prabhakar (Peer Capital), and Rajan (Upekkha).Three people who interestingly all began as engineers and took different career paths to today become Fund managers of leading VC firms.All In Capital's $24M pre-seed fund backing early-stage founders,Peer Capital's $75M early-stage fund investing in tech-first Indian startups from seed to Series A,Upekkha's $40M Capital's accelerator-style fund supporting B2B SaaS startups.Tune in!01:53 – Why builders shouldn't become VCs?03:12 – Why best VCs sell well & stay curious05:12 – How the VC job is like Flying a plane07:48 – How parental instincts enable VCs?10:42 – Is fundraising harder than ever?14:12 – What makes people write VC cheques?18:03 – Where do India's rich family offices invest?20:30 – Why India still doesn't have its own YC?22:55 – The OG YC when startups weren't cool28:00 – Can YC's numbers ever be replicated?33:03 – David v/s Goliath of Small vs large funds39:02 – Zepto's first $50k cheque40:22 – Sectors VCs won't touch41:35 – Story-driven v/s numbers-driven Fundraising44:36 – How we missed Swiggy, Postman & Zepto?46:18 – The best VCs48:24 – What needs to change in Indian VC?49:47 – Founders we'd invest In (But not work for)51:25 – Unlearnings as an Investor-------------​​India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”In this episode of The Neon Show, Vishwa (Co-founder of ZenDuty) is joined by Rahul Sasi (Co-founder of CloudSEK) and Ananda Krishna (Co-founder of Astra Security). They share how AI feels magical now. And how as founders they are trying to sprinkle this magic everywhere from how building products to building teams and everything that matters.-------------00:00 Everything is being Reimagined!00:41 Meet the New Hosts01:08 Founders' Biggest Time Killer05:10 Why entrepreneurs should fail fast?11:19 Will your job inevitably change?17:40 How AI has reimagined engineering jobs?19:13 PMs & Designers have New workflows20:35 Why everyone should learn to Prompt?24:14 Is your team using AI Budgets efficiently?26:59 Do people trust AI chatbots?32:18 Does sales still need humans?35:53 Do we expect empathy from AI?-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this episode, we sit down with two exceptional founders. One who is going after the biggest category, and one who created a new category and became its leading player.Vijay Rayapati (Co-founder, Atomicwork) and Khadim Batti (Co-founder, Whatfix) share their hard-earned insights on what it truly takes to build a great company.From closing million-dollar deals remotely to building AI-native organisations and cultivating long-term leadership, this conversation goes deep into the real playbook behind enduring companies.Watch if you're a founder, a team builder, or simply someone who wants to understand how great companies are actually built.0:00 – Trailer01:37 – The Viral Meme Story03:28 – What the Founders Admire About Each Other07:20 – Navigating US–India Work Timings08:39 – Hiring & Retaining Talent15:54 – Why Founders Need Mentors24:53 – When Employees Think Short-Term31:48 – Building Organic Leadership35:58 – Hunger vs Humility39:58 – Building Company Culture44:55 – Why Abolish Designations51:38 – What is Founder's Mentality?54:44 – Large vs New Categories01:00:44 – When Things Go Wrong01:02:41 – Handling Board Pressure01:06:45 – Never Compromise on Customer Service01:13:58 – What to build is becoming harder01:18:57 – FOMO in AI01:25:10 – AI Will Remove Bureaucracy, Not Jobs-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

CRM is a category often equated with its market leader, Salesforce.Hence, companies and investors question the viability of building a business in this space.Nilesh Patel, founder of Leadsquared, who built a Unicorn in CRM, joins us today.We discuss the category, the business, and its competitors.With Byju's as their first large deal, Edtech brought over 40% of their customers.Then the industry went through a downfall, but Leadsquared survived by a well timed expansion.From lack of capital restricting entry into the US market, to fast-forward today, where they have gone global.Nilesh shares his thoughts on the skills founders need and the decisions they have to make -on exits, acquisitions, and hiring.Tune in for more!0:00-Trailer1:35 – Building Leadsquared3:19 – First large deal with Byjus7:12 – Fundraising from Private Equity9:58 – CRM as an Undesirable Investment12:10 – Should Co's enter the CRM Space?13:35 – How to price SAAS in India?15:23 – Diversifying beyond EdTech16:49 – How to build market differentiation?20:29 – Highest annual deal of

Meet Sharad Sanghi who built India's first data center, he spent 25 years building Netmagic, India's largest data center company. He came to India in 1995, worked at VSNL as the country was discovering the internet, and built a company focused on internet for businesses.Now he is building Neysa, an AI cloud startup, which recently raised $50M to help businesses adopt AI, all from India. With Neysa businesses can use AI without writing a lot of code or use five different tools to run it. And do everything—train models, test them, deploy them, and monitor them—in one single dashboard.Sharad has a lot of perspective to share—as someone who was at the forefront while India adopted the internet, and now, the AI wave.If you're building in AI, part of an enterprise exploring AI, or simply thinking about where India is in the AI race—this episode is for you.0:00 – Trailer02:00 – How Neysa makes AI easy & cheap?04:37 – From datacentre to AI06:54 – 1200 GPUs & 15 Clients07:24 – Selling internet to Businesses12:03 – Why India Needs Local AI Clouds13:20 – How Neysa Plans to Stand Out15:14 – Is Scaling a Hyperscaler Easy?19:26 – Can India Shift from IT to AI?26:40 – AI in Large Enterprises vs Mid-Market27:51 – AI Revolution vs Cloud in 200631:06 – What's the Moat for AI Startups?33:08 – Is Private Data the Real AI Goldmine?35:59 – Why Product & GTM Matter Early On38:06 – Why Scaling must come before Demand42:12 – OpenAI's edge on Deepseek?44:52 – How should enterprises navigate AI?46:32 – Did Only NVIDIA Predict the AI Boom?48:17 – Founder 1.0 V/S 2.0-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this episode of The Neon Show, we bring you into the room with someone who's spent over a decade backing India's most ambitious companies.We're joined by Prayank Swaroop, Partner at Accel. With over 14 years in venture capital, Prayank walks us through his journey of discovering and building expertise in specific sectors—from cybersecurity and developer tools to SaaS and marketplaces—and how VCs identify the categories they truly understand.We dive into how Accel chooses best founders, and the balance between backing founder versus business across stages. Prayank shares his candid thoughts on why India has been slow and late to the AI race, and what a realistic way forward could look like for Indian startups.He also offers a glimpse into Accel's evolving investment thesis around AI, sector by sector, and talks about how the enterprise landscape is changing—and what that means for Indian founders building in this space.Tune in!0:00- Trailer1:45 – Finding Great Founders6:30 – What We'd Do Differently10:16 – Sector Expertise Matters13:15 – Where AI Money Should Go18:00 – Accel's GenAI Bets21:18 – Sector-Wise Thesis in AI23:24 – Growth means Product in AI26:45 – Rise of Founder-Influencers29:10 – $650million India Fund31:35 – Beyond Roti, Kapda, Makaan34:07 – Why Accel is Big on Content36:03 – 15 Years in VC38:16 – Highs & Lows of VC Ecosystem43:36 – Knowledge Compounds in VC49:45 – Conviction over Consensus51:06 - Conclusion-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Is it time for investors to move beyond the valley when analyzing India?Dev Khare, Partner at Lightspeed agrees. He shares with us an interesting view on two funding models:The Silicon valley model begins with raising millions of dollars & going through huge negative cashflow for years. Hopefully building a great product or maybe even creating a new market. And a few years later, comes out with super fast growth & revenue potential of millions & billions of dollars.Whereas, in the Compounder model companies raise little to no funding in early days. They don't go to negative cash flow, instead growing slowly. Not at 3x ,but at 50% and keep at it for some 10 years building a large company. Thus becoming profitable in a few years following a slow J curve, and raising rounds only to accelerate growth.India has built exceptional companies in the software industry following this model. But, we can all sense that lack of approval for India's enterprise products, which we can confidently say has been achieved in the consumer markets.With 13+ years at Lightspeed, Dev has backed companies like PhysicsWallah, Razorpay, PocketFM, ShareChat, Darwinbox, Portkey.ai, Qure.ai, and Accel Data. Prior to VC, Dev started as a product manager then founded his company Covigo, a developer platform for mobile applications.This episode promises an interesting discussion on building companies in enterprise.0:00- Trailer1:12 - Early days at Lightspeed India8:11 - Learning curve of an Investor11:52 - How OYO fixed supply when Airbnb didn't16:37 - Is organic acquisition now the norm?19:02 - India must rediscover its AI edge20:20 - Compounder v/s silicon valley companies23:26 - Why Freshworks & Zoho chose mature markets?27:40 - Can India create SAAS category leaders?29:18 - Enterprise startups cap at 30%33:07 - How a $3.2B company found its niche37:42 - AI services & AI led services40:37 - Lightspeed's Investment thesis45:34 - Why we have 70% second-time founders?48:18 - Will ITC & Jio acquisitions set a trend?52:37 - Are software IPOs sparse?55:34 - India's enterprise buyer market is small1:04:47 - Missed investments & Lessons1:06:28 - Why is India having a lag effect in AI?1:10:19 - Has India built global enterprise products?-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this episode, Avnish Bajaj, Founding Partner at Z47 (formerly Matrix Partners India), shares what it takes to build one of India's most competitive VC firms and land the best startup deals.With over 20 years of experience, Avnish has been at the forefront of India's venture capital industry. He co-founded Matrix Partners India in 2006 after a successful entrepreneurial journey with Baazee.com, which he later sold to eBay, serving as its Chairman & Country Manager.From founder to angel investor to VC, Avnish has done it all—scaling businesses, backing category-defining startups, and navigating the challenges of venture investing. His portfolio includes Ola, Razorpay, Country Delight, Practo, Quikr, and many more.Tune in as we dive into his insights on winning the best deals, building a top-tier VC firm, and the evolving startup ecosystem in India.0:00- Introduction2:58 - How Founders Should Choose VCs?9:02 - Z47 as an Operator-Led VC15:32 - Generalist vs. Specialist VCs20:24 - India's VC Ecosystem in Last 20 Years6:38 - First-Time vs. Second-Time Founders31:48 - Founder-Market Fit Explained35:18 - How LPs Allocate Money in India?46:22 - How Investors Bet on Countries & Assets52:09 - Can Tech Founders Run Multiple Businesses?57:06 - Is India's Market Ahead of Entrepreneurs?1:01:10 - Rapid Fire: How Z47 Picks Founders1:03:44 - Is Seed Stage Funding the Only Battle?1:11:21 - When VCs Like the Founder, Not the Market1:14:11 - Z47's Work Ethic----Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7----This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this episode of The Neon Show, we have Sharad Sharma, founder of iSPIRT, the technology think tank behind India Stack, Health Stack, and other digital public goods. If you want to understand where India's digital space is headed, how AI can shape its future, and why strategic autonomy is critical, this episode is a must-watch!0:00 – Introduction03:12 – India's aim to prevent digital colonization05:00 – Democratising digital infrastructure07:09 – UPI's 2012 vision: intraday loan for Rajni12:50 – The origin of ‘DPI' & misconceptions in India14:46 – Can India keep its first-mover advantage in DPI?16:15 – How UPI lost to Brazil's PIX17:49 – Introduction to MOSIP & DEPA19:22 – Did UPI fail to detach from government control?20:33 – The world evaluates DPI with India's 5 sutras22:48 – DPI interoperability & India's global leadership25:23 – Managing $2-3 billion funding in India's DPI ecosystem27:03 – Why India must stay paranoid: The David vs. Goliath mindset30:09 – Sam Altman doubted India's AI, now wants in33:25 – Facebook opposed net neutrality in India, backed it in the U.S.36:46 – Regulatory Innovations: Cable TV, mutual funds & OTAs40:19 – Did GST replace 4 tax filings with 36?44:05 – Does India have a regulatory framework for digital?51:06 – Scaling 10-100 with help from educational institutions53:02 – Breaking away from Visa & Mastercard55:47 – The ‘Stay in India' checklist to bring back talent59:58 – Grading India on DPI globalization01:00:57 – U.S. antitrust battles & how they shaped big tech01:08:25 – Building India's AI ecosystem using its data advantage01:12:50 – Picking India's battles in AI: healthcare as an opportunity01:15:00 – Can India build its own AI assistants?01:17:56 – Why India must update academia & build industrial labs01:22:18 – DEPA: Enabling Low-Cost Access to Non-Public Data01:27:55 – UPI was age & color blind, DEPA won't be01:31:06 – How will India approach AI regulation?01:39:05 – Creating ‘landing spots' for Indian AI talent01:41:53 – Five key actions for India's AI success01:45:01 – Hiring call for India's AI & DPI visionaries01:51:55 – Building Co's for India's strategic autonomy----Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7----This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this episode, we have Vishal Jain, CEO of Zerodha Fund House, who brings over two decades of experience in building ETFs and passive investment products.From launching India's first-ever ETF with Benchmark AMC in 2001 to now leading the country's first passive-only AMC, Vishal has contributed through various roles to India's financial markets.We break down:- The history of mutual funds in India from the 1960s to today's ₹68 Lakh Cr AUM industry.- Why index funds & ETFs are transforming retail investing.- How retail participation is growing (but why 2/3rd of investors still hesitate).- Vishal's investing philosophy is rooted in a belief in India's growth story, beyond the obvious goal to beat inflation.- The role of gold as a portfolio hedge, even for those bullish on India.- Zerodha Fund House's vision—Can passive investing truly take over?If you're curious about where India's investment space is headed and how you can position yourself wisely, this episode is a must-watch!2:10 - History of mutual funds in India7:09 - Exchange-traded funds10:13 - Employee Provident Fund in ETFs11:01 - Why COVID increased trading activity?12:36 - Is now a good time to invest?14:02 - How Vishal builds his portfolio16:18 - Trends in India's mutual fund adoption17:44 - Why only 1/3rd of retail investors buy mutual funds?21:36 - Can investment markets learn from OTT growth?22:52 - Does India need more mutual fund providers?23:51 - Is India's growth limited to the top 1%?27:06 - Can you buy mutual funds w/o a demat account?28:07 - Physical gold vs. gold ETFs29:34 - Who's buying mutual funds?33:11 - What's driving usage of financial products?34:26 - AI's role in customer acquisition36:40 - What's Zerodha Fund building?38:32 - Risk & return across asset classes40:12 - Is Vishal bullish on India's future?---Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.---Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

A seasoned investor who ran India's Finance Ministry.This week on The Neon Show, we welcome Jayant Sinha—Investor, Policy Maker, and former Minister of Finance & Civil Aviation.Mr. Sinha shares how the government builds innovative investment solutions for startups and large-scale funding programs for institutions.He played a key role in launching a ₹2,000 crore Fund of Funds, which invests in startups through domestic VCs. He was also instrumental in establishing India's Sovereign Wealth Fund, managing ₹39,000 crore in assets as of 2024.As Civil Aviation Minister, he worked on policies like UDAN to make aviation more inclusive and played a key role in DigiYatra, driving digital transformation in air travel.Mr. Sinha is focused on policies that drive India's economic growth in a climate-conscious way. From research to action, he is working across policy, investment, and technology to shape India's path towards Net Zero.Read Jayant Sinha's Latest book : “India's Green Startups:Entrepreneurs That are Driving Growth” - https://www.amazon.in/India%EF%BF%BDs-Green-Startups-Entrepreneurs-Paperback/dp/9353458633  00:00 - Highlights03:01 – Growing up in a diplomat household05:34 – Working at McKinsey06:48 – The Opportunity cost of a political career08:03 – From Harvard to Hazaribagh09:18 – Exposure to Policymaking & elections11:52 – First electoral win in 201414:37 – Twice chosen as Union Minister15:33 – Arun Jaitley: Also an Excellent Advocate16:55 – India's Sovereign Wealth fund18:17 – Higher Education Financing Agency19:32 – Taxation of Alternative Investment Funds20:17 – Fund of Funds for Domestic VC's21:47 – Aviation Reforms: UDAN & Digiyatra30:26 – Privatization of Air India33:32 – India's vision to lead globally35:42 – India's path to a green future39:31 – The CO₂ blanket effect42:04 – Nuclear fusion as a zero-carbon solution44:24 – Why land will be hotter46:13 – How climate change affects Economy48:57 – India's Net Zero Goals50:04 – $1 Trillion Investment to Finance Net Zero55:00 – Scaling green businesses in India56:26 – Global North's carbon responsibility vs India's emissions1:00:52 – Chronic health effects of pollution on children1:02:07 – What India can learn from Beijing1:06:42 – India's Net Zero Bill & global legislation1:08:08 – Personal connection to The Environmental Cause1:12:47 – Trump's impact on the global green mission1:15:05 – Why India must invest in R&D---Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.---Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7---This video is for infoSend us a text

In this episode, Sharath shares his journey of building two successful AI-driven enterprise solutions.Sharath Keshava Narayana, founder of Sanas and Observe shares his market-product fit approach of winning enterprise clients in the US- Identifying large, underserved markets and solving their biggest problems. He also dives into fundraising stories, from getting into Y Combinator to attracting top VCs, leading to an $8 million seed round.Sharath emphasizes why founders must be great sellers and how building the right team early on is crucial for scaling a business.If you're looking to build a SaaS company, expand into the US market, or understand the power of AI-driven enterprise solutions, this episode is a must-watch!________00:00 - Trailer01:50 – Early Entrepreneurial Days: From India to the US07:10 – Building a US Clientele for an Indian Product10:55 – Idea Stage of Observe.AI15:20 – Raising the First Cheque16:35 – Y Combinator: From Application to Selection20:38 – Inbound from Top VC's24:53 – Meeting the Sanas Co-Founders27:29 – Raising Funds Pre-Product & Pre-Revenue30:10 – The Sanas Investment Thesis34:03 – What Drove Success at Observe & Sanas38:09 – Drawing Parallels in Building Two Companies45:00 – Scaling Challenges: Hiring & Team Building50:15 – Fundraising Lessons: Always Be Ready54:17 – Market-Product Fit vs. Product-Market Fit57:10 – Solving the Black Box of Call Centers59:12 – Solving for Speech-to-Speech in Real Time1:05:15 – Thoughts on The Neon Fund1:07:03 – Bengaluru vs. Bay Area1:11:10 – Founders Must Be Sellers1:19:42 – Do Indian Founders Underprice?1:23:13 – Final Thoughts: Likeability as a Founder---Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.---Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7---This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Venture Capitalists on Venture CapitalIn this episode we have Alok Goyal and Ritesh Banglani, Partners at Stellaris Venture Partners, one of India's top VC firms. We go into details on running a VC firm in India. We discuss the ambition of Indian founders, what are the next B2B SaaS billion-dollar outcomes, market-first vs. founder-first investments, decision-making process at Stellaris and why DPI (Distributed to Paid-in Capital) is the ultimate measure of success.If you're curious about how top VCs invest, what makes a great fund, and what advantages Indian startups have in the AI race then this episode is for you. 0:00 - Stellaris Venture Partners Introduction0:50 - How Stellaris Measures Success3:16 - Deal Sourcing in Venture Capital5:40 - Coverage Ratio in Venture Capital7:39 - Contrarian Bets: Mamaearth and Whatfix9:34 - Independent Conviction in Venture Capital12:03 - Trust in Venture Partnerships15:12 - The War Stories Behind Stellaris' First Fundraise18:10 - Fundraising during COVID22:30 - How Stellaris Raised Its Third Fund26:31 - Stellaris' Investment Strategy30:08 - Founder-First Vs. Market-first Investments36:32 - Strengths of Stellaris' Four Partners41:07 - Culture of Open Disagreement in Decision-Making48:08 - The Ambition Levels of Indian Founders50:08 - Next Billion-Dollar SaaS Companies From India56:17 - How Venture Investing in India Has Changed57:38 - Decision-Making in Stellaris vs. Other VC firms1:07:43 - Global AI Trends and Stellaris' Investment Thesis1:11:31 - Opportunity For Indian AI Startups1:16:17 - How Stellaris is Evolving with Time1:17:24 - The Need for Bigger Outcomes in Fund Three-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Ganesh Krishnan is the man behind some of India's most iconic startups, including BigBasket, Bluestone, Homelane, and TutorVista—India's first ed-tech startup before ed-tech was even a category.Ganesh explains how he thinks about business opportunities in India, why he keeps it simple, and why Indian entrepreneurs need to keep it simple. He shares candid stories—from raising BigBasket's first $10M on a flight to successfully exiting an ed-tech company 15 years ago.If you're curious about India's startup ecosystem and want to understand what works in India, this episode is for you!Read Ganesh Krishnan's latest book: Mastering Disruption: A Practical Guide to Understanding New-Age Business ModelsTimestamps00:00 - Trailer 01:37 - Introduction to K. Ganesh02:05 - Ganesh's Entrepreneurial Journey03:32 - The Growth Story Model06:28 - Challenges and Successes in Fundraising09:25 - Case Study: The BigBasket Story22:12 - Business Models and Market Timing33:51 - Opportunities in India's Broken Systems41:44 - The Evolution of Business Models42:15 - Valuation of Loss-Making Companies42:51 - Network Effects and Demand Economies of Scale43:51 - Platform Businesses vs Traditional Businesses46:27 - Challenges in Platform and Marketplace Ventures50:36 - Exploring SaaS and FinTech Opportunities51:41 - Growth and Monetization Challenges57:44 - Consumer Behavior and Microtransactions01:06:08 - The Rise of Quick Commerce01:09:21 - Vertical Software and Generative AI01:15:43 - What's Next for India's StartupsHi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the fascinating history of semiconductors, their evolution over the years, the rise of old giants and new disruptors, and explore why India has yet to produce a leader in one of the most important technological races of all time.Raja Manickam, a serial entrepreneur in the semiconductor industry, shares from his decades of experience about the business and science of semiconductors and offers a glimpse into the future Timestamps0:00 - Trailer 1:20 - Introduction2:10 - History of Semiconductors2:56 - Raja Manickam's Journey in the Semiconductor Industry7:02 - Evolution of Semiconductors Over Time9:49 - Why Silicon Valley?11:30 - NVIDIA: A Leader in Chips14:55 - Competition in the Semiconductor Industry17:31 - Building Microprocessors23:08 - The Race for Top Talent27:41 - NVIDIA's Journey with CUDA and Artificial Intelligence32:03 - NVIDIA's Market Dominance35:07 - How Google, Microsoft, and Amazon Became NVIDIA's Key Customers36:13 - IBM's Transformation: Market Leader to Reinvention37:48 - India's Journey in Semiconductors and IT Services43:22 - Why India Lacks Semiconductor Giants48:00 - India's ₹100,000 Crore Semiconductor Plan57:28 - IVP: Outsourcing Chipmaking and Focusing on Design1:01:22 - Cost of Starting a Semiconductor Manufacturing Company1:05:38 - India's Vision for Its Semiconductor FutureHi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional adviceSend us a text

India's leadership story is a fascinating journey full of lessons for anyone looking to make an impact.In just two years, opening up the space economy has led to over 100 new startups in aerospace, sparking innovation and fueling the dreams of a new generation of changemakers.And it doesn't stop there—India is heavily investing in future-focused areas like green hydrogen, quantum computing, and the blue economy, showing a clear vision for industries that will define tomorrow.Drawing from its rich heritage, India blends ancient wisdom with modern governance.Texts like the Arthashastra guide policies that empower people and prioritize collective welfare.Initiatives like Aadhaar and participatory governance models reflect these principles in action, bringing millions into the financial mainstream and fostering inclusive growth.Experts believe India's leadership also addresses the need for decolonization—not just in reclaiming cultural pride, but in rediscovering its intellectual confidence.This leadership model, rooted in inclusivity, resilience, and innovation, is steering India into a brighter future. In this episode of The NEON Show, Dr R. Balasubramaniam, author, member of the Capacity Building Commission (Government of Bharat), and Chairperson of the Social Stock Exchange Advisory Committee at SEBI, shares the essence of Indic leadership as explored in his book Power Within.Time stamp00:00 Intro00:12 Dr. Balu's contributions to rural service00:41 Current roles: Capacity Building Commission member & Rhodes Professor00:55 Overview of "Power Within"01:13 Journey: From physician to policymaker02:16 India's traditional wisdom in governance03:08 PM Modi's leadership focus in Balu's analysis05:24 Modi's ethos of service (Seva Bhaav)08:09 Modi's leadership during Morbi tragedy10:06 RSS philosophy: Cultural nationalism & service13:15 Overcoming colonial mindsets to restore pride17:09 Participatory governance: Janbhagidari & Mission Karmayogi23:57 Revamping civil services training26:08 Influence of Ramakrishna Mission's seva philosophy28:01 Panch Pran: Vision for a self-reliant India29:51 Chanakya Niti: Ancient leadership principles34:38 Decisive actions: Doklam, surgical strikes, Pulwama38:14 Challenges in implementing farm laws45:51 Repeal of Article 370: J&K integration50:05 India's balanced foreign policy (Russia-Ukraine, Qatar)52:03 Comparing Modi's leadership to global icons-----Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-----This videoSend us a text

Harish Bhat, ex-Brand Custodian of the Tata Group, joins us to share unique moments from the extraordinary life of Ratan Tata. From creating India's first indigenous car, Tata Indica, to his on-ground response during the 26/11 Taj Hotel attacks, to the Tata Finance crisis, to leading India's fight against cancer, Ratan Tata led from the front.Harish shares how he first met Ratan Tata and the personal note he received, highlighting Ratan Tata's integrity, humility, and more-than-a-businessman philosophy.Tune in to know more about one of India's greatest icons.Timestamps00:00 - Trailer02:20 – Introduction02:39 – Reflecting on Jamshedji Tata's Legacy04:13 – Celebrating Ratan Tata's Life05:46 – First Meeting with Ratan Tata08:26 – The Birth of Tata Indica16:31 – Ratan Tata's Dedication to Healthcare19:23 – Handling the Tata Finance Crisis25:19 – Ratan Tata's Response to 26/1129:05 – A Story of Grace and Dignity31:33 – A Personal Note from Ratan Tata33:20 – Defining Characteristics of Ratan Tata34:03 – Influences and Inspirations35:49 – Ratan Tata's Vision for the Tata Group37:53 – Fondness for Dogs and Bombay House40:01 – Legacy and Transformation of the Tata Group43:31 – Philanthropy and Nation Building46:18 – Reflections on Ratan Tata's Leadership52:50 – Lessons and inspirations from Ratan Tata's lifeHi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In 2010, Facebook opened its first office in India, four years after it went online.They needed someone bold to lead their journey in India which had a major customer base potential.That someone was Kirthiga Reddy.Under Kirthiga's leadership, Facebook not only grew its user base but also planted deep roots in a complex and rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.Today, India has the most Facebook users with over 448 million, followed by the US (258 million).After six years of phenomenal growth at Facebook, Kirthiga decided it was time for a new challenge.In 2018, she became the first female partner at SoftBank Vision Fund, managing over $5 billion in investments.Today, Kirthiga leads her own venture, Verix, focusing on trust, transparency, and community-driven solutions.In this episode of the NEON Show, Kirthiga Reddy shares her inspiring journey. From a small-town upbringing in India to building Facebook in India, Kirthiga takes us through the challenges of scaling operations, transforming workplace culture, and driving growth. She also opens up about her transition to SoftBank. From leading the fund's first investments in quantum computing and additive manufacturing, Kirthiga shares how she worked closely with founders to shape strategies and scale businesses.Timestamps00:00 - Trailer 01:51 - Intro02:09 - Kirthiga's career from Facebook India to SoftBank03:17 - Childhood in Nanded shaping values04:46 - Early career programming for Let Us C06:20 - Masters in the US and arranged marriage08:33 - Syracuse University and joining its Board09:30 - Silicon Graphics high-tech projects12:20 - Stanford MBA and transition to business17:58 - Startup role in product management21:20 - Motorola acquisition and return to India23:08 - Meeting Sheryl Sandberg27:32 - Joining Facebook as its first Indian employee28:50 - Facebook's 100-100-100 strategy30:40 - Building a Facebook culture35:30 - Personally hiring Facebook India's first 100 employees36:45 - Success stories of early hires37:50 - Leaving Facebook to balance family and career45:20 - Joining SoftBank & managing $5B in investments47:19 - Key investments in IonQ and 8fold.ai52:38 - Transition from SoftBank to new ventures56:14 - Founding Verix and Virtualness57:00 - AI-first companies and tech vision01:00:28 - India's thriving tech ecosystem01:03:51 - Vision for Verix, Virtualness, and social impactHi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-----This show is for informational purposes only. Send us a text

How a 1,500-Year-Old Game Became an Online SensationIt started as a simple idea in 2005—a hub for chess enthusiasts to connect, chat, and share their love for the game.Erik Allebest and Jay Severson, two college buddies with a shared passion for strategy, had just purchased the domain Chess.com for $55,000. Initially, it was a forum, but then the demand for online play began to soar.In 2007, they launched the first subscription-based version of Chess.com. Within a few years, the platform began to gain members and marked its place as the go-to site for chess lovers.In 2023, it hosted the first-ever Champions Chess Tour, offering a record-breaking $2 million prize pool.Last year alone, 12.5 billion games were played on Chess.com—an astonishing 35 million games per day.In this episode of the NEON Show, Erik Allebest, co-founder of Chess.com, discusses his journey from a chess enthusiast to creating the world's largest online chess platform. He talks about his entrepreneurial start, the hurdles in building a sustainable business, and key moments in Chess.com's success, including lawsuits, early VC rejections, a $600 million valuation, and scaling during the pandemic.Timestamp00:00 - Introduction02:06 - Family influence on Erik's entrepreneurial mindset05:00 - Falling in love with chess at 18 through books07:25 - Selling an e-commerce business to fund chess.com09:00 - Founding challenges and initial growth struggles13:50 - Why conventional careers didn't suit Erik18:30 - Settling lawsuits, including the vodka-based case21:50 - Persevering despite doubts about the chess market22:55 - General Atlantic's investment in chess.com26:10 - Key insights learned from investor partnerships29:56 - Shifting from entrepreneur to CEO33:24 - Erik's passion for creating products37:18 - How media boosted chess's popularity globally44:23 - The downsides of rapid monetization46:53 - Managing chess.com's pandemic-driven growth50:06 - Erik's focus on sustainability and future growth56:00 - India's cultural impact on global chess59:24 - Erik's views on digital security risks01:03:40 - Why employees stay for passion, not just pay01:07:26 - Erik's belief in chess's continued global growth01:09:00 - Embracing errors as learning opportunities-----Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-----This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

These farmers lost around $1.72B in a single morning.It was all because of tit-for-tat import taxes.But what really happened and who were these farmers?It all started when Donald Trump walked into the White House in January 2017, promising to take on what he called “unfair trade” with China.March 2018, Trump slapped $50 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods, aiming straight at the heart of China's industrial ambitions—its "Made in China 2025" strategy. This marked the start of the trade war.April, 2018, Beijing hit where it hurt—Trump's voter base.It announced a 25% tariff on American soybeans, cars, and chemicals. And it wasn't just any random pick. China was the biggest buyer of U.S. soybeans, importing 60% of all U.S. exports.The markets reacted immediately and soybean prices went into free fall, erasing $1.72 billion in market value by morning.Farmers who relied on China as their primary buyer suddenly found themselves staring at massive losses.In this episode of The NEON Show, Matein Khalid, a seasoned financial advisor, shares his fascinating four-decade journey. Starting as a teenage trader in Dubai, he later advised corporate boards and family offices in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the US. Matein talks about global trade, geopolitics, and economic strategies, providing insights on the US-China trade war, Trump's economic policies, and shifting global power dynamics.Check out Matein's writings here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mateinkhalid/Timestamps00:00 – Trailer01:17 – Introduction02:38 – Matein's early trading and wealth management04:37 – Trump's unpredictability in geopolitics06:04 – Rise of China hawks in US policy07:40 – India's edge in US-China tensions09:50 – Starlink vs. Indian telecoms10:30 – US Steel and political influence12:51 – China's slowdown and unemployment19:02 – US K-shaped recovery and inequality21:46 – US debt crisis and risks26:41 – Adani controversy's geopolitical angle31:17 – Possible end to Russia-Ukraine war33:55 – Israel weakens Iran's air defense37:35 – Trump's isolationist policies41:02 – Trade and capital flows in forex42:39 – South Korea's political turmoil48:04 – Syria's proxy wars reignite52:04 – Modi's UAE visit boosts financial flows54:34 – India's entrepreneurial spirit------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professioSend us a text

In this episode of the NEON Show, Boris Wertz, a renowned venture capitalist and entrepreneur, shares his extensive journey through the tech and investment world over the past 25 years. From founding a company that was acquired by Amazon to becoming an investor and backing emerging fund managers globally, Boris offers a rich and unique perspective on the evolution of venture capital.Timestamp00:00 - Trailer 01:40 - Introduction and background03:17 - Journey as a venture capitalist04:49 - Boris's first investments in emerging managers07:32 - Why is Boris so focused on the Indian market?09:48 - Fund sizes and strategy13:03 - VC returns and liquidity16:06 - Boris's key learnings from successes and failures21:20 - Themes like AI, crypto, and climate tech25:00 - India as the next frontier28:50 - Challenges Indian entrepreneurs face35:46 - Boris's concept of minimum viable fund39:10 - Cycles in venture capital43:46 - A16z board partner program48:45 - Evolution of venture capital mindsets-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this episode of the NEON Show, Ashok K. Lahiri, a leading economist and former Chief Economic Advisor, talks about India's economic journey and the changes in its tax system. Lahiri shares why India has fallen behind some countries, pointing to missed opportunities in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. He also highlights the importance of India's democracy and federal system in shaping its progress.Check out Ashok K. Lahiri's book, India in search of glory, https://www.amazon.in/India-Search-Glory-Political-Calculus/dp/067009207X/Time Stamp00:00 - Trailer01:27 - Introduction of Ashok K. Lahiri03:07 - Ashok's upbringing and early education in economics05:27 - Why Ashok went abroad and how UPSC got him back08:33 - Are you satisfied with GDP growth12:42 - Education and health lead to long-term economic growth15:27 - The right to information is important but debatable18:27 - The govt went overboard in the 70s20:37 - What happened to West Bengal24:32 - Improvement will come with liberal society25:57 - Troubles of taxations29:42 - Taxing in the Indira Gandhi era33:27 - People once informed take the right decision37:32 - Chicken and egg in politics39:27 - Why India is on the right track43:27 - Challenges faced by Bangladesh and lessons for India47:32 - India: union of states52:07 - Struggle of India to get where it is right now58:32 - Why we can't blame our ancestors01:01:52 - Importance of transportation and Connectivity------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

The world's largest tech-focused venture capital fund. And the man behind it is Masayoshi Son, often referred to as Masa.At 16, Masa moved to California, drawn by the entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley.Before he turned 21 years old, Son sold his first company— a multilingual translator bought by Sharp for about $1 million.Masa returned to Japan and founded SoftBank as a software distribution company. In 1995, Masa made one of his first bold investments— a $100 million for a 30% stake in Yahoo. In 1999, Masa made an even bigger move, investing $20 million in Alibaba, a year-old e-commerce startup.Over 23 years, that investment turned into a $72 billion gain, making it one of the most successful tech investments ever.In 2014, he brought in Alok Sama who had a key role in some of SoftBank's biggest successes, like the $32 billion acquisition of ARM and the $59 billion Sprint-T-Mobile merger.In this episode of the NEON Show, Alok Sama, takes us behind the scenes of his journey at SoftBank, where he played a crucial role in shaping the group's global investments and strategy. He shares insights into working alongside Masa, managing the Vision Fund, and the challenges of betting on transformative entrepreneurs.Check out Alok Sama's book,  The Money Trap: Lost Illusions Inside the Tech Bubble - https://www.amazon.in/Money-Trap-Alok-Sama/dp/9361134337Timestamps0:00 - Trailer1:13 - Alok's career, and Money Trap2:20 - Transition to SoftBank and the motivation behind Money Trap3:29 - what Alok thinks about Nikesh Arora and Masayoshi Son5:07 - Masayoshi Son's visionary mindset and why Alok admired him6: 40 - Why Alok values intellectual curiosity in people and himself7:50 - Alok's entrepreneurial journey post-Morgan Stanley09:30 - The meaning behind Money Trap and reflections on money12:30 - Masa Son's struggle growing up and the freemium coffee model17:00 - Alok's last year at SoftBank and decision to leave18:08 - Alok's relationship with Nikesh Arora20:10 - Delhi roots, and family time21:20 - Alok's view on vulnerabilities 27:20 - Masa Son's character and commitment to backing entrepreneurs fully31:10 - Valuation lessons in technology investments34:20 - Son's early bets on AI and his timing challenges37:30 -  Joined SoftBank to impress Alok's teenage son and connect with family40: 10 - experience of writing a book43:10 - Masa's thesis on India-----Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This show is for informational purposes only. The vSend us a text

Why does 50% of India's workforce remain in agriculture while the U.S. has just 2%?Despite all those hands in the soil, the sector contributes just 15-18% to the GDP. While countries like the U.S. and Europe shifted quickly from agriculture to industry, India's progress was pretty slow. So, is it too late for India to catch up and move on from agriculture?Although India did build textile mills and steel plants, its industrialization lagged behind faster-growing Asian economies like Japan, South Korea, and China, which aggressively pursued manufacturing.So, what happened? Well, India's focus remained on agriculture, missing the chance to build a strong industrial base that could absorb its large agricultural workforce. But there's a new hurdle—manufacturing isn't the job creator it once was.Experts like Subhash Garg argue India may have missed the industrialization train. With automation reducing labour needs, ramping up manufacturing might not create enough jobs for India's vast workforce.In this episode of The Neon Show, Subhash Garg, former Secretary of Economic Affairs, shares his unique perspective on India's economic ambitions and the journey toward the $10 Trillion Dream.Check out Subhash Garg's book, We Also Make Policy : An Insider's Account of How the Finance Ministry Functions, https://www.amazon.in/We-Also-Make-Policy-Functions/dp/9356994714Timestamps00:00 - Trailer01:25 - Subhash Garg's background in economic affairs03:27 - Why has India's "10 Trillion Dollar Dream" dented10:04 - India's current GDP12:50 - Need to shift labour from agriculture to high-value sectors16:48 - Why India missed industrialisation20:26 - The global manufacturing train left—and India missed it21:55 - Why should you invest in services for real growth26:55 - Sports, gaming, and entertainment are hidden gems for rural jobs29:54 - Why is agriculture unreformed31:34 - The impact of subsidies: is it a dead-end for farmers?36:47 - Garg explains GDP with the “potato chip” example42:42 - Why is farmers' share of the final product small47:10 - India's manufacturing needs a tech boost48:22 - Why India's PLI schemes aren't hitting their targets52:58 - How India's service sector thrived due to minimal regulation1:01:57 - Garg's positive take on brain drain1:10:10 - Millionaires on the move1:11:50 - Support for short sellers as market correctors1:13:12 - Announcement of Garg's book, expected in October-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------Send us a text

In India, financial security often seemed just out of reach, especially when it came to insurance. For many, insurance was complex, filled with hidden terms, and often mis-sold.That's exactly what happened when an engineer-turned-consultant discovered that his father had been duped by insurance agents into purchasing a policy that was both confusing and overpriced.Instead of just shrugging it off, this experience sparked an idea: why not create a platform where people could get straightforward, honest information about insurance?So in 2008, Yashish Dahiya, along with co-founders Alok Bansal and Avaneesh Nirjar, launched Policy Bazaar. Today, Policy Bazaar has grown into India's largest insurance aggregator, with an annual run rate of 100 million visitors. In 2022, The platform accounted for 93% of online insurance sales in India, holding 25% of the country's life insurance cover and 7% of retail health insurance cover. In this episode of The Neon Show, Yashish Dahiya, co-founder and Chairman of Policy Bazaar, shares his journey of building India's leading online insurance platform. Drawing from personal experiences, including his family's army background, Yashish explores the challenges of creating financial security for India's middle class, when not taking risk is the biggest risk and the HUGE India opportunity.Timestamps00:00 - Trailer01:18 - introducing Yashish Dahiya02:18 - Policy Bazaar's rise as India's top online insurance platform03:26 - India's rising costs and financial aspirations05:11 - Sanjeev Bikhchandani's early investments in Policy Bazaar06:43 - India's economy as a mix of Bahrain, UK, Brazil, and Africa07:49 - Financial inclusion across India's diverse social structure11:53 - Why does mass class movement happen16:20 - Institutional strengths drive GDP19:38 - Why Policy Bazaar outperformed its competitors25:22 - Daily discipline and the importance of consistent execution28:36 - How Yashish built team trust and values at Policy Bazaar31:38 - Things changed when I got married33:40 - Managing family life across India and the UK36:36 - Why the value system is important41:48 - What is stress exactly for an entrepreneur46:18 - Sanjeev view on Policy Bazaar49:40 - Policy Bazaar's vision for social impact53:58 - Consistent values pre-and post-IPO57:33 - Why did Policy Bazaar go public-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the inSend us a text