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Startup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureFrom Forbes to Founder: Alex Konrad on new media, creator economy, AI tools for journalists, Midas List secrets, and why traditional media is losing to independent voicesDiscover the evolving roles of traditional vs. new media in tech and gain insights into effective content creation strategies.About the episode:In this episode, Nataraj hosts Alex Konrad, founder and editor of Upstart Media, to explore the shifting dynamics of tech media. Alex shares his experiences at Forbes, defines the roles of traditional and new media, and discusses the challenges and opportunities for new tech publications. He also dives into storytelling trends, content creation strategies, and the impact of AI on the media landscape. Learn how new media publications can thrive in a decentralized...
2025-11-1046 minWisdom Tantra Freedom
Wisdom Tantra FreedomWTF is Frying?!Hosts Nataraj Chaitanya and Vishnudev explore the fierce edge of sadhana — the "frying" or tapasya that burns away old patterns. Through stories from ashram life, guru dynamics, and personal heartbreak, they show how purification, community, and honest service transform pain into wisdom. The episode also shares practical guidance on staying present, using discipline wisely, and leaning into relationship and seva when the heat rises. Join Vishnudev and Nataraj in 2026 for their 200-hour Trika Hatha Yoga teacher training! https://www.vedicyoga.com.au/yoga-teacher-training
2025-11-0546 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureAI Hype, Future Trends & Research Trends with Best Selling Author of The Master Algorithm Pedro DomingosThis week we are republishing one of our favourite conversations that didn't get much visibility when it first came out.About the episode:Nataraj hosts Pedro Domingos, a distinguished figure in AI and machine learning, to discuss the current state of AI, hype cycles, and future trends. Pedro shares insights from his early career, his widely-read book "The Master Algorithm," and his satirical novel "2040." He offers a critical perspective on LLMs, the AI safety debate, and what truly drives progress in the field, while providing guidance on navigating the complex information landscape and choosing impactful...
2025-11-031h 21Startup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureThe Invisible Layer Powering the AI Infrastructure | Co-Founder and CEO of Momento | Khawaja ShamsWe are republishing one of our favorite episode with the co-founder of Momento this week, we will be publishing a brand new episode next week. Discover how a NASA engineer leveraged AWS to build a serverless caching solution.About the episode:Join Nataraj as he speaks with Khawaja Shams, co-founder and CEO of Momento, a serverless caching solution that just closed a $15 million Series A round. Khawaja shares his journey from processing images for Mars rovers at NASA to leading engineering teams at Amazon and now revolutionizing caching with Momento. He discusses the...
2025-10-2639 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureOffline AI, personal AI assistants, edge computing revolution, compression of neural networks, privacy, compute efficiency, AI infrastructure startups | David Stout, Founder of webAIDiscover how webAI is revolutionizing AI by enabling powerful models to run directly on devices.About the episode:Nataraj chats with David Stout, founder of webAI, about bringing AI infrastructure to edge devices. David shares his journey from a Michigan farm to pioneering techniques for compressing AI models onto phones, laptops, and even airplanes. They discuss the importance of data privacy, real-time processing, and the shift from cloud-based AI to a web of interconnected, specialized AI systems working across devices. Learn about WebAI's vision for the future of AI and how they achieved a $700 million...
2025-10-131h 05Startup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureFixing Broken Meetings, Managing Calendars with AI, and Redesigning the Future of Work | Matt Martin CEO & Co-Founder ClockwiseIn this episode, Nataraj welcomes Matt Martin, CEO of Clockwise, to explore the science of smart scheduling. Discover how Clockwise uses AI to optimize calendars, reduce meeting overload, and create more focused work time. Matt shares insights on balancing collaboration with individual productivity, the impact of remote work on meeting culture, and the future of AI-powered time management. Learn actionable strategies to transform your workday and boost your team's efficiency. Why care? Because reclaiming your time is the first step to achieving your goals.### What you’ll learn- Implement AI-driven tools to analyze and op...
2025-09-2949 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureThe Future of Enterprise AI: $100M ARR, Agents, Company Building, and Scaling Unicorns | Arvind Jain (Co-founder of Glean, Rubrik, ex-Google)Discover how Glean AI is transforming enterprise productivity with AI-powered search and intelligent agents.About the episode:Join Nataraj as he explores the evolution of enterprise AI with Arvind Jain, CEO of Glean. From its roots as an AI-powered search solution, Glean has transformed into a comprehensive AI agent platform, helping companies like Zapier, Carta, and Grammarly boost productivity. Arvind shares his journey, the challenges of building a universal AI assistant, and his vision for the future of AI at work. Discover how Glean is helping enterprises leverage AI to streamline workflows and enhance employee...
2025-09-1354 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureAPIs as Graphs not Endpoints, building a company on open source foundations, why VPs of Engineering face impossible trade-offs | Apollo GraphQL CEO Matt DeBergalis### About the episode:Join Nataraj as he interviews Matt DeBergalis, CEO of Apollo GraphQL, about the evolution of GraphQL from an open-source project to a product company. Matt shares insights on building and scaling APIs, the challenges of transitioning open-source tech into a viable business, and how AI is reshaping API development. Discover how Apollo is helping companies of all sizes leverage GraphQL to build agentic experiences and modernize their API strategies.### What you’ll learn- Understand the journey of GraphQL from open source to a product-driven company.- Explore th...
2025-08-2550 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureHow to be an AI first company, Enterprise AI adoption, Future of Developers, Cost of AI, Unlocking value from Enterprise Data with AI & more with Ben Kus | CTO of BoxIn this episode of Startup Project, Nataraj interviews Ben Kus, CTO of Box, about the critical role of unstructured data in the AI revolution. They discuss the cost structures of adopting and building with AI, and how AI is transforming enterprise businesses. Ben shares Box's unique perspective, managing over an exabyte of data for 120,000 enterprise customers. Learn how AI can understand, automate, and enhance the value of your unstructured data, turning untapped potential into practical benefits. What you’ll learn: Understand what unstructured data is and why it's so critical for AI applications in business.Discover Box...
2025-08-1055 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureHow Publishers are Navigating Advertising, AI's Impact on Search Traffic, Biased Incentives of Ad Industry, Future of Publishing | Jared Siegal Founder of Aditude Inc | #104About the episode:Join Nataraj as he explores the world of online advertising with Jared Siegal, founder and CEO of Aditude. Discover how programmatic advertising empowers publishers to scale their revenue and the evolving landscape of online monetization. They discuss the roles of different players in the ad industry, the impact of AI on search traffic, and the future of publishing. Gain insights into how Aditude is leveling the playing field for publishers in a Google-dominated world. If you are a publisher, this episode can provide actionable strategies to maximize your ad revenue and maintain control over...
2025-07-1449 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureAI Startup Cleaning Up a $1.6 Trillion Crisis, Building a Hardware + AI Startup, Scaling Edge AI, Digitize Waster & Reduce Landfill | Ambarish Mitra Co-Founder of Greyparrot AI | #103Join Nataraj as he interviews Rish, the co-founder and CEO of Greyparrot, a company leveraging AI to revolutionize the recycling industry. Rish shares his journey from augmented reality to AI-powered waste management, detailing the challenges and opportunities in this space. Discover how Greyparrot's innovative technology brings transparency and efficiency to recycling, impacting the circular economy and creating a more sustainable future. Learn how AI can transform waste into a valuable resource.What you’ll learnUnderstand how AI-powered waste analytics are bringing transparency and efficiency to the recycling industry.Discover the challenges and opportunities in bu...
2025-06-3040 minWisdom Tantra Freedom
Wisdom Tantra FreedomWTF is FreedomJoin hosts Nataraj Chaitanya and Vishnudev in an enlightening episode of "Wisdom Tantra Freedom" as they explore the profound nuances of freedom, both in the spiritual realm and personal life. Vishnudev shares a transformative experience during a silent retreat at an ashram in Ganeshpuri, where the process of silence catalyzed a deep inner journey, allowing suppressed grief to surface and healing to begin. The conversation ventures into the exploration of spiritual practices such as mantra chanting and meditation, unraveling how these simple yet potent rituals help individuals let go of complexity and anchor themselves in the present...
2025-06-2747 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureHow Statsig Founder Vijaye Raji Built a $1.1B Product Development Platform | CEO & Co-Founder of Statsig | Startup Project #102Join Nataraj as he sits down with Vijaye Raji, founder and CEO of Statsig, a platform revolutionizing product development with data-driven decision-making. Formerly a VP at Facebook and head of Facebook Seattle, Vijaye shares his journey from big tech to startup founder.About the Episode:This conversation explores Vijaye's transition from leading entertainment at Facebook to building Statsig, a developer platform empowering data-driven decisions.  He dives into his experience at Microsoft and Facebook, highlighting the challenges and motivations that led him to entrepreneurship. Vijaye discusses Statsig's value proposition, differentiating it from existing point solutions by c...
2025-06-1351 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureThe Unfiltered Playbook to Make Early‑Stage Startups Get Media Traction & Demystifying Public Relations for Tech Founders | Emilie Gerber Founder of Six Eastern PR | Startup Project #100Join host Nataraj as he speaks with Emilie Gerber, founder and principal of SixEastern, a PR firm specializing in startups and tech companies. Emilie shares her expertise on crafting effective PR strategies for early-stage startups and navigating the evolving media landscape.About the Episode:This episode demystifies the world of PR for tech founders. Emily differentiates PR from marketing, emphasizing the importance of earned media and credibility. She provides actionable advice on when to engage a PR firm, the types of media to target, and how to manage expectations. The conversation explores alternative strategies beyond...
2025-05-0549 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureAward-Winning Industrial Designer on How to Design Great Hardware Products at Scale? | Todd Bracher Founder of Betterlab | Startup Project #99Join host Nataraj as he sits down with Todd Bracher, founder of BetterLab, an industrial design firm partnering with scientists and innovators to create game-changing products. Previously Executive Creative Director and Design Partner at Human Scale, Todd has also collaborated with iconic brands like Issey Miyake, Herman Miller, and 3M. A two-time International Designer of the Year and recognized by Wallpaper Magazine as a Top 100 Global Design Influencer, Todd shares his insights on the intersection of design, science, and technology.About the Episode:This episode explores the world of industrial design through the lens of...
2025-04-2847 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureWarp Dev The AI Terminal Changing Software Development | Zach Lloyd CEO & Co-Founder of Warp Dev | Startup Project #98Join host Nataraj as he sits down with Zach Lloyd, the founder and CEO of Warp, a company developing an intelligent terminal aimed at modernizing the command line experience for developers. Zach, a former principal engineer at Google, having worked on Google Sheets and Docs, and co-founder and CTO of Selfmade, shares his insights on the future of software development, the evolution of the terminal, and AI's role in building new products.In this episode, they discuss:How Warp leverages AI to improve developer productivityThe challenges of building an AI-powered developer toolThe future of coding and...
2025-04-0650 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureHow to Build a Scalable Venture Community | Jennifer Jeronimo CEO of Gaingels Inc| Startup Project #97Join Nataraj on Startup Project as he interviews Jennifer Jeronimo, CEO of Gaingels, a venture capital syndicate that has deployed over $900 million into 2,500 startups.About the Episode:Jennifer shares Gaingels' unique journey from an investment club focused on LGBTQ+ founders to one of the largest venture capital syndicates globally, with a diverse community of over 4,000 accredited investors. Learn about their investment strategy, focusing on co-investing alongside top-tier VC firms like Sequoia and Greycroft, and their mission to democratize venture capital by providing access to high-potential deals.Discover how Gaingels sources deals, conducts due...
2025-03-2932 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureStartup Mistakes to Avoid: Overvaluation, Fundraising, AI & SaaS Pricing | Vanessa Larco Partner at NEA | Startup Project #96Join host Nataraj on Startup Project as he sits down with Vanessa Larco, Partner at NEA, to discuss the transformative impact of AI on startups and venture capital.About the Episode: This episode delves into the evolving landscape of tech investing, exploring how AI is reshaping business models, pricing strategies, and the future of work. Vanessa, a former Director of Product at Box and co-founder of Funloop, shares her insights on:* The shift towards AI in venture capital* The commoditization debate surrounding LLMs* The evolving pricing models in the age of...
2025-03-2344 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureDeep Tech's Golden Age: Investing in Robotics, AI, and Quantum Computing | Startup Project #95Join host Nataraj as he sits down with Karthee Madasamy, the Managing Director of MFA Partners, to discuss his journey from chip designer to venture capitalist in the world of deep tech.About the Episode:This episode explores Karthee's transition from a technical background in semiconductors and wireless communication to a successful career in venture capital. He shares his experiences at Qualcomm Ventures, where he led investments in companies like Waze and MapMyIndia, and discusses his current focus on deep tech companies at MFA Partners. Karthee provides valuable insights into the evolution of venture capital...
2025-03-1749 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureSecondary Markets Explained: How EquityZen Provides Liquidity for Pre-IPO Shares | Startup Project Podcast #94Join Nataraj on Startup Project as he talks to Aatish, CEO and founder of EquityZen, a secondary market for private equities. They discuss the evolution of secondary markets, EquityZen's business model, the value proposition of secondary equity platforms, investor strategies, and the nuances of investing in secondary shares. They'll also delve into various IPO types and their pros and cons for investors, providing a glimpse into the future of secondary markets and IPOs by 2025.About the Episode:This episode explores how EquityZen created a market for secondary shares, connecting founders, employees, and...
2025-02-2350 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureSeattle's Ambition to Become the Next Silicon Valley | Aviel Ginsberg | Startup Project #93Join host Nataraj as he sits down with Aviel Ginsberg, the founder of Simply Measured (acquired by Sprout Social), managing director at Amazon's Alexa Accelerator, general partner at Founders Co-op, and now co-founder of Foundations, a shared workspace and accelerator designed to bolster Seattle's VC ecosystem.About the Episode:This episode explores Aviel's journey through the Seattle tech scene, from his arrival during the 2007 recession to his current venture. He discusses the evolution of Founders Co-op, their investment strategies, and the challenges faced by startups in the Pacific Northwest. Aviel shares insights into his investment...
2025-02-1647 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureRevolutionizing Workflows with AI Agents | Jacob Bank | relay app | Startup ProjectJoin host Nataraj as he sits down with Jacob Bank, founder and CEO of Relay.app, a platform building AI agents to revolutionize how we work. **About the Episode:**This conversation explores the evolution of AI agents and how Relay is solving customer problems by automating cross-tool workflows. Jacob, a former product lead at Google (Gmail, G Suite), shares his entrepreneurial journey from academic AI research to building productivity tools. He discusses the challenges of product development in the fast-paced AI landscape and the importance of integrations for a successful product.Jacob explains how Relay transitioned from a workflow...
2025-02-1044 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureBuilding a Billion-Dollar Portfolio: David Blumberg's Investment Strategies | Startup Project #91Join host Nataraj on the Startup Project podcast as he sits down with David Blumberg, a seasoned investor with over three decades of experience in early-stage tech companies. From his early days at T. Rowe Price to founding Bloomberg Capital, David shares his unique journey and insights into the world of venture capital.About the Episode:This episode explores David's evolution as an investor, from his initial interest in government to his realization that business and entrepreneurship were the true drivers of positive change.  He discusses his early investments in Israeli tech c...
2025-02-0356 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureFrom Zero to $50 Million Read.AI's Explosive Growth | David Shim Founder of Read AI | Startup Project #90This episode of Startup Project tackles that very problem! Join host Nataraj as he sits down with David Shim, CEO of Read.ai, a company that just raised $50 million in Series B funding to revolutionize how we handle meetings and work in general.About the Episode:This insightful conversation dives deep into Read.ai's innovative AI-powered meeting summarizer. David, a repeat founder, trader, investor, and former CEO of Foursquare, shares his journey, from the initial spark of an idea during a particularly unproductive Zoom call to Read.ai's current position as a top meeting note-taker. He reveals the secrets...
2025-01-1354 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#89 Secret Weapon Behind Small Businesses Success | Hello Alice Co-founder Elizabeth GoreEver wondered what it takes to build a thriving small business and secure funding in today's competitive landscape? This episode of Startup Project dives deep into the world of Hello Alice, a platform revolutionizing how small businesses access resources and capital. Join host Nataraj as he sits down with Elizabeth Gore, co-founder and president of Hello Alice, a company recently valued at $130 million! In this insightful conversation, Elizabeth shares her incredible journey, from her background in agriculture and humanitarian work to co-founding Hello Alice. Learn how she transitioned from supporting the UN to empowering 1.5...
2024-12-2826 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#87 DocuSign Founder on Building $16B Company | Court LorenziniGuest: Court Lorenzini | Founder of DocuSign & FounderNexus Host: Nataraj | Senior PM at Azure, Creator of Startup Project & Angel Investor Subscribe to Startup Project Newsletter for valuable founder insights: https://startupproject.substack.com/ Join Nataraj in conversation with Court Lorenzini, co-founder of DocuSign and serial entrepreneur, as they delve into the world of startups. Court shares his incredible journey, from early engineering roles to leading DocuSign to its multi-billion dollar company. **Timestamps & Topics:** * **00:01:246 - 00:35:234:** Introduction and welcome to Court Lorenzini. * **00:40:246 - 01:16:782:** Court's background – Engineering career and early entrepreneurial ventures. * **01:50:102 - 02:05:838:** Discussion about Cisco's impact on fostering su...
2024-12-0152 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#84 From Mars Rover to Starups: Ex-aws exec khawaja shams on the art of product-market fit in b2b cloudIn this episode of Startup Project, we chat with Khawaja Shams, Co-founder and CEO of Momento, a serverless caching and messaging service built for interactive applications at scale. Host: Nataraj (Investor at Incisive VC, angel investor, and Senior Product Manager) Guest: Khawaja Shams (Co-founder and CEO of Momento) Website: ⁠Momento Website⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠Nataraj's LinkedIn⁠ | ⁠Khawaja's LinkedIn⁠ [0:00 - 2:00] Khawaja shares his incredible journey—from working on image processing for Mars rovers and communications for interplanetary missions at NASA to building crucial infrastructure at Amazon Web Services...
2024-10-1549 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#83 Learning Generative AI, Product Management & Upskilling your Career with Nataraj SindamThis is a special episode. We are airing an episode where Nataraj was the guest on Learn It All podcast where he talked about trends in AI, how to leverage gen AI to build new products and how to upskill your career and find the right things to work on. Links: Startup Project Podcast: https://thestartupproject.io/ Website: ⁠⁠https://thestartupproject.io⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/ Twitter: ⁠⁠https://x.com/natarajsindam
2024-10-0747 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#81 Coursera's Engineer No 1 on Building AI agents for knowledge workers #AI #podcast #aicode #startup Startup Project Podcast: Building AI Agents for Knowledge Workers with Lutra AI Jiquan Ngiam joins Nataraj to discuss the future of AI, from the rise of deep learning to the potential of AI agents for knowledge workers. They delve into [Guest Name]'s experiences working with Andrew Ng at Coursera and Google Brain, where he witnessed the power of scaling up compute and data in pushing the boundaries of AI. Timestamps: * **0:00 - Introduction:** Nataraj welcomes [Guest Name] to the show and introduces his impressive background. * **2:28 - Working with Andrew Ng:** [Guest Name] shares his experience working with Andrew Ng...
2024-09-2459 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#79 Building a Scalable No-Code Backend with Xano Startup Project Podcast: Building a Scalable No-Code Backend with Xano Join Natraj as he sits down with Prakash, the founder of Xano, a revolutionary no-code backend platform that's shaking up the software development landscape. This episode dives deep into: 🔸Xano's mission: Prakash explains how Xano empowers developers and citizen developers to build complex, scalable applications without writing code. He shares his insights on the challenges of traditional back-end development and how Xano addresses them. 🔸 Product Market Fit: Discover how Xano honed its unique approach to no-code and found its sweet spot in the market. Prakash shares the key decisions that l...
2024-07-2940 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#78 Securing The World's IoT Devices with Asimily 🎙️ Startup Project Podcast - Episode with Shankar Somasundaram, CEO of Asimily Welcome to another exciting episode of the Startup Project Podcast! In this episode, we have Shankar Somasundaram, the CEO and founder of Asimily, a company dedicated to providing visibility and security for medical IoT and OT devices. Shankar brings a wealth of experience from his time at Symantec and Qualcomm, and he shares his journey of founding Asimily and the innovative solutions they offer. 🔍 Topics Covered: - Shankar’s background and journey from Symantec to founding Asimily. - The challenges and opportunities in securing medical IoT and OT devices. ...
2024-07-0137 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#76 How Product-First VC Mighty Capital is Picking great companies?In this episode of Startup Project, Nataraj sits down with SC Moatti, a serial entrepreneur, product manager, investor, and author. SC Moatti shares insights into his diverse career path, from building successful products to launching his own venture capital firm, Mighty Capital. In this episode, you'll learn: SC Moatti's journey from engineer to VC: Discover how he built a career spanning product management, entrepreneurship, and venture capital. The secret to picking winning startups: SC Moatti reveals how Mighty Capital identifies and invests in companies with a strong product vision. Essential product management skills: Get expert advice on building...
2024-05-2730 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#75 Satya Singh - Co-Founder of Scispot on redefining modern biotech's data infrastructureSatya, co-founder of Scispot, joins Startup Project's Nataraj to share his journey from leading a platform team at Expedia to starting a biotech company that solves data challenges for life science labs. In this episode, we discuss: Satya's unique career path, from fashion startup owner to data expert. The founding story of Scispot, tackling the problem of unanalyzed data in biotech. The YC experience and its valuable lessons, including the importance of market signals. Scispot's growth and traction, serving a diverse range of lab-based businesses. The exciting future of AI in biotech and Scispot's role in empowering innovation. ...
2024-05-1546 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#74 Sajid Rahman - Angel Investor Secrets - Lessons from 1000+ Startup InvestmentsStartup Project Podcast: Episode Notes - Navigating the Shifting Investment Landscape with Sajid Rahman Guest: Sajid Rahman - Top Angel InvestorHost: Nataraj - Senior Product Manager, Investor at Incisive.vc & Startup Advisor Episode Overview: Join us as we delve into the evolving world of startups and venture capital with Sajid Rahman, a prolific angel investor with over 1000 investments. Key topics explored in this episode: Market Shift: Analyzing the transition from the funding boom to a more cautious investment environment. Exploring the prevalence of down rounds, the rise of secondary deals, and strategies for investors in ...
2024-04-2745 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#71 Peter Mueller Founding Partner Breakwater VC about Pre Seed Investing in Seattle Tech Startups In this episode Nataraj talked to Peter Mueller who is the founding partner of Breakwater ventures investing in early stage tech startups in Pacific Northwest and Wester Canadian Startups. The conversation includes: - how to think about angel investing & pre-seed investing? - Seattle pre-seed ecosystem - learnings from Seachange fund - thesis for breakwater - Whats making Western Canada an interesting place to invest? - investing in AI - long tail opportunity in AI & more. Follow peter on twitter here - https://twitter.com/pjsmueller Follow Nataraj on twitter here - https://twitter.com...
2024-03-1148 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#70 Brendan Rogers From Founding WAG (NASDAQ: PET) to Investing in IndiaIn this episode Nataraj spoke to Brendan Rogers Ex Cofounder of Wag, a NASDAQ listed public company. Full conversation includes: - Origin story of WAG - His journey into investing in India - Why he is bullish on Indian startups? - Opinion on different sectors & more To stay in loop for future conversations check out thestartupproject.io For above average opinions on big technology sign up to https://above-average.beehiiv.com/ Follow 100 Days of AI by Nataraj at https://thestartupproject.io/100-days-of-ai/
2024-02-2535 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#69 Direct-to-Consumer Companies & Long Tail Opportunity in AI (Above Average Newsletter) Welcome to 50th edition of the Above Average Newsletter. Your bi-weekly source of Above Average takes on the business of big technology written by Nataraj Sindam. Topic 1: What’s with Direct-to-Consumer Companies?What’s common among all these companies?All birdsBrilliant earth groupPelotonRent the runwayThey are all public direct to consumer companies whose stock is down ranging from 80 to 95% in last couple of years.If you are direct to consumer company the best time to go public was in 2021 when the pandemic has fueled an ecommerce spending spree. Once this is over...
2024-02-1303 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#68 Why the new AI button on your keyboard is inevitable? (Above Average Newsletter)This episode is the audio version of Nataraj's newsletter Above Average. Welcome to 49th edition of the Above Average Newsletter. Your bi-weekly source of Above Average takes on the businss of big technology written by Nataraj Sindam. 1. Why the new AI Button on Your Keyboard is inevitable?Microsoft is adding a new AI button to your PC keyboard. This is the first time Microsoft changed the PC keyboard in last 30 years. If you are a regular user of ChatGPT or its competitors you will notice your own behavior, that you use it repeatedly and...
2024-02-0303 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#67 What late stage investors got wrong about investing in Startups? (Insight)For more unique insights on technology follow Nataraj on Twitter - ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/natarajsindam⁠⁠ & Instagram - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/1nataraj/⁠ What late stage investors got wrong about investing in Startups? Confusion in the venture scene, especially with late-stage investments. Some firms raising funds for secondaries in startups, but a twist for LP investors: a cautious approach is needed. Skepticism about firms claiming expertise in both early and late-stage investments. Discussion on the industry mix-up and the need to reconsider how we negotiate prices. Emphasizing the importance of aligning return expectations with industry dynamics. Concerns about the pricing...
2024-01-0900 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#63 Jon Staenberg: Investing in Startups, Venture Funds & Search FundsIn this episode, Nataraj spoke with John Staenberg, a veteran of the tech and venture capital world. John took Nataraj through his early days growing up in Omaha and attending Stanford University, where he was inspired by the culture of creativity and trying new things. After graduating, John worked in real estate and then got his MBA, also at Stanford. He became fascinated by the nascent world of venture capital and startups in Silicon Valley. John landed a job at Microsoft in the late 1980s, when the company was still small and growing fast. He...
2023-10-2854 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#61 Joe Heitzeberg - From Tech Whiz to Sustainable Meat EntrepreneurTo stay up to date checkout ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thestartupproject.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & follow Nataraj on twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@natarajsindam⁠ and on LinkedIn at ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam⁠ Join us in this captivating episode as we sit down with Joe Heitzeberg, a multifaceted entrepreneur who has navigated the world of technology and business with remarkable success. From his early days in the tech industry to founding his acclaimed venture Crowd Cow, Joe shares his incredible journey and valuable insights on various topics. 1. Joe's Entry to Technology 2. Working for Paul Allen 3. Import Furniture Business 4. Opportunity Cost of MBA 5. Building Viral VoIP App for MySpace 6. Selling Media Piston t...
2023-08-0653 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#57: How to Run Innovation Sessions with Bill Gates to Solve World Problems?To stay up to date checkout ⁠⁠⁠⁠thestartupproject.io⁠⁠⁠⁠ & follow Nataraj on twitter: ⁠⁠@natarajsindam⁠⁠ In this episode Nataraj spoke to Taylor Black who co-founded Fizzy Inc. Post Fizzy Taylor worked at Innovation Science Fund & currently works as a Principal Product Manager at the Office of the CTO Incubator at Microsoft. Transcript: [00:00:00] Nataraj: I looked at the portfolio there then it's completely deep tech, uh, and sort of like invention based, uh, ideas. [00:00:08] Nataraj: Uh, so what was the process of like capturing and invention and taking and productizing it and, you know, making a ...
2023-05-1406 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#55: What is the insurance against Innovation Dilemma?To stay up to date checkout ⁠⁠⁠thestartupproject.io⁠⁠⁠ & follow Nataraj on twitter: ⁠@natarajsindam⁠ In this episode Nataraj spoke to Taylor Black who co-founded Fizzy Inc. Post Fizzy Taylor worked at Innovation Science Fund & currently works as a Principal Product Manager at the Office of the CTO Incubator at Microsoft. Transcript: [00:00:00] Nataraj: To me it always made sense for large companies to have some kind of incubator or accelerator model because one of the reasons I think we are seeing in this bear cycle, sort of like when the wave sort of, you know, falls down, you...
2023-04-3003 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#54: How Techstars Seattle Works & How Should Founders Think About It? To stay up to date checkout ⁠thestartupproject.io⁠ & follow Nataraj on twitter: @natarajsindam In this episode Nataraj spoke to Marius Ciocirlan who co-founded ShareGrid, a marketplace for filmmakers and photographers to rent and sell their equipment. It was ⁠acquired⁠ by Backstage and is now Managing Director of Techstars Seattle. Techstars expanded to Seattle in 2010, and since then more than 130 companies have gone through the program & collectively gone on to raise more than $2.5 billion in capital.  Full Transcript: [00:00:00] Nataraj: So Techstars is an, you know, traditionally what we call as an accelerator, right? Yeah. Uh, so what are the founder...
2023-04-2303 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#53 Taylor Black - Innovation Science Fund & Microsoft Incubator To stay up to date checkout ⁠⁠thestartupproject.io⁠⁠ & follow Nataraj on twitter: @natarajsindam In this episode Nataraj spoke to Taylor Black who co-founded Fizzy Inc. Post Fizzy Taylor worked at Innovation Science Fund & currently works as a Principal Product Manager at the Office of the CTO Incubator at Microsoft. Full Conversation includes: Starting a company during law school Running a WordPress server farm Why WordPress still dominates internet? Working at Innovation Science Fund Running innovation sessions attended by Entrepreneurs, Nobel laureates, Scientists & Bill Gates Fundamental technology breakthrough in Metamaterials Funding Starlink competitor Incubator inside Microsoft for the Office of the C...
2023-04-1655 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#52: What is Sharegrid & how it got started? To stay up to date checkout ⁠thestartupproject.io⁠ & follow Nataraj on twitter: @natarajsindam In this episode Nataraj spoke to Marius Ciocirlan who co-founded ShareGrid, a marketplace for filmmakers and photographers to rent and sell their equipment. It was ⁠acquired⁠ by Backstage and is now Managing Director of Techstars Seattle. Techstars expanded to Seattle in 2010, and since then more than 130 companies have gone through the program & collectively gone on to raise more than $2.5 billion in capital.  Full Transcript: [00:00:00] So you decided you want to be in tech. Then how did, uh, your, uh, company start, uh, share grid? [00:0...
2023-04-1003 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#51: Working in Tech vs Movie Business To stay up to date checkout ⁠thestartupproject.io⁠ & follow Nataraj on twitter: @natarajsindam In this episode Nataraj spoke to Marius Ciocirlan who co-founded ShareGrid, a marketplace for filmmakers and photographers to rent and sell their equipment. It was ⁠acquired⁠ by Backstage and is now Managing Director of Techstars Seattle. Techstars expanded to Seattle in 2010, and since then more than 130 companies have gone through the program & collectively gone on to raise more than $2.5 billion in capital.  Full Transcript: [00:00:00] So I was like, you know, working on Samsung, making videos and then also like working on sets, like reality TV shows an...
2023-04-0202 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#50: Marius Ciocirlan - Managing Director Techstars Seattle, Co-Founder of Sharegrid (Acq by Backstage)To stay up to date checkout thestartupproject.io & follow Nataraj on twitter: @natarajsindam In this episode Nataraj spoke to Marius Ciocirlan who co-founded ShareGrid, a marketplace for filmmakers and photographers to rent and sell their equipment. It was acquired by Backstage and is now Managing Director of Techstars Seattle. Techstars expanded to Seattle in 2010, and since then more than 130 companies have gone through the program & collectively gone on to raise more than $2.5 billion in capital.  Full Conversation includes: How skateboarding led do film school Raising funds via grants Startup weekends Early days at Groupon Mobile Team Ori...
2023-03-2638 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#31: Deedy (Debarghya Das) - Indian Startups, AI & SearchTo stay up to date checkout thestartupproject.io & follow Nataraj on twitter: @natarajsindam ----- In this episode Spoke to Deedy who writes amazing twitter threads on immigration,  Indian startups and more. Topic covered include: Tweet threads on Indian startups Shark Tank India vs U.S Generative AI, LLMs & Search  Zero Interest Rate Phenomenon & a lot more. Don't forget to follow Deedy's opinions at @debarghya_das! ----- Past guests of Startup Project podcast include Ali Moiz (stonks.com), Kirby Winfield (Ascend.vc), Eric Bahn (Hustle Fund), an...
2023-03-041h 06Startup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#30: Jacob Colker - Co-Managing Director AI2 IncubatorTo stay up to date checkout thestartupproject.io & follow us on twitter: @natarajsindam In this episode of Startup Project Nataraj spoke to  Jacob Colker - Co-Managing Director AI2 Incubator. Inaugurated five years ago by the late Paul Allen and Professor Oren Etzioni, the commercialization arm of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence was tasked with creating an incubator program for the brightest minds in AI to launch the next wave of technology companies that would change the world. Jacob Colker, Vu Ha, and Bryan Hale were tasked to fulfill this mandate. Full conversation i...
2023-02-2044 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#29: Jacques Fu - Co-founder at Stax, Author of "Time Hacks"To stay up to date checkout thestartupproject.io & follow us on twitter: @natarajsindam In this episode of Startup Project Nataraj spoke to  Jacques Fu Co-founder at Stax, Author of "Time Hacks".  Stax is an all-in-one payment solution for small business. Stax has raised $245 million in fresh funding, taking its valuation up to $1 billion. The investment saw participation from Greater Sum Ventures (GSV), HarbourVest Partners and Blue Star Innovation Partners, all of which will serve as strategic partners to Stax. Full conversation includes: Journey of Stax Opportunities in Fintech Crypto Angel Investing Time Ha...
2023-01-2941 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureVenture Fund is a Startup (TSP Insights)To stay up to date checkout thestartupproject.io & follow us on twitter: @natarajsindam Launching a, a venture fund is not for the faint of heart, uh, and it is very much a startup activity.  Geoff Harris & Nataraj talk about the challenges of launching a venture fund. Geoff spent 15 years at Microsoft in engineering leadership and executive leadership positions. His career at Microsoft began in digital media where he ran the Windows Media Player team. Full conversation includes is available here and includes: Developing Natural language processing at Microsoft Angel investing to raising a...
2022-10-2400 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureNFTs in Games? (Bonus Clip)What problems are NFTs solving in games, Liron & Nataraj (twitter.com/natarajsindam) discuss. Liron Shapira is known as the guy who write twitter threads about web3 use cases including Axie Infinity & Helium. But before becoming twitter famous, he is also a founder & angel investor and currently runs a YC backed startup called Relationship Hero. The irony in his angel investments is he made life changing money by investing in Coinbase which was a 500x return on his investment. Full conversation includes: Failure with Quixey (50M+ Series C) Relationship Hero (YC...
2022-09-1900 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureDemocratizing Education (Bonus Clip)Nataraj & Eric (Hustle Fund) talk about how an Indian company BYJU's despite its flaws is helping democratizing education.  For Full conversation with Eric check out Episode 21 of Startup Project. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ceRBSjtTP8ROl8nR9AoT0?si=bf937a7778d24236
2022-09-1101 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureWhat is Amazon's Fourth Dreamy Business? (TSP Insights)Jeff Bezos defines dreamy businesses to have these characteristics: customers love it it can grow to very large size it has strong returns on capital and it's durable over time Amazon has 3 dreamy businesses prime, marketplace & AWS.  Todd & Nataraj discuss about what is going to be Amazon's next big dreamy business? ----- Past guests of Startup Project podcast include Ali Moiz (stonks.com), Kirby Winfield (Ascend.vc), Eric Bahn (Hustle Fund), and many more. To stay up to date checkout thestartupproject.io & follow us on twitter: @natarajsindam
2022-08-2813 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#24 Liron Shapira: Web3 Critique, Founder & Early Investor in CoinbaseLiron Shapira is known as the guy who writes twitter threads criticizing web3 use cases. Other than being a web3 critic, he is also angel investor in Coinbase & Wyre (the irony), founder of a Y Combinator company & raised $50M round led by Alibaba. Full conversation includes: • Failure with Quixey ( 50M+ Series C) • Relationship Hero (YC Backed) • Seed Investment in $COIN (listen for exit multiple) • Investing in Russian Bonds • Web3 Use cases (cross border payments, helium, NFTs in gaming, Uber on Web3, Identity) Nataraj is...
2022-08-051h 06Startup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureStory Behind Patagonia’s First Ecommerce Store (Bonus)Chris Devore and Nataraj talk about the brand ethos of Patagonia and the story behind the first ecommerce store of Patagonia. For full conversation with Chris, check out https://thestartupproject.io/2022/07/17/23-chris-devore-managing-partner-founders-co-op-remitly-auth0-outreach/ Nataraj is a PM at Azure,  investor  & host of thestartupproject.io  podcast. Follow him on Twitter at  https://twitter.com/natarajsindam.
2022-08-0105 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureIs web3 hype about technology or political ideology? (TSP Insights)Chris Devore talks about web3 and if its the next big thing in tech.  For full conversation with Chris, check out https://thestartupproject.io/2022/07/17/23-chris-devore-managing-partner-founders-co-op-remitly-auth0-outreach/ Nataraj is a PM at Azure,  investor  & host of thestartupproject.io  podcast. Follow him on Twitter at  https://twitter.com/natarajsindam.
2022-07-2504 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#23 Chris DeVore: Managing Partner Founders Co-op (Remitly, Auth0 & Outreach)In this Episode of Startup Project, Nataraj talked to Chris DeVore, Founding Managing Partner of Founders’ Co-op, Pacific Northwest's leading seed-stage venture fund. Chris led the seed rounds for Seattle's most recent successful IPO Remitly (NASDAQ:RELY) and $4B+ Outreach, was an early backer of Auth0 (acquired by Okta for $6.5B). Full conversation includes: Starting Patagonia's online store Bringing Risk Capital to Seattle Running TechStars Seattle Starting Founders Co-Op Thesis behind investing in Remitly New new thing & Web3 Investing takeaways from covid shocks Nataraj is a PM at Azure,  partner at NVC  & host...
2022-07-1751 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#22 Sudip Chakrabarti: Partner Decibel.vc Ex Partner at A16Z, Lightspeed & MadronaIn this Episode of Startup Project, Nataraj talked to Sudip from decibel.vc. Sudip started two companies and got his PhD in computer engineering at Georgia Tech before becoming a VC investor at Andreesson Horowitz, Lightspeed, and Madrona. Full conversation includes: Building Decibel Investing in Enterprise Software (Exabeam, DataCoral & Streamlio) Working at A16Z & Madrona Digital Ocean & More Nataraj is a PM at Azure,  partner at NVC  & hosts thestartupproject.io  podcast. Follow him on Twitter at  https://twitter.com/natarajsindam. You can also subscribe to his newsletter at getrevue.co/profile/StartupProject
2022-07-0252 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureHyper Leverage (Bonus Clip)Nataraj & Harvey from RUV Alliance talk about Leverage.  For full conversation check out the links below:   Youtube: https://youtu.be/rXMY1LDIb_U Website: https://thestartupproject.io/2022/02/05/12-harvey-multani-founder-ruv-alliance-miami100-dao-startup-project-by-nataraj/ Anchor: https://anchor.fm/tsp1/episodes/12-Harvey-Multani-Founder-RUV-Alliance--Miami100-DAO---Startup-Project-by-Nataraj-e1dvoi3 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0VgU4sMOX1AD5BCxLnVicm?si=3c9f834506e143da Nataraj is an engineer at Azure, partner at NVC & hosts thestartupproject.io podcast. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam & stay up to date here. #startups #leverage #economy #media #code #capital...
2022-06-1201 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureSecret Sauce behind Hustle Fund's Brand! (Bonus Clip)Eric (Co-Founder of Hustle Fund) talks to Nataraj about how they built their brand.  Check out more about hustle fund here, https://www.hustlefund.vc/.   Nataraj is an engineer at Azure, partner at NVC(https://angel.co/s/natarajusa/B8aAA) & hosts thestartupproject.io podcast. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam
2022-06-0501 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#21 Eric Bahn: Co-Founder & General Partner of Hustle FundIn this Episode of Startup Project, Nataraj talked to Eric Bahn, Co-Founder & General Partner at Hustle Fund. In last 5 years, Eric & team scaled Hustle Fund to 3 funds, 100M+ AUM, 120+ early stage investments & along the way built a globally recognizable VC brand, find more about them at https://www.hustlefund.vc/ Full conversation includes: Beat the GMAT (Eric's Startup) Defining hustle Raising fund 1 First 10 investments Building the brand Nataraj is a PM at Azure,  partner at NVC  & hosts thestartupproject.io  podcast. Follow him on Twitter at  https://twitter.com/natarajsindam. You can also subscribe to his newsl...
2022-06-0155 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureHow to Earn Your Luck? (Bonus Clip)Shruti from Array.vc and nataraj talk about earning luck.  Full conversation available at: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/08LJYjwwQPyseCkSEZohQA?si=4de30bec6b8340d2 For more check out the startup project website at thestartupproject.io   #startups #luck #arrayvc
2022-05-3002 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futurePosition your Company for Acquisitions (Bonus Clip)What can founders in early stage companies do to position themselves for acquisitions.   Full Episode available on: YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uMdazKrC0k Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/17-founding-partner-of-ascend-vc-kirby-winfield-on/id1551300319?i=1000555322251&app=podcast  Website: https://thestartupproject.io/2022/03/26/17-founding-partner-of-ascend-vc-kirby-winfield-on-all-things-venture-startup-project-by-nataraj/ Visit thestartupproject.io for more. #startups #kirby #aquisitions
2022-05-2301 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#20 Mike Fridgen: Seattle based Startup Incubator Madrona Venture LabsIn this Episode of Startup Project, Nataraj talked to Mike Fridgen, Managing Director at Madrona Venture Labs a Seattle based tech startup incubator. Some of the companies incubated include Style Genome (Acq by Wayfair), Chatitive (Acq by MailChimp), Message Yes (Acq by Nordstrom) & more. Before joining Madrona Venture Labs Mike was part of founding teams at Farecast (Acq by Microsoft) & Decide (Acq by Ebay) where he led product and growth strategies. Full Conversation includes: Farecast.com (Predicting prices) - Acquired by Microsoft Decide.com (next gen consumer reports) - Acquired by Ebay Through line across being...
2022-05-1532 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureNo Momentum? You are Dead! (Bonus Clip)Nataraj and Ali (Founder of Stonks.com) talk what happens to a unknown company post their stonks pitch day.  For full version of this conversation check out the following links.   Full Video on YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjyaipwngZc&t=0s Website Link: https://thestartupproject.io/2022/03/05/15-stonks-com-ali-moiz-on-investing-streaming-stonks-startup-project-by-nataraj/ #startups #stonks #fundraising
2022-05-0802 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the futureDon't Build in Public (Bonus Clip)Not everything has to be built in public, but when it makes sense it has its advantages. Check out the full conversation between Ajay and Nataraj here. https://youtu.be/-Xbv4O1ovvY #build #startups #buildinpublic  Nataraj is an engineer at Azure, partner at NVC(https://angel.co/s/natarajusa/B8aAA) & hosts thestartupproject.io podcast. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam
2022-05-0101 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#19 Shruti Gandhi: Founder and General Partner of Array.VC on early stage investingIn this Episode of Startup Project, Nataraj talked to Shruti Gandhi, GP of Array.VC. Before founding Array.VC a solo fund investing in b2b enterprise companies, she was a founder and an engineer. For more info check out her newsletter at shrutigandhi.substack.com Full Conversation includes: - Transition from engineer to vc - Working at Corporate VC vs running your own fund - Raising first fund for Array.VC - Things to look out for first time fund managers - Push vs Pull investing - Cheque Sizes
2022-04-2425 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#18: Bear.Tax Co-Founders on simplifying Crypto Taxes | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup Project, Nataraj talked to Tela Andrews (https://www.linkedin.com/in/telaandrews/) and Vamshi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/vamshi4001/), Co-Founders of crypto currency tax software Bear.tax.  Full Conversation includes: Origin story of Bear.Tax How microacquire.com helped the founding team to get together Crypto tax complexity for individuals, traders and businesses Roadmap for solving tax complexity Future of crypto Nataraj is an engineer at Azure, partner at NVC & hosts thestartupproject.io podcast. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam & stay up to date here.
2022-04-0936 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#17 Founding Partner of Ascend.vc: Kirby Winfield on all things Venture | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project (https://thestartupproject.io/) , Nataraj talked to Kirby Winfield, Founding GP of Ascend.vc (pre-seed fund based in Seattle). Prior to founding Ascend.vc, Kirby was part of founding teams at Go2Net (GNET), Marchex (MCHX), Dwellable (Acquired by Home Away (AWAY)) & AdXpose (Acquired by comScore (SCOR)). Full conversation includes: Through line of a successful career How can companies strategize for an exit? The why behind starting a pre-seed fund? Helping startups from zero to one Price discovery of startups in current private markets Follow Kirby...
2022-03-2653 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#16 Assure.co: Jeremy Neilson on all things Venture | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Jeremy Neilson, CEO & Co-Founder of Assure.co. Prior to co-founding Assure, Jeremy ran Utah Fund of Funds and later went on to found Assure. Assure created & pioneered the usage of SPVs and became the synonymous as backend of Venture Capital. Today Assure's clients include Republic, Launch Fund, Forge, Equity Zen and more. Full conversation includes: Origin story of Assure How Assure created SPVs that powered AngelList and others. State of Venture from Assure's point of View Evolution of VC firms  Follow Jeremy on LinkedIn a...
2022-03-1546 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#15 Stonks.com: Ali Moiz on Investing, Streaming & Stonks | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Ali Moiz, Co-Founder of Stonks.Com. Prior to co-founding Stonks, Ali was a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Stream Labs (Acq by Logitech) & Peanut Labs (Acq by E-Rewards). Full conversation includes: Value prop of Stonks for founders & investors Post pitch effect for startups Behind the Scenes of Stonks.com Evolution of Video Streaming Investing in Canva, Airtable & notion via Poor Founders Follow Ali on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ali_moiz & on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alimoiz/. Checkout Stonks.com for mor...
2022-03-0544 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#14 Simplified.co: Co-Founder Ajay Yadav on Scaling, Building in Public & More | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Ajay, Co-Founder of Simplified.co. Prior to co-founding simplified.co, Ajay was a serial entrepreneur and was founder of Roomi, which helps people find flexible, affordable co-living solutions. Full conversation includes: India to U.S Raising venture for Roomi vs Simplified Funding landscape for repeat founder vs first time founder Competing against $40B Canva Building in Public, Marketing-Product Fit. Why be a repeat entrepreneur? Follow Ajay Yadav on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadavajay/ and learn more about Simplified.co. Nat...
2022-02-2731 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#13 First Check Ventures: Ali Jamal on Angel Investing | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Ali Jamal, Founder of First Check Ventures. Prior to starting First Cheque Ventures, Ali was at companies like RockYou, Agoda & Rappi in growth and marketing roles. Full conversation includes: Career in Growth and data analytics Early Angel investing  Transition from Angel Investing to founding first check ventures YC MFN clause  Strategy behind the growth of First Check Ventures Building unique deal flow Investing in LATAM, Asia & Africa Follow Ali Jamal on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mralijamal/ and learn more about First Ch...
2022-02-2048 minStartup Project
Startup Project#13 First Cheque Ventures: Ali Jamal on Angel Investing | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Ali Jamal, Founder of First Cheque Ventures. Prior to starting First Cheque Ventures, Ali was at companies like RockYou, Agoda & Rappi in growth and marketing roles. Full conversation includes: Career in Growth and data analytics Early Angel investing  Transition from Angel Investing to founding first cheque ventures YC MFN clause  Strategy behind the growth of First Cheque Ventures Building unique deal flow Investing in LATAM, Asia & Africa Follow Harvey on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mralijamal/ and learn more about First Cheque Ve...
2022-02-2048 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#12 Harvey Multani: Founder RUV Alliance & Miami100 DAO | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Harvey Multani, Founder of RUV Alliance & Miami100 DAO.  Prior to starting RUV Alliance, Harvey was at Coinbase and Plaid in business development and GTM Strategies.  Full conversation includes: The origins of RUV Alliance Goals as an investor community Macro factors that helped RUV Alliance Dynamics with other SPVs  AngelList's reaction to RUV Alliance Who funds RUV Alliance? Miami100 DAO Where is the leverage for individuals today? Follow Harvey on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/harvey-multani-95b591208/ and learn more about RUV Alliance her...
2022-02-0547 minStartup Project
Startup Project#12 Harvey Multani: Founder RUV Alliance & Miami100 DAO | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Harvey Multani, Founder of RUV Alliance & Miami100 DAO.  Prior to starting RUV Alliance, Harvey was an early employee at Coinbase and Plaid working in business development and GTM Strategies.  Full conversation includes: The origins of RUV Alliance Goals as an investor community Macro factors that helped RUV Alliance Dynamics with other SPVs  AngelList's reaction to RUV Alliance Who funds RUV Alliance? Miami100 DAO Where is the leverage for individuals today? Follow Harvey on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/harvey-multani-95b591208/ and learn mor...
2022-02-0547 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#11 Richard White: Founder of Fathom.Video (YC W21) & Uservoice | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Richrad White, Founder of Fathom.VIdeo. It is one of the companies invested by Zoom Apps Fund. Prior to starting Fathom.Video, Richard was CEO & Founder of Uservoice.com (Product feedback for B2B SaaS)/ Full conversation includes: Journey of Uservoice Insights that led to starting Fathom.Video Why repeat founders look at having more investors on cap table than less? Optimization for Angels and New funds on cap table Taking investment from Zoom Fund How to think about B2B marketplaces like Zoom Apps
2022-01-2346 minStartup Project
Startup Project#11 Richard White: Founder of Fathom.Video (YC W21) & Uservoice | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Richrad White, Founder of Fathom.VIdeo. It is one of the companies invested by Zoom Apps Fund. Prior to starting Fathom.Video, Richard was CEO & Founder of Uservoice.com (Product feedback for B2B SaaS)/ Full conversation includes: Journey of Uservoice Insights that led to starting Fathom.Video Why repeat founders look at having more investors on cap table than less? Optimization for Angels and New funds on cap table Taking investment from Zoom Fund How to think about B2B marketplaces like Zoom Apps
2022-01-2346 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#10 Luba Lesiva: Founder of palumni.vc investing in Palantir Alumni | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Luba Lesiva, Founder of palumni.vc Prior to starting palumni.vc she was head of investor relations for Palantir and had a career in investing at Sovereign Wealth Funds and was an investment banker at various Wall Street firms. We talked about: Origin story of palumni.vc Investing in Palantir Alumni Challenges & growth tactics in creating and growing an Alumni Syndicate  Leveraging communities to create value Follow Luba on Twitter at https://twitter.com/loobah_l and learn more about palumni.vc here.
2022-01-1031 minStartup Project
Startup Project#10 Luba Lesiva: Founder of palumni.vc investing in Palantir Alumni | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Luba Lesiva, Founder of palumni.vc Prior to starting palumni.vc she was head of investor relations for Palantir and had a career in investing at Sovereign Wealth Funds and was an investment banker at various Wall Street firms. We talked about: Origin story of palumni.vc Investing in Palantir Alumni Challenges & growth tactics in creating and growing an Alumni Syndicate  Leveraging communities to create value Follow Luba on Twitter at https://twitter.com/loobah_l and learn more about palumni.vc here.
2022-01-1032 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#9 Eric Satz: Founder of Alto IRA | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Eric Satz, Founder & CEO of Alto IRA. Prior to his role as founder and CEO of Alto, Eric worked in investment banking at DLJ/Credit Suisse and co-founded several companies, including: Currenex, an FX trading solution sold to State Street for more than $550M; Plumgood Food, and; Tennessee Community Ventures, a VC firm We talked about: - The problems that led to creation of Alto IRA Advantages of using Alto IRA  Working with partners like Coinbase, Angellist & Republic Diversification of investments Fundraising via Equity Crowdfunding P...
2021-11-1535 minStartup Project
Startup Project#9 Eric Satz: Founder of Alto IRA | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Eric Satz, Founder & CEO of Alto IRA. Prior to his role as founder and CEO of Alto, Eric worked in investment banking at DLJ/Credit Suisse and co-founded several companies, including: Currenex, an FX trading solution sold to State Street for more than $550M; Plumgood Food, and; Tennessee Community Ventures, a VC firm We talked about: - The problems that led to creation of Alto IRA Advantages of using Alto IRA  Working with partners like Coinbase, Angellist & Republic Diversification of investments Fundraising via Equity Crowdfunding P...
2021-11-1535 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#8 Sajid Rahman: Founder of My Asia VC, Investor in 1000+ Startups with 40+ Exits | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Sajid Rahman, Founder of My Asia VC. Sajid is an operator-investor who invested in 1000+ Startups with 40+ Exits. He is the founder of myasiavc.com and his portfolio companies span all geographical regions including North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Latam. We talked about: Transition from Banking to Angel Investing Solving the cold start problem  Best way to start leading investments in 2021  Graduating from a syndicate to fund Thought process behind Investing in different stages Thesis for the new late stage fund Why he...
2021-09-2635 minStartup Project
Startup Project#8 Sajid Rahman: Founder of My Asia VC, Investor in 1000+ Startups with 40+ Exits | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Sajid Rahman, Founder of My Asia VC. Sajid is an operator-investor who invested in 1000+ Startups with 40+ Exits. He is the founder of myasiavc.com and his portfolio companies span all geographical regions including North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Latam. We talked about: Transition from Banking to Angel Investing Solving the cold start problem  Best way to start leading investments in 2021  Graduating from a syndicate to fund Thought process behind Investing in different stages Thesis for the new late stage fund Why he...
2021-09-2635 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#7 Martin Tobias: Founder of Incisive.vc | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Martin Tobias, Founder of Incisive Ventures. Martin is a serial entrepreneur, investor in 100+ deals as an angel, also the Founder of a leading Angel network, Element8. He is also 3x CEO, and has raised over $500M (including two IPOs). We talked about: First Angel Investment Meta Themes  Capital Efficiency in North America vs India Looking at valuations with the lens of notional capital What led to his investment in DocuSign at a time when electronic signatures were not legal. Story behind starting Incisive in the m...
2021-08-0736 minStartup Project
Startup Project#7 Martin Tobias: Founder of Incisive.vc | Startup Project by NatarajIn this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Martin Tobias, Founder of Incisive Ventures. Martin is a serial entrepreneur, investor in 100+ deals as an angel, also the Founder of a leading Angel network, Element8. He is also 3x CEO, and has raised over $500M (including two IPOs). We talked about: First Angel Investment Meta Themes  Capital Efficiency in North America vs India Looking at valuations with the lens of notional capital What led to his investment in DocuSign at a time when electronic signatures were not legal. Story behind starting Incisive in the m...
2021-08-0736 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#6 Vipul Agrawal: Founder of Unlu.io | Startup Project by NatarajThis is a special episode. I have known Vipul for over 6 months now. With in just couple of conversations I have come to realize that he is one of the most interesting founders I have come across. In this episode we talked about: Vipul's journey prior to starting unlu.io & building Rutogo & CricnWin. Making money using  Internet The concept of Fandom vs Respect How his experience working with influencers in cricket and co-producing movies is helping him build Unlu? How does the journey of making an Unlu Class happen, from concept to production? How does Unlu c...
2021-07-0340 minStartup Project
Startup Project#6 Vipul Agrawal: Founder of Unlu.io | Startup Project by NatarajThis is a special episode. I have known Vipul for over 6 months now. With in just couple of conversations I have come to realize that he is one of the most interesting founders I have come across. In this episode we talked about: Vipul's journey prior to starting unlu.io & building Rutogo & CricnWin. Making money using  Internet The concept of Fandom vs Respect How his experience working with influencers in cricket and co-producing movies is helping him build Unlu? How does the journey of making an Unlu Class happen, from concept to production? How does Unlu c...
2021-07-0340 minStartup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#5 Ani Mohan: Founder & General Manager at GameSnacks (Google Area 120) | Startup Project by NatarajIn Episode 5 of The Startup Project (thestartupproject.io) Nataraj talked to Ani Mohan who is the founder and General Manager of Gamesnacks (gamesnacks.com), a web based game platform incubated inside Google's Area 120.  The conversation included the following topics: Start of the Gamesnacks and all the previous versions of it  Incubation of projects inside google area 120 How a decision to Pivot to Gamesnacks was made? Embedding as a distribution Strategy Value chain of Gaming Ecosystem & Future trends in gaming Follow Ani on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ani_c_mohan and learn more about Gamesnacks at...
2021-05-221h 01Startup Project
Startup Project#5 Ani Mohan: Founder & General Manager at GameSnacks (Google Area 120) | Startup Project by NatarajIn Episode 5 of The Startup Project (thestartupproject.io) Nataraj talked to Ani Mohan who is the founder and General Manager of Gamesnacks (gamesnacks.com), a web based game platform incubated inside Google's Area 120.  The conversation included the following topics: Start of the Gamesnacks and all the previous versions of it  Incubation of projects inside google area 120 How a decision to Pivot to Gamesnacks was made? Embedding as a distribution Strategy Value chain of Gaming Ecosystem & Future trends in gaming Follow Ani on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ani_c_mohan and learn more about Gamesnacks at...
2021-05-221h 01Startup Project
Startup Project#4 Manik Mehta: Founder of Omnify, a global SaaS platform for small and medium service business | Startup Project by NatarajManik is the Co-Founder of Omnify (getomnify.com), a global SaaS platform for small and medium service business. Previously he was also the co-founder of LinkMySport.  We talked about: Service Ecommerce Pivoting multiple times to find product market fit Scrapping and restarting to figure the right customers in right geography Giving back time to customers Getting through the rollercoaster of pandemic when 90% of your customers are outside India Vision of Omnify Follow Manik on Twitter at https://twitter.com/manik_me and learn more about omnify at getomnify.com Follow Nataraj on Twitter a...
2021-04-121h 10Startup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#4 Manik Mehta: Founder of Omnify, a global SaaS platform for small and medium service business | Startup Project by NatarajManik is the Co-Founder of Omnify (getomnify.com), a global SaaS platform for small and medium service business. Previously he was also the co-founder of LinkMySport.  We talked about: Service Ecommerce Pivoting multiple times to find product market fit Scrapping and restarting to figure the right customers in right geography Giving back time to customers Getting through the rollercoaster of pandemic when 90% of your customers are outside India Vision of Omnify Follow Manik on Twitter at https://twitter.com/manik_me and learn more about omnify at getomnify.com Follow Nataraj on Twitter a...
2021-04-121h 10Startup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#3 Vikas Malpani: Co-Founder of Leher & Ex-Cofounder of Commonfloor.com | Startup Project by NatarajVikas is the Co-Founder of Leher (Leher.app), a live discussion platform. Previously he was also the co-founder of Commonfloor.com which was acquired by Quikr.  We talked about: Growth of Leher in last 6 months Monetization Models Content moderation The Clubhouse Effect From Commonfloor to Leher, how has the Indian Startup ecosystem changed? Follow Vikas on Twitter at https://twitter.com/vikasmalpani and learn more about Leher at Leher.App Follow Nataraj on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam and stay up to date at thestartupproject.io
2021-03-1134 minStartup Project
Startup Project#3 Vikas Malpani: Co-Founder of Leher & Ex-Cofounder of Commonfloor.com | Startup Project by NatarajVikas is the Co-Founder of Leher (Leher.app), a live discussion platform. Previously he was also the co-founder of Commonfloor.com which was acquired by Quikr.  We talked about: Growth of Leher in last 6 months Monetization Models Content moderation The Clubhouse Effect From Commonfloor to Leher, how has the Indian Startup ecosystem changed? Follow Vikas on Twitter at https://twitter.com/vikasmalpani and learn more about Leher at Leher.App Follow Nataraj on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam and stay up to date at thestartupproject.io
2021-03-1134 minStartup Project
Startup Project#2 Pankaj Jain: COO Workomo & Investor | Startup Project by NatarajPankaj Jain is currently COO of Workomo. He has worn multiple hats in his journey from being a founder, operator & investor. He is also an advisor to Angel List India's The Collective Fund. We talked about  Creating communities like Startup weekend & now Indian startup club on clubhouse (https://indianstartup.club/) Working at TLabs (Times Internet's Accelerator) Different Accelerator models in India  Leading 500 Startup's India Strategy Evolution of Food Startups in India Jio Effect in India Advising for Angel List India's The Collective Fund Perspective on AL Syndicates Indian companies registering outside India 2020 is it a crisis/bu...
2021-02-141h 33Startup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#2 Pankaj Jain: COO Workomo & Investor | Startup Project by NatarajPankaj Jain is currently COO of Workomo. He has worn multiple hats in his journey from being a founder, operator & investor. He is also an advisor to Angel List India's The Collective Fund. We talked about  Creating communities like Startup weekend & now Indian startup club on clubhouse (https://indianstartup.club/) Working at TLabs (Times Internet's Accelerator) Different Accelerator models in India  Leading 500 Startup's India Strategy Evolution of Food Startups in India Jio Effect in India Advising for Angel List India's The Collective Fund Perspective on AL Syndicates Indian companies registering outside India 2020 is it a crisis/bu...
2021-02-141h 33Startup Project
Startup Project#1 Pranay Gupta: Cofounder of 91Springboard & Angel Investor | Startup Project by NatarajPranay is the co-founder of 91 Springboard (91springboard.com), one of India's successful co-working space companies.   We talked about:  Interesting origin story of 91Springboard  Evolution and scaling of 91Springboard  The business model of co-working space company   How 91Springboard became on of the best startup incubators and received "Best emerging Technology Incubator 2016" award from president of India  His recent foray to Angel Investing and setting up a syndicate  Goa as a startup destination You can follow Pranay on Twitter (https://twitter.com/PranayG) and learn more about 91Springboard here (91springboard.com) More information of all other e...
2021-01-291h 19Startup Project: Build the future
Startup Project: Build the future#1 Pranay Gupta: Cofounder of 91Springboard & Angel Investor | Startup Project by NatarajPranay is the co-founder of 91 Springboard (91springboard.com), one of India's successful co-working space companies.   We talked about:  Interesting origin story of 91Springboard  Evolution and scaling of 91Springboard  The business model of co-working space company   How 91Springboard became on of the best startup incubators and received "Best emerging Technology Incubator 2016" award from president of India  His recent foray to Angel Investing and setting up a syndicate  Goa as a startup destination You can follow Pranay on Twitter (https://twitter.com/PranayG) and learn more about 91Springboard here (91springboard.com) More information of all other e...
2021-01-291h 19