

Founder Thesis
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Dickens said, it was the best of the times, it was the worst of the times. The words have never been truer. Best because there’s never been a better time to be an entrepreneur. Worst because the clutter is mind-numbing. Founder Thesis breaks through the noise to bring you stories of success & failure, grit & struggle, bouquets & brickbats from some of the most brilliant entrepreneurs in India.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 20, 2023 • 1h 38min
Building the vehicle health data stack | Anup Patil @ Intangles
Discover the journey behind building Intangles into a global SaaS business, focusing on mining valuable data from commercial vehicles. Much like an Apple Watch tracks and provides insights into one's body, Intangles helps vehicles in becoming "fitter" by identifying issues that, once resolved, result in substantial cost savings for fleet operators.For more such interesting founder journeys, subscribe to our newsletter www.founderthesis.comRead more about Intangles:-1.'The art of exploring.' Intangles CEO believes in power of curiosity to build & learn from experiences2.Intangles uses AI to drive predictive analytics3.This digital twin startup providing highly accurate predictive diagnostics for fleet operators, is powered by the intel startup program

Dec 19, 2023 • 1h 2min
Building commercial EV for Bharat | Inderveer Singh @ EVage Motors
EVage Motors stands at the forefront of innovation in the electric vehicle sector, positioning itself to be a significant disruptor, much like how Tesla revolutionized the global market. Inderveer Singh discusses the visionary approach to crafting the next generation of four-wheeled EVs.Read more about EVage at:1.Chandigarh-based EVage is driving towards a greener future with its made-in-India four-wheeler2.EVage's Singh On India’s Commercial EV Revolution3.Inderveer Singh Panesar Steers EVage’s Global Growth Vision After Highlighting Specialized EVs

Dec 13, 2023 • 55min
Funding advice from an I-banker | Shauraya Bhutani @ Capital Connect Advisors
Shauraya Bhutani brings to the table an exceptional combination of being both young and a veteran of the PE space, and he is the co-founder of the boutique investment bank - Capital Connect Advisors. He spills the beans on how to get your startup funded across different levels, and how to be more strategic about engaging with an investment bank to raise funds.For more such interesting founder journeys, subscribe to our newsletter www.founderthesis.comRead more about Capital Connect Advisors:-1.Investment banker Shauraya Bhutani makes it to Forbes Asia’s 30 Under 302.India is emerging as a climate tech hub

Dec 11, 2023 • 1h 22min
Digital public infrastructure for assets | Shreyans Nahar @ Finsire
Shreyans reveals a groundbreaking solution to address the inefficiencies in traditional lending. With the innovative platform Sheru, he is on a mission to reshape lending norms by considering a diverse range of assets, from stocks and mutual funds to cryptocurrency and NFTs.For more such interesting founder journeys, subscribe to our newsletter www.founderthesis.comRead more about Finsire:-1.Borrowers must be proactive in managing their loan repayments, says Shreyans Nahar of Finsire2.Fintech startup Finsire raises $1.3 million in seed funding3.How would a blockchain network help the lenders and borrowers4.Future of secured credit cards in India and beyond

Dec 5, 2023 • 1h 31min
Taking affordable edtech to the masses | Pallav Pandey @ Uolo
Pallav Pandey has been a key player in India's startup scene for two decades. Now, with his fourth venture, Uolo, he aims to become the go-to platform for distributing edtech products across India. Uolo's core belief is that there's no one-size-fits-all solution in edtech; instead, India requires a multitude of affordable options. Pallav is actively constructing the channels through which these diverse edtech products will reach a wide audience.For more such interesting founder journeys, subscribe to our newsletter www.founderthesis.comRead more about Uolo:-1.From 150 to 5,600 schools: how edtech startup uolo expanded across India2.UOLO: Transforming B2B Edtech Industry One School at a time3.New Breed Of Edtechs Will Emerge In Near Future: Co-founder, Uolo4.You no longer live only once as UOLO bridges the gap between schools and teachers

Dec 4, 2023 • 1h 21min
How to Build Real-World AI Products That Scale | Pawan & Paramdeep (Shorthills AI)
"The real power would lie if we crack the technology piece very clearly."Pawan Prabhat and Paramdeep Singh emphasize the importance of robust technology in their ventures. In this episode, they share their journey of building and scaling tech-driven companies, highlighting the critical role of innovation and adaptability in solving complex business problems.Pawan Prabhat is the Co-founder & President at Shorthills AI, a company focused on building enterprise applications on LLMs. He is a serial entrepreneur; his previous EdTech venture, EduPristine, grew at 80+% YoY and was acquired by Adtalem (NYSE: ATGE).Paramdeep Singh is the President & Co-founder at Shorthills AI. He brings extensive experience in technology, operations, and business modeling. Previously, he co-founded EduPristine, which achieved market leadership in the Ed-Tech space.Key Insights from the Conversation: The importance of having a long-term vision. How EdTech was not the flavor of the season when they started EduPristine. The intricacies of building and scaling AI-driven solutions. Why LLMs are not just hype. The future of generative AI in solving enterprise problems.Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction to Serial Founders and Their Journey00:01:12 - From Hardcore Coders to Business Leaders00:05:36 - Choosing Between Online and Offline Education00:08:39 - Finding Product-Market Fit00:13:34 - Building a Profitable Business vs. Burning Cash for Scale00:18:45 - Cracking the Global Market00:28:48 - Starting Shorthills AI: Solving Tough Problems with AI00:39:28 - The Hardest Problems in Building an AI-Powered Review Platform00:51:57 - Evolution of Large Language Models (LLMs)01:10:11 - Leveraging Generative AI for Enterprise Solutions01:13:17 - The Nuances of Prompt Engineering01:28:50 - The Long-Term Vision for Shorthills AIHashtags:#GenerativeAI #LLMs #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #StartupIndia #FounderThesis #Entrepreneurship #TechStartups #AIApplications #DeepLearning #Innovation #BusinessStrategy #Podcast #Technology

Nov 20, 2023 • 1h 6min
Powering Kirana commerce | Karthik Venkateswaran @ Jumbotail
A former Indian Army major turned entrepreneur, Karthik recognized that India's strength lay in economic prosperity. He spent six years in disruptive startups before founding Jumbotail to disrupt traditional retail without disempowering the last mile retailers.For more such interesting founder journeys, subscribe to our newsletter www.founderthesis.comRead more about Jumbotail:-1.Jumbotail: The shop for shopkeepers2.’We help transform kirana stores into convenience stores.’3.How B2B marketplace Jumbotail has been able to maintain scale amid the Coronavirus crisis4.“B2B and New Retail gaining significant traction”

Nov 15, 2023 • 1h 7min
Powering the recommerce economy | Saket Saurav @ Refit Global
This episode delves into the world of pre-owned mobile phones with Saket Saurav, founder of Refit Global, a leading player in the space. Discover the remarkable journey of scaling up this startup without external funding, reaching a topline of over 300 crores this year.For more such interesting founder journeys, subscribe to our newsletter www.founderthesis.comRead more about Refit Global:-1. Setting standards: a delhi startup is trying to bring quality assurance to india’s refurbished device market2.This Delhi- based startup nailing the second hand device market3. Meet Saket Saurav, old mobile phone dealer who earned Rs 200 crore, now aims for Rs 350 crore revenue4.ReFit Global on India’s gadget refurbishment market – Myths, Insights, and more!5.Who Is Saket Saurav, The Founder Of ReFit Global?

Nov 10, 2023 • 1h 47min
Building a unicorn with Bharat values | Amit Jain @ CarDekho
Discover the heartwarming journey of CarDekho, India's very own success story, born in a small town and fueled by the family values of Bharat. Amit shares deeply personal stories, invaluable insights from building up the gigantic yet nimble tech startup, and some essential principles for aspiring founders.For more such interesting founder journeys, subscribe to our newsletter www.founderthesis.comRead more about CarDekho:-1.Meet Amit Jain, Ratan Tata-backed CEO, went bankrupt, now owns Rs 10,000 crore company2.Shark Tank India: Why CarDekho’s Amit Jain believes in ‘pehle banda phir dhandha’3.Who is a perfect startup founder? Shark Tank India's Amit Jain tells us4.'You don’t have to shift to Mumbai or Bengaluru to become a successful entrepreneur,' says CarDekho’s Amit Jain

Nov 8, 2023 • 1h 34min
The community- building manifesto | Kunal Jain @ Analytics Vidhya
A community startup is built on the back of a strong organically grown community base, hyper-focused on adding value to the community. Kunal Jain is one of the early pioneers in community building and he shares his journey of starting a community, bootstrapped, and how it became a full-fledged platform for analytics professionals with a global reach.For more such interesting founder journeys, subscribe to our newsletter founderthesis.comRead more about Analytics Vidhya:-1.Demand for data science professionals continuously increasing: Analytics Vidhya