Founder Thesis

Dive into the evolving landscape of mergers and acquisitions in this episode. Maneesh talks about GrowthPal's journey of disrupting the business of buying and selling companies with its premium discovery service, featuring a unique blend of subscription and commission charges. He shares the driving forces behind company acquisitions and discusses buyer-seller relationship dynamics. From debunking myths to drawing parallels with dating apps, walk into the intriguing world of M&A trends and strategies with Maneesh.Get notified about the latest releases and bonus content by subscribing to our newsletter at www.founderthesis.comRead more about GrowthPal:-1.Startup Mantra: M&A made easy with GrowthPal2.Startup to Scaleup: Spotlight on GrowthPal that aims to reinvent M&A deal sourcing3.Lending dominated fintech M&As in 2023 amid increased regulatory scrutiny: GrowthPal study

How does venture capitalist Rahul Chowdhri build breakout Indian startups with discipline in a funding winter? In this Founder Thesis episode, the Stellaris Venture Partners co-founder unpacks his seed-to-IPO playbook across SaaS, AI, and consumer brands—and why India’s public markets are the ultimate exit test.From an operator-turned-investor with 17+ years in venture, Rahul goes deep on founder selection (“ambition + reason”), the seed metrics that actually matter, and Stellaris’ focus on staying early-stage to compound outcomes. We discuss IPOs vs M&A in India (and why listing is the best outcome), how LP interest in India has surged, and how to pitch a fund when capital is selective. You’ll hear real talk on market cycles, AI disruption, and designing for public-market scrutiny from Day 1—making this episode a timely guide for Indian startup founders navigating 2025’s fundraising climate.• How Rahul Chowdhri and Stellaris Venture Partners pick winners in SaaS, AI, and consumer • Why IPO exits beat M&A in India—and how to build for them early • The “ambition + reason” founder filter and the signals that matter at seed • Surviving the funding winter with MIS discipline, unit economics, and repeatable GTM • What global LPs want now—and why interest in India is up 10× • Playbooks across AI/SaaS, consumer brand building, and designing for public marketsSubscribe to the Founder Thesis Podcast Follow Akshay Datt (host) on LinkedIn for exclusive content Visit founderthesis.com for more founder stories00:00 – Rahul Chowdhri’s VC Journey 04:30 – Why Stellaris Stays Early-Stage 09:15 – Founder Filters: Ambition + Reason 14:40 – Seed Metrics That Matter 21:10 – IPO Exits vs M&A in India 28:05 – What LPs Want in 2025 35:20 – AI, SaaS and Consumer Bets 42:45 – How to Pitch Stellaris#RahulChowdhri #StellarisVenturePartners #FounderThesis #IndiaVC #VentureCapitalIndia #FundingWinter #IPOExits #AIFReforms #SaaSIndia #AIStartups #ConsumerBrands #LPs #SeedToIPO #StartupFundraising #IndianStartups #VCPlaybook #PublicMarketsIndia #Mamaearth #Whatfix #EarlyStageVC

From humble beginnings as a college contractor to navigating the startup world, Amit Bansal's story speaks of resilience and reinvention. In this episode, learn how he found his niche and established India’s foremost asset-light interior fit-out company, 91Squarefeet. He talks about how this innovative company is changing the way workspaces are designed by using independent contractors. Explore the nuances of finding product-market fit, achieving unit economic profitability, mastering the art of B2B sales, and implementing best practices for product development.Get notified about the latest releases and bonus content by subscribing to our newsletter at www.founderthesis.comRead more about 91Squarefeet:-1.91Squarefeet to transform the future of work with 500 high-tech, sustainable offices2.How office space can contribute to economic development of country, explains Amit Bansal, CEO and Co-Founder 91Squarefeet3.This start-up uses tech to help brands build their brick-and-mortar network4.Using AI, this retail store development startup is helping offline brands accelerate expansion

Ritesh Kumar had worked for a couple of years in investment banking after graduating from IIT Kharagpur when he decided to build his enterprise, and just like any truly great founder story, there were many twists and turns before they truly achieved their product market fit and started the journey of scale.Ritesh is the founder of TranZact, which is helping Indian SMEs to be more effective and efficient through software that is built for them. In a way, Transzact is powering the dream of ‘Make in India’ and helping us compete with Chinese manufacturing.In this episode, Ritesh talks to Akshay Datt about Identifying the right problem to solve as a founder The journey of getting your pricing right as a SaaS founder ‘Less is more’ approach of product building - focus on what really matters to your customersGet notified about the latest releases and bonus content by subscribing to our newsletter at www.founderthesis.comRead more about TranZact here:- TranZact raises $7 million from Tribe Capital and others

With over 2 decades of entrepreneurial experience, Raju's journey from bootstrapped beginnings with Way2sms to pioneering the hyperlocal news platform Way2News showcases his remarkable resilience and vision. Gain unique insights and lessons learned as Raju discusses conceiving business models, organic growth strategies, leveraging vernacular content, and capitalizing on events to drive engagement. Tune in for an insightful exploration of how Raju continues to disrupt and redefine the landscape of Indian news consumption.Get notified about the latest releases and bonus content by subscribing to our newsletter at www.founderthesis.comRead more about Way2News:-1.Way2News taps into rising demand for vernacular content with local flavour2.Way2News founder-CEO Raju Vanapala on serving hyperlocal news for Bharat3.Why short news app Way2News positions itself as the ‘go-to’ platform for hyperlocal campaigns in South India4.Today news isn't a matter of language, but rather how quickly it is available5. How Way2News transformed the hyper- local news ecosystem in India

Uncover a slice of India's startup history as we delve into the journey of Amit Singh, a former Jabong employee turned entrepreneur. Discover how he identified a market opportunity within the transportation sector, leading to the creation of Shuttl, a company aimed at revolutionising daily office commutes. With over $120 million in funding, they were on the brink of transforming the industry before the pandemic shifted their trajectory, ultimately culminating in their acquisition by travel-tech unicorn Chalo.Get notified about the latest releases and bonus content by subscribing to our newsletter at www.founderthesis.comRead more about Shuttl:-1.Profitability is a moving goal post, says Shuttl CEO2.Chalo acquires office bus service Shuttl3.My first year at work: Most of the fun we had was after work, says Amit Singh, Co-founder, Shuttl4.Shuttl propagates smart urban mobility through technology

We are a constantly evolving species, from discovering fire to inventing the wheel to now inventing AI - humanity is on a relentless path of progress.And while each new technology may have a different flavour to it, the one broad outcome that remains constant is that we are constantly reducing barriers to access. Be it access to education or access to jobs or access to investment opportunities.Today, thanks to platforms like hbits, you can access a real estate asset worth hundreds of millions  of rupees through fractional ownership.In this deep dive into the new era of real estate investing, your host Akshay Datt speaks to Shiv Parekh - the founder and CEO of hBits.Stay tuned for a knowledge filled episode of the founder thesis podcast to understand how the business of real estate investments is getting disrupted by nimble tech-enabled startups.

Discover why microchips are essential for the AI economy and how they've propelled Nvidia to become the world's third most valuable company. Shashwath is the founder of one of India’s top microchip companies and in this episode, he goes deep into the semiconductor business. Gain insights into the importance of microchips for AI and their impact in shaping India's technological self-reliance.Get notified about the latest releases and bonus content by subscribing to our newsletter at www.founderthesis.comRead more about Mindgrove:-1.Designed-in-India chips for the World2. Mindgrove Technologies’ Shashwath TR on Making India’s Most Secure Chip3.Redefining Chip Design: Mindgrove’s Tailored Approach to Innovation4.When the chips were down, they opted to stand up

Zaggle is a B2B SaaS Fintech startup helping companies digitise and optimize their payment and expense workflow using AI, ML and is on a mission to revolutionize banking for corporates. In this conversation, Raj shares his multiple journeys of finding market opportunities and how he scaled up each of his ventures.Get notified about the latest releases and bonus content by subscribing to our newsletter at www.founderthesis.comRead more about Zaggle:-1.Tax-free allowances can be availed under new income tax regime too: Avinash Godkhindi, CEO, Zaggle Prepaid2.Zaggle And Hyperface Strengthen Co-Branded Corporate Credit Cards With Multi-Wallet Functions3.From Start To Stock Markets: Zaggle Founder Raj Narayanam On The 11-Year Journey To An IPO4.We have been the cockroaches of the Fintech SaaS space: Zaggle’s Raj Narayanam5.Valuation Is Temporary But Value Is Permanent: Founder, Zaggle6.Raj N: The Odd One Out Setting Unprecedented Milestones in the FinTech Industry

Take a deep dive into digital lending with Fibe, the leading player in the unsecured lending space. In this episode, we unravel the ABCs of the lending business, exploring what drives their customer selection process, how they crafted the winning customer value proposition, their strategic brand positioning and their journey of scaling from 0 to 1.Get notified about the latest releases and bonus content by subscribing to our newsletter at www.founderthesis.comRead more about Fibe:-1.Transforming the credit landscape: Fibe’s co-lending initiatives and technological advancements reshape borrowing experience2.Customise and digitise your HR for impact: Insights into Fibe’s exciting journey with Akrivia HCM3.Lendingtech Startup Fibe’s FY23 Net Profit Soars 9X To INR 36.3 Cr4.Axis Bank, Fibe partner to launch India's first numberless credit card5. Guest Talk: Mr. Akshay Mehrotra, Co-Founder and CEO, EarlySalary