1947 Rise

Shruti Gandhi is the Founder and Managing Partner of Array Ventures, which backs early-stage B2B, deep-tech, and AI/ML startups. She has invested in 60+ companies with notable exits to Apple, PayPal, and ServiceNow, manages ~$150M across three funds, and also teaches at Columbia while serving on the San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System board.00:00 – Top moments01:25 – Intro02:49 – Shruti’s early influences and move to the US04:21 – Shruti’s upbringing in India and core values06:13 – Shruti’s entry into the world of tech12:23 – Shruti’s confidence as a solo GP and woman of Indian origin17:42 – Shruti’s fourth fund focus and the impact of AI20:33 – Shruti’s applications of AI today24:19 – Shruti’s excitement about India’s tech ecosystem26:41 – Shruti’s high-conviction bet in India’s tech ecosystem28:09 – What Shruti is known for among friends 🔗 CONNECT WITH https: Shruti Gandhi👥 Linkedin -   / shrutigandhi  🐦 Twitter - https://x.com/atshruti🔗 CONNECT WITH SHIVA💌 Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/🎥 YouTube Channel - / @1947rise 🐦 Twitter - / shivassangwan 🐦 Twitter - / 1947rise 👥 Linkedin - / shiva-singh-sangwan 🎙 ABOUT THE PODCASTOur purpose is to help startups go mainstream in 🇮🇳!1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drainand 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZiSpotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW.

Ashu Garg is a General Partner at Foundation Capital, where he leads early-stage investments in AI, enterprise software, and data infrastructure. Over his career, he has invested early in one decacorn (Databricks) and six unicorns (Cohesity, Eightfold, Amperity, Turing, Anyscale, and Alation) … so far. Before venture, Ashu held leadership roles at Microsoft and McKinsey, and earned the President’s Gold Medal at IIM Bangalore after graduating from IIT Delhi.00:00 - Highlights of key moments01:16 - Introduction02:18 - Formative experiences during early life in India04:24 - Journey to moving to the U.S.06:19 - Key individuals in the U.S. who were most influential11:11 - Path to Microsoft and proudest experiences there14:31 - Turning point from a startup pitch to a career in venture capital17:15 - Early VC challenges and realization that grit outweighs credentials21:35 - Identifying exceptional people with an example of a founder backed for grit25:54 - Founding of IIT Build, its purpose, and role in supporting large-scale founders28:32 - Common patterns observed among IIT founders backed32:17 - Overlooked aspects of AI deserving more attention34:45 - Use of AI in personal and professional life, including surprising moments37:29 - Evolution of the Indian tech ecosystem, current strengths, and areas for improvement43:07 - Current involvement in the Indian technology ecosystem46:21 - Personal traits or qualities recognized by friends🔗 CONNECT WITH https: Ashu Garg👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashugargvc?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app🔗 CONNECT WITH SHIVA💌 Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/🎥 YouTube Channel - / @1947rise 🐦 Twitter - / shivassangwan 🐦 Twitter - / 1947rise 👥 Linkedin - / shiva-singh-sangwan 🎙 ABOUT THE PODCASTOur purpose is to help startups go mainstream in 🇮🇳!1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drainand 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZiSpotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW.

Debarghya “Deedy” Das is a technologist and investor, currently a Principal at Menlo Ventures where he leads early-stage investments in AI, infrastructure, and enterprise software, including the $100 million Anthology Fund with Anthropic. A founding engineer and product leader at Glean, he helped scale the company to a $2.2 billion valuation, following impactful engineering roles at Google Search and Facebook. Deedy is also a widely followed commentator on technology, immigration, and education, with his insights reaching millions on X and LinkedIn. 00:00 - Highlights of key moments 01:25 - Introduction 02:29 - Deedy's formative experiences during early life in India 05:58 - Deedy's motivation for moving to the U.S. and the journey experience 08:50 - Deedy's origins of interest in research 10:36 - Deedy's projects at Facebook and accomplishments 16:35 - Deedy's journey to Glean, key learnings, and impact made 22:19 - Deedy's transition to investing with Menlo Ventures and sources of excitement in the role 26:40 - Deedy's investment opportunities being pursued at Menlo 28:52 - AI tools that are essential professionally and personally 30:31 - Deedy's memorable moment where an AI tool saved significant time and effort 34:11 - Deedy's skills that will remain irreplaceable 40:28 - Deedy's excitement about the Indian technology ecosystem 44:45 - Deedy's high-conviction bet on the Indian tech ecosystem 48:59 - Deedy's personal traits or qualities recognized by friends🔗 CONNECT WITH https: Deedy Das👥 Linkedin -   / debarghyadas  🐦 Twitter - https://x.com/deedydas🔗 CONNECT WITH SHIVA💌 Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/🎥 YouTube Channel - / @1947rise 🐦 Twitter - / shivassangwan 🐦 Twitter - / 1947rise 👥 Linkedin - / shiva-singh-sangwan 🎙 ABOUT THE PODCASTOur purpose is to help startups go mainstream in 🇮🇳!1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drainand 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZiSpotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW.

Satyajeet Salgar is Director of Product and UX at Google AI, where he leads teams building transformative products at the intersection of technology and media. With over a decade at Google, he has shaped products across Search, YouTube, Payments, and Ads—serving as the founding PM for YouTube Live and Games on Google+. Previously, he led YouTube Shopping’s Consumer and Live Shopping teams, building tools for creators and brands. Passionate about the future of AI, he advises startups and lectures on product, tech, and business, while remaining an unabashed fan of film and television.00:00 - Top moments01:28 - Introduction02:50 - Satyajeet's formative experiences during early life in India06:38 - Satyajeet's reasons behind moving to the U.S.09:52 - Satyajeet's perspective on the growing trend of professors in India becoming entrepreneurs11:40 - Factors that led Satyajeet to join YouTube in its early days15:41 - Satyajeet's journey and evolution at YouTube and Google Search21:35 - Satyajeet's overview of Google AI, what attracted interest, and current role24:25 - Anticipated impact of AI across various aspects of life29:37 - Satyajeet's memorable moment demonstrating the power of AI35:53 - Satyajeet's thoughts on the accessibility of AI38:15 - Satyajeet's views on India as the second-largest market for AI40:35 - Satyajeet's excitement about the Indian technology ecosystem45:14 - Satyajeet's personal identity and interests outside of work46:14 - Satyajeet currently playing games with his children🔗 CONNECT WITH https: Satyajeet Salgar👥 Linkedin -   / salgar  🐦 Twitter -https://x.com/salgar🔗 CONNECT WITH SHIVA💌 Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/🎥 YouTube Channel -    / @1947rise  🐦 Twitter -   / shivassangwan  🐦 Twitter -   / 1947rise  👥 Linkedin -   / shiva-singh-sangwan  

Manik Gupta is Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, leading product for Microsoft Teams, used by over 320 million monthly users. He sits on the Board of Directors at CarGurus and was previously Chief Product Officer at Uber, where he drove product strategy as the platform scaled to 100M+ users across 700+ cities. Before that, he spent over seven years at Google, helping scale Google Maps to over 1 billion users. With 20+ years of experience, Manik is known for building global consumer products and leading high-impact teams at scale.00:00 - Top Moments00:15 - Intro02:51 - Influential experiences during Manik's early life in India08:12 - Manik's motivation behind moving to the U.S. and the journey to working on Google Maps10:53 - Manik's role in building Google Maps and the transition to Uber16:51 - Journey and key experiences at Uber22:29 - Transition to Microsoft Teams and what makes the work exciting today28:32 - Mentors and pivotal moments in the U.S. that shaped the career trajectory32:41 - Excitement about the Indian tech ecosystem and plans to contribute to its growth38:42 - Personal identity and interests outside of work40:54 - Ideal dinner guests, dead or alive, and reasons for the choices 🔗 CONNECT WITH https: Manik Gupta 👥 Linkedin -   / manikg  🐦 Twitter - https://x.com/manikgupta🔗 CONNECT WITH SHIVA💌 Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/🎥 YouTube Channel -    / @1947rise  🐦 Twitter -   / shivassangwan  🐦 Twitter -   / 1947rise  👥 Linkedin -   / shiva-singh-sangwan  🎙 ABOUT THE PODCASTOur purpose is to help startups go mainstream in 🇮🇳!1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drainand 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZiSpotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW.

Dhruvil Sanghvi is the Co-founder and CEO of LogiNext, a prominent transportation automation platform optimizing logistics operations for enterprises globally. Since its inception in 2014, LogiNext has experienced significant growth, serving over 200 enterprise clients across more than 50 countries. Under Sanghvi's leadership, the company has raised approximately $50 million in funding across multiple rounds, with a valuation of around $100 million as of January 2020. 00:00 - Top Moments 01:35 - Introduction 03:19 - Dhruvil's influences and environmental factors during upbringing 08:06 - Dhruvil's decision to return to India and the founding story of LogiNext 13:20 - Co-founder selection, initial project, and first customer 16:05 - Key inflection point for LogiNext 20:39 - Dhruvil's vision and desired outcomes for LogiNext 24:27 - Strategies for building and scaling a SaaS company from India 28:45 - Potential for India to create $10B revenue SaaS companies and necessary factors 31:30 - Competitive advantages of India in various industries37:26 - Role of the Indian diaspora in scaling companies towards $1T valuations 41:21 - Dhruvil's advice for those exploring opportunities in India 45:46 - Dhruvil's recent personal interests outside of work 47:29 - Common misconceptions about Dhruvil 48:12 - Dhruvil's most costly lesson learned 52:25 - Ideal dinner guests, dead or alive, and reasons for selection 🔗 CONNECT WITH Dhruvil Sanghvi👥 Linkedin -   / dhruvilsanghvi  🐦 Twitter - https://x.com/dhruvilsanghvi🔗 CONNECT WITH SHIVA💌 Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/🎥 YouTube Channel -    / @1947rise  🐦 Twitter -   / shivassangwan  🐦 Twitter -   / 1947rise  👥 Linkedin -   / shiva-singh-sangwan  🎙 ABOUT THE PODCASTOur purpose is to help startups go mainstream in 🇮🇳!1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drainand 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZiSpotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW.

Anand Jain is the co-founder of CleverTap, a leading customer engagement and retention platform serving 10,000+ brands globally. Under his leadership, CleverTap has raised over $100 million in funding and reached a valuation of $775 million. With a focus on data-driven marketing, he has helped businesses enhance user engagement at scale. His journey highlights innovation, entrepreneurship, and the role of technology in driving customer retention.00:00 - Top moments.01:38 - Introduction.02:53 - Anand's major influences during early years.05:48 - Anand's reasons for moving to the US.10:20 - Impact of US experience on Anand's skills and mindset for building a large company.15:36 - Anand's decision to give up the green card, return to India, and next steps.25:50 - Meeting co-founders.27:40 - Founding story and evolution of CleverTap.40:57 - Key inflection point that changed CleverTap’s trajectory and current status.48:30 - Future plans for the next 3–5 years.52:38 - Potential for an Indian SaaS company to reach $1 billion in revenue.56:39 - Anand's possible impact of building CleverTap while staying in the US.58:56 - Unique advantages Indians have over global competitors, including Silicon Valley.01:03:04 - Anand's advice for professionals in Silicon Valley or abroad considering opportunities in India.01:07:59 - Role of the Indian diaspora in scaling companies and contributing to India's tech ecosystem.01:10:30 - Anand's current personal obsessions outside of work.01:11:50 - Common misconceptions about Anand.01:12:16 - Three ideal dinner guests and reasons for the choice. 🔗 CONNECT WITH Anand Jain👥 Linkedin -   / anand-jain-07a8012  🐦 Twitter - https://x.com/helloanand🔗 CONNECT WITH SHIVA💌 Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/🎥 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfiQ...🐦 Twitter -   / shivassangwan  🐦 Twitter -   / 1947rise  👥 Linkedin -   / shiva-sin.  .🎙 ABOUT THE PODCASTOur purpose is to help startups go mainstream in 🇮🇳!1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drainand 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZiSpotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW.

Sanket Shah, co-founder of InVideo, an innovative video creation platform amassing over 10 million users, shares insights from his rapid entrepreneurial journey. He discusses the cultural influences that shaped his vision and the inspirations that led to founding InVideo. Shah delves into how AI can revolutionize content creation and the role of the Indian diaspora in scaling tech ventures. He also emphasizes the need for bold investments in India's startup ecosystem and the transformative power of personal passion and perseverance in entrepreneurship.

Gaurav Agarwal is the co-founder of Tata 1mg, India’s largest digital healthcare platform. He played a key role in revolutionizing India’s healthcare landscape. Returning from Silicon Valley, Gaurav leveraged his expertise to scale Tata 1mg, tackling cultural and operational challenges while driving strategic innovations. His journey offers deep insights into entrepreneurship, technology-driven impact, and business scaling in a complex market.00:00 - Key highlights. 01:42 - Introduction. 03:21 - Gaurav's major influences during early years. 10:05 - Gaurav's motivation for moving to the US and personal experience. 16:56 - Gaurav's return to India in 2013 and early challenges. 25:24 - Evolution of Tata 1mg and key inflection points. 35:42 - Experience on the day of the acquisition by TATA38:30 - Significance of being the largest Digital healthcare company in the country. 45:34 - 1 MG's current valuation. 47:14 - Gaurav's potential impact if he had remained in the US. 48:58 - Gaurav's advice for Indians abroad considering opportunities in India. 54:43 - Gaurav's suggested opportunities for those with strong conviction. 01:00:14 - Gaurav's personal obsessions outside of work. 01:01:09 - Common misconceptions about Gaurav.🔗 CONNECT WITH Gaurav Agarwal👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/agarwalga🐦 Twitter - https://x.com/agarwal_gaurav🔗 CONNECT WITH SHIVA💌 Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/🎥 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfiQ...🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/shivassangwan🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/1947Rise👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shiva-sin...🎙 ABOUT THE PODCASTOur purpose is to help startups go mainstream in 🇮🇳!1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drainand 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZiSpotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW.

Rahul Chowdhri is the co-founder of Stellaris Venture Partners, one of India's leading venture capital firms. Stellaris has backed some of the country's most successful startups, including Mamaearth and Whatfix.00:00 - Top Moments 01:29 - Introduction. 02:51 - Rahul's major influences during early years. 06:11 - Early days and founding story of Stellaris Venture Partners. 08:33 - Rahul meeting Ritesh and Alok. 09:37 - First believer who supported the fund’s launch. 11:44 - Founders who backed the fund and critical inflection point. 13:04 - Evolution of the fund since 2017, investment thesis, check size, and founder profile. 16:16 - Notable investment examples. 18:58 - Future trends in startups and venture capital. 22:30 - Scaling Indian companies from $50 billion to $100 billion+. 24:31 - Rahul's key lessons from 15+ years of investing. 25:15 - Rahul's biggest investment misses and lessons learned. 26:29 - Unique superpower of Ritesh and Alok. 27:32 - Rahul's current investment thesis. 27:55 - Rahul's desired changes in the startup ecosystem. 31:18 - Role of the Indian diaspora in scaling businesses from $10 billion to $200 billion+. 33:58 - Rahul's advice for Indians abroad considering opportunities in India. 36:16 - Changes over the last 20 years since moving to India. 38:34 - Steps to succeed in venture capital. 41:20 - Biggest challenges in building a fund. 42:37 - Rahul's personal obsessions outside of work. 43:44 - Rahul's essential life hack. 44:19 - Common misconceptions about Rahul. 45:30 - Rahul's work interests if money and attention were irrelevant. 46:27 - Three ideal dinner guests and reasons for the choice. 🔗 CONNECT WITH Rahul Chowdhri👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulchowdhri/🐦 Twitter- https://x.com/rchowdhri🔗 CONNECT WITH SHIVA💌 Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/🎥 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfiQ...🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/shivassangwan🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/1947Rise👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shiva-sin...🎙 ABOUT THE PODCASTOur purpose is to help startups go mainstream in 🇮🇳!1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drainand 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZiSpotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW.