

1947 Rise
Shiva Singh Sangwan
Our purpose is to help startups go mainstream in š®š³!
1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drain
We do this by interviewing India-born, overseas-trained who have moved back to India and built massive tech companies themselves and/or helped enable the tech ecosystem
1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.
We do this by unpacking the investing journey of the best operator-angels in India.
1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drain
We do this by interviewing India-born, overseas-trained who have moved back to India and built massive tech companies themselves and/or helped enable the tech ecosystem
1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.
We do this by unpacking the investing journey of the best operator-angels in India.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 5, 2025 ⢠1h 19min
117: Why Resilience Pays Off in India & The Truth About Starting Up in India | Ashish of Fundamentum
Ashish Kumar is a co-founder and General Partner at Fundamentum Partnership, an early growth-stage fund launched in 2017 with Nandan Nilekani and Sanjeev Aggarwal. Fundamentum backs tech-driven startups with product-market fit, leading or co-leading $25M-$40M rounds. Its second fund closed in 2022 at $227M, with a portfolio including unicorns like Pharmeasy and Spinny. Collectively, its companies have raised over $1B in follow-on funding.
00:00 - Top moments
01:29 - Intro
03:20 - Key influences during Ashish's early years.
06:26 - Ashish's hometown and educational background.
08:38 - Ashish's journey from moving to the US to working at Microsoft.
11:16 - Ashish's self-discovery through professional experiences.
14:33 - Ashish's reasons for returning to India and initial experiences.
17:36 - Ashish's returning companionand starting the first business.
19:31 - Explanation of a trade fair.
23:32 - Origin and story behind TBO.com.
28:24 - Ashish's interest in venture capital and journey with Fundamentum.
35:25 - Overview of Fundamentumās role and operations.
40:00 - Investment examples and insights into fund operations.
44:03 - Growth investing reaching critical mass and need for local understanding.
48:10 - Blurring lines between private equity and venture capital and its impact on non-linear bets in India.
54:11 - Explanation of "outlier" business models.
01:03:23 - Ashish's advice for those abroad considering opportunities in India.
01:10:02 - Ashish's daily routine and work-life structure.
01:12:18 - Ashish's personal obsessions outside of professional life.
01:15:26 - Ashish's strategies for achieving highest potential.
š CONNECT WITH Ashish Kumar
š„ Linkedin - / ashishk
š¦ Twitter- https://x.com/ashishkumar?lang=en
š CONNECT WITH SHIVA
š Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/
š„ YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfiQ...
š¦ Twitter - / shivassangwan
š¦ Twitter - / 1947rise
š„ Linkedin - / shiva-sin. .
š ABOUT THE PODCAST
Our purpose is to help startups go mainstream in š®š³!
1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drain
and 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.
š§ LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZi
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5
š LEAVE A REVIEW

Jan 23, 2025 ⢠54min
116: From Ahmedabad to Amazon: The Indian Diaspora Behind Amazon Music, Amazon Podcasts, and IMDb
Kintan Brahmbhatt is a prominent entrepreneur, operator, and investor who has built and scaled products and businesses from zero to nearly 100 million customers.
He is currently the Co-Founder and CEO of Olto, an AI platform for personalizing sales demos. Previously, he held key roles at Amazon, including GM & Co-Founder of Amazon Podcasts, Head of Product at Amazon Music, and IMDb.
00:00 - Top moments
01:37 - Introduction
02:43 - Kintan's influences during formative years.
07:46 - Kintan's motivation for moving to the US, college experience, and journey.
20:42 - Building trust and convincing leadership at Microsoft or Amazon.
24:41 - Inspiration behind Olto, its purpose, and envisioned outcomes.
28:48 - Kintan's advice for leaders looking to start their own ventures.
31:58 - Influence of mentors on Kintan in shaping the career in the US.
39:16 - Traits and skills contributing to the success of the Indian diaspora.
42:27 - Kintan's entry into the Indian tech ecosystem and excitement about its future.
45:28 - Kintan's obsessions outside of professional life.
47:36 - Kintan's unexplored interests or experiences due to lack of time.
52:17 - Kintan's traits recognized by friends.
š CONNECT WITH Kintan Brahmbhatt
š„ Linkedin - / kintan
š¦ Twitter- https://x.com/kintan
š CONNECT WITH SHIVA
š Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/
š„ YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfiQ...
š¦ Twitter - / shivassangwan
š¦ Twitter - / 1947rise
š„ Linkedin - / shiva-sin. .
š ABOUT THE PODCAST
Our purpose is to help startups go mainstream in š®š³!
1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drain
and 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.
š§ LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZi
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5
š LEAVE A REVIEW

Jan 9, 2025 ⢠55min
115: Building a Healthcare Model That Keeps You Out of the Hospital, Ft Mayank Banerjee
Mayank Banerjee is the co-founder and CEO of Even Healthcare, currently valued $100 Million. Even is a healthcare provider that offers 24/7, unlimited consultations with in-house clinical and wellness team to offer episodic care, lifestyle care and managed care to keep members healthy and out of hospitals.
00:00 - Top moments
01:33 - Intro
02:53 - Mayank's influences during upbringing.
06:44 - Mayank's transition to the UK and the journey.
09:40 - Mayank's reasons for moving back to India.
12:32 - Inspiration and origin of Even Healthcare.
16:39 - Meeting co-founders and early experiences.
19:27 - Initial phase of building Even Healthcare.
23:29 - Description of Mayank's new healthcare model.
27:49 - Journey and evolution of Even Healthcare.
33:54 - Current scale of Even Healthcare.
36:42 - Even Healthcare first investor support.
40:12 - Mayank's skills from the UK applied in building the venture.
45:26 - Mayank's advice for those considering moving back to India.
48:55 - Mayank's current obsessions outside of work.
50:30 - Mayank's unfulfilled personal ambitions.
53:01 - Mayank's version to his friends.
š CONNECT WITH Mayank Banerjee
š„ Linkedin - / mayank-banerjee
š¦ Twitter - https://x.com/meeyanki
š CONNECT WITH SHIVA
š Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/
š„ YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfiQ...
š¦ Twitter - / shivassangwan
š¦ Twitter - / 1947rise
š„ Linkedin - / shiva-sin. .
š ABOUT THE PODCAST
Our purpose is to help startups go mainstream in š®š³!
1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drain
and 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.
š§ LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZi
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5
š LEAVE A REVIEW

Jan 2, 2025 ⢠1h 16min
114: Neel Ghosh: Zomato, Google Pay, Skyscanner & 10 Years of Robin Hood Army | 1947 Rise
Neel Ghose is a renowned social entrepreneur and the Co-Founder of the Robin Hood Army, a volunteer-based organization dedicated to combating hunger and food waste across the globe. Over the past decade, the Robin Hood Army has grown into a massive network of volunteers, impacting millions of lives. Alongside his social initiatives, Neel has had a distinguished career with global companies like Zomato, Google Pay, and Skyscanner, where he made significant contributions to their growth and innovation.
00:00 - Highlighting top moments.
01:56 - Introduction.
04:10 - Neel's influences during early years.
08:45 - Neel's motivation behind joining Zomato at the time.
15:08 - Building friendships at work versus prioritizing them.
16:41 - Neel's experience at Harvard Business School and reasons for returning to India.
23:33 - Joining Google Pay and key skills or experiences gained.
30:51 - Origin, journey, and current status of Robin Hood Army.
39:19 - Major setback at Robin Hood Army and lessons learned.
43:06 - Decision-making process for new initiatives and vision for Robin Hood Army.
46:39 - Leadership growth through Robin Hood Army.
50:02 - Neel's advice for young individuals aiming to create an impact.
53:36 - Neel's transition to Skyscanner.
57:30 - Evolution of Indian travel spending and future trends.
01:04:46 - Neel's message for Indians abroad considering returning to contribute to India's growth.
01:07:23 - Neel's personal excitement outside of work.
01:08:59 - Neel's image among friends.
01:10:58 - Neel's ideal dinner guests and reasons for choosing them.
š CONNECT WITH Neel Ghose
š„ Linkedin - / neelghose
š¦ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blueghose/?...
š CONNECT WITH SHIVA
š Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/
š„ YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfiQ...
š¦ Twitter - / shivassangwan
š¦ Twitter - / 1947rise
š„ Linkedin - / shiva-sin. .
š ABOUT THE PODCAST
Our purpose is to help startups go mainstream in š®š³!
1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drain
and 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.
š§ LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZi
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5
š LEAVE A REVIEW

Dec 12, 2024 ⢠59min
113: From Garage to a ā¹1000 Cr Exit! Story of Dineout from the Founder Sahil Jain | 1947 Rise
Sahil Jain is a prominent entrepreneur and the Co-Founder of Dineout, an online platform that allows users to reserve tables at restaurants across India. Swiggy Acquired Dineout for $120 Million in 2022.
00:00 - Top Moments
01:42 - Introduction
03:04 - Factors that shaped Sahil's growth during childhood
04:16 - Beginnings of Sahil's start-up journey
08:33 - Early journey of Dineout
13:43 - First believer and the fundraising journey
17:57 - Evolution of Dineout
26:20 - Four partners' experience of signing the term sheet
27:12 - Current scale of Dineout
29:02 - Influences on building Dineout
31:04 - Challenge that Sahil overcame that gives him confidence
35:43 - Evolution of dining out culture and future outlook
40:42 - Potential impact comparison between Sahil staying in the US and returning to India
42:19 - Sahil's concept and goals of the new company
47:29 - Sahil's message to Indians abroad considering opportunities in India
53:03 - Sahil's identity outside of work
54:22 - Sahil's activities outside of work that provide energy
š CONNECT WITH Sahil Jain
š„ Linkedin - / sahilj
š¦ Twitter - https://x.com/sahil685
š CONNECT WITH SHIVA
š Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/
š„ YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfiQ...
š¦ Twitter - / shivassangwan
š¦ Twitter - / 1947rise
š„ Linkedin - / shiva-sin. .
š ABOUT THE PODCAST
Our purpose is to help startups go mainstream in š®š³!
1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drain
and 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.
š§ LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZi
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5
š LEAVE A REVIEW

Nov 22, 2024 ⢠54min
112: From NASA to Startup Founder to Now Investing in Indiaās Growth Story |Sailesh Ramakrishnan | Rocketship.vc
Sailesh is the Managing Partner at Rocketship.vc. A global VC fund notable for data-driven investment approach. Prior to rocketship.vc, Sailesh was CTO and co-founder of LocBox which got acquired by Square before that Sailesh helped build Kosmix which they sold to Walmart.
00:00 - Top Moments
01:36 - Intro
03:15 - Factors that shaped Sailesh's personal development during childhood.
11:53 - Key instance that led Sailesh to pursuing a career in AI.
13:52 - Sailesh's experience of founding and running two companies.
25:42 - Evolution of the Indian tech ecosystem and reasons for Rocketship's early-stage investments.
32:23 - Examples of companies, discovery process, and Rocketshipās investing approach.
43:00 - Unique advantages of the Indian technology ecosystem over others globally.
46:48 - Sailesh's advice for the Indian diaspora on contributing to the Indian digital ecosystem.
50:08 - Sailesh's recognition among friends
53:19 - Sailesh's dessert preference.

Nov 15, 2024 ⢠52min
111: Dheeraj Pandey, Founder of two Unicorns, Taking One Public and Invested $700M into India | 1947 Rise
Dheeraj Pandey is a standout Indian-born American tech entrepreneur and philanthropist. He founded Nutanix took it public in 2018, and itās now worth $17 billion. These days, heās the co-founder and CEO of DevRev, valued at $1.1 billion.
00:00 - Top moments
01:23 - Intro
02:43 - Factors that had the greatest influence on Dheeraj during his childhood.
05:44 - Dheeraj's motivation for relocating to the US and the journey details.
09:04 - Dheeraj's pathway into the technology industry.
15:29 - Core values that contributed to Nutanix's success.
20:34 - Opportunity identified in building DevRev and the envisioned outcome.
26:23 - Influential instances or mentors that impacted Dheeraj's career direction.
27:36 - Influence of Indian heritage on Dheeraj's professional success.
30:19 - Dheeraj's personal journey related to India.
32:30 - Evolution of Indiaās ecosystem, lessons learned, and future excitement.
37:20 - Unique advantages of Indiaās tech ecosystem compared to global counterparts.
39:57 - Dheeraj's personal journey in giving back.
44:04 - Dheeraj's advice for Indian diasporas.
48:44 - A friend's perspective of Dheeraj
49:56 - Three ideal dinner guests (alive or deceased) and reasons for Dheeraj's selection.

Nov 8, 2024 ⢠48min
110: How Matt Chitharanjan Built a ā¹350 CR+ Coffee Empire in India! 1947 Rise
Matt Chitharanjan, the Co-Founder and CEO of Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, a prominent coffee brand based in New Delhi, India. Recently, Blue Tokai raised $35 million, valuing the company at approximately $180 million.
00:00 - Top moments
01:21 - Intro
02:44 - What shaped Matt the most while growing up.
04:13 - Matt's education, college and experience at work
05:52 - Reason to move back to India
06:53 - Life changing moment
12:17 - Early days of Blue Tokai
16:14 - Things that shaped Matt as a person
18:54 - Evolution of customer transparency
20:27 - Inflection point that led to boosted confidence
24:38 - Magical outcome you for Blue Tokai
25:32 - Overcoming the hardest times
27:52 - What kept Matt going
28:45 - Evolution of consumer behaviour
31:40 - Matt's vision for the coffee market
34:17 - One thing, Matt wishes he knew earlier, about building Blue Tokai
36:41 - A customer story that stayed with Matt
38:23 - Matt's advice to folks considering moving back to India?l
40:37 - Matt's typical day
42:32 - Matt's sleep schedule
42:59 - Matt's obsession outside of work
43:40 - A decision altering regret
44:52 - Risk taking ability
45:23 - A setback which was a blessing in disguise
46:33 - Kindest thing towards Matt
š CONNECT WITH Matt Chitharanjan
š„ Linkedin - / mchitharanjan
š¦ Twitter - https://x.com/matt_chith
š CONNECT WITH SHIVA
š Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/
š„ YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfiQ...
š¦ Twitter - / shivassangwan
š¦ Twitter - / 1947rise
š„ Linkedin - / shiva-sin. .
š ABOUT THE PODCAST
Our purpose is to help startups go mainstream in š®š³!
1947 Rise Podcast is helping in accelerating the speed of reverse brain drain
and 1947 Operators Podcast is helping in increasing the number of operator-angels in the startup ecosystem.
š§ LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3KI3bZi
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3AEO5z5
š LEAVE A REVIEW

Oct 29, 2024 ⢠44min
109: World's Largest AI Health & Fitness App, The HealthifyMe Story from the founder Tushar Vashisht
Tushar Vashisht is the Co-Founder and CEO of HealthifyMe, the World's Largest AI Health & Fitness App, empowered by over 2000 coaches and trusted by over 40M users. Currently valued at ~ 1 Billion Dollars.
00:00 - Top moments
01:18 - Intro
02:35 - Description of the environment that had a significant impact.
04:29 - Tushar's experience at Penn.
05:32 - Tushar's journey after Penn.
07:10 - Tushar's reasons for moving back to India.
10:00 - Founding story of HealthifyMe.
12:40 - Inflection point for HealthifyMe and its evolution.
17:26 - Current user count of HealthifyMe.
18:21 - Desired outcomes for HealthifyMe.
19:54 - Collaboration experience with OpenAI.
21:24 - Changes in consumer behavior in India regarding health.
23:04 - Description of a challenging event and its resolution.
26:06 - Changes in the landscape for building companies in India for global markets.
30:20 - Evolution of healthcare and future opportunities.
31:44 - Tushar's advice for those considering a move back to India.
36:00 - Overview of a Tushar's typical day.
38:20 - Focus areas in Tushar's personal health.
39:34 - Tushar's selection of three dinner guests, dead or alive, and reasons for choice.
41:28 - Methods for setting and controlling Tushar's ambition.
š CONNECT WITH Tushar Vashisht
š„ Linkedin - / tusharvashisht
š¦ Twitter - https://x.com/tusharvashisht
š CONNECT WITH SHIVA
š Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/
š„ YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfiQ...
š¦ Twitter - / shivassangwan
š¦ Twitter - / 1947rise
š„ Linkedin - / shiva-sin. .

Sep 26, 2024 ⢠34min
108: Why Early-Stage Investing is the Hardest and the Most Rewarding Game, Ft. Elizabeth Yin | 1947 Rise
Elizabeth Yin is the co-founder and general partner at Hustle Fund, a pre-seed venture capital firm that focuses on investing in "hilariously early" startups. Prior to Hustle Fund, she was a partner at 500 startups.
00:00 - Top moments
01:12 - Intro
02:17 - Elizabeth's first steps into investing and the founding story of Hustle Fund
04:17 - Inspiration behind Hustle Fund
05:36 - The thesis behind Hustle Fund.
07:48 - Story behind, funding, Hustle Fund
10:01 - Portfolio construction & its evolution.
12:45 - Biggest learnings In terms of portfolio construction.
14:31 - Elizabeth's biggest learnings.
16:28 - Choosing between Sourcing, Picking, Winning and Helping.
19:19 - Brand building for Hustle Fund
20:58 - Hardest thing while building Hustle Fund.
22:22 - Venture capital's future.
24:43 - Biggest myths and lies in the world of venture capital.
26:45 - Elizabeth's advise to emerging fund managers?
28:18 - Elizabeth's obsession outside of work
29:48 - Elizabeth's typical day.
30:59 - If Elizabeth had unlimited resources, what would she work on?
32:27 - Friend's opinion about Elizabeth.
š CONNECT WITH Elizabeth Yin
š„ Linkedin - / elizabethyin
š¦ Twitter - https://x.com/dunkhippo33
š CONNECT WITH SHIVA
š Sign up to my weekly email newsletter - https://1947tech.substack.com/
š„ YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfiQ...
š¦ Twitter - / shivassangwan
š¦ Twitter - / 1947rise
š„ Linkedin - / shiva-sin. .