The Neon Show

SaaS is Dead. There is Too Much SaaS.The two most common proclamations about SaaS these days. But where is the truth?In this episode we analyse the State of SaaS in 2024. We discover new truths and uncover fundamental truths.From where is the money in SaaS to where is the market. From the challenges first time founders face to the mistakes second time founders make. We cover the heavy cost of not understanding brand marketing, why PMF is not a science, IPOs in India, The India SaaS Advantage, Pricing Innovation and so much more.Tune in for insights to power your SaaS strategy in 2024 and beyond.Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction1:06 - Where is SaaS in 20242:08 - Delivering Value is the Most Important Thing3:57 - AI is a Tool not a Magic Wand5:04 - SpotDraft's Super Growth5:36 - Is There Too Much SaaS?9:49 - Where is the Money?12:22 - Metrics, Metrics But No Vanity Metrics14:50 - Is There an India advantage for SaaS IPOs?17:18 - Pallav's lessons from Investing in 50+ SaaS companies23:30 - What First: Feature Parity or Pricing?25:24 - Where Are Category Creators SaaS Startups in India?28:02 - Has AI Changed Buyer Expectations30:24 - The Next SaaS Unicorns From India32:35 - Exploring Exit Options for Indian SaaS Unicorns35:01 - So Much to Learn From SaaS Startup Community37:19 - Why Do Second Time Founders Fail40:39 - PMF is Not a Science44:14 - SaaS is Dead?48:55 - Digital Marketing or Billboards?51:02 - The Cost of Not Understanding Brand Marketing54:44 - Is Europe a Good Market for SaaS Startups?59:36 - How to Expand Globally1:01:30 - To Be a US HQ or India HQ Company?1:05:01 - Pallav on Fusion Charts and Presentations dot ai1:09:00 - Discussion on replacing established SaaS products1:15:11 - Success in SaaS: Product vs Distribution___________________________________Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes. We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings. __________________________________Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________Sponsor Shout OutLooking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/Send us a text

150 Years of Greatness in 50 Minutes.There is much talk about John D Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie but not much about India’s first business Titan, Jamshedji Tata.In this episode, we sat down with Harish Bhat, Former Brand Custodian of Tata Group, and dive deep into Tata Group and its legendary founder. The founder who kept community at center and nation first, who brought the best to India and built the best in India with fire in his eyes and kindness in his heart. And the giant which never stops, the Tata group, from building India’s first steel plant to India’s first airlines.Tune in to hear lesser-known but must-watch stories about what it takes to build great companies with mission and purpose.00:00 - Introduction01:12 - The Story of A Titan07:31 - Lessons From An Entrepreneur With Purpose09:41 - The Value of Values13:22 - Great Founders Are Always in The Room17:56 - Because Right Decisions Matter20:37 - The Everything Company: From Textiles to Telecom23:08 - The Great Digital Evolution24:46 - How Tata Group Created India’s First Cancer Hospital29:35 - Building The Best With Fire in Eyes & Kindness in Heart37:15 - What Makes Someone a Patriot39:31 - Great Leaders Are Great Readers43:42 - How India Started Flying50:32 - Always Be Learning___________________________________Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes. We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings. __________________________________Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________Sponsor Shout OutLooking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/Send us a text

Success Starts with Belief. And Belief Comes from Actions.Indians and the world are optimistic about India. But what actions has India taken that inspire this belief? And what actions does India need to take to keep up the momentum?From independence to today, India has increased its GDP 40x, its per capita income 8x, its literacy rate 6x, and its electrification 300x, among many other achievements. But the ambition of its people has also grown manifold.In this episode, we talk about India's journey from a survival mindset to a thriving mindset, and its road to becoming a developed nation. From entrepreneurs everywhere to numerous IPOs. From brain drain to reverse flipping. And what the government needs to do to what we, the people, need to do.Tune in and let us know what are you optimistic about.00:00 - Introduction01:00 - The Hero’s Journey Of India03:31 - Doing Business Is Not A Bad Thing07:02 - India Is More Ambitious Than Ever09:10 - Entrepreneurs Everywhere: From IITs To Tier 2 Cities11:59 - What’s NAAMM?12:47 - India's Pivot From Socialism To Capitalism16:07 - India Story Vs China Story20:47 - How Flipkart’s Acquisition Changed Everything22:46 - How Much Should Regulators Regulate?26:56 - IPOs, IPOs and More IPOs28:36 - The Era of Reverse Flipping30:28 - The $10 Trillion Dollar Economy Goal31:14 - India is Growing But Are All Indians Too?33:08 - Will SaaS Be India’s Next Growth Lever?34:52 - What Inspires Us At Neon?___________________________________Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes. We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings. __________________________________Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________Sponsor Shout OutLooking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/Send us a text

China is the 2nd largest economy. India is on its way to become the 3rd largest economy. Few decades ago both were at the same level. Is there anything for India to learn from China? Or we will have our own unique journey?In this episode of The Neon Show we explore the nuances behind the economic and political landscapes of India and China. From becoming the world’s biggest factory to now shifting to high-end manufacturing. From economic liberalisation to now back to being heavily controlled by the government. From boom to bust.China & India are two very unique countries. But are there any similarities between these two Asian giants? Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on two of the world’s most important economies.00:00 - Introduction01:02 - Similarities and Differences Between India and China08:49 - How China Became The World’s Factory?16:04 - Do Indian & Chinese Cities Face Same Challenges?21:45 - What Caused The Real Estate Bubble in China?30:24 - Why is China Shifting to High-End Manufacturing?36:03 - Charlie Munger on India Vs China42:11 - Does India Have The Right Industrial Policy?46:09 - The Right Job For The Right People49:36 - The Power of Good Infrastructure___________________________________Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes. We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings. __________________________________Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________Sponsor Shout OutLooking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/Send us a text

Matt Clifford, founder of Entrepreneur First, discusses the concept of talent investing and its role in shaping startups. He highlights the immense potential of Indian talent and the unique opportunities presented by AI in India. The conversation touches on how location impacts entrepreneurship, with insights on why Silicon Valley remains a prime hub. Clifford also compares the tech regulatory environments between Europe and the UK, and shares success stories of startups nurtured through talent-first investments.

In this engaging discussion, Vinay Bagri, co-founder of Niyo and a key player in India's neo banking movement, shares his insights into the evolution of travel tech in India. He explores why young Indians prioritize travel, highlighting that 40% of personal loans are now for this purpose. Vinay also details the dramatic shift from traditional banking to digital solutions and the profound impact of regulations on fintech. He critiques India's tourism strategies, discussing the challenges that prevent it from becoming a top travel destination despite its rich offerings.

Nishit had a front-row seat to the growth of the Indian Startup ecosystem. And often times he was in the driver's seat as well.Nishit Garg, a partner at RTP Global, shares his experiences from his early days at Flipkart, discussing the pivotal 0-1 journey and key projects that shaped his career. He provides a behind-the-scenes look at how Tiger Global revolutionized the Indian startup ecosystem and his reasons for joining RTP Global.We also cover the scaling challenges for Indian startups, staying relevant in a rapidly evolving market, the ability to sell and the surprising nature of Indian markets.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction01:07 - Nishit’s Entry in The Startup World07:55 - Many 0-1 Journeys at Flipkart09:34 - Why Nishit Joined a VC Fund(again)13:06 - How Tiger Global Changed Indian Startup World14:59 - The Journey of RTP Global: Successes & Exits20:30 - Why India Surprises Everyone?24:06 - How India is Different From Silicon Valley26:18 - What Made Flipkart An Exception28:57 - How Indian Startups Can Become Unstoppable31:10 - Exits, Liquidity and IPO Markets33:44 - Power Law and How Venture Capital Works35:33 - What RTP Looks For In Founders36:35 - The Right to Win For VCs39:12 - How Should Founders Select The Best Investors42:01 -  Nobody Is Too Big To Fail44:42 - How Can VCs Be Helpful to Founders47:41 - Risks, Checklists & Gut Call As a VC49:33 - How RTP Invests in a Company51:03 - The Best Startups Expand TAM54:33 - First Time Founders Vs Second Time Founders55:51 - Why Indian Startups Struggle After $10M ARR58:16 - Sales Is Not A Bad Word59:39 - What Nishit Has Learned From Portfolio Companies1:03:06 - Advantages Indian B2B SaaS Startups Have___________________________________Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes. We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings. __________________________________Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________*Sponsor Shout Out*Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/Send us a text

Manav Garg is the founder of Eka and Together Fund.Manav started Eka before SaaS was even a word. We start with Manav's journey from a small town in Punjab to founding Eka, one of India's first vertical SaaS companies. He shares all the ups and down in Eka & his life in the last 20 years. From building and selling from India to global businesses. From pivoting, which few companies survive, to coming out not just alive but highly profitable again. We also discuss his work with SaaS Bhoomi, future of Indian B2B SaaS, Together fund and Manav’s next mission.___________________________________Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction 02:00 - From Small Town Punjab to International Trading10:27 - Lateral Thinking Makes Invisible Visible12:45 - In The Middle Of The Dot Com Boom16:14 - Raising Funding of $1M in the 90s19:41 - The Birth of Eka Software22:36 - First Enterprise SaaS Company From India24:28 - Eka’s Journey From $2M ARR to $20M ARR32:32 - A Hard Pivot & A Profitable Company34:19 - SaaSBoomi & SaaS Playbooks From India38:43 - When Did Manav Decide to Exit Eka42:25 - How To Design Your Exit Strategy50:44 - Increasing Liquidity Events in Indian Startups55:11 - How Global Buyers Look At India SaaS57:57 - The Road to Many Billion+ ARR Companies From India1:05:01 - Are We Early In AI Wave? 1:09:36 - Where Is India In The AI Race?1:12:33 - What is India SaaS Advantage?1:16:40 - Can Indian Startups Grow As Fast As US Startups?1:21:21 - The Power of Relationships & Cold Calling1:24:31 - How to Manufacture Co-Founders?1:26:49 - Pause & Reflect___________________________________Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes. We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings. ___________________________________Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/___________________________________*Sponsor Shout Out*Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/___________________________________Send us a text

VCs Invest in Startups But Who Invests In VCs?In this episode we host Raja Doddala, an experienced investor and a key figure at Churchill AM a leading Fund of Fund. Raja shares how he judges the strategy of a VC fund, metrics to evaluate a fund manager, which sectors have yielded the best returns and the differences between the best VC funds and the rest.We also discuss how funds compete for the best VCs, why old days of fundraising are over, whether Indian public markets are better than the US for IPOs, why he and Churchill are excited about India and much more...If you are interested in startups, venture capital, fund management, and investment strategies then this is the episode for you.___________________________________Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction01:11 - From Software Engineer to Investing in VC funds03:53 - The People Who Invest in VC Funds05:33 - State of Fund of Fund Ecosystem in the US06:51 - What Makes Fund of Fund Different from University Endowments?07:42 - What Makes Someone an Emerging Manager08:59 - Churchill’s Strategy for Venture Capital Investments12:56 - How to Choose The Right Fund of Fund Manager15:10 - How Fund of Fund Compete For The Best VCs18:10 - Churchill’s Evaluation Criteria for VC Funds22:34 - At What Stage of Fund Does Churchill Invest24:17 - Churchill’s Geographical Focus From US to Israel26:29 - Manager Is More Important Than The Strategy30:01 - Metrics to Evaluate a Fund Manager: IRR, DPI & TVPI33:39 - Which Sectors Have Given The Best Return36:40 - How Raja Judges The Strategy of a VC Fund38:09 - How The Best Differ From The Rest39:59 - Old Days of Fundraising Are Over42:20 - Decide Your Minimum Viable Fund Size44:03 - The Mortality Rate of Funds45:02 - Mistakes Funds Make When Building Data Rooms47:45 - Why Raja & Churchill Are Excited About India49:57 - Churchill’s Investment Strategy for India50:59 - Churchill’s Investment Strategy for Israel53:05 - Are Indian Public Markets Better Than US for IPOs___________________________________Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes. We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings. ___________________________________Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/___________________________________*Sponsor Shout Out*Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/___________________________________Send us a text

In this episode of The Neon Show, we dive deep into the serious world of casual gaming in India with Dilsher Malhi, the founder of Zupee.We discuss the uniquness of Indian gaming market, why entertainment is a feature and not a bug, India’s trillion dollar digital economy dream and how will regulation affect the gaming industry.If you are serious(or casual) about gaming and startups then this episode will offer a range of insights to you.________________________________Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction 01:12 - Gaming Market in India: Who, What & How Much03:39 - Did You Win By Skill Or Chance?06:05 - The Serious World of Casual Gaming09:47  - Is Real Money Gaming Bad for Society?12:33 - Entertainment is a feature, not a bug14:39 - Real Money Gaming & Stock Markets19:33  - Innovation Vs Regulation: What’s The Right Balance24:32 - From Infosys mafia to Flipkart mafia25:13 - Why Indian Gaming Market is Unique?29:29 - Why is RMG Successful in India and NOT Everywhere?30:35 - The Tencent Story: Power of Brand & Distribution31:44 - Does India Have a Gaming Ecosystem?32:43 - Gen AI Will Make Everyone Creative34:25 - What Makes Zupee Successful?35:27 - Break Barriers and Build Amazing Things36: 23 - Lessons From an Unstructured Learner39:07 - The Joys of Crazy Inherent Curiosity________________________________Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/________________________________*Sponsor Shout Out*Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/Send us a text