

Startup Project: Build the future
Nataraj
Conversations with founders, operators and investors who are building the future. Listen to find the stories, ideas, tactics & investments behind the products that will define the future of technology.
https://startupproject.substack.com/
https://startupproject.substack.com/
Episodes
Mentioned books

4 snips
Jul 29, 2024 • 40min
#79 Building a Scalable No-Code Backend with Xano
In this engaging discussion, Prakash, founder of Xano and seasoned leader from Google, dives into the transformative power of no-code backends. He reveals how Xano liberates developers from traditional coding challenges, offering insights into their unique product-market fit. AI's role in this landscape becomes a focal point as Prakash discusses its potential when paired with intuitive tools like Xano. He also shares crucial lessons for aspiring founders about growth strategies, community building, and the journey toward sustainable success.

Jul 1, 2024 • 38min
#78 Securing The World's IoT Devices with Asimily
🎙️ Startup Project Podcast - Episode with Shankar Somasundaram, CEO of Asimily
Welcome to another exciting episode of the Startup Project Podcast! In this episode, we have Shankar Somasundaram, the CEO and founder of Asimily, a company dedicated to providing visibility and security for medical IoT and OT devices. Shankar brings a wealth of experience from his time at Symantec and Qualcomm, and he shares his journey of founding Asimily and the innovative solutions they offer.
🔍 Topics Covered:
- Shankar’s background and journey from Symantec to founding Asimily.
- The challenges and opportunities in securing medical IoT and OT devices.
- The importance of cybersecurity in healthcare and other critical infrastructure.
- Insights into the unique approaches Asimily takes to vulnerability management and incident response.
- How Asimily integrates with existing systems to provide comprehensive security solutions.
- Shankar’s thoughts on the future of smart cities and the role of connected devices.
- The impact of regulations like HIPAA on healthcare security solutions.
💡 Key Takeaways:
- The critical need for specialized security in heterogeneous environments like healthcare.
- The evolution of connectivity and its implications for smart cities.
- The importance of continuous innovation in the cybersecurity landscape.
📢 Guest Bio:
Shankar Somasundaram is the CEO and founder of Asimily. With a strong background in product and engineering, Shankar has been at the forefront of IoT security for over a decade.
🔗 Connect with Shankar:
LinkedIn: Shankar Somasundaram (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shankar-somasundaram-a7315b/)
Asimily Website: asimily.com
🔗 Connect with Nataraj:
LinkedIn: Nataraj Sindam (https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/)
Website: thestartupproject.io
🚀 Stay Tuned:
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with the latest episodes of the Startup Project Podcast.
Blog - https://thestartupproject.io/2024/07/01/78-securing-the-worlds-iot-devices-with-asimily/
#StartupProject #Podcast #Cybersecurity #IoT #HealthcareSecurity #Asimily #SmartCities #Innovation #TechPodcast

Jun 9, 2024 • 43min
#77 Learn It All Mindset with CEO Damon Lemby
Damon Lemby, CEO of Learn It, a company that has trained over 1.9 million individuals, shares his journey from professional baseball to the world of education, offering insights on leadership, learning, and the future of work.
The Power of the "Learn It All" Mindset
Lemby argues that the key to success in today's dynamic world is not being a "know-it-all," but embracing a "learn it all" mindset. This means being humble, curious, and constantly seeking new knowledge. He emphasizes that this approach is crucial for navigating the rapid changes in the business world, especially with the rise of AI.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: A Practical Framework
Recognizing that imposter syndrome is a common struggle, Lemby outlines a three-step framework for overcoming it:
Identify the Source: Clearly define what you're worried about.
Purposeful Awfulizing: Imagine the worst-case scenario and determine if you can handle it.
Work Hard, Focus, & Let Go: Put in the effort, practice, and release the need for perfection.
Navigating AI and the Future of Work
Lemby believes that while AI will significantly impact the workforce, those who adapt and learn to leverage it will thrive. He advises companies to empower their employees with access to AI tools and encourage them to explore these technologies.
Building Trust and Elite Teams
Lemby emphasizes that a company is not a family, but a team that needs to be constantly evolving. He encourages leaders to build high-performing teams, recognizing that sometimes this may involve letting go of individuals who have reached their capacity within the organization. He also underscores the importance of giving people the benefit of the doubt, acknowledging that building trust is essential for long-term success.
Invest in Your Growth:
Lemby encourages listeners to invest in their own development, read biographies of successful individuals, and constantly seek new knowledge. He also shares his own investment philosophy, focusing on seed-stage companies and traditional businesses with a strong leadership team and a solid market fit.
Key Takeaways:
Embrace a "learn it all" mindset for success in a dynamic world.
Conquer imposter syndrome with a practical framework.
Leverage AI for growth and prepare for the future of work.
Build elite teams and trust your employees.
Invest in your own development and seek out new knowledge.
This conversation with Damon Lemby offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone seeking to navigate the evolving business landscape.
Blog post - https://thestartupproject.io/2024/06/09/77-learn-it-all-mindset-with-ceo-damon-lemby/

May 27, 2024 • 30min
#76 How Product-First VC Mighty Capital is Picking great companies?
In this episode of Startup Project, Nataraj sits down with SC Moatti, a serial entrepreneur, product manager, investor, and author. SC Moatti shares insights into his diverse career path, from building successful products to launching his own venture capital firm, Mighty Capital.
In this episode, you'll learn:
SC Moatti's journey from engineer to VC: Discover how he built a career spanning product management, entrepreneurship, and venture capital.
The secret to picking winning startups: SC Moatti reveals how Mighty Capital identifies and invests in companies with a strong product vision.
Essential product management skills: Get expert advice on building a great product and becoming a successful product manager.
The future of AI: SC Moatti shares his thoughts on the biggest challenges and opportunities in the world of artificial intelligence.
Don't miss this insightful interview! Subscribe to Startup Project for more valuable content on building successful startups.
Connect with SC Moatti: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scmoatti/
Connect with Nataraj: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/
Blog post - https://thestartupproject.io/2024/05/27/mighty-capital-product-first-vc-defies-the-odds-with-a-hit-rate-of-1-in-5/
#startup #venturecapital #productmanagement #ai #investing #siliconvalley #mightycapital #entrepreneurship #innovation

May 15, 2024 • 47min
#75 Satya Singh - Co-Founder of Scispot on redefining modern biotech's data infrastructure
Satya, co-founder of Scispot, joins Startup Project's Nataraj to share his journey from leading a platform team at Expedia to starting a biotech company that solves data challenges for life science labs.
In this episode, we discuss:
Satya's unique career path, from fashion startup owner to data expert.
The founding story of Scispot, tackling the problem of unanalyzed data in biotech.
The YC experience and its valuable lessons, including the importance of market signals.
Scispot's growth and traction, serving a diverse range of lab-based businesses.
The exciting future of AI in biotech and Scispot's role in empowering innovation.
Challenges and strategies for prioritizing features and building a sustainable platform.
Building a company in Seattle and the evolving startup ecosystem.
Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs interested in biotech and the power of fresh perspectives.
Tune in to learn about Scispot's vision for the future and Satya's insightful perspectives on entrepreneurship, data, and the evolving landscape of biotech.
Connect with Satya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/satyaravisingh/
Connect with Nataraj: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/
About the host: Nataraj is a Senior Product Manager and the host of the ‘Startup Project’ podcast. He also invests in startups with Incisive.vc and writes ‘100 Days of AI’, an educational series on AI.
Blog post - https://thestartupproject.io/2024/05/15/75-satya-singh-co-founder-of-scispot-on-redefining-modern-biotechs-data-infrastructure/
#biotech #startups #YC #entrepreneurship #data #AI #Seattle #SizePort #lifesciences #podcast #StartupProject

Apr 27, 2024 • 46min
#74 Sajid Rahman - Angel Investor Secrets - Lessons from 1000+ Startup Investments
Startup Project Podcast: Episode Notes - Navigating the Shifting Investment Landscape with Sajid Rahman
Guest: Sajid Rahman - Top Angel InvestorHost: Nataraj - Senior Product Manager, Investor at Incisive.vc & Startup Advisor
Episode Overview:
Join us as we delve into the evolving world of startups and venture capital with Sajid Rahman, a prolific angel investor with over 1000 investments.
Key topics explored in this episode:
Market Shift: Analyzing the transition from the funding boom to a more cautious investment environment. Exploring the prevalence of down rounds, the rise of secondary deals, and strategies for investors in the current climate.
Dry Powder Explained: Demystifying the concept of dry powder – uninvested capital committed to VC funds. Understanding how and when VCs deploy capital and the implications for startups seeking funding.
Web3 Deep Dive: Exploring the latest trends in the Web3 space, including the intersection of AI and blockchain, real-world asset tokenization, and the development of decentralized infrastructure. Discussing strategies for identifying promising projects and avoiding scams in this evolving landscape.
AI Investment Landscape: Examining the current AI boom and the potential for both foundational models and application-layer companies. Addressing concerns about overvaluation and identifying key factors for successful AI investments.
Sajid's Investment Strategies: Gaining insights into Sajid Rahman's approach to angel investing, syndicate management, and running multiple funds focused on Web3, YC companies, early-stage startups, and AI.
Additional Resources:
Connect with Sajid Rahman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahmansajid/
Connect with Nataraj on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/
Follow Startup Project for more episodes and updates: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cx7Q5r9Ow9eikxQjsJjjq?si=5d154bcf6b0541f7
#startup #investing #venturecapital #web3 #AI #angelinvesting #podcast #startupproject #secondarydeals #drypowder #blockchain #artificialintelligence #fundmanagement #YC #startupecosystem

Apr 15, 2024 • 49min
#73 Brian Bell - From Product Manager to Full Time Investor
Brian Bell is the Managing Partner at Team Ignite. Bell has experience in product development in AI at Microsoft, AWS, and startups.
Full conversation includes:
🔸Transition from Product Management to full time investing
🔸Investing in YC
🔸Operating an investing Syndicate
🔸Growth hacks to grow your syndicate
🔸Is AngelList loosing its advantage?
🔸Red flags in pitch decks
🔸If money was not an object, what would you be doing?
& more.
Listen now 👇
Follow Brain on twitter here - https://twitter.com/brianrbell
Follow Nataraj on twitter here - https://twitter.com/natarajsindam
Follow 100 Days of AI here - https://thestartupproject.io/100-days-of-ai/
Subscribe now 👇
🔸Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cx7Q5r9Ow9eikxQjsJjjq
🔸YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs8lGcgpE7JC-alvUhMPk3g
🔸Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/startup-project/id1551300319?uo=4
#startups #angellist #investing

Apr 1, 2024 • 51min
#72 Todd Bishop GeekWire Co-founder, Business and tech journalist on big tech, AI and more!
New episode with Todd Bishop, GeekWire's co-founder.
Todd is a longtime business and technology journalist who reports on subjects including AI, the cloud, startups, and health technology, plus Amazon and Microsoft, in addition to hosting GeekWire's weekly podcast. This is Todd's second appearance on the Startup Project podcast.
In our conversation, we discuss:
🔸 How is a tech business journalist using AI?
🔸 Does AI live up to the hype?
🔸 Covering Big tech's AI strategy as Geekwire Editor
🔸 Amazon's ecommerce AI assistant
🔸Why hasn't Amazon integrated Alexa with an LLM?
🔸Data privacy legislation in AI
🔸Layoffs in tech
🔸TikTok Ban, will it or will it not happen?
🔸Much more
Listen now 👇
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs8lGcgpE7JC-alvUhMPk3g
Lister to Todd's first appearance on the podcast here.
Follow Todd on twitter here - https://twitter.com/intent/user?screen_name=toddbishop
Follow Nataraj on twitter here - https://lnkd.in/gUJ_Gah
Follow 100 Days of AI here - https://lnkd.in/g_8T8_rZ

Mar 11, 2024 • 48min
#71 Peter Mueller Founding Partner Breakwater VC about Pre Seed Investing in Seattle Tech Startups
In this episode Nataraj talked to Peter Mueller who is the founding partner of Breakwater ventures investing in early stage tech startups in Pacific Northwest and Wester Canadian Startups.
The conversation includes:
- how to think about angel investing & pre-seed investing?
- Seattle pre-seed ecosystem
- learnings from Seachange fund
- thesis for breakwater
- Whats making Western Canada an interesting place to invest?
- investing in AI
- long tail opportunity in AI
& more.
Follow peter on twitter here - https://twitter.com/pjsmueller
Follow Nataraj on twitter here - https://twitter.com/natarajsindam
Follow 100 Days of AI here - https://thestartupproject.io/100-days-of-ai/

Feb 25, 2024 • 35min
#70 Brendan Rogers From Founding WAG (NASDAQ: PET) to Investing in India
In this episode Nataraj spoke to Brendan Rogers Ex Cofounder of Wag, a NASDAQ listed public company.
Full conversation includes:
- Origin story of WAG
- His journey into investing in India
- Why he is bullish on Indian startups?
- Opinion on different sectors & more
To stay in loop for future conversations check out thestartupproject.io
For above average opinions on big technology sign up to https://above-average.beehiiv.com/
Follow 100 Days of AI by Nataraj at
https://thestartupproject.io/100-days-of-ai/