VC10X - Startups, GTM, Investing, Venture Capital, Asset Management, Private Equity, Family Office

Jatin Desai is a Co-founder & Managing Partner at Inflexor Ventures. He is a seasoned operator turned venture capitalist who has successfully built and exited businesses in both the US and India. In this episode, Jatin shares his playbook on investing in deep tech, the future of AI in India, and the single biggest challenge facing Indian startups.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comInflexor Ventures - inflexor.vcJatin Desai on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jatin-desai-b47b183/🎙️ Hosted by Prashant ChoubeyFollow Prashant on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabWe talk about -- Journey from Wall Street to building Inflection Ventures and achieving top decile fund performance globally- Investment thesis across three buckets: India for India, India for the world, and emerging tech- Cap table construction mistakes and why Indian founders dilute equity too early- GTM as the single biggest challenge for Indian startups at different revenue stages- Operator VC model and how real entrepreneurial experience helps portfolio companies& lots moreTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction(02:53) Jatin Desai's background and story of starting Inflexor Ventures(06:37) Inflexor Ventures' investment thesis(08:00) Three investment buckets: India for India, India for the World, and Emerging/Deep Tech(13:48) Different evaluation approaches for different investment categories(15:57) HDFC AMC's commitment to their opportunities fund(18:58) Differences between Indian, Silicon Valley, and European tech innovation approaches(22:14) Discussion on AI innovations in India(25:44) Exciting sectors in India for investment(28:18) How Inflexor Ventures works with portfolio companies(32:16) Navigating uncertainty with global tariffs and policies(35:00) Biggest learnings from years of venture investing(38:19) Rapid-fire round of questions about Inflexor Ventures' investment strategyFor sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Harish Chandramowli, Co-Founder of Flaire, he transitioned from Lead Engineer at MongoDB to building fashion ERP software despite having zero industry background.We dive into his journey from cybersecurity engineer to fashion-tech founder, the bold decisions that shaped his company's growth, and his contrarian views on the future of enterprise software in the AI era.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comFlaire - https://www.flairesoftware.com/Harish Chandramowli - https://www.linkedin.com/in/scharish🎙️ Hosted by Prashant ChoubeyFollow Prashant on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction(02:11) Validating the Flaire idea without a fashion background(04:53) Operating in stealth mode with design partners(06:00) Challenges in getting demos and converting customers(08:14) Using AI to solve real workflow problem(10:11) Learning curve of transitioning from tech to sales(11:25) Approach to product-market fit and go-to-market strategy(13:08) Building a product that adapts to macro changes in fashion workflows(16:15) Dealing with the urge to radically pivot(17:22) Unique metrics for fashion ERP(18:18) Approach to fundraising as a technical founder(19:26) Building defensibility and moats in the age of AI(21:38) Most vulnerable moment building the startup(22:22) Pivotal decision that changed Flaire's growth trajectory(25:17) Transition from employee to founder and impact on lifestyle(27:01) Contrarian view on the future of fashion tech and ERP(29:04) Strategic decision to complement Shopify(31:16) Biggest learning as a founder(33:34) Closing remarks and where to follow Harish's journeyFor sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

Shaw Walters is the founder of ElizaOS—the popular GitHub repository for AI agent development that is powering over $20 billion in projects, all built without venture funding.We dive into whether AI will end civilization, what are multi-agent systems, why Shaw chose open source over proprietary AI, and his prediction that we'll need nuclear power plants for next-gen AI. This conversation will challenge how you think about our AI future.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comElizaOS website - https://elizaos.ai/ElizaOS tutorial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8Ghq3cvD9g🎙️ Hosted by Prashant ChoubeyFollow Prashant on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabWe talk about:- Open source strategy for AI development versus proprietary approaches- Multi-agent systems and how AI agents communicate and coordinate with each other- Current limitations of AI agents and their potential for complex task execution- Whether AI will end human civilization and existential risks of artificial intelligence- Energy requirements for future AI development and the need for nuclear power infrastructure& moreTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction(02:40) Origin of ElizaOS and the problem it aims to solve(05:18) Reasons for keeping ElizaOS open-source(09:32) Explanation of multi-agent simulation framework(13:47) Deeper dive into how agents interact and reason(16:17) Discussion about potential risks of AI and robot civilization(22:51) Conversation about AI learning and data collection(31:25) Brief discussion about AI trying to avoid being shut off(34:36) Broader implications of AI on society and jobs(39:44) How to build an AI agent and current challenges(47:07) ElizaOS's integration with Web3 and Solana blockchain(53:45) Speculation about the future of AI and agents(54:13) Shaw's prediction for the next five years in technology(58:40) Closing remarks and how to learn more about ElizaOSFor sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

Santosh Sharan is the founder of Zeer.ai and a go-to-market veteran with over 20 years of experience.Santosh believes we're at an inflection point where the traditional SaaS model is fundamentally broken. In our conversation today, we explore why the old playbooks don't work anymore, how AI is reshaping startup economics, and Santosh's vision for agent-to-agent interactions replacing traditional sales processes.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comZeer AI website - https://zeer.ai/Santosh Sharan on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssharan🎙️ Hosted by Prashant ChoubeyFollow Prashant on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabIn this episode, we talk about -- Building AI startups versus traditional SaaS startups- The breakdown of traditional go-to-market strategies and rising customer acquisition costs (CAC)- Platform versus point solutions and the future of venture capital- Agent-to-agent interactions and buyer-led go-to-market approaches- Creating defensible moats through data flywheels and proprietary datasets& moreTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction(03:05) Santosh Sharan's background and introduction to Zeer AI(05:34) Differences between building AI startups and traditional SaaS startups(07:51) The challenges of building AI products and the importance of going beyond being a wrapper(11:57) The rapid changes in the tech industry and the need for founders to be ready to pivot quickly(15:05) Impact of low-cost software development on business margins and valuations(20:17) Thoughts on venture funding and raising capital for AI startups(22:43) Platform solutions vs. point solutions in the current market(27:38) Creating a moat in the AI startup ecosystem(31:44) Changes in go-to-market strategies and traditional sales approaches(38:37) The future of buyer-seller interactions and agent-to-agent communication(41:49) Using LinkedIn for prospecting and generating interest(44:21) Cutting through the noise in the AI market and standing out(46:23) Predictions for the future of B2B interactions in five years(49:09) Overview of Zeer AI's buyer concierge conceptFor sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

Rishi Taparia, Co-founder and General Partner at Garuda Ventures, has a rich history as an operator at Poynt and Legion. He discusses the dramatic shifts in B2B SaaS driven by AI, highlighting the necessity of customer trust as a competitive edge. Rishi introduces his investment framework focusing on team, market, product, and vision. He candidly shares his emotional journey in entrepreneurship and the complexities of early-stage investments, emphasizing the importance of founder autonomy and developing strong relationships in a volatile market.

We're joined by a truly inspiring guest who is changing the face of angel investing. Sarah Turner, the founder of Angel Academe, is on a mission to bring more women into the world of startups, both as investors and as founders.What started as an observation about the lack of women in investment rooms has grown into a thriving community of over a thousand investors. In this episode, we'll hear Sarah's incredible story, from the challenges of building this ecosystem to the shocking realities of funding disparities in the VC world. We'll also dive into the future of investing, the impact of AI, and what it really takes to succeed as an entrepreneur.Links: ⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comAngel Academe website - https://www.angelacademe.com/Sarah Turner on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahturneruk/🎙️ Hosted by Prashant ChoubeyFollow Prashant on X - https://x.com/ChoubeySahabFollow Prashant on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabIn this episode, we talk about -- Angel Academe's founding story and growth to 1,000+ investors- Investment screening process and evaluation criteria- Gender differences in entrepreneurship and venture capital- AI's impact on startups and potential bias concerns- Portfolio success stories and lessons from angel investing& lots moreTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction(02:33) Sarah's initial observations about lack of women in angel investing(03:41) Growth of Angel Academe to over 1,000 investors(05:37) Investment screening process and what they look for in startups(07:54) Differences in investing in female vs. male founders(11:09) Discussion on low percentage of VC funding going to female founders(12:14) Challenges of building investor network and attracting female founders(15:49) Importance of men taking responsibility to add more women to leadership positions(17:15) Launching the EIS fund and its timing(18:26) Portfolio success story - Bare Fertility(20:10) Learnings about supporting founders through different growth stages(22:55) Impact of AI on startup landscape and investing process(27:29) Personality traits of successful founders(29:33) Vision for Angel Academe in the next five years(31:54) Rapid-fire round - sectors and regions of investment(35:38) How founders can get in touch with Angel AcademeFor sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

Sam Libby, a healthcare investment banking veteran and founder of TCB Capital Advisors, is on a mission to improve patient care. He discusses the evolution of AI in healthcare, emphasizing its role in predictive medicine and proactive health management. The conversation explores holistic approaches that integrate mental and physical well-being while addressing patient data democratization. Libby also shares insights on navigating healthcare startup investments, highlighting strategies for early-stage companies and the importance of trust in building investor relationships.

Scott Hauck, the founder of Legacy Capital and Hawk Capital, shares insights on the 'silver tsunami' of retiring business owners and how his empathetic approach is revolutionizing private equity. He discusses preserving the essence of legacy businesses while driving growth, alongside the exciting potential of AI investments in the UAE. Hauck reveals the story behind his 'accidental' fund and offers tips on evaluating founding teams with an eye for collaboration. This conversation highlights innovative strategies and the future of investment in technology.

Eva Yazhari is the founder of Beyond Capital Ventures, who believes that the "high risk, high return" philosophy we all take for granted is actually a myth. She's taken her Wall Street hedge fund background and built a VC firm focused on emerging markets in India and East Africa - and believes her portfolio is actually less risky than Silicon Valley VC.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comBeyond Capital Ventures Website - https://www.beyondcapitalventures.com/Eva Yazhari on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/eva-yazhariWe talk about:- Eva's journey from Wall Street hedge funds to impact venture capital- Why "high risk, high return" is a myth in investing- Conscious leadership framework for evaluating founders- Investment criteria: post-revenue, local teams, stakeholder focus- Emerging markets opportunity in India and East Africa- Abundance mindset vs scarcity mindset in capitalism- Sharing carry with portfolio founders& lots moreTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction(02:24) Eva's background from Wall Street to impact investing(04:20) Challenges and learnings in transitioning to impact-focused venture capital(07:21) Discussing the myth of high-risk, high-return philosophy(10:05) Deal diligence process and investment criteria(12:42) Approach to evaluating exit potential for portfolio companies(16:12) Emerging markets opportunity in India and East Africa(19:17) Identifying founders aligned with conscious leadership values(22:10) Being a preferred investor and building strong founder relationships(25:10) Abundance mindset in investing(27:23) Sharing carry with founders(29:24) Interesting portfolio companies and their solutions(31:30) Biggest learning from investing in startups(34:09) Rapid fire round begins - discussing investment sectors and stagesFor sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

Max Buchan is the Co-founder & CEO of Valarian, a dual-purpose defense tech company that emerged from stealth with a $20M seed funding round.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comValarian website - https://www.valarian.com/Max Buchan LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxbuchan🎙️ Hosted by Prashant ChoubeyFollow Prashant on X - https://x.com/ChoubeySahabFollow Prashant on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabKey Topics:- Technology: Secure enclaves ("Acro") deployed from public cloud to battlefield hardware in Pelican cases- Defense Pivot: Approached by US government; co-founder Josh brings 12 years at Palantir + 18 years in US special operations- Dual-Use Market: Same platform serves airlines/banks, enterprises and Department of Defense- Funding: Backed by early Palantir investors, Scout Ventures, MD1, and Gokul Rajaram (Coinbase/Pinterest board)Key Insights:- European nations increasingly need digital sovereignty solutions independent from American software- Mission-driven hiring can compete with higher-paying tech giants- Dual-use technology requires different go-to-market strategies for enterprise vs. government- Building critical infrastructure creates natural competitive moatsTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction(03:07) Max's background at CoinShares and founding of Valarian(05:59) Explanation of Valarian's core technology and dual-purpose approach(08:31) Cybersecurity and digital infrastructure focus(10:29) Building trust and credibility with government and enterprise clients(14:14) Go-to-market strategies for enterprise and government sectors(17:47) Challenges of selling to government clients(21:00) Fundraising approach and investor selection(24:41) Capital allocation strategy(26:28) Hiring strategy and attracting top talent(29:23) Finding high-quality talent from smaller companies(31:24) Building a moat and defensibility for the company(33:32) Product market fit considerations(35:30) Key metrics for tracking company performance(38:30) Organizational structure for managing enterprise and government segments(40:49) Learning and seeking advice as a first-time founder(43:03) Managing mental health and maintaining relationships(44:49) Most pivotal decision in Valarian's journey(46:12) Closing remarks and ways to follow MaxFor sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.