The Spotlight

How did a JP Morgan currency trader go from building India's most iconic nightclub to reaching 500,000 children through EdTech?  In this episode, Simran Mulchandani, CEO and Co-founder of Rangeet, reveals the unconventional playbook behind India's leading social emotional learning platform.  Simran Mulchandani's journey defies every startup playbook. He traded currencies during the Asian...

How did Amit Gaiki pivot Flam AI from a failing consumer app to a $10M ARR mixed reality advertising platform used by Samsung and Google?  In this episode, we unpack the survival playbook behind one of India's most innovative adtech startups.  Amit Gaiki is the Co-founder and CTO of Flam AI, a mixed reality startup that's redefining how brands create interactive advertising experiences....

In this episode of Founder Thesis, Dr. Prithwi Singh, Co-founder and CEO of Khetika, shares the contrarian playbook behind building India's second-largest national batter brand and a multi-category clean label FMCG startup. From exposing marble powder in cumin to innovating cold stone grinding at commercial scale, Dr. Singh explains how Khetika sources directly from 25,000 farmers across 15 states...

How did Swarup Bose build a ₹500 crore cold chain logistics company without owning a single truck?  In this episode, we unpack the asset-light playbook behind Celcius Logistics and the massive opportunity in India's broken cold chain industry. India wastes ₹1.3 trillion worth of perishables every year, with 23% of food rotting before it reaches consumers.  Swarup Bose saw this crisis fir...

Vineet Rai is not your typical venture capitalist. A forester by training, rejected by the Army, Navy, and Air Force, he stumbled into finance with a radical question: how do you help poor people become rich?  Starting with just ₹5,000 and a ₹10,000 monthly salary, it took him 4.5 years to raise his first $1 million. Today, Aavishkaar Group manages $1.4 billion across equity, microfinance, an...

How did a 23-year-old founder turn a near-death crisis into a profitable manufacturing startup? This is the untold story of Groyyo's dramatic pivot from losses to EBITDA-positive growth in India's apparel export industry.   In this episode, Subin Mitra, Co-Founder and CEO of Groyyo, shares the raw, unfiltered journey of building one of India's most promising B2B manufacturing platforms....

What if the secret to building a $8.5 billion VC portfolio isn't chasing billion-dollar markets, but backing the right founders who can pivot their way to success?   In this episode, Sasha Mirchandani, Founder of Kae Capital and Co-Founder of Mumbai Angels, reveals why 90% of venture capital funds underperform and how his contrarian approach has created 4 unicorns including Porter, Fractal An...

How did P. Venkatesh build Maveric Systems into a $75 million banking technology powerhouse without VC funding over 25 years?    In this episode, we explore the contrarian strategies behind one of India's most successful bootstrap stories in fintech.  P. Venkatesh, Director of Maveric Systems, shares the remarkable journey of building a domain-focused banking technology specialist t...

How did Rohit Arora build a $100 million ARR fintech SaaS platform without raising venture capital while facilitating over $2 billion in SME loans?    Discover the untold story of Biz2Credit's journey from marketplace to hidden unicorn disrupting America's small business lending crisis.  In this episode, Rohit Arora, CEO and Co-founder of Biz2Credit and Biz2X, reveals how he transfo...

Stop thinking about your wealth like a startup.   Your biggest strength as a founder - your bias for high-risk, high-growth, and breakneck speed - is your biggest liability when managing your own money. The instinct that built your company can easily destroy your personal wealth. This episode is the antidote.   In this episode, host Akshay Datt sits down with Raghvendra Nath, a 30-year v...

What if your idle savings could earn 8–13% returns instead of just 3–4% sitting in your bank account?  In this episode of the Spotlight, host Akshay Datt speaks with Suresh Darak, founder of Bondbazaar, a digital bond investment platform that’s making the fixed-income space accessible to retail investors. With 20+ years in financial services and 13 years focused specifically on bonds, Suresh...

"India's complex regulatory landscape, often seen as a hurdle, can actually be a powerful competitive advantage for startups."  Aditya Pandranki shares how Doqfy strategically leveraged the intricacies of varying state-wise stamp duty regulations, turning a common business challenge into a unique selling proposition and a significant moat.   Aditya Pandranki is the Founder and CEO of Doq...

"Waste is the resource which is in the wrong place."   This powerful statement from Dhruv Luthra encapsulates the core philosophy driving the Luthra Group. It’s a paradigm shift from viewing waste as a problem to seeing it as an opportunity – a valuable raw material waiting to be transformed. This mindset has propelled the Luthra Group to the forefront of India's sustainability sector.  ...

"The journey of reduction in health care costs is not the responsibility of the hospital on its own, it's also the responsibility at the patient level."   Aditya Sharma, CEO and Co- founder of AffordPlan, is tackling the critical issue of healthcare affordability in India. From his unique perspective as an investor-turned-founder, he's driving a purpose-led mission to reduce out-of-pocket hea...

"You cannot grow the country's GDP if a third of your population is not a part of the financial inclusion piece."   Sameer Mathur highlights the critical link between financial inclusion and national economic growth, emphasizing the vast untapped potential of serving the underserved in India. This isn't just about business; it's about societal impact.   Sameer Mathur, Managing Director o...

From losing their biggest client to building a ₹3500 Cr manufacturing powerhouse, hear the inspiring journey of Ajay Singhania, MD & CEO of Epack Durable! In this episode of "The Spotlight", presented by the Founder Thesis podcast, learn how resilience, strategic pivots, and a commitment to "Make in India" fueled Epack's rise from near collapse to industry leadership. Discover actionable insig...

In this episode, Amit Mehta, Managing Partner at Asha Ventures, a venture capital and private equity firm highlights key lessons from his successful investments and the evolving Indian VC landscape. He discusses Asha Ventures' focus on sustainability, healthcare, and inclusion in its investment strategy, as well as the importance of governance and vision in selecting impactful startups. Tune in to...

In this episode, join Sahil Anand, founder of Cedar IBSi Capital, as he shares his entrepreneurial journey, exploring the evolution of Cedar Consulting and the unique challenges of launching a fintech investment fund. Learn about the consulting landscape, Cedar's execution-heavy approach, and the promising future of fintech in India. Akshay Datt, a serial entrepreneur having run ventures in Employ...

Dive into the world of fashion manufacturing with Ankit Jaipuria, Co-founder of ZYOD! Discover how ZYOD is disrupting the B2B fashion industry with a cutting-edge supply chain, learn about the rise of fast fashion, and explore opportunities in India's growing market. Whether you're a fashion enthusiast, a business owner, or an aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is packed with valuable insights in...

Join us as we explore the inspiring journey of Brijesh Damodaran, Managing Partner of Auxano Capital, as he transitions from a corporate financial controller to a leading entrepreneur in wealth management. Discover his innovative "three-bucket strategy", insights into private market investing, approach to adapting to regulatory changes, and the importance of building trust through client relations...

Join us for an enlightening episode featuring Binu Jacob, MD & CEO of Experion Technologies, as he recounts his extraordinary transition from aspiring professor to thriving entrepreneur in the product engineering services arena.    Binu is the MD & CEO of Experion Technologies, a Global Product Engineering Services company offering enterprises future-ready and transformative digi...

How do deep tech VCs pick future-defining startups in India? In this episode, we uncover the journey of Vishesh Rajaram, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Speciale Invest, a seed stage venture capital fund backing India’s most audacious deep tech entrepreneurs. From rockets to EVs to AI SaaS, this conversation dives into the mechanics of zero-to-one investing, portfolio discipline, and why deep t...

In this episode of The Spotlight, we delve into the world of air quality innovation with Dmitry, the visionary founder of Airvoice. This episode offers a fascinating glimpse into the transformative solutions Airvoice is pioneering to address air quality challenges in urban environments. Dmitry shares his personal journey and how his experiences have shaped his passion for creating healthier indoor...

How did a Japanese investment banker turn into one of India’s most influential seed stage venture capitalists? In this episode of the Founder Thesis Podcast, Nao Murakami, Founder and General Partner of Incubate Fund Asia, shares his journey from Nomura to building one of the most active seed VC funds in India and Southeast Asia. Nao recounts his move from Tokyo and New York to Delhi, the failure...

Inspired by his Gujarati family's business background, Kulin Shah of Onsurity, shares his entrepreneurial journey. His journey began during his college days, where he and a colleague attempted to start a business in exporting wedding cards and an EdTech platform, both unsuccessful. In this episode he shares how he pivoted  from the early business ventures and his roles at Aditya Birla group a...