In this powerful episode of Founder Thesis, host Akshay Datt speaks with Kalyan Rao Konda, Co - founder of QualiZeal, a quality engineering firm transforming how global companies approach software testing and quality assurance.  

With over two decades of experience in QA, Kalyan shares his journey - from the early days of reactive testing to today’s proactive, “shift-left” quality engineering model. He unpacks what it takes to build a world-class IT services company, grounded in deep client-centricity, employee empowerment, and a willingness to sacrifice short-term wins for long-term trust.  

We also explore how AI is revolutionizing software testing, including: 

👉How QualiZeal’s proprietary “Humanities AI” platform augments engineers (not replaces them) 

👉Solving modern QA challenges like AI hallucinations 

👉Improving productivity by 25–30% with AI co-pilots  

Kalyan candidly breaks down the economics of IT services-from pricing, utilization, and accelerators to gross margins and client segmentation. He explains why value buyers win, how accelerators and COEs give firms a strategic edge, and how to stand out in a crowded, commoditized market. 

For aspiring entrepreneurs, Kalyan offers hard-won insights on: 

👉Founding a company at 45 

👉Sales strategies that emphasize relationships (“People buy from people”) 

👉Navigating legal challenges while scaling 

👉Finding your niche and staying the course  

This is a must-watch for anyone building in quality engineering, IT services, AI-powered testing, or enterprise SaaS.  

#QualityEngineering #SoftwareTesting #AIinQA #ShiftLeftTesting #QAPlatform #FounderThesis #ITServicesBusiness #EnterpriseSaaS #StartupJourney #SoftwareQuality #AIinSoftwareTesting #ClientCentricity #HumanitiesAI #BusinessOfQA #Entrepreneurship #Founderthesis

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the speaker, not necessarily the channel.

Building a World-Class IT Services Business | Kalyan (QualiZeal)

"Each rack can deliver 2 crores of revenue versus 6 lakh rupees from data centers."  

This striking comparison from A.S. Rajgopal reveals why cloud services generate 10x more revenue per rack than traditional data center hosting - a fundamental shift that's reshaping India's digital infrastructure landscape. 

A.S. Rajgopal is the Managing Director & CEO of NxtGen Cloud Technologies, one of India's leading sovereign cloud providers. With nearly 30 years of corporate experience at Dell, Microsoft, and Reliance Communications, he built and led Reliance's enterprise division to over ₹1000 crores in revenue. Since founding NxtGen in 2012, he has grown it to serve 1000+ organizations with a 44% EBITDA margin and 24% year-on-year growth from existing customers alone. An alumnus of Kellogg and Yale executive programs, Rajgopal is now raising $400 million to build India's largest AI GPU infrastructure, positioning NxtGen at the forefront of India's digital sovereignty movement.  

Key Insights from the Conversation:  

👉Data Sovereignty: Indian enterprises are shifting from cost-focused to compliance-focused cloud adoption due to data localization requirements and foreign jurisdiction risks 

👉Infrastructure Evolution: AI workloads require 10x more power density (100-600 kilowatts per rack) compared to traditional servers, demanding complete data center redesign 

👉Business Model Transformation: Cloud services generate 10x revenue per rack compared to traditional data center hosting while requiring higher but more profitable investments 

👉Open Source Strategy: Leveraging Red Hat OpenStack/OpenShift reduces customer costs by 10x compared to proprietary platforms while maintaining enterprise-grade capabilities 

👉India AI Opportunity: The government's ₹10,000 crore AI initiative creates a ₹20,000 crore market opportunity for sovereign GPU cloud providers

#DataCenter #CloudComputing #AIInfrastructure #DigitalIndia #Entrepreneurship #TechFounder #SovereignCloud #GPUCloud #IndiaAI #Datacenter #CloudServices #TechEntrepreneur #DigitalTransformation #AIRevolution #TechInfrastructure #IndianStartups #EnterpriseCloud #TechLeadership #FounderStory #CloudStrategy #AIComputing #TechInnovation #DigitalSovereignty #CloudInfrastructure #TechPodcast

India’s IT Infra Leap: Data Centers, Cloud, AI & What’s Next | A S Rajgopal (NxtGen)

"Craft does not define size... craft is defined by technique, innovation, and quality."

 This insight from Ishan Varshnei challenges the common misconception that craft businesses can't scale. His scientific approach to brewing has proven that maintaining artisanal quality while achieving commercial scale is not just possible, but profitable.  

Ishan Varshnei is the CEO of Latambarcem Brewers, housing craft beer brand Maka Di and functional beverage brand Borécha. He has built a dual-brand beverage empire generating ₹30 crores annual run rate, with 80 lakhs monthly revenue from kombucha alone and 400% projected growth this year. After bootstrapping with ₹25 crores family funding for 4 years, he raised ₹12.5 crores in Pre-Series A and is targeting ₹500 crores revenue within 5 years. Ishan holds advanced degrees in Nanoengineering from UC San Diego and Materials Science from Columbia University, and previously worked as a Business Analyst at a Blackstone portfolio fund.  

Key Insights from the Conversation: 

👉Product-First Philosophy: Spending only 10% on marketing vs competitors' 40-50%, focusing on product excellence over promotion 

👉Regulatory Navigation: Successfully operating across multiple Indian states with varying alcohol policies and taxation structures 

👉Scientific Innovation: Developing patented SCOBY technology for kombucha using metagenomics and 16S rRNA sequencing 

👉Sustainable Growth: Building profitable unit economics before scaling with external capital

👉Distribution Mastery: Achieving 30% revenue from quick commerce and 30% from institutional sales within 6 months 

👉Family Funding Dynamics: Leveraging family investment for patient capital and long-term vision alignment

#BrewingBusiness #BeverageStartup #FermentationInnovation #IndianEntrepreneurs #StartupJourney #BootstrappedToFunded #QuickCommerce #FounderStory #FounderThesis 

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the speaker, not necessarily the channel.

Cracking India’s Beverage Market with Beer & Kombucha | Ishan Varshnei(Latambarcem Brewers)

"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 Doqfy, a B2B SaaS platform revolutionizing contract lifecycle management in India, founded in 2019. Drawing from over 18 years in IT and pivotal experience in banking with institutions like Standard Chartered, Aditya launched Doqfy, which now empowers over 1,000 businesses across 10+ industries. The platform has managed over 100 million contracts, achieved a $1.3 million revenue in FY24 (approx. Rs 9.05 Cr) with a stunning 110% year-over-year growth, and has successfully raised around $2 million in funding after an initial bootstrapping phase of Rs 25 lakhs.  

Key Insights from the Conversation: 

👉The critical legal necessity of stamp duty for contracts in India and why it's often misunderstood or sidestepped. 

👉A deep dive into various digital signature mechanisms like Aadhaar eSign, DSC tokens, and electronic signatures, including their validity and use cases in India. 

👉Doqfy's strategic evolution from a focused contract execution tool to a comprehensive Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) platform. 

👉The transformative role of AI and NLP in modern LegalTech, automating contract drafting, review, summarization, and proactive risk assessment. 

👉Actionable strategies for customer acquisition, market penetration, and scaling a B2B SaaS business tailored for the Indian enterprise landscape.  

Chapters: 

00:00:00 - Introduction: Aditya Pandranki & The Doqfy Mission 

00:01:25 - The Personal Story Behind Doqfy's Founding 

00:03:15 - From Contract Execution to Full CLM & COVID's Impact 

00:04:22 - When is a Contract Legally Binding in India? 

00:05:25 - Stamp Duty: Why It's Crucial (and Often Skipped) 

00:18:02 - Doqfy's High-Volume Use Cases: Banking & Beyond 

00:24:00 - Automating eStamping & The Tech Behind Doqfy 

00:27:00 - Decoding Digital Signatures: Aadhaar, DSC, Electronic Explained 

00:43:45 - Doqfy's Revenue Model & Market Landscape 

00:49:30 - The Role of AI in Modern Contract Lifecycle Management 

01:00:15 - Client Acquisition & Scaling a B2B LegalTech in India 

01:02:41 - Doqfy's ARR & Future Growth Projections  

#LegalTech #ContractManagement #eSignature #eStamping #CLM #SaaS #B2BSaaS #StartupIndia #IndianStartups #Entrepreneurship #BusinessLaw #DigitalTransformation #AIinLaw #FounderThesis #MakeInIndia #DigitalIndia #RegulatoryMoat Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the speaker, not necessarily the channel.

A Founder's Guide to Legal Contracts | Aditya Pandranki (Doqfy)

"We have zero customer acquisition cost with a hardware business."  

This seemingly impossible statement from Amit Gupta reveals a counterintuitive truth: asset-heavy businesses can create stronger competitive moats than asset-light ones. While Silicon Valley preaches software scalability, Amit proved that owning physical infrastructure can lead to supply-constrained growth where customers queue up for your product. 

Amit Gupta is the Co-founder and CEO of Yulu, India's largest shared electric mobility platform with 45,000+ vehicles facilitating over 80 million rides and 20+ million monthly deliveries. Previously, he co-founded InMobi, one of India's first profitable unicorns valued at $1+ billion, where he drove global expansion across 70+ countries and helped build a $200 million revenue business. From mobile advertising networks to electric vehicle fleets, Amit has mastered the art of building category-defining companies in completely different industries. 

Key Insights from the Conversation:  

👉Asset-Heavy Advantage: Physical infrastructure creates defensible moats that digital competitors cannot easily replicate 

👉Supply Constraint Strategy: Being supply-constrained with high demand beats demand-constrained growth models 

👉EBITDA vs EBIT: Understanding the financial progression from operational profitability to full profitability in asset-heavy businesses 

👉Purpose-Built Design: Custom-designed vehicles for commercial use achieve 10x better unit economics than generic products 

👉Regulatory Arbitrage: Strategic product design around regulations (sub-25kmph) expanded addressable market significantly 

👉Second-Time Founder Lessons: Technology focus vs business expansion - applying learnings across different industries 

👉Zero CAC Achievement: Network effects in physical infrastructure leading to organic customer acquisition 

Chapters: 

0:00:00 - Introduction: From Family Business to Tech Entrepreneur 

0:18:32 - Early Career: Software to Banking to Startups 

0:26:36 - M-Khoj: SMS Search to Mobile Internet Pioneer 

0:49:22 - InMobi Success: Building India's First Profitable Unicorn 

1:07:21 - Glance Innovation: Lock Screen Revolution Within InMobi 

1:17:37 - Yulu Genesis: Personal Traffic Frustration to Mobility Mission 

1:25:28 - Product Evolution: Bicycles to Electric Vehicles Pivot 

1:39:14 - Technology Deep Dive: IoT, Predictive Maintenance & Security 

1:51:52 - Business Model: Asset-Heavy Strategy & Unit Economics 

2:12:14 - Scaling Strategy: Direct Operations vs Franchise Model 

2:24:51 - Second-Time Founder Wisdom: Key Transferable Lessons  

#ElectricVehicles #SharedMobility #StartupIndia #Unicorn #AssetHeavy #Hardware #IoT #UrbanMobility #Sustainability #SecondTimeFounder #Entrepreneurship #TechStartups #MobilityTech #IndianStartups #VentureCapital #Scaling #ZeroCAC #SupplyConstrained #RegulatoryStrategy #PhysicalInfrastructure #EntrepreneurAdvice #startuplessons   

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the speaker, not necessarily the channel.

What Does It Take to Scale a Hardware Startup in India? Amit Gupta (Yulu) Has the Answers

"When UPI happened, it was like, very clear now, this is something that will change everything." 

 This powerful statement from Deepak Chand Thakur encapsulates the monumental shift the Unified Payments Interface has brought to India's financial landscape. It wasn't just another payment system; it was a revolution that reshaped commerce, financial access, and technological innovation —a revolution that Deepak and NPST have been at the heart of.  

Deepak Chand Thakur is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Network People Services Technologies Ltd. (NPST). He has guided NPST from a bootstrapped startup to a publicly listed entity on the mainboards of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Under his leadership, NPST achieved FY24 revenues of ₹130.08 crore, a 216% year-on-year increase, and a net profit surging by 310% to ₹26.71 crore. The company's SME IPO in 2021, which Deepak recounts was valued at ₹50 crore, saw it deliver approximately 9000% returns to its early investors and reach a peak market capitalization of around ₹5000 crore.  

Key Insights from the Conversation: 

👉UPI's Genesis & Evolution: A deep dive into how UPI was conceived, its evolution from IMPS, and why it became a uniquely successful global model for digital payments. 

👉NPST's Role in UPI: How NPST became a crucial technology service provider, bridging the gap between NPCI and banks to facilitate UPI adoption and build scalable solutions. 

👉The Tech Behind Scale: Understanding the microservices architecture NPST employs to handle massive transaction volumes, like processing over 5.5 crore transactions daily for a single banking partner. 

👉Innovation Beyond MDR: How the absence of Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI payments spurred innovation towards creating value-added services and new revenue models.

 👉JAM Trinity's Impact: The foundational role of Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) in creating the digital backbone that enabled UPI's widespread success in India. 

👉Future of Payments: Exploring what's next after UPI, including digital currency (e₹), ONDC, and BBPS.  

Chapters:  

00:00:49 - Introduction: Deepak's Journey to Becoming a Fintech Founder 

00:07:36 - Understanding NPCI and India's Early Payment Ecosystem 

00:15:11 - NPST's Bootstrapping Strategy & Early Days Before UPI 

00:22:33 - The UPI Revolution: Impact and NPST's Pivot 

00:39:14 - Deep Dive: UPI Architecture, Evolution from IMPS & Global Uniqueness 

01:07:07 - The Business of UPI: No MDR, Scarcity Driving Innovation 

01:19:01 - UPI Going Global & The Foundational JAM Trinity 

01:32:55 - Beyond UPI: Exploring BBPS, ONDC & Account Aggregators 

01:53:31 - NPST's Business Model in the UPI Era: PPaaS & Value Creation 

02:03:48 - The NPST IPO Journey: Fueled by Fintech Growth 

02:14:37 - Life After IPO & The Future of Digital Payments in India  

#UPI #FounderThesis #DigitalIndia #FintechIndia #PaymentsRevolution #NPCI #DigitalPayments #MakeInIndia #StartupIndia #TechInnovation #IndianFintech #Innovation #DigitalTransformation #PaymentGateway #Fintech

The Story Behind UPI, And What’s Next: ONDC, BBPS & ULI with Deepak Thakur (NPST)

"The sooner you can get to a level where you can actually make yourself redundant, I think that's when you start building an institution."  

This powerful insight from Rohit M A encapsulates a core theme of our conversation: sustainable growth isn't just about a visionary founder, but about building systems and teams that can thrive independently. It’s about transitioning from being the indispensable force to the architect of an enduring enterprise. 

Rohit M A is the Managing Partner at PeerCapital, an early-stage tech-native venture capital fund. Before co-founding PeerCapital, he was instrumental in scaling Cloudnine Group of Hospitals from a single unit to a national leader with 42 locations and revenues exceeding ₹1200 crores. With over 23 years of entrepreneurial and management experience, and having angel invested in 70-75 companies, Rohit brings a deep operator's perspective to venture investing. PeerCapital's first fund is close to $40 million, focusing on "consumption enablers" and providing "valuable capital" to founders. 

Key Insights from the Conversation:  

👉The Operator-to-VC Journey: Understanding the mindset shift and challenges when transitioning from building a company to funding many. 

👉Scaling with Process & Data: How establishing robust processes and leveraging data were critical to massive growth, moving beyond founder-led decisions. 

👉"Valuable Capital": PeerCapital's thesis on providing more than just money – offering strategic, operational, and intellectual support. 

👉Fundraising Realities: The candid truth about how difficult fundraising is, both for founders seeking capital and VCs raising funds from LPs. 

👉Institutionalizing a Business: The importance of professional management, board governance, and preparing a company for long-term success, including being public-listing ready. 

👉Focus on the Problem: Why VCs (and founders) should obsess over the problem being solved rather than getting fixated on a single solution.  

Chapters: 

00:00:00 - Introduction: Rohit M A's Entrepreneurial Path 

00:02:13 - The Genesis & Early Vision of Cloudnine Hospitals 

00:10:03 - Scaling Cloudnine: From 1 to 42 Hospitals & Key Metrics 

00:17:00 - Transitioning to Professional Management & Making Yourself Redundant 

00:52:46 - Leveraging Data & Technology for Operational Excellence 

01:10:45 - The Cloudnine Fundraising Journey: From VCs to Private Equity 

01:24:23 - The Shift to Venture Capital: Founding PeerCapital 

01:26:34 - PeerCapital's Investment Thesis: "Valuable Capital" & Founder Fit 

01:33:04 - The Surprising Realities & Challenges of Running a VC Firm 

01:49:17 - How PeerCapital Evaluates Startups for Investment 

02:00:47 - What Kind of Founders Should Approach PeerCapital? 

 #FounderThesis #VentureCapital #StartupIndia #Entrepreneurship #ScalingBusiness #HealthcareInnovation #TechInvestment #OperatorVC #StartupFunding #BuildingInstitutions #LeadershipLessons #IndianStartups #VCInsights #FounderJourney

A Founder & VC's Roadmap to Scaling | Rohit M A (PeerCapital & Cloudnine)

"Founders often wear a mask of 'irrational optimism' for their team; a necessary front when leading through uncertainty."  

This insight from Ashish Munjal delves into the often unspoken psychological aspect of entrepreneurship, where maintaining a strong, positive exterior is crucial for team morale and navigating the startup journey's inherent challenges, even when founders internally grapple with difficulties.  

Ashish Munjal is the Co-Founder & CEO of Sunstone, one of India's leading higher education service providers. Recognized in the Times 40 under 40 (2022), he is steering Sunstone to impact nearly 20,000 students across 14 cities and over 27 colleges, with projected gross sales of around ₹300 crore by the end of the year discussed in the podcast. His mission is to make quality, job-oriented higher education accessible, particularly for students in Tier II & III cities.   

Key Insights from the Conversation:  

👉Viral Growth & Engagement: How Crown It achieved massive user engagement (50% MTU/MAU) with near-zero paid marketing, relying heavily on organic referrals.  

👉Bold Business Models: The strategic thinking behind Sunstone's initial "Pay After Placement" model to build trust and cut through market clutter.  

👉The Power of Pivots: Lessons from Crown It's evolution (deals to data monetization, then enterprise) and Sunstone's strategic shifts (like removing pay-after-placement for UG courses) for long-term sustainability.  

👉Offline-First in EdTech: How Sunstone's offline-centric approach proved resilient and attractive to investors, especially when the online EdTech wave faced scrutiny.  

👉AI in Operations: Practical examples of how AI is already being used at Sunstone for lead qualification, CV automation, and even creating initial drafts of educational content.   

Chapters:  

00:00:00 - Introduction: The Entrepreneurial Itch 

00:01:49 - The Crown It Journey: Building a Viral Deals App & Growth Hacks 

00:15:35 - Challenges of Gamified Rewards & Why Crown It Pivoted 

00:40:47 - The Shift to Education: Identifying the Core Problem for Sunstone 

00:48:44 - Sunstone's Innovative Higher Education Model 

00:56:19 - "Pay After Placement" & Navigating Sunstone's Early Challenges 

01:06:56 - Sunstone's Unique Operations: The University Track vs. Sunstone Track 

01:13:18 - Cracking Student Acquisition & The "Easier" Part: Placements 

01:23:08 - Funding Journey: Navigating EdTech Investor Waves 

01:27:48 - Lessons as a Two-Time Founder & Angel Investing Thesis 

01:38:10 - Signalling Credibility to Investors: Early Stage vs. Series A 

01:42:52 - AI in Action: Automating Operations & Replacing Resources  

#FounderThesis #EdTechIndia #HigherEducation #StartupIndia #Entrepreneurship #IndianStartups #SerialEntrepreneur #StartupLessons #GrowthHacking #EdTechTrends #BusinessPivots #VentureCapital #AIinBusiness #Podcast #InnovationInEducation #leadershipjourney   

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the speaker, not necessarily the channel.

Deals to Degrees: Serial Entrepreneur Ashish Munjal’s journey from Crown It to Sunstone

"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.  

Dhruv Luthra is the Managing Director of the Luthra Group, a third-generation entrepreneur who has been instrumental in steering the family's legacy from its origins in textiles to becoming a pioneering force in hazardous waste management and sustainable energy solutions across India. Under his leadership, the group operates 11 plants, processes around 1100 tons of waste daily in its key recycling facilities, and has played a pivotal role in significant environmental achievements, including saving over 1.8 Lac ML of landfill waste and recycling 12 Lac Tonnes of Greenhouse Gases. The Luthra Group, which started its waste management journey in 1999 as arguably India's first private company in the sector, has seen remarkable growth, with an asset value growth from under Rs. 10 crores to over Rs. 400 crores over a 25-year period.  

Key Insights from the Conversation:  

👉The Genesis of Circular Economy: Understand that the "new age jargon" of Circular Economy is fundamentally the trusted "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" principle, applied innovatively. 

👉From Textiles to Transformation: Learn about the Luthra Group's strategic pivot from a successful textile business to tackling India's pressing waste management challenges. 

👉Waste as a Valuable Resource: Discover how industrial waste, from textile effluents to hazardous materials, is not just managed but converted into valuable products. 

👉Innovation in Action: Get a glimpse into the "recipes" and processes involved in treating and converting diverse waste streams, including solidification of semi-solid waste. 

👉Scaling Sustainably: Insights into expanding operations across multiple states, the importance of being close to the source of waste, and the critical role of managing supply chain costs. 

👉Technology as an Enabler: How the Luthra Group leverages technology like SAP for ERP, and is implementing advanced systems like Automatic Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) to enhance efficiency and safety. 

👉The Hard Decisions: The rationale behind exiting the decades-old family textile business to focus entirely on the burgeoning field of environmental solutions.

#CircularEconomy [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/circulareconomy] #WasteManagement [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/wastemanagement] #Sustainability [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sustainability] #Entrepreneurship [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship] #StartupIndia [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/startupindia] #MakeInIndia [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/makeinindia] #GreenTech [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/greentech] #Innovation [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/innovation] #WasteToEnergy [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/wastetoenergy] #HazardousWaste [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/hazardouswaste] #Recycling [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/recycling] #IndianBusiness [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/indianbusiness] #FamilyBusiness [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/familybusiness] #EnvironmentalSolutions [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/environmentalsolutions] #ClimateAction [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/climateaction] #FounderThesis [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/founderthesis] 

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the speaker, not necessarily the channel.

Building a 400cr+ Waste Empire | Dhruv Luthra (Luthra Group)

"SaaS as we know it is DEAD." 

 This might sound controversial, but as Manav Garg explains, the old model of simple workflow automation is being rapidly superseded. AI agents are now capable of executing complex tasks based on simple commands, fundamentally changing how businesses operate and what they expect from technology.  

Manav Garg is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of Together Fund, an operator-led VC firm managing over $250M AUM and backing ambitious early-stage Indian SaaS and AI startups. Before this, he founded Eka Software Solutions in 2004, building it over nearly two decades into a global leader in commodity management software. He scaled Eka to $34 million in revenue with $9 million in profit by 2014, raised over $55 million, navigated a complex pivot to the cloud, and ultimately exited the company. He is also a co-founder of SaaSBOOMi, Asia's largest SaaS community, and is passionate about building India as a Product Nation.  

Key Insights from the Conversation: 

👉The challenging journey of pivoting an already profitable company (Eka) to the cloud. 

👉Learnings from bootstrapping, fundraising, M&A, and scaling enterprise SaaS globally. 

👉The Operator-VC model: "Paying it forward" with capital plus know-how. 

👉Why "People Buy From People": Building trust is paramount in enterprise sales. 

👉The Founder Exit journey often involves an identity crisis, not just financial calculations.  

Chapters: 

00:00:00 - Introduction 

00:03:32 - Early Career: Commodity Trading & Learning Lateral Thinking 

00:10:50 - Spotting the Gap: The Founding Idea for Eka Software 

00:19:29 - Starting Eka: Solo Founder, Seed Funding & Early Choices 

00:25:33 - Zero-to-One: Building Eka Profitably From Year 1 

00:34:20 - Scaling Up: Raising VC & Growing Through M&A ($34mn ARR) 

00:40:55 - Facing Crisis: The Commodity Crash & The Cloud Pivot Decision 

00:48:58 - Navigating the Difficult 3-Year Cloud Transition 

00:53:07 - The Exit Journey: Deciding to Sell Eka & The Process 

01:05:04 - SaaSBOOMi & Founding Together Fund (The Operator-VC Model) 

01:10:09 - Investing Thesis: AI Wave, Market Size & Evaluating Founders 

01:19:34 - Key Lessons from 20 Years: Pricing, Sales, Product Love & Processes 

01:33:11 - Why SaaS is Dead & The Future with AI Agents  

#FounderThesis #SaaS #StartupIndia #IndianStartups #VentureCapital #OperatorVC #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #EnterpriseSoftware #CloudComputing #FounderJourney #StartupExit #Entrepreneurship #Bootstrapping #SalesStrategy #ProductManagement #TechIndia #MakeInIndia 

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the speaker, not necessarily the channel.

From Coffee Trader To $250M+ VC | Manav Garg (Together Fund)

Dickens said, it was the best of the times, it was the worst of the times. The words have never been truer.  Best because there’s never been a better time to be an entrepreneur.  Worst because the clutter is mind-numbing. Founder Thesis breaks through the noise to bring you stories of success & failure, grit & struggle, bouquets & brickbats from some of the most brilliant entrepreneurs in India. 

Founder Thesis

Saurabh Garg talks to investors and venture capitalists about what it takes  and
how start-ups to get the funding that they need

Investor Thesis

India Booked is a podcast that uses literature as a lever to bring multiple
facets of India alive. A perfect podcast for bibliophiles, trivia junkies and
people interested in learning more about India. Every episode focuses on a
different theme and takes place via a conversation between the host with
celebrated authors.

India Booked

किस्से कहानियाँ हमारी ज़िंदगी का उतना ही अहम हिस्सा हैं, जितना शायद खाना और पीना
। कहानियाँ हमें हँसाती हैं, रुलाती हैं, सिखाती हैं। वो बचपन में सुलाती हैं,
बड़प्पन में रुलाती हैं। कहानियाँ हमें वहाँ ले जाती हैं, जहां हमें गाड़ी या जहाज़ भी
शायद न ले जा पाएँ । तो चलिए हम भी चलते हैं दूर कहीं, कुछ कहानियों के साथ । आप का
तहे दिल से स्वागत है इस पॉडकास्ट पर, जिसका नाम है ‘कहानियों का गुच्छा’। इसमें आप
सुनेंगे हिन्दुस्तानी ज़बान के प्रसिद्ध लेखकों की कहानियों की कई शृंखलाओं को,
जिनको चुना गया है किसी न किसी विषय वस्तु के आधार पर। तो सुनते रहिए ‘कहानियों का
गुच्छा’। We are the stories we tell! Stories are as important in our lives as
probably food and shelter. Stories make us laugh, cry, and learn. They carry us
to the mysterious worlds of our imagination. So here we are, ready to take you
along with us on a ride with some great stories by some great writers. We invite
you to this podcast ‘Kahaniyon ka Guccha’ where you will hear carefully curated
series of stories written by some of the greatest writers in Hindustani
language. Stay tuned to some of the greatest stories with us in ‘Kahaniyon ka
Guccha’.

Kahaniyon ka Guccha

At The Spotlight, we go behind the scenes and identify and highlight the upcoming disruptors from the startup space!

The Spotlight

Welcome to the podcast where all stories are welcome. This is a podcast with no
agenda. Hidden or otherwise. In a freewheeling conversation over coffee, Sheba
gently nudges people to shake off their masks and share their real selves. Hear
what keeps people ticking, what helps them make sense of the world, and what is
the inner, most private conversation people have with themselves. Hear people
being, well….human. Expect to hear from the quiet introverts, because Sheba has
a soft corner for them.

SoulBrews with Sheba

Marketing is often considered a nice to have, not a must have. “Let’s get business first”, is what one has often heard. However, MARKETING WHEN DONE RIGHT, GETS BUSINESS. In this show marketing stalwarts talk about how marketing works in the real world. In this show you will learn how marketing will help you to - win business - acquire new consumers - grow the brand - build defensibility - command higher pricing power. Vani Dandia is an award winning marketeer who has spent over two decades in advertising and marketing with Unilever, PepsiCo, Reckitt Benckiser, Henkel, BBDO and Leo Burnett. Her claim to fame includes turning around Kurkure and successfully launching brands like Quaker, Veet, Sunsilk Colour, Fa in India and Asia.

Marketing with Vani

Hosted by Nakul Kumar, this podcast will feature some interesting personalities
from various domains of life. From sportsmen to artists and entrepreneurs, we'll
speak to a line-up of unconventional people. What will always remain constant is
our focus on how technology shapes their lives and their go-to hacks & tricks.
We will explore their unique relationship with technology and try to soak in all
that can enhance our and our listeners' relationship with technology. Hacks,
tricks, insights, upcoming tech or innovations, you name it and we'll have
covered it in this stream. So sit back, relax, plug in your earphones and let
the fun begin. About Your Host When not coming up with killer ideas to help the
users of his co-founded app, Cashify, Nakul Kumar is a full-time tech
aficionado, a cook, a proud dad, and a gaming geek. Of late, his super-honest
"2-minute reviews" on the latest smartphones on YouTube have turned him into a
tech influencer to be reckoned with. Through his new podcast on The Podium,
Nakul aims to change our general view of the world of technology and disruption.
Lend him your ears and we're sure you'll go back with your own tech eureka
moment.

Upgrade with Nakul

The minds behind brands, the minds behind ads. 

 

Tune into Marketing Connect as Saurabh Garg, a marketer, startup enthusiast, and filmmaker, gets up close and personal with some of our most celebrated marketers in India. Watch him pick their brains on the method and madness that is marketing, as art and as a discipline. And so they answer the most important question: what does it take to succeed as a marketer in this day and age?

 

Bringing you the first season of the Marketing Connect Podcast, where Saurabh chats with marketers from real estate, to fashion, content, food, retail, and just about any industry you can think of.

 

Hear, learn, and get inspired from the marketers handling the brands you and I consume each day!

Marketing Connect

We get up close and personal to some of the most celebrated marketers in the country. We understand from them the method and the madness behind how they look at marketing as a discipline and what it takes to succeed as a marketer in this day and age. In the first season of Marketing Connect Podcast, we speak to marketers from businesses ranging from real estate to fashion to content to food to retail, and a lot more! These marketers manage some of the largest brands in the country today!

Akshay Datt

Shows