We are republishing one of our favorite episode with the co-founder of Momento this week, we will be publishing a brand new episode next week.

Discover how a NASA engineer leveraged AWS to build a serverless caching solution.

About the episode:

Join Nataraj as he speaks with Khawaja Shams, co-founder and CEO of Momento, a serverless caching solution that just closed a $15 million Series A round. Khawaja shares his journey from processing images for Mars rovers at NASA to leading engineering teams at Amazon and now revolutionizing caching with Momento. He discusses the challenges of building scalable infrastructure, the importance of developer productivity, and how Momento is simplifying real-time data infrastructure for enterprises. Learn how Momento addresses the complexities of traditional caching solutions, enabling developers to focus on building interactive experiences.

What you’ll learn

- Hear Khawaja's experience at NASA, working on image processing for Mars Rovers and his transition to AWS to accelerate image processing.

- Find out how AWS inspired Khawaja to join Amazon and contribute to the growth of cloud computing and its impact on innovation.

- Learn how Momento addresses the complexities of traditional caching solutions, enabling developers to focus on building interactive experiences.

- Understand Momento's accidental discovery of a two-tier caching system that evolved into a web server, enhancing developer productivity and scalability.

- Discover the initial steps from zero to one in building Momento, including team hiring and partnering with design partners for customer feedback and product grounding.

- Hear about target customers for Momento's solutions, focusing on media, entertainment, gaming, and fintech companies with spiky traffic and mission-critical needs.

- Explore Khawaja's perspective on Amazon's leadership principles and Momento's core leadership values, emphasizing customer centricity and psychological safety.

- Gain insights into building a company culture that attracts top talent and addresses the challenges of convincing individuals to join a startup.

About the Guest and Host:

Khawaja Shams: CEO and Co-Founder of Momento, previously at NASA and AWS, building serverless and low-latency solutions.

Connect with Guest: 

→ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshams/

Nataraj: Host of the Startup Project podcast, Senior PM at Azure & Investor. 

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/  

→ Twitter: https://x.com/natarajsindam

→ Substack: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠

→ Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://thestartupproject.io⁠⁠⁠



In this episode, we cover

(00:00) Introduction and Guest Introduction

(01:14) Khawaja's Early Career at NASA

(03:27) Transitioning Image Processing to AWS

(05:59) Joining Amazon and the Cloud Computing Revolution

(08:00) Early Days at Amazon and AWS Culture

(10:08) Roles and Products at Amazon: DynamoDB and Elemental

(13:58) The Vision Behind AWS's Growth

(15:55) The Genesis of Momento: Identifying a Gap in Caching Solutions

(19:07) Insights from DynamoDB Customers

(21:30) Building Momento: From Zero to One

(24:46) Ideal Design Partners and Target Verticals

(27:24) Validating Product-Market Fit

(28:43) B2B Marketing and Growth Strategies

(31:19) Amazon's Leadership Principles and Company Culture

(34:27) Building a Unique Culture at Momento

(36:56) Attracting Talent to a Startup

(39:26) Khawaja's Current Consumption (Books,

The Invisible Layer Powering the AI Infrastructure | Co-Founder and CEO of Momento | Khawaja Shams

Discover how WebAI is revolutionizing AI by enabling powerful models to run directly on devices.

About the episode:

Nataraj chats with David Stout, founder of WebAI, about bringing AI infrastructure to edge devices. David shares his journey from a Michigan farm to pioneering techniques for compressing AI models onto phones, laptops, and even airplanes. They discuss the importance of data privacy, real-time processing, and the shift from cloud-based AI to a web of interconnected, specialized AI systems working across devices. Learn about WebAI's vision for the future of AI and how they achieved a $700 million valuation.

What you’ll learn

- Understand the limitations of cloud-based AI and the advantages of edge computing for data privacy and real-time processing.

- Discover how WebAI compresses and optimizes large AI models to run efficiently on everyday devices like phones and laptops.

- Learn about the potential of a decentralized “web of models” and how it could revolutionize various industries.

- Explore the key factors driving WebAI's success, including their focus on horizontal technology and support for diverse AI models.

- Gain insights into the future of AI hardware and software.

About the Guest and Host:

Guest Name: David Stout, Founder of WebAI, pioneering AI infrastructure for edge devices.

Connect with Guest:

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpstout/ 

→ Website: https://www.webai.com/

Nataraj: Host of the Startup Project podcast, Senior PM at Azure & Investor.

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/

→ Substack: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠



In this episode, we cover

(00:01) Introduction and Guest Introduction

(01:35) David's Journey in AI and Machine Learning

(03:51) Bringing AI Models to Devices

(05:49) Applications of AI on Devices

(08:10) The Thesis for Starting Web AI

(11:16) Optimizing for Specialized Models

(15:02) Web AI's Customers and Use Cases

(17:00) Hardware Optimization for Web AI

(19:12) Lightweight Personal Models

(22:55) The Trajectory of Foundational Model Companies and AGI

(31:48) Emergent Behavior and Intelligence

(35:17) Prompts Don't Pay Bills

(41:22) Meta's Approach to Recruiting and Spending

(44:51) Form Factors in AI

(51:04) Surprising AI Products

(52:42) Breakthroughs in AI Research

(56:31) XAI's Models

(01:03:24) The Future of Google and Search

(01:06:39) Finding David and WebAI



Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review/comment on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@thestartupproject] Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/startup-project/id1551300319] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cx7Q5r9Ow9eikxQjsJjjq?si=8dbd3150ef4f4ec2] or wherever you listen to podcasts.



#AI #EdgeComputing #MachineLearning #DataPrivacy #WebAI #ArtificialIntelligence #DecentralizedAI #AIInfrastructure #Startup #Technology #Innovation #Podcast #Entrepreneurship #TechStartups #DeepLearning #ModelCompression #AIModels #Inference #NatarajSindam #StartupProject



Offline AI, personal AI assistants, edge computing revolution, compression of neural networks, privacy, compute efficiency, AI infrastructure startups | David Stout, Founder of Web AI

In this episode, Nataraj welcomes Matt Martin, CEO of Clockwise, to explore the science of smart scheduling. Discover how Clockwise uses AI to optimize calendars, reduce meeting overload, and create more focused work time. Matt shares insights on balancing collaboration with individual productivity, the impact of remote work on meeting culture, and the future of AI-powered time management. Learn actionable strategies to transform your workday and boost your team's efficiency. Why care? Because reclaiming your time is the first step to achieving your goals.

### What you’ll learn

- Implement AI-driven tools to analyze and optimize your schedule for peak productivity.

- Balance maker and manager schedules to accommodate different work styles within your team.

- Identify and eliminate unnecessary meetings to free up valuable time for focused work.

- Leverage asynchronous communication methods to reduce the reliance on synchronous meetings.

- Understand the impact of remote work on meeting culture and adapt your strategies accordingly.

- Measure the ROI of productivity tools to ensure they are contributing to your bottom line.

- Explore the potential of AI agents to automate scheduling and optimize workflows.

- Discover the importance of memory and context in AI assistants for the workplace.

### About the Guest and Host:

Guest Name: Matt Martin, CEO of Clockwise, helping individuals and teams create smarter schedules with AI.

Connect with Guest:

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/voxmatt/

→ Website: https://www.getclockwise.com/

Nataraj: Host of the Startup Project podcast, Senior PM at Azure & Investor.

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/

→ Twitter: https://x.com/natarajsindam

→ Substack: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠



### In this episode, we cover

(00:01) Introduction to Matt Martin and Clockwise

(00:58) What is Clockwise and how customers use it

(02:19) Optimizing meetings in organizations

(02:56) Maker Schedule versus Manager Schedule

(05:38) Trends in non-scheduled meetings

(07:33) The shift in adopting new SaaS products

(08:43) Impact of zero interest rate environment on SaaS buying

(11:32) AI agents and their promises

(12:49) Measuring efficiency gains with AI tools

(14:14) Outcome-based pricing models

(17:46) How Clockwise leverages AI in its product

(20:51) MCP vs APIs

(22:26) The trend of half-baked tools

(24:54) Rethinking fundamental apps with AI

(26:56) Adding AI features on current products

(29:03) Power of products like Zapier and Enneken with AI

(33:08) Categories of AI companies that are likely to succeed

(36:49) AI assistant for your workplace

(39:26) User interface

(46:01) How to discover Matt and Clockwise

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review/comment on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@thestartupproject] Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/startup-project/id1551300319] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cx7Q5r9Ow9eikxQjsJjjq?si=8dbd3150ef4f4ec2] or wherever you listen to podcasts.

#Clockwise #AIScheduling #CalendarOptimization #ProductivityTips #TimeManagement #MeetingStrategy #RemoteWork #HybridWork #AITools #SaaS #Entrepreneurship #StartupProject #Nat

Fixing Broken Meetings, Managing Calendars with AI, and Redesigning the Future of Work | Matt Martin CEO & Co-Founder Clockwise

Discover how Glean AI is transforming enterprise productivity with AI-powered search and intelligent agents.

About the episode:

Join Nataraj as he explores the evolution of enterprise AI with Arvind Jain, CEO of Glean. From its roots as an AI-powered search solution, Glean has transformed into a comprehensive AI agent platform, helping companies like Zapier, Carta, and Grammarly boost productivity. Arvind shares his journey, the challenges of building a universal AI assistant, and his vision for the future of AI at work. Discover how Glean is helping enterprises leverage AI to streamline workflows and enhance employee efficiency. Learn how Glean ensures AI delivers value safely and securely.

What you’ll learn

 * Understand the evolution of Glean from an AI-powered search tool to a comprehensive AI agent platform.
 * Discover how Glean helps enterprises address productivity challenges by providing quick access to internal knowledge.
 * Learn about the techniques Glean employs to reduce hallucinations and ensure accurate, reliable AI-driven insights.
 * Explore the diverse use cases of AI agents in sales, customer service, engineering, and legal departments.
 * Gain insights into Arvind Jain's vision for the future of work, where AI proactively assists employees in their daily tasks.



About the Guest and Host:

Arvind Jain: CEO of Glean, work AI platform, and co-founder of Rubrik.

Connect with Guest:

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jain-arvind

→ Website: glean.com [https://glean.com]

Nataraj: Host of the Startup Project podcast, Senior PM at Azure & Investor.

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/

→ Substack: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠



In this episode, we cover

 * (00:01) Introduction to Arvind Jain and Glean AI
 * (01:13) What Glean does: AI-powered search and conversational AI assistant
 * (03:43) The origin story of Glean: Solving productivity challenges in fast-growing companies
 * (06:46) The evolution from search to an AI assistant
 * (09:45) The advantages of tackling hard problems in startups
 * (12:37) Techniques to reduce AI hallucinations and ensure accuracy
 * (17:31) Model Hub: The different models Glean uses
 * (20:16) Use cases for AI agent platforms across various departments
 * (24:42) Workflow agents and the importance of integrations
 * (31:59) The future of work: Proactive AI companions
 * (37:14) Glean's cross-platform vision
 * (39:07) How AI is changing the business of fast-growing startups
 * (43:39) How Glean is becoming more AI-first internally
 * (47:04) Ideas Arvind would explore if starting over with AI
 * (49:49) Key metrics Arvind watches at Glean AI



Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review/comment on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@thestartupproject] Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/startup-project/id1551300319] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cx7Q5r9Ow9eikxQjsJjjq?si=8dbd3150ef4f4ec2] or wherever you listen to podcasts.



#GleanAI #EnterpriseAI #AISearch #AIAgents #FutureofWork #Productivity #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #SaaS #Startups #BusinessInsights #Technology #AIPlatform #WorkflowAutomation #MachineLearning #DeepLearning #AIStrategy #DigitalTransformation #AIinBusiness #TechPodcast



The Future of Enterprise AI: $100M ARR, Agents, Company Building, and Scaling Unicorns | Arvind Jain (Co-founder of Glean, Rubrik, ex-Google)

### About the episode:

Join Nataraj as he interviews Matt DeBergalis, CEO of Apollo GraphQL, about the evolution of GraphQL from an open-source project to a product company. Matt shares insights on building and scaling APIs, the challenges of transitioning open-source tech into a viable business, and how AI is reshaping API development. Discover how Apollo is helping companies of all sizes leverage GraphQL to build agentic experiences and modernize their API strategies.

### What you’ll learn

- Understand the journey of GraphQL from open source to a product-driven company.

- Explore the challenges of adopting and scaling GraphQL in enterprise environments.

- Discover how GraphQL simplifies complex data combinations with its declarative language.

- Learn how Apollo GraphQL helps companies accelerate the development of robust APIs.

- Examine the role of GraphQL in building modern agentic experiences powered by AI.

- Understand how to balance short-term shipping pressures with long-term architectural considerations.

- Identify when GraphQL makes sense for a company based on its API size and consumption needs.

- Discover how AI is driving increased API consumption and transforming user interfaces.

### About the Guest and Host:

Guest Name: Matt DeBergalis is the Co-founder and CEO of Apollo GraphQL, previously CTO and Co-founder at Meteor Development Group.

Connect with Guest:

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debergalis/

→ Website: https://www.apollographql.com/

Nataraj: Host of the Startup Project podcast, Senior PM at Azure & Investor.

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/

→ Twitter: https://x.com/natarajsindam

→ Substack: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠

→ Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://thestartupproject.io⁠⁠⁠

### In this episode, we cover

(00:01) Introduction to Matt DeBergalis and Apollo GraphQL

(00:37) Matt's journey and the origins of Apollo GraphQL

(03:24) The transition from open source to a company

(05:02) GraphQL as a client-focused API technology

(07:22) Meta's approach to open source technologies

(10:11) Challenges of converting open source to a business

(13:11) Balancing shipping speed with architectural considerations

(15:52) The risk of adopting the wrong technology

(19:13) The evolution of full-stack development

(23:57) When does adopting GraphQL make sense?

(26:45) Apollo's customer scale and focus

(31:48) Acquiring customers and marketing to developers

(33:52) Matt's transition from CTO to CEO

(37:02) Apollo's sales motion and target audience

(40:24) Matt's thoughts on AI and its impact

(47:12) How AI is changing business metrics

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review/comment on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@thestartupproject] Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/startup-project/id1551300319] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cx7Q5r9Ow9eikxQjsJjjq?si=8dbd3150ef4f4ec2] or wherever you listen to podcasts.

#GraphQL #ApolloGraphQL #API #OpenSource #Enterprise #AI #AgenticAI #APIDevelopment #Startup #Technology #SoftwareDevelopment #GraphQLAdoption #Kubernetes #React #FullStack #DataAnalytics #Innovation #DigitalTransformation #TechStrategy #Podcast



 APIs as Graphs not Endpoints, building a company on open source foundations, why VPs of Engineering face impossible trade-offs | Apollo GraphQL CEO Matt DeBergalis

In this episode of Startup Project, Nataraj interviews Ben Kus, CTO of Box, about the critical role of unstructured data in the AI revolution. They discuss the cost structures of adopting and building with AI, and how AI is transforming enterprise businesses. Ben shares Box's unique perspective, managing over an exabyte of data for 120,000 enterprise customers. Learn how AI can understand, automate, and enhance the value of your unstructured data, turning untapped potential into practical benefits. 

What you’ll learn:

 *  Understand what unstructured data is and why it's so critical for AI applications in business.
 * Discover Box's strategic approach to integrating with other platforms and providing AI solutions on top of your data.
 * Learn about the pivotal moment when Box realized the potential of generative AI and how they retrofitted their platform to be AI-first.
 * Explore early AI use cases launched at Box, including chatting with documents and data extraction, and how enterprises are adopting these features.
 * Understand the cost implications of leveraging AI and how Box balances offering AI for free with managing expenses.
 * Dive into Box's perspective on pricing based on usage versus outcomes, and their current subscription model.
 * Learn about Box's approach to AI agents, their definition, and how they are being implemented to solve complex problems.
 * Discover the concept of "context engineering" and its importance in building AI agents that understand user needs.
 * Understand how AI is impacting productivity within Box and the broader enterprise landscape.
 * Find out about the AI models Box is working with and how they ensure security and trustworthiness for enterprise customers.



About the Guest and Host:

Ben Kus: Chief Technology Officer at Box, previously VP of Product at Box and co-founder of Subspace.

Connect with Guest:

→ LinkedIn:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/benkus .

→ Website: https://box.com/



Nataraj: Host of the Startup Project podcast, Senior PM at Azure & Investor.

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/

→ Twitter: https://x.com/natarajsindam

→ Substack: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠



In this episode, we cover:

 * (00:01) Introduction

 * (00:35) What is unstructured data and why is Box in the center of AI?
 * (04:05) Box's strategy on building new AI tools and features.
 * (06:55) The moment Box realized AI was a big shift.
 * (11:08) Earliest AI use cases launched at Box.
 * (15:17) The cost of leveraging AI and its impact on profitability.
 * (19:24) Pricing based on usage vs. outcomes.
 * (22:47) Abuse prevention and handling unlimited storage.
 * (24:16) AI products targeted for specific knowledge worker persona.
 * (28:18) Being an AI-first company.
 * (30:55) Defining and implementing AI agents within Box.
 * (36:38) Form factors for agents in an enterprise product sense.
 * (39:59) Productivity improvements with AI.
 * (44:07) Progression in junior developers.
 * (46:17) Document parsing and extraction.
 * (49:16) AI models Box is working with.
 * (52:10) Startup ideas in the AI era.

   

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review/comment on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@thestartupproject], Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/startup-project/id1551300319], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cx7Q5r9Ow9eikxQjsJjjq?si=8dbd3150ef4f4ec2]

How to be an AI first company, Enterprise AI adoption, Future of Developers, Cost of AI, Unlocking value from Enterprise Data with AI & more with Ben Kus | CTO of Box

About the Episode:

This episode dives into AngelList's core products and how they strengthen the startup ecosystem. Goutham explains how AngelList sits at the center of founders, GPs, and LPs, providing tools and infrastructure to fuel innovation. He discusses the impact of AI on AngelList's operations, from streamlining fund deployment to providing deeper insights for investors. Goutham also shares his thoughts on the current AI hype cycle and how it's blurring the lines between traditional roles in tech companies. The conversation explores AngelList's adoption of crypto, including USDC funding and the potential for tokenization to create liquidity in private markets. Goutham also touches upon the future of AngelList and the exciting AI-powered products on the horizon.



About the Guest and Host:

Goutham Buchi: CTO of AngelList, former Senior Director of Engineering at Coinbase, co-founder and CEO of Mysicamore.

→ LinkedIn:  ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/gouthambuchi/⁠



Nataraj: Host of the Startup Project podcast, Senior PM at Azure & Investor.

→ LinkedIn:   ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam  

→ Email updates: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠



Timestamps:

00:02 - Introduction and Guest Introduction

01:06 - Goutham’s Background and Journey

02:21 - AngelList's Core Products and Business Drivers

05:18 - Democratizing Access to Early Stage Venture

06:43 - How AngelList Differs from Coinbase

09:27 - The Role of Regulation in Crypto and AngelList

11:19 - Goutham's Thoughts on Gen AI and the AI Hype Cycle

14:09 - AI: From Research Problem to Engineering Problem

17:56 - The Blurring of Roles with AI

22:28 - Blockers to AI Adoption

24:50 - How AngelList is Using AI in its Products

29:52 - Crypto Integration at AngelList

33:26 - Competition: Banking Rails vs. Regulation

35:58 - Creating Liquidity for GPs on the Platform

39:46 - Future of AI at AngelList

44:14 - Skills for Product Managers in the Age of AI

49:11 - Exploring AI Tools

50:21 - Product Hunt



Subscribe to Startup Project for more engaging conversations with leading entrepreneurs!

→ Email updates: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠



#StartupProject #AngelList #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Startups #VentureCapital #Investing #Crypto #Coinbase #ProductHunt #Technology #Innovation #Funding #GouthamBuchi #NatarajSindam"}]



























Automating Startup Formation, Scaling Fund Products, Applying AI Across Venture Tools | AngelList CTO Goutham Buchi

About the episode:

Join Nataraj as he explores the world of online advertising with Jared Siegal, founder and CEO of Aditude. Discover how programmatic advertising empowers publishers to scale their revenue and the evolving landscape of online monetization. They discuss the roles of different players in the ad industry, the impact of AI on search traffic, and the future of publishing. Gain insights into how Aditude is leveling the playing field for publishers in a Google-dominated world. If you are a publisher, this episode can provide actionable strategies to maximize your ad revenue and maintain control over your content.

What you’ll learn

 * Understand the basics of programmatic advertising and how it works in real-time.
 * Identify the key players in the ad tech ecosystem, including publishers, ad servers, and exchanges.
 * Discover how header bidding and real-time auctions have transformed online advertising.
 * Learn about the impact of AI on search engine traffic and content strategies for publishers.
 * Explore strategies for publishers to diversify revenue and maintain control in a changing landscape.
 * Evaluate the pros and cons of SaaS pricing models versus commission-based models in ad tech.
 * Recognize the challenges and opportunities for publishers in a Google-dominated ad market.
 * Understand how Aditude helps publishers compete and maximize ad revenue.



About the Guest and Host:

Guest Name: Jared Siegal is the Founder and CEO of Aditude, a programmatic advertising solution that empowers publishers to scale their revenue.

Connect with Guest:

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-siegal-tude

→ Website: https://www.aditude.com/

Nataraj: Host of the Startup Project podcast, Senior PM at Azure & Investor.

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/

→ Twitter: https://x.com/natarajsindam

→ Substack: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠



In this episode, we cover

(00:00) Introduction to Jared Siegal and Aditude

(00:51) How Jared got into the ad business

(03:34) Growing revenue and traffic at Answers.com [https://answers.com]

(04:21) Understanding Google Ad Manager (GAM) and real-time bidding

(07:30) Lay of the land in the ad industry: players and roles

(09:30) Aditude's role in connecting advertisers to publishers

(12:20) How brands place bids and the role of ad exchanges

(13:33) Why choose Aditude over Google for ad management?

(14:35) Creating fair competition across ad platforms

(15:11) Aditude's SaaS pricing model and its advantages

(18:08) Ideal publisher size for using Aditude's services

(19:47) Google's acquisition of DoubleClick and monopoly concerns

(23:46) High-frequency trading analogy in ad tech

(26:20) Transition from consulting to a product company

(32:04) Customer acquisition strategies for Aditude

(33:27) Impact of AI and Chat GPT on publishers and traffic

(36:19) Is AI making the internet better or worse for publishers?

(38:04) How Google and Facebook sustain ad revenue despite traffic shifts

(40:35) Move from search to answer and its impact on traffic sources

(42:15) Challenges for new content creators in the current landscape

(44:08) Trends in publishing: consolidation an

How Publishers are Navigating Advertising, AI's Impact on Search Traffic, Biased Incentives of Ad Industry, Future of Publishing | Jared Siegal Founder of Aditude Inc | #104

Join Nataraj as he interviews Rish, the co-founder and CEO of Grey Parrot, a company leveraging AI to revolutionize the recycling industry. Rish shares his journey from augmented reality to AI-powered waste management, detailing the challenges and opportunities in this space. Discover how Grey Parrot's innovative technology brings transparency and efficiency to recycling, impacting the circular economy and creating a more sustainable future. Learn how AI can transform waste into a valuable resource.


What you’ll learn

 * Understand how AI-powered waste analytics are bringing transparency and efficiency to the recycling industry.
 * Discover the challenges and opportunities in building AI solutions for large-scale waste management.
 * Learn how Grey Parrot is using computer vision to analyze and sort waste more effectively than traditional methods.
 * Explore the impact of AI technologies on promoting and advancing the circular economy on a global scale.
 * Gain insights into the architectural and structural issues specific to deploying AI in the waste management sector.
 * Discover how strategic partnerships can help scale a business in the waste management and recycling industry.
 * Understand the roles of manufacturers, governments, waste management, and consumers in creating a circular economy.

About the Guest and Host:

Rish: Co-founder and CEO of Grey Parrot, using AI-powered waste analytics to revolutionize the recycling industry.

Connect with Rish:

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambarishmitra/

→ Website: https://www.greyparrot.ai/

Nataraj: Host of the Startup Project podcast, Senior PM at Azure & Investor.

→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/

→ Substack: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠ [⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠]



In this episode, we cover

(00:00) Introduction and Guest Introduction

(00:49) The Origin Story of Grey Parrot and its mission

(02:23) From Visual Search to Waste Intelligence: The Pivotal Moment

(04:58) Defining Grey Parrot as a Material Asset Recovery Company

(05:15) How Grey Parrot's Analyzers Optimize Waste Sorting at Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs)

(07:44) Integrating AI Brains into Mechanical Waste Management Plants

(09:28) Architectural Challenges of Deploying AI in Waste Management

(12:46) Building a Scalable AI Solution for Diverse Waste Management Plants

(15:39) Deep Dive into Processing Images and Data Locally with On-Camera Computing

(20:02) Brands leveraging waste data for packaging R&D and sustainability

(21:52) Customer Acquisition strategies

(28:07) Scale of business

(30:01) Contrasting Waste Management in Developed vs. Developing Economies

(35:13) China's role in global waste management

(37:03) Diverting waste streams

(39:57) The key components responsible for circular economy



Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review/comment on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@thestartupproject] Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/startup-project/id1551300319] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cx7Q5r9Ow9eikxQjsJjjq?si=8dbd3150ef4f4ec2] or wherever you listen to podcasts.



#StartupProject #GreyParrot #AI #WasteManagement #Recycling #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #Innovation #DeepLearning #ComputerVision #MaterialRecovery #Tech #Environment #Podcast #Entrepreneurship #Startup

AI Startup Cleaning Up a $1.6 Trillion Crisis, Building a Hardware + AI Startup, Scaling Edge AI, Digitize Waster & Reduce Landfill | Ambarish Mitra Co-Founder of Greyparrot AI

Join Nataraj as he sits down with Vijaye Raji, founder and CEO of Statsig, a platform revolutionizing product development with data-driven decision-making. Formerly a VP at Facebook and head of Facebook Seattle, Vijaye shares his journey from big tech to startup founder.

About the Episode:

This conversation explores Vijaye's transition from leading entertainment at Facebook to building Statsig, a developer platform empowering data-driven decisions.  He dives into his experience at Microsoft and Facebook, highlighting the challenges and motivations that led him to entrepreneurship. Vijaye discusses Statsig's value proposition, differentiating it from existing point solutions by consolidating feature flagging, analytics, and experimentation into one platform.  The discussion extends to the future of experimentation in an AI-first world.  He emphasizes the importance of product intuition alongside experimentation and shares Statsig's approach to culture, talent acquisition, and growth.

About the Guest and Host:

Vijaye Raji: Founder and CEO of Statsig, former VP at Facebook, and head of Facebook Seattle. Connect with Vijay:

→ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/vijaye/

→ Website: https://www.statsig.com/

Nataraj: Host of the Startup Project podcast, Senior PM at Azure & Investor.

→ LinkedIn:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam

→ Twitter: https://x.com/natarajsindam

→ Email updates: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠

→ Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://thestartupproject.io⁠⁠⁠



Timestamps:

00:01 - Introduction and Guest Introduction

00:48 - Vijay's Background and Transition from Big Tech

01:11 - Leaving Facebook and the Motivation for Startups

02:05 - Early Career at Microsoft and Facebook's Startup Phase

04:21 - Diverse Roles and Experiences at Facebook

05:38 - Problems and Scale as Head of Entertainment at Facebook

07:41 - Business Side of Entertainment: Licensing and Content Acquisition

08:30 - From Facebook to Statsig: Idea Evaluation

10:27 - Getting the First Customers: Avoiding Common Mistakes

13:19 - Blind Spots in Transitioning from Big Tech to Startups

14:38 - Go-to-Market Intuition and Building Conviction

17:03 - Statsig's Value Proposition and Differentiation

19:28 - Explanation of Feature Flagging

20:47 - Trends in Experimentation and Product Validation

23:00 - Ideal Customer Profile for Statsig

24:38 - Experimentation vs. Gut Feeling: Balancing Data and Intuition

28:20 - Statsig's Growth: Customers, Users, and Scale

29:44 - Positioning Statsig: Developer Tool vs. Product Development Platform

31:08 - Marketing Efforts and ROI

32:24 - Culture: In-Person Work Environment

34:41 - Attracting Talent: Statsig's Approach

40:04 - Fundraising: Strategy and Benefits

41:35 - AI: Integration with LLMs and Product Extensions

44:26 - ML vs. LLMs: Democratization of Access

46:44 - Favorite Failure and Learning from Mistakes

49:31 - Current Consumption (Books, Podcasts, etc.)

50:11 - Lessons Learned as a Founder

51:16 - Big Company Perks Missed and Not Missed

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→ Email updates: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠

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Statsig Founder Vijay Raji on Building a $1.1B Data-Driven Product Platform 

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