Piyush Shah, a legendary Indian Founder of 2 Unicorns (InMobi & Glance) shares why India's AI strategy has to look nothing like Silicon Valley's or Beijing's, and what founders should build instead.00:00 Introduction00:48 Why the Country That Invents AI Rarely Wins02:16 US vs China vs India: India's AI Opportunity03:55 How China Is Winning the AI Race09:38 AI Startup Ideas for India12:52 Consumer AI vs Enterprise AI14:20 Why Consumer AI Can Bankrupt You16:45 Why Enterprise AI Will Win First19:57 Distribution Is Still the Biggest Moat21:43 How AI Startups Should Go to Market25:14 Physical AI Startup Opportunities28:37 What US Enterprises Want From AI Startups32:45 Why Purpose Is a Competitive Moat35:58 How InMobi Uses AI Internally37:47 AI Sales, AI Agents & Enterprise Automation42:16 How Leaders Should Drive AI Adoption44:50 AI Won't Replace You. Fear Will.46:09 The Fastest Way to Learn AI47:32 My AI-Native Chief of Staff48:52 How AI Changed My Personal Life52:38 Final ThoughtsEvery general purpose technology gets invented once and scaled somewhere else. Germany invented the printing press. Britain built an industry on it. America turned that industry into an economy. Piyush Shah, Co-founder of InMobi and Glance, thinks the same pattern is repeating with AI right now, and he's convinced most founders are drawing the wrong lesson from it.On this episode of the Prime Venture Partners Podcast, Amit Somani sits down with Piyush to make the case that copying America's invention-first approach or China's industrialisation-first approach would be the wrong move for India entirely. Instead, Piyush lays out what he believes India's real opportunity looks like: not the smartest AI for the world's most sophisticated users, but AI that raises the floor for a billion people who've never had access to a tutor, a doctor, or a financial advisor in their life.The conversation doesn't stop at strategy. Piyush and Amit get into why consumer AI has a cost problem nobody's fully solved (he calls it inference CAC), why distribution remains the real moat even in an AI-native world, and why "purpose" might be the one advantage that's genuinely hard to copy. Piyush also opens up about how InMobi and Glance have rebuilt themselves around AI internally, and how AI has changed the way he runs his own life, from an 18-year-old AI-native chief of staff to using AI to understand his family's health reports.If you're building an AI startup, thinking about India's AI strategy, or trying to figure out whether your business model can survive the AI shift, this conversation offers a real framework, not another hype-cycle.Connect with Piyush ShahLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/piyush-shah-0583412/Follow Amit SomaniX (Twitter): https://x.com/amitsomani?lang=enLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesomani/About Prime Venture PartnersPrime Venture Partners is an early-stage venture capital firm backing exceptional founders building category-defining technology companies across SaaS, fintech, AI, healthcare, consumer internet and enterprise software.Learn more: https://www.primevp.in/Follow Prime Venture Partners:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2780448/admin/dashboard/X (Twitter): https://x.com/Primevp_inInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/primevp_in/Learn more aboutInMobi: https://www.inmobi.com/Glance: https://glance.com/?c=BAU&pid=Social_X_bio&shortlink=6md9fteh&source_caller=ui

What You’ll Learn:00:00 Introduction02:13 Why Marketing Owns Zero Board KPIs08:54 There Is No Killer Marketing Campaign15:41 Why Your First 10 Customers Matter More24:16 The Biggest GTM Mistake Founders Make33:48 How AI Is Changing Customer Discovery43:11 Demand Generation Beats Chasing Leads53:02 Why Value Wins Over Price1:02:47 The New Rules of B2B Go-to-Market1:11:26 Rapid Fire with Alon WaksRethink your B2B SaaS GTM strategy from pipeline to persona SpotDraft’s CMO Alon Waks shares the framework behind $100M raised and 450+ customers.Ask a B2B founder about their killer marketing campaign and most will have an answer ready. Alon Waks will tell you that answer is wrong. There is no killer campaign. There is no one channel. And most of what founders think of as marketing is stuck in one-to-many land when it should be one-to-few.That is where this conversation starts, and it does not slow down.Alon is the CMO at SpotDraft, the AI-powered contract lifecycle management platform backed by Vertex, Qualcomm, Prosus, and P&G Invest, now serving customers across the US, UK, and APAC. In this episode with Prime Venture Partners, he opens up the playbook he actually runs day to day:- How he defines persona versus segment (and why founders keep starting with the wrong one)- What changes as a company moves from 0 to 1 to 10 to 100- Why he thinks paid marketing has become a race to the bottom that most founders are still throwing money at.He also opens up his playbook for B2B influencer marketing, an angle most CMOs will not talk about publicly. He explains why validation has quietly shifted away from Gartner and toward peer-to-peer conversations on Reddit, LinkedIn, and community forums. And for the Indian founders trying to crack the US, he lays out exactly which cities matter, what not to do on outbound, and when to make your first local hire.Toward the end, Alon gets uncomfortably honest about what marketing actually owns on the board KPI list (spoiler: almost nothing) and why that changes everything about how you should measure your team.If you are a founder, a marketer, or a CMO building a B2B SaaS GTM strategy from scratch, this is the one to bookmark.Connect:Alon Waks on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alonwaks/Spotdraft: https://www.spotdraft.com/Prime Venture Partners: https://www.primevp.in/Jerome Manuel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeromermanuel/About Prime Venture Partners:Prime Venture Partners is an early-stage venture capital firm partnering with exceptional founders building category-defining companies from India.#GoToMarket #B2BMarketing

Akshayakalpa is known as India’s first certified organic dairy enterprise. But in this conversation, Shashi Kumar makes it clear that the deeper story has always been farming.In this episode of the Prime Venture Partners Podcast, Jerome Manuel speaks with Shashi Kumar, Founder & CEO of Akshayakalpa, about building at the farm level for 16 years, far away from the usual startup playbook of fast growth, quick scale and easy metrics.Akshayakalpa began with dairy because farmers needed reliable cash flow. Once that started working, the model expanded into animal care, soil management, manure-making, beekeeping, backyard poultry and diversified farms.Today, Akshayakalpa is a profitable ₹60-crore-a-month business working with 2,800 farmers, including 1,200 women farmers. Last financial year, the average monthly payout to each farming family was ₹1.28 lakh.The conversation explores:• Why Akshayakalpa raised no institutional money for 9 years• Why Shashi refused to sell investors a hypergrowth story• How Nithin Kamath invested ₹5 crore in 5 days during the pandemic• Why 27 people took equity in the company when it was struggling• Why each cluster takes nearly 7 years to build• How 2,800 farmers produce what would conventionally need nearly 100,000 farmers• Why 45,000 customers visited Akshayakalpa farms• Why premium pricing is a value play• What founders can learn from building with patience and truthFor founders building in India, this episode is a reminder that every great company does not have to be built by chasing the fastest story.Some are built by saying the harder thing early, and still finding the right people to believe in it.Episode Timestamps00:00 - Introduction00:38 - What Akshayakalpa is really building02:06 - Why young people are moving away from farming10:17 - Making farming economically viable again15:37 - Scaling through role models, clusters and culture32:16 - Why Akshayakalpa started with dairy39:13 - The first 9 years: struggle, frugality and survival46:02 - Building customer trust through farm visits48:09 - Why premium pricing is a value play51:08 - Organic food and the challenge of fundraising in farming1:15:42 - Investor expectations, Nithin Kamath and long-term capital1:18:10 - What still keeps Shashi up at nightSubscribe to the Prime Venture Partners Podcast for more conversations with founders building enduring companies in India.#AgriCapital #FarmEconomics #FoodSystems

India’s UPI moment changed how money moves.But that may only be the first chapter.As millions of Indians become comfortable with digital payments, a bigger question is beginning to emerge: how will they save, invest, and build wealth over the next decade?In this episode of the Prime Venture Partners Podcast, Amit Somani speaks with Ambarish Kenghe, CEO of Angel One, about India’s shift from payment adoption to wealth creation.From his journey across Google, Myntra, Google Pay, and Angel One, Ambarish has seen India’s digital consumer evolve up close. In this conversation, he talks about what changed after Aadhaar, Jio and UPI, why Indian consumers remain deeply value conscious, how SIPs are becoming a default investing habit, and where the next wave of fintech opportunities may come from.The conversation also explores:• Why 2015 became a turning point for India’s digital economy• How UPI changed everyday money movement for consumers and merchants• Why India’s wealth creation story still has massive headroom• What is driving SIP adoption among new investors• How AI could create a personal CFO or family office like experience for more Indians• How Angel One is using AI across products, operations and customer education• Why learning, unlearning and ownership matter when building teamsFor founders building in fintech, wealth tech, AI, or consumer products in India, this episode offers a sharp view of where the market has been and where it may be headed next.👉 Subscribe to the Prime Venture Partners Podcast for more conversations from India’s startup ecosystem.Episode Timestamps00:00 - Introduction02:22 - Why AK came back to India in 2015 after 18 years in Silicon Valley06:26 - The ₹25 checkbox that Myntra shut down in two hours09:41 - What UPI changed beyond transaction volumes11:04 - The Google chef who used to get looted walking home with cash13:12 - India now has million dollar millionaires. What does that mean for wealth creation.15:57 - Where Indian retail wealth actually sits: 50% real estate, 15% gold, 15% FDs16:37 - Equity investing at 5 to 8% in India versus 44 to 45% in the US17:13 - Only 5% of Angel One users trade F&O exclusively21:15 - The real opportunity for founders building in India's wealth space27:30 - The family office for everyone and what agentic AI could make possible29:35 - How Angel One is using AI today with Ask Angel35:10 - What AK looks for when hiring: learn, unlearn, ownership40:58 - The Indian founder worth a billion dollars who spends every Saturday on AI

Long before UPI, smartphones and Aadhaar transformed digital payments in India, mChek was trying to turn mobile phones into wallets.The vision was ambitious.The execution was complex.And the ecosystem was still years away from catching up.In this episode of the Prime Venture Partners Podcast, Shripati Acharya speaks with Sanjay Swamy, former CEO of mChek and Managing Partner at Prime Venture Partners, about one of India’s earliest attempts at building mobile payments.They discuss what it feels like to build ahead of the market, the hidden cost of ecosystem dependency, and why timing is often the hardest variable for founders to get right.The conversation also explores:• Why being early can sometimes look exactly like being wrong• How telcos, banks and regulators shaped the mChek journey• The operational chaos of building fintech in 2006 India• Why distribution does not always lead to adoption• What changed between mChek, Paytm and the UPI era• Why products depending on too many stakeholders are harder to scale• The difference between having the right idea and having the right timingIf you are building in a market that still feels early, this episode is worth your time.👉 Subscribe to the Prime Venture Partners Podcast for more conversations from India’s startup ecosystem.Episode Timestamps00:00 - Intro01:07 - “Unsuccessful” vs failed entrepreneurs02:25 - Why timing is the hardest thing to judge03:05 - The moment Sanjay saw phones as payment devices05:40 - India’s telecom ecosystem in 200609:49 - The original thesis behind mChek17:14 - The hidden problems nobody anticipated27:35 - Building a payments app inside a SIM card39:00 - The moment Sanjay felt it might not work44:04 - The biggest lesson for founders

Some founders build solid companies.A few build something far bigger than what looked reasonable at the time.What explains that gap?In this episode of the Prime Venture Partners Podcast, Amit Somani, Managing Partner at Prime Venture Partners, speaks with Dr. Julie Gurner, Executive Performance Coach on the psychology behind exceptional founders.They get into the self belief, audacity, resilience, and invisible rules that shape how far people go.The conversation also explores:• What “maniacal focus” looks like in standout founders• The imaginary rules that limit what founders build, earn, and pursue• Why tying your identity to your company can lead to worse decisions• Why playing to your strengths creates more leverage than trying to do it all• What AI can and cannot do for leaders and foundersIf you are building something and want to understand the mental side of exceptional performance, this episode is worth your time.👉 Subscribe to the Prime Venture Partners Podcast for more insider stories from India’s startup ecosystem.Episode Timestamps00:00 - Intro00:45 - Dr. Julie’s journey into coaching02:55 - Key lessons from psychology & prisons06:11 - Traits of great vs good founders 09:28 – Survivorship bias & real success factors12:33 - “Imaginary rules” explained17:34 - How to identify your limiting beliefs20:32 - Separating identity from your business25:30 - How great founders pivot28:34 - Handling tough days as a founder30:46 - Playing to your strengths33:41 - Why AI is non-negotiable41:03 - Final tips & recommendations👉 Don’t forget to subscribe to the Prime Venture Partners Podcast for more real founder stories and insights from India’s startup ecosystem!

Most people think quick commerce is just about delivering in 10 minutes. But it’s not.Behind every Blinkit or Zepto order is a tightly run system of dark stores, pick paths, manpower, and real-time execution that has almost no margin for error.In this episode of the Prime Venture Partners Podcast, Brij Bhushan speaks with Sumit Anand and Rupesh Thakare, co-founders of Inamo, the company building the operational backbone behind India’s quick commerce ecosystem.They break down what it actually takes to make this work at scale, from stores that process orders in minutes to systems designed for speed, consistency, and precision.In this conversation:• What really happens inside a dark store• Why 10 minute delivery is no longer the real moat• The economics behind every quick commerce order• Why platforms are rethinking in-house vs outsourced operations• Why platforms are rethinking in-house vs outsourced operations• Why platforms are rethinking in-house vs outsourced operations👉 Subscribe to the Prime Venture Partners Podcast for more insider stories from India’s startup ecosystem.Episode Timestamps00:00 - Introduction to Quick Commerce01:07 - Guests: Sumit & Rupesh from Inamo03:36 - How Inamo Started07:30 - Quick Commerce Growth & COVID Impact10:45 - Dark Stores & Order Fulfillment Explained16:24 - Team Size, Attrition & Training17:57 - Economics & Orders per Dark Store23:51 - Why Outsourcing Dark Stores Works30:50 - Differentiation & Scale Advantages33:09 - Inventory & Demand Management40:12 - Future of Quick Delivery & Innovations44:44 - Consolidated Inventory & Seller-Fulfilled Models46:02 - Market Growth & Long-Tail Opportunities49:02 - Founders’ Vision for the Next Few Years👉 Don’t forget to subscribe to the Prime Venture Partners Podcast for more real founder stories and insights from India’s startup ecosystem!#Startups #Entrepreneurship #FounderJourney #VentureCapital #StartupLessons #Podcast #primeventurepartnerspodcast

In this episode of the Prime Venture Partners Podcast, we speak with Sushant Junnarkar, who shares his raw and honest journey of building and eventually shutting down an early-stage startup.Sushant takes us through the complete entrepreneurial roller coaster from early traction and funding to competition, pivots, and the tough decision to shut down.In conversation with Sanjay Swamy, he shares insights on:• The 3 phases of a startup journey• Why startups fail beyond just lack of capital• The funding vs scale dilemma• Founder challenges and decision-making under pressure• Key lessons for early-stage entrepreneursTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction01:08 - Meet Sushant Junnarkar & The Book02:02 - Sushant’s Background & Career Journey03:11 - The Online Grocery Startup Idea04:16 - Breaking Down the Startup Phases05:46 - Phase 1: Idea, Research & Strategy09:38 - First Orders & Early Traction12:35 - Early Growth & Press Coverage14:34 - Competition Enters the Market16:22 - Tech Challenges & Moving Beyond Jugaad17:23 - Phase 3: Funding Challenges Begin18:30 - Last Attempts to Save the Startup20:45 - When Founder Motivation Declines23:06 - Who Should Read It27:42 - Key Advice: Passion & Product-Market Fit30:31 - Why Startups Fail: Execution34:10 - Capital, Competition & Strategy36:10 - Final Lessons on Entrepreneurship38:22 - Closing ThoughtsThis is a must- watch episode for anyone building or aspiring to build a startup.👉 Don’t forget to subscribe to the Prime Venture Partners Podcast for more real founder stories and insights from India’s startup ecosystem!#Startups #Entrepreneurship #FounderJourney #VentureCapital #StartupLessons #Podcast #PrimeVenturePartners

In this episode, the founders of Basil share how they spotted an opportunity in India’s school essentials space and built a design-led brand trusted by over 1.5 lakh families.After careers at Uber and Amazon, they set out to solve a simple but overlooked problem. Kids' essentials did not have to be boring, low-quality, or purely functional.We discuss• Identifying whitespace in consumer categories• Designing for both children and parents• Marketplace-led growth• Building operational depth in hardware• Lessons for founders building in D2CThis is a must-watch episode for entrepreneurs, founders, and anyone building consumer brands.Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction02:00 – Founders’ Backgrounds03:00 – Inspiration Behind Basil04:20 – Explaining Basil to Kids06:00 – Why Start a Startup07:00 – Early Product Challenges08:30 – Market Response & Pricing Insights11:40 – Design-First Philosophy13:00 – Manufacturing & Scaling19:57 – Who Really Buys: Kids vs Parents22:56 – Designing Products for Children25:10 – Smart Product Design for Organic Growth31:05 – Building a Brand That Can’t Be Copied35:09 – Power of User Observation40:13 – Amazon-Inspired Processes45:21 – India’s ₹60,000 Crore Kids Market45:23 – Building Consumer Love51:28 – Closing Thoughts📺 Listen to the full conversation and subscribe to the podcast.#Basil #D2C #ConsumerBrands #BrandBuilding #Entrepreneurship #Startups #PrimeVenturePartnersPodcast

In this episode of the Prime Venture Partners Podcast, we speak with Victor, the Co-founder and CEO of Propelld, a company that has revolutionised education financing in India. Victor takes us through the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey, from starting his first startup in 2014 to building one of India’s largest education financing platforms. Propelld has already disbursed ₹4,000 crores in loans, helping over 400,000 students achieve their educational dreams.He shares insights on:The genesis of Propelld and its mission to make education financing accessible to allHow they manage risk in education financing through data-driven solutionsThe role of AI in underwriting and loan collectionAdvice for early-stage founders on fundraising and navigating the journey of entrepreneurshipThis is a must-watch episode for aspiring entrepreneurs and those interested in the future of education financing.👉 Don't forget to subscribe to the Prime Venture Partners Podcast for more founder stories, insights, and behind-the-scenes playbooks from India’s most exciting startups!#Startups #EducationFinancing #Entrepreneurship #AI #RiskManagement #Podcast #Fundraising #PrimeVenturePartners