Sastra Spotlight

In this episode of Sastra Spotlight, host Brodie Reid-Owen sits down with Alexander Gaputin, Co-Founder and CTO of Variabl, to discuss the future of sales compensation management and how AI is reshaping the way enterprises manage commissions.

The episode also dives into the role of AI inside Variabl's own operations, including customer support, product development, and engineering workflows. Alex reflects on startup challenges, fundraising, hiring the right people, and the mindset required to build a successful company in an increasingly AI-driven world.

We unpack:

• Simplifying complex commission plans
• Hiring and scaling an early-stage startup
• Advice for founders navigating today's competitive market

In this episode of Sastra Spotlight, host Brodie-Reid Owen sits down with Jeff Saling, Co-Founder and Executive Director of StartupNV and one of the key figures behind Nevada's growing startup and venture capital ecosystem.

From evaluating more than 1,600 startup pitches to backing AI-first companies solving complex enterprise challenges, Jeff offers practical advice for founders looking to scale, raise capital, and build companies that matter.

In this episode, we unpack:

• The biggest mistakes founders make when pitching investors
• Why solving real customer pain points matters more than having a great idea
• What investors want to see before writing a check

In the season 3 premier of Sastra Spotlight, Brodie Reid-Owen sits down with Matan Bar-Efrat, Co-founder and CEO of Rein Security.

Matan shares the journey behind building Rein Security, from identifying a critical gap in AI security to creating technology that protects enterprise AI deployments. He unpacks how AI agents operate, why traditional cybersecurity tools struggle to monitor them, and how organizations can safely move from AI experimentation to AI-powered production environments.

In this episode we unpack:

• Why AI agents require a completely new approach to security
• Real-world examples of prompt injection attacks and agent manipulation
• Practical advice for founders building startups today

In this episode of Sastra Spotlight, Tanya Sethi sits down with Warren Weiss, Founder and Partner at Westwave Capital, to talk about AI, venture capital, and what it takes to build a lasting company.

They discuss:

• How AI is changing the way companies work
• What Warren looks for in founders and teams
• The lessons he’s learned from decades in tech and venture capital

A thoughtful conversation on building companies, backing founders, and staying adaptable as technology changes.

The latest episode features Priya Ramachandran, Founder and General Partner at Foster Ventures.

Hosted by Tanya Sethi, this conversation dives into what founders need to build companies that last—from finding the right investors and building strong founding teams to creating a culture that can weather the ups and downs of startup life.

With over 20 years of experience as an operator and investor, Priya shares practical advice from both sides of the table on what separates great startups from the rest.

In this episode, we discuss:

▶️ What VCs really look for in founders and founding teams

▶️ Building culture and making the right early hires

▶️ Why fundraising is a two-way partnership

This episode features Ashmeet Sidana, Founder and Chief Engineer at Engineering Capital.

Hosted by Tanya Sethi, this conversation explores what it really takes to build successful deep tech startups, from backing technical founders at the earliest stages to creating high-performing engineering teams.

Ashmeet shares his perspective as an "accidental VC," bringing an engineer's approach to investing and company building. In this episode, we unpack:

▶️ Underwriting technical risk

▶️ The reality of AI and capital efficiency

▶️ Engineering a high-performance culture

In the Season 2 premiere of Sastra Spotlight, we pull back the curtain to bring you real conversations with the VCs funding the future. Tanya Sethi, co-founder and director of Sastra Group, sits down with Arun Penmetsa, partner at Storm Ventures, for an unvarnished look at the early-stage B2B enterprise software landscape. Moving far beyond the glamour of term sheets and funding announcements, Arun shares the gritty, unromanticized realities of venture development and building the high-growth teams that power it.

Key Topics Covered:

• What true VC partnership looks like
• Navigating the high-stakes realities of scaling
• Strategic early hiring

In this episode, Tanya Sethi sits down with Shyam Rao, CEO & Founder of Tote AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the future of retail, especially in fuel and convenience stores. From seamless customer journeys to empowering in-store teams, this conversation dives into the tech reshaping everyday shopping.

Key Topics Covered:

• How AI is creating frictionless, “walk-in-and-go” retail experiences for modern consumers
• The challenge of legacy systems and how Tote is modernising retail without costly hardware upgrades
• Lessons from building and scaling startups, including culture, hiring, and staying efficient in high-growth environments

In this episode of Sastra Spotlight, we speak with Ioanna, founder of Dextego, about how AI is transforming professional development through personalised coaching for sales teams and leaders.

We cover:

1. How AI coaching platforms help professionals improve sales, communication, and leadership skills.
2. The role of simulation and real-time feedback in modern training.
3. How organisations can use AI to scale learning and develop stronger teams.

🎙️ A great conversation for anyone interested in AI, leadership development, and the future of workplace training.

In this episode of Sastra Spotlight, Tanya Sethi sits down with Srikrishnan Ganesan, Co-Founder and CEO of Rocketlane, to explore how modern services teams can scale delivery, collaboration, and customer outcomes.

We cover:

1. How Rocketlane helps professional services teams plan, manage, and deliver projects in one unified platform
2. The rise of AI agents and how they’re transforming service delivery, documentation, and execution
3. Lessons from building and scaling a category-defining SaaS company in the age of AI

🎙️ A must-watch conversation for founders, operators, and anyone building or scaling services-driven businesses.