Startup Steroid - Founders Podcast

In this episode of Pitch. Fund. Scale., I sit down with David McConnell, Managing Partner at Capital Partners Worldwide, who has helped founders raise over $5M+ per campaign, navigate executive investor networks, and even prep for IPOs.

David doesn’t just help startups raise — he helps them raise right. From equity strategy to public market readiness, he’s worked with high-growth companies across the tech sector, turning big visions into fundable, scalable realities.

🎙️ Topics Covered:

David’s capital campaigns are backed by clarity, structure, and deep investor insight — helping founders not only raise funds but become the kind of company investors want to fund. Whether you’re preparing your first raise or looking ahead to public markets, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom.

💡 If you’re thinking about your next raise — or your biggest one yet — this conversation is your fundraising blueprint.

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📅 Want direct advice or 1:1 pitch feedback?

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Twitter: https://x.com/Mentor_Anshuman

Website: https://theanshumansinha.com/

In this powerhouse episode of Pitch. Fund. Scale., I sit down with JJ Richa – serial entrepreneur, board member, and CEO of Pismo Ventures – to uncover what really makes investors say yes.

From building and scaling companies in hospitality tech, luxury e-commerce, and fintech to becoming a key figure in Tech Coast Angels, JJ has seen both sides of the table. In this no-fluff conversation, he shares exactly what founders get wrong when pitching and how to truly become investor-ready.

🎙️ Topics Covered:

JJ Richa is the CEO of Pismo Ventures and a long-time member of Tech Coast Angels, one of the most respected angel networks in the U.S. He brings years of experience turning ideas into scalable ventures and helping founders close the gap between vision and execution.

💡 If you're fundraising in 2025 or guiding early-stage startups, this is a tactical masterclass you can’t miss.

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   / @imanshumansinha  

In this episode of Pitch. Fund. Scale., I sit down with Parthib Srivathsan – Operating Partner at Companyon Ventures – to decode how VCs actually evaluate startups during diligence, what “Investor Math” really means, and how early-stage founders can prep for venture funding.

From GTM engines to data room readiness, Parthib pulls no punches. As the creator of popular content series like Diligence Diaries and Investor Math, he blends strategic insight with real-world advisory — making this episode a goldmine for any founder navigating the early-stage chaos.

🎙️ Topics Covered:

Parthib isn’t your typical VC — he’s a hands-on operator who stays close to founders post-investment, helping them build, scale, and raise smarter. His work at Companyon Ventures bridges the often-missed gap between diligence and execution.

💡 If you’re fundraising in 2025, struggling with traction, or want to build a repeatable GTM engine — this episode is your tactical blueprint.

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for weekly deep-dives with founders, angels, and startup operators:

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In this powerhouse episode of Pitch. Fund. Scale, I sit down with Maneesh Srivastava – founder of Alphavalue Ventures, angel investor, and startup transaction advisor – to unpack the real mechanics behind startup valuation, fundraising, and legal readiness.

With over 2,000+ startup assignments under his belt, Maneesh dives deep into founder blindspots, legal red flags, and the strategies investors actually care about when deciding to write a check. 

Maneesh is a founding member of TiE, a trusted mentor at top incubation cells, and sits on investment committees at multiple IITs. With 16+ years of experience, he’s helped shape India's early-stage ecosystem from the inside out.

🎙️ Topics Covered:

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for weekly conversations with founders, angels, and ecosystem builders:

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💡 Whether you're raising your first round or advising founders, this episode is a tactical deep-dive into startup funding done right.

Tech Meets Execution – Chinmay Shah on Scaling Startups, SuperApps & Sustainable Innovation

We talk about:

➡️ His Build-Operate-Lease-Transfer strategy 

🎙️ Guest: Chinmay Shah — Tech Evangelist | FinTech Startup Curator | Mentor

Connect with me here-

Whether you're building in FinTech, EdTech, or launching your first product — this conversation delivers clarity, playbooks, and unfiltered truth from the frontlines.

🎙️ Pitch. Fund. Scale. – Startup Masterclass in Bite-Sized Episodes

👇 Timestamps & Key Takeaways Below 👇

What if student founders have exactly what it takes to build breakout startups?

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Thomas Duening, a trailblazing academic-turned-entrepreneur and angel investor, now leading the International Collegiate Angels Network (ICAN). He shares bold insights on how students can pitch, fund, and scale—without waiting to "grow up."

We talk about:

Whether you're a university founder, early-stage investor, or just building from scratch—this episode is your crash course in rethinking who gets to win in the startup game.

👍 Like this episode if you believe student founders are the future

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anshumansinha1/ 

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Want to know what actually gets angel investors to say YES?

In this episode of Pitch.Fund.Scale, we sit down with Scott Jacobs, Executive Director of Queen City Angels, to uncover what goes on behind the pitch deck.

Scott shares candid insights into:

Whether you're a founder raising your first round, an aspiring investor, or just hungry to understand the real-world startup game — this conversation will reshape the way you think about funding, leadership, and growth.

🎙️ Guest: Scott Jacobs — Executive Director, Queen City Angels

💡 Whether you’re a founder, investor, or just startup-curious, this bite-sized masterclass is packed with golden insights.

Connect with me here-

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated with more interviews from founders, angels, and ecosystem builders.

Tech Meets Execution – Chinmay Shah on Scaling Startups, SuperApps & Sustainable Innovation

In this episode of Pitch. Fund. Scale, We dive deep with Chinmay Shah — a 3rd generation entrepreneur, mentor to 17+ startups, and CEO of Startup Steroid India.

We talk about:

➡️ His Build-Operate-Lease-Transfer strategy 

🎙️ Guest: Chinmay Shah — Tech Evangelist | FinTech Startup Curator | Mentor

Connect with me here-

Whether you're building in FinTech, EdTech, or launching your first product — this conversation delivers clarity, playbooks, and unfiltered truth from the frontlines.

🎧 Listen now if you're serious about scaling smarter, faster, and more sustainably.

🔔 Subscribe, like, and share this episode with a fellow founder.

We believe that education starts at home. Unfortunately, most parents don’t know what kind of educational products and experiences to provide their children to pique their curiosity in STEM.  It’s a big problem when kids today don’t know what engineering or computer science even means.

Our founder, Oscar Pedroso, experienced this when he was in school. So, he and his team made it a mission of theirs to ensure all students (regardless of background) are aware of the many educational paths and career opportunities that exist.  So many kids have the potential to be the next Elon Musk and we’re going to help make that happen!

Company Profile Link - https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=E2FC6F77-F6CA-459C-9339-AC0E6DADB1E3

Shoonya's mission is to create interactive edutainment content that is inspired by the stories and characters of the world. Why do we want to do it? It's simple. There is a great need for it.  With the growing technologies, the world is indeed "becoming flat" and children today are intrigued by cultures around the world. Our company is based out of Santa Barbara, California, which is geographically placed somewhere between Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Not sure, if this is by intention or accident but our company is a perfect marriage of these two worlds; Edutainment and EdTech.

Company Profile Link - https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=619514CF-3211-4851-B1B5-51B9CC6091F0