The Neon Show

Nishit had a front-row seat to the growth of the Indian Startup ecosystem. And often times he was in the driver's seat as well.

Nishit Garg, a partner at RTP Global, shares his experiences from his early days at Flipkart, discussing the pivotal 0-1 journey and key projects that shaped his career. He provides a behind-the-scenes look at how Tiger Global revolutionized the Indian startup ecosystem and his reasons for joining RTP Global.

We also cover the scaling challenges for Indian startups, staying relevant in a rapidly evolving market, the ability to sell and the surprising nature of Indian markets.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
01:07 - Nishit’s Entry in The Startup World
07:55 - Many 0-1 Journeys at Flipkart
09:34 - Why Nishit Joined a VC Fund(again)
13:06 - How Tiger Global Changed Indian Startup World
14:59 - The Journey of RTP Global: Successes & Exits
20:30 - Why India Surprises Everyone?
24:06 - How India is Different From Silicon Valley
26:18 - What Made Flipkart An Exception
28:57 - How Indian Startups Can Become Unstoppable
31:10 - Exits, Liquidity and IPO Markets
33:44 - Power Law and How Venture Capital Works
35:33 - What RTP Looks For In Founders
36:35 - The Right to Win For VCs
39:12 - How Should Founders Select The Best Investors
42:01 -  Nobody Is Too Big To Fail
44:42 - How Can VCs Be Helpful to Founders
47:41 - Risks, Checklists & Gut Call As a VC
49:33 - How RTP Invests in a Company
51:03 - The Best Startups Expand TAM
54:33 - First Time Founders Vs Second Time Founders
55:51 - Why Indian Startups Struggle After $10M ARR
58:16 - Sales Is Not A Bad Word
59:39 - What Nishit Has Learned From Portfolio Companies
1:03:06 - Advantages Indian B2B SaaS Startups Have
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Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. 

Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes. 

We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings. 
__________________________________
Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShoww
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/
__________________________________
*Sponsor Shout Out*

Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.

To know more, visit https://primevp.in/

Send us Fan Mail

Manav Garg is the founder of Eka and Together Fund.

Manav started Eka before SaaS was even a word. We start with Manav's journey from a small town in Punjab to founding Eka, one of India's first vertical SaaS companies. He shares all the ups and down in Eka & his life in the last 20 years. From building and selling from India to global businesses. From pivoting, which few companies survive, to coming out not just alive but highly profitable again. 

We also discuss his work with SaaS Bhoomi, future of Indian B2B SaaS, Together fund and Manav’s next mission.
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction 
02:00 - From Small Town Punjab to International Trading
10:27 - Lateral Thinking Makes Invisible Visible
12:45 - In The Middle Of The Dot Com Boom
16:14 - Raising Funding of $1M in the 90s
19:41 - The Birth of Eka Software
22:36 - First Enterprise SaaS Company From India
24:28 - Eka’s Journey From $2M ARR to $20M ARR
32:32 - A Hard Pivot & A Profitable Company
34:19 - SaaSBoomi & SaaS Playbooks From India
38:43 - When Did Manav Decide to Exit Eka
42:25 - How To Design Your Exit Strategy
50:44 - Increasing Liquidity Events in Indian Startups
55:11 - How Global Buyers Look At India SaaS
57:57 - The Road to Many Billion+ ARR Companies From India
1:05:01 - Are We Early In AI Wave? 
1:09:36 - Where Is India In The AI Race?
1:12:33 - What is India SaaS Advantage?
1:16:40 - Can Indian Startups Grow As Fast As US Startups?
1:21:21 - The Power of Relationships & Cold Calling
1:24:31 - How to Manufacture Co-Founders?
1:26:49 - Pause & Reflect
___________________________________
Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. 

Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes. 

We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings. 
___________________________________
Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShoww
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/
___________________________________

*Sponsor Shout Out*

Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.

To know more, visit https://primevp.in/
___________________________________

Send us Fan Mail

VCs Invest in Startups But Who Invests In VCs?

In this episode we host Raja Doddala, an experienced investor and a key figure at Churchill AM a leading Fund of Fund. 

Raja shares how he judges the strategy of a VC fund, metrics to evaluate a fund manager, which sectors have yielded the best returns and the differences between the best VC funds and the rest.

We also discuss how funds compete for the best VCs, why old days of fundraising are over, whether Indian public markets are better than the US for IPOs, why he and Churchill are excited about India and much more...

If you are interested in startups, venture capital, fund management, and investment strategies then this is the episode for you.
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Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction
01:11 - From Software Engineer to Investing in VC funds
03:53 - The People Who Invest in VC Funds
05:33 - State of Fund of Fund Ecosystem in the US
06:51 - What Makes Fund of Fund Different from University Endowments?
07:42 - What Makes Someone an Emerging Manager
08:59 - Churchill’s Strategy for Venture Capital Investments
12:56 - How to Choose The Right Fund of Fund Manager
15:10 - How Fund of Fund Compete For The Best VCs
18:10 - Churchill’s Evaluation Criteria for VC Funds
22:34 - At What Stage of Fund Does Churchill Invest
24:17 - Churchill’s Geographical Focus From US to Israel
26:29 - Manager Is More Important Than The Strategy
30:01 - Metrics to Evaluate a Fund Manager: IRR, DPI & TVPI
33:39 - Which Sectors Have Given The Best Return
36:40 - How Raja Judges The Strategy of a VC Fund
38:09 - How The Best Differ From The Rest
39:59 - Old Days of Fundraising Are Over
42:20 - Decide Your Minimum Viable Fund Size
44:03 - The Mortality Rate of Funds
45:02 - Mistakes Funds Make When Building Data Rooms
47:45 - Why Raja & Churchill Are Excited About India
49:57 - Churchill’s Investment Strategy for India
50:59 - Churchill’s Investment Strategy for Israel
53:05 - Are Indian Public Markets Better Than US for IPOs
___________________________________

Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. 

Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes. 

We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings. 
___________________________________
Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShoww
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/
___________________________________

*Sponsor Shout Out*

Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.

To know more, visit https://primevp.in/
___________________________________

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of The Neon Show, we dive deep into the serious world of casual gaming in India with Dilsher Malhi, the founder of Zupee.

We discuss the uniquness of Indian gaming market, why entertainment is a feature and not a bug, India’s trillion dollar digital economy dream and how will regulation affect the gaming industry.

If you are serious(or casual) about gaming and startups then this episode will offer a range of insights to you.
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction 
01:12 - Gaming Market in India: Who, What & How Much
03:39 - Did You Win By Skill Or Chance?
06:05 - The Serious World of Casual Gaming
09:47  - Is Real Money Gaming Bad for Society?
12:33 - Entertainment is a feature, not a bug
14:39 - Real Money Gaming & Stock Markets
19:33  - Innovation Vs Regulation: What’s The Right Balance
24:32 - From Infosys mafia to Flipkart mafia
25:13 - Why Indian Gaming Market is Unique?
29:29 - Why is RMG Successful in India and NOT Everywhere?
30:35 - The Tencent Story: Power of Brand & Distribution
31:44 - Does India Have a Gaming Ecosystem?
32:43 - Gen AI Will Make Everyone Creative
34:25 - What Makes Zupee Successful?
35:27 - Break Barriers and Build Amazing Things
36: 23 - Lessons From an Unstructured Learner
39:07 - The Joys of Crazy Inherent Curiosity
________________________________

Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShoww
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/
________________________________
*Sponsor Shout Out*

Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.

To know more, visit https://primevp.in/

Send us Fan Mail

Join us on this exciting episode of The Neon Show as Siddhartha Ahluwalia hosts an insightful conversation with Sanjay Swamy, Shripati Acharya, and Amit Somani, Managing Partners at Prime Venture Partners.

We discuss the past, present and future of Venture Capital in India. In this unfiltered conversation we cover the struggles, successes, opportunites and failures as well.

From MakeMyTrip IPO to the evolution of the Indian market. From why talent left India to why it is coming back now. From building a career in venture capital to the nuances people miss. And so much more

Don't miss this episode if you want to gain a deeper understanding of venture capital in India from seasoned experts.
___________________________________
*Sponsor Shout Out*

Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.

To know more, visit https://primevp.in/
___________________________________
Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShoww
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/
___________________________________
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction 
01:12 - The Origin Story of Prime Venture Partners
04:00 - India’s Place In The Global Macro
04:56 - MakeMyTrip IPO and The Evolution of the Indian Market
07:41 - Why Is Talent Returning to India
13:07 - What’s Unique About The Indian Tech Ecosystem
18:57 - Why More Global VC Funds' Are Not Coming To India
22:11 - Prime Venture Partners' Strategy and the India Opportunity
27:37 - The Magic Four-Letter Word (Exit) In Venture Capital
35:24 - Building A Career in Venture Capital
43:26 - The Nuances of Venture Capital People Miss
50:06 - The Venture Capital Opportunity In India
53:45 - Lessons Learned From Companies That Didn't Succeed
1:01:07 - Secrets of Top VCs

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Siddhartha Ahluwalia, Managing Partner at Neon Fund, sits down with Sri Batchu, Chief Marketing Officer at The RealReal. Sri has had an impressive career, having held key positions at highly successful companies like Opendoor, Instacart, and Ramp.

Sri shares his thoughts on career pivots, the debate between founder-operators and career VCs, the relevance of operator experience over time, and transitioning from big companies to startups.

Sri also shares valuable insights on identifying the right tech companies, constructing the perfect investment round, and the current AI cycle.

Don’t miss this episode if you are an operator, founder, or an aspiring investor.

___________________________________
*Sponsor Shout Out*

Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.

To know more, visit https://primevp.in/
___________________________________
Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShoww
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/
___________________________________
Timestamps:
01:03 - Sri Batchu's Career Journey From Opendoor, Instacart, And Now The RealReal
05:04 - Career Pivots & Choosing The Right Tech Company To Join
15:33 - Founder-Operator Or Career VC?
25:32 - The Half life Of An Operator 
29:30 - What Do People Get Wrong About The Venture Capital Profession
30:55 - The Best Investor Sri Batch Has Worked With
33:00 - What Is The Ideal Career Stage For Transitioning To VC
35:55 - Starting Up Vs Starting a VC Fund
38:02 - Sri Batchu's Angel Investing Framework
45:40 - Angel Investing Vs Venture Investing
51:42 - New Funds Vs Top-Tier VCs
58:46 - How Founders Can Build A Perfect Round
1:06:13 - How Al Will Impact Consumer And B2B Markets

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Meena Ganesh is the founder of Portea, India's largest platform for delivering healthcare services at home.

On the episode Meena's shares her vision and passion for improving healthcare accessibility and quality. Meena shares her journey of founding Portea, the challenges faced by healthcare startups, and the opportunities available for entrepreneurs. Learn about the evolution of healthcare infrastructure in India, the rise of home healthcare, and the role of digital transformation in the sector.

Finally, Meena provides insights into the pharmaceutical industry, medical devices, and the future of healthcare in India.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
01:15 - Meena Ganesh's Journey Building Portea
06:53 - How is Healthcare Technology Adoption in India
11:16 - Opportunities for Entrepreneurs in Healthcare
21:07 - Building Sustainable & Profitable Healthcare Companies
37:44 - Digitisation of Healthcare In India by Government
43:26 - The Evolution of Indian Pharma Industry 
51:04 - Challenges and Opportunities in Health Insurance
55:22 - Growth of Medical Tourism in India
1:00:02 - Innovations in Medical Devices and Equipment in India
___________________________________
*Sponsor Shout Out*

Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.

To know more, visit https://primevp.in/
___________________________________
Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShoww
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/
___________________________________

Send us Fan Mail

On this episode of The Neon Show we have Laura Raggl, a distinguished partner at ROI Ventures. Based in Europe, ROI Ventures is renowned for its strategic investments in B2B SaaS companies globally.

In this episode, Laura shares her extensive experience and insights into early stage investing. With a portfolio of 18 diverse investments, Laura discusses ROI Ventures' approach to angel investing, their investment criteria, and how they nurture long-term growth without initial revenue or traction requirements.

We also explore the intricacies of the European startup ecosystem as Laura highlights the unique challenges and opportunities it presents, especially in contrast to other major markets.

Whether you're an investor, a startup enthusiast, or someone curious about the venture capital world, this episode offers valuable lessons and insights into venture capital and angel investing.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction
01:02 - The Journey  of ROI Ventures
07:23 - What's Happening In The European Startup Ecosystem
12:30 - Understanding B2B SaaS Dynamics in Europe
25:12 - How Investing In Europe Differs From The World
31:18 - The Growth of Indian Startup Ecosystem & Public Markets
42:06 - Why Focus on B2B SaaS Investing
46:58 - B2B Investing Vs B2C Investing
51:55 - Family Office Dynamics & Venture Investing

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Sponsor Shout Out

Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.

To know more, visit https://primevp.in/

Send us Fan Mail

Hunter Somerville is a partner at StepStone, one of the largest fund investors globally with over $600 billion in capital responsibility and $100 billion in AUM.

Hunter shares deep insights into the factors that make StepStone different, their extensive global coverage, and the strategies that drive their success.

You'll also discover what it takes to succeed as an emerging manager, the importance of building long-term relationships, and how StepStone navigates the complexities of fund investing, direct investments, and secondary markets. Plus, Hunter provides a candid look at the challenges and opportunities in the venture capital landscape, particularly in emerging markets like India.

Join us for an enlightening conversation filled with valuable lessons on venture capital, fund management, and the nuances of building a successful investment platform.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction
02:15 - Hunter Somerville's background and history with Greenspring Associates
05:40 - The evolution and strategy of StepStone
09:20 - Differences between StepStone and other fund investors
13:45 - Global coverage and geographic focus of StepStone
17:10 - Insights on venture capital management
20:50 - Strategies for emerging managers
25:30 - Building long-term relationships in venture capital
30:15 - Navigating fund investing, direct investments, and secondary markets
35:40 - Challenges and opportunities in the venture capital landscape
40:00 - StepStone's approach to investing in emerging markets, particularly India
45:20 - Importance of relationship building and pattern recognition
50:10 - Characteristics of successful fund managers
55:30 - Advice for new fund managers
1:00:00 - Closing remarks and final thoughts


----------------------------------
Sponsor Shout Out

Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.

To know more, visit https://primevp.in/

Send us Fan Mail

Listen to this episode to learn about:

0:00 - Intro
1:22 - The Life and Challenges of an IAS Officer
3:34 - Distinguishing Roles: Finance Secretary vs. RBI Governor
6:57 - Populism vs. Fiscal Responsibility: A Balancing Act
15:01 - Rethinking IAS Recruitment: Criteria and Challenges
17:38 - The Judicial Process: Why It Feels Like Punishment
19:24 - Civil Servants and Their Respect Tied to Power
21:47 - The Effectiveness of British Administrative Systems
24:08 - IAS Officers and the Legacy of Colonial Policies
26:08 - Exemplary Duty and Loyalty of District-Level Staff
28:44 - Contrasting Worlds: Scarcity in India vs. Plenty in the US
35:04 - Has the IAS Failed the Nation? An Introspective Look
39:10 - Andhra Pradesh’s Growth: A Tribute to Visionary Leadership
41:15 - Tribal Development and the Impact of Land Transfer Bills
48:34 - Key Decisions and Reflections as RBI Governor

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Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShoww
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sponsor Shout Out
Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high-conviction, high-support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.

To know more, visit https://primevp.in/

Send us Fan Mail