Success Starts with Belief. And Belief Comes from Actions.

Indians and the world are optimistic about India. But what actions has India taken that inspire this belief? And what actions does India need to take to keep up the momentum?

From independence to today, India has increased its GDP 40x, its per capita income 8x, its literacy rate 6x, and its electrification 300x, among many other achievements. But the ambition of its people has also grown manifold.

In this episode, we talk about India's journey from a survival mindset to a thriving mindset, and its road to becoming a developed nation. From entrepreneurs everywhere to numerous IPOs. From brain drain to reverse flipping. And what the government needs to do to what we, the people, need to do.

Tune in and let us know what are you optimistic about.

00:00 - Introduction
01:00 - The Hero’s Journey Of India
03:31 - Doing Business Is Not A Bad Thing
07:02 - India Is More Ambitious Than Ever
09:10 - Entrepreneurs Everywhere: From IITs To Tier 2 Cities
11:59 - What’s NAAMM?
12:47 - India's Pivot From Socialism To Capitalism
16:07 - India Story Vs China Story
20:47 - How Flipkart’s Acquisition Changed Everything
22:46 - How Much Should Regulators Regulate?
26:56 - IPOs, IPOs and More IPOs
28:36 - The Era of Reverse Flipping
30:28 - The $10 Trillion Dollar Economy Goal
31:14 - India is Growing But Are All Indians Too?
33:08 - Will SaaS Be India’s Next Growth Lever?
34:52 - What Inspires Us At Neon?
___________________________________

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/

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China is the 2nd largest economy. India is on its way to become the 3rd largest economy. Few decades ago both were at the same level. Is there anything for India to learn from China? Or we will have our own unique journey?

In this episode of The Neon Show we explore the nuances behind the economic and political landscapes of India and China. From becoming the world’s biggest factory to now shifting to high-end manufacturing. From economic liberalisation to now back to being heavily controlled by the government. From boom to bust.

China & India are two very unique countries. But are there any similarities between these two Asian giants? Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on two of the world’s most important economies.

00:00 - Introduction
01:02 - Similarities and Differences Between India and China
08:49 - How China Became The World’s Factory?
16:04 - Do Indian & Chinese Cities Face Same Challenges?
21:45 - What Caused The Real Estate Bubble in China?
30:24 - Why is China Shifting to High-End Manufacturing?
36:03 - Charlie Munger on India Vs China
42:11 - Does India Have The Right Industrial Policy?
46:09 - The Right Job For The Right People
49:36 - The Power of Good Infrastructure

___________________________________

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 a text

Talent Investing and the Future of Entrepreneurship

In this episode, we have Matt Clifford, founder of Entrepreneur First, an organization focused on talent investing. We cover how EF invests in talent, the success stories and unicorns that have emerged, and whether location truly matters for entrepreneurs.

Matt also discusses the optimism of Indian talent, the regulatory environment in Europe, and India’s unique AI opportunities. We also explore how the UK differs from the EU in tech innovation, why Silicon Valley remains the best, and what it takes to win in the software market.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
01:04 - Investing in Talent First
08:33 - Matt’s Journey From Mckinsey to EF
12:14 - Why EF is Now A Venture Fund
13:52 - How EF Investments in Talent
22:49 - EF Success Stories & Unicorns
27:17 - Does Location Matter for Entrepreneurs?
29:09 - Why Indian Talent is So Optimistic?
33:33 - Is Europe All About Regulation?
38:31 - India's Unique AI Opportunity
45:06 - How UK is Different From EU
49:05 - Why Silicon Valley is Still The Best
55:03 - What to Win in the Software Market
57:23 - Key Learnings from 13 Years of EF

___________________________________

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 a text

Mobile App is The New Bank Branch.

In this episode we have Vinay Bagri, co-founder of Niyo, one of the leaders in the Neo banking movement in India. Vinay shares fascinating insights on how young India travels, the opportunity size of the travel tech market and why India hasn’t become a major travel destination despite having the best to offer.

We also cover Vinay’s journey from FMCG to Banking, The Impact of Regulations on FinTech, And large untapped opportunities in Fintech space.

Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction
00:56 - From Water Bottles to Personal Loans
06:05 - The Rapid Evolution of Banking In the Last 20 years
09:41 - Mobile App is The New Bank Branch
14:57 - The Launch of Niyo
19:43 - Is Travel Tech a Big Market?
24:12 - Where & How Young India Travels
31:03 - How Powerful is Indian Passport?
39:02 - Why Aren’t More People Travelling to India
43:28 - The Good & Bad Of Regulations on FinTech
50:13 - Is IPL Good For Acquiring Customers?
51:17 - What’s Next for FinTech in India
___________________________________

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 a text

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
___________________________________

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 a text

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.
___________________________________

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 a text

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.
___________________________________
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 a text

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.
________________________________
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 a text

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

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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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