TiE Talks

Can entrepreneurship go beyond valuations and actually transform society?

In this episode of TiE Talks, I sit down with Madan Padaki, an entrepreneur, investor, and ecosystem builder to unpack how the startup movement must evolve to bridge the gap between rural and urban India.

We talk about the concept of "Rubonomics," the democratization of India's startup revolution beyond Tier-1 cities, and why net-giving networks like TiE are ultimate lifelines during a founder's darkest hours.

From surviving a near-fatal business crash in 2001 to building GAME and empowering rural youth through JanAI, this conversation reveals what happens when deep purpose meets unstoppable entrepreneurial energy.

If you care about social impact, the future of India's startup ecosystem, mass entrepreneurship, and finding your true "unicorn" metrics, this episode is unmissable.

IN THIS EPISODE 

00:00 | What's the Point of Building a Business?

00:44 | Meet Madan Padaki: Master Dot-Connector

01:50 | The Abundance Mindset & Being "Humane"

04:14 | Profits with Purpose: Redefining Entrepreneurship

05:13 | Rationed Milk & Early Lessons in Grit

08:25 | MeritTrac: The Journey to a Joyful Exit

15:21 | How a 5-Minute Chat at TiE Saved a Startup

21:07 | Rubonomics: Uniting Bharat and Urban India

27:42 | Decoding the Great Indian Startup Boom

34:40 | JanAI: Making AI Work for the Masses

37:46 | Building a Movement, Not Just a Company

43:16 | Rapid Fire: Role Models, The Gita & TiE 2030

48:00 | Closing Reflections

Madan Padaki 

Madan Padaki is a serial entrepreneur and a passionate champion of mass entrepreneurship. He is the Founder of Rubanomics Global Forum, Jan AI and 1Bridge. After pioneering India’s skills assessment industry with MeritTrac and successfully exiting to the Manipal Group, Madan shifted his focus to empowering underserved communities and unleashing youth potential. 1Bridge is South India’s largest village commerce network. He is also the co-founder of GAME (Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship) and the Managing Trustee of the Head Held High Foundation. A dedicated leader within the TiE ecosystem, Madan actively spearheads initiatives across TiE Bangalore and TiE Global to take the entrepreneurial spark to every district in India. 

linkedin.com/in/madanpadaki

Prantik Mazumdar 

Prantik is an entrepreneur & venture investor and acts as a Digital Transformation Catalyst in organizations to drive sustainable change and impact. After pursuing a major in Computer Engineering & a minor in Technopreneurship from the National University of Singapore (NUS), he kickstarted his career with the Singapore government (Enterprise Singapore) to drive international trade promotion for the island state. He started his entrepreneurial journey with Happy Marketer in 2011 where he spent a decade building & scaling up one of the best and most awarded independent digital marketing services firm in the region that served brands like Standard Chartered Bank, Income, Great Eastern Life, Royal Brunei Airlines, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Starbucks, Ping An, Grab, Shopee, GoJek, Kimberly Clark, PropertyGuru, PegiPegi, Starhub, Singtel, Nanyang Business School, Kaplan, INSEAD amongst many of its prestigious clients. 

linkedin.com/in/prantikmazumdar

ABOUT TiE Talks TiE 

Talks brings to you leadership and venture-building lessons from founders, investors and experts in the TiE Singapore network, a vibrant ecosystem of Asian entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, and industry professionals.

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I asked Obvious Ventures co-founder Vishal Vasishth: what does it take to build a trillion-dollar company that genuinely improves the world?

In this episode of TiE Talks, we unpack how "World Positive Capitalism" is redefining venture capital. We explore Vishal's transition from scaling Patagonia to managing $1.5 billion across innovations in planetary, human, and economic health.

We discuss the psychological resilience required of founders, how a near-fatal accident reshaped his perception of risk, and why the next decacorns will blend human consciousness with AI and physical tech.

From the Asian startup ecosystem's rise to the "cheat codes" of the Indian diaspora and female founders, this conversation reveals what happens when human ingenuity meets global challenges. An unmissable episode for purpose-driven entrepreneurs!

Chapters

00:00 | No Business on a Dead Planet

00:52 | Meet Vishal Vasishth 

01:36 | Patagonia, B Corp, and the Search for True Scale 

05:24 | From Operator to World-Class VC

09:11 | Turning Tragedy into a Singular Focus 

13:11 | Love vs. Fear: The Psychology of Risk-Taking 

14:54 | What is World Positive Capitalism?

25:37 | Is Asia the Next Silicon Valley?

29:57 | Building a Global Startup from Asia

32:14 | Key Ingredients for Entrepreneurial Success

36:28 | Women Entrepreneurs & Gender in Venture

41:16 | The "Cheat Codes" of the Indian Diaspora 

43:31 | Don’t Compete with AI—Become More Human 

Vishal Vasishth | Co-Founder | Obvious Ventures

Vishal Vasishth has spent two decades proving a powerful thesis: the most valuable companies will be those solving humanity's biggest challenges. In 2014, he co-founded Obvious Ventures, driven by the conviction that true progress emerges when breakthrough innovation intersects with systemic global issues and massive markets.

Today, Obvious Ventures manages $1.5 billion across seven funds, boasting a formidable portfolio of world-positive disruptors like Beyond Meat, Recursion Pharmaceuticals, and Devoted Health.

Vishal is dedicated to backing an army of "0-1" builders—visionary founders who refuse to accept that economic progress requires compromising human values. He actively partners with entrepreneurs tackling hard problems to fundamentally improve how humanity lives, works, and flourishes.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vishalvasishth/ 

LN Sadani | Private Equity Investor

With over 25 years of experience across private equity, venture capital, real estate, and digital infrastructure, LN Sadani is a seasoned investor, CxO, and Board Director. Throughout his distinguished career, he has deployed and advised on over $5 billion in transactions, consistently generating top-decile returns.

Bringing deep expertise in technology and private equity secondaries—specifically LP-led and GP-led continuation vehicles—he collaborates with institutional investors and global fund managers to unlock value through strategic capital solutions.

Today, LN serves as a trusted advisor guiding family offices and PE fund managers through complex investment decisions, customized liquidity solutions, and M&A strategies. Passionate about aligning capital with purpose, he actively shapes outcomes at the intersection of finance, strategy, and innovation.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lnsadani/ 

ABOUT TiE Talks

TiE Talks brings to you leadership and venture-building lessons from founders, investors and experts in the TiE Singapore network, a vibrant ecosystem of Asian entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, and industry professionals.

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This podcast is powered by CrazyTok: We help experts become influencers by helping launch, produce and grow your custom-branded audio and video podcast channels.

#VishalVasishth #TiETalks #ObviousVentures #ImpactInvesting #WorldPositiveCapitalism #VentureCapital #ESGInvesting #StartupFounders #ObsessiveMissionary #AIandHumanity #IndianDiaspora #SustainableInvesting #FounderMindset #TiESingapore

I asked two Global Chairs a simple question: what breaks first when AI scales faster than leadership?

What followed was one of the most honest conversations I’ve hosted.In this episode of TiE Talks, I sit down with the current and former Global Chairs of TiE to unpack how leadership, entrepreneurship, and ecosystem-building must evolve as AI reshapes founders, networks, and decision-making.We talk about AI-era leadership continuity, building future-ready entrepreneurial ecosystems, and why net-giving communities matter more than ever in a tech-driven world.From COVID-scale collective action to TiE Young Entrepreneurs, this conversation reveals how impact compounds when human judgment meets AI-powered scale.If you care about AI, entrepreneurship, leadership, startup ecosystems, global networks, and the future of founders, this episode is unmissable.

IN THIS EPISODE

00:00 | Why This TiE Conversation Matters Now

01:29 | What TiE Actually Stands For (Beyond Networking) 02:29 | How Real Leaders Create Collective Impact

02:57 | Inside TiE’s COVID Playbook: Impact at Scale

05:47 | Why TiE Is a Movement, Not an Organisation

08:13 | Transformation vs Transactions: The TiE Difference 10:53 | The House of TiE: Vision That Still Holds

13:23 | Why Underserved Ecosystems Matter More Now

15:12 | Inclusion Without Gatekeeping: TiE’s Edge

19:31 | Leadership Transitions Without Power Struggles

22:09 | How Global Boards Really Make Decisions

23:50 | TiE 2030: What the Next Decade Looks Like

25:20 | What Future Leaders Must Get Right

26:30 | Why Giving Back Multiplies Your Growth

27:42 | The One Idea You’ll Carry Beyond This Episode

Amit Gupta

Amit Gupta is a seasoned entrepreneur, advisor and impact investor. As Group CEO and Founder of Ecosystm Group, with its service brands, Ecosystm Research, a next gen Technology Research & Advisory company, Ecosystm Consulting, a digital transformation management consulting business and Kampd, an enterprise communities platform.He is passionate about the role of innovation towards our brighter future.

Murali Bukkapatnam

As Chairman of the Board of Trustees at TiE Global, he guides the world’s largest network of entrepreneurs. From fostering grassroots innovation to enabling cross-border mentorship and capital, he works closely with global chapters to scale TiE’s impact and support founders at every stage of their journey.Through Volksy Technologies, the venture studio he founded, he collaborates with early-stage teams addressing real-world challenges in workforce development, healthcare, and sustainability.

Prantik Mazumdar

Prantik is an entrepreneur & venture investor and acts as a Digital Transformation Catalyst in organizations to drive sustainable change and impact.After pursuing a major in Computer Engineering & a minor in Technopreneurship from the National University of Singapore (NUS), he kickstarted his career with the Singapore government (Enterprise Singapore) to drive international trade promotion for the island state.He started his entrepreneurial journey with Happy Marketer in 2011 where he spent a decade building & scaling up one of the best and most awarded independent digital marketing services firm in the region that served brands like Standard Chartered Bank, Income, Great Eastern Life, Royal Brunei Airlines, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Starbucks, Ping An, Grab, Shopee, GoJek, Kimberly Clark, PropertyGuru, PegiPegi, Starhub, Singtel, Nanyang Business School, Kaplan, INSEAD amongst many of its prestigious clients.

ABOUT TiE Talks

TiE Talks brings to you leadership and venture-building lessons from founders, investors and experts in the TiE Singapore network, a vibrant ecosystem of Asian entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, and industry professionals.

This podcast is powered by CrazyTok: We help experts become influencers by helping launch, produce and grow your custom-branded audio and video podcast channels.

I thought I’d heard every founder story… until Ajay walked in and casually compared selling his startup to an arranged marriage.
In this episode, I sit down with the brain behind NextBillion to unpack the real truth behind exits; why timing beats talent, why Southeast Asia struggles with scale, and why founders often get poorer before they get richer.

Ajay takes me through firing, funding, Google, Grab, cross-border chaos, and a US exit that almost fell apart in the final hour.

We get brutally honest about ambition, luck, market depth, and knowing when to let go.

If you’re a founder, dreamer, operator, or just nosy, this conversation will hit you hard.

Tune in. This one’s a rare behind-the-scenes masterclass disguised as a casual chat.

IN THIS EPISODE

00:00 | Why This Founder’s Story Is Different

01:24 | The Exit: What Really Pushes a Founder to Sell

02:54 | Behind the Deal: Stress, Drama & Last-Minute Chaos

04:43 | Hard Truths About Today’s Startup Ecosystem

09:08 | Why Most Founders Never Get a “Good” Exit

14:58 | Is Southeast Asia Even a Real Startup Market?

17:06 | From Childhood Lessons to Founder Mindset

21:20 | What Google Really Teaches You (Beyond the Perks)

21:57 | Inside Grab: Building at Hyper-Scale

23:53 | The Moment He Knew He Had to Start Up

24:58 | How He Raised $7M on a Deck (Literally)

28:45 | Beating Google Maps? The Wild Story Behind NB

35:07 | Life After Exit & What’s Coming Next

Ajay Bulusu

At NB.ai, we're building the next generation spatial data platform for enterprises globally. We're a VC funded deeptech startup based in Singapore with offices in USA and India. We believe APIs are the future of software and are on a mission to built the best in class Lego block architecture for location based tech.

I spent the last decade working across various roles in the US, Singapore, India, Japan, and the UK. As one of the founding Geo team members @Grab, my responsibilities were broadly divided into Product Strategy/Management, Operations Management, Strategic Negotiation, Partnerships and Regional Outreach. 

Other interests include Secondary Markets, Food, Basketball, Macroeconomics, Manchester United and Travel. IG: @ajaybulls

Prantik Mazumdar

Prantik is an entrepreneur & venture investor and acts as a Digital Transformation Catalyst in organizations to drive sustainable change and impact.

After pursuing a major in Computer Engineering & a minor in Technopreneurship from the National University of Singapore (NUS), he kickstarted his career with the Singapore government (Enterprise Singapore) to drive international trade promotion for the island state.

He started his entrepreneurial journey with Happy Marketer in 2011 where he spent a decade building & scaling up one of the best and most awarded independent digital marketing services firm in the region that served brands like Standard Chartered Bank, Income, Great Eastern Life, Royal Brunei Airlines, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Starbucks, Ping An, Grab, Shopee, GoJek, Kimberly Clark, PropertyGuru, PegiPegi, Starhub, Singtel, Nanyang Business School, Kaplan, INSEAD amongst many of its prestigious clients.

ABOUT TiE Talks

TiE Talks brings to you leadership and venture-building lessons from founders, investors and experts in the TiE Singapore network, a vibrant ecosystem of Asian entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, and industry professionals.

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This podcast is powered by CrazyTok: We help experts become influencers by helping launch, produce and grow your custom-branded audio and video podcast channels.

This conversation will completely rewrite how you see leadership, AI, and even government! 

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. R. Balasubramaniam and Rajiv Raman, two brilliant minds who break down AI transformation, future-of-work leadership, and what Mission Karmayogi really means for India’s next leap.
We dive into why Indian bureaucracy needs a reboot, how experiential learning beats degrees, and the surprising tribal wisdom that might fix sustainability better than COP 30.

IN THIS EPISODE

00:00 | Mission Karmayogi: The Massive Reform Nobody Is Talking About

02:37 | India’s Bureaucracy: What’s Really Holding It Back?

03:57 | The Civil Service Origin Story That Explains Everything Today

08:20 | Disruption Is Inevitable. Are You Leading for It?

10:35 | Modern Leadership: What Actually Matters in 2025?

12:12 | The Tribal Lesson That Redefines Sustainability & Growth

17:57 | Learning vs Wisdom: Which One Actually Moves You Forward?

23:54 | Unlearning: The Skill Every Leader Is Terrible At

24:35 | Experiential Learning: Why You Can’t Think Your Way to Growth

25:07 | Crucible Moments: Can We Simulate Breakthroughs?

26:05 | Knowledge vs Wisdom: The Gap AI Can’t Fill (Yet)

27:57 | The AI Race: Are We Running Toward the Wrong Finish Line?

31:33 | India’s AI Strategy: Smarter, Saner, and Built for Scale

34:29 | How AI Can Fix Government (Without Losing the Human Touch)

39:17 | The Human Element in AI: What Machines Still Can’t Understand

43:47 | Rapid Fire: Books, Beliefs & Big Predictions for India’s Future

Our Guests:

Rajiv Jayaraman

Rajiv Jayaraman, the Founder and CEO of KNOLSKAPE, is a visionary leader who has successfully built a global team driving innovation in the realm of learning and assessment platforms. His pioneering work has established KNOLSKAPE as a world-class solution utilized by over 450 leading companies spanning 75 countries.

Dr. R. Balasubramaniam

Dr. R. Balasubramaniam is a development scholar, public policy advocate, and leadership educator with over four decades of grassroots experience. He is the founder of the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM), a development organization working at the intersection of health, education, and community empowerment in India.

A physician by training and a Harvard-educated public leader and former faculty at Cornell University, Dr. Balu brings a unique blend of experiential knowledge and academic insight. He is also the founder of GRAAM, a public policy think tank. His work spans advising governments on governance reforms, strengthening democratic institutions, and building state capacity. 

Prantik Mazumdar

Prantik is an entrepreneur & venture investor and acts as a Digital Transformation Catalyst in organizations to drive sustainable change and impact.

After pursuing a major in Computer Engineering & a minor in Technopreneurship from the National University of Singapore (NUS), he kickstarted his career with the Singapore government (Enterprise Singapore) to drive international trade promotion for the island state.

He started his entrepreneurial journey with Happy Marketer in 2011 where he spent a decade building & scaling up one of the best and most awarded independent digital marketing services firm in the region that served brands like Standard Chartered Bank, Income, Great Eastern Life, Royal Brunei Airlines, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Starbucks, Ping An, Grab, Shopee, GoJek, Kimberly Clark, PropertyGuru, PegiPegi, Starhub, Singtel, Nanyang Business School, Kaplan, INSEAD amongst many of its prestigious clients.

ABOUT TiE Talks

TiE Talks brings to you leadership and venture-building lessons from founders, investors and experts in the TiE Singapore network, a vibrant ecosystem of Asian entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, and industry professionals.

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This podcast is powered by CrazyTok: We help experts become influencers by helping launch, produce and grow your custom-branded audio and video podcast channels

I didn’t expect my chat with HP’s Samir Shah to flip my entire understanding of the AI future of work… but that’s exactly what happened.

In this episode, I dive into AI on the edge, hybrid work trends reshaping Asia, and how HP is building a startup ecosystem through Garage 2.0.

Samir breaks down the real difference between cloud AI vs on-device AI, why Asia is leading global AI transformation, and what founders must know in 2025.

We also get personal: his 31-year journey at HP, philosophies on leadership, and what “job fulfilment” really means in an AI-powered world.

If you want a sharp, honest look at where AI technology is heading next, this is your episode.

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) Why HP Thinks AI Is a Turning Point
(01:04) HP’s Bold Bet on AI & What It Means for You
(02:40) The Future of Work: What Changes for Your Job
(05:16) AI on the Edge Explained in Plain English
(06:43) Why Asia Is Becoming the AI Powerhouse
(13:46) Inside HP Garage 2.0: How Startups Can Win
(18:19) What HP Looks For in Startup Partners
(19:31) Competing in the AI Era: HP’s Strategy Unpacked
(22:35) Samir’s 31-Year HP Journey & Real Leadership Lessons
(31:10) Modern Leadership: What Actually Works Now
(34:01) Final Takeaways for Innovators & Founders

Our Guest - Samir Shah
Vice President & Head of Personal Systems Category, Greater Asia at HP

As an entrepreneur and leader managing HP Personal Systems in the Greater Asia region, I am dedicated to inspiring excellence, delivering outstanding business results, and nurturing the growth of future leaders.

With over 30 years at HP, I have held diverse leadership roles, including Vice President and Head of the Printing Business in Greater Asia and Vice President of the Supplies Business for HP Asia Pacific & Japan. This experience has given me extensive knowledge of both emerging and developed markets, deep expertise in category management, brand innovation, and leading high-performance organizations.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, adventuring, playing squash, and golfing.

Our Host - Komal Syal
Komal holds the Managing Director and Team Head position at Bank Julius Baer in Singapore. With vast knowledge and experience as a private banker in various locations like India, the UK, and Singapore, she has previously catered to diverse markets including Brunei, Japan, and Russia.

Throughout her career, Komal has stood out as the sole successful woman in the sales function, amongst her other male colleagues in the team. Her proven track record of empowering women across the Banking and Financial Service sector aligns perfectly with coto’s goal of financial independence and inclusion of women digitally. Her strategic insight and advocacy efforts are set to enhance the support and opportunities available to coto women significantly, driving forward the platform’s mission to empower digital entrepreneurship among women worldwide.

ABOUT TiE Talks
TiE Talks brings to you leadership and venture-building lessons from founders, investors and experts in the TiE Singapore network, a vibrant ecosystem of Asian entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, and industry professionals.

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This podcast is powered by CrazyTok: We help experts become influencers by helping launch, produce and grow your custom-branded audio and video podcast channels.

I thought I understood AI… until IBM’s CTO completely rewired my thinking.

In this conversation with Kitman Cheung, we go deep into the realities of agentic AI, AI adoption challenges, and why most companies are still stuck at the “desktop productivity” stage.

Kitman also opens up about IBM’s own transformation; HR, finance, sales, everything, powered by enterprise-grade AI. And when we dive into quantum computing, things get wild: from 34% more accurate bond predictions to future-ready materials science.

If you’re curious about where AI trends, generative AI, and quantum computing are taking Asia next, you’ll want to listen till the end.

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) Welcome & Why This AI Episode Matters for You
(01:13) Kitman’s Journey: How a Developer Became IBM’s CTO
(04:26) What a CTO Really Does (and How to Think Like One)
(06:27) IBM’s Secret Sauce: Research, Open Source & Real Impact
(08:18) AI & GenAI Explained Simply (Finally!)
(09:46) Agentic AI: What It Is & Why It Changes Everything
(14:11) Measuring AI ROI: The Framework Every Leader Needs
(19:07) Inside IBM: How They Use AI to Save Billions
(21:34) Responsible AI: What Every Business Must Get Right
(21:56) AI Risks: The Hidden Failure Points No One Talks About
(23:03) AI Governance: The Guardrails You Need Before Scaling
(23:48) Trust in AI: The 5 Pillars All Companies Should Adopt
(25:01) AI Bias: How Bad Data Can Break Your Business
(27:33) ASEAN’s AI Reality Check: Who’s Ahead & Who’s Catching Up
(31:12) Quantum 101: Why It Will Break Today’s Limits
(34:02) Quantum Adoption: Real Use Cases & Regional Moves
(38:09) Keeping Up with Tech: A Playbook for Busy Leaders
(39:22) Final Takeaways: Your Next Steps in AI & Quantum

Kitman Cheung
I am an engineer, a software developer, a manager, a presales leader, an author and an inventor.  I worked across different domains like Data, AI, DevOps, Hybrid Cloud, Business Automation, Cyber-Security and AIOps. Right now, I am leading a team presales engineer for one of the broadest software and hardware portfolio in the world's most dynamic market.  I have a team to deliver innovations to customers everyday.  That is not a bad day in the office.

Prantik Mazumdar
Prantik is an entrepreneur & venture investor and acts as a Digital Transformation Catalyst in organizations to drive sustainable change and impact.

After pursuing a major in Computer Engineering & a minor in Technopreneurship from the National University of Singapore (NUS), he kickstarted his career with the Singapore government (Enterprise Singapore) to drive international trade promotion for the island state.

He started his entrepreneurial journey with Happy Marketer in 2011 where he spent a decade building & scaling up one of the best and most awarded independent digital marketing services firm in the region that served brands like Standard Chartered Bank, Income, Great Eastern Life, Royal Brunei Airlines, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Starbucks, Ping An, Grab, Shopee, GoJek, Kimberly Clark, PropertyGuru, PegiPegi, Starhub, Singtel, Nanyang Business School, Kaplan, INSEAD amongst many of its prestigious clients.

ABOUT TiE Talks
TiE Talks brings to you leadership and venture-building lessons from founders, investors and experts in the TiE Singapore network, a vibrant ecosystem of Asian entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, and industry professionals.

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This podcast is powered by CrazyTok: We help experts become influencers by helping launch, produce and grow your custom-branded audio and video podcast channels.

What happens when a FinTech insider also happens to be a media personality, startup investor, and Gen Z trailblazer?

I’ve known Vanessa Ho through many avatars - and in this episode of TiE Talks Singapore, I finally got to sit down with her to unpack it all. From hosting events at 15 to building cross-border startup bridges between Singapore and India, Vanessa has crafted a career that blends influence, investment, and impact.

We talk about her early media journey, jumping into venture capital, driving FinTech innovation, and why Gen Z Singaporeans are rewriting what success looks like. Trust me, this one’s equal parts inspiring and surprising.

Tune in for a deep dive into Singapore’s startup scene, FinTech leadership, and the bold career moves shaping a new generation of founders.

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) Why India might be Singapore’s best-kept startup secret
(03:01) The unexpected plot twist at Singapore’s biggest FinTech event
(05:27) How a teen with a mic found her way into venture capital
(08:59) The moment an idea turned NUS students into angel investors
(11:36) Behind the scenes of a homegrown VC hustle
(13:13) When the funding winter hit—who adapted, who froze
(17:51) Why leaving VC for one startup changed everything
(20:10) A campaign stage, a Gen Z voice… and one viral moment
(22:48) Where the real networking happens (hint: it’s not a boardroom)
(24:04) From sneakers to sprints: how coffee runs became actual runs
(25:11) What five hours on a golf course reveals about people
(27:38) Why Gen Z Singaporeans are rewriting the script on success
(30:29) The not-so-glam reality of building a portfolio career
(34:04) The good, the bad… and the beautifully messy side of India
(35:27) A quiet FinTech revolution in an unexpected Indian city

Vanessa Ho
Vanessa Ho is the Co-Founder of Fintech Nation. Fintech Nation invests in early stage startups in Southeast Asia with an expertise in fintech. Fintech Nation also leads community initiatives and thought leadership pieces.

Vanessa is also the Senior Manager, Startup and Venture Partnerships, at Global Finance and Technology Network (GFTN).

Previously, Vanessa co-founded NUS Alumni Ventures, a 150-member angel network of founders, C-suites and VC Partners. Vanessa is now an advisor of the angel network.

Prantik Mazumdar
Prantik is an entrepreneur & venture investor and acts as a Digital Transformation Catalyst in organizations to drive sustainable change and impact.

After pursuing a major in Computer Engineering & a minor in Technopreneurship from the National University of Singapore (NUS), he kickstarted his career with the Singapore government (Enterprise Singapore) to drive international trade promotion for the island state.

He started his entrepreneurial journey with Happy Marketer in 2011 where he spent a decade building & scaling up one of the best and most awarded independent digital marketing services firm in the region that served brands like Standard Chartered Bank, Income, Great Eastern Life, Royal Brunei Airlines, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Starbucks, Ping An, Grab, Shopee, GoJek, Kimberly Clark, PropertyGuru, PegiPegi, Starhub, Singtel, Nanyang Business School, Kaplan, INSEAD amongst many of its prestigious clients.

ABOUT TiE Talks
TiE Talks brings to you leadership and venture-building lessons from founders, investors and experts in the TiE Singapore network, a vibrant ecosystem of Asian entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, and industry professionals.

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This podcast is powered by CrazyTok: We help experts become influencers by helping launch, produce and grow your custom-branded audio and video podcast channels.

What does it really take to turn a medal dream into reality?

This time, I sat down with Olympic silver medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya and hockey legend & OGQ CEO Viren Rasquinha to talk about the fight behind the podium moment. We went from nail-biting Olympic bouts and injuries to the mindset and support that build champions.

Ravi opened up about what went through his head in those final seconds, and Viren shared how OGQ is backing India’s future medal winners, from tiny villages to the world stage.

If you’ve ever watched an Olympic moment and wondered what it really takes to get there… this one’s for you. 

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) The medal moment that changes everything
(02:07) Behind every podium… a secret support system
(07:03) Why some sports quietly build legends
(12:11) When seconds decide your Olympic destiny
(20:01) The twist no one saw coming
(24:35) How champions get spotted early
(28:00) What really happens after the medal
(37:27) The quiet engine powering Indian sport
(40:02) The comeback mindset no one talks about
(44:37) The future of medals… may be female 

Ravi Kumar Dahiya
Ravi Kumar Dahiya is a highly accomplished freestyle wrestler hailing from Nahri village in Haryana. He won the Silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the Men's 57kg category. He won a Bronze medal at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships, Gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and is a multiple Asian Championships medalist. OGQ has been supporting Ravi's training since 2015. 

Viren Rasquinha
Currently Director and CEO of OGQ, a not-for-profit foundation, which supports training and preparation of athletes in India who have the potential of winning an Olympic medal. 

Olympian and former Captain of Indian Hockey team. Bestowed Arjuna Award in 2005.

Completed MBA from Indian School of Business (ISB) Hyderabad in 2009.

Connect with Viren at https://www.linkedin.com/in/virenrasquinha/

Prantik Mazumdar
Prantik is an entrepreneur & venture investor and acts as a Digital Transformation Catalyst in organizations to drive sustainable change and impact.

After pursuing a major in Computer Engineering & a minor in Technopreneurship from the National University of Singapore (NUS), he kickstarted his career with the Singapore government (Enterprise Singapore) to drive international trade promotion for the island state.

He started his entrepreneurial journey with Happy Marketer in 2011 where he spent a decade building & scaling up one of the best and most awarded independent digital marketing services firm in the region that served brands like Standard Chartered Bank, Income, Great Eastern Life, Royal Brunei Airlines, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Starbucks, Ping An, Grab, Shopee, GoJek, Kimberly Clark, PropertyGuru, PegiPegi, Starhub, Singtel, Nanyang Business School, Kaplan, INSEAD amongst many of its prestigious clients.

ABOUT TiE Talks
TiE Talks brings to you leadership and venture-building lessons from founders, investors and experts in the TiE Singapore network, a vibrant ecosystem of Asian entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, and industry professionals.

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This podcast is powered by CrazyTok: We help experts become influencers by helping launch, produce and grow your custom-branded audio and video podcast channels.

What happens when the tables turn and I get to interview one of India’s top VCs - who’s usually the one asking the questions?

In this TiE Talks Singapore episode, I sit down with Siddhartha Ahluwalia, Managing Partner at Neon Fund and host of the popular Neon Show Podcast, to talk about his journey from startup founder to venture capitalist. We dive into how India can build its own $100 billion companies, the power of the US-India startup corridor, and why podcasting became his secret weapon for learning and connection.

If you’re curious about VC insights, Indian startups, and the future of SaaS and AI, this one’s full of stories, strategy, and some candid laughs.

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) Intro
(01:05) The accidental podcaster who turned curiosity into a movement
(03:10) Why podcasts beat textbooks for real startup learning
(05:11) Inside Neon’s strategy for choosing game-changing guests
(11:48) How the US–India startup corridor is redefining growth
(13:19) Building global companies from Chennai to California
(15:42) The $100B dream driving Neon Fund’s big bets
(17:38) What makes founders truly stand out to VCs
(19:30) Can India create the next OpenAI or Databricks?
(24:44) Is SaaS really dead—or just getting smarter?
(29:07) The secret behind Neon’s high-return investment strategy
(35:17) Exit stories that make the VC grind worth it
(44:21) Rapid-fire confessions: books, heroes, and bold bets
(46:28) India’s next decade belongs to dreamers who build

Siddhartha Ahluwalia
Siddhartha Ahluwalia is the Managing Partner at Neon Fund and host of The Neon Show, one of the top business podcasts focused on the India-US startup ecosystem. He previously founded Addodoc (a B2B SaaS CRM for pediatricians) and Babygogo (a healthtech startup acquired by Sheroes). He later worked at Prime Ventures and led the SaaS Ecosystem at AWS India before starting Neon Fund. With deep expertise in 0-1 startup building, he helps founders scale B2B SaaS companies in the US from $0 to $10M ARR.
Siddhartha's Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7
Siddhartha LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/

Neon LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-fund/
Neon's Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShoww
Neon's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/
Neon's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheNeonShoww

Prantik Mazumdar
Prantik is an entrepreneur & venture investor and acts as a Digital Transformation Catalyst in organizations to drive sustainable change and impact.

After pursuing a major in Computer Engineering & a minor in Technopreneurship from the National University of Singapore (NUS), he kickstarted his career with the Singapore government (Enterprise Singapore) to drive international trade promotion for the island state.

He started his entrepreneurial journey with Happy Marketer in 2011 where he spent a decade building & scaling up one of the best and most awarded independent digital marketing services firm in the region that served brands like Standard Chartered Bank, Income, Great Eastern Life, Royal Brunei Airlines, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Starbucks, Ping An, Grab, Shopee, GoJek, Kimberly Clark, PropertyGuru, PegiPegi, Starhub, Singtel, Nanyang Business School, Kaplan, INSEAD amongst many of its prestigious clients.

ABOUT TiE Talks
TiE Talks brings to you leadership and venture-building lessons from founders, investors and experts in the TiE Singapore network, a vibrant ecosystem of Asian entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, and industry professionals.

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