Domain Alphas are founders whose edge lies in their domain knowledge, and their market-tested experience of solving problems for customers. Watch Rajinder Balaram & Vikram Vaidyanathan share their views on Domain Alpha founders, and trade great examples of how Domain Alpha founders build great businesses. 

1. Getting to PMF Faster: How the experience of building the ICICI cards business helped the founders of OneCard launch slow, but get it right faster

2. Choose the Right Problems: How the founders of Country Delight didn’t rush, and spent a significant amount of time understanding the market problems before scaling 

3. Know the Consumer Deeply: Why Ola Electric chose to build in two-wheeler EVs when everyone was betting on cars 

Domain Alphas are able to turn their unfair advantage into real success. As a founder, you have it, or you have to acquire it. What do you do if you don’t have domain expertise?

Sumit Chhazed is a serial entrepreneur, who figured out his first startup as soon as he graduated from IIT Bombay. OTO is the fourth company that he has founded, employing a business model that combined commerce and finance to disrupt the two-wheeler purchase landscape in India. OTO has already sold over 1lakh two-wheelers through their online marketplace and apps. 

On this episode of Matrix Moments, Sumit delves into the levers behind the success of OTO, sharing his approach with Rajinder Balaraman and Anish Patil. Here are the key takeaways about building a disruptive business model: 

1.⁠ ⁠OTO is betting big on India’s 2-wheelers: with over 60% of new purchases coming from 18-25 year olds, living outside the metros. 

2.⁠ ⁠Two-wheeler financing is a big opportunity: OTO has built a full-stack financing business that allows consumers to lower their 2-wheeler loan EMIs by 30%. 

3.⁠ ⁠A phygital experience brings the buyers to the yard: This space is ripe for disruption as new-age audiences are not keen on going to multiple dealerships and scouring the market for financing. OTO’s partnerships with payment apps and OEM partners is driving their reach with young consumers.

4.⁠ ⁠EVs are the future of 2-wheelers: the younger buyer is more keen on EV 2-wheelers than 4-wheelers. OTO is helping brands like Ola Electric penetrate deeper into India. 

If you’re a founder who is seeking to build a disruptive strategy and business model, watch the episode and gain insights into how OTO charted their road to 100000+ 2-wheelers sold, while changing the two-wheeler play in India.

The Whole Truth Foods founder Shashank Mehta is a rare breed of a CEO who is also a creator. 🌟 A lifelong student of the content & community game, Shashank’s content journey started as a stand-up coming on YouTube, long before he became the face of The Whole Truth. 

On this episode of Matrix Moments, Shashank goes deep on content & community, sharing with candour in a deep chat with Vikram Vaidyanathan. Here are 4 big takeaways around building brands through content & community for founders:

1.⁠ ⁠Founders must be clear on the WHAT of their content marketing, the HOW is easier with modern tools & AI. 💡

2.⁠ ⁠Transparency is the biggest tool in the content marketer’s arsenal. Consumers are the best bullshit detectors in today’s hyper-connected world. 👀

3.⁠ ⁠Brand communities are more about GIVING than TAKING. 🤝

4.⁠ ⁠ROI from Content Marketing shouldn’t have a hard linkage to Sales: Founders must leverage content as an editorial lever, and not tactically link it to sales. 💼

If you’re a founder who wants to level up your brand’s content & community marketing game, watch this episode as Shashank & Vikram’s easy camaraderie uncovers the Whole Truth. 

If you're a founder seeking advice on how to build great teams, this episode of Matrix Moments is for you. Vikram Vaidyanathan hosts The Whole Truth Foods Founder & CEO, Shashank Mehta and they share their wisdom around building great company cultures. 

🌟  Shashank sent The Whole Truth Foods' culture document, titled Why We Exist, before he met Vikram Vaidyanathan for the first time. The document outlines the company's mission about the Whole Truth. 

💼💡Shashank's conviction in his company’s mission is unparalleled, with a clear vision of positive societal impact and the ability to inspire others to make it a reality, so much so that the team at The Whole Truth Foods has imbibed the founder's mission, made it their own, and keep him accountable.

👷‍♀️ The Whole Truth's manufacturing is run by women - Shashank shares the challenges they faced in doing this, and shares a story about how the company's culture & mission have been received on the factory floors. 

Ashish Kashyap needs no introduction. The first country head for Google in India, before he turned entrepreneur, Ashish is a serial founder. He's founded and scaled marquee Indian internet startups RedBus, PayU, GoIbibo, before starting his most recent FinTech venture, the super app, INDMoney.  

 

Ashish was a guest on Matrix Moments People First with Rupali, where shared startup and team-building learnings from his journey across the companies he's built.

Revant Bhate on #PeopleFirst by Matrix Moments!

Passionate about building a people-centric culture, Revant takes on dual roles at Mosaic Wellness as both CEO and CHRO. In a conversation with Rupali Sharma on our latest episode, Revant delves into the intricacies of building his startup from scratch, emphasising the pivotal role of human capital.

Key takeaways from the episode:

1️⃣ Fundamental Team Building Principles: Revant shares insights on leveraging his network of seasoned operators who trust his vision, a crucial asset in the volatile startup landscape. His core team comprises individuals who have previously collaborated with him, highlighting the importance of building trust from the onset.

🔎 Strategic Recruiting: Transparent communication about challenges and expectations is paramount during the hiring process. Revant's clarity from day one ensured that team members joined with the right mindset and expectations.

🧲 Aligning Incentives: Revant stresses the significance of employees understanding the startup's growth trajec

On the latest episode of Matrix Moments, catch Aakash Kumar, Sudipto Sannigrahi, Pranay Desai, and Anish Patil of Matrix Partners India as they discuss the India consumption and growth story, insights on investing in Digital India and their predictions for 2024.

This episode covers:

🚀 India's $10 Trillion Vision: Anticipating India's trajectory, there's a strong belief that India will grow into a $10 trillion economy by 2035. Growth is fuelled by deepening markets, robust internal demand coupled with strong public and private capital investments

🌐 Secular Trends & Growth: Long-term growth seen in sectors like manufacturing & exports, energy, defence, financial services and consumer retail

📊 Market Dynamics & Investment Strategies: The sectors that Matrix Partners India is bullish about in 2024, exploring India's growth dynamics and entrepreneurial landscape.

🔮 Predictions & Optimism: The advent of experienced founders and digital industrialists, the rise of “phy-gital” business models and a dispersion in value-creation beyond traditional hubs will help India retain its lure as an attractive market for venture capital

Join Asish Mohapatra, Co-founder and CEO of OfBusiness, and Rupali Sharma on the latest episode of "People First" by Matrix Moments. Explore OfBusiness's remarkable journey and unravel the intricacies of building a resilient organization.

This episode covers:

🌐 Innovation Hub: OfBusiness leads the way in innovation, with the team embodying a fusion of values and innovation, working collectively towards profitability and shared achievements.

🔐 Org-Building Secrets: Asish delves into the organizational alchemy that catapulted OfBusiness to market leadership in just seven years.

🌱 Investing in Tomorrow: The conscious decision to build in-house talent, as Asish shares the challenges and benefits of this unique approach. He highlights why nurturing young talent for sustained success yields substantial returns long-term.

📈 Non-negotiables in Hiring: The hiring philosophy, focusing on qualities like a commitment to doing the right thing, a strong work ethic, and a commercial mindset.

👥 Maintaining Organizational DNA: OfBusiness ensures the preservation of its core values and culture as it scales, with Asish sharing both successes and mistakes in this journey.

The driving forces propelling the Indian startup ecosystem forward all share a common thread—they are all People. Founders, investors, employees—all united working towards growth and success. 

At Matrix, we believe in putting our founders first, and now, we want to shine a spotlight on the talent and teams that move these visionaries forward. In the very first episode of "People First" by Matrix Moments, Avnish Bajaj and Rupali Sharma from Matrix Partners India, highlight the pivotal role of human capital teams in shaping successful ventures.

The episode covers:

💼 People First Philosophy: The significance of prioritizing founders and recognizing that, at their core, founders are people. This underscores the essence of the podcast's title, "People First."

🚀 Evolution of VC Ecosystem: The Indian venture capital landscape focusing not only on investments but also on aiding companies in building robust teams.

💰 Investment in Human Capital Teams: As the venture ecosystem expanded, why Matrix invested in a human capital team, viewing it as a strategic function crucial for supporting startup growth.

🏆 Value Creation: The core objective is to expedite startups' value creation, with human capital teams playing a vital role in ensuring that the right talent propels this growth.

🌐 Reinvention: Founder roles and team dynamics evolving to stay relevant. Managing human capital strategically is a vital competitive advantage in the digital age.

🤝 Communication and Transparency: Fostering trust and collaboration within the organization for clarity in expectations and skillsets, ensures optimal returns.

On the latest episode of Matrix Moments, Ashish Aggarwal, Co-Founder, AppBroda and Vivek Ramachandran, Matrix Partners India discuss the world of mobile apps and the growing segments in the gaming landscape in India.

This episode covers - 

📈 Growth Potential: Discover why India's gaming industry is on the brink of an inflection point in the next 18 months.

🌐 Developer Talents: Learn about India's vast developer talent pool and their evolving role in the global gaming industry.

🌍 Global Perspective: Gain insights into the importance of expanding beyond local markets to maximize revenue and user acquisition.

💡 Monetization Strategies: Advice on incorporating ads, premium formats, and effective user acquisition to boost your game's success.

📈 Scaling Success: How developers who started small and grew into million-dollar studios and why now is the perfect time to embrace the entrepreneurial plunge in the gaming industry.