These farmers lost around $1.72B in a single morning.It was all because of tit-for-tat import taxes.But what really happened and who were these farmers?It all started when Donald Trump walked into the White House in January 2017, promising to take on what he called “unfair trade” with China.March 2018, Trump slapped $50 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods, aiming straight at the heart of China’s industrial ambitions—its "Made in China 2025" strategy. This marked the start of the trade war.April, 2018, Beijing hit where it hurt—Trump’s voter base.It announced a 25% tariff on American soybeans, cars, and chemicals. And it wasn’t just any random pick. China was the biggest buyer of U.S. soybeans, importing 60% of all U.S. exports.The markets reacted immediately and soybean prices went into free fall, erasing $1.72 billion in market value by morning.Farmers who relied on China as their primary buyer suddenly found themselves staring at massive losses.In this episode of The NEON Show, Matein Khalid, a seasoned financial advisor, shares his fascinating four-decade journey. Starting as a teenage trader in Dubai, he later advised corporate boards and family offices in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the US. Matein talks about global trade, geopolitics, and economic strategies, providing insights on the US-China trade war, Trump's economic policies, and shifting global power dynamics.Check out Matein's writings here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mateinkhalid/Timestamps00:00 – Trailer01:17 – Introduction02:38 – Matein’s early trading and wealth management04:37 – Trump’s unpredictability in geopolitics06:04 – Rise of China hawks in US policy07:40 – India’s edge in US-China tensions09:50 – Starlink vs. Indian telecoms10:30 – US Steel and political influence12:51 – China’s slowdown and unemployment19:02 – US K-shaped recovery and inequality21:46 – US debt crisis and risks26:41 – Adani controversy’s geopolitical angle31:17 – Possible end to Russia-Ukraine war33:55 – Israel weakens Iran’s air defense37:35 – Trump’s isolationist policies41:02 – Trade and capital flows in forex42:39 – South Korea’s political turmoil48:04 – Syria’s proxy wars reignite52:04 – Modi’s UAE visit boosts financial flows54:34 – India’s entrepreneurial spirit------------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.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professioSend us a text

In this episode of the NEON Show, Boris Wertz, a renowned venture capitalist and entrepreneur, shares his extensive journey through the tech and investment world over the past 25 years. From founding a company that was acquired by Amazon to becoming an investor and backing emerging fund managers globally, Boris offers a rich and unique perspective on the evolution of venture capital.Timestamp00:00 - Trailer 01:40 - Introduction and background03:17 - Journey as a venture capitalist04:49 - Boris’s first investments in emerging managers07:32 - Why is Boris so focused on the Indian market?09:48 - Fund sizes and strategy13:03 - VC returns and liquidity16:06 - Boris’s key learnings from successes and failures21:20 - Themes like AI, crypto, and climate tech25:00 - India as the next frontier28:50 - Challenges Indian entrepreneurs face35:46 - Boris’s concept of minimum viable fund39:10 - Cycles in venture capital43:46 - A16z board partner program48:45 - Evolution of venture capital mindsets-------------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.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this episode of the NEON Show, Ashok K. Lahiri, a leading economist and former Chief Economic Advisor, talks about India’s economic journey and the changes in its tax system. Lahiri shares why India has fallen behind some countries, pointing to missed opportunities in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. He also highlights the importance of India’s democracy and federal system in shaping its progress.Check out Ashok K. Lahiri’s book, India in search of glory, https://www.amazon.in/India-Search-Glory-Political-Calculus/dp/067009207X/Time Stamp00:00 - Trailer01:27 - Introduction of Ashok K. Lahiri03:07 - Ashok’s upbringing and early education in economics05:27 - Why Ashok went abroad and how UPSC got him back08:33 - Are you satisfied with GDP growth12:42 - Education and health lead to long-term economic growth15:27 - The right to information is important but debatable18:27 - The govt went overboard in the 70s20:37 - What happened to West Bengal24:32 - Improvement will come with liberal society25:57 - Troubles of taxations29:42 - Taxing in the Indira Gandhi era33:27 - People once informed take the right decision37:32 - Chicken and egg in politics39:27 - Why India is on the right track43:27 - Challenges faced by Bangladesh and lessons for India47:32 - India: union of states52:07 - Struggle of India to get where it is right now58:32 - Why we can't blame our ancestors01:01:52 - Importance of transportation and Connectivity------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.------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

The world’s largest tech-focused venture capital fund. And the man behind it is Masayoshi Son, often referred to as Masa.At 16, Masa moved to California, drawn by the entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley.Before he turned 21 years old, Son sold his first company— a multilingual translator bought by Sharp for about $1 million.Masa returned to Japan and founded SoftBank as a software distribution company. In 1995, Masa made one of his first bold investments— a $100 million for a 30% stake in Yahoo. In 1999, Masa made an even bigger move, investing $20 million in Alibaba, a year-old e-commerce startup.Over 23 years, that investment turned into a $72 billion gain, making it one of the most successful tech investments ever.In 2014, he brought in Alok Sama who had a key role in some of SoftBank’s biggest successes, like the $32 billion acquisition of ARM and the $59 billion Sprint-T-Mobile merger.In this episode of the NEON Show, Alok Sama, takes us behind the scenes of his journey at SoftBank, where he played a crucial role in shaping the group's global investments and strategy. He shares insights into working alongside Masa, managing the Vision Fund, and the challenges of betting on transformative entrepreneurs.Check out Alok Sama’s book,  The Money Trap: Lost Illusions Inside the Tech Bubble - https://www.amazon.in/Money-Trap-Alok-Sama/dp/9361134337Timestamps0:00 - Trailer1:13 - Alok’s career, and Money Trap2:20 - Transition to SoftBank and the motivation behind Money Trap3:29 - what Alok thinks about Nikesh Arora and Masayoshi Son5:07 - Masayoshi Son’s visionary mindset and why Alok admired him6: 40 - Why Alok values intellectual curiosity in people and himself7:50 - Alok’s entrepreneurial journey post-Morgan Stanley09:30 - The meaning behind Money Trap and reflections on money12:30 - Masa Son’s struggle growing up and the freemium coffee model17:00 - Alok’s last year at SoftBank and decision to leave18:08 - Alok’s relationship with Nikesh Arora20:10 - Delhi roots, and family time21:20 - Alok's view on vulnerabilities 27:20 - Masa Son’s character and commitment to backing entrepreneurs fully31:10 - Valuation lessons in technology investments34:20 - Son’s early bets on AI and his timing challenges37:30 -  Joined SoftBank to impress Alok’s teenage son and connect with family40: 10 - experience of writing a book43:10 - Masa’s thesis on 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.-----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This show is for informational purposes only. The vSend us a text

Why does 50% of India’s workforce remain in agriculture while the U.S. has just 2%?Despite all those hands in the soil, the sector contributes just 15-18% to the GDP. While countries like the U.S. and Europe shifted quickly from agriculture to industry, India's progress was pretty slow. So, is it too late for India to catch up and move on from agriculture?Although India did build textile mills and steel plants, its industrialization lagged behind faster-growing Asian economies like Japan, South Korea, and China, which aggressively pursued manufacturing.So, what happened? Well, India’s focus remained on agriculture, missing the chance to build a strong industrial base that could absorb its large agricultural workforce. But there’s a new hurdle—manufacturing isn’t the job creator it once was.Experts like Subhash Garg argue India may have missed the industrialization train. With automation reducing labour needs, ramping up manufacturing might not create enough jobs for India’s vast workforce.In this episode of The Neon Show, Subhash Garg, former Secretary of Economic Affairs, shares his unique perspective on India's economic ambitions and the journey toward the $10 Trillion Dream.Check out Subhash Garg's book, We Also Make Policy : An Insider's Account of How the Finance Ministry Functions, https://www.amazon.in/We-Also-Make-Policy-Functions/dp/9356994714Timestamps00:00 - Trailer01:25 - Subhash Garg’s background in economic affairs03:27 - Why has India's "10 Trillion Dollar Dream" dented10:04 - India’s current GDP12:50 - Need to shift labour from agriculture to high-value sectors16:48 - Why India missed industrialisation20:26 - The global manufacturing train left—and India missed it21:55 - Why should you invest in services for real growth26:55 - Sports, gaming, and entertainment are hidden gems for rural jobs29:54 - Why is agriculture unreformed31:34 - The impact of subsidies: is it a dead-end for farmers?36:47 - Garg explains GDP with the “potato chip” example42:42 - Why is farmers’ share of the final product small47:10 - India’s manufacturing needs a tech boost48:22 - Why India’s PLI schemes aren’t hitting their targets52:58 - How India’s service sector thrived due to minimal regulation1:01:57 - Garg’s positive take on brain drain1:10:10 - Millionaires on the move1:11:50 - Support for short sellers as market correctors1:13:12 - Announcement of Garg's book, expected in October-------------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.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------Send us a text

In India, financial security often seemed just out of reach, especially when it came to insurance. For many, insurance was complex, filled with hidden terms, and often mis-sold.That’s exactly what happened when an engineer-turned-consultant discovered that his father had been duped by insurance agents into purchasing a policy that was both confusing and overpriced.Instead of just shrugging it off, this experience sparked an idea: why not create a platform where people could get straightforward, honest information about insurance?So in 2008, Yashish Dahiya, along with co-founders Alok Bansal and Avaneesh Nirjar, launched Policy Bazaar. Today, Policy Bazaar has grown into India’s largest insurance aggregator, with an annual run rate of 100 million visitors. In 2022, The platform accounted for 93% of online insurance sales in India, holding 25% of the country’s life insurance cover and 7% of retail health insurance cover. In this episode of The Neon Show, Yashish Dahiya, co-founder and Chairman of Policy Bazaar, shares his journey of building India’s leading online insurance platform. Drawing from personal experiences, including his family’s army background, Yashish explores the challenges of creating financial security for India’s middle class, when not taking risk is the biggest risk and the HUGE India opportunity.Timestamps00:00 - Trailer01:18 - introducing Yashish Dahiya02:18 - Policy Bazaar’s rise as India’s top online insurance platform03:26 - India’s rising costs and financial aspirations05:11 - Sanjeev Bikhchandani’s early investments in Policy Bazaar06:43 - India’s economy as a mix of Bahrain, UK, Brazil, and Africa07:49 - Financial inclusion across India’s diverse social structure11:53 - Why does mass class movement happen16:20 - Institutional strengths drive GDP19:38 - Why Policy Bazaar outperformed its competitors25:22 - Daily discipline and the importance of consistent execution28:36 - How Yashish built team trust and values at Policy Bazaar31:38 - Things changed when I got married33:40 - Managing family life across India and the UK36:36 - Why the value system is important41:48 - What is stress exactly for an entrepreneur46:18 - Sanjeev view on Policy Bazaar49:40 - Policy Bazaar’s vision for social impact53:58 - Consistent values pre-and post-IPO57:33 - Why did Policy Bazaar go public-------------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.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the inSend us a text

Ever heard of the M Document?Montek Singh Ahluwalia, an economist in govt of India, saw that India needed to make some big changes to keep up. So, he started working on what would become the M Document. The M Document suggested bold reforms. Many government officials thought these ideas were too radical. Then, something unexpected happened: the M Document got into the hands of journalist Ashok Desai, who saw its potential, and gave it the now-famous name, the M Document.Even though the document was just meant for internal review, the leak sparked public debate on how India’s economy could be modernized.Though it didn’t lead to immediate changes, the M Document planted seeds that grew in a few years.In this episode of the NEON Show, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, a renowned economist and former Deputy Chairman of India's Planning Commission, shares insights from his pivotal role in shaping the 1991 economic reforms and reveals the behind-the-scenes story of the influential "M document" and how it ultimately shaped India’s approach to liberalisation.Check out Montek Singh Ahluwalia’s book, BACKSTAGE: The Story behind India’s High Growth Years, https://www.amazon.in/BACKSTAGE-Story-behind-Indias-Growth-ebook/dp/B084P4Y3VW/Time stamps 00:00 - Introduction to Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia01:04 - Early life and family’s experience post-partition05:11 - Winning the Rhodes Scholarship06:14 - Early career at the World Bank07:15 - Returning to India as an economic advisor09:02 - Washington invitation and Planning Commission role13:02- 1991 economic reforms18:40 - Committees for economic reform22:00 - High import controls as an economic issue26:34 - Challenges in policy reform28:38 - V.P. Singh asks Montek to write the document”?31:36 - How did the “M document" leak38:40 - Maruthi engine block story48:35 - SEBI and financial system reforms58:25 - Moving past the “Tonga mindset.”​1:01:20- Why controlled imports are tax on exports1:09:00 - How do exchange rates impact imports and exports?1:12:04 - Discovery of Roman gold coins in South India1:16:50 - Narayana Murthy’s import struggles1:22:25 - Politicians should openly support beneficial policies1:32:55 - Montek’s vision for India’s next decade1:39:58 - Final thoughts on India’s future-------------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.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

After India’s big economic shift in 1991, each state grew at different rates—but they didn’t all get there at the same speed.Western and southern states saw major benefits, while many in the east and north struggled to keep up. In fact, by 2021-22, the per capita income in the top five states was 3.3 times higher than in the bottom five—a clear sign of the widening divide.So, what does this uneven growth look like?In the 1960s, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal were leading India's economy with contributions of 14.4%, 12.5%, and 10.5% of GDP, respectively.  Today, Uttar Pradesh's share has fallen to 8.4%, and West Bengal's to 5.6%, but Maharashtra remains a top contributor.Gujarat's share grew from 6.4% in 2000-01 to 8.1% in 2022-23, driven by strong industry and urban centres. Southern states like Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala now make up about 30% of India's GDP, boosted by cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad.In this NEON Show episode, economist and policy advisor Sanjeev Sanyal discusses India’s economic journey and why growth has been so uneven across states. He explains why some regions have surged ahead while others have lagged behind, touching on the role of anchor cities and old policies like the Freight Equalization Policy that held back Eastern states.Time stamps00:00 - Trailer02:40 - Banking Reforms and Creative Destruction03:20 - Process vs. Structural Reforms05:33 - Bureaucratic Challenges Affect Efficiency14:09 - Autonomous Bodies and Obsolete Institutions16:02 - Is it time to rethink outdated National Monuments?26:06 - What Does Data Reveal About Indian States35:03 - Did “Freight equalization” Rob Kolkata of its Competitive edge?36:25 - East vs. West: Is this India’s true economic divide?37:32 - Southern and Western India's Success42:42 - High Growth States Rely on Anchor Cities44:01 - Reviving Kolkata and Eastern India45:12 - Local policies that can make or break state economies.49:11 - Tourism Has Made Sikkim and Goa Economic Stars.53:35 - India Needs to Modernize the Shipping Sector01:00:36 - India Needs a Healthy Clash of Ideas------------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.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------Sponsor shout outLooking 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/-------------This video is for informationalSend us a text

The breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 was a game-changer for India, shaking up its economy, defence strategy, and foreign relations. For years, the USSR had been India’s largest trading partner, pumping in vital support through the rupee-ruble trade agreement.  But then, December 25, 1991, arrived, and the Soviet Union collapsed. While the Soviet Union’s collapse seemed like a disaster at first, it actually pushed India to evolve—fast. In this episode of The NEON Show, a former diplomat with a 36-year career in the Indian Foreign Service, Rajiv Sikri examines India’s complex ties with neighbouring countries exploring issues like Kashmir, economic interdependence, and political dynamics. He also sheds light on the impact of global powers, especially the US and China, on India’s strategic choices.Check out Rajiv Sikri’s book Strategic Conundrums: Reshaping India's Foreign Policy: https://www.amazon.in/Strategic-Conundrums-Reshaping-Indias-Foreign/dp/0143464574-------------Timestamps00:00 -Host Siddharth Ahluwalia introduces The Neon Show.00:43 - Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan.01:04 - Pakistan’s economic/political issues.05:06 -Pakistan's ties with the West, China, and the military's role.08:40 -Kashmir conflict and India-Pakistan relations.12:06 - Pakistan's internal political dynamics.15:24 - Bangladesh's identity and India relations.18:00 - India-Bangladesh economic interdependence.26:06 - India’s strategic geographic position.29:52 - India’s foreign policy after the Berlin Wall’s fall.33:40 - Economic impacts and India-US relations.37:52 - US-Russia relations and the Ukraine conflict.42:12 - Russia-Ukraine war’s effect on India.48:16 - US dominance and unilateral actions post-1989.52:04 - Challenges to US hegemony.56:00 - India-US relations amidst strategic concerns.1:01:20 - BRICS and global multipolarity.1:04:40 - Dollar dependency and US financial power.1:08:20 - Concluding thoughts on India’s foreign policy.-------------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.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------Sponsor shout outLooking 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/-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

From Baker's Son to Global Investment Legend.Mark Mobius is known as a foundational figure in emerging markets investing. He is the chairman of Mobius Emerging Opportunities Fund. Before that, he led the Templeton Emerging Markets Group for over 30 years, during which the group's assets under management grew from $100 million to over $50 billion.In this episode of The NEON Show, Mark shares his rules for wealth creation, why India is his top investment pick, his reasons for pulling investments out of China, what keeps him at the top of his game at the young age of 87, two ways to lose money fast, and why understanding art and creativity is more important than finance when it comes to making money.Connect with Mark MobiusLinkedIn | TwitterTo learn more from Mark check out his The Book Of Wealth-------------Timestamps00:00 - Trailer00:00 - Early Lessons in Money & Creativity04:13 - Becoming a Professional Student05:43 - The Road to Mark’s First Million08:04 - The First Emerging Markets Fund11:03 - To Make Money Don’t Focus on It12:38 - Making 10 Million Dollars14:20 - Mark’s Early Investment Assets15:56 - Power of Compounding: Reaching $100 Million16:51 - Mark’s Success with Investing in Asia19:22 - Why Mark is Not Bullish on China22:44 - How Mark Invests in India25:01 - Why Mark is Bullish on Taiwan25:56 - Mark’s 3 Reasons to Invest in India28:19 - When will India Surpass China?30:51 - From Emerging Markets to Emerging Opportunities32:37 - It’s All About Liquidity34:27 - Mark’s Principles of Wealth Creation35:49 - How Mark Invests in Startups37:33 - How Not to Lose Money38:43 - Make Friends & Learn From Them39:38 - What Mark Learned From John Templeton40:54 - Why Invest in Emerging Markets42:10 - Who are the Best Political Leaders42:50 - Why Mark Shifted to Dubai44:02 - No Recession Anytime Soon-------------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.-------------Check us out on:Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | TwitterConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn | Twitter-------------Sponsor shout outLooking 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/-------------This Send us a text

In 1947, India gained independence with a per capita of around $2000(adjusted with inflation).But over the next few decades, the govt adopted socialist policies, emphasising self-sufficiency and state-led development. As a result, India’s economy grew at a slower pace of 3.5% per year.In 1991, India introduced a series of reforms— liberalisation, privatisation, and globalisation. India’s growth rate picked up, and by 2023, India’s per capita GDP was back to $2,600, driven by market-friendly policies and increased global trade.In this episode of the NEON Show, Krishnamurthy Subramanian, Executive Director at the IMF, explains how India can become a $55 trillion economy by 2047.To learn more read India @100 : Envisioning Tomorrow’s Economic Powerhouse  Connect with Krishnamurthy Subramanian Linkedin |  Twitter---------Timestamp01:20 – The power of compounding in GDP04:55 – Chess game story that explains the power of compounding06:19 – Rule of 72 to understand how money doubles09:06 – How India will become a $55 trillion economy by 204712:33 – Thalinomics to understand inflation14:20 – What is money in economic terms?17:22 – Why was the inflation-targeting regime introduced post-1991?20:30 – Inflation's effects on currency26:42 – How does a currency react to economic shocks?30:34 – India’s GDP in 1947 vs today31:28 – How socialist policies potentially held India back34:40 – Capitalism has always been in India's DNA44:31 – How socialist policies have hurt Indian farmers57:22 – Is agriculture a state subject?59:59 – How India's growth is linked to productivity01:09:30 – China’s GDP vs India’s GDP01:16:48 – Why India is a top investment destination01:26:10 – Indian startups should innovate differently-------------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.-------------Follow Neon:Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | TwitterConnect with Siddhartha:LinkedIn | Twitter ------------Sponsor shout outLooking 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 primevp.in------------This episode is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the Send us a text

How the 1991 crisis got India to rethink its economic approach.By early 1991, India’s reserves were nearly gone.The government took a desperate step—it sent 67,000Kg  of gold abroad to secure a loan from the IMF.This was a last-ditch effort to avoid default, but it only bought a little time. But soon, the govt collapsed again, leading to a new election.In June 1991, P.V. Narasimha Rao became Prime Minister, and he chose Manmohan Singh as his Finance Minister— and things changed.Rao and Singh quickly implemented reforms: they removed restrictive licensing, welcomed foreign investment, and eased machinery imports.The 1991 crisis forced India to rethink its economic approach—it highlighted the risks of heavy borrowing and too much government control. But it also showed that when things get tough, bold decisions can turn a bad situation into an opportunity.In this episode of the NEON Show, Rajrishi Singhal, a senior journalist, banker, shares his deep insights into India's economic reforms and financial sector. Singhal offers a nuanced perspective on why India's economic progress hasn't met expectations, touching on issues from private sector investment to the success of reforms during coalition governments.-------------Timestamp 00:00 - Introduction to the podcast and guest, Rajrishi Singhal.01:23 - Corruption in India and its impact on the economy05:30 - how demonetization was not to take out corruption07:06 - Rajiv Gandhi was the original ‘Accidental Prime Minister’12:29 - What pushed us into the 1991 crisis14:45 - Raids on reliance industries 18:57 - How India almost went bankrupt21:45 - Complexities of India’s banking system19:15 - What are regional rural banks (RRBs)25:26 - Corruption's impact on investments.28:41 - Why doesn't India have more new banks32:00 - Why private sector investments in India have been limited34:25 - Success of reforms during coalition governments40:26 - Foreign investors' concerns about sudden policy changes in India41:26 - Impact of demonetization on the Indian economy-------------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.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShoww-------------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/-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In the competitive world of online grocery shopping, BigBasket is a name that stands out.But how did they get here?By 2011, smartphones were everywhere, and you could buy almost anything online—except groceries. The co-founders decided to try the grocery game online again, leading to the birth of BigBasket.In 2015, BigBasket pioneered the dark store model, using small, strategically placed warehouses to speed up deliveries and roll out express delivery services. In May 2021, Tata Digital, a subsidiary of Tata Sons, acquired a  64% stake in stake in BigBasket for about $1.5-2 billion from major shareholders, including Alibaba and Actis.In this episode of Neon Show, Vipul Parekh, the visionary co-founder of BigBasket, shares his invaluable insights and experiences from his entrepreneurial journey. Vipul shares candid insights on the recent disruption in the online grocery space with the rise of quick commerce.----------------Timestamp00:00 Introduction01:14 Reflections on building BigBasket for 13 years02:21 Admitting wrong predictions about online grocers03:25 Analysis of online grocery delivery changes in India05:30 Factors behind quick commerce success in India07:45 Quick Commerce's success in India vs. other countries09:22 Profitability challenges for dark stores11:52 BigBasket's market share and transition plans13:06 Leveraging Tata Group synergies in retail15:36 Shift in household behaviour towards quick commerce21:53  Why India doesn't have its own Walmart-equivalent23:15 Learnings from Big Basket28:22 Tata's long-term approach to business30:04 BigBasket founders' future involvement31:47  Lessons from Tata33:00 Implementing financial governance at BigBasket36:08 Trillion-dollar question39:49 Potential for $100B Indian Startups45:18 Building financial independence through startups49:15 Hard work Vs Luck52:20 Vipul's background 55:40 Time in Wipro and meeting VS Sudhakar-------------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.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShoww-------------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/-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Every entrepreneur dreams of turning a small startup into a global powerhouse. But how do you do it without following the typical "build a product, get funding, scale it, and exit" playbook? Luca Ferrari, founder and CEO of Bending Spoons, did just that— their journey is anything but conventional.It started in 2013, when their first-ever startup Evertale flopped and left them with just $40,000. After Evertale missed PMF, they pivoted, bootstrapping Bending Spoons by focusing on acquiring digital products with solid market fit but untapped potential.Bending Spoons has mastered the art of turning underperforming digital businesses into powerhouses using operational tweaks, AI, and machine learning.In this episode of Neon Show, we sit down with Luca Ferrari in the heart of Milan, at the headquarters of a tech company that's rewriting the rules of how digital businesses scale.Discover their bold acquisition strategy behind major deals like Evernote and Splice, and how they’ve managed to serve 150 million monthly active users with just 400 employees!Timestamp:00:00 Introduction00:37 Who is Luca and what's Bending Spoons?02:32 Bending Spoons by the numbers: Users and revenue03:05 Recent funding rounds: 2023 and 202404:59 Profitability and use of debt07:27 Luca's previous startup experience10:17 The birth of Bending Spoons in 201313:35 The secret sauce: Product-market fit and talent15:29 First acquisition: iPhone keyboard app18:28 Top revenue generators: Remind, Evernote, Splice20:26 Future acquisition strategy debate24:24 Price range for acquisitions33:29 Transforming acquired products like Evernote37:00 Competing with giants: Evernote vs. Notion42:32 Plans to enter enterprise software45:07 Luca's take on product-market fit47:58 Luck vs. skill in Bending Spoons' success51:30 AI's Impact on Bending Spoons54:42 Why Italy for Bending Spoons?59:08 Going public: Future plans1:00:32 Luca's journey: From small town to tech CEO1:04:27 Why aren't more tech companies starting in Europe?1:10:54 Bending Spoons' unique hiring approach1:14:35 Future growth areas for Bending Spoons1:16:47 The art of pricing in acquisitions1:21:49 How accurate are Bending Spoons' acquisition predictions?-----------------------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.—---------------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShoww—---------------------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/—---------------------DisclaimerSend us a text

To say that India needs to create more jobs, is a downplay - what we need are 20 million jobs every year. But jobs can’t be created out of the wishing well.We have resources, but not proper skills. We have opportunities, but not proper initiatives to boost on the employment elasticity. We need a shift from Tier 1 to Tier 2 cities. We need a shift of capitals. We need immigration-based jobs for our youths, and we definitely need the women workforce landscape to improve at the earliest. But, will this be enough?Check out our latest podcast where we are in a conversation with Sridhar Krishna, a senior scholar at the Takshashila Institution, to know more!  Timestamps00:00 - 00:47 - The Karnataka Job Reservation Bill04:19 - The impact on the recruiters/builders07:00 - Public Transport and Women in Karnataka 09:16 - Bangalore is not just for startups!09:27 - Government’s performance: what we have done well & where can we improve? 11:19 - India needs 20 million jobs each year 12:00 - How to create jobs in India?13:16 - Annual PLF data on unemployment - truth or facade?14:12 - Have “100 million people joined the workforce” truly?14:52 - Labor productivity in India vs in the US 15:22 - Statistics on how to grow employment elasticity 16:25 - 1800 people apply for 10 vacancies in Gujarat - why? 17:23 - ILO reports on job skills and job vacancy mismatch 18:56 - Is manufacturing & services good options to transition from agriculture?20:32 - Shridhar talks about his take on Raghuram Rajan’s book “Breaking the Mould”21:26 - Are PLIs unable to craft job growth?22:30 - Rebuilding big cities - a solution for employment growth?23:22 - Lavasa, Maharshtra failed - why?25:02 - Utlising AI to analyse the nature of jobs in other countries27:08 - Career Impact Bonds - What’s that?33:14 - 6 pillars as proposed by the recent Eonomic Survey33:49 - Focus needs to shift from Tier 1 to Tier 2 cities 34:40 - Women workforce participation better in Bangladesh than India?39:57 - India losing significant GDP due to fewer women in the workplaceFollow Sridhar Krishna - Linkedin -   / sridharkrishna  X - https://x.com/sridhar_kri?___________________________________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/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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

Over the last decade, we have been getting news updates, social media highlights, and WhatsApp forwards about India being the “fastest growing economy” in the world. IMF, World Bank, and ADB have confirmed this. The question is, in the face of demonetisation, GST, and the drastic shift of focus to the organised sector from the unorganised one, is this data a true reflection of India’s economic reality?  Today, Neon talks about these facts with Professor Arun Kumar, a renowned author of economic titles and an Economic Professor at JNU.Watch the episode to know more!Timestamps0:00 - Introduction0:14 - Introducing Economist Arun Kumar0:40 - Current scenario of India’s Economy1:25 - South East Asian countries' growth from 1947 as compared to India?3:31 - Proof of India’s failure in education system 5:20 - How can India develop education & health?8:48 - Does India really have “TOO MANY” billionaires & why is it a concern?  9:24 - The journey from becoming a “developing” nation to a “developed nation.”10:51 - The “Bottom-Up Approach” - What’s that? 14:00 - Growing chasm between high-earning & low-earning category?15:22 - Is the current budget failing to fund labour-intensive sectors?17:03 - What’s the unorganised sector in India?17:47 - What are the Micro, Small & Medium Sectors in India?18:33 - Robot uprising vs human employment! 21:03 - What are the 4 types of unemployment in India?23:27 - 60k jobs and 47 lakhs applicants ?27:20 - Is GDP a proxy of the organised sector for the unorganised sector?30:03 - Demonetisations hits the unorganised sector32:12 - Is IMF, World Bank & ADB’s version of India’s fastest economic growth true?34:25 - Black economy = Digging holes & filing holes40:40 - India should have been 8X its current economy - how & why did we fail?42:31 - Are we really a 3.6 trillion dollar economy?51:11 - How can we help the unorganised sector generate more income? 1:01:48 - Bottom economy = 40% of the Goverment’s vote bank & yet not the focus of development & growth? Why?1:05:26 - Why does the government want to help the organised sector?1:11:38 - How will India transform into a “developed” nation or double the GDP per capita?___________________________________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/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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:Send us a text

SaaS is Dead. There is Too Much SaaS.The two most common proclamations about SaaS these days. But where is the truth?In this episode we analyse the State of SaaS in 2024. We discover new truths and uncover fundamental truths.From where is the money in SaaS to where is the market. From the challenges first time founders face to the mistakes second time founders make. We cover the heavy cost of not understanding brand marketing, why PMF is not a science, IPOs in India, The India SaaS Advantage, Pricing Innovation and so much more.Tune in for insights to power your SaaS strategy in 2024 and beyond.Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction1:06 - Where is SaaS in 20242:08 - Delivering Value is the Most Important Thing3:57 - AI is a Tool not a Magic Wand5:04 - SpotDraft's Super Growth5:36 - Is There Too Much SaaS?9:49 - Where is the Money?12:22 - Metrics, Metrics But No Vanity Metrics14:50 - Is There an India advantage for SaaS IPOs?17:18 - Pallav's lessons from Investing in 50+ SaaS companies23:30 - What First: Feature Parity or Pricing?25:24 - Where Are Category Creators SaaS Startups in India?28:02 - Has AI Changed Buyer Expectations30:24 - The Next SaaS Unicorns From India32:35 - Exploring Exit Options for Indian SaaS Unicorns35:01 - So Much to Learn From SaaS Startup Community37:19 - Why Do Second Time Founders Fail40:39 - PMF is Not a Science44:14 - SaaS is Dead?48:55 - Digital Marketing or Billboards?51:02 - The Cost of Not Understanding Brand Marketing54:44 - Is Europe a Good Market for SaaS Startups?59:36 - How to Expand Globally1:01:30 - To Be a US HQ or India HQ Company?1:05:01 - Pallav on Fusion Charts and Presentations dot ai1:09:00 - Discussion on replacing established SaaS products1:15:11 - Success in SaaS: Product vs Distribution___________________________________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/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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

150 Years of Greatness in 50 Minutes.There is much talk about John D Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie but not much about India’s first business Titan, Jamshedji Tata.In this episode, we sat down with Harish Bhat, Former Brand Custodian of Tata Group, and dive deep into Tata Group and its legendary founder. The founder who kept community at center and nation first, who brought the best to India and built the best in India with fire in his eyes and kindness in his heart. And the giant which never stops, the Tata group, from building India’s first steel plant to India’s first airlines.Tune in to hear lesser-known but must-watch stories about what it takes to build great companies with mission and purpose.00:00 - Introduction01:12 - The Story of A Titan07:31 - Lessons From An Entrepreneur With Purpose09:41 - The Value of Values13:22 - Great Founders Are Always in The Room17:56 - Because Right Decisions Matter20:37 - The Everything Company: From Textiles to Telecom23:08 - The Great Digital Evolution24:46 - How Tata Group Created India’s First Cancer Hospital29:35 - Building The Best With Fire in Eyes & Kindness in Heart37:15 - What Makes Someone a Patriot39:31 - Great Leaders Are Great Readers43:42 - How India Started Flying50:32 - Always Be Learning___________________________________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/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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

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 - Introduction01:00 - The Hero’s Journey Of India03:31 - Doing Business Is Not A Bad Thing07:02 - India Is More Ambitious Than Ever09:10 - Entrepreneurs Everywhere: From IITs To Tier 2 Cities11:59 - What’s NAAMM?12:47 - India's Pivot From Socialism To Capitalism16:07 - India Story Vs China Story20:47 - How Flipkart’s Acquisition Changed Everything22:46 - How Much Should Regulators Regulate?26:56 - IPOs, IPOs and More IPOs28:36 - The Era of Reverse Flipping30:28 - The $10 Trillion Dollar Economy Goal31:14 - 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/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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

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 - Introduction01:02 - Similarities and Differences Between India and China08:49 - 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 China42:11 - Does India Have The Right Industrial Policy?46:09 - The Right Job For The Right People49:36 - 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/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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 EntrepreneurshipIn 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 - Introduction01:04 - Investing in Talent First08:33 - Matt’s Journey From Mckinsey to EF12:14 - Why EF is Now A Venture Fund13:52 - How EF Investments in Talent22:49 - EF Success Stories & Unicorns27:17 - 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 Opportunity45:06 - How UK is Different From EU49:05 - Why Silicon Valley is Still The Best55:03 - What to Win in the Software Market57:23 - 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/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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.Timestamps00:00 - Introduction00:56 - From Water Bottles to Personal Loans06:05 - The Rapid Evolution of Banking In the Last 20 years09:41 - Mobile App is The New Bank Branch14:57 - The Launch of Niyo19:43 - Is Travel Tech a Big Market?24:12 - Where & How Young India Travels31:03 - How Powerful is Indian Passport?39:02 - Why Aren’t More People Travelling to India43:28 - The Good & Bad Of Regulations on FinTech50:13 - 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/TheNeonShowwFollow 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 - Introduction01:07 - Nishit’s Entry in The Startup World07:55 - Many 0-1 Journeys at Flipkart09:34 - Why Nishit Joined a VC Fund(again)13:06 - How Tiger Global Changed Indian Startup World14:59 - The Journey of RTP Global: Successes & Exits20:30 - Why India Surprises Everyone?24:06 - How India is Different From Silicon Valley26:18 - What Made Flipkart An Exception28:57 - How Indian Startups Can Become Unstoppable31:10 - Exits, Liquidity and IPO Markets33:44 - Power Law and How Venture Capital Works35:33 - What RTP Looks For In Founders36:35 - The Right to Win For VCs39:12 - How Should Founders Select The Best Investors42:01 -  Nobody Is Too Big To Fail44:42 - How Can VCs Be Helpful to Founders47:41 - Risks, Checklists & Gut Call As a VC49:33 - How RTP Invests in a Company51:03 - The Best Startups Expand TAM54:33 - First Time Founders Vs Second Time Founders55:51 - Why Indian Startups Struggle After $10M ARR58:16 - Sales Is Not A Bad Word59:39 - What Nishit Has Learned From Portfolio Companies1:03:06 - 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/TheNeonShowwFollow 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 Trading10:27 - Lateral Thinking Makes Invisible Visible12:45 - In The Middle Of The Dot Com Boom16:14 - Raising Funding of $1M in the 90s19:41 - The Birth of Eka Software22:36 - First Enterprise SaaS Company From India24:28 - Eka’s Journey From $2M ARR to $20M ARR32:32 - A Hard Pivot & A Profitable Company34:19 - SaaSBoomi & SaaS Playbooks From India38:43 - When Did Manav Decide to Exit Eka42:25 - How To Design Your Exit Strategy50:44 - Increasing Liquidity Events in Indian Startups55:11 - How Global Buyers Look At India SaaS57:57 - The Road to Many Billion+ ARR Companies From India1:05:01 - 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 Calling1:24:31 - 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/TheNeonShowwFollow 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 - Introduction01:11 - From Software Engineer to Investing in VC funds03:53 - The People Who Invest in VC Funds05:33 - State of Fund of Fund Ecosystem in the US06:51 - What Makes Fund of Fund Different from University Endowments?07:42 - What Makes Someone an Emerging Manager08:59 - Churchill’s Strategy for Venture Capital Investments12:56 - How to Choose The Right Fund of Fund Manager15:10 - How Fund of Fund Compete For The Best VCs18:10 - Churchill’s Evaluation Criteria for VC Funds22:34 - At What Stage of Fund Does Churchill Invest24:17 - Churchill’s Geographical Focus From US to Israel26:29 - Manager Is More Important Than The Strategy30:01 - Metrics to Evaluate a Fund Manager: IRR, DPI & TVPI33:39 - Which Sectors Have Given The Best Return36:40 - How Raja Judges The Strategy of a VC Fund38:09 - How The Best Differ From The Rest39:59 - Old Days of Fundraising Are Over42:20 - Decide Your Minimum Viable Fund Size44:03 - The Mortality Rate of Funds45:02 - Mistakes Funds Make When Building Data Rooms47:45 - Why Raja & Churchill Are Excited About India49:57 - Churchill’s Investment Strategy for India50:59 - Churchill’s Investment Strategy for Israel53:05 - 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/TheNeonShowwFollow 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 Much03:39 - Did You Win By Skill Or Chance?06:05 - The Serious World of Casual Gaming09:47  - Is Real Money Gaming Bad for Society?12:33 - Entertainment is a feature, not a bug14:39 - Real Money Gaming & Stock Markets19:33  - Innovation Vs Regulation: What’s The Right Balance24:32 - From Infosys mafia to Flipkart mafia25:13 - 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 & Distribution31:44 - Does India Have a Gaming Ecosystem?32:43 - Gen AI Will Make Everyone Creative34:25 - What Makes Zupee Successful?35:27 - Break Barriers and Build Amazing Things36: 23 - Lessons From an Unstructured Learner39:07 - 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/TheNeonShowwFollow 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 moreDon'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/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/___________________________________Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction 01:12 - The Origin Story of Prime Venture Partners04:00 - India’s Place In The Global Macro04:56 - MakeMyTrip IPO and The Evolution of the Indian Market07:41 - Why Is Talent Returning to India13:07 - What’s Unique About The Indian Tech Ecosystem18:57 - Why More Global VC Funds' Are Not Coming To India22:11 - Prime Venture Partners' Strategy and the India Opportunity27:37 - The Magic Four-Letter Word (Exit) In Venture Capital35:24 - Building A Career in Venture Capital43:26 - The Nuances of Venture Capital People Miss50:06 - The Venture Capital Opportunity In India53:45 - Lessons Learned From Companies That Didn't Succeed1:01:07 - Secrets of Top VCsSend us a text

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/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/___________________________________Timestamps:01:03 - Sri Batchu's Career Journey From Opendoor, Instacart, And Now The RealReal05:04 - Career Pivots & Choosing The Right Tech Company To Join15:33 - Founder-Operator Or Career VC?25:32 - The Half life Of An Operator 29:30 - What Do People Get Wrong About The Venture Capital Profession30:55 - The Best Investor Sri Batch Has Worked With33:00 - What Is The Ideal Career Stage For Transitioning To VC35:55 - Starting Up Vs Starting a VC Fund38:02 - Sri Batchu's Angel Investing Framework45:40 - Angel Investing Vs Venture Investing51:42 - New Funds Vs Top-Tier VCs58:46 - How Founders Can Build A Perfect Round1:06:13 - How Al Will Impact Consumer And B2B MarketsSend us a text

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 - Introduction01:15 - Meena Ganesh's Journey Building Portea06:53 - How is Healthcare Technology Adoption in India11:16 - Opportunities for Entrepreneurs in Healthcare21:07 - Building Sustainable & Profitable Healthcare Companies37:44 - Digitisation of Healthcare In India by Government43:26 - The Evolution of Indian Pharma Industry 51:04 - Challenges and Opportunities in Health Insurance55:22 - Growth of Medical Tourism in India1:00:02 - 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/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/___________________________________Send us a text

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 - Introduction01:02 - The Journey  of ROI Ventures07:23 - What's Happening In The European Startup Ecosystem12:30 - Understanding B2B SaaS Dynamics in Europe25:12 - How Investing In Europe Differs From The World31:18 - The Growth of Indian Startup Ecosystem & Public Markets42:06 - Why Focus on B2B SaaS Investing46:58 - B2B Investing Vs B2C Investing51:55 - Family Office Dynamics & Venture Investing----------------------------------Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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

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 - Introduction02:15 - Hunter Somerville's background and history with Greenspring Associates05:40 - The evolution and strategy of StepStone09:20 - Differences between StepStone and other fund investors13:45 - Global coverage and geographic focus of StepStone17:10 - Insights on venture capital management20:50 - Strategies for emerging managers25:30 - Building long-term relationships in venture capital30:15 - Navigating fund investing, direct investments, and secondary markets35:40 - Challenges and opportunities in the venture capital landscape40:00 - StepStone's approach to investing in emerging markets, particularly India45:20 - Importance of relationship building and pattern recognition50:10 - Characteristics of successful fund managers55:30 - Advice for new fund managers1:00:00 - Closing remarks and final thoughts----------------------------------Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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

Listen to this episode to learn about:0:00 - Intro1:22 - The Life and Challenges of an IAS Officer3:34 - Distinguishing Roles: Finance Secretary vs. RBI Governor6:57 - Populism vs. Fiscal Responsibility: A Balancing Act15:01 - Rethinking IAS Recruitment: Criteria and Challenges17:38 - The Judicial Process: Why It Feels Like Punishment19:24 - Civil Servants and Their Respect Tied to Power21:47 - The Effectiveness of British Administrative Systems24:08 - IAS Officers and the Legacy of Colonial Policies26:08 - Exemplary Duty and Loyalty of District-Level Staff28:44 - Contrasting Worlds: Scarcity in India vs. Plenty in the US35:04 - Has the IAS Failed the Nation? An Introspective Look39:10 - Andhra Pradesh’s Growth: A Tribute to Visionary Leadership41:15 - Tribal Development and the Impact of Land Transfer Bills48:34 - Key Decisions and Reflections as RBI Governor-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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

Listen to this episode to learn about:01:14 - Neon’s Journey From Podcasting to Investing11:00 - Important Factors When Building a VC firm20:34 - Exciting Portfolio companies: Atomic Work, SpotDraft, Gallabox & Infeedo25:30 - Working with Ambitious & Humble Founders 30:12 - Key Questions and Important Metrics For Founders & Investors36:08 - Key People who helped in Neon's journey39:22 - Changes in the investing world40:42 - What makes Neon the best place for founders?42:28 - Fun question: If not an investor, who would Siddhartha be?-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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

This week is in conversation with Arjun Sethi, co-founder of Tribe Capital, about Chamath Palihapitiya, FTX Failure, B2B Saas And how it is India’s Century!What Makes India An Exciting Prospect For Investments?Is Enterprise SaaS Crowded?Will US Companies Engage In M&A With Indian Companies?First Time Founders vs Second Time FoundersWatch this fascinatingly insightful conversation about where India’s SaaS ecosystem is headed and why venture capital in India will soon face a boom… Tune in NOW!*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 India, public policies surround the circumference of our daily lives. Despite their omnipresence, citizens of the country adopt a rather nonchalant attitude of ‘Jo dikhta nahi hain, woh hume affect nahi karta.’ (What we don’t notice won’t affect us.) The government in India makes, enforces, and changes laws without much scrutiny from its people. The elite tend to overlook the government's actions because they no longer expect the unexpected. On the other hand, less privileged groups seek immediate gains from the government instead of asking for lasting solutions. Nonetheless, neither side is fully satiated and seldom have time to think about how public policies affect their lives.Watch this educational masterclass of a conversation with Pranay Kotasthane, Deputy Director at Takshashila Institution, about India’s policy making since the colonial era to learn more about what entails policy making in India, how it affects each of us and what role the government plays in your life… Tune in NOW!Send us a text

This week is in conversation with A.K. Bhattacharya, the Editorial Director of the Business Standard, about India’s economic reforms of the 90s through a close-up view of the many disruptions that took place in that decade!Most Iconic Finance Minister Of India?How Can Government Incentivize Billionaires To Stay?Why Couldn’t India Match Singapore/China’s trajectory?Banking System Scam Of 1992 EXPLAINEDWatch this fascinatingly insightful conversation about the role that the finance ministry plays in India's economic growth and how they have shaped up the lives of crores of people in India… Tune in NOW!Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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/__________________________________________________________________________________________________CHAPTERS00:00 - Precap01:04 - Introducing A.K. Bhattacharya To The Neon Show!02:02 - The Role Of The Finance Ministry In India04:48 - Most Iconic Finance Minister Of India? 10:05 - Banking System Scam Of 1992 EXPLAINED16:48 - Why Demonetization In India Happened in 1978!24:29 - Balance Of Payments Crisis in The 80s!27:12 - Sanjay Gandhi’s Role In Indian Political History30:59 - Was The 1991 Finance Team The Best?33:24 - Why Couldn’t India Match Singapore/China’s trajectory?40:05 - The History Of Taxation In India42:51 - How Can Government Incentivize Billionaires To Stay?45:17 - The Role Of The RBI52:21 - Sanjay Gandhi’s Role In Maruti’s Inception!1:00:03 - P. Chidambaram & Pranab Mukherjee As Finance Ministers1:04:01 - Issues Of Duopoly In The Telecom Industry 1:10:15 - How Aspirations Have Changed India’s Rate Of GrowthSend us a text

This week’s episode is about the UPSC, Working With PM Modi, Incredible India & Amrit Kaal as we welcome G20’s Sherpa, Amitabh Kant to the Neon Show! Will Next 25 Years Be India’s Amrit Kaal?Heterogeneity In India: Challenge or Opportunity?What Are The Biggest Inequalities That India Currently Faces?His Message To The Youth Of India!All these juicy topics and more in this COMPELLINGLY DETAILED conversation about how much India has grown over the last 60 years and what the country’s future plans are to become the world’s largest superpower… Tune in NOW!Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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/__________________________________________________________________________________________________CHAPTERS00:00 - Precap00:59 - Introducing Amitabh Kant To The Neon Show!02:05 - Will Next 25 Years Be India’s Amrit Kaal?04:28 - What Did India Look Like In The 60s? 06:15 - How Digital Infrastructure Has Changed India!08:51 - Is Public Infrastructure Catching Up?14:00 - What Was P.C. Mahalanobis’s Impact on India?17:07 - Is The UPSC A Waste Of Time?22:24 - India’s Evolution From Doordarshan Era to Cable TV!25:13 - India’s 10 Year Plan Explained29:20 - Why Are Bihar & Jharkhand Lagging Behind?33:01 - Amitabh Kant’s Journey From IAS To Thought Leader39:39 - His Secret On Staying Mentally & Physically “Young”41:28 - Biggest Inequalities That India Currently Faces43:39 - Why Indian Thought leaders Are Data Driven!47:29 - Heterogeneity In India: Challenge or Opportunity?48:41 - Inefficient Allocation Of Resources In India50:28 - Experience Working With Narendra Modi?53:12 - Institutions’ Role In Economic Growth Of India?55:55 - Can India Create Its Own Microsoft/Apple?1:01:10 - His Message To The Youth Of India!1:02:10 - Concluding RemarksSend us a text

This week’s episode is about whether quick Commerce could eat Amazon, Flipkart’s business as we welcome Rainmaker Group founder, Kashyap Chanchani to the Neon Show! Why Quick Commerce Is Future Of Retail In India!Will An Indian Company Be Top 3 In International Markets?Why Are Public Markets Punishing PayTM?What Are The Future IPOs In India?All these juicy topics and more in this DATA-ORIENTED conversation about where Indian companies stand in regards to the International public markets and whether quick commerce is the future of retail in India… Tune in NOW!Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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/__________________________________________________________________________________________________CHAPTERS00:00 - Precap01:04 - Introducing Kashyap Chanchani To The Neon Show!02:00 - How Many Startups Are Listed In India Today?04:31 - % Of Startups That Occupy Public Markets In US & China? 06:09 - Will Startups Reach 10% Public Market Space In India?08:48 - Decoding 2021/22 Startup IPOs In India14:57 - Why Has Public Sentiment Changed Around Zomato?20:26 - Why Quick Commerce Is Future Of Retail In India!25:22 - Will An Indian Company Be Top 3 In International Markets?28:16 - Why Are Public Markets Punishing PayTM?31:53 - Public Market Investors’ Biggest Concerns!33:50 - How Does The Public Market View Mamaearth?41:37 - Future IPOs In India46:53 - How Can Startups Help Unlock Wealth For Indian Masses?50:52 - Concluding RemarksSend us a text

This week’s episode is in discussion with one of India’s most promising AI content creators who talks about India Vs America, AI Creators, Job Loss, & Life Post Acquisition as we welcome Varun Mayya to the Neon Show! Why Is The U.S. Culturally Declining?Why Capitalism Should Be Celebrated In India!Will India Ever Produce An Apple or Microsoft?How Much Do You Need To Retire In India?All these juicy topics and more in this CHARISMATIC conversation about why capitalism should be celebrated in India. A dive into the inner workings of the current Indian mentality and what the future of AI will be in India… Tune in NOW!Sponsor Shout OutLooking 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/__________________________________________________________________________________________________CHAPTERS00:00 - Precap01:12 - Welcoming Varun Mayya To The Neon Show!01:51 - Why The U.S. Is Culturally Declining04:04 - India vs America: Growth Story 08:34 - Why You Shouldn’t Leave India!10:25 - Truth Behind Unemployment Rates In India16:06 - Decoding Sanjeev Sanyal’s UPSC Comments21:50 - Why Capitalism Should Be Celebrated In India!27:58 - How Much Do You Need To Retire In India?31:45 - Will AI Replace Creators?36:23 - Is Sora AI A Gamechanger In Content Creation?39:47 - What Sectors Will Be Most Affected By AI?48:03 - Will India Ever Produce An Apple or Microsoft?54:53 - Which AI Stocks Does Varun Invest In?57:00 - Unreliability of AI: Gemini’s Racial Profiling Case In India1:02:21 - Apple vs The U.S. Justice Department1:05:12 - Is EdTech Dead In India?1:10:30 - Varun’s Advice About Following His Career Path!Send us a text

This week’s episode is in discussion with Bihar’s First Lady IPS officer who talks about Bihar’s Decline, Working With Lalu Prasad, & The 1984 Bokaro Riots Tragedy as we welcome Manjari Jaruhar to the Neon Show! UNTOLD 1984 Bokaro Riots Story!What Was Bihar Like In the 1960s?Is The Indian Police Force Corrupt?Do IPS Officers Get Influenced By Politicians?All these juicy topics and more in this EYE-OPENING conversation about the lives of India’s civil servants. A dive into the inner workings of the Indian police force, from the perspective of a woman & how much Bihar as a state has changed since the 60s… Tune in NOW!___________________________________________________________________________________________________Siddhartha Ahluwalia, Founder, Neon Fund & Host, The Neon ShowTwitter: https://twitter.com/siddharthaa7LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siddhartha_a/___________________________________________________________________________________________________*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/!__________________________________________________________________________________________________CHAPTERS00:00 - Precap01:04 - Welcoming Bihar’s First Lady IPS, Manjari Jaruhar!01:45 - What Was Bihar Like In the 1960s?05:13 - Life As A Lady IPS In Bihar! 09:24 - Was The System Pulling Down Lady officers?11:23 - UNTOLD 1984 Bokaro Riots Story!17:37 - How Did Manjari Ma’am Deal With Emotional Trauma?22:05 - Is The Indian Police Force Corrupt?26:36 - Why Bokaro Was Her Most Challenging Posting!31:54 - Do IPS Officers Get Influenced By Politicians?34:31 - UNTOLD Operation Gangajal Story!40:54 - Reality Of 1990s Bihar Kidnappings!45:12 - Downfall Of Bihar’s Education System DECODED!49:35 - Experience Working During Lalu Prasad’s Reign!55:13 - Why Was The Central Government Posting Life-Changing?1:03:39 - Current Government vs 90s Government1:09:35 - The Importance Of Giving Your Daughters “Freedom”!1:13:37 - Concluding RemarksSend us a text

This week’s episode is once again in discussion with PM Narendra Modi’s Economic Advisor who talks about Kolkata’s Downfall, Bihar’s UPSC Craze & The Indian Dream as we welcome once again, Sanjeev Sanyal to the Neon Show! The Reason Behind India’s Rapid GrowthThe West’s Problem With India!Why Did Jyoti Basu Get Elected As CM?What Led To Bihar’s Downfall?All these juicy topics and more in this UNFILTERED conversation about India’s growth story. A dive into the “poverty of aspiration” that has limited India in the past till recently & why it is now a country that is to be reckoned with… Tune in NOW!___________________________________________________________________________________________________Siddhartha Ahluwalia, Founder, Neon Fund & Host, The Neon ShowTwitter: https://twitter.com/siddharthaa7LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siddhartha_a/___________________________________________________________________________________________________*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/__________________________________________________________________________________________________CHAPTERS00:00 - Precap01:14 - Welcome Back Sanjeev Sanyal!01:40 - What Is Sanjeev Sir Up To Now?03:00 - Kolkata’s Downfall EXPLAINED In Detail09:04 - Why Did Jyoti Basu Get Elected As CM?10:31 - How “Poverty Of Aspiration” Affected India’s Growth14:31 - Are India’s “Zero Food” Kids A Real Problem?18:10 - REALITY Behind India’s Gender Selective Abortions Crisis23:32 - “1/6th Of The World’s Billionaires Should Be Indian!”25:52 - The Reason Behind India’s Rapid Growth30:52 - The West’s Problem With India32:11 - What Led To Bihar’s Downfall & Its Craze Of Civil Service?35:11 - How Middle-Class India’s Aspirations Are Evolving!37:04 - The Great Indian Dream40:32 - ConclusionSend us a text

This week’s episode is an EXTENSIVE BREAKDOWN about Dark Indian SCAMS - Jamtara, Aadhaar Data, and Dark Web Secrets as we welcome Rahul Sasi, founder of CloudSEK, to the Neon Show!Why Are Scams Originating From Tier 2/3 Indian Cities?The Jamtara Scam DECODEDIs Your Aadhaar Data Safe?!How Many Hackers Are There In India?All these juicy topics and more in this DETAILED conversation. An eye-opener about the millions of cyber threats around us & what danger they carry… A crisp & efficient discussion about everything in the cyber space. Tune in NOW!___________________________________________________________________________________________________Siddhartha Ahluwalia, Founder, Neon Fund & Host, The Neon ShowTwitter: https://twitter.com/siddharthaa7LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siddhartha_a/___________________________________________________________________________________________________*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/!__________________________________________________________________________________________________CHAPTERS00:00 - Precap01:13 - Welcoming Rahul Sasi, co-founder of CloudSEK!02:27 - What Is Dark Web & CloudSEK's Role?08:50 - Why Dark Web Is So Difficult To Take Down!11:35 - Bangladesh Bank Heist DECODED16:08 - The Role of AI In Cyber Crimes!19:31 - How Many Hackers Are There In India?22:14 - Country With The Best Cyber Security Talent!24:45 - In India, Which Is The Best Cyber Security Company?25:46 - Jamtara Scam DECODED29:09 - Why Are Scams Originating From Tier 2/3 Indian Cities?31:53 - Chinese Loan App Scam EXPLAINED34:46 - How Does Money Laundering Work? 37:06 - Other Deadly Cyber Scams40:01 - Is Your Aadhaar Data Safe?!41:46 - How Do You Gain Practical Knowledge of Cyber Security?44:01 - What Inspired Rahul Sasi To Create CloudSEK?50:23 - Will AI Machines Attack Humans In The Future?52:46 - How Many Jobs Will Be Lost To AI In The Future?55:00 - Understanding What Privacy Entails Legally58:53 - Concluding Remarks on Future of Cyber Security!Send us a text

This week’s episode is a HEARTFELT conversation between 2 women founders who discuss beauty standards in India, healthy living, career & much more as Nansi takes over hosting duties while welcoming Yoga Bar founder, Suhasini Sampath, to the Neon Show! How Has The Beauty Industry Impacted India?The TRUTH Behind Low & No-Added-Sugar Products!Prioritising “Needs” Over “Wants”Biggest Lesson Learnt From ITC Acquisition?All these juicy topics and more in this SINCERE conversation. A dive into the mind of one of India’s brightest female founders & one who has beautifully balanced her career & family commitments… Wishing you all a very Happy International Women’s Day! Tune in NOW!CHAPTERS00:00 - Precap01:26 - Welcoming Suhasini Sampath, founder of Yoga Bar!04:51 - Life Growing Up As A “Tam-Brahm”07:52 - Prioritising “Needs” Over “Wants”11:55 - Turning To A Minimalist Lifestyle14:54 - How Does She Balance Her “Multiple Lives”?!15:49 - Beauty Industry’s Impact On India22:23 - Social Media’s Impact On Mental Health26:58 - “Health Taste Ke Bina Nahi Bikega!”28:35 - Unhealthy Products Indians Eat30:35 - “Diabetes Is A REAL PROBLEM In India!”34:36 - 5 Poor Diet Choices Indians Are Making 38:04 - The TRUTH Behind Low & No-Added-Sugar Products!41:22 - SECRET Behind Suhasini’s Drive!44:23 - Motherhood vs Career47:13 - Biggest Lesson Learnt From ITC Acquisition48:55 - Difference Between Institutions vs New-Age Brands54:28 - 5 Brands That Changed Indian Consumer Habits For The Better56:40 - Concept of “VC Hallucination” Explained1:01:12 - Importance Of Supportive Men1:06:00 - Concluding RemarksSend us a text

This week’s episode is an assortment of INSIGHTFUL INFORMATION about stocks in the banking sector, PayTM vs RBI & Rakesh Jhunjhunwala’s strategies to becoming generationally wealthy as we welcome once again Deepak Shenoy, founder of CapitalMind, to the Neon Show!What Happened To PayTM?What Is The State of Banking Stocks & Sector in India!Is PM Modi Right About PSU Stocks?Are Startups Going IPO A Good Trend?All these juicy topics and more in this DETAILED conversation. A dive into the psyche of the man who manages over Rs. 1700 crore in the Indian markets… One of the rare times where the conversation never stops being informative & gripping. Tune in NOW!_________________________________________________________________Siddhartha Ahluwalia, Founder, Neon Fund & Host, The Neon ShowTwitter: https://twitter.com/siddharthaa7LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siddhartha_a/__________________________________________________________________*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/___________________________________________________________________CHAPTERS00:00 - Precap01:34 - Welcome Back Deepak Shenoy, CEO of CapitalMind!01:52 - What Happened To PayTM? Fintechs vs RBI11:21 - State of Banking Stocks & Sector in India!28:07 - Should You Buy A Banking Stock?34:23 - Is RBI Mis Selling Information?39:07 - Why Are Public Sector Banks Doing So Well?40:10 - Indian Banks’ Bad Lending History!45:07 - ArcelorMittal DRAMA Decoded!52:20 - What Was The Problem With Yes Bank?58:13 - Is PM Modi Right About PSU Stocks?1:08:00 - Is The Indian Stock Market Currently Overvalued?1:11:41 - Are Micro Cap Companies The Best Bet Right Now?1:15:57 - Are Startups Going IPO A Good Trend?1:31:03 - Are Jio Financials A Good Stock To Invest in?1:33:06 - Top 3 Active Stocks In India!1:39:57 - “The Market Goes Up When You Sleep!”1:41:11 - Should Financial Advisors Be Held Accountable?1:48:51 - Is Buying Large Caps The Safe Option?1:50:18 - RaSend us a text

This week’s episode is a case study which explains Bangalore's water crisis and raises the question whether Karnataka government is at fault for how Bangalore has struggled to deal with water issues as we welcome water activist Viswanath Srikantaiah to the Neon Show!Will WW3 Happen Because Of Water Scarcity?Has The Karnataka Government FAILED Bangalore?Why Metropolitan Cities In India Are Unliveable!“The TRAGIC Reality About India Is…”All these EXPLOSIVE topics and more in this BRUTALLY HONEST conversation about India’s long standing relationship with water. A deep dive into how water may lead to the waging of the next big war in the world as well as a special focus on Karnataka & Bangalore's struggles with water… Tune in NOW!___________________________________________________________________________________________________Siddhartha Ahluwalia, Founder, Neon Fund & Host, The Neon ShowTwitter: https://twitter.com/siddharthaa7LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siddhartha_a/___________________________________________________________________________________________________*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/!__________________________________________________________________________________________________CHAPTERS00:00 - Precap01:46 - Introducing Viswanath Srikantaiah, Bangalore-based water activist!02:19 - Will WW3 Happen Because Of Water Scarcity?05:04 - Indo-China Water War On Brahmaputra Explained!07:22 - Indus Water Treaty Conflict Between India & Pakistan08:53 - Cauvery Water Dispute Decoded!15:14 - Geographical Breakdown of Bangalore’s History22:40 - Has The Karnataka Government FAILED Bangalore?26:43 - Is Urban Architecture At Fault For Water Issues? 31:33 - Will Indian Water Quality Reach Levels Of U.S. & Australia?35:00 - Why Metropolitan Cities In India Are Unlivable!41:40 - Why Is Bangalore Poor At Dealing With Water Issues?45:58 - Can India’s Economy Thrive Like Japan & Singapore?48:26 - History Of Migration In Bangalore!53:48 - Impact of Green Revolution on India1:03:22 - Why India Will NOT Leapfrog China’s GDP!1:06:30 - Social Impact of Water Crisis on Farmers1:09:53 - Is Migration DESTROYING Kannadiga’s Livelihoods?1:13:44 - Impact of Population Explosion on India1:18:42 - “The TRAGIC Reality About India Is…”1:29:42 - Shining Light On The Well Digging Community In Karnataka1:36:31 - Concluding Remarks_________________________________Send us a text

This week’s episode is about India’s Gold Obsession, Pitching to Anushka Sharma, and Silver Jewellery’s $4 billion Business as we welcome GIVA’s Co-founder Ishendra Agarwal to the Neon Show!History of Gold & Silver As A Stored Value!Why Does South India Love Jewellery So Much?!How Has Perception Of Jewellery Changed?How Did GIVA Pitch To Anushka Sharma?All these JUICY topics and more in this HONEST & DETAILED conversation about India’s jewellery industry. A deep dive into how jewellery became such a large part of Indians’ lives & whether silver can eventually take over the jewellery sector in India… Tune in NOW!___________________________________________________________________________________________________Siddhartha Ahluwalia, Founder, Neon Fund & Host, The Neon ShowTwitter: https://twitter.com/siddharthaa7LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siddhartha_a/*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/!__________________________________________________________________________________________________CHAPTERS[00:00] - Precap[01:09] - Introducing Ishendra Agarwal, founder of GIVA[01:42] - History of Gold & Silver As A Stored Value![05:19] - Evolution Of Gold & Silver In India![09:04] - % of India That Invests In Jewellery[12:09] - Early Days Growing Up In Agra[13:29] - The GIVA Journey[19:55] - How Did GIVA Become Such A Recognizable Brand?[22:44] - Pitching To Anushka Sharma! [26:13] - Breaking Down India’s Jewellery Sector[30:02]- Why Are Making Charges So High For Silver?[32:17] - How Do Silver Brands Solve For Low Average Order Values?[35:25] - Breaking Down GIVA’s Revenue Structure[36:55] - Why Does South India Love Jewellery So Much?![39:23] - How Has Perception Of Jewellery Changed?[44:34] - Will Made To Order Be The Future Of The Jewellery Sector?[46:47] - North India vs South India: Observations On Jewellery[52:01] - Can Tanishq Take Over Market Share For Jewellery In India?[56:26] - Concluding Remarks___________________________________________________________________________________________________*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

This week’s episode is in discussion with India’s ex-RBI Governor about Dr. Manmohan’s Legacy, India's 1991 Reforms & Future Economic Plans as we welcome C. Rangarajan to the Neon Show!What Was Life Like After Independence?What Was RBI’s Role Before & After Rangarajan Came In? Why Did The Partition Of Tamil Nadu Happen?Was Manmohan Singh A Good Prime Minister?All these SPICY topics and more in this PREMIUM conversation about India’s economics. A deep dive into how India became a powerhouse economy in the world since 1991 & the man behind reviving India in the 90s… Tune in NOW!_____________________________________________________________________________________________________🎇CHAPTERS[00:00] - Precap[01:14] - Introducing C. Rangarajan, ex-RBI Governor of India![02:36]- Balance of Payments CRISIS That Led To 1991 Reforms![06:23] - Why Did 1991 Economic Reforms Happen?[07:40] - Socialist India’s Downfall During The Late 80s![11:49] - Who Did India Owe Its Default To?[14:10] - How Did India Overcome Its Current Account Deficit?[18:27] - Influence of Narasimha Rao & Manmohan Singh[20:37] - What Was RBI’s Role Before & After Rangarajan Came In? [28:43] - RBI’s Biggest Policies During Rangarajan’s Tenure![33:57] - Rangarajan’s Childhood Before Partition![38:46] - What Was Life Like After Independence?[41:35] - Could India Have Changed From Socialist Principles Earlier?[42:50] - Why Did The Partition Of Tamil Nadu Happen?[45:27] - Reason Why Tamil Nadu Has Become Industrial Hub Of India![47:47] - How Terms Like NPA & FDI Get Created![50:32] - How Did The Advisory Team To Manmohan Singh Get Assembled?[53:30] - Was Manmohan Singh A Good Prime Minister?[59:47] - Why Did Rangarajan Step Down in 2014?[1:00:59] - His Message To The Youth of India & Where India Is Headed![1:09:18] - Concluding Remarks_____________________________________________________________________________________________________*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

This week’s episode is an EYE-OPENER for those who want to understand how AI impacts our lives & to be aware of potential AI scams as we welcome Manoj Agarwal, co-founder at DevRev, to the Neon Show!Can Machines Think For Themselves?What Jobs Are Most At Risk Due To AI?Is AI Progression Outpacing Humans?All these JUICY topics and much more in this DEEPLY INSIGHTFUL conversation about the AI revolution that has taken over the world & how it will impact future generations… Tune in NOW!_____________________________________________________________________________________________________🎇CHAPTERS[00:00] - Precap[00:48] - Introducing Manoj Agarwal, co-founder of DevRev[01:25] - Journey At Nutanix & Building DevRev[10:18] - Why Is AI At The Heart Of Innovation Today?[12:34] - Can Machines Think For Themselves?[17:51] - Why Is ChatGPT So Monumental?[21:19] - AI & Geopolitics[22:38] - BIGGEST Problem With Enforcing Laws on AI[25:19] - Is AI Progression Outpacing Humans?[27:07] - What Jobs Are Most At Risk Due To AI?[29:59] - What Jobs Will Be Created Due To The AI Revolution?[33:14] - How Is Gen Z Using AI Today?[34:40] - How Do AI Models Ensure There Is No Confirmation Bias?[37:35] - Why Are Indian Engineers/Developers More In Demand Now?[40:45] - Is India’s Talent Pool The Best In The World?[42:51] - Difference Between AI Focused Companies In The Past vs Now[47:00] - How AI Is Making Day-To-Day Life Easier[49:53] - The Concept Of “Hallucination” In Technology[53:51] - Concluding Remarks____________________________________________________________________________________________________*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

This week’s episode is a MUST WATCH for Indians abroad as we welcome Saravana Kumar, co-founder at Kovai.co, to the Neon Show!Why Are Expats Coming Back To India?Is a Masters' Degree Abroad Still the Best Option For Indians?Why Hasn’t India Produced A Company As Big As Microsoft or AWS?All these INFORMATIVE topics and more in this DEEPLY INSIGHTFUL conversation about the exponential changes taking place in India and why Indians abroad are eager to make their way back to their home country… Tune in NOW!_____________________________________________________________________________________________________*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/_____________________________________________________________________________________________________🎇CHAPTERS[00:00]- Precap[00:46] - Introducing Saravana Kumar, co-founder of Kovai.co[02:06]- Middle-Class Upbringing in Coimbatore![04:18] - Biggest Learnings From Childhood To Now[06:14] - “They Put a Team of 18 People To Replace Me![10:24] - Why Are Expats Coming Back To India?[12:19] - Reasons For “INDIA SHINING”[13:46] - Why InfoSys Is The McDonald’s of India![20:56] - Is a Masters' Degree Abroad Still the Best Option For Indians?[28:34] - Creating Silicon Valley In Coimbatore[30:48] - Secret Behind His Efficiency & Speed![33:44] - Will ChatGPT & AI Kill Many Indian Startups?[38:09] - Why Hasn’t India Produced A Company As Big As Microsoft or AWS?[42:29] - What Indian Founders Need To Unlearn![48:11] - What Kind Of Leader Is Saravana?[49:17] - Is Narayana Murthy’s 70 Hr Week Policy Correct?[53:58] - Will Bangalore Continue To Be Tier-2 India’s First Choice Of Escape?[58:49] - How Many SaaS Companies Are In Coimbatore?[59:11] - The Future of Kovai[1:03:30] - Concluding Remarks____________________________________________________________________________________________________Send us a text