Best Nikhil Jain Podcasts (2025)

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The EV revolution is here, can EMO Energy be the next BP/ HPCL/ IOCL? | Sheetanshu Tyagi(Co-founder) 2:07:25

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8d ago2:07:25

2:07:25

"Energy is the only input cost that can be systematically optimized over time." A game-changing perspective from battery tech pioneer Sheetanshu Tyagi that's reshaping how India's quick-commerce giants think about profitability. This insight is driving EMO Energy's transformation from a hardware company to an Energy-as-a-Service platform. Sheetansh…

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Why 70% of India Is Invisible to VCs | Jyotsna Krishnan (Elevar/ EPIC) 1:50:41

16d ago1:50:41

1:50:41

India’s real economic engine isn’t in big cities - it’s in the 400 million+ people building, trading, and growing across Middle India. In this episode of the Founder Thesis Podcast, host Akshay Datt speaks with Jyotsna Krishnan (Managing Partner, Elevar Equity; CEO and Co-Founder, Epic World) on how to invest, build, and scale startups for India’s …

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How to Scale Food Like Software - And Still Make Money | Jaydeep Barman (Rebel Foods) 1:50:59

28d ago1:50:59

1:50:59

"I have this fundamental belief that you make abnormal returns not when you are right but when people don't agree with you." This contrarian mindset from Jaydeep Barman perfectly captures how Rebel Foods built a $1.4 billion unicorn by doing what everyone thought was impossible: decoupling restaurant brands from physical real estate. Jaydeep Barman…

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Beyond Chatbots: How AI Agents Are Transforming Business | Rajesh Sinha (Fulcrum Digital) 2:02:22

1M ago2:02:22

2:02:22

How do you build a $100 million enterprise tech company - without raising a single dollar from venture capital? In this episode, host Akshay Datt speaks to Rajesh Sinha, Founder of Fulcrum Digital and Culinary Digital, shares his remarkable story of scaling two global businesses to ~$100M ARR - fully bootstrapped. From building a customer-funded Sa…

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Understanding Private Credit, AIFs & Startup Financing | Vinod Murali (Alteria Capital) 2:16:05

1M ago2:16:05

2:16:05

"Venture debt is like an umbrella - you buy it before it starts raining, because once it starts raining, everything becomes expensive." This analogy perfectly captures the strategic timing required for startup capital - smart founders raise debt when they don't need it, not when they're desperate. Vinod Murali is the Co-founder and Managing Partner…

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Building a World-Class IT Services Business | Kalyan (QualiZeal) 2:01:26

2M ago2:01:26

2:01:26

In this powerful episode of Founder Thesis, host Akshay Datt speaks with Kalyan Rao Konda, Co - founder of QualiZeal, a quality engineering firm transforming how global companies approach software testing and quality assurance. With over two decades of experience in QA, Kalyan shares his journey - from the early days of reactive testing to today’s …

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India's IT Infra Leap: Data Centers, Cloud, AI & What's Next | A S Rajgopal (NxtGen) 2:11:14

2M ago2:11:14

2:11:14

"Each rack can deliver 2 crores of revenue versus 6 lakh rupees from data centers." This striking comparison from A.S. Rajgopal reveals why cloud services generate 10x more revenue per rack than traditional data center hosting - a fundamental shift that's reshaping India's digital infrastructure landscape. A.S. Rajgopal is the Managing Director & C…

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Cracking India's Beverage Market with Beer & Kombucha | Ishan Varshnei(Latambarcem Brewers) 2:00:52

2M ago2:00:52

2:00:52

"Craft does not define size... craft is defined by technique, innovation, and quality." This insight from Ishan Varshnei challenges the common misconception that craft businesses can't scale. His scientific approach to brewing has proven that maintaining artisanal quality while achieving commercial scale is not just possible, but profitable. Ishan …

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What Does It Take to Scale a Hardware Startup in India? Amit Gupta (Yulu) Has the Answers 2:11:37

2M ago2:11:37

2:11:37

"We have zero customer acquisition cost with a hardware business." This seemingly impossible statement from Amit Gupta reveals a counterintuitive truth: asset-heavy businesses can create stronger competitive moats than asset-light ones. While Silicon Valley preaches software scalability, Amit proved that owning physical infrastructure can lead to s…

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The Story Behind UPI, And What's Next: ONDC, BBPS & ULI with Deepak Thakur (NPST) 2:21:46

3M ago2:21:46

2:21:46

"When UPI happened, it was like, very clear now, this is something that will change everything." This powerful statement from Deepak Chand Thakur encapsulates the monumental shift the Unified Payments Interface has brought to India's financial landscape. It wasn't just another payment system; it was a revolution that reshaped commerce, financial ac…

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A Founder & VC's Roadmap to Scaling | Rohit M A (PeerCapital & Cloudnine) 2:02:34

3M ago2:02:34

2:02:34

"The sooner you can get to a level where you can actually make yourself redundant, I think that's when you start building an institution." This powerful insight from Rohit M A encapsulates a core theme of our conversation: sustainable growth isn't just about a visionary founder, but about building systems and teams that can thrive independently. It…

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Deals to Degrees: Serial Entrepreneur Ashish Munjal's journey from Crown It to Sunstone 1:43:57

3M ago1:43:57

1:43:57

"Founders often wear a mask of 'irrational optimism' for their team; a necessary front when leading through uncertainty." This insight from Ashish Munjal delves into the often unspoken psychological aspect of entrepreneurship, where maintaining a strong, positive exterior is crucial for team morale and navigating the startup journey's inherent chal…

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From Coffee Trader To $250M+ VC | Manav Garg (Together Fund) 1:41:21

3M ago1:41:21

1:41:21

"SaaS as we know it is DEAD." This might sound controversial, but as Manav Garg explains, the old model of simple workflow automation is being rapidly superseded. AI agents are now capable of executing complex tasks based on simple commands, fundamentally changing how businesses operate and what they expect from technology. Manav Garg is the Co-fou…

1
KukuFM's Secret Sauce: Exclusivity, Efficiency, and 'Asli Dhanda' 1:45:30

3M ago1:45:30

1:45:30

"Raising more money often means you made more mistakes." This counter-intuitive take from Vinod Kumar Meena challenges the common startup narrative where fundraising equals success. He argues that true success lies in capital efficiency and building a sustainable business, not just chasing the next round. Vinod Kumar Meena is the Co-Founder & COO o…

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Deep Dive: How We Got to GPT (and What's Next) with Vinay Sankarapu (Arya.ai- An Aurionpro Company) 2:33:43

4M ago2:33:43

2:33:43

"When people think of AI, they think it's probably happened in the last 10 years or 20 years, but it's a journey of 70 plus years." This quote from Vinay Sankarapu challenges the common perception of AI as a recent phenomenon. Vinay Sankarapu is the Founder & CEO of Arya.ai- An Aurionpro Company, one of India's pioneering AI companies established i…

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The B2B Whisperer: Dhruv Verma's Secrets to Landing (and Keeping) Big Clients 1:12:59

4M ago1:12:59

1:12:59

"B2B sales is not selling a product. It's building up a relationship." This insight from Dhruv Verma underscores a core theme of our conversation: in the high-stakes world of B2B, particularly with large enterprises, trust and deep understanding built through relationships are paramount, often trumping product features alone. Dhruv Verma is the Fou…

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Policybazaar: Growth, IPO & Future Bets | Tarun Mathur 1:15:35

4M ago1:15:35

1:15:35

"If you're going to find something, think of building this for the next 20 years. Think very long term." This powerful advice from Tarun Mathur underscores the importance of long-term vision in entrepreneurship, reminding founders that enduring companies aren't built overnight but over decades. Tarun Mathur is the Co-Founder & Chief Business Office…

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The Future is Climate AI Solutions | Rohit Toshniwal (Sprih) 1:14:36

4M ago1:14:36

1:14:36

"Behind the scenes, it's a Climate AI. It's a very deep Climate AI engine that we have built, which drives all of these workflows." Rohit Toshniwal pulls back the curtain on the sophisticated technology needed to tackle complex environmental challenges, highlighting how Artificial Intelligence is becoming essential for managing sustainability data …

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Building a ₹7500 Cr AUM Fintech | Harshvardhan Lunia (Lendingkart) 1:24:00

5M ago1:24:00

1:24:00

"The customer is the CEO of the company; he can fire everyone." This core belief drove Harshvardhan Lunia's journey in building Lendingkart. He emphasizes that obsessively solving the customer's problem—be it the need for speed, transparency, or convenience—is the ultimate key to building trust and a successful financial services business. Harshvar…

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ESOPs Aren't Monopoly Money, Here's Why | Satish Mugulavalli (Hissa) 1:38:16

5M ago1:38:16

1:38:16

"ESOPs aren't lottery tickets; they're a calculated risk with a potential for real wealth creation." This seemingly simple statement from Satish Mugulavalli, Founder and Managing Partner of Hissa, encapsulates the core message of this episode: shifting the perception of ESOPs from "paper money" to a strategic tool for both companies and employees. …

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Shruti Aggarwal (Stashfin) on Building a ₹2000 Cr Profitable Lending Business 1:35:47

5M ago1:35:47

1:35:47

"You have to be good at collections if you want to be a good lender." This was just one of Shruti Aggarwal's amazing insights in this episode: lending profitability relies on responsible repayment, not just customer acquisition. Shruti Aggarwal is the Co-Founder of Stashfin, a digital lending platform in India. She has built a profitable fintech wi…

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Ashok Vashist (WTI Cabs): The Anti-Unicorn Founder, Bootstrapped to IPO! 1:14:35

5M ago1:14:35

1:14:35

"The solution to every problem lies in the market, not the boardroom." Ashok Vashist shares a powerful lesson on the importance of staying grounded and understanding customer needs directly, rather than relying solely on theoretical discussions in boardrooms. This principle has guided WTI's success. Ashok Vashist is the Founder of WTI Cabs (Wise Tr…

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Tashwinder Singh (Niyogin) on Building India's Next Fintech Giant, Beyond UPI 2:11:05

6M ago2:11:05

2:11:05

"We realized that just lending is not the answer. You need to solve a problem for the small business owner." This quote from Tashwinder Singh encapsulates the core philosophy driving Niyogin's approach. It's not just about providing capital; it's about understanding and addressing the holistic needs of small businesses in India, moving beyond simpl…

1
Nishith Rastogi (Locus) shares the engineer's guide to SaaS scale up 2:02:37

6M ago2:02:37

2:02:37

From a $10,000 first customer to multi-million dollar contracts, hear the incredible growth story of Locus! In this episode of the Founder Thesis podcast, Founder and CEO Nishith Rastogi shares key strategies on how a shift from B2C to B2B helped fuel its success in the on-demand economy. Gain key insights into their go-to-market strategy, AI integ…

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Yamini Bhat (Vymo) on Empowering Sales teams 1:12:58

6M ago1:12:58

1:12:58

Yamini Bhat is a rare breed - a female founder of a tech startup, but beyond that her achievements are simply phenomenal - Vymo is a global Saas company doing double digit million in ARR, and has raised $45mn till date. In this episode of the Founder Thesis podcast Yamini Bhat recounts her fascinating transition from McKinsey consultant to the foun…

1
Arvind Parthiban (SuperOps) on The Power of Product Marketing 1:16:02

6M ago1:16:02

1:16:02

In this episode, we dive into the entrepreneurial journey of Arvind Parthiban, CEO & Co-Founder of SuperOps, a $50M SaaS company. Arvind highlights the critical role of product marketing in startup success and emphasizes the importance of purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Akshay Datt, a serial entrepreneur who has run ventures in employability train…

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Simplifying global money transfer | Srivatsan Sridhar @ Skydo 2:22:12

7M ago2:22:12

2:22:12

The global cross-border payments market is on a remarkable growth trajectory, expected to hit $290 trillion by 2030. Amidst this booming landscape, discover how Srivatsan Sridhar successfully navigated the challenges and founded Skydo, a platform which addresses traditional pain points around high fees, delayed settlements, and compliance hurdles a…

1
Divakar Vijayasarathy (DVS Advisory Group) on Scaling Through Value Creation 2:00:10

7M ago2:00:10

2:00:10

In this episode, Divakar Vijayasarathy shares his inspiring entrepreneurial journey, from overcoming early struggles to building a global financial powerhouse. Tune in for invaluable lessons on scaling businesses, mastering tax dynamics, and creating lasting value in the professional services sector. Divakar is the Founder of DVS Advisory Group, a …

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From founding unicorns to funding them | Rajul Garg @ Leo Capital 2:12:58

7M ago2:12:58

2:12:58

In this episode, we delve into Rajul Garg's inspiring journey from his beginnings as a budding entrepreneur to a successful venture capitalist. Rajul is the founder and managing partner of Leo Capital, a venture fund that invests in early-stage technology companies. A serial entrepreneur turned investor, Rajul co-founded GlobalLogic, a digital engi…

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Building a $100mn ARR SaaS company from India | Anand Jain @ CleverTap 1:49:44

7M ago1:49:44

1:49:44

Anand Jain lost his father when he was just 12. This experience caused him to step into an entrepreneurial role very early in life and Anand has literally done it all - from selling detergent door-to-door, to repairing and assembling computers to writing software. Despite no academic track record to speak of, Anand ended up getting hired by a tech …

1
The last great battle for serving offline ads | Sandeep Bomireddi @ Adonmo 1:36:48

8M ago1:36:48

1:36:48

It’s no secret that the business model of the internet is basically advertising. Think about what you spend time doing online - there’s a high chance that 80% of the time you are viewing ads. And you might think that the business of serving ads to consumers is done and dusted, but there are still opportunities for startups to win ad dollars away fr…

1
A deep dive into the business of security | Kapil Bardeja @ Vehant 1:27:08

8M ago1:27:08

1:27:08

I can bet that almost all of you who are listening to this episode of the Founder Thesis podcast would have interacted with Vehant’s products. The next time you go into an airport or an office building, take a look at the brand name on the baggage scanner that they are using - there’s a very high chance that you will see Vehant’s logo on it. But Ve…

1
This title has not been market researched 😅 | Rajiv Lamba @ Neurosensum 1:29:17

8M ago1:29:17

1:29:17

Globally, the market research industry is at least worth a hundred billion dollars! We really are living in a world where everything is market researched. The ads you watch on TV, the packing designs of products you use, even the movies you watch - they have all gone through a validation process using market research. The reason for this is simple …

1
Seeking Impact, From Dairy To DeFi | Srikumar Misra @ Aarna Protocol 2:10:54

8M ago2:10:54

2:10:54

If you want to understand the evolution of Entrepreneurship in India over the decades, then there is really no better story than this. Srikumar Misra is the son of an entrepreneur who made the mistake of taking a bank loan backed by him home, and his untimely death ended up teaching the young Sri a valuable lesson about the risks of entrepreneurshi…

1
The science of healthcare scale up | Mayur Abhaya @ LifeCell 1:43:59

9M ago1:43:59

1:43:59

Whenever we have featured founders who have scaled their businesses meaningfully, it is typically because they have been good at acquiring customers and increasing their lifetime value. But Mayur Abhaya, our guest in this episode, has scaled LifeCell to an annual revenue of about 800 crores on the back of its strong supply chain & delivery capabili…

1
Upending the age-old business of Clubs | Vivek Narain@ The Quorum 1:14:07

9M ago1:14:07

1:14:07

For a lot of people, hospitality is their ultimate entrepreneurship dream, and they aspire to start a restaurant or a cafe and quit their stressful corporate world career. In this episode of the Founder Thesis podcast - we speak to a hospitality founder who has built and scaled a truly unique hospitality business and given a new age avatar to a ver…

1
The odyssey of truly becoming a founder | Vinod Singh @ Concirrus 1:38:11

9M ago1:38:11

1:38:11

Some founders are born lucky - and some founders are born to fight against tremendous odds and adversities. This is the story of Vinod Singh who was born in a village in UP which did not even have electricity, and yet through sheer grit and willpower - ended up becoming the CTO of a startup in the UK. And you might think that this is the happy endi…

1
The B2B Procurements platform | Anish Popli @ ProcMart 1:09:58

9M ago1:09:58

1:09:58

If there is one takeaway from this conversation, then it’s simply this - Boring is beautiful. ProcMart is in the boring business of managing non-core indirect procurements for manufacturers. And by taking care of this simple but time intensive task for companies, ProcMart will cross 1000 crores in turnover this year. The credit for this massive ach…

1
How to build a profitable bootstrapped D2C | Arush Chopra @ Just Herbs 1:15:53

10M ago1:15:53

1:15:53

It is rare for D2C startups to be bootstrapped because they need to burn cash to acquire customers initially. But the Just Herbs story is proof that there are clever growth hacks that can help you grow your D2C brand while remaining bootstrapped. Arush Chopra was an aspiring actor who stumbled into a role in private equity which led to the start of…

1
Why Copying the Silicon Valley Playbook is a Mistake in India | Arjun Malhotra (Good Capital) 1:14:48

10M ago1:14:48

1:14:48

About Arjun Malhotra Arjun Malhotra is the General Partner at Good Capital, an India-focused, seed-stage venture capital fund that he co-founded with his late brother, Rohan Malhotra. Before becoming a full-time investor, Arjun co-founded Investopad, a startup incubator that became a vibrant community hub for entrepreneurs. The 12 angel investments…

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Building India's largest gold loan aggregator | Rajesh Shet @ SahiBandhu 1:12:30

10M ago1:12:30

1:12:30

Regular listeners of the Founder Thesis podcast would have heard so many stories of young founders who build their venture straight out of college and keep at it for a decade until they find success. This episode is the exact opposite of that kind of Story. Rajesh Shet had more than two decades of experience in the corporate world when he started S…

1
The journey of building a 2000cr MCap MFI | HP Singh @ Satin Creditcare 1:24:28

10M ago1:24:28

1:24:28

There are two types of entrepreneurs that we celebrate. The first one is the founder who raised a lot of money and built a highly valued startup on the back of investor money. The second type of entrepreneur - which we think is really the more special type of entrepreneur, is one who started from scratch and built up a business brick by brick on th…

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A masterclass on the services to product pivot | Nishant Patel @ Contentstack 2:05:44

11M ago2:05:44

2:05:44

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when I tell you that in this episode, we are featuring a Patel who built a business in the US? The stereotype says that he would be running a motel or a convenience store - but this Patel has built a b2b SaaS company that is almost a unicorn. Nishant Patel moved to the US when he was just 14, and then …

1
The platform supercharging your reward points | Amit Koshal @ Twid 1:17:20

11M ago1:17:20

1:17:20

Amit Koshal’s entrepreneurial journey began while working on a groundbreaking product at Intuit. Now, at TWID, he’s disrupting payment networks by turning reward points into a currency for transactions—an idea refined over five years of experimentation and failures, eventually leading to the product-market fit. This conversation delves into his pat…

1
The investment banker who became an educator | Nikhil Barshikar @ Imarticus Learning 1:22:58

11M ago1:22:58

1:22:58

After a career in U.S. investment banking, Nikhil returned to India to build Imarticus, offering offline-focused boot camps to upskill fresh graduates. Unlike many in the space, Nikhil views Imarticus as an education business rather than an edtech company, with a fundamental focus on delivering real learning outcomes. This approach has helped the c…

1
The doctor who fixed co-living in India | Nikhil Sikri @ Zolo 1:47:33

11M ago1:47:33

1:47:33

Every year millions of young people migrate for jobs or education, creating a big market for hostels and paying guest accommodations. However, succeeding in this business depends on managing the operational complexities and getting the small details right. Zolo, one of India’s largest co-living companies, has mastered this challenge, currently mana…

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Building India's largest crypto exchange | Neeraj Khandelwal @ CoinDCX 1:33:23

11M ago1:33:23

1:33:23

Neeraj Khandelwal is a passionate Indian who aspired to serve his country as a civil servant. When his initial plan fell through, he channelled his determination into exploring new ways to fulfil this objective. He saw the transformative potential of cryptocurrency and invested in building India's crypto infrastructure, leading to the creation of C…

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Predictive vs. Generative: Understanding Enterprise AI | Anand Mahurkar (Findability Sciences) 1:54:59

12M ago1:54:59

1:54:59

"The enterprise AI market is completely open; everyone needs it. Adoption will grow dramatically in the next ten years." Anand Mahurkar's insight underscores the explosive growth and universal demand for AI solutions in the enterprise sector. Anand Mahurkar is the Founder & CEO of Findability Sciences, a Boston-based AI solutions firm. Under his le…

1
A masterclass on building a 500 cr business | Deepak Sahni @ Healthians 1:55:35

12M ago1:55:35

1:55:35

Deepak Sahni shares his remarkable journey of building one of the largest diagnostics companies in the preventive space. Starting his entrepreneurial journey as a teenager, Deepak has consistently dared to dream bigger with each venture over the last two decades. In this episode, he reveals the secrets behind scaling Healthians to a revenue run rat…

1
Building the B2B Payments Stack for India | Sundeep Mohindru @ M1xchange 1:38:37

1y ago1:38:37

1:38:37

Small businesses in India often face delays in payments from large corporations due to complex bureaucratic processes and stringent payment terms. The TReDS system, developed by the RBI, aims to resolve this. With TReDS, businesses can receive immediate payment by selling their invoices to a financier, who then collects the payment from large corpo…