Episode Summary

Harini Janakiraman and Shams Mosowi are the powerhouse co-founders behind BuildShip, a platform helping businesses automate complex backend and AI workflows in minutes. In this episode, they unpack what it really takes to build a fast-moving AI startup that developers not only use, but love.

Georgie dives into their founding story (from Antler hire to co-founder), their approach to vibe coding with tools like Claude and Cursor, and why product alone isn’t enough in today’s AI landscape. The trio also plays “hit or miss” with popular dev tools like Midjourney, Replit, Cursor, and GitHub Copilot, and they don’t hold back.

Harini and Shams share honest lessons on building for tech-literate users, hiring remotely, and turning branding into a technical moat. Plus: the viral power of great merch, why Shams temporarily moved to San Francisco, and how developers can earn exclusive BuildShip swag by shipping real tools.

Time Stamps

02:43 – What makes a great startup partnership work

05:23 – Harini’s AI hack: voice-activated workflows for home and transport

07:21 – Shams’ AI hack: pitch deck evaluator and vibe coding with Claude + Cursor

09:40 – Comparing LLMs: ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity

14:11 – Tech hits & misses: Midjourney, Replit, Cursor, Copilot

21:44 – Where to prioritise capital pre-product-market-fit

24:49 – Is moving to San Francisco worth it for AI startups?

27:43 – Remote hiring lessons: trial projects, red flags, and finding fit

29:54 – Why brand is BuildShip’s moat (and how merch plays a role)

36:11 – How to earn BuildShip merch: hackathons and shipping tools

37:24 – Rapid fire: worst hires, dream users, and impossible customers

40:38 – Social media fails and that awkward “Hey Captain” email

42:07 – Final shoutouts: BuildShip tools, demo challenge, and how to get started

Resources

🛠️ Try BuildShip: https://www.buildship.com

✨ BuildShip Tools (vibe-code your backend): https://www.buildship.com/tools

📣 Harini on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harinijanakiraman/

💻 Shams on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shams-mosowi/

In the Blink of AI is made possible by our wonderful partners Vanta🦙

Vanta is the all-in-one solution for startups to become compliant quickly and build a security foundation with ease.

Startup customers get $1000 off Vanta at http://vanta.com/blink

✨ Connect with Georgie Healy

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georginahealy/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgina_healy/

Twitter: https://x.com/georgina__healy?lang=en

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In The Blink of AI is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

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