Discover how SquareFi is transforming cross-border payments and stablecoin infrastructure by leveraging regulatory advancements and innovative technology. Join Anton Lobintsev as he shares insights on building lean, scalable fintech solutions, navigating regulations across jurisdictions, and the future vision of a seamless global settlement network.

Key Topics:

• The evolution of stablecoin infrastructure in response to regulation (US, UAE, Canada) and its impact on fintech

• SquareFi’s integrated API and white-label solutions for embedding banking, cards, and cross-border rails

• The strategic separation of SquareFi as a B2B2C platform and Mosta as a consumer-facing product

• Building a nimble, top-tier technical team with minimal headcount and leveraging AI automation

• The role of compliance (90%) versus technology (10%) in fintech development

• The opportunity of stablecoins in global remittances and cross-border payments—market size and potential

• Future vision: a global, accessible settlement network utilizing native stablecoins, agents, and embedded finance

Timestamps:

00:00 - The regulatory landscape sparking innovation in stablecoin infrastructure

00:35 - How SquareFi consolidates fintech services into a single API platform

01:41 - The differentiation between SquareFi and Mosta: B2B2X versus direct consumer

03:13 - The importance of compliance and regulation in fintech strategy

04:44 - Expanding product offerings via API, white labels, and licensing paths

05:23 - The evolution from real estate tokenization to stablecoin-focused payments

07:12 - Global regulatory progress and the US as a key market for stablecoins

08:33 - Licensing strategies across Canada, US, UAE, and Switzerland

09:36 - Raising Series A to fund expansion, licenses, and top-tier talent

15:10 - Building a lean, highly skilled tech team responsible for specific domains

18:10 - Leveraging AI for automation—Dennis’ CRM system and customer support bots

22:36 - Market opportunities in stablecoins and global settlement network vision

23:18 - What could cause SquareFi to fail—and how resilience is built

24:34 - Unfair advantages: one-stop infrastructure, adaptable orchestration system, proprietary stablecoin

26:52 - Insights into selling embedded finance solutions to fintechs and non-fintechs

29:28 - The ultimate vision: a connected, global, low-cost settlement network with agents and local partners

32:20 - Closing remarks and future outlook for SquareFi

Resources & Links:

• SquareFi Official Website

• Mosta.io - Consumer Payment Platform

Connect with Anton Lobintsev:

• LinkedIn

Summary

In this conversation, George discusses Taxnova, an AI-powered platform that automates the R&D tax credit process for tech companies. He shares his personal journey as a founder, the role of AI in streamlining tax claims, and the challenges faced in the traditional claims process. George emphasizes the importance of efficiency and compliance, the significance of funding and accelerator experiences, and the market potential for TaxNova. He also addresses the collaboration with tax advisors and the unique advantages of being an outsider in the industry.

Takeaways

Taxnova automates the R&D tax credit process for tech companies.

The founder’s journey is deeply personal and reflects their strengths.

AI is transforming paperwork-heavy tasks in tax claims.

The claims process is often inefficient and burdensome for companies.

Efficiency and compliance are critical in tax claims.

Funding from angels and operators is crucial at the pre-seed stage.

The market for R&D tax credits is substantial and growing.

Collaboration with tax advisors is essential for final submissions.

Understanding the target audience is key to market positioning.

Being an outsider can provide unique insights and advantages.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Taxnova and Its Purpose

03:19 The Founder’s Journey and Motivation

06:09 The Role of AI in Tax Credit Claims

08:56 Understanding the Claims Process

12:02 Efficiency and Quality in Tax Claims

15:06 Funding Journey and Accelerator Experience

17:41 Milestones and Future Goals

20:34 Market Positioning and Competition

23:40 Collaboration with Tax Advisors

26:22 Target Audience and Market Size

29:26 Challenges and Unfair Advantages

00:00 - Introduction

00:44 - Having Multiple Term Sheets

04:39 - Real-Life Fundraising Scenarios

07:27 - Strategies for Effective Fundraising

11:08 - ‘Best Outcome’ when Raising Funding

14:10 - Single v/s Multiple Term Sheets

18:33 - How to secure Multiple Term Sheets

25:37 -  Role of Investors in Fundraising

30:15 - VC Support in Fundraising

34:07 - Timing and Control in Fundraising

38:35 - Managing Investor Relationships

41:41 - Delaying Dataroom is a Negative Sign?

43:59 - Prioritizing & Qualifying Investors for Intro Calls

47:25 - Purpose of Intro Calls

51:51 - Do well-run fundraising processes correlate with company success?

54:44 - Communicating through the Fundraising process

56:14 - Conclusion

About
Camila is a General Partner at Grand Ventures. In this role, she identifies promising investment opportunities across the firm’s sectors of interest, works closely with portfolio companies on strategy development and implementation, and spearheads fundraising and operations for the firm. 

Camila has 12+ years of venture capital, consulting, and corporate experience. Prior to Grand Ventures, Camila worked at General Electric holding management positions within finance, portfolio management and business strategy. She spent six years at GE Ventures, playing a crucial role in building the foundation for it to become one of the most active corporate venture capital firms in the country, and managing a portfolio of over 150 investment companies. She has also held operational roles in startups, including an extensive project with Zinc, a GE Ventures portfolio company acquired by ServiceMax, and Imaginare Studios, a company she co-founded with two MBA colleagues.

Her recent recognitions include being named a Venture Capital’s Rising Star 2024 (PEI), 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan (Crain’s 2024), and 39 Most Important VCs in the Midwest (Insider 2022).

She is a class 27 Kauffman Fellow and currently serves as a Board Director of the Michigan Venture Capital Association. Most recently she co-founded the Great Lakes Venture Capital Association.

Camila earned a BBA from the Universidade Federal da Bahia in Brazil and received her MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

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📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:00 - Introduction

00:48 - Opening Question

01:08 - Challenges in Evaluating Founders

03:56 - Assessing Founders

06:58 - Market and Product Assessments

09:25 - Founder-led companies do better at later stages?

12:00 - The Importance of Quantitative Assessments

13:14 - Psychological and Motivational Discernment

16:24 - Value Creation in AI

20:30 - Framework for Assessing Founders

24:32 - Storytelling + Narrative

26:43 - Vision

31:35 - Inquisition + Curiosity

33:42 - Grit and Drive

35:40 - Do Founders really need External Validation?

37:51 - Irreverence for Status Quo

39:53 - Resourcefulness in Time and Money

41:46 - Magnetism

45:56 - Superpowers

50:32 - Not-So “Ideal” Founders

51:45 - Curiosity as Sign of Intelligence

54:45 - Adapting to Time Constraints

01:01:09 - Conclusion

📍 About:

Born and raised in Philadelphia, James Shecter began his journey into entrepreneurship and venture capital as an undergraduate, where he served as a strategist and consultant for several student-run startups, including Seated and Transcend. He launched his professional career at Citibank in New York City, providing multi-stage M&A advisory services in the aerospace and business services sectors. Following this, he transitioned to Lee Equity, a middle-market private equity firm, where he was involved in various transactions within the fintech/insurtech and healthcare industries.

Most recently, James worked at 9Yards Capital, a growth-stage venture capital firm based in Los Angeles, where he contributed to deploying over $50 million into fintech, logistics, and enterprise startups such as Chainalysis, LeafLink, and Remote HR. Additionally, he co-leads The MBA Fund, an institutional seed fund that supports entrepreneurs from the Harvard, Stanford, and University of Pennsylvania ecosystems.

Since his high school years, James has been actively engaged in mentoring, tutoring, and coaching students from inner-city Philadelphia. He holds an MBA from Wharton and a BA in Behavioral Economics from Harvard. Outside of his professional pursuits, James enjoys surfing, reading, and writing, and is working towards building a collection of guitars as functional decor for his future home.

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📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

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📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:00 - Introduction

00:42 - Purpose of a Pitch

02:15 - Defining the Outcome of Your Pitch

05:32 - Elements of Persuasion in a Pitch

12:08 - Different Types of Pitches

17:57 - Core of a Great Pitch

21:29 - Crafting an Effective Pitch

24:27 - Structuring the Pitch for Funding

28:22 - Right People to Practice Pitch to  

30:06 - What Investors Look for in Startups

33:30 - Structuring Your Pitch for Maximum Impact

38:39 - Handling Q&A Sessions Effectively

41:14 - How should you End the Pitch?

45:18 - How often should Startups change the Pitch as it Progresses

47:43 - Should you seek feedback after a pitch?

50:55 - Importance of Visuals and Demos in a Pitch

55:36 - You are the Pitch

01:00:01 - Conclusion

📍 About:

Kris Childress is the Managing Partner at Kris Consulting, a Singapore-based consultancy helping early-stage tech startups. With a rich background in business development, technology commercialization, and strategic storytelling, Kris has played a pivotal role in the success of noted Singapore ventures such as Zimplistic, Equatorial Space, and NEU Battery Materials, providing expert guidance in pitching, business ideation, and strategy.

As the Mentor-in-Residence at the National University of Singapore’s Enterprise Incubator, Kris works closely with university spin-offs, providing hands-on mentoring to help them navigate the early stages of development. He likes to describe his focus as Ideation, Validation, and Narration for early-stage ventures. Kris was also part of the teaching and consulting team for the NUS Graduate Research Innovation Program (GRIP) for over 5 years, where he guided a number of startups towards market success.

Prior to moving to Singapore, Kris was deeply involved in business development for several U.S.-based technology companies in hardware, software, and consulting services. He holds a degree in Biology from a leading American university and has lived in Singapore for more than 17 years with his Singaporean wife and their two dogs, Zac and Zofie.

In addition to his professional endeavours, Kris is an avid reader with wide-ranging interests, which he says has been essential to his work as a mentor. Kris and his wife are also passionate travellers, having recently visited and kayaked in Antarctica for the first time.

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📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:42 Success Metrics for Series A Fundraising

01:29 Industry Averages and Market Trends

02:11 Factors Influencing Graduation Rates

04:07 The Importance of Support and Playbooks

05:43 Developing Benchmarks and KPIs

10:54 Case Study: Tecto's Roadmap to Series A

12:46 Challenges and Common Gaps in Planning

17:56 Defining and Achieving Product-Market Fit

28:43 Go-to-Market Strategy Principles

30:05 Exploring Growth Channels

31:04 Key Metrics for Success

32:21 Pricing Strategies

35:53 Building a Strong Team

40:19 Financial Metrics and Burn Rates

42:39 Planning for Series A

45:37 Adapting to Challenges

50:25 Crafting a Compelling Equity Story

54:39 Ideal Metrics for Series A

57:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

📍About:

Christian Meermann is a Founding Partner at Cherry Ventures. After some years at The Boston Consulting Group, Christian joined Zalando as their first CMO. Christian was responsible for building up and managing the group’s marketing efforts (i.e. performance marketing, CRM, PR, TV and brand marketing). He then joined the Management Board of Peek&Cloppenburg and was responsible for the company’s online business. He holds a diploma in business administration from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. He has lived and worked in the U.S., Spain, Brazil and South Africa. Christian gets excited about founders that are as passionate about execution as they are about building a strong and sustainable brand. He has a particular focus on logistics and mobility as well food technology companies.

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📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:00 - Introduction

00:50 - Opportunity in AI

02:39 - OverInvestment in LLMs

05:37 - Impact of AI on Jobs

07:19 - Value Creation in the Application layer

10:32 - SaaS evolving into AI Agents

12:48 - Exaggeration of Capabilities in Gartner Hype Cycle

19:22 - Human Brain v/s LLMs

21:53 - Cost of doing Search is High

27:42 - What is Accelerated Computing

31:42 - Limitations of LLMs

36:57 - LLM progress curve is Plateauing?

38:49 - Opportunity for VC in AI Space

43:15 - Will future Startups be High Margin?

44:25 - Conclusion

📍 About:

Itamar is a solo capitalist and the founder of Recursive Ventures, a pre-seed fund focused on fintech, AI and emerging tech startups. Itamar has been on all sides of the startup table: as a founder and executive, an institutional VC, and an angel investor. He has supported over 50 successful startups, including Deel, Honeybook, Placer, Credible (IPO), MileIQ (acquired by Microsoft), Automatic Labs (acquired by SiriusXM), Tile (acquired by Life360), SafeGraph, and Armory. He’s been recognized by Business Insider as a Top 100 global seed investor. As an operator, he helped take Life360 from Seed to IPO, scaling the business to over $250m in revenue. Before that, Itamar was a founding team member and head of Product at Gigya (acquired by SAP). He holds an MBA from Berkeley Haas and an undergraduate degree in computer science from the Tel-Aviv Jaffa College.

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📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:00 - Introduction

03:54 - Importance of Branding in Startups

07:42 - Hugh on starting JFDI

17:33 - Importance of Mentorship

20:44 - How to attract great people

26:06 - Measuring relevant Progress Metrics in Accelerators

29:41 - Selection in Accelerators

32:17 - What’s a ‘Great’ Outcome for an Accelerator?

35:50 - Lessons from running JFDI

38:53 - Startup Ecosystem in Singapore

49:25 - Do top entrepreneurs still value accelerator programs?

📍 About Hugh:

Hugh Mason is a UK-born entrepreneur and investor based in Singapore, best known as the co-founder and CEO of JFDI Asia (Joyful Frog Digital Incubator), Southeast Asia's first startup accelerator, established in 2010. With a background in electronic engineering and media production, he has produced over 150 documentaries for major networks before transitioning to the startup ecosystem. Under his leadership, JFDI has invested around USD 3 million in over 70 startups, emphasising the importance of storytelling and community in entrepreneurship. Hugh continues to mentor emerging entrepreneurs and has co-authored books on startup journeys.

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📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:00 - Introduction 

01:32 - Easy to build good relationships with Investors? 

03:55 - Importance of a Good Relationship with Investors 

05:59 - Size and Strategy of a fund affects Founder-VC Relationship 

07:37 - Components of a Successful Relationship 

09:04 - Hummingbird’s POV on Investor interference 

12:16 - VCs' Role in Crucible Moments 

14:39 - Power Dynamics in Founder-VC Relationships 

16:35 - Can Investors and Founders be good friends? 

21:03 - Scenarios Leading to Founder-Investor Friction 

26:36 - Handling Co-Founder Breakups

28:29 - Evolution of Founder-Investor Relationships

34:49 - Measuring the Founder-Investor Relationship

35:57 - Conclusion

About

Akshay leads investments in both emerging markets and global fintech at Hummingbird.

Previously, Akshay worked at Citigroup, where he raised equity capital for large corporations, and at Artivest (acquired), where he helped build and grow a platform that enables retail capital to access alternative investments. During graduate school, Akshay had the opportunity to work with MIT's $25 billion endowment fund.

In his spare time, Akshay records music and writes about founders in his newsletter, 'Amplify'.

He holds an MBA from the Sloan School of Management at MIT and a BA in Economics with a minor in Ethnomusicology from Franklin & Marshall College.

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📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

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📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:00 Introduction

01:28 The Prestige and Challenges of VC

03:28 Arun Pai's Journey into Venture Capital

04:08 Breaking into Investment Banking

06:17 Transitioning from Banking to Startups

07:57 Joining Monk's Hill Ventures

09:04 Advice for Aspiring VCs

11:59 The Fluidity of the VC Industry

12:29 Who Should Become a VC?

15:19 Skills and Specialization in VC

22:58 Building Relationships and Reputation

27:19 Transitioning to Quantitative Roles

27:34 Understanding VC Roles and Value

28:27 Challenges in Breaking into Investment Teams

29:39 Building a 360-Degree Skill Set

30:13 Personal Journey into VC

33:23 VC Interview Process

35:13 Importance of Partner Buy-In

36:47 Why Do You Want to Become a VC?

39:10 Monk's Hill Philosophy

41:48 Due Diligence in VC Hiring

42:22 The Excitement of Being a VC

43:42 Challenges in High Conviction Investing

47:20 The Importance of Networking and Luck

48:37 Burnout and Specialization in VC

51:16 Balancing Experience and Staying Updated

52:53 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

About:

Arun is a Principal at Monk’s Hill Ventures, based in Singapore and responsible for deal sourcing, due diligence and investment analysis and research. Arun brings over 15 years of experience in Finance and Tech start-ups.

Prior to joining MHV, Arun spent the last 6 years in the startup ecosystem as a C-level executive. He was the Chief Sales & Strategy Officer at Flow, where he managed growth and capital raising initiatives for the company leading to its acquisition. Prior to that, he was the Chief Kristals Officer, one of the first employees at Kristal.AI. He started his career and spent just under a decade in investment banking at Lehman Brothers and, subsequently, at Nomura across New York, Hong Kong & Singapore.

Arun graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.

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💌 Connect with Rahul: 

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📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

In this episode you will learn:

00:00 Introduction to Corporate Entrepreneurship

00:34 Introducing Sebastien Picard and xcube

01:08 Understanding Venture Studios

02:10 xcube's Unique Approach

02:42 The Corporate Venture Portfolio Equity Model

05:40 Real-World Applications and Examples

06:50 Challenges and Solutions in Financial Inclusion

10:27 The Role of Ecosystems in Innovation

13:24 Benefits for Startups, Investors, and Corporations

18:15 The CVPE Model: A New Investment Class

29:13 Psychological Support for Entrepreneurs

32:40 Measuring Success and Future Evolution

39:33 Conclusion and Next Steps for xcube

About

Sebastien Picard is a seasoned entrepreneur known for his expertise in early-stage innovative ventures.

Sebastien has a proven track record of launching and growing multiple successful businesses across Asia, North America and Europe. His relentless determination, visionary and strategic mindset, and humility set him apart as a business leader.

Sebastien founded xcube in 2023, xcube is a Singapore based corporate venture studio specialises in building ventures through a unique ecosystem approach.

Established from Sebastien's entrepreneurial insights and brought to life by a talented core team, xcube embodies his vision and entrepreneurial experiences, paving the way for innovative ventures to thrive.

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💌 Connect with Rahul: 

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📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:00 Introduction to Big Business and Market Size

01:28 Importance of Identifying Big Markets

03:18 Challenges and Considerations for Founders

05:07 Defining and Evaluating Big Markets

05:58 Insights from Famous Market Examples

09:51 Understanding Customer Experience and Market Dynamics

12:20 Evaluating Unit Economics and Team Dynamics

15:21 Prioritization and Roadmap for Startups

24:09 Challenges of Digital Targeting

25:15 Importance of Customer Experience

26:53 Product and Market Dynamics

27:25 Creating New Markets

31:39 Understanding Customer Problems

37:02 Iterative Product Development

40:17 Surprising Success Stories

44:42 Final Thoughts and Reflections

About

Shiyan Koh is an experienced operator and investor. She is currently a Co-Founder and General Partner at Hustle Fund, a global pre-seed venture fund. Prior to Hustle Fund, she was VP of Business Operations & Corp Dev at NerdWallet (employee #10), growing annual revenue from $1 million to more than $150 million. Before NerdWallet, she was an investor at Institutional Venture Partners and Bridgewater Associates.

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🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul: 

🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/

📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:00:40 - Importance of Managing Finances for Startups

00:08:58 - Compliance Regulation for Startups

00:12:48 - Strategizing on resource allocation  

00:15:48 - Startups offering inflated incentives

00:18:48 - Finding the right talent

00:23:34 - Basic Metrics startups should consider

00:28:36 - Startups operating on Low margins

00:29:33 - Reporting Spends to VC’s

00:34:55 - Investment rejection

00:36:53 - Unexpected challenges startups face

00:41:29 - Are managing Finances a necessity for Startups?

00:42:45 - Conclusion

About

Manoj Agarwal, Co-founder & Managing Partner at SeaFund, has 25+ years of experience in business leadership, investments, and strategy. He co-founded SeaFund, an early-stage venture fund, and currently leads capital raising for its new fund. Previously, he was CEO of Karuturi Global, a top agricultural transnational, and is an advisor to Latize, a Singaporean data management company. Manoj holds a computer science degree and completed an executive program at INSEAD.

🔗 Follow us:

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🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/

🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD

🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul: 

🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/

📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:00 Welcome to Pitch Me Note: The Startup Pitch Podcast

00:12 Introducing Today's Guests and Startup Focus

00:42 Diving Deep into SoMin: The AI-Powered Ad Tech Platform

01:25 Exploring the Core Problem SoMin Solves

01:51 Target Customers and Product Offerings

02:44 SoMin's Traction and Funding Journey

04:14 The Founder's Journey: From Developer to CEO

05:52 Achieving Customer Savings and Business Metrics

07:50 Customer Acquisition Strategies and Sales Cycle Insights

09:36 Leveraging Technology for Competitive Advantage

10:53 Funding Goals and the Vision for Growth

14:44 Transforming the Advertising Industry: A Visionary Goal

16:46 Staying Ahead in the Fast-Paced Ad Tech Landscape

19:31 Navigating Data Challenges in Marketing

19:45 The Importance of Staying Relevant and Innovative

20:19 Addressing the Rising Costs of Customer Acquisition

21:12 Strategic Ad Scaling and Performance Marketing Insights

21:58 Post-Pitch Debrief and Analysis

22:09 Evaluating the Problem Statement and Market Fit

25:54 Investor's Perspective on Ad Tech and Team Dynamics

35:20 Final Thoughts and Investment Considerations

🔗 Follow us:

🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/

🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/

🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD

🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul: 

🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/

📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:31 - The US-India Saas Corridor

00:04:13 - Advantage of building Software in India

00:08:57 - Early GTM strategies for Companies

00:11:46 - How can Indian SaaS Companies compete in the US?

00:14:49 - Will the cost advantage of building software in India persist?

00:16:19 - Challenges faced by Indian Companies in the US

00:21:21 - VC’s expectations before investing

00:23:19 - When should SaaS companies target the US market?

00:28:15 - Finding Product Market Fit

00:32:38 - US Go-To Market Strategy

00:39:01 - Raising Funds in the US

00:42:06 - Building a Great Network in US

00:48:30 - Future of India-US SaaS Corridor

00:50:14 - Conclusion

About

Chanchal Bhoorani is an investor at WestBridge Capital, focusing on US-India Enterprise Software investments from their Silicon Valley office. WestBridge is a multi-stage investment firm with approximately $8 billion in evergreen capital.

Chanchal played a key role in sourcing Physics Wallah for their first round of financing, valuing the company at over $1 billion. She has also been instrumental in the firm's investment in Freshworks and other private deals.

Prior to WestBridge, Chanchal gained experience building large-scale B2B and B2C products. At Ola Cabs, India's leading ride-sharing company, she designed allocation and dynamic pricing algorithms as a product manager. She then led the product team for a fashion e-commerce marketplace in Southeast Asia during their high-growth period.

Chanchal holds a graduate degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and an engineering degree from IIT Varanasi. When not working, she volunteers with organizations supporting female education and employment. She also enjoys cheering for underdogs in Formula One racing, hiking, and hosting game nights.

🔗 Follow us:

🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/

🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/

🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD

🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul: 

🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/

📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:00:52 - About J-Ventures

00:02:57 - J-Ventures' VC Model in comparison to Traditional VCs

00:11:56 -  Process of Onboarding LP’s

00:19:16 - Managing the community of LPs

00:20:29 - J-Ventures unique approach in VC

00:26:06 - J-Ventures’ investment mandate

00:30:50 - Value-based Investing in Companies

00:32:12 - Sourcing Companies for Investing

00:38:38 - Criteria for Evaluating Founders

00:42:06 - LP representation on Company Boards

00:46:36 - Needing Support v/s Being Self-Reliant

00:50:01 - Importance of Dialogue and Learning for first time founders

00:59:29 - Community led Model v/s Traditional VC Model of Investing

About

Oded Hermoni is an investor, entrepreneur and journalist. Since 2005, he has invested in over 70 companies (5 of which became Unicorns), as is currently the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of the J-Ventures Fund (a "Capitalist Kibbutz") in Silicon Valley. Oded is active in philanthropic organizations and has been a Board Member at the Jewish Federation SF, JFCS, Friends of Hebrew University, ICON, Intro, and more.

🔗 Follow us:

🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/

🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/

🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD

🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul: 

🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/

📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

📍Digital Prism, the Singapore-based digital transformation expert which help you transform your business digitally. From product development to enhancing your online presence, they've got you covered! 

🎁The first 10 sign-ups receive a whopping 20 hours of free consultation! Secure your complimentary consultation and unlock your business's digital potential today!!

In this episode you will learn:

00:03:09 - Relationship between Good Founding Teams

00:08:16 - Personality Disorders amongst Founders

00:11:59 - Major Reason for Conflict amongst Founders

00:14:09 - Risk Taking ability of the Founders

00:16:38 - Investor Response to Founder Conflicts Post-Investment

00:20:16 - Resolving Founding Team Conflicts

00:21:58 - Founder Red Flags Investors Look out for

00:25:33 - Tackling Founder Ego

00:27:09 - Impact of Founder Conflict on Company’s Success

00:30:52 - How can Startups navigate Product Market Fit?

00:35:58 - Resources to Educate Founders to tackle Conflicts

00:38:22 - Conclusion

About:

Will Klippgen is a Singapore-based Norwegian entrepreneur and technology venture capitalist who co-founded the price comparison portal Zoomit.com (later merged with Kelkoo, which was sold to Yahoo! in 2004). He served as one of the judges on the television series Angel's Gate, which was broadcast on Channel NewsAsia in 2012. Will is a co-founder and serves as the Managing Partner at Cocoon Capital. He holds an MBA from INSEAD where he is an Entrepreneur in Residence.

He has invested in over 55 startups in Singapore and across the world since 2004. His investments include PropertyGuru, Anacle Systems, ReferralCandy, Nugit, Tickled Media, iXiGO.com, See-Mode Technologies, SensorFlow, GuardRails, BuyMed and Augmentus. 

🔗 Follow us:

🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/

🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/

🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD

🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul: 

🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/

📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

📍Digital Prism, the Singapore-based digital transformation expert which help you transform your business digitally. From product development to enhancing your online presence, they've got you covered! 

🎁The first 10 sign-ups receive a whopping 20 hours of free consultation! Secure your complimentary consultation and unlock your business's digital potential today!

In this episode you will learn:

02:30 - Origins of Venture Studios

09:02 - Venture Studios vs Accelerators

13:49 - Higher Startup Success Rates with Venture Studios?

18:43 - Founder Obsession with Idea: Key to Startup Success?

24:35 - Evaluating Founders for Outbound Opportunities

31:44 - Founders: Domain Expertise vs Quick Learners

33:49 - Corporate Collaboration with Venture Studios

39:14 - Equity Ownership for Founders in Venture Studios

45:08 - Challenges Faced by Venture Studios

46:39 - Collaboration with LPs in Venture Studios

53:11 - Managing Multiple Studios within a Venture Studio

59:13 - Who Should Start a Venture Studio?

01:01:43 - Conclusion

About:
Sam is an entrepreneur, venture builder, board advisor and investor. He works with pre-seed and seed-stage entrepreneurs & investors to build startups & venture studios.

In 2017, he founded Rainmaking APAC Venture Studio. Rainmaking APAC is today one of the largest venture development companies in the region, and was acquired by Bain & Company in 2023. 

The companies that have been built and scaled by Rainmaking APAC have generated $880m in funding and hold a combined equity value of more than $9bn. Through his work with Rainmaking APAC, Sam has also pioneered a range of equity-share models of corporate venture building.

Sam’s focus is on building companies, supporting venture build ecosystems, and creating and empowering venture builders. He believes that entrepreneurship is one of the best means that we have of offering fulfilling work and creating the conditions required to unlock the potential in our global workforce at scale. 

Prior to launching Rainmaking APAC Venture Studio, Sam was a founder and early team member in startups in Europe, and invested in startups through an early-stage accelerator. These experiences as founder, operator and investor shaped the thinking, philosophy, process and governance structure that he now applies to venture building at scale in the Rainmaking APAC Venture Studio.

🔗 Follow us:

🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/

🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/

🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD

🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul: 

🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/

📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:00:42 - Optical vs Quantum Computing

00:03:11 - Basics of Photonic Computing

00:07:15 - Challenges in using Optics for Compute

00:09:44 - Under-utilization of Compute for Data Transfer

00:13:19 - Segments and Opportunities in Photonics

00:20:08 - Lumai's Approach in Optical Processing

00:21:55 - Importance of Optical Computing in AI Progress

00:27:21 - Industries Benefiting from Optical Computing Breakthroughs

00:30:10 - Talent and Startups in Optical Computing

00:33:12 - Backgrounds of Optical Computing Founders

00:34:09 - Do we need Quantum Computing?

00:41:09 - Challenges of Optical Computing

00:43:29 - Investment Opportunities in Optical Computing

00:45:07 - Business Models for Optical Computing Startups

00:50:54 - Exits and Acquisitions: Problem Size and Tech Maturity

About

Denis Kalinin, serving as the Asia Business Development Manager at Runa Capital since 2020, plays a pivotal role in advancing Runa's initiatives across Asia. His primary focus lies in facilitating the entry of portfolio startups into Asian markets, with a special emphasis on China. Denis actively seeks out suitable technological and distribution partners for these startups, while also contributing to the scouting efforts for B2B SaaS, Deep Tech, and Fintech startups in the Asian region.

Before joining Runa, Denis led an investment project in China and co-founded a startup dedicated to assisting high-tech companies in navigating the Chinese market. Holding an M.S. degree from the University for International Business and Economics in Beijing, Denis also gained valuable international exposure through an exchange program at the Free University of Berlin. Notably, he served as the chairman of a student Energy Club during his academic tenure.

Fluent in English, German, and Chinese, Denis has a penchant for watching series and reading books in these three languages. Beyond his professional pursuits, Denis exhibits a keen interest in space exploration, having authored several articles comparing various space industries.

🔗 Follow us:

🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/

🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/

🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD

🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul: 

🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/

📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.

00:00 - Introduction

01:54 - Talent Investing & Fundamentals 

03:28 - Talent Investing vs. Recruitment

05:10 - What Talent Investors Look For

08:11 - Characteristics of Great Talent Investors

14:14 - Early Discovery of Exceptional Individuals

16:22 - Finding Exceptional Talent

17:58 - Characteristics of a Great Founder

23:48 - Challenges in Finding the Right Founders

26:37 - Fear of Failure

31:07 - Role of Family and Childhood

34:02 - Decision to Become a Founder

37:54 - Co-Founders with Complimentary Skillsets

42:09 - Increased productivity w/ a Co-Founder
52:18 - EF’s Ecosystem 

54:36 - EF's Graduate vs. Core Programs

01:01:17 - Conclusion

About

Rahul Samat, Partner and India Head at Entrepreneur First, brings over 14 years of experience as a founder, builder, and mentor. He holds a Master's in Science from the University of Pennsylvania and completed a scholarship program at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Rahul started his career in banking at Barclays Investment Bank and later joined Capital One. In 2014, he co-founded InnerChef, a VC-backed startup, and in 2016, he became the Head of Private & Strategic Brands at Swiggy. In 2022, Rahul joined Entrepreneur First to lead and expand the team in India, focusing on supporting entrepreneurs from the pre-idea stage to fundraising through EF's investor network.

🔗 Follow us:

🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/

🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/

🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD

🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul: 

🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/

📩 Email : understandingvc@gmail.com

🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About: 

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.