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 S...

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...

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 digi...

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, wi...

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...

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,...

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 neve...

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 j...

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 ...

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 innovatio...

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...

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, st...

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 Bh...

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...

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 - Intr...

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 b...

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 iden...

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 sect...

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...

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 investin...

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 ...

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 q...

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 N...

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 gro...