Caesar Sengupta

It’s great to see such a thoughtful review of #HeadStart 🙌 in the Hindu BusinessLine. https://lnkd.in/gN83bBwV Sunder Ramachandran and I aimed to create a guide that's practical and (hopefully) not your typical self-help overload. We wanted to skip the usual buzzwords to offer something young professionals could genuinely use and relate to. Glad to see sections like ‘Be a Boss Magnet’ and ‘Career Transitions’ resonating! Learning the ‘boss code’ or the art of a ‘slingshot move’ is less about corporate jargon and more about finding ways to excel and grow in the real, sometimes messy situations we all face. And yes, while formulas like the 30:70 rule or the 2+2 Stakeholder Plan sound a bit… ‘methodical,’ we’re rooting for practical hacks over complicated theories here. (Spoiler: no pi-charts in this book!) At its heart, #HeadStart is for anyone aiming for a fulfilling career. Here’s hoping this book is a steady companion in your career journey. Order now: https://lnkd.in/gMwWWuUe Radhika Marwah

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The decisions and actions of our brightest minds in the coming years will play a crucial role in defining our trajectory for the century and where we land with the technology of our time. We have a special fireside chat in Bangalore this week that will explore an Investor perspective on the India opportunity in AI. We’re joined by Pratik (from Nexus VP) and Matt (from EF) who’ve been investing in AI for more than a decade. Expect us to delve into key topics like the role of capital, talent, compute, the importance of alignment and safety, and the future of AI among other things (more on this in the link). RSVP here: https://lu.ma/h589mcrs #venturecapital #technology #ai #entrepreneurship #startups #vc

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Commoditization of AI models Yesterday evening I had the pleasure of watching Aravind Srinivas' (founder of Perplexity) interview with Aarthi Ramamurthy and Sriram Krishnan . It's a great interview and I would recommend AI founders to watch it if possible. https://lnkd.in/gnM2NeS8 Couple of things that stuck me from the interview: 1. Aravind believes in the commoditization of AI models in the long run. His take his firms like Perplexity which focus on user problems and solve for it using relevant models will win. Perplexity does it quite well, do check them out if you haven't already. This is something that AI entrepreneurs should think about. Creating foundational models is freaking expensive! and for conservative capital allocators like us it is too risky a bet (not betting on AI is even riskier 😅, I guess we need to learn more) I am going to tag the platform Guru and distinguished IIMB alumnus Sangeet Paul Choudary for his take on this. 2. The initial employees (5-10) have to be truth seekers rather than social affirmers(?) It was great hearing him talk about the culture at Perplexity of seeking the truth through open conversations and arguments on Slack rather than provide positive affirmation. I think it's something that every founder should strive for. Truth will prevail in the longer run. This works in technology, finance, politics, society, anywhere. (Satyamev Jayate is true in itself!) But to be able to have an open conversation, the founders need to have depth themselves. This is something that I feel the Indian ecosystem lacks, as most of the founders seem to be managerial in nature. I find them shifting to jargons rather than simplicity when questioned deeper. (By the way this is a classic test to check whether someone really knows it, people who know what they are talking about will make it simpler, those who don't take the cover of jargons to increase complexity and portray intelligence) I understand my analysis could be biased due to self-selection, and I would love to be proven wrong. It's pretty cool that Aravind chose Larry Page as his favourite entrepreneur due to their common background of coming from academic research to entrepreneurship. What I definitely don't agree with Aravind on The idea that luck doesn't play a role in outcomes. Successful people generally attribute success to their hard work/smartness / enterprise without understanding their privilege. For e.g. A smarter/more hardworking/more enterprising Dalit girl from Bihar will never have the kind of opportunities that I had as a Tam Bram born in a lower-middle class but very well educated family in Chennai. One has tried to solve for it using our Sakhi Scholars programme, which supports gifted girls from underprivileged communities to achieve their dream through financial support. On a lighter note, Aravind is a 2017 IIT-M alum and has already built a $8 billion company, what the hell am I doing with my life? 🤔

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If you doubted the rise of India as a powerhouse, Pine Labs, a significant fintech player, is now relocating its headquarters from Singapore to India following approval from a Singapore court. This strategic shift mirrors other successful Indian startups like PhonePe, Razorpay, and Groww, embracing the trend of ‘reverse flipping’. The move signifies growing confidence in the Indian market and its potential. Key factors enabling this move include: - Favorable economic policies - Growing domestic market - Increasing investor confidence - Greater certainty of an exit at a higher valuation - Ease of accessing capital - Regulatory changes - Maturing capital markets - Cost-effective listing process All great signs for India! #India #Fintech #PineLabs #Startups #BusinessGrowth

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The words ‘venture’ and ‘philanthropy’ aren’t commonly used together - while the VC space is thought of in the context of valuations and returns, philanthropic funding is typically thought of as programmatic.  Unveiling tomorrow, our next episode of #UnHerd features Sandeep Singhal - a seasoned venture capitalist but also a passionate venture philanthropist, who delves into his unconventional philanthropic motivations and shares his insights on integrating #healthtech innovations within #publichealthcare to create impact at scale 🚀 Tune in at 5:30 PM tomorrow to catch the full conversation! 🎙️ #CoFoundersOfSocialChange #Changemakers #SocialImpact #Philanthropy #Podcast

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Full article: https://lnkd.in/gWNKZ_9M Always like to share our work to others, coz it is also a reflection for myself. At MakerBay Foundation , we aims to empower everyone to make an impact, no matter it is a small project, an initiative, or a social enterprise. That's why we did education program in school, incbating social enterprise, etc. #MakerBayFoundation #EmpowerEveryone #MakeAnImpact #Education #SocialEnterprise So, if you wanna do something, just do it now!

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🚀 A $7 TRILLION economy by 2030 - the biggest wealth creation opportunity of our generation is unfolding in #India. But how will we get there? This week, we launched #Upstart - a groundbreaking series that decodes India's unprecedented growth story through the lens of its innovators and architects. The numbers are staggering: 👉🏼 97 million people joining the workforce in next decade 👉🏼 371 million middle-class consumers (world's largest) 👉🏼 40% of power capacity from renewables 👉🏼 Digital payments transactions highest globally, 2-10x of developed nations 👉🏼 Services exports hit record $341.1 billion in FY24 But numbers only tell half the story. In Episode 1, we sit down with Pranav Pai, Founding Partner of 3one4 Capital, one of India's most influential VCs who has backed 70+ category leaders including Licious, DarwinBox, and Open. Highlights from the episode: 💡 Why services are "India's LeBron James" for the next 30 years 💡 How PLI schemes are transforming manufacturing 💡 The critical policy shifts needed for global competitiveness 💡 Where the biggest startup opportunities lie in this transition Want to understand where the next decade of opportunity lies in the world's fastest-growing major economy? 👉 Watch Episode 1 of Upstart today! https://lnkd.in/gjqcU47W WeWork India | #WeWorkLabs | Aniket Jagtap | Mohini Kumar | Shenjit Basu | Akanksha Sarma | Tanuj Ahuja #Startups #VentureCapital #Founders #MakeInIndia #StartupIndia #IndianEconomy #Leadership #Entrepreneurship

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Only TWO days left to apply for the RippleX Fellowship program! If you are a student/dropout/recent grad building a b2b software company in Canada/US, this is the program for you. In our last batch we had some amazing mentors like: - Braden Ream (CEO, Voiceflow): Mastering storytelling and navigating selling into enterprises - Rahul Parmar (Prev. Senior Director of Sales, Drata): Sales 101 – Converting pilots to real revenue, creating urgency among buyers, and best practices to manage a sales process - Nicholas Chepesiuk (CEO, OnCall Virtual Care, now part of Qualifacts): Striving towards product-market fit, utilizing creative outbound strategies, and the importance of building trust with customers in the early days - Justin Sky (CEO, Rose Rocket): Identifying venture-scale markets, learning when to pivot, and building strong organizational culture - Josh Gray (CEO, Artemis): Conducting customer validation, segmenting your ICP, and advice for young founders Apply here: https://lnkd.in/e2iAu6vi

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"Be the change you wish to see in the world." These powerful words by Mahatma Gandhi hold a mirror to the entrepreneurial spirit that is driving India’s transformation today. Just as he led movements that redefined the nation, India’s startup founders are reshaping industries with bold ideas, innovation, and determination. Through their vision and grit, our entrepreneurs are driving meaningful change—solving real-world problems, creating jobs, and building solutions that affect lives on a large scale. This Gandhi Jayanti, let’s celebrate the innovators who embody this ethos, turning challenges into opportunities for a better, more sustainable future. #GandhiJayanti #Entrepreneurship #StartupIndia #InnovatorsForChange #IANGroup

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When you find a practical use of AI in an area that has strong tailwinds in the India growth story, you know this is a venture that has a high potential not just for value creation but for job creation in the country. Delighted to back TraqCheck founders Jaibir Nihal Singh, Armaan Mehta and @rishabh jain as they make it easier for over 200 corporations to embrace the new way of work. Traqcheck's Ai-enabled background checks of employees is way, way faster and far more reliable than traditional methods of background verification. Pankaj Bansal (पंकज बंसल)Karann Mittal Danish Dogra Aman Khan Yukta Kelkar Atreyi Dass

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We break even and make profits already, the co-founder answered. We should have told losses for next 10 years at-least, said another co-founder while walking out. Series - P1. The Fund Raising Story! #thefundraisingstory #fundraise #founders #startups

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Startup Central | Women's Special Priti Rathi Gupta of LXME shares insights on the women-centric fintech company's latest fundraise, user acquisition, brand building and more Avanne Dubash Priti Rathi Gupta LXME

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Women entrepreneurs are the backbone of change, often starting businesses to uplift their families. However, access to credit remains one of their biggest challenges. At the AFAI Co-Lending Summit, Lxme’s Co-Founder, Ridhi Kanoria Doongursee spoke about women’s behaviors towards borrowing, the importance of accessible credit for women nano-entrepreneurs, and how Lxme empowers women to learn, save, invest, and even access loans to achieve their goals. ✨ 📽️ Watch Ridhi share how Lxme has evolved as a holistic money app for women 🔗 Catch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/dp3a-nb2 #Lxme #fintechsummit #colending #fintechindustry #financialservices #digitalfinance #womeninfinance #savings #investments #womenempowerment #businessnetworking #financialleadership #partnerships

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Celebrating One Year at Elev8 Venture Partners! What started as humble beginnings at co-working spaces like Axilor and WeWork, has finally culminated into our second home at Elev8 VP. Exactly one year ago, we inaugurated our new office on 12th Main in Indiranagar, marking a significant milestone in our journey. Initially, I was hesitant about large offices or high rentals, especially on the high street. However, thanks to Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, Anuj Golecha, and Gaurav Jain, Anil G Jain, we took the plunge. We secured an office space that was more than I initially thought we could afford. Today, I can confidently say it was one of the best decisions for Elev8 Venture Partners. In the world of venture capital, office location and décor surprisingly play a crucial role, especially for a first-time fund. It's not about extravagance or lavish spending but about creating a welcoming, professional environment. Our beautifully done office, complete with lush plants, has greatly contributed to building a positive external perception. This perception & vibe, is our reality. Home is not built by bricks but by memories. Over the past year, we've made incredible strides. Our investments in IDfy and Astrotalk have been pivotal, marking the beginning of our journey to support high-quality tech companies at the growth stage. This journey wouldn’t have been possible without my incredible team, whose dedication and hard work have turned our office into a second home. Here’s to many more years of growth, innovation, and impactful investments. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey with Elev8 Venture Partners. #Elev8VP #Anniversary #VentureCapital #Investment #TechStartups #GrowthStage #Teamwork #Innovation #Success Divy Chopda, Ashwini Khemka, Aman Ahmed, Abhisekh Shah, Parth Doshi, Mayank Jajoo, Komal Vichoor, Zaveria Mohammad, Mitali Rai, Eric (Jung Ho) Yoo, Donghyun Kim

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🌟 Transforming Women's Digital Experiences: coto's Revolution in Online Consultations 🌟 In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, coto is leading the charge in creating a safe, empowering space where women can access expert guidance on their own terms. Our latest innovation? A groundbreaking live consultation feature that not only prioritizes privacy and safety but also opens up new avenues for women to connect with top-rated experts in real time. At coto, we're not just offering another consultation service—we're revolutionizing the way women seek and receive support. With our AI-powered platform, users can connect with specialists in mental health, wellness, relationships, astrology, and more, anytime, anywhere. And with our 'Pay Only When Happy' policy, we ensure that every woman feels confident in the value she receives. For experts, Coto offers unparalleled opportunities to expand their reach and monetize their expertise. Our platform provides the flexibility to manage schedules, engage with a broader audience, and grow a sustainable revenue stream—all while maintaining the highest standards of privacy and security for both the expert and the user. As we continue to expand globally, our focus remains steadfast: to create a digital haven where meaningful, safe, and valuable interactions are the norm. At Coto, we're not just facilitating consultations—we're empowering women to take charge of their lives, one conversation at a time. Join us in transforming the digital consultation experience. Together, let's create a world where women can confidently seek the support they deserve. 💜 #WomenEmpowerment #DigitalConsultations #Coto #ExpertGuidance #AI #PrivacyFirst #SafeSpace #Monetization #WomenInTech #SupportWomen #Innovation https://lnkd.in/ga4bHzq2

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"AI will take over almost everything" Someone said this to me the other day, convinced that the main jobs we know today will be taken over by AI not too long from now. While another told me that AI will help scale the efforts of those already doing a good job on their own. So where does AI fit in marketing, and how do AI-driven ecosystems shift the way we create, communicate, deliver, and exchange offerings that have value for our customers and partners? Thank you SP Jain School of Global Management - Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore & Sydney for inviting me to deliver a keynote on the power of AI-driven ecosystems for marketing. I will be sharing my observations on how some startups have quickly leverage Generative AI capabilities in this ecosystem, what has worked, where are the areas of friction that impede rapid adoption and what possibilities we can look forward to. I invite my friends to join me and the esteem panelists in this Business Conclave on 6th December (next friday). Check out the registration link below before seats run out. I look forward to seeing you and having a vibrant discussion! #AI #AIformarketing #strategy #marketing

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Rebalance is India's first angel community that's 51% women with 27 investments across fintech, biotech, consumer, drones, Gen AI, deeptech healthcare, climate, energy, edtech and more. 🔥 Aishwarya is hosting a limited-seating, candid chat for women who invest in startups (would like to invest with Rebalance) and for women who want to learn about startup investing. No question is too trivial or small, this is a safe space to ask anything about startup investing! When: 26 May 2024 [Sunday] Where: Somewhere in Delhi ☕ Timings: 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm 2 days to go!! RSVP here: https://shorturl.at/EoYLN If you're already an investor or not based in Delhi/Gurgaon - you can directly sign up here to be part of the investing community: https://lnkd.in/g7taCdkc

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