Prime Venture Partners Podcast

AI is no longer experimental—it's foundational.

In this explosive episode, PrimeVP Founder & Partner Shripati Acharya and Principal Gaurav Ranjan unpack how AI is reshaping B2B software—and what that means for evaluating and investing in early-stage startups.

What you’ll learn:
⚙️ The rise of Enterprise AI and its real-world applications
📈 Prime’s investment thesis in AI-first SaaS startups
🧠 What separates hype from defensible value in AI
🚀 Advice for founders building in vertical SaaS, AI agents, and more

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

02:00 – AI’s impact on startup scaling and team size

03:20 – Faster sales cycles with enterprise AI

07:26 – Will AI unlock India’s SaaS market?

13:36 – Has AI neutralised India’s cost advantage?

20:19 – Models vs APIs: Where’s the real business?

25:52 – Why UI still wins in enterprise software

27:27 – Building moats through workflow depth

34:38 – How to price AI products right

39:43 – Prime’s investment themes in enterprise AI

44:58 – Final thoughts

💡 Key Takeaways:

Where AI is driving real enterprise value today
Prime's active investment thesis in AI + SaaS
The rise of function-specific AI agents across verticals
Shifts in software buying behaviour—from IT to HR budgets

This is your tactical guide to the next generation of enterprise innovation.

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#AIRevolution #EnterpriseAI #SaaSInnovation #FutureOfWork #AIEcosystem #StartupGrowth #FoundersFirst #VCInsights #TechLeadership #AIInvesting #B2BInnovation #IndiaStartups #AIxSaaS #PrimeVenturePartnersPodcast

What’s next in fintech? In this high-signal episode, Sheel Mohnot (GP at @ Better Tomorrow Ventures) shares deep insight into the future of financial services, AI’s impact on SaaS, and how VC is evolving in 2025.

🔍 In Sheel’s candid chat with Sanjay Swamy, You’ll learn:

 • What US fintech can learn from India’s public infrastructure (UPI, DEPA, account aggregation)
 • Why SaaS isn’t dead—but must evolve beyond subscription revenue
 • How Sheel evaluates founder-market fit, velocity, and tenacity
 • The co-lending revolution in India—and why it’s a structural shift
 • Why BTV is betting big on hands-on accelerators and early-stage velocity

📌Timestamps:

 00:00 – Introduction

 01:30 – Sheel’s journey from Pittsburgh to VC

 08:15 – U.S. vs India: Fintech regulation 

 15:30 – Is SaaS dead? The AI disruption

 20:15 – India Stack vs U.S. payments

 27:30 – Can Indian fintech go global?

 30:00 – IPO readiness: India vs U.S.

 34:00 – Will BTV invest in India?

 45:00 – Red flags & founder filters

 50:00 – What gets a “yes” from Sheel

 54:00 – Fintech outlook for 2025

 57:10 – Clubhouse, Bieber & Taco Bell wedding

🔑 Key Takeaways:
✔️ Vertical SaaS is fintech in disguise – and it’s how modern software will scale revenue
✔️ AI is not just augmenting work—it’s replacing it in areas like accounting and underwriting
✔️ Regulation ≠ obstacle – In the U.S., a patchwork system creates an edge for savvy startups
✔️ Early-stage investing is about founder-market fit, and spotting overlooked “superpowers”

📌 Follow us:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primevp
Twitter: https://twitter.com/primevp_in
Website: https://primevp.in

#Fintech #SaaS #AI #Startups #VentureCapital #IndiaStack #SheelMohnot #BetterTomorrowVentures #DigitalTransformation #FounderInsights #InvestorInsights #FutureOfFinance #PrimeVenturePartnersPodcast

What happens when creativity meets sharp market insight?

In this episode, Raffic Aslam (ex-Creative Director at Zoho) breaks down the 3 campaigns that defined Zoho’s global marketing playbook:

1️⃣UAE VAT Campaign – A masterclass in cultural targeting that unlocked a new market via a single character: Kutty, the Malayali accountant.
2️⃣ Made in India for the World – A bold declaration of Indian innovation for a global SaaS audience.
3️⃣Super Bowl Ads – Frugal but fierce, this campaign helped Zoho stand out in a sea of enterprise giants.

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

02:15 – The birth of the Zoho logo

06:30 – Why simplicity & color made the logo unforgettable

08:37 – Branding vs. Performance Marketing

14:25 – Campaign 1: UAE VAT Campaign – Meet “Kutty”

20:45 – Lessons from targeting expat accountants

23:02 – Campaign 2: Made in India, Made for the World

27:00 – Building pride in Indian-built software

30:55 – Campaign 3: Zoho’s Super Bowl Ad Strategy

35:10 – How Zoho kept it frugal but memorable

38:00 – Branding advice for SaaS founders

41:20 – Final takeaways for startup marketers

💡 Top Takeaways for Founders & Marketers:
✔️ Go deep, not broad: Hyperlocal targeting can unlock massive markets
✔️ Your logo is a strategy: Visual identity drives brand recall & lowers CAC
✔️ Brand building ≠ media spend: Authentic storytelling beats big budgets

🔔 Subscribe to Prime Podcasts for more insights

🎙 Hosted by Jerome Manuel, Head of Community at PrimeVP

📌 Follow us:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primevp
Twitter: https://twitter.com/primevp_in
Website: https://primevp.in

#Zoho #SaaSMarketing #StartupBranding #IndianStartups #MarketingStrategy #B2BMarketing #MadeInIndia #SuperBowlAds #FrugalMarketing #GrowthMindset #PrimeVenturePartnersPodcast

How do you scale a product to 70M+ users without spending a dime on marketing?

Deepak Joy Cheenath (Co-founder of Quizizz) reveals:

✅ The moment Quizizz found its viral growth loop

✅ How teacher-driven adoption fueled massive organic scale

✅ The mistakes they made along the way—and what they learned

✅ Why they held off on monetisation for years (and why it paid off)

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

02:15 – The early days of Quizizz & WizenWorld

05:40 – The teacher-driven insight that changed everything

09:10 – Scaling to 70M+ users with zero marketing

12:30 – Why Quizizz delayed monetisation 

20:20 – The lean team behind a global product

28:30 – Key challenges & lessons from scaling

36:50 – Competing with larger EdTech players

45:15 – The power of community & word-of-mouth growth

49:30 – Key insights & takeaways for founders

Prime  Venture Partners backed Quizizz early, helping them scale from a startup to a global EdTech leader.

🎙 Key Takeaways from This Episode:

📌 Growth isn’t always about paid marketing—sometimes, organic adoption wins.

📌 The right users can be your biggest growth engine.

📌 Delaying monetisation can lead to long-term success.

📌 Simplicity scales—more features don’t always mean better engagement.

💡 What’s the biggest lesson from Quizizz’s journey that applies to your business? Drop your thoughts in the comments! 👇

🎙 This episode is packed with insights for founders, product leaders, and anyone scaling a startup. Don’t miss it—watch or listen now! 🚀👇

Follow Prime Venture Partners:
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primevp/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Primevp_in 

#Quizizz #EdTech #StartupGrowth #ZeroMarketing #ProductLedGrowth #FounderLessons #ScalingStartups #TeacherDriven #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #SuccessStory #UserAdoption #MarketingStrategy #PrimeVenturePartnersPodcast

💡 How do you scale a SaaS company from SMB customers to billion-dollar enterprise deals?

In this Prime Venture Partners Podcast episode, we sit down with Praerit Garg, President of Product & Innovation at Smartsheet, to uncover the secrets of scaling SaaS, AI’s role in work management, and the game-changing lessons from Smartsheet’s journey.

⏳ Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction 

01:28 - Praerit Garg’s Career Journey: From Microsoft → AWS → Smartsheet

04:46 - What is Smartsheet? How It Serves SMBs & Enterprises

07:11 - The Land & Expand Strategy: How Smartsheet Scaled Enterprise Deals

10:27 - Finding the "Magic Metric" That Drives SaaS Growth 

12:55 - Smartsheet’s IPO Journey & Why It Later Went Private Again

15:37 - AI’s Role in Work Automation & How Smartsheet Uses It 

21:03 - The Enterprise AI Trust Challenge – Why Big Companies Are Cautious

24:58 - What VCs Look for in AI SaaS Startups 🚀

36:30 - Why Learning from Non-Customers Unlocks New Market Opportunities

43:00 - Closing Thoughts 


🔥 Inside This Episode:
✅ How Smartsheet transitioned from PLG to enterprise sales
✅ The pricing strategy that maximized SaaS revenue
✅ Why AI is transforming work management & automation
✅ The #1 mistake SaaS founders make when scaling
✅ How learning from non-customers can drive new product innovation
✅ What VCs look for when investing in AI-driven SaaS startups

📢 This isn’t just a SaaS success story—it’s a must-listen masterclass on scaling, pricing, AI, and product innovation.

🔔 Subscribe & Turn on Notifications for more expert insights!

Follow Prime Venture Partners:
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primevp/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Primevp_in 

#SaaS #ScalingSaaS #Smartsheet #StartupGrowth #AI #TechInnovation #EnterpriseTech #VentureCapital #FounderMindset #Entrepreneurship #B2BTech #SaaSStartups #BusinessGrowth #FutureOfWork #PrimeVenturePartnersPodcast

💡 What does it take to build 2 multi-billion-dollar companies?

In this episode of the Prime Venture Partners Podcast, we sit down with Dheeraj Pandey, Co-Founder of Nutanix & DevRev, to unpack the real challenges, pivotal decisions, and insights behind building and scaling a successful enterprise tech company.

00:00 - Introduction
00:52 - Dheeraj’s Early Life
04:15 - Leaving IIT & Taking a Second Shot
07:40 - Studying Computer Science at IIT Kanpur
10:55 - Early Career: Oracle, UT Austin & Trilogy Software
14:20 - The Entrepreneurial Itch & Starting Nutanix
19:30 - Scaling Challenges & Near-Failure Moments
26:35 - The “Tightrope Mentality” for Founders 🎯
33:05 - Going Public: Nutanix IPO & Key Lessons
39:40 - AI’s Role in Enterprise Software 🤖
43:10 - The Shift to DevRev & His New Vision
46:05 - Advice for Founders Scaling SaaS from India
49:00 - Final Thoughts & Key Takeaways

🎙 What’s Inside This Episode?
🔥 Why he left IIT after 2.5 months and came back stronger
🔥 How he built Nutanix into a multi-billion-dollar company
🔥 The risks, near-failure moments, and biggest lessons he learned
🔥 Why AI is reshaping enterprise software & what’s next
🔥 His take on scaling a startup, hiring, and finding product-market fit
🔥 How DevRev is redefining enterprise software with an AI-first approach

📢 This is not just a startup success story—it’s a masterclass in resilience, innovation, and leadership.

With DevRev, Experience conversational AI at work. Startups can get $10K in credits (12 months free) to accelerate their AI-first journey. Apply now - https://devrev.ai/startups/apply

🔔 Subscribe & Turn on Notifications for more game-changing insights!

#StartupJourney #SuccessMindset #BuildSomethingGreat #TechFounder #Startups #Nutanix #DevRev #Entrepreneurship #TechInnovation #SaaS #AI #VentureCapital #Leadership #FounderMindset #EnterpriseTech #PrimeVenturePartnersPodcast

💰How do VCs raise billions before they invest in startups? What happens behind the scenes when venture capitalists secure funding from Limited Partners (LPs)?

📌 Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction 

2:45 - How Gautam Mago & Rahul Chowdhri Became VCs

4:55 - The Growth of India’s Startup & VC Ecosystem Over the Years

7:40 - How LPs Shape the Venture Capital Industry

12:08 - What VCs Look for in a Startup

16:35 - Fundraising Mistakes Founders Make & How to Avoid Them

21:20 - India vs Global VC Markets: Differences in Investment Strategies

26:05 - Sectors & Trends That Will Define the Next Wave of Startups

30:50 - Why Exits Matter: IPOs, Acquisitions & VC Returns Explained

36:45 - Advice for Founders 

For the first time, three of India’s top VCs pull back the curtain on the venture capital fundraising process!
Rahul Chowdhri (Stellaris Ventures), Gautam Mago (A91 Partners), and Amit Somani (Prime VP) break down:

✅ How do VCs raise capital from LPs & the challenges they face?
✅ The key questions LPs ask before backing a VC fund.
✅ How are investment decisions made when managing hundreds of millions?
✅ Why fundraising is just a startup problem—VCs do it too!

With ~$2 Billion collectively raised for Indian startups, this episode is a must-watch for founders, investors, and anyone looking to understand the world of venture capital.

🔔 Subscribe for more startup & VC insights!

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primevp/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/Primevp_in

#VCFunding #VentureCapital #LPInvesting #IndiaVC #Startups #Investing #IndiaGrowth #IndiaStartups #PrimeVenturePartnersPodcast 

In this episode, Abhishek Kumar, co-founder & CEO of Mygate, takes us on the journey of building India’s largest community management platform. From spending a month working alongside security guards to understand their needs, to scaling Mygate to 25,000+ gated communities, Abhishek reveals the key decisions and insights that shaped their success.

🔥 What You’ll Discover:

✅ How Mygate’s founders lived the user experience to refine their product
✅ Cracking product-market fit and scaling across multiple cities
✅ Transitioning from a zero-revenue model to a sustainable business
✅ Strategic investments from Urban Company & Acko—and what’s next
✅ Leadership lessons: Transitioning from COO to CEO & building a strong company culture


📌 Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction

1:44 - Abhishek’s Background and Early Days of Mygate

3:54 - The Birth of Mygate

5:22 - Understanding the Problem in Gated Communities

7:15 - Shadowing Security Guards to Build Mygate

11:37 - The Three Phases of Mygate’s Growth

15:13 - Addressing Data Privacy and Security

19:50 - Monetization and Hybrid Business Model

23:28 - Strategic Partnerships with Urban Company and Acko

27:06 - Scaling Payments and New Initiatives

33:14 - The Launch of Mygate Smart Lock

37:15 - Leadership Transition and Company Culture

42:27 - Mygate’s Work Culture and Values

48:26 - What’s Next for Mygate

🔔 Subscribe for more stories from top founders and innovators transforming India’s startup ecosystem.

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primevp/
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👇 Join the conversation – What are your key takeaways from Mygate’s journey? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

#Mygate #StartupJourney #PrimeVenturePartners #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #TechEcosystem #Leadership #GrowthVsProfitability #SmartHomeSolutions

🔮 What does 2025 hold for Indian startups, venture capital, and innovation?

In this special episode, Partners at Prime dive deep into the predictions and trends that will shape the world of Indian startups, venture capital, and sectors in 2025.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction: 2025 Startup & VC Predictions

01:15 - Prime’s New Fund Launch & Global LP Interest

03:00 - Focus on Early-Stage Investments: Fewer Bets, Deeper Support

05:30 - The Role of AI in the 2025 Startup Landscape

08:00 - IPOs in 2025: When Should Founders Start Thinking About Going Public?

10:45 - Growth vs. Profitability in 2025: What’s the Right Balance?

13:00 - Unit Economics: Key Metrics for 2025

15:30 - Emerging Sectors in 2025

18:00 - Why Founders Must Master Storytelling

21:00 - The Need for Better Dashboards & Actionable Metrics

23:30 - Overcoming the Growth-Stage Capital Challenge

26:00 - The Importance of Communication Between Founders & Investors

28:00 - The Role of Founders in Managing Burn and Growth

30:00 - Wrapping Up: The India Story in 2025 and the Future of Startups

🔥 What You’ll Discover:

- The Growth vs. Profitability Dilemma: How startups should balance both for long-term success in 2025.
- The India Story in 2025: Why global investors are bullish on India, and how new sectors like manufacturing are opening up investment opportunities.

As India’s startup ecosystem matures, this episode gives entrepreneurs the tools to navigate and thrive, from fundraising to scaling with discipline and focus.

🎧 Takeaways:

- The how of Prime Venture Partners’ strategy of concentrated investments and hands-on support.
- The role of storytelling in entrepreneurship and why it matters for attracting talent, partners, and investors.
- The evolving VC landscape, particularly for Series A and beyond, and how it impacts your startup’s future.

🔔 Subscribe for more in-depth insights on the future of Indian startups, venture capital, and expert predictions

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primevp/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Primevp_in

👇 Join the conversation – What are your thoughts on the startup trends for 2025? Share your predictions and experiences in the comments below!

#2025Predictions #IndianStartups #VentureCapital #AI #FinTech #PrimeVenturePartners #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #InvestmentTrends #TechEcosystem #GrowthVsProfitability #UnitEconomics #IPO #IndiaInvestment