Startup Project

Madhukar Kumar is the Chief Marketing Officer at SingleStore (formerly MSQL), a cloud-native database company that has raised over $300M in funding. In this conversation, we explore the intersection of technical marketing, product-led growth, and the future of AI in marketing:

In this episode, we cover: (00:02) Introduction and SingleStore overview (01:56) CMO role and marketing strategy (04:12) Marketing technical products to developers (08:21) Product-led growth initiatives (14:12) Product-led sales and enterprise marketing (17:49) Career transitions and journey (21:14) Skills needed for product marketing (26:12) Marketing spend and channel effectiveness (28:24) Admirable brands and marketing approaches (31:41) Evolution of communication in marketing (35:23) Perspectives on AGI (44:05) Career challenges and overcoming them (47:47) Current influences and recommendations (48:52) Mentors and career guidance (49:53) Key marketing lessons learned

Where to find Madhukar Kumar:

→ Madhukar's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhukarkumar/

Nataraj is the host & creator of Startup Project podcast, he is a full time product manager at Microsoft, early stage investor & advisor. → LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam   → Twitter: https://x.com/natarajsindam → Email updates: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠ → Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://thestartupproject.io Referenced:

- SingleStore: https://www.singlestore.com/

- Apple Marketing

- Webflow

- dbrand Marketing

- Pegasus Documentary

- "The Beginning of Infinity" by David Deutsch

#ProductMarketing #TechMarketing #SingleStore #DatabaseTechnology #DeveloperMarketing #ProductLedGrowth #MarketingStrategy #CMOInsights #B2BTech #EnterpriseMarketing #CareerTransitions #MarketingLeadership #StartupMarketing #CloudComputing #TechIndustry #BrandBuilding #AIinMarketing #MarTech #TechnicalMarketing #EnterpriseSales

Guest: Court Lorenzini | Founder of DocuSign & FounderNexus

Host: Nataraj | Senior PM at Azure, Creator of Startup Project & Angel Investor

Subscribe to Startup Project Newsletter for valuable founder insights: https://startupproject.substack.com/ Join Nataraj in conversation with Court Lorenzini, co-founder of DocuSign and serial entrepreneur, as they delve into the world of startups. Court shares his incredible journey, from early engineering roles to leading DocuSign to its multi-billion dollar company. **Timestamps & Topics:** * **00:01:246 - 00:35:234:** Introduction and welcome to Court Lorenzini. * **00:40:246 - 01:16:782:** Court's background – Engineering career and early entrepreneurial ventures. * **01:50:102 - 02:05:838:** Discussion about Cisco's impact on fostering successful entrepreneurs. * **02:05:838 - 03:30:4:** Court's entrepreneurial journey: Early days of building companies and his approach to exiting around year five. * **03:34:004 - 05:06.042:** The genesis of DocuSign: Original idea, acquisition of IP, and the name's origin. * **05:06.042 - 06:35.318:** DocuSign's journey to product-market fit – a slow grind and long-term vision. * **06:35.318 - 09:46.848:** Key early customers: Microsoft and the National Association of Realtors – how these partnerships propelled DocuSign's growth and the importance of inbound vs outbound sales. * **09:46.848 - 11:22.828:** DocuSign's continued market dominance – exploring the reasons behind its success and the competitive landscape. * **11:22.828 - 14:07.594:** The core reasons for DocuSign's success: human preference for consistency and robust APIs for data integration. * **14:51.042 - 16:02.894:** Court's exit strategy from DocuSign and the incredible return on investment. * **16:10.026 - 17:12.088:** Court's ambition and his subsequent ventures, including a successful renewable energy company and a spectacular failure (Metabright). * **17:12.088 - 20:46.198:** Detailed analysis of Metabright’s failure and the lessons learned. * **20:46.198 - 23:48.586:** Court’s methodology for evaluating new opportunities – validating the idea and actively trying to kill it. * **23:48.586 - 25:01.294:** Introduction to Founder Nexus – a unique approach to supporting the next generation of founders. * **25:01.294 - 27:25.304:** The vision and purpose of Founder Nexus: increasing the odds of success for venture-scale founders. * **27:25.304 - 28:15.446:** The mathematical model of startup success and how Founder Nexus aims to improve each variable. * **28:15.446 - 29:27.704:** Comparison with similar communities like Hampton and Offline, and the importance of community curation. * **29:27.704 - 31:18.678:** Founder Nexus's unique approach to community building – focusing on lived experience and ongoing learning. * **31:18.678 - 33:26.323:** The structure and format of Founder Nexus events – short forums and rotating groups. * **33:26.323 - 35:07.126:** Traction and future plans for Founder Nexus – expansion beyond Seattle and the goal of global reach. * **35:07.126 - 37:08.072:** Court’s approach to investing in venture funds – focusing on early-stage, and often non-traditional funds. * **37:08.072 - 37:45.686:** Observations on the outperformance of women-run funds. * **37:45.686 - 40:36.635:** Thoughts on valuations and the current investment climate – focusing on early-stage deals and late-stage pre-IPO opportunities. * **40:41.27 - 42:06.304:** Court's personal investment strategies – both early-stage and late-stage pre-IPO investments. * **42:17.11 - 43:56.438:** Discussion about the surge in bio and energy companies in Seattle during the Obama administration. * **44:07.934 - 46:20.299:** Court’s decision to pursue three master's degrees and their impact on his career. * **46:36.566 - 48:25.076:** Current reading and listening – books and podcasts influencing Court's thinking.

My guest today is Moham Aref, CEO of RelationalAI, a company that recently closed a $75 million Series B funding round. Moham shares his incredible journey spanning over 30 years in the AI and machine learning space, offering invaluable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts alike. Moham Aref, CEO of RelationalAI, Moham brings a wealth of experience, having previously led LogicBlox and Predictix, and now spearheading Relational AI's mission to simplify intelligent application development.

→ Website: ⁠https://relational.ai/

→ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molham/ Nataraj is the host & creator of Startup Project podcast, he is a full time product manager at Microsoft, early stage investor & advisor.

→ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/

→ Twitter: https://x.com/natarajsindam

→ Email updates: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠

→ Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://thestartupproject.io⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Highlights: This episode covers a wide range of fascinating topics, from Molham's extensive career journey to the intricacies of the modern data stack and the transformative potential of Relational AI's technology. We unravel the complexities of descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics, demystifying these crucial concepts for a broader audience. We also discuss the challenges of finding those first five customers in the B2B world, the strategic decision to build on Snowflake, and the potential for future competition and cannibalization by larger platforms. Molham thoughtfully shares his perspective on the current hype surrounding Generative AI and its practical applications in the enterprise space. We finish with advice on leadership, mentorship, and the overall challenges and rewards of a career in tech. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction and Guest Introduction 01:55 - Molham Aref's Career Journey and Transition to Relational AI 08:30 - Understanding Descriptive, Predictive, and Prescriptive Analytics 12:00 - Early Use Cases and Target Customers for Relational AI 17:30 - The Decision to Build on Snowflake: Strategy and Competition 22:15 - Securing the First Five Customers in the B2B World 27:40 - The Modern Data Stack and Relational AI's Place Within It 34:30 - Generative AI: Hype, Reality, and Enterprise Applications 40:00 - Leveraging Generative AI Internally and for Customer Value 45:00 - B2B Sales Strategies: Content, Relationships, and Customer Focus 51:30 - Relational AI's Future Plans and Growth Strategy 54:00 - Molham's Consumption Habits: Historical Insights and Mentorship 58:30 - Lessons Learned as a Founder and CEO Don't forget to like and subscribe for more insightful conversations about the world of AI!

→ YouTube: ⁠https://youtu.be/9-J4eV8qvZg⁠

→ Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Og8mbra1cokQ5cRJdjZn1?si=iqEOqKLLSqSbk8ehkniFqg⁠

→ Apple podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/85-ai-should-not-be-regulated-author-ml-researcher/id1551300319?i=1000673806783⁠

→ Email updates: ⁠https://startupproject.substack.com/⁠

→ Others: ⁠https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/qYaG6vhTRNb⁠#ModernDataStack

#RelationalAI #AI #MachineLearning #DataAnalytics #PredictiveAnalytics #PrescriptiveAnalytics #GenerativeAI #Snowflake #B2B #Entrepreneurship #TechPodcast #DataManagement #BusinessIntelligence #CloudComputing #TechLeadership #CareerAdvice #Innovation #DataStrategy

For video version watch the episode on: → YouTube link: https://youtu.be/9-J4eV8qvZg Join us as we dive deep into the world of AI with Pedro Domingos, a machine learning pioneer and author of the acclaimed book "The Master Algorithm." Pedro shares his insights on the current AI hype cycle, the real impact of AI on society, and how he sees the future of this transformative technology. Guest on the episode: Pedro Domingos (Author and Machine Learning Professor) → Website: pedrodomingos.org → Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-domingos-77b183/ → Twitter: https://x.com/pmddomingos → Read Pedro's new book 2040: https://2040novel.com/ Host: Nataraj (Investor at Incisive VC, angel investor, and Senior Product Manager) → Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/ → Twitter: https://x.com/natarajsindam → Email updates: https://startupproject.beehiiv.com/ → Website: ⁠⁠https://thestartupproject.io⁠⁠ In this episode, we discuss: 00:00 - Introduction:** Meet Pedro Domingos, a legend in the field of machine learning. 03:28 - Early Career:** Learn how Pedro got into machine learning in the 80s, a time when it wasn't considered "cool". 08:17 - AI vs. Machine Learning:** Pedro clarifies the difference between these two terms and explains why machine learning is the driving force behind all other AI applications. 13:26 - The AI Hype Cycle:** Pedro discusses the rapid progress of AI, but also warns of the potential for a stock market bubble if the hype exceeds the reality. 21:45 - LLMs and the Future of AI:** Pedro analyzes whether the current hype around LLMs will lead to AGI and speculates on what breakthroughs might be needed to get there. 31:44 - The Master Algorithm:** Pedro talks about the purpose and scope of his book, "The Master Algorithm," and how it offers a broader understanding of AI beyond just LLMs. 42:29 - Open AI and the Comedy of Errors:** Pedro dives into the hype surrounding Open AI and its perceived dominance in the AI space, sharing his perspective on their overestimation. 54:25 - AI Safety and the Call for a Moratorium:** Pedro dismisses the fear-mongering around AI's supposed threat to humanity and provides a rational perspective on the current AI safety concerns. 1:03:19 - AI in 2040:** Pedro discusses his satirical book, "2040," which paints a humorous, yet thought-provoking, picture of how AI might impact society. 1:14:18 - Recommendation Systems and Human Psychology:** Pedro examines the limitations of current recommendation systems and argues for a shift towards systems that give users more control over their information consumption. 1:24:38 - The Importance of Critical Information Consumption:** Pedro shares his strategies for staying informed in the age of information overload, emphasizing the need for a balanced and diverse intake of information. 1:38:59 - The Importance of Choosing the Right Problem:** Pedro stresses the importance of finding research problems that align with your passion and potential impact, rather than chasing the latest trends. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more insightful conversations about the world of AI!

→ YouTube: https://youtu.be/9-J4eV8qvZg
→ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Og8mbra1cokQ5cRJdjZn1?si=iqEOqKLLSqSbk8ehkniFqg
→ Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/85-ai-should-not-be-regulated-author-ml-researcher/id1551300319?i=1000673806783
→ Email updates: https://startupproject.beehiiv.com/
→ Others: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/qYaG6vhTRNb
#AI #machinelearning #themasteralgorithm #llm #agi #futureofai #tech #society #2040 #openai #google #facebook #recommendation #information #research #podcasts #startups #sharp ratio

In this episode of Startup Project, we chat with Khawaja Shams, Co-founder and CEO of Momento, a serverless caching and messaging service built for interactive applications at scale.

Host: Nataraj (Investor at Incisive VC, angel investor, and Senior Product Manager)

Guest: Khawaja Shams (Co-founder and CEO of Momento)

Website: ⁠Momento Website⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠Nataraj's LinkedIn⁠ | ⁠Khawaja's LinkedIn⁠

[0:00 - 2:00] Khawaja shares his incredible journey—from working on image processing for Mars rovers and communications for interplanetary missions at NASA to building crucial infrastructure at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and ultimately starting Momento.

[2:00 - 6:00] Khawaja provides an in-depth look at his early days at NASA, where he was inspired by the company’s mission and the potential of cloud computing. He discusses how he prototyped using public datasets on his personal credit card and the challenges of onboarding Amazon as a vendor in the early days of AWS.

[6:00 - 10:00] We discuss Khawaja’s experience at Amazon, where he witnessed the company’s rapid growth and customer obsession firsthand. He details his roles in AWS product engineering and leading key teams, including DynamoDB and Elemental Technologies.

[10:00 - 16:00] Khawaja talks about the inspiration behind Momento and how the need for a better caching solution for interactive applications became clear. He explains how Momento addresses the pain points of traditional caching solutions and simplifies development for users.

[16:00 - 20:00] We dive deeper into Momento’s target customer base and the importance of focusing on verticals like media, gaming, and fintech. Khawaja shares valuable insights on identifying the right customers and building strong design partnerships.

[20:00 - 25:00] Khawaja discusses product-market fit and how Momento validated its solution through numerous successful customers. He emphasizes the need for coherence in customer asks and how that provides confidence in the product’s direction.

[25:00 - 30:00] We talk about B2B growth and marketing strategies, specifically how Momento leverages its existing customer base and focuses on finding similar companies. Khawaja stresses the importance of operational excellence and customer obsession in building trust and advocacy.

[30:00 - 35:00] Khawaja shares his thoughts on Amazon's leadership principles and how Momento has cultivated its own unique culture focused on customer centricity and psychological safety.

[35:00 - 40:00] We explore the challenges of attracting top talent in a startup environment. Khawaja emphasizes the importance of finding a team you enjoy working with and tackling a problem you believe in.

[40:00 - 45:00] Khawaja shares his current consumption habits, including his favorite books and podcasts. He also highlights the importance of mentorship and staying connected with people you admire.

[45:00 - 50:00] Khawaja discusses the importance of focus in a startup environment and how prioritizing a few key goals can lead to greater success.

[50:00 - 55:00] We finish with a discussion about AI and how Momento plays a crucial role in enabling interactive applications powered by real-time data.

#Startup #TechPodcast #Serverless #CloudComputing #AWS #InteractiveApps #B2BMarketing #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #AI #Fintech #MediaTech #GamingTech #ProductMarketFit #Caching #CustomerObsession #FoundersJourney

This is a special episode. We are airing an episode where Nataraj was the guest on Learn It All podcast where he talked about trends in AI, how to leverage gen AI to build new products and how to upskill your career and find the right things to work on.

Links:

• Startup Project Podcast: https://thestartupproject.io/

• Website: ⁠⁠https://thestartupproject.io⁠⁠
• LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/
• Twitter: ⁠⁠https://x.com/natarajsindam

Host: Nataraj - Investor at Incisive VC, Angel Investor, and Product Manager. Connect with us: * Website: ⁠https://thestartupproject.io⁠ * LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/⁠ * Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/natarajsindam⁠ Guest: Ameesh Divatia - Founder and CEO of Baffle. Connect with our guest: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameeshd/⁠ Check out Baffle: ⁠https://baffle.io/⁠

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Startup Project Podcast Episode 82: Building Data-Centric Security with Baffle's Mish In this episode of Startup Project, we dive into the world of data security with Ameesh Divatia, the Founder and CEO of Baffle. Ameesh brings a wealth of experience from four successful startups, including stints at Cisco during the dot-com boom. We discuss the evolution of data security from protecting the network to securing the data itself. Ameesh explains how Baffle is creating a new category of “data-centric protection” to address the growing threat of data breaches in the cloud. This episode covers: - Ameesh's entrepreneurial journey from his early days in networking silicon to building multiple successful startups. - The importance of humility and building relationships in the tech world. - Why data protection is the next frontier in security. - How Baffle is solving data security challenges in the cloud. - The impact of GDPR and other regulations on data security. - The potential of Generative AI to disrupt data discovery and security. - Key considerations for starting a new company in today's tech landscape. **Don't miss this insightful conversation with a seasoned entrepreneur who is shaping the future of data security.** ---

Startup Project Podcast: Building AI Agents for Knowledge Workers with Lutra AI Jiquan Ngiam joins Nataraj to discuss the future of AI, from the rise of deep learning to the potential of AI agents for knowledge workers. They delve into [Guest Name]'s experiences working with Andrew Ng at Coursera and Google Brain, where he witnessed the power of scaling up compute and data in pushing the boundaries of AI. Timestamps: * **0:00 - Introduction:** Nataraj welcomes [Guest Name] to the show and introduces his impressive background. * **2:28 - Working with Andrew Ng:** [Guest Name] shares his experience working with Andrew Ng, emphasizing Ng's foresight and focus on scaling up neural networks. * **6:15 - The Importance of Data and Compute:** [Guest Name] highlights how data and compute became key drivers in the success of AI, using the example of AlexNet's breakthrough in 2012. * **12:25 - Democratizing Education with Coursera:** [Guest Name] discusses the early days of Coursera and the team's vision for democratizing access to education, especially in fields like machine learning. * **17:55 - Google Brain and the Rise of Transformers:** [Guest Name] reflects on his time at Google Brain, where he witnessed the emergence of transformers and their potential for generalizing across modalities. * **21:24 - The Limits of Scaling:** [Guest Name] questions the future of AI scaling, suggesting that we may be approaching a point of diminishing returns due to data limitations and the difficulty of creating truly effective synthetic data. * **28:13 - The Need for Data on Physical Tasks:** [Guest Name] proposes a bold idea: collecting real-world data on mundane tasks to train AI agents for robotics and other applications that require replicating human behavior. * **34:23 - Lutrei.ai: AI Agents for Knowledge Work:** [Guest Name] introduces Lutrei.ai, an AI agent designed to assist knowledge workers with tasks like research, data manipulation, and automation. * **42:49 - Different Approaches to AI Agents:** [Guest Name] compares Lutrei's approach to building AI agents with other common methods, highlighting the importance of separating data and logic for reliable and scalable solutions. * **45:38 - Choosing the Right Models:** [Guest Name] discusses the diverse landscape of AI models and how Lutrei leverages different models for different tasks, from small models for summarization to larger models for reasoning and planning. * **52:04 - AI Code Generation: Cursor vs. GitHub Copilot:** [Guest Name] shares his experience using Cursor, a code generation tool, and compares it to GitHub Copilot, highlighting the potential for AI to empower average developers. * **1:00:16 - The Future of AI Code Generation:** [Guest Name] predicts that AI code generation capabilities will become ubiquitous, and the key innovations will be in user experience and interaction design. * **1:05:43 - Consuming Information:** [Guest Name] shares his favorite sources of information, including podcasts, books, and news outlets. * **1:08:44 - Mentorship and Learning:** [Guest Name] reflects on the key mentors in his career, including Andrew Ng, Daphne Koller, and John Chen. * **1:12:34 - Advice for Early Career Professionals:** [Guest Name] advises young professionals to be voracious learners and prioritize gaining diverse experiences early in their careers. * **1:16:21 - The Motivation Behind Lutrei:** [Guest Name] explains his passion for pushing the boundaries of AI while simultaneously making it accessible and impactful for a wider audience. * **1:18:33 - Closing Thoughts:** Nataraj thanks [Guest Name] for sharing his insights and expresses his excitement for the future of Lutrei.ai. **Don't miss this episode to learn more about the exciting things happening in gen AI and how it's poised to revolutionize the way we work!**

🎮 Dive into the future of gaming with Ian from High Score! 🎮 In this episode of Startup Project, we explore: - The true size of the gaming industry (hint: it's HUGE!) - How cloud gaming is revolutionizing accessibility - The story behind High Score's innovative platform - Challenges faced by cloud gaming services like Google Stadia - Future trends in game development - Advice for aspiring game developers Ian shares insider insights on: - Why gaming is now recognized as a pinnacle of artistic media - How High Score aims to bring PC gaming to any device - The bifurcation of the gaming industry between indies and AAA titles Whether you're a gamer, a tech enthusiast, or an aspiring game developer, this episode is packed with valuable insights you won't want to miss! Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on our latest episodes featuring innovators in the startup world.

Website - https://thestartupproject.io/2024/08/17/80-end-of-gaming-pc-ambitious-vision-of-highscore-for-cloud-gaming/

#Gaming #CloudGaming #StartupProject #TechInnovation #GameDevelopment #startups #cloud #opensource