Sathya Nellore Sampat

I am happy to announce that Pepsales has closed pre-seed funding led by Chiratae Ventures 🙌 🙌 🙌 As a founder, you’re often told that it’s a lonely road—filled with long days, tough calls, and countless challenges. But with the right people, it doesn’t have to be like that. Throughout my career, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work with visionary leaders who believed in me before I even believed in myself. Along the way, I’ve been inspired by teammates from around the world who pushed me to do better every day. But when it comes to building a company, that’s a whole different game. It’s about embracing uncertainty and hoping you’ll find the right partners who share your vision. When Abhinandan Sahgal and I started Pepsales just six months ago, in a challenging macroeconomic climate, finding those partners felt like an uphill climb. Then one day, Venkatesh Peddi, Naimil Shah and the team at Chiratae Ventures came along. Their conviction in us was truly a game-changer. Every conversation with them has been insightful, and when they offered to invest in Pepsales, it was one of those “pinch me” moments that founders dream about. But let me be clear—this is Day 0. The road ahead is long, and we’ve barely scratched the surface. We’re laser-focused on continuing our mission to empower sales teams with AI that transforms how they sell. There’s so much more to build, more problems to solve, and more milestones to hit. That said, the right partners make all the difference. Whether it’s brainstorming ideas or navigating the challenges of scaling a company, having that support is invaluable. Here is to everyone who believed in us—thank you. We’re beyond grateful, and even more excited for what’s ahead. This is just the beginning. And now, a shameless plug: if you’re a B2B SaaS company looking to empower your sales team to drive and deliver a world-class experience with every demo—without the hassle of digging through mountains of data to find that one key insight—we’d love to have a conversation. We’re here to help you add real value to your sales funnel. #FounderJourney #SaaS #AI #Pepsales #Gratitude #DayZero #B2BSales Link to our announcement - https://lnkd.in/g5V7j2Nh

418

223 Comments

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

19

2 Comments

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

25

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

91

2 Comments

We’re facing a deluge of ecommerce enabler startups, and honestly, I don’t quite know why. I’d like to figure out if there is a bigger trend at play here, and also see as many more companies as possible in this space to help develop a thesis. So if you have any gyaan to dispense, please share your thoughts here or DM me (and we can setup a call thereafter if needed). And if you are a founder in this space/ know somebody who is building in this space, please write to/ refer them to [email protected] Dilsher Dhupia Pranav Sanghvi Tanuj Saraf Merak Ventures

60

36 Comments

“Money Following Money” Funding Reset for startups With the IPO market thriving and startups like Zomato 1,150% return to Sequoia and Swiggy 3,391% return to Accel, delivering stellar exits, investors are now prioritizing late-stage opportunities. Strong exit opportunities are redirecting capital toward startups with proven market traction. - Declining Seed Funding: Seed rounds fell 40% - Late-Stage Surge: Late-stage funding climbed 22%  - Focus on Fundamentals: Investors now demand clear unit economics, sustainable growth, and profitability over hyper-growth models. Ganesh Raju of Turbostart aptly sums up the transition: “The market is evolving from prioritizing quantity to emphasizing quality.” The future belongs to those who can turn this funding reset into an opportunity. What’s your perspective on this shift?

107

2 Comments

Breakdown of startup funding across sectors in 2024: 1. #Fintech: - 18.3% of seed stage funding - 17.1% of growth stage funding - 23.8% of late stage funding - Total funding: $2.5 Bn (17% decline from 2023) 2. #EnterpriseTech: - Raised $1.8 Bn - 167 deals 3. #ConsumerServices: - Raised $1.8 Bn - 48 deals - Boosted by Zepto's $1.3 Bn funding 4. #Ecommerce: - Raised $1.5 Bn (42.3% decline from 2023) - 203 deals (highest number of deals) 5. #Cleantech: - $829 Mn - 75 deals 6. #Healthtech: - $716 Mn - 78 deals 7. #Deeptech: - $460 Mn - 78 deals #Source: [1] After rough ride in 2024, Indian startups look for a promising new year https://lnkd.in/dVjxwUGC [2] Over 1 lakh 40 thousand recognized Start Ups in the country, over ... - PIB https://lnkd.in/dU9UQCN9 [3] After rough ride in 2024, Indian startups look for a promising new year https://lnkd.in/dkmzBN4q [4] Startup Funding Recap: November 2024 - PrivateCircle Blog https://lnkd.in/dP4MUx3Y [5] Unveiling the Indian Startup Funding Landscape in 2024 - LinkedIn https://lnkd.in/dcUTBRYB

4

1 Comment

Just stumbled upon a tech-twitter discussion where someone working in Private Equity shared a screenshot and had mentioned in his mail that he will share the signed document via Legitt. One step closer to the vision. The vision is 36 months from now, any business, whether a single-person-show, a small team, a mid-size business or an enterprise business, will use Legitt AI in one form or the other. Legitt AI is no more just a Contract Management Platform. It's much more than that. Write to me for a demo and learn how you can super-charge your business with Legitt AI.

19

At BlackInk Capital & Management, we’re on a mission to revolutionise the startup ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir. My vision is to cultivate an environment where innovation thrives, and entrepreneurial dreams are realised. I believe that Jammu and Kashmir, with its rich potential and untapped talent, is poised to become a hub of groundbreaking startups. Our goal is to provide early-stage support to visionary founders and ambitious startups, helping them scale from pre-seed to Series A and beyond. By offering sector-agnostic investments and a robust support network, we aim to: 1. Empower Local Talent: Foster a thriving community of entrepreneurs by providing the resources, mentorship, and funding necessary to turn ideas into successful ventures. 2. Stimulate Economic Growth: Create job opportunities and drive economic development by nurturing startups that can contribute to the region’s growth. 3. Build a Supportive Ecosystem: Collaborate with local stakeholders, industry experts, and investors to build a cohesive ecosystem that supports innovation and business success. 4. Promote Sustainable Development: Encourage startups that focus on sustainable and impactful solutions to address local and global challenges. As we embark on this exciting journey, I invite you to join us in shaping the future of Jammu and Kashmir’s startup landscape. Together, we can unlock new possibilities and drive meaningful change.

11

The Psychological Playbook for VCs and Startups In the VC community, it is often said that the founding team is the most important aspect of an early stage venture. While products pivot, go-to-market strategies evolve, and customers come and go, the founders are the most consistent factor in the startup journey and are consequently a crucial parameter in the due diligence equation. In a data-driven world filled with engagement metrics and gross margins, it is still difficult to find the right template to discuss this key matter - the team. Despite the analytical nature of VCs, the process of evaluating a team has remained emotional and often led by bias. When it comes to evaluating founding teams as part of the due diligence process, the VC industry still uses an intuition-driven approach. The reasons for this blindspot in team analyses are varied; but they revolve around one principle: the psychological realm is less quantitative in nature and it is hard to adopt a mental scorecard that would fit the entrepreneurial spirit. There are multiple psychological factors to take into consideration and prioritizing among them is not easy 👇

4

1 Comment

🌟 Thrilled to unveil the journey of building a global SaaS company from India! 🇮🇳🚀 In this engaging podcast with Rohin Dharmakumar from The Ken, I share some of the core mental models that have been instrumental in my entrepreneurial path: 1️⃣ Risk Taking: Embracing and navigating risks has been key to our success. 2️⃣ Mental Toughness: Insights into how my early life experiences shaped the resilience needed for the entrepreneurial journey. 3️⃣ Opportunities Ahead: Discussing the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for Indian SaaS companies. 4️⃣ Choosing a Co-Founder: Essential criteria and insights on selecting the right partner. Building global companies from India is not just a goal—it's a lifelong mission. Join me as I discuss the lessons learned, the challenges overcome, and the promising future of building a global company from India. 🎧 Listen here: https://lnkd.in/grehUQQ9 #Entrepreneurship #SaaS #India #GlobalBusiness #Podcast #MentalModels # AI

142

9 Comments

What do VCs want? A few traits of fundable startups Sometimes I meet disillusioned first-time founders who believe the VC industry is rigged. They lament that VCs are not interested in funding them even though their companies are profitable. One common grievance is that VCs only fund loss-making businesses. This hypothesis of VC funding loss-making seems true because most #startups continue to burn money even after raising tens of millions of dollars. VCs operate by a playbook. To them, quick growth is more important than early profitability. They invest in companies that have the potential to grow quickly, preferably without burning a lot of #money. Some cash burn is inevitable though. One key #investing criterion for all VCs is a large market or TAM (Total Addressable Market). The TAM should either be large enough to support many big players or it should be expanding rapidly – ideally both. Amazon in the early days of the internet is a popular example. Even though online book sales were zero when Jeff Bezos founded Amazon, the internet penetration was exploding. Hence, Bezos bet (correctly) that online book sales will grow with the internet growth. He made billions for himself and his investors using this hypothesis. We can find several examples like this where VCs bet in tiny markets that can expand rapidly. One big trend in #India is increased funding in the clean beauty industry. Dozens of D2C or consumer startups have raised capital to target this opportunity. Even within this clean beauty space, founders are finding their niche. Rosemary Oil Essentials is one such niche. It was a non-existent market a few years ago. Now, it's a Rs 400-500 Cr market and exploding. VCs find these niches exciting. While all fundable startups share a few common traits (Scalability, Disruption, Timing, Future Market Leadership), a big and rapidly growing TAM is critical. You can build a big company only if the market size is big enough. The ultimate aim of all VCs is to invest in companies that can become the next Amazon. A big TAM is paramount to achieve this. Big TAM = Big Company P.S. We are doing our next Founder Fundraising Workshop on the 22nd & 23rd of June. It's an 8-hour programme for first-time founders who want to raise #venturecapital. The registration link is in the comments.

100

29 Comments

After 2 years in the trenches of B2B SaaS, I've learned a hard truth. All B2B SaaS Founders out there, here are my learnings being a Founder of a SaaS company in one of the toughest markets and domains to sell. With your flashy new software model promising efficiency and cost savings, many teams cling to the old ways. Why? Why Software Teams Resist Change? The answer often boils down to one word: money. It's the Money Factor. Transitioning to a new system isn't about buying licenses or subscriptions. It involves: 1. Training & Learning: Teaching staff new skills takes time and resources. Learning new stuff while work is piling up on the other side, engineers have a choice to make, upgrade or survive? Only a fraction can afford it. 2. Downtime: Switching systems often means pausing operations, which impacts revenue. The customer at the other end does not care of your issues, there are legal terms like SLAs to abide to. The cost of downtime is far reaching than what you see on the surface. 3. Integration: Making new software work with existing tools can be complex and costly. Sometimes, a company can be having more 16 integrations to a tiny bit of software that offers security. 4. Risk: There's always the chance things will go wrong, leading to even more expenses. The doubt and the fear is real. It cannot be eradicated on day one. These factors add up to a significant financial burden. And for many companies, the short-term loss outweighs the potential long-term gain. Some argue that sticking with outdated systems leads to inefficiencies that cost more in the long run. This might be true,but it's a gamble. The future is uncertain, and present concerns often take priority. Here's a harsh truth: your customers don't care about your tech stack. They care about results. In my experience, and conversations with the customers, sunk cost fallacy is real. The Customer Perspective is all about Results! Whether you run on Kubernetes, mainframes, or carrier pigeons, their main concern is getting the product or service they paid for. This isn't to say innovation is pointless. But it's a reminder that new technology should serve the customer, not the company's bottom line. So, how do software teams navigate this dilemma? It's a balancing act. Companies need to: - Assess: Check the potential benefits and risks of new systems. - Plan: Create detailed transition plans to cut disruption and costs. - Communicate: Explain to stakeholders the long-term value of the investment. - Focus on the customer: Ensure any changes improve the user experience. Innovation is crucial for growth, but it shouldn't come at the expense of financial stability or customer satisfaction. What challenges have you faced in adopting new software? Do you think the money factor is the biggest hurdle, or is there something else at play?

25

"In effect there are two different ways to run a company: founder mode and manager mode. Till now most people even in Silicon Valley have implicitly assumed that scaling a startup meant switching to manager mode. But we can infer the existence of another mode from the dismay of founders who've tried it, and the success of their attempts to escape from it. There are as far as I know no books specifically about founder mode. Business schools don't know it exists. All we have so far are the experiments of individual founders who've been figuring it out for themselves. But now that we know what we're looking for, we can search for it. I hope in a few years founder mode will be as well understood as manager mode. We can already guess at some of the ways it will differ. The way managers are taught to run companies seems to be like modular design in the sense that you treat subtrees of the org chart as black boxes. You tell your direct reports what to do, and it's up to them to figure out how. But you don't get involved in the details of what they do. That would be micromanaging them, which is bad. Hire good people and give them room to do their jobs. Sounds great when it's described that way, doesn't it? Except in practice, judging from the report of founder after founder, what this often turns out to mean is: hire professional fakers and let them drive the company into the ground." https://lnkd.in/gpAnbW4w

6

2 Comments

Weekly Recap 1. Recorded an episode with Arun Antony of YE Stack - They have a very interesting hypothesis 2. Talked with Arav Behl building BuilderCast podcast 3. Talked with Adil building WeCrack Cohort 4. Preparing for a big episode today Ft. Co Founder of Blume Ventures 5. Received a really kind message from an upcoming guest 6. Received an encouraging message from Amrit Sheneva building Flashmates, Hiremart, and more Next week is going to be an interesting one

8

2 Comments

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

44

4 Comments

Future Founders BLR - Thursday, Aug 22, 6pm @ Indiranagar WHAT IS FF: Future Founders is our IRL event focused on non-frills Q&A around the (-1 to 0) and (0 to 1) stages of building based on our experience in intimately observing this across 100+ companies - lots of do's and dont's that we believe are needle moving for every early team. WHAT WE WILL DO: I'll be there with a few of our portco founders to primarily focus on answering questions with real examples, and frameworks we use at Better Captial. WHY FF: Just yesterday I spent 2 hours with one of our founders who spent 18 months to finally arrive at the version of our vision that is finally seeing "pull" -- and the one thing he had to say was "I'm sure we could have saved at least 9 months if not more and looking back it is so clear what we shouldn't have done and what we should have" -- and this is a founder with a successful exit under his belt. WHO IS IT FOR: All early builders from the ideation stage to early MVP irrespective of segment or category. REGISTRATION & MORE: Registration link in the first comment -- we have 25 spots and we are keeping these small so the conversation can be richer and focused. The registration will be open until we hit the registration limit with a buffer. Thanks to Surbhi and Pallav for helping make this happen. We are nothing without our community of founders :) See you there!

56

6 Comments

🚀 Why Staying Up-to-Date in IT is a Game-Changer for any company, from scale-ups to mid size traditional companies As a cofounder leading a start-up, I know the journey to proving ROI and boosting productivity through SaaS is no small feat. ( We offer the first insights with our freemium here : https://tally.so/r/wkWqpo ) 💡 The tech landscape evolves at lightning speed, and staying ahead means leveraging the latest tools, trends, and strategies to scale smarter—not harder. That’s why I’m thrilled to introduce our IT Tip of the Week newsletter! 📰✨ Every week, we’ll share bite-sized, actionable insights designed to help you: ✅ Maximize SaaS ROI ✅ Streamline workflows for peak productivity ✅ Stay ahead of industry trends IT is the backbone of growth, and I want to make sure YOU have the edge. 🖥️💼 Let’s navigate this ever-changing tech world together! 🌟 Follow for more insights, and let’s get started! 💬⬇️ -> https://shorturl.at/fopWG

28

2 Comments