🧠 Sridhar Ranganathan

Are you on the hunt for product/market fit? If so, you might enjoy my discussion with Fareed Mosavat on how today's product builders find it. In this discussion, we cover: 😥 Shortcomings of the Lean Startup methodology 👂 Better customer discovery techniques to quickly validate your riskiest hypotheses 💡 The concept of exploring the idea maze & why it's so important 📈 How to rigorously measure product/market fit If you are looking for a modern approach to reaching product/market fit, I'd encourage you to check this out

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Finsire has recently started its learning series - Ideally by chatting with the best folks in the Industry. Here, with Siddharth Shetty, Co-founder and CTO of Account Aggregator (AA) from DigiSahamati Foundation, we speak about the data exchange's inception, growth, and future in India. - We use AA for various reasons, including pushing boundaries in India's data exchange layer with various use cases. - It's been about three years since it went live, and over 70 million cumulative Indian accounts are linked. - One-of-a-kind data sharing network from India that is not seen anywhere across the globe, baring Singapore with https://lnkd.in/gyrCQtVQ - Different approach to protect consumers as compared to the previous models that existed to attain consumer data by various methods used by Plaid or Salt Edge Onemoney Finvu (Cookiejar Technologies) Protean eGov Technologies Anumati by Perfios AA NADL - Account Aggregator Computer Age Management Services Limited KFin Technologies Ltd. Enjoy - Please click on the link below and watch the video!

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As we reflect on H1 FY25, I am filled with immense gratitude and a deep sense of purpose for how far CureBay has come in transforming rural healthcare. Recording an 8x growth in GMV compared to the same period last year is not just a milestone—it highlights the growing trust in our work and the positive change we’re striving to bring to underserved communities. Here are a few moments that define this journey: - Serving approximately 55,000 patients each quarter, ensuring access to timely, quality care. - Enrolling over 18,000 members per quarter into subscription-based healthcare plans, making preventive care more accessible. - Reaching over 18 million people across Odisha and Chhattisgarh, with plans to serve 100 million rural residents across six states by 2025. - Achieving operational profitability in the Puri Circle of Odisha, demonstrating the impact and sustainability of our model. With over 1.4 million patients profiled, 20% active user conversion, and 14% preventive care adoption, CureBay’s eClinics, supported by trained Swasthya Mitras and powered by our AI ecosystem, are bringing targeted, data-driven care to even the most remote communities. Our work is far from over. With plans to expand into Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, we remain committed to ensuring that no one is left behind in accessing quality healthcare. To everyone who has been a part of this journey—our patients, partners, and the incredible CureBay team—thank you for believing in our vision of a healthier, more inclusive India. Read the piece where CureBay is featured in ETHealthWorld: https://lnkd.in/g47_eXUx Together, we’re proving that rural healthcare isn’t just a challenge; it’s an opportunity to create lasting change. #HealthcareforAll #CureBay

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The total number of NRIs and PIOs stands at about ~3.3 crores, possibly the best Indians to sell any homogenous Indian product. Just the top 6 countries account for ~1.9 Crores. The minimum income/month would be around 1-1.5 Lakhs, and net-worth easily 30 Lakhs+ Should Finsire map their net worth across geographies?

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The most common mistake startups make. Not understanding the power of incumbents. Merely offering a superior product or technology is not enough. - At its peak, Koo saw 2.1 million daily active users and about 10 million monthly active users. Firstly, Koo underestimated the power of incumbency, said Singh. “Twitter might have ‘wild’ user-generated content, but it also has a critical mass of users and established network effects. To be honest, people go where the people are. - Focusing solely on tech edge wasn’t enough to lure users away,” she said. Secondly, Koo’s “build it and they will come” strategy proved naive. Thirdly, their funding woes highlight the double-edged sword that VC funding is all about. Every startup has to solve a genuine problem that no incumbent is solving and ensure a UNIQUE product market fit. I feel sorry a genuine Indian initiative like Koo has been unsuccessful. But if other startups and even investors can draw learning from their efforts, it will help the ecosystem tremendously. Wish the Koo team all the best in their next adventure. https://lnkd.in/gE8CDK34

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Based on some of the good and bad decisions we have made in the last 22 years, what Vinod Khosla says here is worth listening to. Of course, there are many angles to the question of how equity should be shared, this is one of them. In the early days of Sun Microsystems, Vinod Khosla recruited elite talent, hiring people like Andy Bechtolsheim, Bill Joy, and Eric Schmidt. Many people from Sun went on to start or run billion-dollar companies. Vinod explains his reasoning: “Even though they’re coming in later and they didn’t come up with the idea, they will be incredible resources, especially as magnets to attract other people. If you believe a company becomes the people it hires, then your task becomes attracting the best people, and selling depends on magnets.” This what Vinod did with Bill Joy. Vinod gave Bill half his equity even though Bill joined later: “Bill Joy was an incredible magnet. People wanted to work with Bill and Andy. And even if Bill didn’t do a day of work, he was more than worth it because he helped attract Eric Schmidt. I don’t think Eric would have come work for me as a 25 year old.” https://lnkd.in/dz7MiYBQ

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🍲 Cooks Cooks Cooks Spoil the Broth 🍲 ~The Big SaaS Problem~ "What's happening, and what are we doing about it?" When COVID hit, website traffic skyrocketed 📈, inbound leads flooded in 🌊, and marketing pipelines burst wide open 💥 The SaaS boom triggered a frenzy of aggressive hiring, massive investments, and long-term tool contracts. Snap back to 2024, the slowdown is Real Too many salespeople, too many SaaS tools 🛠️, but not enough customers. The fix? Workforce cuts and a serious tech stack overhaul. The Real Issue is this 📉 Too many tools, too little work done. 🛑 Outdated tools are draining budgets! Too many tools will get you nowhere so It's time to trim the fat. Invest in tools that truly matter. Remember.... You don't need a ton of tools, just the right ones❗️ #SaaS #BusinessStrategy #Efficiency #FutureTech #TechStack #DigitalTransformation #CostOptimization #SmartInvesting #GrowthMindset

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Just discovered an insightful read on Venixs, the esteemed business-centric platform, on AI Parabellum. Being well-versed in the ever-evolving landscape of AI and business integration, here are my musings and predictions on this new foray. ⭐ Venixs is entering as a flagship player in the business AI field, stepping up to mirror and facilitate modern business processes. ⭐ I predict extreme flexibility, ease of use, and significant improvements in efficiency as a hallmark of this platform based on AI technology's trend. 📘 Exploring further, Venixs could potentially offer: • Deep integration within existing business infrastructure. • Seamless process flow and operation coordination. • Data-driven decision-making support. • Advanced automation that reduces human errors. Moving forward, well-structured AI platforms like Venixs will play an instrumental role in fostering innovative solutions and introducing a new way of business integration. Its benefits will lean towards: 1️⃣ Driving patient-centric operations and decision making. 2️⃣ Improving products & services using an AI-driven analytical approach. 3️⃣ Providing a data-driven environment to fuel innovation and potency in strategies. Let's stay optimistic and see how Venixs may revolutionize our business operations in the times to come. As this development unfolds, it promises to be both exciting and inspirational. Remember, embracing innovation is crucial for survival amidst today's dynamic business landscape. Always stay one step ahead with adaptability and open mindedness to these exciting technological leaps. Here's to the compelling future of the business world, enriched by exceptional AI integration! 🥂 #AI #Business #Venixs #Innovation

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What happens when two trailblazers step onto the stage to talk about AI? You walk away with insights that aren’t just eye-opening—they’re 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦-𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨. At the eChai Ventures 𝘈𝘐 𝘋𝘢𝘺 in Mumbai, we had the privilege of hearing from: ✨ Udit Goenka (Founder of PitchGround, Firstsales.io, and TinyCheque) ✨ Rupak Shah (Co-founder of AiVANTA) Here’s the goldmine they shared: 𝗨𝗱𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲: Forget chasing shiny innovations - 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 might just be your secret weapon. Udit peeled back the layers on how B2C solutions can harness AI to scale, thrive, and win in today’s crowded marketplace. 𝗥𝘂𝗽𝗮𝗸’𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: AI isn’t just about possibilities; it’s about 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. Rupak showcased how AI is revolutionizing the creation of production-grade videos, bridging creativity with scalability like never before. The biggest lesson of the day? AI isn’t the future - it’s the 𝘯𝘰𝘸. Whether you’re building for consumers or creating content, it’s time to rethink how you leverage the power of AI to deliver value where it truly matters. 👉 Which AI application do you think holds the most potential for businesses? Let’s dive into a discussion below! 📝 I regularly write about Technology Systems for Businesses. To stay updated, join Ascent’s WhatsApp Community: https://lnkd.in/dTVCKCJm Regards, Amish About Ascent: Ascent works with growth-oriented emerging enterprises to automate their business processes using technology and helps them efficiently scale operations! Shubham Dumbre #AI

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A few days back, I sat down with V Keshavdev at Fortune, to discuss AI, SaaS and funding landscape in India in a two part series. A few thoughts: 1/ There is no new software without AI. While incumbents adapt, new companies have to start AI-first 2/ AI-first doesn’t mean having many AI features, AI-first involves reframing the solution to something possible today only because of AI 3/ Software is moving from building the workflow to doing the work. This has large implications on both market size and pricing 4/ Market sizes have increased manifold now — the size is now the sum of software spends, human capital spends, services spends and efficiency gains 5/ Globally there is a massive opportunity. While there has been a select opportunity in India software (personally having seen the journey on the boards of Darwinbox and Sarvam), the increase in TAM makes regional opportunities more appealing 6/ Incumbents will struggle with pricing changes - hard to move per seat pricing to usage based pricing without lots of evangelisation with customers, and for public companies, the impact on revenue predictability during the transition will not be appreciated by the Street. This presents an opportunity for new companies 7/ For AI businesses, gross margins maybe lower given model costs but capital efficiency should be higher given the many AI tools to build a business now...which is all the more important in today's higher cost-of-capital world https://lnkd.in/gqtq_TnQ Peak XV Partners

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Final AMA for AIR5 For the @AntlerIndia Residency #5, apps from individual founders are due Aug 2nd. Existing teams can continue to apply (rolling decisions). Nandini Vishwanath & I are doing one final AMA this evening (July 29, 6-7 pm IST). We cover all things Residency - the best way to move from your -1 to 0 phase to an investment decision. https://lu.ma/7n35d1z5

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Another insightful session I attended at the Product-Led Alliance conference was "Navigating your team towards Product-Led Growth" by Prassath Leelakrishnan. Key takeaways include: ⤷ Experimentation is key to product-led growth. Aim for a 25% win rate. Every 1 in 4 experiments should be a success. ⤷ Clarity through Documentation. Create a one-page document for each experiment: › Who: Which customers are we serving better? › What: What problems are we solving for them? › So what: What impact does solving these problems have? › How: How are customers interacting with our products? The best part: Losing an experiment costs at most 2-3 weeks, but a winning experiment benefits the organization for its entire timeline. Thanks Prassath Leelakrishnan for the invaluable insights and to the Product-Led Alliance for organizing such a great event! #ProductLedAlliance #ProductGrowth #Experimentation #ProductManagement

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'GenAI is easier to say in the boardroom and difficult to get right for many SaaS companies'. When speaking to multiple technology providers, we have observed this as well. I will go further to suggest that many existing players will find it difficult to move to agentic workflows meaningfully. Beyond document summarization, and basic AI uses. The real problem is not technology. It is the company's DNA and processes, and a large installed base of customers. Going from building deterministic systems to building non-deterministic systems with high accuracy is a different skill set and hard to pivot to quickly. #aiagents #genai

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🚀 As we skip, stumble and leap through the vast techscape of our daily lives, it's increasingly challenging to identify the genuine development strides beneath the dense fog of hype and marketing narratives. 💫 Over the past half-decade, we've been a captive audience to tales of the #metaverse, #blockchain, and #virtualreality. Now, we're caught up in a storm of thought pieces and vibrant debates around the frequently co-opted term 'AI.' 🌕 Despite all of this uproar, actual innovation is not drowned. Actual breakthroughs, such as harnessing the symbiotic relationship of #datascience and #AI, are emerging on the horizon. One clear leader in this field, certainly worth watching, is #WolframResearch - developing unique, practical applications of AI technology through precise, focussed, data-driven research. 🎇 I want to predict here, that one of the very next frontiers for AI will be a deeper sync with data science. Think of AI as a car that fuels on data. But what if the car becomes more fuel intensive with the roads it’s traveled, the weather, traffic, and other conditions? 💭 To decode: AI models require vast volumes of high-quality data to maximize their capabilities, learn and evolve. How well we collect, harness and drive this data accuracy will directly impact the operational success of our AI-based tools. ➡️ Consequently, I sense a wave of forward-thinking corporations will prioritize investments in data science and AI compatibility in the very near future. These are not detached domains but reciprocal allies in the fight for a realistically tech-advanced future! To stay tuned and tread wisely into this promise-filled sea of tech innovation, follow this path: Bit.ly/WolframRes

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Shashank Bijapur co-founder and CEO of SpotDraft, our portfolio company, ran a terrific panel at the Arkam Innovation Summit. He covered a lot of ground with Manish Jethani Co-founder and CEO of Hevo Data Data, and Gaurav Sharma Founder, and CEO of SaaSLabs .    Here are some key takeaways that stayed with me: Initial journey of identifying the problem statement and figuring out the solution during the early days at SaaS Labs and Hevo Data After selling his first company in the US, Gaurav returned to India. All he wanted to do was make $4-5 K living in India, so he started out by building tools for Shopify users. But when those tools rapidly grew to half a million in recurring revenue, Gaurav realized that he could build anything, be anywhere in the world, and sell it worldwide. Manish believes that your product has to solve a personal problem in addition to an industrial one. Once you start the journey as an entrepreneur, financial success will not satisfy you. “What one problem can you solve even if the financial outcome is not that great?” Deciding whether to validate the product in India and move to the US versus taking a US market-first approach Selling in India is hard, especially in the early days. As Gaurav said, "if you sell a $10 product, you must create an invoice, and then they’ll make the payment in 60 days. So, it became very hard to make a profit. From this, I realized that India is not ready to buy software yet, so the best model would be to build it in India and sell it across the world" Manish believes customer needs and expectations are completely different across India and the US. It's quite challenging to build a product for India and expect it to succeed in the US. So, from day one, he focused on the US market-first approach. Establishing product differentiation during the early days of growing in the US market? Initially, the number one challenge for Manish was to sell a product that their target audience could build themselves. Hevo Data needed needed financial and operational data from companies, which nobody shares easily. Most companies prefer to build a product in-house and work with that tool. So, Manish decided to find initial customers who meet three criteria: they should not want to build a product in-house, they should be fine with sharing the data, and they should be from the US. Aspects of the business that changed from 0-1 to 1-10 journey and beyond To get initial customers, Gaurav decided to integrate his product into larger companies to get more eyes on it. To sustain this growth, Gaurav bet on excellent customer service, which is “an unfair advantage for Indian SaaS,” as he says. His customer service and fast responses became the talk of the town amongst his customers. Here’s the full video video. Well worth your time to listen to three $10M+ ARR SaaS founders at the top of their game.   Arkam Ventures https://lnkd.in/gP_YT-gV

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