Randal B.’s Post

As part of its ongoing effort to expand its offerings and expand its network, #PeakXV, the venture capital firm that separated from Sequoia Capital last year, is bringing its portfolio companies from Australia, India, and Southeast Asia to Silicon Valley this week for a "immersion" trip where they will meet with a number of powerful figures in the industry. A participant briefed on the topic stated that about 60 founders, many supported by Peak XV's very #influential program Surge, will go with partners from the company to meet industry executives and tour AI research facilities. As obtained by TechCrunch, the company issued an email to its #portfolio businesses that included strategy sessions with executives from OpenAI, Nvidia, and Sequoia partner Doug Leone. It also featured speeches from seasoned operators such as Umesh Sachdev, the CEO of Uniphore, and Gokul Rajaram, an adviser for DoorDash. With competition among venture investors escalating for access to the most promising AI #businesses worldwide, the program, internally nicknamed "Immersion Week," offers the most recent glimpse into Peak XV's expanding portfolio beyond writing checks. Currently, deep tech and AI startups are not as prevalent in India, despite being one of the largest startup ecosystems. Building huge language models from the ground up is something that very few players in India are doing. One such business, Sarvam AI, struck a deal with #microsoft last week after announcing a $41 million fundraising round headed by Peak XV and Lightspeed India late last year. A trip like "Immersion" might be helpful in this regard, since investors claim that many Indian entrepreneurs are now planning what new skills to #develop and how to attract clients abroad." www.tycoonstory.com #venturecapital #ai #startupfunding #networking #innovation #growthhacking #siliconvalley #startuptrip #globalreach #investments #entrepreneurship #PeakXV #SurgeProgram Peak XV Partners Vasanta Majety Pushpak Kedia Harshal Kamdar Dipanjan Sengupta

Updated Post: Peak XV takes startups on a Silicon Valley trip in AI push https://buff.ly/49wRb88 Peak XV, the venture capital firm that split from Sequoia Capital last year, is taking its portfolio companies from India, Southeast Asia and Australia on an “immersion” trip to Silicon Valley this week to meet several industry titans, the latest in the venture firm’s broadening offerings and networking flex. About 60 founders, many backed by Peak XV’s powerfully influential program Surge, will join partners from the firm on the trip to meet industry leaders and visit AI research centers, according to a participant briefed on the matter. The week includes strategy sessions with executives from OpenAI and Nvidia as well as Sequoia partner Doug Leone, and talks from seasoned operators like Uniphore chief Umesh Sachdev and DoorDash advisor Gokul Rajaram, according to an email the firm sent to portfolio startups seen by TechCrunch. The program, internally dubbed “Immersion Week,” is the latest peek at Peak XV’s broadening roster beyond writing checks as competition intensifies among venture investors seeking access to the most promising AI startups globally. India, one of the largest startup ecosystems, currently lacks the depth in deeptech and AI startups. Very few players in India are attempting to build foundational large language models. Sarvam AI, one such startup, announced a $41 million funding late last year led by Peak XV and Lightspeed India and scored a partnership with Microsoft last week. Investors say that many existing startups in India are strategizing on what new capabilities to build and in finding customers overseas — and that’s where a trip like ‘Immersion’ can prove beneficial. Peak XV, which has $2.5 billion to deploy in the region, has taken an aggressive approach since its split last year, rapidly building out its bench strength and networking capabilities across geographies. Peak XV didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Monday morning. But in the email to portfolio companies over the weekend, Peak XV told founders the trip would “focus on building world-class products” and gaining “a glimpse into the AI world.” Peak XV Managing Directors Shailendra Singh, Rajan Anandan, Harshjit Sethi, Ashish Agrawal, and Surge Partner Pieter Kemps are among those hosting the week, according to the person briefed on the matter. #entrepreneurs #leadership #news #IT #success

Bhavish Aggarwal, founder of Ola and the AI startup Krutrim, has introduced a new pricing structure for Ola Maps. Effective from July 18, 2024, the new policy aims to offer a competitive alternative to major tech companies like Google, fostering innovation within India. This policy provides Indian startups with five million free API calls per month, and the rates for larger volumes are set at 50% lower than Google's. Additionally, the policy includes two years of free access for users who commit to a three-year or longer agreement, and three years of free usage for startups and SMEs on the ONDC Official platform. #OlaMaps #BhavishAggarwal #KrutrimAI #TechInnovation #IndianStartups #MappingTechnology #APIPricing #CostEfficiency #ONDC #TechNews #AIStartup #IndianTech #InnovationInIndia #TechUpdates #OlaCabs #LocationServices #STARTUP77

🚨 #YSExclusive: BoldCap expands Bracket to connect Indian AI founders with global GTM leaders BoldCap, an AI-focused venture capital firm, has announced the expansion of Bracket, its innovative go-to-market (GTM) platform, now open to select startups beyond its portfolio. Initially created to support BoldCap’s own portfolio, @Bracket is evolving into a powerful network connecting Indian entrepreneurs with GTM leaders across North America and Europe. Since its launch in 2023, Bracket has enabled 15+ companies to gain valuable traction in the US market. This platform bridges a critical gap, helping Indian founders navigate challenges like product packaging, pricing strategy, and customer discovery. As BoldCap’s Founder and General Partner Sathya Nellore Sampat explains, “We see a massive opportunity for founders from India to build global AI businesses, and Bracket ensures they have the right GTM support and allies.” For Indian startups with global ambitions, Bracket represents more than just a platform—it’s a launchpad. 🌍✨ 👉 Read more at: https://lnkd.in/gXgvQYp6 By Bhuvana Kamath #IndianStartups #AI #GlobalExpansion #GTM #BoldCap #Bracket #VentureCapital #SaaS #TechInnovation #YourStory

India's GenAI startup landscape is booming! 🚀 According to Nasscom’s 2024 report, the number of GenAI startups surged 3.6x, from 66 in early 2023 to 240+ by mid-2024, attracting over $750M in funding. With 17 native GenAI models and 80% of new startups offering GenAI assistants, India's tech-driven growth is undeniable! 💡 Deep-tech innovation is paving the way to contribute $1T to GDP. https://lnkd.in/dxuyDfbe #AI #TechGrowth #Innovation

India's Startup Scene in 2024! 🦄 In early 2024, India has added three new unicorns, showing the country's lively startup scene: 1. Krutrim (AI) - India's first AI unicorn, founded by Bhavish Aggarwal. Raised $50 million from Matrix Partners India, Krutrim launched its AI chatbot to expand globally. 2. Perfios (Fintech) - Provides AI-powered financial data analytics for banks and fintechs. Joined the unicorn club with funding led by Warburg Pincus, Bessemer Venture Partners, and 3one4 Capital. 3. Porter (Logistics) - Focuses on last-mile delivery solutions for e-commerce. Became a unicorn through a funding round led by Sequoia Capital India and Lightspeed Venture Partners. ⚡ These startups demonstrate India's diverse startup ecosystem, spanning AI, fintech, and logistics. 📈 Their rapid growth underscores their potential to drive innovation and industry transformation moving forward. #StartupIndia #Innovation #UnicornClub #AI #Fintech #Logistics #TechInnovation LinkedIn LinkedIn Guide to Creating

My NelsonHall colleague Gaurav P. is quoted today in The Economic Times' article: 'Silver lining amid funding winter: IT firms acquiring Indian startups, smaller firms'... “Armed with plenty of cash, IT services companies have found a fertile hunting ground for startups in India around deep tech, AI, and Space applications to augment capabilities, to address white spaces (gaps in their portfolios) especially in high value work like design, and above all get access to skilled resources that normally takes years to build internally. “Large IT firms have now cracked the code of the startup innovation culture and are able to integrate acquired companies with the services organization, while still maintaining a hands-off approach. It is a win-win proposition for both, with startups getting access to resources, especially in times of a funding crunch, and also to an entire gamut of Fortune 1000 companies that the IT firms serve." You can read the full article at: https://sowo.kr/fWLYFs1v

#DigitalEconomy to #IntelligentEconomy - #IndiaITservices has a great opportunity with #GenerativeAI but will blow it if they cannot change their stuffy ways of operating. https://lnkd.in/gH7yeCYK #GCCs #StartUps #ProductBiz #PlatformBiz

🚀LogiNext Cofounder's New GenAI Startup SiftHub Secures $5.5 Million Funding. 📰 SUMMARY: SiftHub, founded by Manisha Raisinghani, raised $5.5 Mn in seed funding led by Matrix Partners India and Blume Ventures, with participation from Neon Fund and angel investors. The enterprise tech platform employs large language models (LLMs) to craft personalized responses for sales and pre-sales teams, streamlining interactions with clients. SiftHub's integration with CRMs and content repositories centralizes data, leveraging GenAI to address internal team queries efficiently. 💡 Investors' Insights: Matrix Partners India's Pranay Desai lauds SiftHub's vision to optimize product knowledge management, allowing sales teams to focus on building relationships. Sanjay Nath from Blume Ventures highlights Raisinghani's entrepreneurial experience and SiftHub's potential to revolutionize sales and pre-sales processes globally. 📈 Industry Trends: SiftHub's funding arrives amidst a thriving enterprise tech sector, securing $305 Mn across 28 deals in Q1 2024. This underscores growing investor interest in SaaS startups, with recent funding rounds for Vodex and Rupyz. 🌐 Future Prospects: With a strong backing from investors and Raisinghani's entrepreneurial acumen, SiftHub is poised to scale its operations and enhance its AI-driven solutions, contributing to the evolution of enterprise sales processes. SiftHub #SiftHub #FundingNews #GenAI #EnterpriseTech #SaaS #Investment #MatrixPartners #BlumeVentures #IndustryTrends #MicroShots #Updates

Segwise Secures $1.6M Pre-Seed Funding for AI-Powered Observability Platform-Akshit Pushkarna Segwise.ai, a B2B SaaS platform, secures $1.6 million in pre-seed funding led by Powerhouse Ventures, backed by industry giants like CRED's Kunal Shah. Founded by ex-Fampay executives, it harnesses AI to tailor observability solutions for mobile product growth. The startup capitalizes on India's burgeoning GenAI market, expected to surpass $17 billion by 2030. The trend reflects a surge in entrepreneurs leveraging generative AI, contributing to India's thriving startup ecosystem. Seasoned founders, equipped with industry insights, continue to attract investor confidence, driving innovation in AI-powered solutions. Brijesh Bharadwaj #Segwise #PreSeedFunding #AI #ObservabilityPlatform #B2BSaaS #PowerhouseVentures #KunalShah #Cred #Fampay #MobileProductGrowth #GenAI #StartupEcosystem #Innovation #Technology #Entrepreneurship