Startup Project

Category: Article

  • #12 Harvey Multani: Founder RUV Alliance & Miami100 DAO

    If you are interested in co-investing with Nataraj, check out NVC Syndicate on Angel List.

    Harvey is an interesting guest and currently runs RUV Alliance. I have come to know Harvey as he started disrupting the angel investing space using RUVs (roll up vehicles) to create a way for investors to invest in deals with out any carry.

    This was definitely not the use case RUVs were initially created for, but Angel list team has been supportive to Harvey’s efforts and the alliance has more than 1000+ investors investing across the world.

    Since this conversation RUV Alliance has now changed its strategy from using RUVs to SPVs to make deal making more efficient & less cumbersome for founder. It is also currently experimenting with different pricing for its 1000+ investors to access zero carry deals.

    The SPVs that are used by RUV alliance are created and managed by AngelList which also the case with the roll-up vehicles from which the idea started.

    For more in-depth take listen to the full conversation, which includes:

    • The origins of RUV Alliance
    • Goals as an investor community
    • Macro factors that helped RUV Alliance
    • Dynamics with other SPVs 
    • AngelList’s reaction to RUV Alliance
    • Who funds RUV Alliance?
    • Miami100 DAO

    —–

    Previous conversations on Startup Project podcast include Ali Moiz (stonks.com), Kirby Winfield (Ascend.vc), Eric Bahn (Hustle Fund), and more.

    To stay up to date checkout thestartupproject.io & follow us on twitter: @natarajsindam

    —–

    If you like this episode, you might also enjoy the conversation with web3 critique Liron, long time business journalist Todd Bishop or Angel Investor Sajid Rahman.

  • #11 Richard White: Founder of Fathom.Video (YC W21) & Uservoice | Startup Project by Nataraj

    In this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Richrad White, Founder of Fathom.VIdeo. It is one of the companies invested by Zoom Apps Fund.

    Prior to starting Fathom.Video, Richard was CEO & Founder of Uservoice.com (Product feedback for B2B SaaS)/

    Full conversation includes:

    • Journey of Uservoice
    • Insights that led to starting Fathom.Video
    • Why repeat founders look at having more investors on cap table than less?
    • Optimization for Angels and New funds on cap table
    • Taking investment from Zoom Fund
    • How to think about B2B marketplaces like Zoom Apps

    Listen to full conversation here:

    Follow Richard on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rrwhite/ and learn more about Fathom here. Go to https://fathom.video/pod to skip the waiting list and try fathom.video.

    Nataraj is an engineer at Azure, partner at planbcapital.co & hosts thestartupproject.io podcast. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam & stay up to date here.

  • #10 Luba Lesiva: Founder of palumni.vc investing in Palantir Alumni | Startup Project by Nataraj

    In this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Luba Lesiva, Founder of palumni.vc

    Every one has a different path to venture, and Luba also has a unique one. She has a background of working in different investment firms and has been an investor banker on Wall Street before joining Palantir as part of their investor relations team.

    Seeing the Palantir talent leaving to start new companies, she realized she is at an intersection of talent and future startups and leveraged it to start palumni.vc. Palumni vc is a syndicate which invests in Palantir alumni founders.

    Full conversation on the podcast includes:

    • Origin story of palumni.vc
    • Investing in Palantir Alumni
    • Challenges & growth tactics in creating and growing an Alumni Syndicate 
    • Leveraging communities to create value

    —–

    Startup Project podcast guests include Ali Moiz (Founder of stonks.com), Kirby Winfield (Ascend.vc), Eric Bahn (Hustle Fund), and many more.

    Startup Project is hosted by Nataraj, you can follow him on twitter at @natarajsindam & on LinkedIn.

    —–

    If you like this episode, you might also enjoy the conversation with web3 critique Liron, long time business journalist Todd Bishop or Angel Investor Sajid Rahman.

  • #9 Eric Satz: Founder of Alto IRA | Startup Project by Nataraj

    In this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Eric Satz, Founder & CEO of Alto IRA.

    Prior to his role as founder and CEO of Alto, Eric worked in investment banking at DLJ/Credit Suisse and co-founded several companies, including: Currenex, an FX trading solution sold to State Street for more than $550M; Plumgood Food, and; Tennessee Community Ventures, a VC firm

    We talked about:-

    • The problems that led to creation of Alto IRA
    • Advantages of using Alto IRA 
    • Working with partners like Coinbase, Angellist & Republic
    • Diversification of investments
    • Fundraising via Equity Crowdfunding
    • Peter Thiel’s 401k strategy

    Follow Eric on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ericsatz and learn more about Alto IRA here.

    Nataraj is an engineer at Azure, partner at planbcapital.co & hosts thestartupproject.io podcast. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam and stay up to date at https://www.getrevue.co/profile/bmb/members

  • #8 Sajid Rahman: Founder MyAsiaVC, 1000+ Startups 40+ Exits

    In this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Sajid Rahman, Founder of My Asia VC.

    For any one who invests on Angellist will have seen a investment opportunity from MyAsiaVC. It is probably the most active Angel List syndicate.

    Sajid is the operator-investor who is behind MyAsiaVC who invested in 1000+ Startups with 40+ Exits. His portfolio companies span all geographical regions including North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Latam.

    Sajid took scaling as a solo capitalist to the next level. His decision making in unique to most investors and has scaled his investing across the globe with a very small team, which is extremely impressive.

    Full conversation includes:

    • Transition from Banking to Angel Investing
    • Solving the cold start problem
    • Best way to start leading investments in 2021
    • Graduating from a syndicate to fund
    • Thought process behind Investing in different stages
    • Thesis for the new late stage fund
    • Why he thinks startup investing is not risky
    • Decisions making style
    • Trends he is looking forward in next couple of years.

    —–

    If you like listening to this episode and are looking for more interesting podcasts to listen to here are top 5 business podcasts we recommend.

    Startup Project podcast guests include Ali Moiz (Founder of stonks.com), Kirby Winfield (Ascend.vc), Eric Bahn (Hustle Fund), and many more.

    Startup Project is hosted by Nataraj, you can follow him on twitter at @natarajsindam & on LinkedIn.

    —–

    If you like this episode, you might also enjoy the conversation with web3 critique Liron, long time business journalist Todd Bishop or Angel Investor Sajid Rahman.

  • #7 Martin Tobias: Founder of Incisive.vc

    In this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Martin Tobias, Founder of Incisive Ventures.

    Martin is a serial entrepreneur, investor in 100+ deals as an angel, also the Founder of a leading Angel network, Element8. He is also 3x CEO, and has raised over $500M (including two IPOs).

    His syndicate on Angel List is one of the most active and well known for bringing quality deals to his LPs. He also write elaborately about his thesis at insicive.vc.

    Martin himself has been an LP in a lot of venture funds and also an early investor in Google & Docusign to name a few.

    Full conversation with Martin includes:

    • First Angel Investment
    • Meta Themes
    • Capital Efficiency in North America vs India
    • Looking at valuations with the lens of notional capital
    • What led to his investment in DocuSign at a time when electronic signatures were not legal
    • Story behind starting Incisive in the middle of a pandemic

    —–

    Startup Project podcast guests include Ali Moiz (Founder of stonks.com), Kirby Winfield (Ascend.vc), Eric Bahn (Hustle Fund), and many more.

    Startup Project is hosted by Nataraj, you can follow him on twitter at @natarajsindam & on LinkedIn.

    —–

    If you like this episode, you might also enjoy the conversation with web3 critique Liron, long time business journalist Todd Bishop or Angel Investor Sajid Rahman.

  • #6 Vipul Agrawal: Founder of Unlu.io | The Startup Project by Nataraj

    This is a special episode. I have known Vipul for over 6 months now. With in just couple of conversations I have come to realize that he is one of the most interesting founders I have come across.

    In this episode we talked about:

    • Vipul’s journey prior to starting unlu.io & building Rutogo & CricnWin.
    • Making money using Internet
    • The concept of Fandom vs Respect
    • How his experience working with influencers in cricket and co-producing movies is helping him build Unlu?
    • How does the journey of making an Unlu Class happen, from concept to production?
    • How does Unlu convince the like of Ruskin Bond & Manoj Bajpayee come and teach their craft on Unlu?
    • Market size of Indian Influencer economy
    • what’s next after Unlu Shoutouts & Unlu class?
    • What are the moats that are separating Unlu from the competition?
    • Thesis behind Angel investing and the experience of seeing exits like Fitso (aq by Zomato)

    Listen to the full conversation below:

    Follow Vipul on Twitter at https://twitter.com/iamvipulagrawal and learn more about Unlu at unlu.io

    Follow Nataraj on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam and stay up to date at thestartupproject.io

  • #5 Ani Mohan: Founder & General Manager at GameSnacks (Google Area 120) | The Startup Project by Nataraj

    In Episode 5 of The Startup Project (thestartupproject.io) Nataraj talked to Ani Mohan who is the founder and General Manager of Gamesnacks (gamesnacks.com), a web based game platform incubated inside Google’s Area 120. 

    The conversation included the following topics:

    • Start of the Gamesnacks and all the previous versions of it 
    • Incubation of projects inside google area 120
    • How a decision to Pivot to Gamesnacks was made?
    • Embedding as a distribution Strategy
    • Value chain of Gaming Ecosystem & Future trends in gaming

    Listen to the full conversation below:

    Follow Ani on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ani_c_mohan and learn more about Gamesnacks at gamesnacks.com

    Follow Nataraj on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam and stay up to date at thestartupproject.io

  • #4 Manik Mehta: Founder of Omnify, a global SaaS platform for small and medium service business | The Startup Project

    Manik is the Co-Founder of Omnify (getomnify.com), a global SaaS platform for small and medium service business. Previously he was also the co-founder of LinkMySport. 

    We talked about:

    • Service Ecommerce
    • Pivoting multiple times to find product market fit
    • Scrapping and restarting to figure the right customers in right geography
    • Giving back time to customers
    • Getting through the rollercoaster of pandemic when 90% of your customers are outside India
    • Vision of Omnify

    Follow Manik on Twitter at https://twitter.com/manik_me and learn more about omnify at getomnify.comFollow Nataraj on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam and stay up to date at thestartupproject.io

  • #3 Vikas Malpani: Co-Founder of Leher & Ex-Cofounder of Commonfloor.com | The Startup Project

    Vikas is the Co-Founder of Leher (Leher.app), a live discussion platform. Previously he was also the co-founder of Commonfloor.com which was acquired by Quikr. We talked about:

    • Growth of Leher in last 6 months
    • Monetization Models
    • Content moderation
    • The Clubhouse Effect
    • From Commonfloor to Leher, how has the Indian Startup ecosystem changed?

    Follow Vikas on Twitter at https://twitter.com/vikasmalpani and learn more about Leher at Leher.App

    Follow Nataraj on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam and stay up to date at thestartupproject.io

    The full conversation is available at:
    Youtube – https://lnkd.in/gJkmzDr
    Spotify – https://lnkd.in/g3vdtYY
    Apple – https://lnkd.in/gEycJUf
    Google – https://lnkd.in/grXHWbp
    Podlink – https://lnkd.in/g8N54zS