Welcome to the Indian Startup Show! 🎙️ I'm Neil Patel, your host and producer of the Indian Startup Show — a podcast dedicated to India's dynamic entrepreneurs, innovators, and the groundbreaking startups they're building. The Indian startup ecosystem is one of the most exciting in the world,…
What happens when you turn one of the most common dopamine loops—ordering food out of boredom—into a website? I sit down with Purvansh Parmar, a 26-year-old software engineer and entrepreneur from Udaipur, to unpack the story behind Food Never Comes, a website designed to make people more aware of the habits and dopamine loops surrounding online food ordering. Built by two 26-year-old software developers - Purvansh Parmar and Anshul Sharma - from Udaipur in India's northern state of Rajasthan, FoodNeverComes says it has attracted more than 2.7m visitors since its launch in June. It now…
Make healthy snacking fun again. What happens when a former management consultant decides to leave the corporate world and build a snack brand from scratch? You get Must Be Nuts. Today I speak to Rajesh Ivaturi, the founder of Must Be Nuts. A brand born from a simple observation: healthy food doesn't have to feel boring, serious or joyless. In this episode, Rajesh takes us behind the scenes of building Must Be Nuts, from the original idea and naming process to the realities of launching, raising capital, making expensive mistakes and figuring out what today's consumers actually want. We talk…
She watched 140 million senior citizens become invisible overnight. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Arasi noticed a quiet crisis hiding in plain sight: elderly people struggling with everyday tasks while their families lived far away. This observation sparked the creation of 60 Plus, an elder-care platform that supported nearly 50,000 seniors across India over six and a half years. In this episode, Arasi opens up about building a deeply human business from the ground up, her journey into angel investing, and how leaning into AI transformed her company. She talks about the reality and…
How can founders identify government opportunities? Today I sit down with Mithun Pangal, a technology veteran with over 25 years of experience building everything from software to 40-foot-high robots. Mithun breaks down the reality of building a Business-to-Government (B2G) startup in India. We dismantle the myths surrounding government procurement, discuss how to navigate tenders, and explore why the public sector offers superior security and unmatched scale for founders willing to learn the ropes. He talks about “What does Government-as-a-market” actually means. Talks about partnerships,…
Helping professionals become AI ready! Today, educator and builder Aditya Pati (founder of "Build with Adi") joins the show to demystify the AI revolution for non-technical founders. We explore the shift from traditional no-code tools to AI-driven platforms like Claude, complete with a live website modification breakdown. Adi shares hard-hitting lessons from his failed startup and his mission to build a global network of "AI enablers" solving local problems. we discuss: The Prompt Trap. The AI Stack: How to choose between ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini for the right job, plus a guide to token…
What happens when gold, AI and startups collide? Today on The Indian Startup Show, I’m joined by Devansh Alijar for a wide-ranging conversation about AI, investing and building modern businesses. Devansh has helped transform a traditional family jewellery business, and we talk about how he’s using AI to make the business more efficient — from operations and hiring to training and decision-making. We also explore how he thinks about investing in startups, gold, and other assets, including what he looks for in founders and the red flags that can quickly put him off an investment. We discuss…
The Business of Laughs! Today I sit down with Ankur Nigam a Stand-up & Improv Comedian and Storytelling Coach dedicated to helping teams communicate with clarity, confidence, and a bit of humor. Ankur shares his incredible journey of leaving a stable consulting career to chase the spotlight, the brutal reality of his first on-stage failure, and how a life-altering open-heart surgery at age 35 completely shifted his perspective on legacy and living in the moment. He talks about adapting to the digital age, dealing with hecklers, and the unique comedy ecosystems of Delhi, Mumbai, and…
Stop Doom-Scrolling! In 2026, the global average screen time has climbed to a staggering 6 hours and 38 minutes a day. We are constantly plugged in, but is it a lack of willpower, or are we just losing a rigged game? Today on the podcast, we sit down with Aditi Mandal to find out. Aditi spent a time working as a UX researcher, designing and making highly engaging digital products. But in 2017, she realized she was falling victim to the very systems she helped build. After embarking on a digital fitness journey, Aditi successfully beat the algorithms, engineering her own screen time down from…
Travel isn't just about places, it's about the stories and the people behind them. In this episode of the Indian Startup Show, I sit down with Dr. Tathagata Neogi, Co-Founder and CEO of Immersive Trails. Armed with a PhD in archaeology, he returned to Kolkata to build a dynamic, tech-enabled marketplace that connects conscious travelers with expert curators. We dive into the realities of bootstrapping a startup, the challenge of educating investors on a niche business model, and how Immersive Trails is organizing India's fragmented local guide market. Tathagata also shares powerful insights…
The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Freezer Epiphany That Sparked a Zero-Waste Bakery. Today I speak with Sarah Patka, the visionary chef and founder behind Mumbai’s premium niche bakery, Love & Flour. Driven by a passion for baking science and a strict zero-waste philosophy, Sarah shares her journey from working the grueling shifts at the Taj Mahal Palace to bootstrapping her own boutique dessert brand. We dive deep into the operational strategies of running a made-to-order, storefront-free bakery, the art of fusion desserts, and why prioritizing consistent quality over mass-market scaling is the…
Marry the problem, not the product! In this episode, I sit down with social entrepreneur Nikky Kumar Jha, the first engineer from his small village in Bihar, India. Nikky initially set out to tackle massive global issues like climate change—until a professor advised him to look in his own backyard. What he found was a devastating local crisis: despite the fertile soil along the Ganges, farmers were losing 40% of their produce to rot because standard refrigeration was too expensive and the rural power grid was too unreliable. From a "hilarious" first prototype that short-circuited in 30…
Giving People a Second Life! We are thrilled to welcome back Rishi Krishna, the visionary Founder and CEO of Symbionic, for his first appearance since November 2021! A lot has changed since our last conversation. After losing his right arm in a tragic bus accident in 2018, Rishi channeled his personal adversity into founding Symbionic, an assistive tech startup dedicated to building affordable, life-changing prosthetic devices. In this episode, we dive deep into the massive pivots the business has undergone, what it really takes to build and scale in India, and how Symbionic is quite…
Turning Wanderlust into a Business. Can falling in love with a place completely change the trajectory of your life? For Alankar Chandra, a trip to the Masai Mara did exactly that. Today, I speak to Alankar Chandra, the CEO and Founder of Wild Voyager and Ilora Retreats. An IIM Ahmedabad alumnus, Alankar left his comfortable corporate job to pursue his true passions: wildlife and travel. In this episode, we discuss how he turned his hobby into a thriving experiential travel company, born out of a desire to rekindle a true sense of wonder through authentic adventures. Whether you are an…
The India–Scotland Entrepreneurial Journey! Today’s guest is Nishant Sharma. the Indian-born, Edinburgh-based entrepreneur whose company blends Indian heritage with Scottish craftsmanship. Nishant’s story is one of resilience, legacy and bold reinvention. After leaving a successful career in financial services, he set out to build a brand with long-term meaning. Inspired by his late grandmother — and a family history that traces back to his great-grandfather becoming a whisky distiller during the British Raj — he brought his Assam roots into the heart of Scotland’s spirits industry. The…
Reinventing Kids Hospitality in India. Today my guest is Kanupriya Poddar, CEO of MagickWorld. She is building a platform to help parents discover kid-friendly stays, experiences, shops, and enrichment services across cities. In this episode, she shares how she launched MagickWorld alongside her 8-year-old daughter (a mini-entrepreneur, Shark Tank fan, business mindset!), onboarded 100+ local businesses within two months of soft launch, and cracking the distribution model. She reflects on lessons from her McKinsey background, explains why she prefers top-down strategy over bottom-up…
Building a global brand from India. Today my guest is Ritesh Arora, Co-Founder of TRU.BIKE, TRU.BIKE designs premium, lightweight and safe bicycles for children, and is now exporting e-bikes to Europe. In this episode he talks about why India, despite being the second-largest bicycle manufacturer, has no global brand, and how TRU.BIKE is changing that. Ritesh shares their journey from bootstrapping in year one to raising funds, achieving product–market fit, and growing fast. He talks about building a strong marketing engine. Being mentally prepared for the startup journey. Why your first…
In this episode, I sit down with Saurabh Nigam—HR leader, angel investor, and author of People-Powered Startups: Building a Culture of Collaboration, Innovation, and High Performance. With over two decades of experience, Saurabh shares actionable insights on building a thriving startup culture, avoiding common HR mistakes, and hiring the right people at the right time. We dive into: Why startups struggle with HR—and how to fix it. The role of AI in recruitment. How to retain top talent and manage toxic high performers. Managing mental wellness in a high-growth startup environment. The three…
Showcasing emerging artists—today, my guest is Leia Tyebjee, co-founder of Pylot Studios, an interdisciplinary creative platform dedicated to artistic design, curation, and community engagement. In this episode, we discuss the challenges of creating spaces for artists, breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry, and how Pylot Studios is redefining art curation. Leia also shares her thoughts on AI in art, mistakes emerging artists make, the importance of community, and why she still chooses to work with film photography in the digital age. And finally, we talk bananas, interesting first…
Indie Hacker Special! I speak to Piyush Patel, the founder of AmplifyX Labs and a prominent voice in the micro-SaaS and indie hacking space. From bootstrapping projects to building in public and exploring AI-powered tools, Piyush shares invaluable insights into his personal journey, product development strategies, getting your first customers and the future of micro-SaaS. This episode is packed with actionable advice for aspiring indie hackers, developers, and entrepreneurs who want to build and scale meaningful projects without funding. He also shares how numerology and astrology influence…
Chicken and hot sauce are a match made in heaven! Today, I’m joined by Mikhel Rajani, co-founder of Naagin Sauce, India’s first and favourite hot sauce brand. Five years ago, Mikhel and his co-founders spotted a gap in the market, and now Naagin Sauce is a household name, partnering with KFC India and taking Indian Ghost Chillies global. In this episode, we talk about: How they built the brand from scratch. The spicy challenges they faced along the way. Mikhel’s insights from 15 years in the food and beverage business, including branding, hiring, and marketing and raising funding. Plus,…
The world is getting fatter! In this episode, we dive deep into fitness and nutrition with Adarsh Gopalakrishnan, founder of Move101 in Chennai. Move101 is a unique strength and conditioning gym tailored for regular folks with little to no training background, and it also offers online coaching. Adarsh’s journey into fitness began in an unexpected way: he started working out to impress a girl who liked the biceps of a popular MTV VJ. He had no biceps and he wanted biceps and he started lifting weight and he got biceps! Thirteen years later, he’s trained hundreds of clients both in-person and…
On a mission to make intimacy easy, approachable, and fun. Today my guest is Anushka Gupta, co-founder of MyMuse. MyMuse is India’s first bedroom essentials brand, dedicated to making intimacy easy, approachable, and fun for Indians everywhere. Anushka and her husband started in a small apartment and now operate a warehouse serving over 150,000 customers across 1000+ Indian cities. They've also built a massive community of over 100,000 followers on Instagram and other social media platforms. During our conversation, Anushka discusses smashing taboos and disrupting the industry, as well as…
Experience real cricket at home! In this episode, I sit down with Prince Thomas, co-founder of MetaShot, a Bangalore-based gaming startup. MetaShot offers a unique and immersive cricket experience through a cutting-edge metaphysical smart bat. Prince shares how the idea for MetaShot emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss the early days of development, from the initial prototypes—a cricket bat with a sensor and a copy of EA Cricket 2007—to securing significant investments from prominent investors and eventually having a best selling product on Flipkart. Throughout our conversation,…
Step into the dynamic world of Indian menswear fashion with our latest episode! Join us as we sit down with Karan Singh, the creative force behind Aristobrat, a brand renowned for its premium men's clothing. In this insightful conversation, Karan takes us on a journey from his inspiration drawn from a transformative trip to Scandinavia to the inception of his own fashion empire. Delve into his innovative financial strategies, including the use of factoring, and gain a deeper understanding of India's burgeoning menswear scene. Discover Karan's pearls of wisdom as he discusses crafting a brand…
Drawing inspiration from the timeless game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, today's guest is Lalit Kalani, the Founder of Rock Paper Rum, an innovative Indian Rum brand prominently featured on Season 3 of Shark Tank India. In this episode, Lalit delves into the journey of launching his venture, shedding light on navigating the competitive Mumbai market, mastering branding, product development, and effective marketing strategies. He talks about India's complicated relationship with alcohol. He offers invaluable advice on pitching, discusses the transformative impact of Shark Tank, and reveals insights…
Driven by love for Table Tennis. Megha Gambhir, is the amazing co-founder and CEO of Stupa Sports Analytics. Her company is revolutionising the world of sports by providing athletes with cutting-edge analytics and insights to improve their performance. She talks about how she got started with a MVP - an Excel spreadsheet, to now working the ITTF and multiple international federations on her client list and a number of global clients. She talks about leaving a well-paying job to figure it all out. Talks about working with her husband (pros & cons) She talks about pivoting. Building a B2B…
Making India sleep better: More than 55% of Indian adults face trouble falling asleep at least three nights a week. Today, I speak with Surbhi Jain, the founder of Neend, a free app offering stories, soothing sleep sounds, meditation, and more to help users unwind and nod off. Launched in 2021, Surbhi shares how she started this journey after contracting Covid and struggling with sleep issues. She released the MVP on YouTube, experiencing significant organic growth. Surbhi discusses building a consumer app in the wellness space, addressing topics like traction, funding, her background,…
Universal factories of the future. Today my guest is Gokul NA, Co-Founder of CynLr. a pioneering deep-tech startup dedicated to the radical reinvention of dynamic vision-enabled robots, unlocking the potential to create the 'universal factories' of tomorrow. In this enlightening discussion, Gokul takes us on a journey back over a decade, recounting the humble beginnings with his co-founder in a modest office that evolved into a sprawling 13,000 sq ft research space. This state-of-the-art facility boasts robot research cells, cutting-edge electronics, a sophisticated camera and vision…
From a 13-year-old dreaming of becoming a YouTuber to now leading a 6-figure video content agency, today I speak with Pratham Jindal, Founder and CEO of Praper Media—a content agency collaborating with some of the biggest creators on the planet. In this episode, he shares insights into launching the agency, recounting the story of securing his first customer by spending 100 Rupees on a super chat. Pratham delves into his unique hiring philosophy and offers perspectives on AI, Chat GPT, and Sora. Additionally, he unveils his distinctive framework for hiring staff and discusses effective cold…
Hello everyone, Thank you for listening to the latest episode of the Indian Startup Show. It;’s been a while but we are back with a bang. It's a tough job market out there folks! , and on today's episode, we have an expert to guide us through it. I'm joined by Sarabjeet Sacher, the founder of Aspiration Jobs, with a profound passion for coaching professionals in areas such as career growth, career development, job search strategies, and interview techniques. He shares valuable insights on crafting a compelling CV—what to include and what to avoid. The episode explores the intricacies of…
About The Indian Startup Show
Welcome to the Indian Startup Show! 🎙️ I'm Neil Patel, your host and producer of the Indian Startup Show — a podcast dedicated to India's dynamic entrepreneurs, innovators, and the groundbreaking startups they're building. The Indian startup ecosystem is one of the most exciting in the world, and we are here to document it. We go beyond the headlines and funding rounds to uncover the raw truth of what it actually takes to build a company today. From the initial spark of an idea to acquiring first customers, overcoming setbacks, and celebrating milestones—we talk about it all. Are you building something amazing? The heartbeat of this show is the belief that everyone has a story worth telling. Whether you are bootstrapping a passion project from your bedroom or scaling a massive tech platform, we want to hear from you. You don't need millions in funding, just a genuine passion for what you do. Subscribe for new episodes, and if you have a story to tell, reach out to me today!
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