Ep 015 - Can India Build Durable AI Deep-Tech Companies? | Narendra Bhandari

Ep 015 - Can India Build Durable AI Deep-Tech Companies? | Narendra Bhandari

Everyone is talking about AI. But a more important question is: Where will durable value actually be created? In this episode of Chai & Chips, I sit down with Narendra Bhandari, General Partner at Sea Fund, to discuss the future of AI, deep tech investing, and India's opportunity to build globally relevant technology companies. We explore why some AI companies will create lasting advantage while others may struggle to differentiate, what investors look for in deep-tech startups, and what must be true for India to build durable AI businesses. Some of the questions we tackle: • Is AI creating a platform shift comparable to the internet or mobile? • Where will defensible moats emerge in the AI ecosystem? • How should founders think about deep-tech versus application-layer opportunities? • What are the biggest challenges facing AI startups today? • Does India have a structural advantage in the AI era? • What separates enduring companies from short-lived hype cycles? One idea that stayed with me from this conversation: Technology waves create opportunities. Durable companies are built by those who create lasting differentiation. If you're a founder, investor, operator, or simply interested in the future of AI and deep tech, I think you'll enjoy this discussion. 0:56 – Introduction: Why AI deep tech in India matters 2:20 – Is this AI wave different? Why it's not just another hype cycle 6:13 – The AI stack: Infrastructure, models, and where startups should play 15:23 – Deep tech vs. software: How physics and chemistry change the investment timeline 24:10 – Where does value actually accrue — infrastructure, models, or applications? 41:15 – Speed round: VC pitch pet peeves and founder philosophy 47:15 – What must hold true for AI deep tech to succeed in India 54:05 – India's constraints: Capital, compute, and data — are they real? 58:04 – India's IT services industry: Disruption threat or massive AI opportunity? 1:07:38 – What makes a great deep tech founder 1:14:20 – Final Question: India's $100B+ sectors and the research culture gap 1:22:18 – Closing thoughts: "It's a great time to build" You can find us on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. If you enjoy conversations like this, please subscribe, share, and let me know your biggest takeaway in the comments. Resources: Find Narendra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/narendrabhandari/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/narendrabhandari/] Find Prakash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-mallya/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-mallya/]   Find Prakash on X: https://x.com/PrakashMallya [https://x.com/PrakashMallya] Find Prakash on Substack: https://www.prakashmallya.com/s/chai-and-chips-podcast [https://www.prakashmallya.com/s/chai-and-chips-podcast] Find Prakash on Medium: https://medium.com/@pmallya2411 [https://medium.com/@pmallya2411] All episode transcripts are available on Substack and Medium.

Ep 014 - AI Meets India Stack: What It Means for the Future of Digital Public Infrastructure - Omprakash Subbarao

Can AI + India Stack become a global model for digital infrastructure? India has built something few countries have: digital rails at population scale. But what happens when AI is layered on top of Aadhaar, UPI and public digital infrastructure? In this episode of Chai & Chips, Om and I explore a bigger question: Could India have a unique advantage in the AI era because of its digital public infrastructure? We discuss: * Why India Stack may matter even more in the age of AI * How AI could transform public infrastructure at massive scale * The opportunities and risks ahead * What must be true for India to lead in this next wave One idea from this conversation stayed with me: AI alone may not be the advantage. AI + infrastructure might be. If that interests you, I think you’ll enjoy this episode. Chapters: 01:00 - Introduction — What Must Be True for AI in DPI? 04:17 - Om’s Journey into India’s Digital Public Infrastructure 08:44 - Why India Stack Is Different from the Rest of the World 14:25 - The Core Building Blocks: Identity, Payments and Trust 26:52 - Opportunities at Population Scale: Health, Services and Inclusion 31:49 - Consent, Privacy and the Governance Challenge 42:10 – Ayushman Bharat – Risks, Opportunities & Impact 50:58 – Rapid Fire 54:07 – Why our R&D is weak; Case for India as a Use Case Factory 01:07:08 - Building AI Applications on Top of India Stack 01:10:33 - How to Build for Trust at Population Scale 01:21:53 – Final Question – Vision for India You can find us on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Subscribe to Chai & Chips for conversations with founders, operators, investors and thinkers building the future of India. Resources: Find Om on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omprakash-subbarao-5372564/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/omprakash-subbarao-5372564/] Find Prakash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-mallya/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-mallya/]   Find Prakash on X: https://x.com/PrakashMallya [https://x.com/PrakashMallya] Find Prakash on Substack: https://www.prakashmallya.com/s/chai-and-chips-podcast [https://www.prakashmallya.com/s/chai-and-chips-podcast] Find Prakash on Medium: https://medium.com/@pmallya2411 [https://medium.com/@pmallya2411] All episode transcripts are available on Substack and Medium.

Ep 013 - Can AI Improve How Children Learn in India? - Vidya Jayaraman

Can AI Actually Improve How Children Learn in India?  AI is entering classrooms faster than ever — but does it actually help children learn, or does it just give them the answers? In this episode, host Prakash Mallya sits down with Vidya Jayaraman — chemical engineer turned math educator, founder of Math Adventures (acquired by Byju's in 2018), and now founder of StudyMatix — to ask the question that really matters: What must be true for AI to genuinely improve how children learn? In this episode: * Why Vidya left a successful engineering career to teach math from her dining table in Bangalore * The core problem with Indian education: we equate marks with success and rote learning with knowledge * Why "process over answer" is the thread running through everything she has built * How technology can empower teachers — without replacing them * The real risks of AI in classrooms (hint: it's not just about the wrong answers) * What "equal access to high-quality education" means vs. just "access" * Her vision for India's learning outcomes in the next 10–15 years One quote to remember: "Every child, regardless of where they were born, what language they speak, or how much their family owns, is capable of genuine, joyful, meaningful learning. Our job is simply to build a world that makes it possible." — Vidya Jayaraman Chapters: 00:00: Introduction — What Must Be True for AI to Improve Learning? 01:58: Meet Vidya Jayaraman — From Chemical Engineer to Math Educator 05:31: The Journey: Math Adventures, Byju's, and StudyMatix 09:55: India's Education Crisis — The Stretched Teacher Problem 17:50: Why Ed-Tech Has Failed to Deliver on Its Promise 23:23: The Real Opportunity for AI in Education 30:04: What Good AI-Powered Learning Actually Looks Like 35:30: Rapid Fire 40:48: Bridging Learning Gaps — AI With Pedagogy at Its Core 54:33: Safety, Screen Time & What AI Should Never Replace 56:10: Final Question - India's Vision for Learning Outcomes in 10–15 Years  You can find us on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Subscribe, share, and leave us a review — it helps us grow this community and keep the conversations coming. Resources: Find Vidya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vidya-jayaraman-69466247/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vidya-jayaraman-69466247/] Find Prakash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-mallya/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-mallya/]   Find Prakash on X: https://x.com/PrakashMallya [https://x.com/PrakashMallya] Find Prakash on Substack: https://www.prakashmallya.com/s/chai-and-chips-podcast [https://www.prakashmallya.com/s/chai-and-chips-podcast] Find Prakash on Medium: https://medium.com/@pmallya2411 [https://medium.com/@pmallya2411] All episode transcripts are available on Substack and Medium.

Ep 012 - How Secure Are Your Habits? Defeating AI Scams - Anil Valluri

What must be true for AI to materially improve India’s cybersecurity outcomes? In this episode of Chai & Chips, I speak with Anil Valluri, a technology leader who has spent over four decades at the forefront of India’s technology and infrastructure evolution. As AI rapidly enters enterprise environments, cybersecurity leaders face new opportunities — and new risks. In this conversation, we explore what must actually change for AI to deliver meaningful improvements in cybersecurity outcomes. In this episode, we discuss: • The hidden risks of unsanctioned GenAI usage inside enterprises • Why AI success in cybersecurity will depend more on usage than models • The evolving role of cybersecurity leadership in the AI era • India’s opportunity in chips, infrastructure, and talent • Career lessons from 40+ years of leadership in technology Chai & Chips is a long-form conversation series with leaders shaping technology, business, and policy in India and globally. Chapters: 02:22: Context – Why AI and Cybersecurity Matter Now 03:05: Anil Valluri’s 40+ Year Journey in Technology 10:12: How India’s Technology Landscape Has Evolved 17:05: Threat Model and How AI changes that 27:05: The Hidden Risks of Unsanctioned GenAI in Enterprises 34:20: Rapid Fire 41:00: State of India Readiness on AI + Cyber Defence 54:10: What should not be automated in Cybersecurity 55:40: Leadership Lessons from Four Decades in Technology 1:08:53: Final question If you enjoyed the conversation, please subscribe to the channel for future episodes. Resources: Find Anil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anil-valluri-5046b8/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anil-valluri-5046b8/] Find Prakash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-mallya/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-mallya/]   Find Prakash on X: https://x.com/PrakashMallya [https://x.com/PrakashMallya] Find Prakash on Substack: https://www.prakashmallya.com/s/chai-and-chips-podcast [https://www.prakashmallya.com/s/chai-and-chips-podcast] Find Prakash on Medium: https://medium.com/@pmallya2411 [https://medium.com/@pmallya2411] All episode transcripts are available on Substack and Medium.

Ep 011 - AI Vs Your Money: The Future of Investing in India - Sanjiv Singhal

Welcome to the Season 2 premiere of Chai & Chips! Season 1 focused on Chips, the infrastructure powering the AI wave. Season 2 moves up the stack. We’re going beyond the hype to answer a harder question:  What must hold true for AI to actually matter in India? We’ll explore this across industry segments, starting with Investing and Wealth Management. Our premiere episode features Sanjiv Singhal, Founder & COO of Scripbox. With 30+ years in financial services, Sanjiv brings a grounded view on how AI could reshape the way Indian households save, invest, and manage risk. In this episode, we discuss: * The Savings Gap: Why India’s household savings rate has dropped and what it means for the economy. * The 3 Layers of Advice: How to distinguish between investment management, advisory, and personal finance. * Bionic Advice: Why the future isn't 100% automation, but a blend of AI scale and human empathy. * The Indian Context: Why global financial models often fail to account for India’s "family-first" mindset and unique trust dynamics. * Expert Systems vs. Pure AI: Navigating the risks of AI hallucinations in long-term financial planning. If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe and leave a review. Let us know in the comments: Do you trust AI to manage your long-term life goals? Resources: Find Sanjiv on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjivsinghal/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjivsinghal/] Find Prakash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-mallya/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-mallya/]   Find Prakash on X: https://x.com/PrakashMallya [https://x.com/PrakashMallya] Find Prakash on Substack: https://www.prakashmallya.com/s/chai-and-chips-podcast [https://www.prakashmallya.com/s/chai-and-chips-podcast] Find Prakash on Medium: https://medium.com/@pmallya2411 [https://medium.com/@pmallya2411] All episode transcripts are available on Substack and Medium. Chapters: 00:00 – Season 2 Introduction 01:24 – Introduction to Sanjiv Singhal and Scripbox 04:22 – The Twin Challenges: Savings vs. Credit 09:54 – The Three Layers of Financial Advice 12:44 – LLMs and Democratizing Financial Knowledge 15:43 – Why "Expert Systems" Trump Pure AI 23:00 – The Unique Traits of the Indian Investor 30:00 – What is "Bionic Advice"? 41:20 – Speed Round: Investing Habits & Gold 60:28 – Financial Advice for the Next Generation