Prime Venture Partners Podcast

AI is no longer experimental—it's foundational. In this explosive episode, PrimeVP Founder & Partner Shripati Acharya and Principal Gaurav Ranjan unpack how AI is reshaping B2B software—and what that means for evaluating and investing in early-stage startups. What you’ll learn: ⚙️ The rise of Enterprise AI and its real-world applications 📈 Prime’s investment thesis in AI-first SaaS startups 🧠 What separates hype from defensible value in AI 🚀 Advice for founders building in vertical SaaS, AI agents, and more Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 02:00 – AI’s impact on startup scaling and team size 03:20 – Faster sales cycles with enterprise AI 07:26 – Will AI unlock India’s SaaS market? 13:36 – Has AI neutralised India’s cost advantage? 20:19 – Models vs APIs: Where’s the real business? 25:52 – Why UI still wins in enterprise software 27:27 – Building moats through workflow depth 34:38 – How to price AI products right 39:43 – Prime’s investment themes in enterprise AI 44:58 – Final thoughts 💡 Key Takeaways: Where AI is driving real enterprise value today Prime's active investment thesis in AI + SaaS The rise of function-specific AI agents across verticals Shifts in software buying behaviour—from IT to HR budgets This is your tactical guide to the next generation of enterprise innovation. 📌 Follow us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primevp Twitter: https://twitter.com/primevp_in Website: https://primevp.in 🔔 Subscribe for more founder-centric content from Prime #AIRevolution #EnterpriseAI #SaaSInnovation #FutureOfWork #AIEcosystem #StartupGrowth #FoundersFirst #VCInsights #TechLeadership #AIInvesting #B2BInnovation #IndiaStartups #AIxSaaS #PrimeVenturePartnersPodcast

What’s next in fintech? In this high-signal episode, Sheel Mohnot (GP at @ Better Tomorrow Ventures) shares deep insight into the future of financial services, AI’s impact on SaaS, and how VC is evolving in 2025. 🔍 In Sheel’s candid chat with Sanjay Swamy, You’ll learn:  • What US fintech can learn from India’s public infrastructure (UPI, DEPA, account aggregation)  • Why SaaS isn’t dead—but must evolve beyond subscription revenue  • How Sheel evaluates founder-market fit, velocity, and tenacity  • The co-lending revolution in India—and why it’s a structural shift  • Why BTV is betting big on hands-on accelerators and early-stage velocity 📌Timestamps:  00:00 – Introduction  01:30 – Sheel’s journey from Pittsburgh to VC  08:15 – U.S. vs India: Fintech regulation   15:30 – Is SaaS dead? The AI disruption  20:15 – India Stack vs U.S. payments  27:30 – Can Indian fintech go global?  30:00 – IPO readiness: India vs U.S.  34:00 – Will BTV invest in India?  45:00 – Red flags & founder filters  50:00 – What gets a “yes” from Sheel  54:00 – Fintech outlook for 2025  57:10 – Clubhouse, Bieber & Taco Bell wedding 🔑 Key Takeaways: ✔️ Vertical SaaS is fintech in disguise – and it’s how modern software will scale revenue ✔️ AI is not just augmenting work—it’s replacing it in areas like accounting and underwriting ✔️ Regulation ≠ obstacle – In the U.S., a patchwork system creates an edge for savvy startups ✔️ Early-stage investing is about founder-market fit, and spotting overlooked “superpowers” 📌 Follow us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primevp Twitter: https://twitter.com/primevp_in Website: https://primevp.in #Fintech #SaaS #AI #Startups #VentureCapital #IndiaStack #SheelMohnot #BetterTomorrowVentures #DigitalTransformation #FounderInsights #InvestorInsights #FutureOfFinance #PrimeVenturePartnersPodcast

What happens when creativity meets sharp market insight? In this episode, Raffic Aslam (ex-Creative Director at Zoho) breaks down the 3 campaigns that defined Zoho’s global marketing playbook: 1️⃣UAE VAT Campaign – A masterclass in cultural targeting that unlocked a new market via a single character: Kutty, the Malayali accountant. 2️⃣ Made in India for the World – A bold declaration of Indian innovation for a global SaaS audience. 3️⃣Super Bowl Ads – Frugal but fierce, this campaign helped Zoho stand out in a sea of enterprise giants. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 02:15 – The birth of the Zoho logo 06:30 – Why simplicity & color made the logo unforgettable 08:37 – Branding vs. Performance Marketing 14:25 – Campaign 1: UAE VAT Campaign – Meet “Kutty” 20:45 – Lessons from targeting expat accountants 23:02 – Campaign 2: Made in India, Made for the World 27:00 – Building pride in Indian-built software 30:55 – Campaign 3: Zoho’s Super Bowl Ad Strategy 35:10 – How Zoho kept it frugal but memorable 38:00 – Branding advice for SaaS founders 41:20 – Final takeaways for startup marketers 💡 Top Takeaways for Founders & Marketers: ✔️ Go deep, not broad: Hyperlocal targeting can unlock massive markets ✔️ Your logo is a strategy: Visual identity drives brand recall & lowers CAC ✔️ Brand building ≠ media spend: Authentic storytelling beats big budgets 🔔 Subscribe to Prime Podcasts for more insights 🎙 Hosted by Jerome Manuel, Head of Community at PrimeVP 📌 Follow us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primevp Twitter: https://twitter.com/primevp_in Website: https://primevp.in #Zoho #SaaSMarketing #StartupBranding #IndianStartups #MarketingStrategy #B2BMarketing #MadeInIndia #SuperBowlAds #FrugalMarketing #GrowthMindset #PrimeVenturePartnersPodcast

How do you scale a product to 70M+ users without spending a dime on marketing? Deepak Joy Cheenath (Co-founder of Quizizz) reveals: ✅ The moment Quizizz found its viral growth loop ✅ How teacher-driven adoption fueled massive organic scale ✅ The mistakes they made along the way—and what they learned ✅ Why they held off on monetisation for years (and why it paid off) Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 02:15 – The early days of Quizizz & WizenWorld 05:40 – The teacher-driven insight that changed everything 09:10 – Scaling to 70M+ users with zero marketing 12:30 – Why Quizizz delayed monetisation  20:20 – The lean team behind a global product 28:30 – Key challenges & lessons from scaling 36:50 – Competing with larger EdTech players 45:15 – The power of community & word-of-mouth growth 49:30 – Key insights & takeaways for founders Prime  Venture Partners backed Quizizz early, helping them scale from a startup to a global EdTech leader. 🎙 Key Takeaways from This Episode: 📌 Growth isn’t always about paid marketing—sometimes, organic adoption wins. 📌 The right users can be your biggest growth engine. 📌 Delaying monetisation can lead to long-term success. 📌 Simplicity scales—more features don’t always mean better engagement. 💡 What’s the biggest lesson from Quizizz’s journey that applies to your business? Drop your thoughts in the comments! 👇 🎙 This episode is packed with insights for founders, product leaders, and anyone scaling a startup. Don’t miss it—watch or listen now! 🚀👇 Follow Prime Venture Partners: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/primevp_in/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primevp/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Primevp_in  #Quizizz #EdTech #StartupGrowth #ZeroMarketing #ProductLedGrowth #FounderLessons #ScalingStartups #TeacherDriven #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #SuccessStory #UserAdoption #MarketingStrategy #PrimeVenturePartnersPodcast

💡 How do you scale a SaaS company from SMB customers to billion-dollar enterprise deals? In this Prime Venture Partners Podcast episode, we sit down with Praerit Garg, President of Product & Innovation at Smartsheet, to uncover the secrets of scaling SaaS, AI’s role in work management, and the game-changing lessons from Smartsheet’s journey. ⏳ Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction  01:28 - Praerit Garg’s Career Journey: From Microsoft → AWS → Smartsheet 04:46 - What is Smartsheet? How It Serves SMBs & Enterprises 07:11 - The Land & Expand Strategy: How Smartsheet Scaled Enterprise Deals 10:27 - Finding the "Magic Metric" That Drives SaaS Growth  12:55 - Smartsheet’s IPO Journey & Why It Later Went Private Again 15:37 - AI’s Role in Work Automation & How Smartsheet Uses It  21:03 - The Enterprise AI Trust Challenge – Why Big Companies Are Cautious 24:58 - What VCs Look for in AI SaaS Startups 🚀 36:30 - Why Learning from Non-Customers Unlocks New Market Opportunities 43:00 - Closing Thoughts  🔥 Inside This Episode: ✅ How Smartsheet transitioned from PLG to enterprise sales ✅ The pricing strategy that maximized SaaS revenue ✅ Why AI is transforming work management & automation ✅ The #1 mistake SaaS founders make when scaling ✅ How learning from non-customers can drive new product innovation ✅ What VCs look for when investing in AI-driven SaaS startups 📢 This isn’t just a SaaS success story—it’s a must-listen masterclass on scaling, pricing, AI, and product innovation. 🔔 Subscribe & Turn on Notifications for more expert insights! Follow Prime Venture Partners: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/primevp_in/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primevp/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Primevp_in  #SaaS #ScalingSaaS #Smartsheet #StartupGrowth #AI #TechInnovation #EnterpriseTech #VentureCapital #FounderMindset #Entrepreneurship #B2BTech #SaaSStartups #BusinessGrowth #FutureOfWork #PrimeVenturePartnersPodcast