#Episode 117 - A.B. Chakravarthy, Shruti Goel - Co-CEOs of Upaya Social Ventures

#Episode 117 - A.B. Chakravarthy, Shruti Goel - Co-CEOs of Upaya Social Ventures

Today, we have a very special conversation with not one, but two leaders from Upaya Social Ventures. Joining us are A.B. Chakravarthy, known as Chakra, and Shruti Goel, Co-CEOs of Upaya Social Ventures. Chakra leads Upaya’s India operations and brings more than 14 years of experience investing in early-stage enterprises across agriculture, energy, health, livelihoods, water and sanitation, technology for development and waste management. His work has helped build scalable businesses, dignified jobs and long-term prosperity in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.  Shruti is driven by a powerful belief that the world’s biggest challenges, from extreme poverty to climate resilience, need bold, market-based solutions that put dignity, inclusion and long-term impact at the centre. At Upaya, she leads strategic vision, impact strategy and evidence-building, helping prove that jobs can create a triple win for people, planet and profit.  Together, Chakra and Shruti are reimagining how capital can be used not just to fund businesses, but to create pathways out of poverty, build agency, support rural livelihoods and unlock human potential. So today, we’ll be talking about purpose, impact investing, dignity through work, and what it really takes to build solutions that change lives from the ground up.

#Episode 116 - Brian Neirby - Co-founder - Chillmine

Brian Neirby is the Co Founder and CEO of CHILLMINE. Brian sits at the intersection of some of the biggest forces shaping the future: venture capital, energy, AI infrastructure, Bitcoin mining, data centres, cooling technology and sustainability. Through CHILLMINE, Brian is helping companies scale their AI and mining infrastructure in a smarter, more efficient way, reducing costs, improving performance and lowering environmental impact. But this conversation is about more than technology. It is about vision. It is about building solutions for a world that is changing at incredible speed. It is about leadership, purpose, and asking how innovation can create progress without losing sight of responsibility. Brian brings experience as a founder, board director, advisor and investor, and today we are going to explore not only what he is building, but why he is building it.

#Episode 115 - Susie James - Founder of Walk Together Adoption Resource

Susie James is a PhD researcher, founder of Walk Together Adoption Resource, adoptive parent and committed advocate for adoptees and adoptive families. Her work is deeply personal. As both an adult adoptee and an adoptive parent, Susie has dedicated her research to understanding the quality of post adoption support available to single parent adopters. Alongside her academic work, she has built and managed businesses across the telecommunications and card services industries, bringing together resilience, lived experience and a determination to create practical change. On this episode we explore her journey, the realities of adoption and care, and how personal experience can become a powerful force for purpose.

#Episode 114 - Chris Browne - Retail Director at Jigsaw

Chris Browne is the Retail Director at Jigsaw, and a global retail leader, consultant and mentor who has spent his career helping brands, teams and people understand what it really takes to succeed in a fast changing world. Chris previously led global retail sales and operations for Ted Baker PLC, playing a key role in the brand’s international growth and helping shape the customer experience across multiple markets. But beyond the titles and the growth story, what stands out is Chris’s passion for people, culture, training and helping others develop. His work has taken him across different territories, different consumer behaviours and different business challenges, giving him a rare insight into what leadership really looks like when the pressure is on. In this conversation, we explore the lessons behind that journey, the future of retail, the importance of adaptability, and the nugget of wisdom Chris would pass on to others building businesses, teams and lives with purpose.

#Episode 113 - Dr Arokia Antonysam - Award-Winning Psychiatrist & TEDx Speaker

Dr Arokia Antonysam is an award winning consultant psychiatrist, health tech CEO, TEDx speaker and one of the UK’s leading voices at the intersection of clinical psychiatry, artificial intelligence and healthcare innovation. Dr Arokia is the creator of MaZon, an innovative tool designed to support people beyond the clinic and help reduce pressure on overstretched healthcare systems. She also created the Psychiatric Adult Risk Assessment tool, the UK’s first national framework to address social media related psychiatric risks while supporting patient strengths and recovery. Her work is driven by a powerful belief: mental healthcare must become more human, more intelligent and more accessible, without leaving anyone behind. Alongside her clinical and innovation work, Dr Arokia is a passionate advocate for compassionate care, suicide prevention, equality and community wellbeing. Her contribution has been recognised through awards including the Innovator Award, the Rethink Academic Prize and recognition as one of the UK’s rising stars in mental health. Today, we explore her journey, the experiences that shaped her purpose, the future of mental healthcare, and how technology can be used not to replace humanity, but to strengthen it.