Founding Scars

15 Years of AI: The Memories I Blocked Out to Survive

15-year AI veteran Pavithra Solai (ex-IBM, Microsoft, Swiggy) peels back the polished LinkedIn bio to reveal the "Pani Puri days" of bootstrapping and the ego-death of moving from CEO to corporate employee. We discuss why she blocked out the memory of her failed stealth startup and why she believes the "hunter-gatherer" stage of AI is officially over. This is a masterclass in turning painful founding scars into a production-ready strategy. * The "Pani Puri" Days: True bootstrapping isn't a buzzword; it’s surviving on street food to keep the servers running. * Success Hangover: The psychological friction of failing after you’ve already had a successful exit to a unicorn. * End of the Hunter-Gatherer Era: Building models is no longer the challenge—identifying meaningful problems and building operational muscle is the new moat. * Failure as Data: A closed door isn't a source of shame; it is high-value, character-building information.