Startup Steroid - Founders Podcast

In this episode of Pitch. Fund. Scale., I sit down with David McConnell, Managing Partner at Capital Partners Worldwide, who has helped founders raise over $5M+ per campaign, navigate executive investor networks, and even prep for IPOs. David doesn’t just help startups raise — he helps them raise right. From equity strategy to public market readiness, he’s worked with high-growth companies across the tech sector, turning big visions into fundable, scalable realities. 🎙️ Topics Covered: ✅ What it really takes to raise $5M+ in today’s funding climate ✅ The difference between a good deck and a real deal ✅ How founders can tap into exclusive executive investor networks ✅ The pre-pitch checklist every Seed or Series A founder needs ✅ Biggest myths that kill fundraising momentum ✅ IPO strategy, investor readiness & founder mindset shifts David’s capital campaigns are backed by clarity, structure, and deep investor insight — helping founders not only raise funds but become the kind of company investors want to fund. Whether you’re preparing your first raise or looking ahead to public markets, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom. 💡 If you’re thinking about your next raise — or your biggest one yet — this conversation is your fundraising blueprint. 👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell** for more episodes with founders, investors, and capital strategists:    / @imanshumansinha   📅 Want direct advice or 1:1 pitch feedback? Book a session with me here: https://topmate.io/anshumansinha 🔗 Connect with the Guest: David McConnell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlmcconnell/ 🔗 Connect with Me: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anshumansinha1/ Twitter: https://x.com/Mentor_Anshuman Website: https://theanshumansinha.com/

In this powerhouse episode of Pitch. Fund. Scale., I sit down with JJ Richa – serial entrepreneur, board member, and CEO of Pismo Ventures – to uncover what really makes investors say yes. From building and scaling companies in hospitality tech, luxury e-commerce, and fintech to becoming a key figure in Tech Coast Angels, JJ has seen both sides of the table. In this no-fluff conversation, he shares exactly what founders get wrong when pitching and how to truly become investor-ready. 🎙️ Topics Covered:  ✅ JJ’s journey from founder to angel investor  ✅ What makes a pitch stand out at Tech Coast Angels  ✅ Red flags that turn angel groups off  ✅ The vision behind Pismo Ventures & founder blindspots  ✅ Fundraising myths, dilution traps, and traction truths  ✅ Real startup advice from a serial operator JJ Richa is the CEO of Pismo Ventures and a long-time member of Tech Coast Angels, one of the most respected angel networks in the U.S. He brings years of experience turning ideas into scalable ventures and helping founders close the gap between vision and execution. 💡 If you're fundraising in 2025 or guiding early-stage startups, this is a tactical masterclass you can’t miss. 👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for weekly episodes with founders, angels, and ecosystem builders:    / @imanshumansinha   🔗 Connect with the Guest:  JJ Richa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjricha/ 🔗 Connect with Me:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anshumansinha1/  Twitter: https://x.com/Mentor_Anshuman  Website: https://theanshumansinha.com/

In this episode of Pitch. Fund. Scale., I sit down with Parthib Srivathsan – Operating Partner at Companyon Ventures – to decode how VCs actually evaluate startups during diligence, what “Investor Math” really means, and how early-stage founders can prep for venture funding. From GTM engines to data room readiness, Parthib pulls no punches. As the creator of popular content series like Diligence Diaries and Investor Math, he blends strategic insight with real-world advisory — making this episode a goldmine for any founder navigating the early-stage chaos. 🎙️ Topics Covered:  ✅ What real product-market fit looks like  ✅ Startup red flags during investor diligence  ✅ Go-to-market mistakes most tech founders make  ✅ Investor Math: metrics that make or break a raise  ✅ Dashboard must-haves for post-raise planning  ✅ The most common reasons a fundraise stalls Parthib isn’t your typical VC — he’s a hands-on operator who stays close to founders post-investment, helping them build, scale, and raise smarter. His work at Companyon Ventures bridges the often-missed gap between diligence and execution. 💡 If you’re fundraising in 2025, struggling with traction, or want to build a repeatable GTM engine — this episode is your tactical blueprint. 👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for weekly deep-dives with founders, angels, and startup operators:     / @imanshumansinha   🔗 Connect with the Guest:  Parthib Srivathsan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parthibsrivath... 🔗 Connect with Me:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anshumansinha1/  Twitter: https://x.com/Mentor_Anshuman  Website: https://theanshumansinha.com/

In this powerhouse episode of Pitch. Fund. Scale, I sit down with Maneesh Srivastava – founder of Alphavalue Ventures, angel investor, and startup transaction advisor – to unpack the real mechanics behind startup valuation, fundraising, and legal readiness. With over 2,000+ startup assignments under his belt, Maneesh dives deep into founder blindspots, legal red flags, and the strategies investors actually care about when deciding to write a check.  Maneesh is a founding member of TiE, a trusted mentor at top incubation cells, and sits on investment committees at multiple IITs. With 16+ years of experience, he’s helped shape India's early-stage ecosystem from the inside out. 🎙️ Topics Covered: ✅ Startup Valuation Myths (and how to avoid them) ✅ Legal & Due Diligence Best Practices ✅ ESOP Structuring Tips that Work ✅ Angel Investment Strategies & Founder Fit ✅ Real Case Studies from Startup Advisory ✅ What Investors Look for in a Winning Pitch 👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for weekly conversations with founders, angels, and ecosystem builders:     / @imanshumansinha   🔗 Connect with the Guest:  Maneesh Srivastava LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maneeshsrivastav/ 🔗 Connect with me: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anshumansinha1/ Instagram:  Twitter: https://x.com/Mentor_Anshuman Website: https://theanshumansinha.com/ 💡 Whether you're raising your first round or advising founders, this episode is a tactical deep-dive into startup funding done right.

Tech Meets Execution – Chinmay Shah on Scaling Startups, SuperApps & Sustainable Innovation In this episode of Pitch. Fund. Scale, We dive deep with Chinmay Shah — a 3rd generation entrepreneur, mentor to 17+ startups, and CEO of Startup Steroid India. We talk about: ➡️ His Build-Operate-Lease-Transfer strategy  ➡️ Secrets to evaluating early-stage startups  ➡️ Why most founders fail at execution — and how not to  ➡️ Creating SuperApps, managing MNCs, and balancing tech with purpose  ➡️ How ReadyScore helps founders prep for investors  🎙️ Guest: Chinmay Shah — Tech Evangelist | FinTech Startup Curator | Mentor  🔗 Connect with Chinmay Shah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chinmayushah/ Connect with me here- YouTube:    / @imanshumansinha   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anshumansinha1/  Website: https://theanshumansinha.com/ Whether you're building in FinTech, EdTech, or launching your first product — this conversation delivers clarity, playbooks, and unfiltered truth from the frontlines. 🎧 Listen now if you're serious about scaling smarter, faster, and more sustainably. 🔔 Subscribe, like, and share this episode with a fellow founder.

🎙️ Pitch. Fund. Scale. – Startup Masterclass in Bite-Sized Episodes Guest: Dr. Thomas Duening, President – International Collegiate Angels Network (ICAN) 👇 Timestamps & Key Takeaways Below 👇 What if student founders have exactly what it takes to build breakout startups? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Thomas Duening, a trailblazing academic-turned-entrepreneur and angel investor, now leading the International Collegiate Angels Network (ICAN). He shares bold insights on how students can pitch, fund, and scale—without waiting to "grow up." We talk about: ✅ The truth about student startups ✅ What academia gets wrong about entrepreneurship ✅ Green flags and red flags investors spot in first-time founders ✅ Why student naivety might be an asset ✅ How to validate an idea when you have zero network ✅ The future of collegiate venture capital Whether you're a university founder, early-stage investor, or just building from scratch—this episode is your crash course in rethinking who gets to win in the startup game. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 01:22 – Dr. Duening’s startup journey & ICAN origin 05:15 – Why student founders are underestimated 09:50 – What investors miss about young founders 15:30 – Academic myths about entrepreneurship 21:40 – Raising capital without a network 26:15 – Quick fire: books, pitches & unfiltered advice 28:30 – Final message to every young founder 👍 Like this episode if you believe student founders are the future 🔔 Subscribe for more unfiltered startup masterclasses 📬 Know a student founder who needs this? Share it with them now! Join my community of 60,000+ people! LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anshumansinha1/  Website: https://theanshumansinha.com/  🔔 Subscribe for More Interviews from Startup Trailblazers

Want to know what actually gets angel investors to say YES? In this episode of Pitch.Fund.Scale, we sit down with Scott Jacobs, Executive Director of Queen City Angels, to uncover what goes on behind the pitch deck. Scott shares candid insights into: -What founders get wrong about funding -How Queen City Angels backs startups that create real impact -The mindset shift every entrepreneur needs -Why mentorship sometimes outweighs capital -Building strong startup ecosystems beyond Silicon Valley Whether you're a founder raising your first round, an aspiring investor, or just hungry to understand the real-world startup game — this conversation will reshape the way you think about funding, leadership, and growth. 🎙️ Guest: Scott Jacobs — Executive Director, Queen City Angels  🔗 Connect with Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sc0ttjac0bs/   💡 Whether you’re a founder, investor, or just startup-curious, this bite-sized masterclass is packed with golden insights. Connect with me here- Youtube:    / @imanshumansinha   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anshumansinha1/  Website: https://theanshumansinha.com/ Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated with more interviews from founders, angels, and ecosystem builders.

Tech Meets Execution – Chinmay Shah on Scaling Startups, SuperApps & Sustainable Innovation In this episode of Pitch. Fund. Scale, We dive deep with Chinmay Shah — a 3rd generation entrepreneur, mentor to 17+ startups, and CEO of Startup Steroid India. We talk about: ➡️ His Build-Operate-Lease-Transfer strategy  ➡️ Secrets to evaluating early-stage startups  ➡️ Why most founders fail at execution — and how not to  ➡️ Creating SuperApps, managing MNCs, and balancing tech with purpose  ➡️ How ReadyScore helps founders prep for investors  🎙️ Guest: Chinmay Shah — Tech Evangelist | FinTech Startup Curator | Mentor  🔗 Connect with Chinmay Shah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chinmayushah/ Connect with me here- YouTube:    / @imanshumansinha   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anshumansinha1/  Website: https://theanshumansinha.com/ Whether you're building in FinTech, EdTech, or launching your first product — this conversation delivers clarity, playbooks, and unfiltered truth from the frontlines. 🎧 Listen now if you're serious about scaling smarter, faster, and more sustainably. 🔔 Subscribe, like, and share this episode with a fellow founder.

We believe that education starts at home. Unfortunately, most parents don’t know what kind of educational products and experiences to provide their children to pique their curiosity in STEM.  It’s a big problem when kids today don’t know what engineering or computer science even means. Our founder, Oscar Pedroso, experienced this when he was in school. So, he and his team made it a mission of theirs to ensure all students (regardless of background) are aware of the many educational paths and career opportunities that exist.  So many kids have the potential to be the next Elon Musk and we’re going to help make that happen! Company Profile Link - https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=E2FC6F77-F6CA-459C-9339-AC0E6DADB1E3

Shoonya's mission is to create interactive edutainment content that is inspired by the stories and characters of the world. Why do we want to do it? It's simple. There is a great need for it.  With the growing technologies, the world is indeed "becoming flat" and children today are intrigued by cultures around the world. Our company is based out of Santa Barbara, California, which is geographically placed somewhere between Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Not sure, if this is by intention or accident but our company is a perfect marriage of these two worlds; Edutainment and EdTech. Company Profile Link - https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=619514CF-3211-4851-B1B5-51B9CC6091F0

GVNG provides the technology for the GVNG Wallet, which gives individuals and employers the power of a charitable foundation in a simple to use app. Like a gamified 401k for giving—contribute to get a tax benefit today, donate later. Plus amplify impact with tax-deductible crowdfunding. Provides a seamless path to donate to 1.7m charities and a unified picture of impact with a single tax receipt at the end of the year. Company Profile Link - https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=442DD5C4-490A-48A8-98A8-86F2BF7FC55A  

Love needles? Neither do we. Our pain and anxiety-relieving products are easy to use, fast to work and designed specifically for needles. We’re taking the pain out of shots, blood draws, injections and needle procedures of any kind. We’re changing the way healthcare feels. Needle pain causes up to 25% of people in the U.S. to avoid flu vaccines and other simple medical procedures. It’s time for painless to be the new standard of care. Company Profile Link - https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=F5DA4AA7-9C9A-4006-96A8-E7976FD356E0

Exchange rates (FX) stifle trade and hamper economic opportunity, especially in emerging economies. We are democratizing derivatives to relegate FX volatility to antiquity and make global trade and worldwide economic access so ubiquitous, it’s taken for granted. Exchange rates can fluctuate 10–25% annually, leading to busted budgets and disrupted cash flows. This volatility impacts startups and enterprises in virtually every industry. Thankfully, companies can hedge with derivatives like futures and options to help manage, contain, and even benefit from that risk. Company Profile Link - https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=79C3BD0D-FB69-40E4-A78B-F825C8B30E20

A highly accomplished and results-oriented CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE, with a proven record of implementing practical solutions and successfully leading the development of major biotech and pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices. Utilizes exceptional organizational skills and keen attention to detail to focus on the timely, efficient, and high-quality execution of clinical studies to create lasting strategic value. A forward-thinking leader with exceptional business acumen sets a strategic direction to secure the long-lasting success of a company. Company Profile Link - https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=DB2B2093-5E5B-4436-B25B-1A01AEE7F146

Unlike the surgical method, Hera’s test (MetriDxTM) is capable of diagnosing and staging endo, quantitatively. This capability provides physicians objective data, which can be used in the clinical management of the disease. Collecting patient tissue samples is a common practice in physician offices. The uterine tissue sample required for Hera’s test will be collected via a Pipelle biopsy and shipped to Hera’s lab for analysis. This entire process is well-established as it is comparable to the model used for a PAP smear. MetriDxTM will greatly reduce wait time and failure rates associated with the current standard by moving diagnostic capability from the OR to the physician’s office, eliminating both guesswork and patient downtime from the equation. Company Profile Link - https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=BD17F432-E80A-4FD5-BD91-6DF7A8C3C12D

Empiric's software platform and hardware sensors are being used to predict industrial equipment failure, remotely manage facilities in real-time, and improve quality assurance reporting processes across all industrial verticals. Our current focus is providing complete end-to-end visibility, for Life Sciences companies, of their cold chain. Empiric's software platform and hardware sensors are being used to predict industrial equipment failure, remotely manage facilities in real-time, and improve quality assurance reporting processes across all industrial verticals. Our current focus is providing complete end-to-end visibility, for Life Sciences companies, of their cold chain. Company Profile Link -  https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=B9AF2A48-C3FB-4637-9B70-231E9EEDB472

Every year, wildfires cause $130 Billion in economic damages and release greenhouse gasses equivalent to 65% of California's transport industry. That is when we are fortunate enough that no lives are lost. A significant portion of the annual burn area is the result of just a few fires attributed to the electric grid. Delphire was created to provide early detection of these grid-related fires. Our system can detect these wildfires in seconds using a state-of-the-art CV and AI pairing while gathering data from before the fire started. Once we learn more about the conditions that lead to ignition, we expect our system to prevent fires. Company Profile Link - https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=6ABAA07E-E1B0-47D2-BAF9-0BEE8996DF22

ELE Optics is an information technology company that specializes in providing cloud services. It enables its users to use the cloud to build beautiful reports full of interactive charts and team discussions. It is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona. Company Profile Link - https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=E67036E9-7C29-429B-BF01-90B3306E1CD8

Chris Karageuzian is the Co-Founder and CEO of Helpwithmyloan.com. Chris has over 20 years of experience working in sales & management for Coldwell Banker, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase and US Bank. Successfully managed teams from 15-40 employees, always a top performer at each company, received high honour awards and accolades. HWML’s AI software is improving the lending process. The problem in our industry is a low 55% average at funding loans due to the fragmented lending process. Our SaaS software yields automated underwriting and loan matching at a 95% proven funding rate. We did this by giving brokers, banks and consumers access to our platform syndicated with 300+ lenders in Commercial, Residential, Business, and Consumer loans. HWML has funded over $150M+ in the full spectrum of lending. Chris drives business with his competitive nature and strategic mind. He believes great customer experience is a combination of how well you connect with people you’re trying to help and communicating your understanding back to them. Plan in decades. Think in years. Work in months. Live in days.   Company Profile Link - https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=AD40A903-699B-4959-8986-DDCAFFF432BE

Ms. Shah is a serial healthcare services entrepreneur. Before founding PsychOnline LLC with Mr. Dalal she co-founded a radiology services firm with Mr. Dalal. In addition to her entrepreneurial experience, Ms. Shah has worked for KCI, a biomedical devices company, and Frost and Sullivan as a healthcare analyst. Ms. Shah holds an MBA from The University of West Florida and a Bachelor of Life Sciences from India. Company Profile Link - https://www.startupsteroid.com/founder?founderUserId=C7EBFCD5-F0EB-452C-B9CD-729DC5E79A2E