In this episode of the Alchemist Influencer Series, Ravi sits down with Laurent Rains, Managing Director at Alchemist, to unpack why so many international founders stumble when entering the US market. Drawing from years of accelerator experience, Laurent reveals how misplaced confidence in product-market fit, cultural discomfort, and rigid business models derail promising startups—and how founders can rebuild trust, adapt quickly, and use modern AI tools to thrive in the American landscape.
In this episode of the Alchemist Influencer Series, Ravi sits down with Vin Sharma, CEO and Founder of Vigil and former engineering leader at AWS, Intel, and HP. Together, they explore why enterprises in regulated industries remain wary of AI despite rapid advances. Drawing on decades of experience across deep learning, autonomous systems, and enterprise infrastructure, Vin explains the trust paradox, the three pillars of reliable AI, and the practical frameworks organizations can use to deploy AI responsibly while meeting regulatory demands.
In this episode of the Alchemist Influencer Series, Ravi sits down with Rishi Taparia, CEO, Co-Founder, and General Partner of Garuda Ventures. Together, they unpack why enterprises remain hesitant to adopt AI teammates despite the hype. Drawing on research, case studies, and Rishi’s deep venture experience, he shares how misaligned expectations, cultural resistance, and trust deficits slow adoption—and what leaders can do to build trust and integrate AI successfully.
In this episode of the Alchemist Influencer Series, we sit down with Gnani Palanikumar, one of Silicon Valley’s most respected startup coaches and a partner at Alchemist Accelerator. Drawing on decades of experience—including leading APIGee’s product team through a $625M acquisition—Gnani reveals practical, battle-tested advice for AI founders.
Discover how Bridgefy scaled to over 12 million downloads with zero marketing by turning mesh networking into a global lifeline. From earthquakes to protests, this offline messaging app keeps people connected when traditional networks fail—and enterprises are taking notice.
Discover how Flyhound evolved from a telecom background into a public safety tech leader. Learn how Alchemist’s accelerator programs helped them turn drone-mounted phone detection into a life-saving solution embraced by over 100 agencies.
Explore the critical differences between Founder Mode and Manager Mode leadership styles. Learn why some CEOs thrive while others falter, with real-world examples from Amazon, Uber, and Microsoft—and discover strategies to lead effectively through growth transitions.
