Afleveringen
-
In the Season 2 premiere of Sastra Spotlight, we pull back the curtain to bring you real conversations with the VCs funding the future. Tanya Sethi, co-founder and director of Sastra Group, sits down with Arun Penmetsa, partner at Storm Ventures, for an unvarnished look at the early-stage B2B enterprise software landscape. Moving far beyond the glamour of term sheets and funding announcements, Arun shares the gritty, unromanticized realities of venture development and building the high-growth teams that power it.
Key Topics Covered:
What true VC partnership looks likeNavigating the high-stakes realities of scalingStrategic early hiring
-
In this episode, Tanya Sethi sits down with Shyam Rao, CEO & Founder of Tote AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the future of retail, especially in fuel and convenience stores. From seamless customer journeys to empowering in-store teams, this conversation dives into the tech reshaping everyday shopping.
Key Topics Covered:
How AI is creating frictionless, “walk-in-and-go” retail experiences for modern consumersThe challenge of legacy systems and how Tote is modernising retail without costly hardware upgradesLessons from building and scaling startups, including culture, hiring, and staying efficient in high-growth environments
-
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
-
In this episode of Sastra Spotlight, we speak with Ioanna, founder of Dextego, about how AI is transforming professional development through personalised coaching for sales teams and leaders.
We cover:
How AI coaching platforms help professionals improve sales, communication, and leadership skills.The role of simulation and real-time feedback in modern training.How organisations can use AI to scale learning and develop stronger teams.🎙️ A great conversation for anyone interested in AI, leadership development, and the future of workplace training.
-
In this episode of Sastra Spotlight, Tanya Sethi sits down with Srikrishnan Ganesan, Co-Founder and CEO of Rocketlane, to explore how modern services teams can scale delivery, collaboration, and customer outcomes.
We cover:
How Rocketlane helps professional services teams plan, manage, and deliver projects in one unified platformThe rise of AI agents and how they’re transforming service delivery, documentation, and executionLessons from building and scaling a category-defining SaaS company in the age of AI🎙️ A must-watch conversation for founders, operators, and anyone building or scaling services-driven businesses.
-
In this episode of Sastra Spotlight, Brodie Reid-Owen sits down with Dennis Yap, Co-Founder and CEO of AI Seer, to explore how AI can help bring accuracy and accountability back to the internet.
We cover:
How AI-powered fact-checking works and why misinformation spreads so easily onlineThe role of AI in detecting false or misleading content at scaleThe future of truth, free speech, and trust in the age of algorithms
-
In this episode of Sastra Spotlight, we sit down with Sandeep Madduri, Co-Founder & CEO of Precanto, to explore how AI is transforming modern finance teams.
Sandeep shares how Precanto’s AI-powered analyst helps enterprises forecast, plan, and answer budget questions in real time-freeing finance teams from manual reporting and enabling them to focus on strategy. We also dive into real customer results, the future of FP&A as a service, and lessons from building an AI startup as a first-time founder.
Key topics:
AI-driven forecasting and FP&A30–40% productivity gains for finance teamsSelf-serve financial insights for business leadersFounder lessons on scaling and resilience
-
Brodie sit down with David Sangyoon, Co-Founder & CEO of AIM Intelligence, to explore one of the most critical frontiers in tech today: AI security. They dive into how AIM Intelligence uses automated AI red teaming and customizable guardrails to uncover vulnerabilities, ensure regulatory compliance, and help enterprises safely adopt AI at scale.
David breaks down real-world use cases across finance, telecom, and emerging sectors, discusses the growing risks around AI misuse, deepfakes, and unsafe deployments, and offers a forward-looking perspective on where AI security is heading as agents and physical AI become more common. Key topics covered in this episode:
AI security, red teaming, and building guardrails for enterprise AI systems The future of AI agents, physical AI, and emerging security risks Real-world use cases in regulated industries like finance and telecom Founder insights on fundraising, scaling teams, and building in a new categoryIf you’re building with AI, investing in AI, or simply curious about how the future of AI will be kept safe, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.
-
In this episode of Sastra Spotlight, Tanya Sethi sits down with Quentin Amaudry, CEO and co-founder of Mendo, a digital adoption platform helping large organizations turn generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot into everyday productivity superpowers.
Quentin shares his journey from investment banking to entrepreneurship and explains how Mendo is solving one of the biggest challenges in AI today: driving real adoption inside companies. In this episode, they discuss:
Building Mendo before the AI boom and evolving with the marketHelping employees adopt AI through in-flow learning and gamificationScaling strong company culture with near-zero turnoverFundraising, growth, and expanding into the USAdvice for founders: talk to users early and oftenA must-listen for founders, operators, and anyone navigating the future of work with AI.
-
In this episode, host Brodie Reid-Owen sits down with Sandra Chai, Founder of Plurall AI, an AI-Powered B2B cybersecurity solution with anti-fraud and anti-deepfake features.
A few things we covered:
Sandra's journey to founding Plurall AI Why companies are pivoting to these research methods.How the future of Deep-Fakes / Cybersecurity looks with AI being introduced. How Sandra has been on both sides of the Deep-Fake world.
-
In this episode, host Brodie sits down with Addy Graves, Co-Founder and CEO of Cashew Research, the tech-driven market-research platform that’s redefining how businesses understand consumers.
A few things we covered:
Addy's journey into founding Cashew.Why companies are pivoting to these research methods.How the future of consumer insights looks with AI being introduced.
-
In this episode of Sastra Spotlight, Tanya Sethi sits down with Yagub Rahimov, CEO and founder of Polygraf AI, the company building the world’s most advanced AI security layer for critical operations. Fresh off a milestone funding round, Yagub breaks down why traditional LLMs aren’t enough for regulated environments, and why SLMs are the future of secure AI.
We dive into:
• The rise of deepfakes and AI-powered fraud
• How SLMs deliver privacy, speed, and reliability where LLMs fail
• Why chip shortages shouldn’t prevent national security
• Building mission-driven teams in high-stakes environments
• Yagub's personal journey as a repeat founder obsessed with trust, safety, and impact
Whether you're an AI builder, founder, or simply curious about the future of security, this episode delivers clarity within chaos, straight from one of the sharpest minds in the field.
-
Brodie sat down with Tina Williams-Koroma, CEO & Founder of CyDeploy. Having been in security for over 20 years Tina spotted a gap in the Pre-emptive Cybersecurity sector. Some of the topics we cover are:
Why pre-emptive cybersecurity is the future.Majority of breaches are a known factor to that company.Tina's journey into founding CyDeployHow the Pre-emptive market will excel with AI being introduced.
-
At Sastra Group, we live and breathe startups! Helping founders hire and scale teams behind tomorrow’s leading companies. And now, we’re turning the spotlight on the people shaping that journey.
Welcome to Sastra Spotlight - a podcast exploring the real stories behind building and backing great startups.
Tanya Sethi and Brodie Reid-Owen are sitting down with the founders bringing bold ideas to life and the VCs who bet on them early.
If you’re a founder, startup operator, early-stage investor, or just someone who loves hearing how ideas become impact - this podcast is for you!
Follow Sastra Spotlight and join us as we explore the intersection of people, capital, and possibility.
