Can India Build The Next OpenAI or Databricks?
What happens when the tables turn and I get to interview one of India’s top VCs – who’s usually the one asking the questions?
In this TiE Talks Singapore episode, I sit down with Siddhartha Ahluwalia, Managing Partner at Neon Fund and host of the popular Neon Show Podcast, to talk about his journey from startup founder to venture capitalist. We dive into how India can build its own $100 billion companies, the power of the US-India startup corridor, and why podcasting became his secret weapon for learning and connection.
If you’re curious about VC insights, Indian startups, and the future of SaaS and AI, this one’s full of stories, strategy, and some candid laughs.
Table of Contents
Discussion Topics: Can India Build The Next OpenAI or Databricks?
- Intro
- The accidental podcaster who turned curiosity into a movement
- Why podcasts beat textbooks for real startup learning
- Inside Neon’s strategy for choosing game-changing guests
- How the US–India startup corridor is redefining growth
- Building global companies from Chennai to California
- The $100B dream driving Neon Fund’s big bets
- What makes founders truly stand out to VCs
- Can India create the next OpenAI or Databricks?
- Is SaaS really dead—or just getting smarter?
- The secret behind Neon’s high-return investment strategy
- Exit stories that make the VC grind worth it
- Rapid-fire confessions: books, heroes, and bold bets
- India’s next decade belongs to dreamers who build
Our Guest: Siddhartha Ahluwalia
Siddhartha Ahluwalia is the Managing Partner at Neon Fund and host of The Neon Show, one of the top business podcasts focused on the India-US startup ecosystem. He previously founded Addodoc (a B2B SaaS CRM for pediatricians) and Babygogo (a healthtech startup acquired by Sheroes). He later worked at Prime Ventures and led the SaaS Ecosystem at AWS India before starting Neon Fund. With deep expertise in 0-1 startup building, he helps founders scale B2B SaaS companies in the US from $0 to $10M ARR.