Hard Truths By Vertex

Vertex Ventures interviews leading founders, innovators, venture capitalists and industry experts to uncover the Hard Truths about startups and venture investing

Hosted ByElise Tan

Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India is a pioneer in investing in tech start-ups in this region and has helped to build a number of unicorns. In this podcast, we share and uncover Hard Truths – raw, unfiltered insights and venture capital experience across Southeast Asia & India. Tune in to hear from leading founders, innovators, venture capitalists and industry experts in the region and to gain industry insights from those in the know.


All Episodes

How Solar + Credit Is Changing Rural India Forever | Metafin CEO Sandeep Chopra

In this conversation of Hard Truth By Vertex, I sit down with Sandeep Chopra, co-founder & CEO of Metafin, to unpack how solar financing for rural MSMEs is reshaping livelihoods, powering micro-enterprises, and quietly shifting India’s clean-energy future.

Why Consumer Is India VC’s Forever Bet | Ben Mathias, Managing Partner at VVSEAI

In this episode of Hard Truths By Vertex, I sit down with Ben Mathias, Managing Partner at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India, to unpack his journey of spotting consumer opportunities where others only saw risk.

S3E7 | 10 Years, 10 Contradictions: What Venture Capital Really Teaches You

In this episode of Hard Truths by Vertex, I speak with Puiyan Leung, who’s spent the last 10 years in venture capital, after starting out in a corporate role. She opens up about feeling like an outsider, learning to trust her gut, and what it means to support founders through both the highs and the heartbreaks.

S3E6 | The IIT Engineer Who Cracked India’s Beauty Market

In this episode of “Hard Truths by Vertex, I sit down with Gagandeep, co-founder of Pilgrim, to unpack his unconventional journey—from engineering and investment banking to building a ₹700 crore beauty empire.

S3E5 | We Don’t Build Restaurants, We Buy Them | DailyCo’s 100 K

In this episode of “Hard Truths by Vertex,” I sat down with Kelvin Subowo, the founder and CEO of DailyCo—Indonesia’s fastest-growing multi-brand F&B company.

S3E4 | How This Indian Startup Made $6M+ Selling AI to US Car Dealers (Without a US Team)

Today on “Hard Truths by Vertex,” I’m sitting down with Sanjay, the innovative co-founder and CEO at Spyne, who’s going to share just how they pulled it off.

S3E3 | Lessons from Indonesia’s Startup Crash and the Road to a Stronger Future

In this episode of Hard Truths by Vertex, Gary Khoeng, partner at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India, joins host Rahul Thayyalamkandy to explore the Indonesian startup ecosystem.

S3E2 | Burnout, Feedback, and the Making of a Leader: PatSnap CEO’s Story

In this episode of Hard Truths By Vertex, I sit down with Jeffrey to explore how he turned tough feedback into fuel for growth. From starting PatSnap right out of university to leading a global tech company, he shares candid lessons about leadership, building strong teams, and navigating challenges.

S3E1 | Will India hit its EV Targets? | Akshay Shekhar from Kazam

In this episode of Hard Truths By Vertex, we chat with Akshay, co-founder of Kazam, who’s on a mission to revolutionize how we think about EVs and energy.

S2E9 | She dropped out of Harvard to change the lives of 600M women in India — Achitha Jacob

What motivated Achita Jacob to shift her focus from a career in a Fortune 500 healthcare company to founding Proactive for Her, and how does she envision the impact of her work on women’s health in India?