Amr Awadallah has seen multiple waves of hype in tech and helped build real companies through it. He co founded Cloudera, took it public, watched it get acquired for 5.3 billion dollars, and is now building Vectara, a platform that helps enterprises ship AI apps that are accurate, safe and actually usable in production.
In this episode, Amr joins Alchemist Accelerator founder and CEO Ravi Belani to unpack a striking finding from an MIT report. An estimated 95 percent of enterprise AI projects are failing.
They dig into why that is happening and what to do differently:
The real reasons enterprise AI fails in production
Why “go do AI” from the board is not a strategy
How fake exploration budgets create fake success stories
The 3 whys every founder and buyer should test
Why do anything
Why now
Why this vendor
How to tell a real business need from AI theater
Why passion for the problem, not the tech, drives grit
How cofounders, early hires and investors make or break your company
What Vectara is building as an “operating system” for AI agents
Why context, security, accuracy and cost control matter more than demos
Amr also shares raw, founder level advice. From firing fast in the first 50 hires, to choosing investors who have actually been in the trenches, to his simple test for whether you really love the problem you are working on.
If you care about building AI products that survive past the pilot stage, this conversation is a must listen.
Dr. Shelby Heinecke, Senior AI Researcher at Salesforce, joins Ravi Belani to explain why the future of AI will not belong only to giant models with hundreds of billions of parameters.
Shelby makes the case for small language models: compact systems with only a few billion parameters that can run faster, cost less, protect privacy, and still perform at a very high level when they are trained well on focused tasks.
In this episode, they dig into:
Why small models are a different tool, not a weaker version of large models
How fine tuned small models can beat much larger models on specific agentic tasks
Where small models shine most: privacy, speed, cost to serve and on device use cases
How Salesforce built “Tiny Giant,” a 1B parameter model that outperforms much larger models on selected tasks
What really matters in training: data quality, workflows and trajectory style datasets
How synthetic data, noise and guardrails help make models more robust in the real world
Why founders should look closely at on device AI and domain specific small models
Shelby also shares practical advice for founders who want to build in the small model space, and closes with a simple takeaway: do not underestimate small models.
If you care about AI agents, privacy, edge computing or future startup opportunities, this conversation will give you a lot to think about.
Arjun Prakash, co founder and CEO of DistylAI, joins the Influencer Series to talk about one of the biggest shifts happening in tech right now. We all talk about generative AI, but Arjun breaks down the part that actually matters. Intelligence. Reasoning. And the rise of true AI assistants that can make decisions, take actions, and run workflows across a business.
Arjun walks us through the three chapters of this story:
What AI agents really are and why reasoning changes everything.
How AI native companies will operate with far lower costs and far more speed.
Why this shift will lead to a world where both massive companies and tiny startups can scale faster than ever.
He also gives clear examples of what happens when companies embrace new technology and what happens when they ignore it. From Carnegie Steel to Borders, the winners are always the ones who lean in early.
If you care about innovation, productivity, or the future of work, this episode will change how you see the next decade.
Yohei Nakajima is not your typical venture capitalist. He’s the Managing Partner at Untapped Capital and the creator of Baby AGI, the first open-source autonomous agent that helped kick off the AI agent movement.
In this episode, Yohei joins Ravi Belani (CEO, Alchemist Accelerator) to unpack the rise of AI agents in the enterprise and why experimentation — not just strategy decks — is the real competitive edge.
You'll learn:
Why every business leader should be personally experimenting with AI
How AI agents are evolving from gimmick to game-changer
What it takes to spot high-potential AI startups early
Why creativity, play, and community might be the keys to mastering this tech wave
Whether you're a founder, builder, or innovation leader, this episode is a must-listen if you want to stay ahead in the age of agents.
🎧 Tune in and let us know what you think: https://bit.ly/3H4XkiJ
As AI-powered copilots and agent tools reshape productivity, one question looms large: Will software engineers be replaced—or just evolve?
In this thought-provoking episode of The Influencer Series, Roger Luo, Founding Partner of Embedding VC and former AI leader at Yahoo, Snap, and Niantic, joins host Ravi Belani to explore:
Why today’s LLMs outperform average coders—but still can’t replace human creativity
What tools like GitHub Copilot and Cursors really mean for engineering productivity
The untold challenges in orchestration, DevOps, and compliance
How the line between “human” and “agent” might soon blur
Why AGI won’t come from scaling LLMs alone—and what that means for the future
Whether you’re a founder, engineer, or AI strategist, this conversation offers a realistic and expansive look at the next era of work.
📣 We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Take 1 minute to complete our short feedback form: https://bit.ly/3H4XkiJ
What does it really take for international founders to succeed in the U.S.? In this episode, Laurent Rains, Managing Director at Alchemist Accelerator, joins host Ravi Belani to unpack the challenges and opportunities facing global startups today.
You’ll learn:
Why diversity is a competitive advantage — but only if it’s real.
What international founders must unlearn when entering the U.S. market.
How AI is reshaping outbound sales and founder workflows.
Why Silicon Valley still holds the edge in global innovation.
The nuanced role of governments in startup ecosystems around the world.
Whether you're launching in a new market or scaling across borders, this episode is packed with sharp insights and global perspective.
We’d love to know what you think!
👉 Please take a minute to complete our short feedback form: https://bit.ly/3H4XkiJ
Most enterprise AI projects today are built on models that can recognize and generate patterns — but what happens when pattern recognition isn’t enough?
In this episode of the Alchemist Influencer Series, Vin Sharma, CEO and Founder of Vijil (and former AWS, Intel, and HP exec), joins Ravi Belani to explore the deeper realities of AI adoption — especially in regulated industries like banking, legal, and insurance.
Drawing from his time leading deep learning at AWS and studying the philosophy of technology, Vin shares why trust is the critical missing piece — and why AI systems must be reliable, secure, and safe before being deployed in mission-critical environments.
You’ll learn:
Why most LLM-based agents will hit failure modes in industries that matter
How society and regulation shape the future of AI — not just tech breakthroughs
What “trustworthy AI” really means (and how to build for it)
How Vin’s company Vijil is tackling this head-on with enterprise-ready agents
Lessons from Amazon’s writing culture and how it shaped his startup playbook
If you care about the future of AI, safety, and real-world deployment, don’t miss this conversation.
📣 We’d love your feedback! Please take a moment to fill out our short form:
https://bit.ly/3H4XkiJ
In this episode, Garuda Ventures co-founder Rishi Taparia joins Alchemist Accelerator CEO Ravi Belani to explore why the promise of AI teammates often stalls in the real world. Drawing on his experience as a VC, operator, and startup builder, Rishi explains why psychological friction, status dynamics, and expectation mismatches are bigger barriers than the tech itself.
You’ll learn:
Why “AI teammates” are fundamentally different from tools—and why that matters
How expectations vs. reality derails enterprise adoption
Why status loss makes managers hesitant to deploy AI agents
What startups need to understand before selling AI into the enterprise
How to build trust and credibility inside slow-moving organizations
If you're building AI for the enterprise—or selling into it—this conversation will challenge your assumptions and give you a more grounded GTM strategy.
We’d love to know what you think of the podcast!
Please take 1 minute to complete our short feedback form:👉 https://bit.ly/3H4XkiJ
In this episode, Alchemist Partner and GenAI expert Gnani Palanikumar reveals how AI agents are reshaping real industries like healthcare, supply chain, and life insurance. From reducing data prep time by 80 percent to enabling faster decisions, AI teammates are starting to do the work humans don’t have time for.
Gnani shares the mistakes founders keep making with GenAI and the exact process he uses to help startups build products customers are ready to buy.
In this episode:
- Why data scientists are stuck doing grunt work
- Where AI teammates create real value today
- The right way to validate startup ideas before building
- How to secure early adopters without a finished product
- Why customer interviews are powerful
If you’re building in AI, healthcare, or any complex B2B market, this is the playbook you didn’t know you needed.
We’d love your feedback
Take 60 seconds to let us know what you think: https://bit.ly/3H4XkiJ
Relying on a single AI model might be holding your team back.
In this episode, Not Diamond co-founder and former VC Jeffrey Akiki joins Alchemist Accelerator CEO Ravi Belani to share why the smartest AI systems don’t depend on just one model or agent. They use a network of specialized agents, routed in real time for speed, cost, and performance.
You’ll learn:
Why “bigger” AI isn’t always better
How model routing can outperform even top-tier LLMs
Why modularity and transparency matter for enterprise AI
What startups can do to compete with the big players
How Jeffrey’s VC background shaped his founder journey
We’d love your feedback.
Take 60 seconds to share your thoughts: https://bit.ly/3H4XkiJ
Ever wondered why most enterprise AI projects never make it past flashy demos into real-world applications? Manjeet Singh, Senior Director of Product Management at Salesforce, sits down with Alchemist Accelerator CEO Ravi Belani to uncover why so many companies get stuck—and what it truly takes to move AI from proof-of-concept to full-scale production.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why even promising AI demos rarely reach production
The key barriers companies face: accuracy, trust, and data security
Emerging opportunities for both startups and established enterprises
Practical frameworks and tools (like LangChain and LLaMA Index) you can use right now
Manjeet also shares his perspective on AI "agents," intelligent assistants designed to tackle daily tasks, and why he's excited about the future intersection of AI with health and wellness.
If you're serious about moving your AI beyond the lab, this conversation is for you.
We would love to know what you think about our podcast. Please take a minute to complete our short feedback form: https://bit.ly/3H4XkiJ
What if AI doesn’t just disrupt industries, but rewrites the rules of work and value?
In this thought-provoking Fireside Chat, Ben Parr, Co-Founder of OctaneAI and Partner at TheoryForge Ventures, joins Ravi Belani to explore how automation is already reshaping hiring, productivity, and opportunity and why the real tipping point is closer than we think.
Ben shares his vision for a future where AI either empowers people or leaves them behind, depending on the choices we make now. From universal basic income to AI agents that pay you to work for them, this episode dives into the intersection of policy, innovation, and what it takes to build meaningful AI startups in 2025.
We would love to know what you think about our podcast. Please take a minute to complete our short feedback form: https://bit.ly/3H4XkiJ
Can a corporate venture arm operate with full financial independence and still deliver strategic value?
In this episode of the Alchemist Accelerator Influencer Series, host Ravi Belani sits down with Jason Sydow, Partner at Next47, to explore how corporate venture capital (CVC) firms can successfully balance financial returns with corporate alignment or choose to focus on one without sacrificing value.
Jason walks through the transformation of Next47 from Siemens’ legacy CVC into a fully financially-driven fund with a billion-euro mandate, while still leveraging deep relationships to support portfolio startups through their go-to-market team. From structuring investment decisions to navigating internal trust and strategic veto rights, Jason shares lessons any CVC leader should hear.
🎧 Whether you're running a CVC, building one, or trying to partner with one this episode is packed with insight.
We’d love to know what you think about our podcast. Please complete our short feedback form: https://bit.ly/3H4Xk
How do we keep groundbreaking deep tech startups alive past Series B? In this episode, Ravi Belani talks with Tom Gwinn, Investment Manager at Evonik Venture Capital, about why so many promising deep tech startups struggle to get enough funding and how corporate venture capital can help close that gap.
Tom shares practical ideas on how CVCs can pool resources, share risks, and provide patient capital for breakthroughs in climate tech, quantum computing, biotech, and more. Expect real talk on what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to change.
We would love to know what you think about our podcast. Please take a minute to complete our short feedback form: https://bit.ly/3H4XkiJ
In this compelling episode of Alchemist Accelerator’s Influencer Series Fireside Chat Podcast, Ravi Belani sits down with Kristian Marquez, Founder & CEO of FinStrat Management, for a wide-ranging conversation that traverses the future of standalone software, the resurgence of U.S. manufacturing, AI in robotics, and the global implications of demographic decline.
Kristian shares his unique perspective at the intersection of finance, innovation, and geopolitical strategy, offering insights highly relevant to founders, investors, and corporate innovators navigating today’s rapidly shifting landscape.
Click to learn more about FinStrat Management: https://bit.ly/44IB4FiThank you to our Sponsors for making the Alchemist Accelerator’s Influencer Series possible. Notable Partners include: 1. BASF Venture Capital: https://bit.ly/3ZqFw842. FinStrat Management: https://bit.ly/3YTAlNO3. WilmerHale: https://bit.ly/45iAGgSWe would love to know what you think about our podcast, please complete our short feedback form: https://bit.ly/3H4XkiJIf you would like to plug in as a mentor, investor, customer or other role, email Ravi or let him know here: https://bit.ly/44JPlSd