Best Rajat Suri Podcasts (2025)

1
Building the Future of Public Safety Tech with Rahul Sidhu 37:49

10d ago37:49

37:49

Rahul Sidhu is the co-founder and CEO of Aerodome, which was acquired by Flock Safety for a reported $300M in October 2024—just 17 months after founding. A reserve police officer turned serial entrepreneur, Rahul built his drone-as-first-responder platform by combining deep public safety expertise with cutting-edge technology to revolutionize emerg…

1
From Software to Nuclear: Matt Loszak's Mission to Mass-Manufacture Clean Energy 48:15

17d ago48:15

48:15

Matt Loszak is the co-founder and CEO of Aalo Atomics, building factory-manufactured small modular nuclear reactors designed to power AI data centers. In just 18 months, Aalo has grown from 2 people to 50 employees with a 40,000 square foot factory and a completed full-scale non-nuclear reactor prototype. What you'll learn: How Aalo's liquid metal …

1
Duolingo’s CTO on Building the World’s Most Addictive Learning App 32:35

24d ago32:35

32:35

Severin Hacker, co-founder and CTO of Duolingo, joins Immad Akhund and Raj Suri to unpack how Duolingo became the world’s most engaging education platform. They explore how Duolingo leverages AI to personalize learning, the company's obsession with retention, and why relentless experimentation is at the heart of its product strategy. Severin also s…

1
Meta's Hardball Acquisitions, Apple's App Store Defeat, and Why Tariffs Will Trigger a Recession 34:48

1M ago34:48

34:48

In this founders-only episode of Founders in Arms, Immad Akhund and Raj Suri analyze Meta's aggressive acquisition playbook alongside other major tech developments reshaping the industry landscape. The conversation begins with how Zuckerberg's "buy or get crushed" approach to acquisitions leaves founders with an impossible choice: accept a lucrativ…

1
S2E3 - The Future of Investing: Why Money Alone Won’t Cut It with Chris Petkas (Contrarian Capital), Bogdan Savonea (Blindspot) and Matei Psatta (Blindspot) 33:30

1M ago33:30

33:30

Episode Notes In this episode, we sit down with Chris Petkas, General Partner at Contrarian Capital, to dive deep into why "boring businesses" are the real backbone of the economy—and why they're ripe for innovation. We explore how Contrarian Capital is funding the digitization of small businesses, building audience-driven flywheels, and helping po…

1
From Rice Krispies to $36M Series B: Dan Hobbs on Building Safety AI, Enterprise Sales, and Leading Across Borders 37:21

1M ago37:21

37:21

In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad Akhund and Raj Suri speak with Dan Hobbs, co-founder and CEO of Protex AI, a company using computer vision to identify safety risks in warehouses and factories before accidents happen. Dan shares his journey from bootstrapping his first startup (where he survived on store-brand Rice Krispies for three week…

1
S2E2 - Beyond the Billboard: How AI is Disrupting OOH Marketing with Lina Maggi and Matei Psatta 25:28

1M ago25:28

25:28

Episode Notes Welcome to "Beyond the Billboard," a talk during Lumos House to how AI is reshaping the future of Out-of-Home (OOH) marketing. Join Lina Maggi, SVP of Partnership at BCN Visuals, and Matei Psatta, CMO and co-founder of Blindspot, as they talk about groundbreaking innovations in Out-Of-Home advertising technology. Curated specifically …

1
Building Meaningful Tech for the Next Generation With Jay Shah 53:00

1M ago53:00

53:00

In this episode, Jay Shah joins Immad and Raj to talk about his new startup, Poppy—a screenless, AI-native phone designed for kids. He shares what led him to pivot from enterprise SaaS to building hardware in his basement, why he believes kid-first tech needs a rethink, and how intentional design can create healthier relationships with technology. …

1
S2E1 - The AI Playbook with Chris Petkas (Contrarian Capital) , Alex Seutin (Drillbit) & Alex Jekowsky (Cents) 58:34

2M ago58:34

58:34

Episode Notes Learn how the top operators are leveraging AI to build and scale successfully. This session goes beyond theory, diving into real-world strategies for integrating AI into businesses, optimizing workflows, and unlocking new efficiencies. Don’t miss this deep dive into value creation in overlooked sectors and the next wave of AI adoption…

1
Trade Wars & Supply Chain Disruptions: Ryan Petersen on Navigating the 145% China Tariffs 54:44

2M ago54:44

54:44

In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad Akhund and Raj Suri speak with Ryan Petersen, co-founder and CEO of Flexport, about the recent implementation of 104% tariffs on Chinese imports. Ryan shares insights on how businesses are responding to this trade crisis, strategies for supply chain adaptation, and the broader implications for US-China com…

1
Building a Consumer Network First and Monetizing Later with ClassDojo's Sam Chaudhary 54:08

2M ago54:08

54:08

"Schools try really hard to do all these jobs equally well for all kids, and it's a completely impossible task." ClassDojo CEO Sam Chaudhary shares how his education platform reached 50 million students by making the counterintuitive decision to spend seven years building a network before monetizing. In this revealing conversation with Immad Akhund…

1
Special Episode—Unpacking Mercury's $300M Series C with Guest Host, Hiten Shah 56:16

2M ago56:16

56:16

"The bar was really low in banking—we're not talking rocket science here. We built a product that reached a reasonable standard." Mercury CEO Immad Akhund reveals how a focus on solving basic user experience problems enabled his company to secure a $300M Series C at a $3.5B valuation. In this revealing episode, Hiten Shah (founder of Crazy Egg, KIS…

1
Exploring Abundance From 10x Intelligence With Paul Buchheit 54:36

2M ago54:36

54:36

Are we mentally prepared for what happens when intelligence becomes an abundant resource rather than a scarce one? Hosts Immad Akhund (Mercury CEO) and Raj Suri (Lima/Tribe co-founder) welcome back Paul Buchheit—Gmail creator and former Y Combinator partner—for our most requested follow-up episode. Together they dive into how exponentially increasi…

1
Startup Wisdom That Goes Against The Grain With SafeGraph's Auren Hoffman 55:50

3M ago55:50

55:50

"The worst thing you can do is hire executives," declares Auren Hoffman in this eye-opening conversation about startup talent strategy. As a successful founder turned investor, Auren brings a unique dual perspective on how to build elite teams, properly compensate founders, and navigate fundraising. He reveals why he deliberately structures Flex Ca…

1
Winning the Founder Mental Game with Pilot’s Waseem Daher 45:19

3M ago45:19

45:19

Being small isn't a disadvantage—it's your superpower. Just one provocative sentiment from this episode that challenges conventional startup wisdom and delves into the mindset behind entrepreneurial success. Waseem Daher brings insights from his journey across three successful startups—KSplice (acquired by Oracle), Zulip (acquired by Dropbox), and …

1
Building an AI Business Beyond the Hype with Jesse Zhang from Decagon 48:41

3M ago48:41

48:41

How do you build a sustainable AI business when investors are throwing money at anything with "AI" in the pitch deck? This episode brings together Jesse Zhang (Decagon AI CEO), Immad Akhund (Mercury CEO), and Raj Suri (Lima/Tribe co-founder) for a strategic conversation that centers on the business challenges of building an enterprise AI company th…

1
How AI and China Are Reshaping Biotech with Hannu Rajaniemi of Helix Nanotechnologies 52:21

3M ago52:21

52:21

Why do even the most sophisticated tech investors often shy away from biotech? It often seems like an impenetrable maze of regulations, clinical trials, and complex science. Enter Hannu Rajaniemi, who brings a refreshingly clear perspective to the world of biotech. As both the CEO of Helix Nanotechnologies and a bestselling science fiction author, …

1
Raw Wisdom for Modern Founders With Serial Founder Hiten Shah 55:22

4M ago55:22

55:22

What happens when the ultimate startup veteran joins a 3,000-person company? In this gripping episode, Mercury CEO Immad Akhund and serial founder Rajat Suri sit down with serial entrepreneur Hiten Shah (Crazy Egg, KISSmetrics, Nira, sold to Dropbox) for a candid conversation about founder identity over the course of an entire career. Get practical…

1
Making Startups Financially Savvy With Recruiter.com’s Jesse Tinsley 45:39

4M ago45:39

45:39

As founders of VC-backed startups face tough choices between down rounds and running out of cash, Jesse Tinsley is turning unprofitable startups profitable at incredible speed by tossing out the typical M&A playbook. Jesse is a prominent entrepreneur and investor in the HR technology and recruitment industry. He is Founder and CEO of multiple succe…

1
DeepSeek and the Future of AI with Academia's Richard Price 52:13

4M ago52:13

52:13

Join Immad Akhund and Raj Suri as they dive deep into the implications of DeepSeek and the rapidly evolving AI landscape with Richard Price, founder and CEO of Academia.edu. The conversation explores the fascinating shift in AI development costs, with DeepSeek challenging assumptions about the resources needed to build frontier models. Richard shar…

1
Building the Future of Computer Vision AI with OpenSpace's Jeevan Kalanithi 47:40

4M ago47:40

47:40

Join Raj Suri as he sits down with Jeevan Kalanithi, co-founder and CEO of OpenSpace AI, to explore the revolutionary impact of computer vision technology in construction and beyond. From his early days at MIT Media Lab to founding innovative startups, Jeevan shares insights on how OpenSpace is transforming construction site management through spat…

1
The ‘Tech-Industrial Complex’ and Startup Lessons 43:43

5M ago43:43

43:43

Join Mercury CEO Immad Akhund and Lima & Tribe co-founder Raj Suri as they explore tech's evolving relationship with politics. From Biden's "tech industrial complex" remarks to the changing power dynamics between tech companies and their employees, they discuss how the industry's traditional political neutrality is giving way to partisan alignment.…

1
Special New Year Episode & Building in Regulated Industries with Edward Woodford 1:17:31

5M ago1:17:31

1:17:31

In a special episode to kickoff the New Year, Mercury CEO Immad Akhund and Lima co-founder Rajat Suri share personal reflections and industry predictions. From Raj's mission to revolutionize international talent recruiting through Lima to Immad's vision for expanding Mercury beyond startup banking, the conversation offers a candid look at their ent…

1
S1E9 - What It Takes to Succeed in Deep Tech with Julia Prakapovich 36:58

5M ago36:58

36:58

We’re Blindspot and, to put it humbly, we’re the best digital out-of-home advertising company in the world. We started out as just a couple of scrappy immigrants looking to shake up a bloated industry and now we’ve helped 20,000 advertisers get their message out there.We love meeting other scrappy people who are also trying to turn shine a flashlig…

1
Building in Longevity, Biohacking and Space Exploration with Dilan Dane 46:58

5M ago46:58

46:58

What drives entrepreneurs to push boundaries is often a deep desire to leave a lasting mark on the world. In this episode, System 2 founder Dilan Dane joins Mercury CEO Immad Akhund and Lima co-founder Rajat Suri to explore how this entrepreneurial drive naturally extends into the realms of human potential and discovery. From his journey out of Sri…

1
S1E8 - Building and Scaling: Rajat Suri on Founding Lyft, Presto, and Lima 57:02

6M ago57:02

57:02

Episode Notes We’re Blindspot and, to put it humbly, we’re the best digital out-of-home advertising company in the world. We started out as just a couple of scrappy immigrants looking to shake up a bloated industry and now we’ve helped 20,000 advertisers get their message out there.We love meeting other scrappy people who are also trying to turn sh…

1
S1E7 - Talent, Tools, and Space Tech with Suffiyan Malik 58:58

6M ago58:58

58:58

Episode Notes We’re Blindspot, and we created a platform that so far has helped 20,000 advertisers step out into the spotlight and advertise on any digital billboard in the world. To take this even one step further, we created Lumos House, a series of events where people meet and discuss openly to learn from each other and share authentic experienc…

1
Creating Category-Defining Companies with John Bicket, Co-Founder of Samsara & Meraki 48:40

6M ago48:40

48:40

Join Immad Akhund and Raj Suri as they dive deep with John Bicket, co-founder and CTO of Samsara and previously Meraki, into the rare feat of building two successful hardware-software companies. From turning MIT research into a cloud networking pioneer at Meraki to revolutionizing fleet operations at Samsara, John shares candid insights about the e…

1
S1E6 - Why Academia Fails Entrepreneurs with Suffiyan Malik 24:39

6M ago24:39

24:39

Episode Notes We’re Blindspot and, to put it humbly, we’re the best digital out-of-home advertising company in the world. We started out as just a couple of scrappy immigrants looking to shake up a bloated industry and now we’ve helped 20,000 advertisers get their message out there. We love meeting other scrappy people who are also trying to turn s…

1
S1E5 - How Umesh Khanna & Kayla Kavanaugh cracked investing in startups 38:20

6M ago38:20

38:20

Episode Notes In this episode of the Lumos House Podcast, co-founder Bogdan Savonea sits down with Kayla Kavanaugh, a pre-seed investor at A4 Capital, and Umesh Khanna, a product lead at Dropbox AI and venture scout at Andreessen Horowitz, to explore the exhilarating and unpredictable early stages of building startups. The conversation dives into w…

1
Navigating M&A and Executive Security with Daniel Kivatinos, Founder of JustPaid and DrChrono 51:03

6M ago51:03

51:03

In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad and Raj sit down with Daniel Kivatinos, founder of JustPaid and DrChrono. The group starts by sharing their startup war stories, including Raj's shocking tale of an intern-turned-criminal and Daniel's unconventional recruitment of a Chipotle employee. The discussion then delves into the complexities of hea…

1
Quiet Quitting, Government Regulation, and the Commercial Value of AI Today with Box CEO Aaron Levie 52:09

6M ago52:09

52:09

In this wide-ranging conversation with Box CEO Aaron Levie, Immad and Raj dive deep into the intersection of technology, politics, and regulation. Levie shares candid insights about quiet quitting, what’s real about AI and crypto, and his thought-provoking views on government regulation. They explore the potential of DOGE (Department of Government …

1
Making Creative Deals with Large Enterprises with Clover Co-Founder Leonard Speiser 53:03

7M ago53:03

53:03

In this episode of Founders in Arms, Raj sits down solo with Leonard Speiser, co-founder of Clover, to explore the intricacies of building and scaling hardware startups. Speiser shares the remarkable story of how Clover achieved what seemed impossible: developing enterprise-grade payment hardware from concept to production in just nine months, even…

1
Innovation, Y Combinator, and Tech Under Trump with Wayne Crosby 51:22

7M ago51:22

51:22

In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad and Raj sit down with Wayne Crosby, a serial entrepreneur and former Google executive. They dive into Wayne's journey from his early startup Zenter (which became Google Slides) through his decade at Google, exploring how the tech giant's innovative culture shifted over time. The conversation spans Wayne's …

1
S1E4 - Seb Webber’s Untold Stories 46:42

7M ago46:42

46:42

Episode Notes Welcome to another illuminating episode of Lumos Talks at the Lumos House! In this raw and candid discussion, hosts Bogdan & Razvan sit down with industry powerhouse and creative maverick, Seb Webber. From his early days spinning records in underground London clubs to managing iconic artists at XL Recordings, Seb’s journey has been an…

1
S1E3 - With Bailey Pumfleet (Cal.com) & Iqram Magdon-Ismail (Venmo & Jelly) 50:06

7M ago50:06

50:06

Episode Notes Welcome to our special event at Lumos House during New York Tech Week 2024! Join us as we bring together extraordinary founders, entrepreneurs, and creatives to share their inspiring stories and invaluable insights. In this video, you'll hear from Andrew Yeung, one of the visionaries behind Lumos House, and learn about his journey fro…

1
S1E2 - Jesse Middleton of Flybridge & Ihar Mahaniok of Geek Ventures 39:07

7M ago39:07

39:07

Episode Notes Join us for an exciting look inside Lumos House, where founders, investors, and innovators come together to create meaningful connections and conversations. In this video, we explore the evolution of Lumos House from its beginnings in Austin to its latest event in New York City. Hear from Jesse Middleton of Flybridge and Ihar Mahaniok…

1
S1E1 - Jesse Middleton from Flybridge

7M ago

—

Episode Notes Join us for an exciting look inside Lumos House, where founders, investors, and innovators come together to create meaningful connections and conversations. In this video, we explore the evolution of Lumos House from its beginnings in Austin to its latest event in New York City. Hear from Jesse Middleton of Flybridge and Bogdan Savone…

1
Picking the Right Co-Founder and Crypto Regulation with Dave Balter 48:40

7M ago48:40

48:40

In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad and Raj sit down with veteran entrepreneur Dave Balter to discuss the ups and downs of startup. Balter shares candid insights from his journey founding seven companies, including his experiences with co-founder relationships, maintaining humility during success, and managing self-doubt as a CEO. The conver…

1
Longevity and Biotech Fundraising with Celine Halioua 52:14

7M ago52:14

52:14

Immad and Raj sit down with Celine Halioua, founder and CEO of Loyal, a pioneering biotech company developing drugs to increase lifespan longevity in dogs. This episode highlights the unique challenges of building a biotech company, from navigating FDA approval processes to explaining longevity science to investors. The conversation also explores a…

1
Finding Product-Market Fit for Consumer Startups and Gaming with Roger Dickey 41:32

8M ago41:32

41:32

In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad and Raj sit down with Roger Dickey (Mafia Wars, Gigster, and Untitled Capital) for a deep dive into startup ideation and product-led growth. Roger shares his structured process for generating hundreds of startup ideas, including his unique "matrix approach." The three founders discuss the joys and challeng…

1
Today’s FinTech Market and India’s Tech Takeover with Sheel Mohnot 39:40

8M ago39:40

39:40

In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad Akhund and Raj Suri are joined by special guest Sheel Mohnot, founder of BTV Ventures and 500 FinTech. The trio dive into a wide-ranging discussion covering the state of FinTech, entrepreneurship in India, and the evolving landscape of social media. This episode offers listeners a blend of practical advice…

1
High-Skilled Immigration and Higher Education with Martin Basiri 40:39

8M ago40:39

40:39

Immad and Raj sit down with Martin Basiri, co-founder and former CEO of ApplyBoard and current CEO of Passage, for a conversation that delves deep into the world of education technology and immigration. Martin shares insights on the challenges and opportunities present in the education sector, discussing ApplyBoard's unique business model and the i…

1
Next Generation of Consumer Startups with Paul English 36:12

8M ago36:12

36:12

Immad and Raj sit down with Paul English, the co-founder and former CTO of Kayak, for a deep dive into consumer tech startups. Paul shared some fascinating insights from his entrepreneurial journey, including building capital-efficient companies, leveraging AI to boost productivity, and the future of AR glasses and wearables. In addition, Paul shar…

1
OpenAI’s New Model and Amazon’s In-Person Mandate 32:25

8M ago32:25

32:25

In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad and Raj dive into the latest developments in AI, discussing OpenAI's new O1 model and its impressive reasoning capabilities. The conversation explores potential applications for this technology and debates the future of vertical AI startups. The conversation then shifts to the challenges and benefits of re…

1
Future of LLMs and Founder Narratives with Paul Buchheit 46:03

9M ago46:03

46:03

In this episode of Founders in Arms, Immad and Raj welcome Silicon Valley legend Paul Buchheit. As the creator of Gmail, an early Google pioneer, and a Y Combinator partner, Paul shares his unique perspectives on the rapidly evolving AI landscape and its implications for startups and society. The conversation covers the current state of large langu…

1
Unlocking Founder Mode and VC Funding with Greg Isenberg 38:50

9M ago38:50

38:50

Immad and Raj are joined by special guest Greg Isenberg (Late Checkout) to discuss the recent buzz around "founder mode" and debate the merits of VC-backing in startup. Greg provides insights from his experiences building multiple businesses, sharing where he’s seen other ‘modes’ and highlighting the freedom and financial benefits of avoiding VC fu…

1
Pavel Durov’s Arrest, Nvidia, and the Future of AI 30:01

9M ago30:01

30:01

Today on Founders in Arms, Immad and Raj explore two of the largest stories in startup this week: The arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov, and what Nvidia’s latest earnings report indicates about the future of AI. Immad and Raj debate the complexities of free speech, encryption, and international regulations for tech companies that Durov’s arres…

1
What Should Tech Founders Do About Regulatory Capture? 26:05

9M ago26:05

26:05

In the debut episode of "Founders in Arms," Immad Akhund (Mercury) and Raj Suri (Lima, Presto, and Lyft) explore the growing impact of regulatory capture on startups in Silicon Valley. They discuss how tech's focus has shifted to more regulated spaces like deep tech, fintech, and AI, examining both the challenges and opportunities for startups in t…

1
The Evolution of the Film Industry with Writer and Producer Bill Guttentag 55:46

12M ago55:46

55:46

In this episode of the Curiosity Podcast, Immad and Raj interview Bill Guttentag for a discussion on the evolution of the film industry. Bill is an award-winning writer and producer, best known for his films You Don’t Have to Die, Nanking, and Crime & Punishment. The conversation explores the creative process, how new technology will impact tomorro…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Rajat Suri Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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