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.IN THIS EPISODE(00:00) Intro(01:05) The accidental podcaster who turned curiosity into a movement(03:10) Why podcasts beat textbooks for real startup learning(05:11) Inside Neon’s strategy for choosing game-changing guests(11:48) How the US–India startup corridor is redefining growth(13:19) Building global companies from Chennai to California(15:42) The $100B dream driving Neon Fund’s big bets(17:38) What makes founders truly stand out to VCs(19:30) Can India create the next OpenAI or Databricks?(24:44) Is SaaS really dead—or just getting smarter?(29:07) The secret behind Neon’s high-return investment strategy(35:17) Exit stories that make the VC grind worth it(44:21) Rapid-fire confessions: books, heroes, and bold bets(46:28) India’s next decade belongs to dreamers who buildSiddhartha AhluwaliaSiddhartha 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.Siddhartha's Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7Siddhartha LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Neon LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-fund/Neon's Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwNeon's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/Neon's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheNeonShowwPrantik MazumdarPrantik is an entrepreneur & venture investor and acts as a Digital Transformation Catalyst in organizations to drive sustainable change and impact.After pursuing a major in Computer Engineering & a minor in Technopreneurship from the National University of Singapore (NUS), he kickstarted his career with the Singapore government (Enterprise Singapore) to drive international trade promotion for the island state.He started his entrepreneurial journey with Happy Marketer in 2011 where he spent a decade building & scaling up one of the best and most awarded independent digital marketing services firm in the region that served brands like Standard Chartered Bank, Income, Great Eastern Life, Royal Brunei Airlines, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Starbucks, Ping An, Grab, Shopee, GoJek, Kimberly Clark, PropertyGuru, PegiPegi, Starhub, Singtel, Nanyang Business School, Kaplan, INSEAD amongst many of its prestigious clients.ABOUT TiE TalksTiE Talks brings to you leadership and venture-building lessons from founders, investors and experts in the TiE Singapore network, a vibrant ecosystem of Asian entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, and industry professionals.—This podcast is powered by CrazyTok: We help experts become influencers by helping launch, produce and grow your custom-branded audio and video podcast channels.