Startup Pulse
Hosted by Startup Pulse
An Indian venture capitalist interviews founders and experts to decode the practical steps of building a startup in India.
This is a masterclass-style interview show for the aspiring Indian founder. Host Avnish Sharma leverages his investor perspective to dissect the journeys of entrepreneurs in fields like D2C and SaaS. The conversations are tactical and grounded, focusing less on high-level theory and more on the operational realities of product strategy, go-to-market, and fundraising in India.
“What stands out is the host's use of concrete, hypothetical scenarios (e.g., 'let's say I want to sell these cups') to make advice practical and immediate. By frequently referencing opinions from past guests, he creates a richer, multi-perspective dialogue on key startup challenges.”
Who hosts this show
Startup Pulse is an Indian business podcast hosted by Avnish Sharma, a Partner at the SEBI-registered Cogniphy Angel Fund. Through candid, long-form interviews, Avnish sits down with early and growth-stage founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders. The show's goal is to uncover the raw, unfiltered stories behind building, funding, and scaling a startup in the Indian ecosystem.
Credentials & credits
- Partner, Cogniphy Angel Fund
Other ventures
- Cogniphy Angel Fund
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01What is the eligibility criteria for Zoho for startups program ?Dec 27, 2025 · 28s
- 02How to create your own D2C brand from scratch ?Dec 11, 2025 · 26s
- 03Zoho is giving back to the community or making money?Nov 25, 2025 · 23s
- 04Why Choose Zoho over other CRMs ?Nov 18, 2025 · 47s
- 05Why zoho for startups ?Nov 14, 2025 · 28s
- 06Zoho for Startups: Your Virtual CTO to Build & Scale SmarterSep 12, 2025 · 45 min
- 07D2C Masterclass ft. Sushank Arora | Founder, Nyra KitchenwareAug 27, 2025 · 1h 06m
- 0810x Your Sales with WhatsApp Marketing ft. Amit Yadav, Founder - MrktingAug 8, 2025 · 41 min
Notable episodes
- 01D2C Masterclass ft. Sushank Arora | Founder, Nyra Kitchenware
A deep, practical guide to building a consumer brand in India, covering online marketplaces, offline retail, and the mindset required for long-term success.
- 02Zoho for Startups: Your Virtual CTO to Build & Scale Smarter
Essential listening for non-technical founders, this episode explains how to leverage a suite of affordable software to run and scale a business without a CTO.
- 0310x Your Sales with WhatsApp Marketing ft. Amit Yadav, Founder - Mrkting
This episode provides a compelling founder journey through multiple failures and pivots, while also offering a deep dive into the power of WhatsApp for sales automation.
What you'll be asked on this show
Avnish Sharma's interview style is that of a methodical analyst uncovering a process. He often opens with a broad, framing question like "What are the first steps to create a D2C brand?" or "What problem are you solving?" to establish the episode's core theme. He probes deeper by asking for chronological narratives ("Tell me from the beginning, what was your very first startup?") and using simple, effective follow-ups like "So, what did you do next?" to move the story forward. A signature technique is using specific hypotheticals to ground abstract advice in reality, and he isn't afraid to create debate by bringing in contrasting opinions from previous guests. He allows guests ample time to elaborate, resulting in a detailed, masterclass-like feel.
The format is a one-on-one interview, often conducted remotely. Avnish Sharma guides the conversation with direct questions and frequent summaries, ensuring a clear narrative flow. Some episodes feature on-screen text defining key business terms, making complex concepts accessible to a broader audience.
Questions Startup Pulse keeps coming back to
13 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Startup Pulse reaches for it.
personal
1- Q.01
“Could you introduce yourself and explain your current role?”
This is a standard opening question to establish the guest's credibility and context.
origin
2- Q.01
“What problem are you solving with your product?”
A frequent opening move to get straight to the core value proposition of the guest's venture.
- Q.02
“What was the inspiration or origin story behind this idea?”
The host often asks this early to understand the founder's personal connection and motivation.
backstory
1- Q.01
“For serial entrepreneurs, can you walk me through your journey from your very first startup?”
He uses this to build a chronological narrative of failure, learning, and pivots.
advice
3- Q.01
“What are the first steps for a new founder trying to create a [D2C, SaaS, etc.] brand in India?”
This question sets up a foundational, framework-based discussion for the episode.
- Q.02
“What are the main challenges a first-time entrepreneur will face?”
This is asked to elicit practical advice on common and predictable pitfalls.
- Q.03
“How do you crack the [offline/online/specific] market?”
A direct question aimed at getting specific, go-to-market strategies.
process
3- Q.01
“Hypothetically, if I wanted to [sell this product/enter this market], what steps would I take?”
This is a signature technique to make advice concrete and actionable for the listener.
- Q.02
“After that venture failed or ended, what did you do next?”
A simple, recurring transition question to progress a founder's chronological story.
- Q.03
“What are the eligibility criteria for startups to join your program?”
This is asked to provide clear, actionable information for listeners who might be potential applicants.
controversy
1- Q.01
“A previous guest mentioned [X], do you agree with that perspective?”
He uses this to create contrast and a more dynamic conversation around common founder debates.
industry
1- Q.01
“How does your company fit in with competitors like [Google, Salesforce, etc.]?”
This question is used to understand the guest's competitive advantage and market positioning.
technique
1- Q.01
“Can you explain with a use case how your product works, technically and functionally?”
The host asks this to move from theory to a practical demonstration of the product's value.
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically Indian startup founders from a mix of sectors like D2C (Nyra Kitchenware) and MarTech (Mrkting), as well as heads of major ecosystem-enabling programs, such as the Global Head of Zoho for Startups.
- Kuppulakshmi Krishnamoorthyon Zoho for Startups: Your Virtual CTO to Build & Scale Smarter
- Sushank Aroraon D2C Masterclass ft. Sushank Arora | Founder, Nyra Kitchenware
- Amit Yadavon 10x Your Sales with WhatsApp Marketing ft. Amit Yadav, Founder - Mrkting
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Estimated: The podcast does not appear to have external sponsors. As a Partner at an angel fund, the host likely uses the podcast for brand building, deal flow generation for Cogniphy Angel Fund, and to provide value to the Indian startup community.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Startup Pulse
s•••@•••.comFree: limited reveals · Pro: unlimited reveals + CSV export
You’re only charged when we return a verified hit.
People also ask
- What is the host's name and background?
- The host is Avnish Sharma, a Partner at Cogniphy Angel Fund, a SEBI-registered angel fund in India.
- What is the format of the show?
- Startup Pulse consists of long-form, one-on-one interviews with Indian startup founders, investors, and business leaders.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, the channel description states that new episodes are released every week.
- Who is this podcast for?
- It's primarily for current and aspiring startup founders in India looking for practical advice on building and scaling their companies.
- How can I pitch a guest for the show?
- The channel description provides an email for partnerships and collaborations: [email — gated].
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The full episodes are available on the Startup Pulse YouTube channel.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
Podcasts like Startup Pulse
Silicon Valley Girl
Silicon Valley Girl
An entrepreneur interviews the founders and scientists building the next wave of AI to uncover practical strategies for career and business growth.
The Arena
The Arena
A daily sports debate show where 3-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas and a panel of former pros give unfiltered takes on basketball news.
Backstage with Millionaires
Pankaj Chauhan
A weekly news show and documentary-style channel breaking down the biggest stories and trends in the Indian startup and venture capital ecosystem.
Thomas Brush
Thomas Brush
A podcast for aspiring indie game developers, hosted by a solo dev who interviews peers about the practical and emotional journey of making games.
The Founder's Dream | Abhishek vyas
The Founder
A Hindi-language business podcast featuring long-form interviews with Indian startup founders about their real-world journeys and industries.
Rusty Quill Podcasts
Rusty Quill Podcasts
A network feed from a London-based production house specializing in full-cast speculative fiction and horror audio dramas.
HAHA Podcast
Three Korean-American sisters and YouTubers bring their chaotic, unfiltered group chat to a weekly video podcast.
Sports Yaari
Sports Yaari
A high-cadence Indian sports media channel delivering daily news, reactive analysis, and passionate opinions primarily focused on the Indian national cricket team.