The Desi VC with Akash Bhat
Hosted by Akash Bhat
Conversations with top investors and founders, exploring the parallels between the Indian and US venture capital and technology ecosystems.
A long-form interview show focused on the business and personal stories of venture capitalists and startup founders. Host Akash Bhat uses his own background as a founder and ex-VC to dissect trends, fundraising, and business models, with a specific emphasis on the India-US tech corridor. The show also features documentary-style episodes called 'BTS' that break down the business and economics behind topics like the IPL or specific industries.
“The podcast's unique angle is its explicit focus on bridging the US and Indian tech ecosystems, hosted by an immigrant founder who has operated in both. Unlike general tech podcasts, it consistently frames conversations through this cross-cultural lens.”
Who hosts this show
Hosted by Akash Bhat, The Desi VC is an award-winning podcast that bridges knowledge gaps between the Indian and US tech landscapes. As an immigrant in the US with deep roots in India, Akash interviews high-profile investors and founders to foster cross-cultural collaboration. Akash himself is the Co-Founder and COO of Leen, a cybersecurity company, a former venture capitalist, and an active angel investor in the India-US corridor.
Credentials & credits
- Co-Founder & COO, Leen
- Former Venture Capitalist
- Active Angel Investor
- Forbes Technology Council Member
Other ventures
- Leen (Unified API for Cybersecurity)
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01What Silicon Valley Teaches You About SuccessJan 10, 2026 · 5 min
- 02Dell VC Exposes VC Truth | Radhika Malik (Partner at DTC)Aug 15, 2025 · 1h 18m
- 03From a Bootstrapped Company to a $100M+ Revenue | Jay Ashok Modh on The Desi VCJul 1, 2025 · 1h 23m
- 042016 US Election Inspired a Billion Dollar Startup | Abhishek Agrawal on The Desi VCJun 16, 2025 · 1h 32m
- 05Why India Is THE Leading Emerging Market for Public Investing | Kevin on The Desi VCMay 17, 2025 · 1h 15m
- 06
- 07
- 08This VC of 10 Years Quit to Build a New AI Startup | Brij Bhasin on The Desi VCApr 2, 2025 · 1h 17m
Notable episodes
- 012016 US Election Inspired a Billion Dollar Startup | Abhishek Agrawal on The Desi VC
A compelling origin story linking a major geopolitical event directly to the creation of a billion-dollar cybersecurity company.
- 02From a Bootstrapped Company to a $100M+ Revenue | Jay Ashok Modh on The Desi VC
Provides a detailed case study of building a significant company without venture capital, focusing on purpose-driven entrepreneurship and a 'no-layoff' culture.
- 03Dell VC Exposes VC Truth | Radhika Malik (Partner at DTC)
An inside look at the venture capital career path from an operator's perspective, discussing industry truths like long feedback cycles and the concept of 'engineering luck'.
What you'll be asked on this show
Akash Bhat begins interviews by establishing personal rapport, sometimes noting how long it took to get the guest on the show. He often uses a thematic opening question tailored to the guest's background, such as their family's influence or their reasons for entering venture capital. Throughout the conversation, he actively summarizes the guest's points before asking a follow-up and frequently picks up on specific phrases they use (like 'engineering luck') to probe for deeper explanation. He allows guests to speak at length, creating a thoughtful, unhurried dialogue.
The show primarily features one-on-one interviews with a conversational and analytical tone. The host, Akash Bhat, actively listens, summarizes guest points to build on them, and allows guests ample time to elaborate without interruption. Some episodes are documentary-style deep dives on specific business topics.
Questions Akash Bhat keeps coming back to
9 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Akash Bhat reaches for it.
origin
1- Q.01
“Why did you choose a career in venture capital?”
This is a common opening question used to establish a guest's origin story and their initial motivations.
backstory
1- Q.01
“How did your family's business background impact your entrepreneurial journey?”
Asked early on to understand how a guest's upbringing and environment shaped their professional mindset.
personal
1- Q.01
“What prompted you to do something totally different from your family's business?”
This question probes into the personal drive for autonomy and innovation beyond a pre-set path.
mindset
2- Q.01
“Did you worry that entering VC was a 'one-way door' that would prevent you from returning to an operating role?”
He asks this to surface a guest's framework for career risk and their long-term professional philosophy.
- Q.02
“Did the pressure of having so much family support ever cross your mind when starting out?”
This question explores the counter-intuitive psychological challenges that come with having a safety net.
process
1- Q.01
“How did you identify the path from your first venture to what you're doing now?”
A process-oriented question to map the concrete steps and decisions in a guest's career evolution.
technique
1- Q.01
“Can you elaborate on what [a specific phrase the guest used] means?”
A signature technique where he isolates a guest's term to prompt a deeper, more specific explanation.
advice
1- Q.01
“How would you advise someone with a similar background deciding between tech and VC today?”
Used mid-interview to extract actionable advice for listeners facing similar career crossroads.
values
1- Q.01
“What is your definition of [a subjective concept like 'good people']?”
This question forces the guest to define a core, often abstract, part of their investment or operating thesis.
Signature segments
- · Welcome to The Desi VC Podcast
- · BTS (Behind the Scenes) documentary-style episodes
- · Focus on the India-US corridor
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically high-achieving founders of unicorn startups and managing partners at top-tier venture capital firms like Accel, Sequoia, and Lightspeed. The common thread is a connection to the India-US tech corridor or significant experience in venture capital and entrepreneurship.
- Radhika Malikon Dell VC Exposes VC Truth | Radhika Malik (Partner at DTC)
- Jay Ashok Modhon From a Bootstrapped Company to a $100M+ Revenue | Jay Ashok Modh on The Desi VC
- Abhishek Agrawalon 2016 US Election Inspired a Billion Dollar Startup | Abhishek Agrawal on The Desi VC
- Kevin Carteron Why India Is THE Leading Emerging Market for Public Investing | Kevin on The Desi VC
- Anupam Rastogion How To Build A Billion Dollar AI Startup in 2025 | Anupam Rastogi (Emergent Ventures)
- Arun Penmetsaon 7 Exits in 10 years – How To Win US Market? | Arun Penmetsa (Storm Ventures) on The Desi VC
- Brij Bhasinon This VC of 10 Years Quit to Build a New AI Startup | Brij Bhasin on The Desi VC
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Based on the episodes reviewed, the podcast does not appear to feature third-party advertisements or sponsorships.
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.
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People also ask
- What is the host's real name?
- The host's name is Akash Bhat.
- Is The Desi VC podcast still active?
- Yes, the podcast appears to be releasing new episodes. The most recent episode in the provided data was from early 2026.
- What is the format of the show?
- It is primarily a long-form interview show with founders and VCs. It also has a recurring documentary-style series called 'BTS' that explores the business behind various trends and industries.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The Desi VC is available on major podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Audible, as well as on YouTube.
- What is the focus of the podcast?
- The podcast focuses on venture capital and technology startups, specifically exploring the connections and parallels between the US and Indian ecosystems.
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
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