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Sure Shot Entrepreneur Newsletter

Artificial Intelligence, Pruven Capital, FUNDA: The Sure Shot Entrepreneur Newsletter

Published 11 days ago • 2 min read

Hello Reader,

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We've published 164 episodes of The Sure Shot Entrepreneur Podcast, featuring conversations with some of the most thoughtful venture capital fund managers. I almost always ask them about their investment thesis and how they build conviction. Every now and then, the roles reverse and I find myself on the other side of the mic.

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In a recent episode of the Product Market Fit podcast with Pablo Srugo, I had the chance to share my own perspective on a question I often ask others: What do I look for in startups at Sure Ventures?

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Now, let’s get into this week’s episode of The Sure Shot Entrepreneur with Mahesh!

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– Gopi Rangan, Host of the The Sure Shot Entrepreneur podcast​

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Startup Corner: Honeycomb

Insurtech startup Honeycomb recently celebrated a major milestone—$45 billion in insured assets, just four years after launching in 2021. To mark the occasion, the company was featured on the iconic Nasdaq Tower in Times Square, symbolizing its rapid growth and rising influence in the commercial real estate insurance space.

Honeycomb uses advanced AI and data-driven underwriting to bring speed, transparency, and affordability to multi-family property insurance. Its tech-forward approach enables streamlined risk assessments and quicker policy issuance, redefining how landlords and property managers protect their investments.

The company’s success signals growing demand for vertical-specific innovation in legacy industries. In a field often slow to evolve, Honeycomb’s rapid traction proves that modern insurance solutions—built with software at their core—can scale with both speed and resilience.

Podcast Entries: Ship Fast, Sell Faster, Validate Deeply

​My guest in episode 164 is Mahesh Ram, a seasoned entrepreneur, early AI pioneer, and former Head of AI at Zoom. In this episode, Mahesh shares lessons from building Solvvy, an AI-native company acquired by Zoom, and how he helped launch Zoom AI Companion globally in record time.

He reflects on lessons about customer obsession, the importance of rapid iteration, and why perfection can be the enemy of progress. Mahesh emphasizes that shipping speed and early customer validation are the strongest signals of long-term success—especially in today's startup climate where demos are easy, but real traction is rare. His advice for founders is practical and urgent: ship fast, validate fast, and embed yourself deeply in your user’s workflow.

Connected Insights: Look where others are not looking

​Ramneek Gupta was my guest in episode 55. He is the founder of Pruven Capital. Ramneek believes that true startup success starts with solving high-value problems and aligning with customer needs. While Mahesh emphasized execution velocity—shipping fast and validating with users early—Ramneek underscores the importance of deeply understanding market opportunities and founder fit before writing a check.

Ramneek built Pruven Capital to offer both strategic and financial value, showing that institutional backing (from Prudential) can empower startups without slowing them down. He offers a founder-first lens on venture building from a corporate VC’s perspective and emphasizes one idea: the best startups aren’t just solving problems—they’re solving the right ones at the right time.

Community Involvement: FUNDA

In episode 164, Mahesh Ram shares his deep involvement with FUNDA—a fast-growing, grassroots community designed to support Indian-origin startup founders. FUNDA, short for "Founders Unite to Network, Deal, and Aspire", is built on a simple but powerful principle: pay it forward. The network now includes over 1,250 founders, creating a vibrant space for mentorship, knowledge sharing, and meaningful connections.

FUNDA is intentionally community-driven. It’s a place where early-stage entrepreneurs get honest feedback from peers who’ve walked the same path. Mahesh, one of the community’s early contributors, believes this kind of support is essential for navigating the highs and lows of startup life.

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Sure Shot Entrepreneur Newsletter

Gopi Rangan

Enable Peace of Mind for all. We believe in mission-driven entrepreneurs at the earliest stages before the rest of the world realizes the impact of their visionary ideas. This newsletter pairs well with our podcast that shares all the funders and founders' knowledge to startup and scale your ideas. All the best, Gopi

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