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Sure Shot Entrepreneur Newsletter

at.inc/, Haystack, BalkanID: The Sure Shot Entrepreneur Newsletter

Published about 1 month ago • 2 min read

Hello Reader,

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I’ve been teaching entrepreneurship at INSEAD for 10 years. Around 1,000 students have gone through my courses, and one of them - Building Businesses in Silicon Valley - has become a top elective.

My mission is simple: I want to show students that entrepreneurship isn’t just a dream, it’s a real, rewarding career path. There’s nothing better than working with bright, ambitious minds and helping them take their first steps toward building something meaningful.

Lately, I’ve seen more students get excited about transforming big, essential industries like insurance, healthcare, and supply chain. That kind of energy is contagious, and it gives me hope for what’s coming next.

​In this clip, Professor Claudia Zeisberger highlights a comment I made about why students at top schools should seriously consider entrepreneurship. Take a look. It might just spark something for you too.

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

Startup Corner: BalkanID

At RSAC 2025, BalkanID announced its support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP), marking a significant advancement in identity security and access governance for the AI era.

By integrating MCP, BalkanID enables intelligent agents to detect risks and coordinate responses across enterprises. This unified control surface allows for seamless identity actions and third-party integrations, paving the way for autonomous security workflows.

Podcast Entries: Don’t Just Pitch; Connect with Investors Through Vision

​My guest in episode 166 is Nadav Eylath, founder of at.inc/—a venture capital firm that invests at the very inception of startups. Nadav shares his philosophy on early-stage investing, emphasizing trust, long-term thinking, and technical rigor. He poses thought-provoking questions like, “What kind of company will this be in 30 years?” to encourage deeper reflection and alignment between founders and investors. Nadav also delves into how venture capital needs to evolve, advocating for a flexible, founder-first approach.

Connected Insights: Imagine a Future Without Fundraising

​Semil Shah, General Partner at Haystack Ventures, was my guest in episode #105. Semil proposes a thought-provoking exercise for founders: envisioning a future where raising additional capital isn't an option. This mental model isn't about discouraging fundraising but about fostering a mindset of resilience and strategic clarity.

Semil suggests that by contemplating a no-fundraising scenario, founders can:

  • Prioritize Sustainable Growth: Focusing on a business model that doesn’t depend entirely on outside capital encourages operational efficiency and long-term viability.
  • Enhance Decision-Making: Without the safety net of anticipated capital, founders may make more focused, value-driven decisions.
  • Strengthen Investor Relations: A sustainability-first mindset signals to investors that a founder is building a durable, scalable company.

This is more than a mental exercise—it’s a lens for better company building. Semil brings sharp, honest insight to every founder conversation, asking tough questions with clarity and care.

🎧 Hear how Semil engages with founders and why his approach resonates with those building real, enduring businesses.

Community Involvement: Tel Aviv University

Beyond his role as founder and managing partner at at.inc/, Nadav Eylath maintains a strong connection to Tel Aviv University, his alma mater. His involvement underscores a dedication to fostering education and innovation within the academic community.

Nadav's engagement with the university reflects his belief in the importance of nurturing future generations of entrepreneurs and technologists. By supporting educational initiatives, he contributes to the development of a vibrant ecosystem where academic insights and entrepreneurial endeavors intersect.

This commitment to education complements Nadav's investment philosophy at at.inc, where he emphasizes long-term vision and trust in early-stage ventures. His dual focus on academia and venture capital illustrates a holistic approach to building and sustaining innovation.

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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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