Nothing Ventured

Hosted by Aarish Shah - EmergeONE

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273

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

In conversation with the people who make the start-up world go round. Join Aarish Shah as he talks to founders, investors, and operators across the tech and venture ecosystem exploring some of the lesser-heard stories and challenges they've faced as they try to build the future.https://nothingventured.tech/Follow Nothing Ventured on socialTwitter https://twitter.com/NVPodFacbook https://www.facebook.com/NothingVenturedPodTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@nothingventuredpodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/nothingventuredpod/

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60 recent

June 11, 20261 hr 0 min

Is Mobile Gaming Dead? Why Istanbul Beats Helsinki & The $5B Micro Drama Gold Rush | Anton Backman

Is mobile gaming still a venture-worthy bet or has the gold rush ended? Anton Backman, General Partner at Play Ventures, has one of the most contrarian takes in VC right now. In this episode, Anton breaks down why the gaming funds that exploded during Covid are struggling, why Istanbul has quietly become the world's hottest hub for mobile games (and why Helsinki lost its edge), and why micro dramas are following the exact same monetisation playbook as mobile gaming. We also get into: → Why success in mobile is 50% product, 50% user acquisition and why most studios get both wrong → How Turkey's gaming companies out-pay investment banking for top graduates → Why a micro drama app briefly dethroned ChatGPT in India → The rise of real money gaming and what VC-backed startups are getting right → Why analogue is making a comeback in a world drowning in digital content Whether you're a founder, investor, or just fascinated by where attention (and money) is flowing — this one's packed. Find Anton Backman online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonbackman/ Twitter: https://x.com/retripaladin Play Ventures: https://playventures.vc This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 4, 20261 hr 9 min

Why AI Token Prices Are About To Explode | Meryem Arik

AI is scaling faster than the infrastructure supporting it. In this episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish Shah sits down with Meryem Arik, Co-Founder of Doubleword, to explore the hidden economics powering the AI revolution. They discuss why token prices may have to rise, why AI companies are facing compute shortages, the growing GPU bottleneck, and how open-source AI models are challenging the dominance of OpenAI and Anthropic. Miriam explains why sovereign AI is becoming a critical geopolitical issue, why the UK should focus on inference rather than foundation models, and how governments are thinking about AI infrastructure, security and national competitiveness. They also explore AI's impact on jobs, Gen Z attitudes toward technology, agentic workflows, AI adoption, and what happens when AI becomes embedded in every industry. Topics Covered: AI token economics explained Why AI compute demand is exploding The GPU shortage and AI infrastructure crisis Open source vs closed AI models OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini and DeepSeek Sovereign AI and national security The UK's AI strategy AI agents and the future of work Why AI could become more expensive The future of AI adoption If you enjoy conversations about venture capital, startups, artificial intelligence, technology and innovation, subscribe for more episodes. Find [guest name] online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meryemarik/ Twitter: https://x.com/MeryemArik9 Doubleword: https://www.doubleword.ai/ This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #OpenAI #Anthropic #DeepSeek #AIInfrastructure #MachineLearning #VentureCapital #Startups #TechPodcast #NothingVentured Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 28, 202611 min

Venture Capital in 2026: AI, Liquidity & Startup Funding Explained

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, we break down the real state of the venture capital market, from AI investment concentration and startup funding trends to liquidity pressure, emerging manager struggles and the growing power of platforms like OpenAI. We explore: • Why a handful of companies dominate venture funding  • The liquidity crisis still facing founders and investors • Why emerging VC funds are struggling to survive  • The rise of secondaries and engineered exits  • How OpenAI, YC and platform ecosystems are changing startup investing • Why SpaceX and AI infrastructure matter for the future of venture capital • The shift from broad software investing to strategic infrastructure bets This is not a story about venture capital roaring back. It’s a story about power, concentration and ecosystem control reshaping the startup world. If you’re interested in venture capital, startups, AI investing, technology trends, private markets or the future of innovation, this episode is for you. #VentureCapital #Startups #AI #OpenAI #SpaceX #TechNews #StartupFunding #ArtificialIntelligence #VC #BusinessPodcast This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 21, 202651 min

Quantum Is No Longer 10 Years Away | Kris Naudts & Zeynep Koruturk

In this episode, we welcome Kris Naudts & Zeynep Koruturk two leading voices in quantum investing and deep tech innovation from Firgun Ventures to break down where the industry is really heading. Quantum is often spoken about as a single technology but the reality is far more fragmented. In this episode, we break down the three core pillars of the quantum industry: computing, sensing, and communications —and why treating them as interchangeable is leading to major misallocations of capital and a misunderstanding of the space. We explore where venture capital is actually flowing, why hardware is dominating funding, and how middleware like error correction is quietly becoming one of the most important layers in the ecosystem. Timestamps: 00:01:25 — Quantum investing intro & capital misallocation across sectors 00:03:51 — Hardware vs software vs middleware in quantum 00:06:52 — Confusion in the quantum ecosystem (sensing vs computing vs crypto fears) 00:08:00 — Where quantum is in its lifecycle (3–7 year horizon shift) 00:09:25 — Early commercialisation + SPACs + emerging quantum “majors” 00:11:26 — Why exits may happen faster than expected in quantum 00:12:36 — Key barriers: talent, regulation, and adoption challenges 00:15:38 — Seed vs Series A/B funding gap in quantum VC 00:18:31 — Europe vs US vs China: capital, strategy & sovereignty 00:21:24 — Global competition and where quantum ecosystems are forming 00:24:54 — Hardware vs software trade-offs for investors 00:28:28 — Exit paths: public markets, consolidation & defence primes 00:30:57 — Non-dilutive funding (DARPA & government capital) 00:34:52 — Quantum use cases: pharma, finance, sensing 00:41:33 — Contrarian views: China, geopolitics & ecosystem blind spots 00:45:23 — What emotionally drives founders & investors in quantum Find Kris Naudts & Zeynep Koruturk online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kris-naudts-md-phd-10403838/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeynepkoruturk/ Firgun Ventures: https://firgun.vc This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 14, 20261 hr 2 min

AI vs Chemistry: The New Frontier of Innovation | Omer Omar

What if the next breakthrough in solar, OLEDs, batteries, or carbon capture already exists… hidden inside millions of undiscovered molecules? In this episode of Nothing Ventured, we sit down with Omer Omar co-founder & CEO of Apollo — a startup building a digital platform for discovering organic materials using AI, quantum chemistry, and massive molecular databases. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro 01:20 – Making Material Discovery Faster 04:30 – Why Molecule Discovery Was Broken 07:05 – AI Meets Chemistry 09:20 – The Bias Problem in Material Science 13:00 – Why Electronics Lags Behind Biotech 15:30 – AI vs Generative Molecule Design 18:00 – The Future of Organic Electronics 22:10 – How AI Speeds Up Quantum Chemistry 24:10 – The Future of Solar & Wearable Tech 31:45 – University Spinouts & Tech Transfer 39:20 – Why Europe Struggles With Deep Tech 45:30 – The Future of Venture & Material Science 47:55 – Founder Life vs Academia Find Omer Omar online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omerhomar/ Apoello: https://apoello.com This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe #podcast #venturecapital #founderlife #techstartup #business #entrepreneur #success Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 7, 202654 min

AI Has Killed the Music Industry

What happens when making music no longer requires talent, training, or expensive studio time? In this episode of Nothing Ventured, we sit down with the founder of Mozart AI Sundar Arvind which is an AI-powered music creation platform that’s redefining how music is made. From generating full tracks on your phone to scaling to 100,000+ users and raising $6M, this is a conversation about speed, creativity, and the future of building in the AI era. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:39 What is Mozart AI? 01:40 AI vs Human Creativity 02:20 30K Users Overnight 03:17 Building for Beginners vs Pros 04:12 Music Without Limits 06:42 Does AI Kill Creativity? 09:18 Idea → Song in Seconds 10:21 Why Songwriters Win 12:42 Spotting AI Music 15:56 Can AI Understand Taste? 17:58 Who Owns AI Music? 22:45 Beginners vs Pros 24:23 Vibe Mode vs Studio Mode 28:56 What He’d Do Differently 30:10 AI = Faster Creation 32:20 Scaling with a Small Team 34:34 Idea → Product Fast 36:06 Going Viral 37:06 Capital = Speed 38:05 Vision for the Future 41:14 Future of Music Platforms 42:24 Music Discovery 44:17 Fans → Creators 45:47 Contrarian Founder Advice 50:42 What Drives Him Find [guest name] online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundar-arvind/ Twitter: https://x.com/MOZARTaiMusic Mozart AI: https://getmozart.ai This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 30, 202618 min

Most Startups Are Stuck in the Middle

In this April edition of Nothing Ventured News, we break down a venture landscape that isn’t recovering it’s dividing. Capital is flooding into elite late-stage deals and highly disciplined early-stage bets, while the middle gets completely hollowed out. Mega-rounds are back, AI still dominates, but the real story is deeper: capital is concentrating, not expanding. We explore: Why VC isn’t “back” it’s selective The rise of defence tech, space, and infrastructure beyond AI How hard tech and real moats are back in fashion Why liquidity is improving… but still fragile And how geopolitics and sovereignty are reshaping where money flows If you’re building, investing, or just watching the market this is the reality check you need. This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 23, 202648 min

Are You Building a Product… or Just a Feature? | Rupa Ganatra Poppat

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, I sit down with Rupa Ganatra Poppat, Founder & Managing Partner of Aria Ventures, to unpack how AI is reshaping the entire startup and venture landscape. We dive into why product-market fit is no longer a one-time milestone but something founders must re-earn constantly and how distribution, data, and storytelling are becoming the only real moats left. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & Meet Rupa (Araya Ventures) 02:10 – Why Product-Market Fit Is No Longer Enough 04:30 – AI Has Made Startups Global From Day One 07:15 – Signal vs Noise: The Hardest Part of AI Investing 10:05 – Why Most Startups Become “Features” (Not Products) 12:40 – The Only Moats That Still Matter: Distribution & Data 16:20 – How VCs Actually Pick Winners at Pre-Seed 20:10 – Why Second-Time Founders Are Dominating AI 24:30 – Faster Exits & The New Venture Playbook 29:15 – Building 3 Funds in Under 2 Years 34:00 – Inside the Angel Investor Ecosystem (House of Aria) 39:20 – Why Community Is a Competitive Advantage 44:10 – The Truth About Angel Investing Mistakes 48:30 – Can Anyone Become an Investor? 52:10 – The Future of Venture Capital 56:00 – Contrarian Take: Education System Is Broken 58:30 – What Really Matters in Life (Emotional Closing) Find Rupa Ganatra Poppat online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rupapopat/ Twitter: https://x.com/RupaGanatra Araya Ventures: https://araya.ventures/ This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 16, 202641 min

AI Just Changed Everything for Small Businesses | Akriti Dokania

Building a company isn’t just strategy it’s mindset. We dive into why founders in the US think bigger, how UK culture holds people back, and why being “positively aggressive” might be your biggest advantage. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro 00:30 – Why pivoting = survival 02:45 – UK vs US mindset 06:00 – Ambition gap in founders 07:20 – New B2B growth expectations 09:30 – AI creating bigger outcomes 11:40 – SMB market opportunity 14:00 – Dev costs collapsing 17:30 – Show up & stand out 21:30 – “Positively aggressive” mindset 23:10 – Don’t disrupt, improve processes 25:00 – AI in legacy industries 29:30 – Generational shift 31:50 – Power of experimentation 33:00 – Contrarian idea 36:00 – Family & closing Find Akriti Dokania online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akritidokania/ Twitter: https://x.com/akritidokania This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 9, 202633 min

Coding Is Dead | Mukund Jha

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish sits down with Mukund Jha, co-founder & CEO of Emergent the AI platform changing how software is built. This conversation goes deep into the biggest shift happening right now: → You no longer need to code to build real products → AI is turning non-technical people into software creators → What used to cost billions can now be built in months Timestamps: 00:00 – Anyone Can Build Software Now 01:10 – Why Prototypes Are Dead 03:00 – From Idea → Product in Minutes 05:20 – AI Replacing Entire Dev Teams 07:45 – The Rise of Non-Technical Builders 10:30 – $2B Worth of Software Built by AI 13:15 – One Person = Full Company Now 16:00 – Why SaaS Is Under Threat 19:10 – Agents Running Entire Businesses 22:30 – The Death of Coding Skills? 25:00 – What Actually Matters Now 27:30 – We’re Entering an Age of Abundance Find [guest name] online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mukund-jha-a1596413/ Twitter: https://x.com/mukundjha Emergent: https://emergent.sh This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.