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Unforgettable Lessons
Mala Ramakrishnan: From Builder to Backer — The Product Mind Powering a New Kind of Venture Capital
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In the fast-moving world of tech, few have traversed the founder-to-VC arc with as much depth, grace, and impact as Mala Ramakrishnan.
She’s not just funding innovation — she’s lived it, coded it, scaled it, and sold it. And today, she’s using that hard-earned wisdom to back the next wave of AI-first startups through Progressive Ventures, the seed-stage firm she founded with a simple thesis: “Back builders. Believe early.”
“I’ve sat on every side of the table — founder, operator, investor. I know what it’s like to pitch with hope and lead with grit,” Mala shares. “That perspective keeps me grounded in what really matters — clarity of vision, obsession with the problem, and founders who are all-in.”
..
Before stepping into the world of venture capital, Mala was a three-time founder with successful exits — proof that she doesn’t just analyze product-market fit from a distance; she’s fought for it in the trenches. Her resume includes leadership roles at WhatsApp (Meta), Cloudera, and Automation Anywhere, where she built and scaled enterprise platforms in machine learning and privacy.
At WhatsApp, she led Consumer Privacy. At Cloudera, she launched AI and ML platforms. At every stop, she paired technical depth with product instinct — and the rare ability to translate between engineers and execs.
“The hardest problems in tech aren’t technical — they’re human,” she says. “Alignment, storytelling, trust — those are the real levers.”
..
Through Founders Creative, the nonprofit she co-founded and now presides over, Mala supports over 10,000 underrepresented technologists — a testament to her belief that innovation must reflect the diversity of the world it hopes to serve.
“The talent is there. The ideas are strong. What’s often missing is access,” she says. “We’re changing that — by building community, not just capital.”
Her work sits at the intersection of deep tech, inclusive access, and raw conviction. It’s no surprise that founders describe her as “the VC who gets it.”
...
“She’s the kind of VC who doesn’t just ask the hard questions — she helps you answer them,” says one founder she backed pre-seed.
Another simply calls her, “the rare investor who’s walked the walk.”
..
In a startup world often filled with polished decks and performative pitches, Mala stands out as someone who cuts through the noise. She doesn’t buy into hype. She listens for substance. And she shows up with the kind of clarity that only comes from having been in the arena herself.
“You can’t fake founder energy. I back people who can’t not build.”
Whether she’s writing the first check or mentoring a founder on the brink of burnout, Mala brings the same principles to the table: honesty, empathy, and an unapologetic bias toward execution.
And for those lucky enough to share a room with her, one thing is certain — you’ll leave with more than advice. You’ll leave with perspective.
..
If you want to go deeper into Mala’s journey — from Stanford to scaling deep tech, from building enterprise products to backing the next wave of B2B AI startups — her recent conversation on the Verso Talk with Aytakin podcast is a must-watch. It’s a candid, thoughtful look at how she blends technical depth with founder empathy, and what drives her to back bold ideas early.
https://youtu.be/i1lD1qZVZbo?si=cTjnYkXhUmmJmkUc
On May 28th, I’ll be hosting Mala in San Jose at an eChai gathering we’re calling The AI Gold Rush: Behind The Bets. She’ll be joining us for a candid fireside chat, sharing what she’s seeing in early-stage B2B AI — the patterns, the GTM shifts, the blind spots most founders miss, and what real traction looks like in 2025. If you're building in AI, product, or anything that requires belief before proof, this is the kind of room where clarity lands and conversations linger.
She’s not just funding innovation — she’s lived it, coded it, scaled it, and sold it. And today, she’s using that hard-earned wisdom to back the next wave of AI-first startups through Progressive Ventures, the seed-stage firm she founded with a simple thesis: “Back builders. Believe early.”
“I’ve sat on every side of the table — founder, operator, investor. I know what it’s like to pitch with hope and lead with grit,” Mala shares. “That perspective keeps me grounded in what really matters — clarity of vision, obsession with the problem, and founders who are all-in.”
..
Before stepping into the world of venture capital, Mala was a three-time founder with successful exits — proof that she doesn’t just analyze product-market fit from a distance; she’s fought for it in the trenches. Her resume includes leadership roles at WhatsApp (Meta), Cloudera, and Automation Anywhere, where she built and scaled enterprise platforms in machine learning and privacy.
At WhatsApp, she led Consumer Privacy. At Cloudera, she launched AI and ML platforms. At every stop, she paired technical depth with product instinct — and the rare ability to translate between engineers and execs.
“The hardest problems in tech aren’t technical — they’re human,” she says. “Alignment, storytelling, trust — those are the real levers.”
..
Through Founders Creative, the nonprofit she co-founded and now presides over, Mala supports over 10,000 underrepresented technologists — a testament to her belief that innovation must reflect the diversity of the world it hopes to serve.
“The talent is there. The ideas are strong. What’s often missing is access,” she says. “We’re changing that — by building community, not just capital.”
Her work sits at the intersection of deep tech, inclusive access, and raw conviction. It’s no surprise that founders describe her as “the VC who gets it.”
...
“She’s the kind of VC who doesn’t just ask the hard questions — she helps you answer them,” says one founder she backed pre-seed.
Another simply calls her, “the rare investor who’s walked the walk.”
..
In a startup world often filled with polished decks and performative pitches, Mala stands out as someone who cuts through the noise. She doesn’t buy into hype. She listens for substance. And she shows up with the kind of clarity that only comes from having been in the arena herself.
“You can’t fake founder energy. I back people who can’t not build.”
Whether she’s writing the first check or mentoring a founder on the brink of burnout, Mala brings the same principles to the table: honesty, empathy, and an unapologetic bias toward execution.
And for those lucky enough to share a room with her, one thing is certain — you’ll leave with more than advice. You’ll leave with perspective.
..
If you want to go deeper into Mala’s journey — from Stanford to scaling deep tech, from building enterprise products to backing the next wave of B2B AI startups — her recent conversation on the Verso Talk with Aytakin podcast is a must-watch. It’s a candid, thoughtful look at how she blends technical depth with founder empathy, and what drives her to back bold ideas early.
https://youtu.be/i1lD1qZVZbo?si=cTjnYkXhUmmJmkUc
On May 28th, I’ll be hosting Mala in San Jose at an eChai gathering we’re calling The AI Gold Rush: Behind The Bets. She’ll be joining us for a candid fireside chat, sharing what she’s seeing in early-stage B2B AI — the patterns, the GTM shifts, the blind spots most founders miss, and what real traction looks like in 2025. If you're building in AI, product, or anything that requires belief before proof, this is the kind of room where clarity lands and conversations linger.
Because some VC conversations don’t jsut belong in boardrooms.
They belong in rooms like this — where the stories are real, the rooms are warm, and belief doesn’t need a filter.
They belong in rooms like this — where the stories are real, the rooms are warm, and belief doesn’t need a filter.
Before ChatGPT, There Was Move 37: Rewatching AlphaGo’s Boldest Play
I recently rewatched the AlphaGo documentary, and even though it originally came out in 2016, it feels more relevant than ever in 2025.
At its core, AlphaGo is the story of how DeepMind’s AI took on the complex and ancient game of Go—and beat one of the world’s best players, Lee Sedol. But it's more than just a documentary about a machine winning a game. It’s a powerful exploration of human creativity, intuition, and what happens when we meet a new kind of intelligence.
One of the moments that gave me chills was when AlphaGo made a move that shocked even the experts—a move that no human would’ve ever played, yet it turned out to be brilliant. That moment felt like a turning point, not just in the game, but in the way we see AI: not just as a tool, but as something that can innovate in its own right.
What really hit me, though, was watching this now—nine years after AlphaGo’s big moment. In 2025, AI is everywhere. We now use it in our daily lives without even realizing it: from content creation and medicine to personal assistants and scientific research. Watching AlphaGo today feels like looking back at the first step of a long, fast-moving journey. It was a glimpse of the future—one that has now arrived.
But despite all the advancements, what makes this documentary so special is how human it is. You feel the pressure Lee Sedol is under. You see the awe in the eyes of developers watching their creation do the unexpected. You experience the quiet philosophical shift as people start to ask: What now?
If you’ve never seen AlphaGo, I highly recommend it—not just for the tech, but for the reflection it invites. And if you have seen it, watch it again. In light of everything AI has become since then, it hits differently.
At its core, AlphaGo is the story of how DeepMind’s AI took on the complex and ancient game of Go—and beat one of the world’s best players, Lee Sedol. But it's more than just a documentary about a machine winning a game. It’s a powerful exploration of human creativity, intuition, and what happens when we meet a new kind of intelligence.
One of the moments that gave me chills was when AlphaGo made a move that shocked even the experts—a move that no human would’ve ever played, yet it turned out to be brilliant. That moment felt like a turning point, not just in the game, but in the way we see AI: not just as a tool, but as something that can innovate in its own right.
What really hit me, though, was watching this now—nine years after AlphaGo’s big moment. In 2025, AI is everywhere. We now use it in our daily lives without even realizing it: from content creation and medicine to personal assistants and scientific research. Watching AlphaGo today feels like looking back at the first step of a long, fast-moving journey. It was a glimpse of the future—one that has now arrived.
But despite all the advancements, what makes this documentary so special is how human it is. You feel the pressure Lee Sedol is under. You see the awe in the eyes of developers watching their creation do the unexpected. You experience the quiet philosophical shift as people start to ask: What now?
If you’ve never seen AlphaGo, I highly recommend it—not just for the tech, but for the reflection it invites. And if you have seen it, watch it again. In light of everything AI has become since then, it hits differently.
OpenAI Founding member Karpathy’s 3-Hour Masterclass Is the Internet’s Best LLM Explainer — And It’s Free
This weekend, I sat down to watch Karpathy’s 3-hour deep dive into how large language models like ChatGPT are trained — and it turned out to be absolutely worth every minute. What surprised me most? It’s not just for AI experts.
Karpathy explains everything in a simple, clear way that anyone can follow — even if you're new to machine learning.
If you've ever wondered how AI actually works, this is the one video you shouldn't miss. It's insightful, beginner-friendly, and a perfect weekend watch for anyone curious about the future of technology."
From tokenization and attention mechanisms to model training and inference tricks — this isn’t just a talk. It’s the ultimate roadmap to understanding large language models.
Here’s how AI like ChatGPT is actually trained — in three essential stages:
1. Pre-training:
The model starts by learning from massive amounts of internet text — books, articles, code, Reddit posts — to build a general sense of how language works.
2. Supervised Fine-Tuning:
Next, it’s taught to behave like a helpful assistant by studying high-quality, human-curated conversations. This gives it purpose and structure.
3. Reinforcement Learning (RLHF):
Finally, the model is rewarded for good answers through trial and error. It improves by figuring out which token sequences work best — sometimes even inventing clever reasoning strategies.
But it’s not perfect! Karpathy also dives into the “sharp edges”:
Hallucinations (making stuff up)
Trouble with basic tasks like counting or spelling
Dependence on prompting techniques to stay accurate
>> Tools, better prompts, and smarter training are all part of making LLMs more useful — and Karpathy’s breakdown shows exactly how it's happening.
Karpathy explains everything in a simple, clear way that anyone can follow — even if you're new to machine learning.
If you've ever wondered how AI actually works, this is the one video you shouldn't miss. It's insightful, beginner-friendly, and a perfect weekend watch for anyone curious about the future of technology."
From tokenization and attention mechanisms to model training and inference tricks — this isn’t just a talk. It’s the ultimate roadmap to understanding large language models.
Here’s how AI like ChatGPT is actually trained — in three essential stages:
1. Pre-training:
The model starts by learning from massive amounts of internet text — books, articles, code, Reddit posts — to build a general sense of how language works.
2. Supervised Fine-Tuning:
Next, it’s taught to behave like a helpful assistant by studying high-quality, human-curated conversations. This gives it purpose and structure.
3. Reinforcement Learning (RLHF):
Finally, the model is rewarded for good answers through trial and error. It improves by figuring out which token sequences work best — sometimes even inventing clever reasoning strategies.
But it’s not perfect! Karpathy also dives into the “sharp edges”:
Hallucinations (making stuff up)
Trouble with basic tasks like counting or spelling
Dependence on prompting techniques to stay accurate
>> Tools, better prompts, and smarter training are all part of making LLMs more useful — and Karpathy’s breakdown shows exactly how it's happening.
Lumber is modernizing construction’s workforce operations with AI
Most jobsite delays don’t come from late materials or missing permits. They start with a spreadsheet no one updated. A timecard that never got filed. A crew member whose certification expired last week — and no one noticed.
Lumber, founded in San Jose, is quietly fixing one of construction’s most overlooked problems: the workflows that hold the workforce together.
It’s not another dashboard or reporting layer. It’s a field-first platform that helps contractors manage time tracking, onboarding, safety, and payroll in one place — built with the realities of jobsite operations in mind.
As someone who leads eChai’s San Francisco chapter, I’ve spent years learning from founders. But few have shaped how I think about product, people, and quiet execution like Shreesha Ramdas, Lumber’s co-founder and CEO. He’s been a mentor — and watching him build this company has been a masterclass in listening deeply and solving slowly.
Building With the Industry, Not Around It
Lumber was founded by Shreesha Ramdas, a longtime enterprise SaaS operator who previously co-founded Strikedeck (acquired by Medallia). In 2022, Ramdas began speaking with general contractors, payroll managers, and safety leads, and kept hearing the same thing: there were too many systems, and none of them were built for field teams.
“We didn’t want to build software for people sitting in an office all day,” Ramdas said. “We wanted to design something that actually works for the people who show up at 6 a.m. and keep the job moving.”
The company started with mobile-first time tracking — a system simple enough for crews to use from a phone or tablet, but powerful enough to integrate directly into payroll and compliance processes. From there, the product expanded: onboarding, licensing verification, safety documentation, and wage calculations across complex labor rules.
AI That Handles the Details Contractors Don’t Have Time For
AI That Handles the Details Contractors Don’t Have Time For
In March 2025, Lumber raised $15.5 million in Series A funding, led by Foundation Capital, with participation from Tishman Speyer, 8VC, Sure Ventures, Carbide Ventures, and Firsthand Ventures.
The funding is helping Lumber invest further in automation. Its AI systems now assist with:
- Detecting timecard anomalies before payroll is finalized
- Flagging compliance risks like expired certifications
- Managing onboarding steps across large subcontractor teams
- Helping companies stay up to date with changing labor laws
Unlike generic AI platforms, Lumber’s models are trained on construction-specific workflows. The platform integrates with existing software but operates as a control center for crew operations — syncing hours, licenses, safety data, and payments across multiple teams and job sites.
Construction’s Missing Layer
Construction’s Missing Layer
While tools like Procore help manage project documents and progress, Lumber focuses on the people layer: who’s on-site, whether they’re certified, and whether the company is protected. These are the workflows that don’t get headlines — but when they break, everything else slows down.
Construction is a $1.6 trillion industry in the U.S., employing more than 8 million people. Yet for many companies, field operations are still managed with email, PDFs, or last-minute phone calls. Lumber offers a platform that adapts to how jobsites already operate — not one that asks them to change.
“We’re not trying to replace what’s working,” Ramdas said. “We’re trying to make it easier for good teams to do their jobs with fewer headaches.”
What's Ahead
Lumber’s roadmap includes deeper integrations with ERP systems, enhanced support for union compliance, and more AI-driven tools for managing jobsite risk. The company is also expanding across the U.S., working with mid-size contractors and regional firms that often don’t have access to enterprise-grade workforce tools.
The company was briefly featured on the NASDAQ tower in Times Square yesterday — a moment of visibility for a startup that’s mostly focused on building for the people behind the scenes.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lumberfi_lumbertakeover-nasdaq-industryleaders-activity-7323359839743524865-SCy8?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAAAI-esYBPGLfFiDlILo1FUJJoIov1NM9P10
For Lumber, success isn’t about splashy tech demos. It’s about helping the 6 a.m. shift get started without delay.
Ahmedabad-based SatLeo Labs Raises $3.3M to Track Heat Signals From Space and Turn Them Into Early Warnings
Farms drying before droughts. Wildfires flickering to life before they spread. Transformers overheating quietly before they fail. These are not problems visible to the naked eye, but they leave thermal fingerprints.
Ahmedabad-based SatLeo Labs wants to detect those signals early, from orbit. The startup has raised $3.3 million in pre-seed funding to build a constellation of thermal-first satellites that turn rising heat into real-time early warnings.
SatLeo Labs’ $3.3 million pre-seed funding round has garnered attention from multiple media outlets, including Entrepreneur India, YourStory, Indian Startup News, Entrackr, VCCircle, and Construction World.
The round was led by Merak Ventures, with participation from Huddle Ventures, GVFL, Java Capital, IIMA Ventures, and PointOne Capital.
SatLeo Labs was co-founded by Shravan Bhati (CEO), Dr. Ranendu Ghosh (CTO and former ISRO scientist), and Urmil Bakhai (CSO).
Why Thermal, Why Now
SatLeo Labs was co-founded by Shravan Bhati (CEO), Dr. Ranendu Ghosh (CTO and former ISRO scientist), and Urmil Bakhai (CSO).
Why Thermal, Why Now
Most Earth Observation startups focus on optical or hyperspectral data. SatLeo is betting on thermal infrared, particularly mid-wave and long-wave bands that detect heat shifts invisible to traditional sensors.
According to SatLeo’s official site, their satellites will feature onboard edge computing. This allows them to process thermal data directly in orbit and deliver faster, more actionable insights on the ground. The goal is not just to collect images, but to enable faster decisions in critical sectors.
Where SatLeo Stands Today
SatLeo Labs is currently in the engineering and payload validation phase, focusing on developing its first thermal imaging satellite platform.
The company specializes in capturing mid- and long-wave infrared data from low Earth orbit to provide real-time thermal intelligence.
This data is intended to serve sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, and disaster management. The team is also expanding its technical staff and preparing for early pilot deployments. Their approach includes processing thermal data directly on-orbit and delivering insights through a cloud-based analytics platform.
A Platform Approach to Risk
Where SatLeo Stands Today
SatLeo Labs is currently in the engineering and payload validation phase, focusing on developing its first thermal imaging satellite platform.
The company specializes in capturing mid- and long-wave infrared data from low Earth orbit to provide real-time thermal intelligence.
This data is intended to serve sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, and disaster management. The team is also expanding its technical staff and preparing for early pilot deployments. Their approach includes processing thermal data directly on-orbit and delivering insights through a cloud-based analytics platform.
A Platform Approach to Risk
Huddle Ventures describes SatLeo as a full-stack company. Its vision includes developing a cloud analytics layer that transforms raw thermal data into sector-specific tools for agriculture, energy, logistics, and infrastructure monitoring.
While no customers have been publicly named, the product direction suggests applications for both enterprise and government use.
What’s Next
What’s Next
The company is currently focused on payload validation, regulatory preparation, and team expansion. Its roadmap includes deploying its first satellite and onboarding early pilot partners.
As global temperatures rise and physical risks multiply, SatLeo Labs is working to make heat a usable signal. The team is building satellites designed not just to see the planet, but to understand when and where it might break.
Gujarat’s Space Policy Tailwind
SatLeo’s growth is happening in parallel with India’s spacetech surge. More than 190 space startups have launched since 2020, following policy reforms and increased collaboration with ISRO.
In April 2025, the Government of Gujarat introduced its SpaceTech Policy 2025–2030. The policy outlines capital support, grants, and infrastructure for satellite manufacturing and downstream analytics.
Reactions on social media
Sheetal Bahl, Partner, Merak Ventures
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sheetalbahl_satleo-labs-raises-usd-33-mn-round-led-by-activity-7323297532409741312-L5C2?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAAAI-esYBPGLfFiDlILo1FUJJoIov1NM9P10
Vinod Shankar, Founding Partner, Java Capital
https://x.com/vinod_shankar/status/1917480231931371614
Sanil Sachar, Partner, Huddle Ventures
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sanil-sachar-34a7978b_the-moment-we-met-shravan-dr-ranendu-ghosh-activity-7323612857378471936-JKpY?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAAAI-esYBPGLfFiDlILo1FUJJoIov1NM9P10
..
SatLeo Labs is part of a growing spacetech ecosystem in Ahmedabad, which includes Peersight, co-founded by Gaurav Seth and Vinit Bansal, building a constellation of SAR and AIS satellites for maritime surveillance.
Another notable player is Optimized Electrotech, which designs electro-optic surveillance systems for defense and aerospace use cases. Together, these companies reflect the city’s growing presence in India’s deeptech and satellite innovation landscape.
Reactions on social media
Sheetal Bahl, Partner, Merak Ventures
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sheetalbahl_satleo-labs-raises-usd-33-mn-round-led-by-activity-7323297532409741312-L5C2?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAAAI-esYBPGLfFiDlILo1FUJJoIov1NM9P10
Vinod Shankar, Founding Partner, Java Capital
https://x.com/vinod_shankar/status/1917480231931371614
Sanil Sachar, Partner, Huddle Ventures
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sanil-sachar-34a7978b_the-moment-we-met-shravan-dr-ranendu-ghosh-activity-7323612857378471936-JKpY?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAAAI-esYBPGLfFiDlILo1FUJJoIov1NM9P10
..
SatLeo Labs is part of a growing spacetech ecosystem in Ahmedabad, which includes Peersight, co-founded by Gaurav Seth and Vinit Bansal, building a constellation of SAR and AIS satellites for maritime surveillance.
Another notable player is Optimized Electrotech, which designs electro-optic surveillance systems for defense and aerospace use cases. Together, these companies reflect the city’s growing presence in India’s deeptech and satellite innovation landscape.
The eChai Effect - In Their Words
"eChai isn’t just a startup community … it’s a mindset . eChai has been one of the most impactful communities in my entrepreneurial journey. It’s been a turning point . In a world where building something can often feel isolating, eChai gave me a sense of belonging. I’ve found mentors, collaborators, and friends here — people who genuinely want to see you succeed. It’s a space where ideas are challenged, actions are celebrated, and founders grow not just in scale, but in clarity and confidence. From late-night ideas to early-morning pitches, this community has quietly but powerfully shaped the way I build, think, and dream. I’ll always be grateful for the way eChai creates spaces where founders don’t just grow businesses — they grow together."
Koumal Kalantry
Founder, Bignano Ventures
"The eChai platform has been super valuable for me - it has helped me gain a deeper understanding of domains in the startup and tech ecosystem. What stands out most is the celebration of knowledge, professional growth, and entrepreneurship - it’s one of the best for the Indian ecosystem. Along the way, I’ve also been fortunate to make some great friendships and connections too."
Shalin (Shawn) Parikh
Founder, MyCPE One
"From late-night brainstorming over chai to early morning founder calls, eChai has been more than just a network for me; it’s been home base for ideas, impact, and inspiration. What started as a simple meetup years ago turned into a powerful movement, connecting founders, creators, and dreamers. I’ve had the privilege of seeing startups find product-market fit, marketers (like me) find unexpected collaborations, and most importantly, people finding their tribe. संगच्छध्वं संवदध्वं – Let us move together, speak together. It’s not just a verse from the Rigveda — it’s how Jatin and the entire eChai community truly operate. We don’t just network, we grow together. Forever grateful to be a part of the eChai Effect.
Jaydip Parikh
Chief Everything Officer at Tej SolPro
eChai Partner Brands
eChai Ventures partners with select brands as their growth partner - working together to explore new ideas, open doors, and build momentum across the startup ecosystem.
