Nothing Ventured

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.

In this episode, we sit down with Jeremy, CEO of Go Global, to break down what really happens when companies expand internationally. From employer of record (EOR) vs setting up your own entity, to the hidden costs, legal risks, and operational chaos this is the unfiltered truth about scaling globally. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & Jeremy joins the show 01:00 What is Employer of Record (EOR)? 03:00 Why global hiring exploded post-COVID 05:00 When to switch from EOR to your own entity 08:00 The real costs & hidden complexity of expansion 11:00 Why Go Global avoided raising VC money 14:00 Scaling globally without burning cash 18:00 The dangers of hiring too fast internationally 20:00 Global expansion mistakes founders make 24:00 Employment laws & risks across countries 27:00 Where companies are expanding right now 31:00 Offshoring, cost arbitrage & AI impact 35:00 Building products faster than ever (AI shift) 36:00 The 5 stages of international expansion 40:00 Why most founders expand too early 42:00 Smarter ways to enter new markets (partnerships & M&A) 45:00 Personal story & what drives Jeremy Find Jeremy Wastall online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremywastall/ GoGlobal: https://goglobal.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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This isn’t another “AI is booming” story. This is a power shift. In March 2026, we saw something much bigger than funding rounds: $110B raised by a single company Private equity firms becoming the gatekeepers of AI adoption IPOs reopening… but only for the elite And capital concentrating harder than ever before AI is no longer just a sector it’s becoming the foundation of the next computing stack. The real question isn’t who’s building… It’s who controls distribution, customers, and outcomes. Because right now, the market is splitting: A few dominant labs at the top… And everyone else fighting for what’s left. So where does opportunity actually sit? And more importantly if you’re not inside the system… can you still win? 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.

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish sits down with entrepreneur Timothy to unpack the real mechanics behind building successful companies. From pitching for £15,000 at age 21 to building a portfolio generating £47M annually, Timo shares the frameworks he now uses to analyse opportunities, scale companies and avoid the mistakes most founders make. They discuss why the best businesses are built around the “expertise gap,” why founders shouldn’t obsess over passion, and the fundamental laws — or “physics” — of business that every entrepreneur must understand. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction – From council estate to £47M portfolio 02:00 Interview begins 03:00 Hiring mistakes founders make 04:00 The “How I Work” document for new hires 07:00 Why shared goals matter more than shared backgrounds 08:00 Why great employees aren’t passionate about your business 11:00 The Expertise Gap explained 13:00 Why influencer agencies are harder to build today 14:00 The AI opportunity founders are missing 18:00 How AI could save companies millions 19:00 Turning down an £80M valuation 20:00 Stop building businesses for investors 23:00 Why systems make entrepreneurship easier 24:00 Building businesses like Lego 29:00 Why hard work is overrated 31:00 The worst phrase founders say 33:00 Why founders build things customers don’t want 35:00 Understanding the business behind the business 36:00 Why fundraising can be the real business Find Timothy Armoo online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyarmoo/ Twitter: https://x.com/TimArmoo 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.

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah sits down with Chris Sheldrick, co-founder and CEO of What3Words the global addressing system that assigns three unique words to every 3-metre square on Earth. Originally inspired by the challenges of organising live music events and directing crews to remote locations, What3Words has grown into a global platform used by businesses, delivery companies, emergency services, and major partners like Intel and Mercedes. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Chris Sheldrick & What3Words 00:46 The problem with traditional addresses 02:23 Addressing challenges around the world 04:09 The origin story: from music events to What3Words 07:59 Preventing location mistakes with word combinations 10:19 Building network effects for global adoption 12:07 How AI fits into What3Words 14:34 Why postcodes don’t work for navigation 18:33 The maths behind 64 trillion locations 22:40 The psychology of adoption 25:18 How delivery companies are using What3Words 28:58 Solving addressing problems in developing countries 33:24 Is What3Words a utility? 34:42 The vision for global adoption 36:40 Chris’s contrarian view on hiring globally 41:22 What moves Chris emotionally: music 🎵 FindChris Sheldrick online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissheldrick1/ Twitter:https://x.com/ChrisSheldrick What3Words: https://what3words.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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Felix Neubeck (Playfair) breaks down why most VCs get deep tech wrong, how commoditisation curves kill “breakthrough” startups, and why policy not venture decides industrial winners. From quantum and fusion to defence and manufacturing, this is a sharp, no-BS look at where the West is heading next. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro – Why Deep Tech Is Back 02:45 Generalists vs Specialists: Who Wins in Deep Tech? 06:30 The Myth: “There Isn’t Enough Capital” 10:15 Why Technology Picking Is So Hard 14:20 One Shot at Goal: Selling to Concentrated Markets 17:05 The Danger of Ignoring Commoditisation Curves 20:10 How to Actually Diligence Deep Tech 24:00 Backing Teams vs Backing Technology 27:50 Venture vs Policy: Who Should Fund Sovereignty? 31:30 Defence, Government & VC Alignment 34:00 Europe’s Manufacturing Identity Crisis 38:45 Has China Overtaken the West? 46:20 Contrarian Conviction: Life Is Endless Struggles 49:15 What Truly Moves Felix Emotionally Find Felix Neubeck online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fneubeck/ Twitter: https://x.com/FelixNeubeck Playfair: http://www.playfair.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.

AI is still vacuuming up capital but investors aren’t clapping for demos anymore. Public markets are questioning AI ROI. Mega-rounds are clustering into fewer “category kings.” Exit volume is rising, but valuations are shrinking. And secondaries are becoming the pressure valve for LP liquidity. In this episode we break down: • Why mega AI rounds are still happening but scrutiny is intense • The “Great Unlocking” in exits (more deals, smaller values) • Why secondaries are exploding • Where capital is actually landing: robotics, autonomy, logistics, cyber • The UK & Europe infrastructure software export story • EU & UK regulatory changes that could reshape VC fundraising The shift isn’t about less money. It’s about higher standards. 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.

People obsess over IQ scores and dominance tests. But success especially in venture it is about understanding people. I believe anyone can achieve greatness. With the right skills, even the NBA isn’t impossible. The limit is mindset. Timestamps: 00:00 – We Tested My Dominance & IQ 01:12 – 172 IQ… What Does That Actually Mean? 02:45 – Why IQ Is Overrated in Venture 04:10 – Emotional Intelligence or Raw Intelligence 06:30 – Reading Founders & Managing Ego 08:05 – Skill Stacking: How Anyone Can Compete 10:20 – “I Could Play in the NBA Next Year” (Mindset Explained) 12:00 – The Real Limit: Belief vs Capability 14:15 – Final Takeaway: Anything Is Learnable Find Amrit Sami online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amrit-sami-4a1baaa4/ Twitter: https://x.com/amrit_sami Mercia: http://www.mercia.co.uk 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.

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, we’re joined by Elizabeth Yin, Co-Founder & GP at Hustle Fund, to break down what actually matters at pre-seed. We talk about why finding 100 rabid fans beats chasing TAM, why distribution is the last real moat, and how founders should think about product-market fit in 2026. Elizabeth shares: – Why most founders misunderstand PMF – The fastest way to validate demand at pre-seed – How to build distribution before product is perfect – Why niche markets win early – The biggest VC advice that hurts founders If you’re an early-stage founder, operator, or angel, this is a must-watch. Timestamps: 00:00 Why pre-seed is about speed, not polish 03:45 Finding your first 100 rabid fans 07:50 Why distribution is the real moat 14:30 PMF is not a moment 22:10 Bad VC advice founders should ignore Find [guest name] online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethyin/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/dunkhippo33 Hustle Fund: https://www.hustlefund.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.