Bengaluru Man’s Startup Journey Post Amazon Job
Shakti Mani Tripathi, a tech entrepreneur from Bengaluru, recently shared his inspiring journey after leaving his high-paying job at Amazon to pursue his startup dreams. Tripathi’s path hasn’t been easy, with setbacks and pivots along the way.
In 2024, Tripathi launched his first startup, Hoobahoo AI, but faced rejection from over 30 venture capitalists. The venture eventually closed due to high customer acquisition costs and insufficient funding. Undeterred, Tripathi and his co-founder, Kunal Ranjan, shifted gears to develop a B2B SaaS product focused on monitoring engineering productivity metrics. However, they soon realized the challenges in effectively measuring software engineers’ productivity and decided to abandon the idea.
Their next venture, Codermon AI, faced challenges due to market saturation, leading the duo to explore opportunities in the supply chain sector. After recognizing their lack of experience in that area, they pivoted once more. This persistence led to the launch of Reflecc AI, where they developed a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) in just seven days. Engaging with over 50 potential clients and industry experts, they secured three Letters of Intent (LOIs). Although they reached the top 10% of Y Combinator applications, they were ultimately rejected.
Tripathi reflected on their journey and acknowledged the need for a more focused approach, leading them to pivot towards developing an AI Digital Marketer. Despite the challenges faced, Tripathi expressed hope that 2025 will bring success to his entrepreneurial aspirations. His honest post resonated with many, reaching over 77,000 users on social media, with numerous commenters sharing their own stories of failure and offering words of encouragement.
