India, Nov. 17 -- Anand Prasanna, managing partner at Iron Pillar, is not one to sugar-coat the realities of entrepreneurship. In a world where funding headlines often outshine fundamentals, he urges founders to slow down, stay private longer, and build businesses that can breathe on their own. From navigating investor expectations to decoding the AI gold rush, Prasanna offers a clear-eyed view of what it takes to create lasting value in India's evolving startup landscape.

In this candid conversation, he discusses why many founders aren't ready for the scrutiny of public markets, how India can become the world's DeepTech factory, and why resilience - not speed - is the real moat.

Edited excerpts:

Are founders in India ready for the scr...