Arvind previously worked on revenue growth at Myntra for 3 years. This helped him develop a deep understanding of potential use-cases for Gen-AI in the fashion e-commerce industry.

In late 2020, he teamed up with Amritendu who specializes in Machine Learning and Image Processing, to build NeuroPixel. 

INDIAai interviewed Arvind to get his perspective on AI.

What is neuropixel.ai doing?

We are a 2.5-year-old generative AI startup focused on the fashion e-commerce industry. We have built deep IPs on generating photorealistic synthetic humans and automating the process of cataloguing apparel. Our objective is to bridge the online shopping experience with the offline in-store experience through cutting-edge technology. 

Please tell us about your professional and educational background.

I have 11 years of experience in consulting and e-commerce. Most recently, I worked with Myntra as part of their Revenue/Growth team. I also did my MBA from the Indian School of Business. 

My co-founder, Amritendu Mukerjee, has done his PhD from the IISc and is an alum of IIT-KGP. He is also a guest lecturer at the IISc, teaching Decision Models and other subjects. He previously worked in Lexmark R&D and Intel. 

NeuroPixel is built squarely at the intersection of our skill sets and experience.

How did your career begin in the AI field?

Quite serendipitously, actually. Amritendu and I were part of an accelerator called Entrepreneur First. Their unique model brings together 60 talented individuals exploring starting up - broadly 30 businesses and 30 techs. We are encouraged to build in a space that we deeply know, and at the end of the program, their fund takes a bet on 6-7 startups (or 12-14 individuals). We were lucky enough to meet each other there and to earn their investment at the end of the program.  

What were the initial challenges you faced while building the startup? How did you overcome them?

The first and most important hurdle is deciding what to build. Our story was dull and orthodox here - no major event that led to a life-changing path. We broke it down into a framework starting with what we knew deeply, where we felt an opportunity to build Deep IP over the next 2-3 years, and where we felt a good balance of opportunity and competitive intensity. Looking back, we are proud (and relieved!) to say that we saw the generative AI wave coming long before it happened and that we are now optimistic about being well-positioned to ride that wave for the next few years. 

What are the most significant disadvantages you observe as a co-founder in India while operating the business?

Amritendu and I are incredibly proud and fortunate to build in India now. The ecosystem has so many more opportunities in terms of accelerators, govt grants support mechanisms and venture capitalists than at any other time in our past - and the growth of this ecosystem has been relatively rapid in the last few years especially. But there is no better time to start up than now. 

However, you had to push me to a critical disadvantage. In that case, it's fairly simple for us as a generative AI startup - the seed rounds are significantly smaller in India than in markets like the US/Europe/Singapore/etc. It's logical to argue that so are the salaries, so it's fair, but there is one key difference - the cost of computing/training infrastructure for DeepTech startups. These costs, in particular, are akin to oil - broadly similar worldwide depending on supply/demand. However, in India, where you have smaller rounds but similar computing infrastructure, it does handicap you a bit. That being said, the government has been spectacular in this regard, and there are talks that they aim to solve this at scale once and for all. If that comes through, then there is no reason why India can't win the Generative AI race or at least be one of the top 3 countries globally. 

What skills do you expect from students and employees who desire to pursue a career in artificial intelligence?

The internet is such a beautiful thing, particularly in the AI space, that there is such incredible content for free viewing. So, the only thing that I ask of someone is to be innately curious. If the candidate is not afraid of going deeper and deeper into a rabbit hole to figure out how something works, then the rest is nothing but foundations. A computer science degree would also be significant regarding foundations, but it is not a deal breaker. For instance, one of the core people in our tech team, who has powered a couple of ML breakthroughs, is a documentary filmmaker. We didn't see that coming, but it shows curiosity's power. 

What advice would you give someone wishing to establish a venture in India?

Don't think about where the game is now - think about where it will be in 2-3 years. And commit to it 100% because starting up will test your resolve, and if you are thinking about optionality, chances are you will give up in one of the more challenging periods. That being said, everyone's situation is different, so it's also important to ensure you have enough of a support system to take a 2-year leap of faith. It's infrequent that things get crystallized before that, so it's likely more of a marathon than a sprint. 

What books or magazines would you recommend to students? 

I highly recommend Peter Thiel's 'Zero to One' and 'Blitzscaling' by Ried Hoffman. From an inspirational standpoint, Richard Branson's 'Losing My Virginity' was a fantastic read.