On average, only 2% of startups are accepted into business incubators. So, what about the other 98%?

Kiran Panjwani, Co-Founder and CEO of FounderWay and our guest on this week’s final episode of the first season of the Coeus Collective Podcast, is on a mission to use AI to provide these 98% of founders with the critical resources they need to succeed.

With a background in startup development from her experience working with 600 early-stage ventures at MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, Kiran has built her career guiding entrepreneurs through the most crucial stages of growth.

In this episode, Kiran shares key best practices for early-stage startups and discusses how AI tools like FounderWay can help entrepreneurs streamline their operations, track progress, and make informed decisions faster. She told us she wants “to directly or indirectly impact 1 billion people,” and FounderWay is how she is going to reach that goal.

From unique startup theory ideas like “problem-customer fit” to analytical discussions about AI’s impact on the role of a founder, this episode is packed with practical advice for founders looking to level up their startups. You’ll be left behind as a founder if you ignore the AI tools that your competitors are using, so don’t miss this opportunity to get ahead.

P.S. At the end of the episode, Kiran flips the script: asking us how we are feeling about this being the final episode of season one: The Founder’s Series!

https://www.founderway.ai/

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:49 Background 08:55 FounderWay's Origins 14:30 Customer Discovery Deep Dive 18:07 AI CoPilot Initial Marketing Strategy 20:38 Building Founder Communities 30:31 AI, Education, and Mentorship 37:34 Most Common Founder Painpoints? 39:29 Building Investor Interest in AI Startups 43:40 Surprises, Challenges, and Advice 47:29 What Would You Change? 48:34 Flipping the Script on Antonio & Leon: End of Season Review 51:34 Plugs

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Music from this Episode by ⁠Houis⁠

Hosted by Antonio DiMeglio and Leon Li

Special thanks to:

ARWA SHARIF

KAI OTOMO

NICK ARENA

WTF MEDIA

COLLECTIVE DESIGN AGENCY

LEON JON