Lessons from the CEO, Hot from San Francisco!

Last month, our CEO Ayush Shrivastava spent 16 days deep in the thick of the Bay Area’s tech revolution. It wasn’t just another business trip—it was an immersive experience that opened his eyes to a rapidly shifting landscape. In his words -

“Markets don’t pivot when technology makes a leap, they fracture, fragment, and reform in ways no one can predict.”

Ayush observed that while many are still trying to wrap their heads around this transformation, companies like Cursor are already living it. It reminded him of the early days of SaaS when founders underestimated its potential until the market suddenly flipped on its head. Today, the same or even bigger phenomenon is happening in the AI space. Many emerging companies, despite being in the seed stage, are already showing growth-stage numbers because they spotted opportunities when the ideas were still on the fringe.

In this evolving landscape, one thing becomes clear: when value creation becomes exponentially easier than value capture, business models flip. The challenge shifts from "how to create" to "how to capture" value. This shift will push companies to rethink not just what they build, but how they scale around it.

The Moatless Market: A Level Playing Field

One of the most striking insights Ayush gathered was the emergence of a “moatless market.” Traditionally, companies built complex products designed to lock in customers and create a competitive moat. But today, that playbook no longer applies.

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“We’re actually in a moatless market.”

— Ayush

The reason—AI has leveled the playing field. It’s widely accessible, meaning no single company holds a distinct competitive advantage anymore. This shift is redefining how businesses think about product development and customer retention. Companies can no longer rely on locking in users through complex systems; instead, they must continuously innovate and provide real value.

Even established giants are feeling this shift. Companies with extensive distribution networks are revisiting their first principles. They’re adapting to the new norms, recognizing that even industry leaders must evolve to stay ahead.

For Quash, this presents an unprecedented opportunity. At this moment, insights are king. By leveraging mature and armed insights, any small company can compete head-to-head with established players. It is interesting to note that a young team like us and an industry giant like BrowserStack are chasing similar insights on what to build next—an indication of how the playing field has truly leveled. If one can translate these insights into a superior product, it stands to not just compete but lead the way.

Building the Future with Insights

In San Francisco, Ayush noticed a recurring theme: founders are winning by capitalizing on insights. Whether popular or unpopular every idea is valuable and they are built at lightning speed. The market shift has created a sense of uncertainty but that's exactly what makes these insights crucial. These insights are gathered by speaking directly to customers, allowing founders to pivot quickly and strategically. Rather than relying on conventional wisdom; founders are going vertical to stay ahead and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Ayush observed that many companies wait for the market to stabilize before making their next move—a critical mistake because by then, it’s often too late. One key observation was the value placed on early insights. In the Bay Area, these insights are deeply respected—from VCs to founders to entire teams. This culture of valuing insights fuels a constant push to be at the forefront of change, fostering an ecosystem where companies pivot rapidly. It’s a mindset built around agility and boldness.

This approach is particularly relevant for AI-first companies. Once these companies mature and build organizational muscle around their insights, the shift won’t be just incremental—it will be transformative. Ayush emphasized that this is not just about achieving 2x or 3x growth. It’s about driving a paradigm shift that will redefine the industry.

While this is a defining trait in San Francisco, it’s not entirely absent elsewhere. Companies in India are also leveraging customer insights but doubling down on that is the key. The opportunity lies in amplifying this practice, making it more of a norm rather than an exception.

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“If we get better insights, we can beat the competition even if they are big.”

— Ayush

The lesson for Quash is clear: the race isn’t just about building a better product; it’s about understanding users better and acting fast. Success will depend on continuously iterating on insights and maintaining the agility to pivot as needed.

A Community that Thinks 10 Years Ahead

In San Francisco, Ayush noticed a different way of thinking—founders and investors aren’t just solving today’s problems; they’re betting on ideas 5 to 10 years ahead. It's as if they’re starting with a blank page and drawing the future they want to create. This is a market reset. Some predictions will work, some won’t, but that’s the reality. This mindset fuels constant experimentation and rapid iteration, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

The community thrives on collaboration and curiosity. Founders openly share insights, not just to network but to challenge each other’s thinking. From demo nights (some were absolute hits, while others… well, they taught you what not to do) to casual conversations, there’s a culture of learning from both successes and failures. It’s not just about building products; it’s about shaping the future before anyone else.

For Quash, the takeaway is clear—embrace this forward-thinking approach and act fast. And with the insights gained from the Bay Area, the path forward is exciting.

As Ayush noted,

“This is a time of unprecedented opportunity. The market is exploding, and the playing field is more level than ever. Now is the time to build.”

Onwards!

Full House @ Quash’s AI Builders Summit

Last Saturday, we pulled off something truly special. In partnership with E2E Cloud, we hosted The AI Builders Summit at Indiranagar, bringing together a vibrant community of developers, founders, and tech enthusiasts. And it wasn’t just another event, it was a testament to what’s possible when curiosity meets passion.

We had an incredible lineup of speakers. Aditi Kothari, Co-Founder and CEO of Potpie AI, shared insights on using AI agents for software development. Supratik Das, Co-Founder at Dashwave, explored how AI can be your next teammate by collaborating with intelligent systems. Archit Agrawal, Co-Founder and CTO at FuelGrowth, talked about AI’s role in modern marketing, helping businesses move from data to decisions.

But the real highlight was Abrar. He was there just like the rest of the team, attending the talks and soaking in the insights. But when he noticed that the audience were keen to know how an AI agent can be built, he didn’t hesitate. Acting purely on the demand, he pulled out his laptop, shared his screen, and started explaining how to build your own AI agents. It was spontaneous, unplanned, and easily the most interactive moment of the day. His willingness to jump in and share his knowledge turned the curiosity into an engaging, hands-on experience for everyone.

Despite the venue’s max capacity of 75, we had 300+ registrations and over 120 attendees. The participants ranged from working professionals at industry giants like Microsoft, Samsung, Target etc to emerging startups and enthusiastic students. We made room for everyone, even though many didn’t have seats. Despite standing through the sessions, they stayed on, fully immersed in the talks. The energy was electric, with an audience that was engaged, interactive, and eager to learn.

The event wasn’t just about listening to the speakers talk about AI, but it was rather an interactive session. We also had a rapid-fire quiz with goodies up for grabs like T-shirts, stickers, and more. It was a fun, memorable way to cap off an insightful day.

This event was our first, and it was a huge success, not just because of the turnout but because of the team effort that went behind it. Mahak and Anindya went above and beyond to make sure everything ran smoothly. But it was truly a team effort. The entire team was on the ground, jumping in wherever needed, from setting up the venue to managing registrations and making sure the experience was seamless for everyone. And the best part was the fact that we did this with almost no marketing budget.

This wasn’t just an event for us. It was proof that breakthroughs can be achieved when you have passion, resourcefulness, and a community that’s willing to engage. This is just the beginning for us and we believe there is more to come.

Inside SF’s AI Revolution & 300+ AI Summit (Zero Marketing!) 🚀