{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Entrepreneur Perspectives","title":"Ankit Somani | From Google to Conifer: Rare-Earth-Free Motors, $20M Seed, and Rethinking College | EP187","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3115,"description":"Conifer co-founder Ankit Somani left Google to build something with more heart — and fewer rare-earth magnets.Backed by a $20M seed round, Conifer is making electric motors that are clean, compact, and don’t rely on China-controlled materials. In this conversation, Ankit talks about the problem they’re solving, what it’s like building real hardware in a software-driven world, and why he’s telling his kids not to go to college.We also get into the mindset side of entrepreneurship: parenting in the age of AI, staying grounded through spiritual practice, hiring for “high agency,” and handling the daily chaos of startup life.This isn’t a pitch deck. It’s the real conversation founders actually want to hear.Inside This Episode:From Google to hardware: Why Ankit left Big Tech to build with heartWhat Conifer is doing differently with rare-earth-free electric motorsThe overlooked environmental impact of small gas enginesWhy Ankit tells his kids they’re not going to college — and what he wants them to learn insteadHiring high-agency people: What actually stands out (hint: not your GPA)The fundraising surprises: How a cold pitch turned into a $20M seed roundHow he stays grounded through the chaos of startup lifeWhat parenting looks like in the age of AI (and Alexa bedtime routines)Building real company culture — especially when hardware teams need to be in personIs the Bay Area still worth it? Ankit pushes back on the media doom narrativeChapters:00:34 – Leaving Big Tech: Finding the “Heart” in Your Work03:57 – Advice for Young Grads: Where Do You Fit In?05:57 – Hiring: What Ankit Really Looks For (It’s Not Your GPA)07:37 – Is College Still Worth It? (And How Ankit Met His Co-Founder)09:20 – Building a Hardware Team: Why In-Person Matters10:25 – Telling Your Startup’s Story Authentically12:11 – More on Fundraising: The Power of a Cold Pitch13:54 – The Bay Area: Still a Hotspot for Talent?18:05 – Why Ankit Tells His Kids “You’re Not Going to College”21:28 – The Problem...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/TJ-gGtH1LltObKgoNodcM6WYtx5HSCSdzGymSF3QkUI/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9iM2Vk/YmI2NDliMDg1Y2Q2/MDlhYjhkMDc2OWEw/YWYxMi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}