Jayaprakash Nair on AI Startup Momentum and India’s Innovation Advantage

Bridging the Gap Between AI Investment and Startup Innovation

Analytics India Magazine featured Jayaprakash Nair, Head of AI and Analytics at Altimetrik, in its article “Big Money, Local Momentum and the Startup Reality Check.”

In his insights, Jayaprakash highlighted the growing divide between large-scale AI investments and real startup traction. He observed that while hyperscaler investments are fueling optimism, much of the capital remains focused on internal capabilities rather than open innovation. To bridge this gap, he emphasized the importance of startups being “ready to plug into ecosystems” through APIs, accelerators, and co-selling programs rather than getting stuck in the endless proof-of-concept (POC) trap.

He further noted that startups must define ROI upfront, design for repeatable use cases, and embed governance into their AI systems from the very beginning. According to Jayaprakash, India’s strength lies in transforming frugal innovation into global design, positioning local startups to build scalable, world-class AI solutions.