#27. This is the Era of Permissionless Startups ⚓
Build with what you have. Sell what you know. Learn as you go.
Welcome to the 27th free edition of More than Buzzwords—your no-nonsense, weekly insight into the startup world. 🚀
This week, we’re diving into the era of permissionless startups—where barriers are low, but the stakes are high. Whether you’re just starting out or already running the show, this edition will get you thinking about how to build faster, smarter, and without waiting for anyone’s approval.
Here’s what’s in store:
🔹 The Builder's Blueprint – 4 sharp takes on playing your cards right, turning sales into conversations, why there are no excuses in the world of startups today, and the power of momentum.
🔹 Startup Spotlight – Meet Vayudh, an Indian startup making waves in defense tech with cutting-edge drones and swarm intelligence.
🔹 Protein, Promises, & the Ice Cream Illusion – A closer look at Amul’s "Protein Kulfi" and what it teaches us about health-washing in product marketing.
Ready to rethink how you build, sell, and lead in 2025? Let’s get into it. 👇
The Builder's Blueprint 📄🏗️
Here’s your this week’s weal startup wisdom from X, without the fluff.
Every week, I go down the X rabbit hole so you don’t have to — pulling out the tweets that actually make you think, learn, and build better.
This week’s batch is gold, whether you’re just getting started, deep in founder mode, figuring out sales, or trying to keep your momentum going.
No jargon. Just sharp insights, broken down like we’re on a call.
Let’s dive into it. 👇
1. Play the Cards You've Got 🎴
How to win when you're brand new:
1) Bring energy (Work longer hours to make up for their headstart)
2) Use time (They are at the end of their career, you're at the beginning)
3) Be willing to lose (You can't lose what you don't have).
TLDR: Play the cards you've got.
This tweet is a sharp reminder for all the freshers out there: play the cards you’ve got.
When you’re just starting out, it's easy to feel intimidated by those ahead of you. But the truth is—you’re playing a completely different game. You have energy your seniors don’t. You have time they wish they still had. And you have nothing to lose.
Early stages aren’t about perfect moves—they’re about showing up with urgency, hunger, and a willingness to take bigger risks. Even if that means working longer hours than they do. Trust me, it’ll pay off later.
Play your hand, not theirs. Bet on your unfair advantages. That’s how real momentum starts.
2. Sales Isn't Sales Anymore — It's Conversations 🎯
Every single sales call is different.
Single goal - Learn something you didn’t know, teach them something they didn’t know.
Whatever you read, learned in some course, or acronym you memorized — practice the opposite.
OR be a commodity
Early-stage startup sales is not sales as you know it.
You’re welcome!
Forget rehearsed scripts and overly polished pitches. Early startup sales are raw, messy, and human. It’s not about closing — it’s about connecting. Make real connections, and that will take you a long way.
This tweet emphasizes one of the most important mindsets for sales. If you approach every conversation with the mindset of "teach and learn," you’ll build trust faster and avoid sounding like every other salesperson on the planet.
Forget about convincing them they need your product. Focus on asking the right questions — the kind that help you refine your product until people are genuinely excited to use it.
The best founders treat sales like discovery and collaboration — not like a transaction. Learn their real needs. Teach them something valuable. That’s the foundation of real growth.
3. The Era of No Excuses 🚀
This is the MOST permissionless moment in history.
10 years ago, you needed investors, cofounders, an office, and 6 months of burn just to start a startup.
not anymore:
1. you want a startup idea → go mining on reddit, app store reviews etc
2. you want customers → build an audience
3. you want a beautiful software product → learn bolt, cursor, replit, lovable etc
4. you want to charge → stripe link. done.
5. you want distribution without using your face → partner with a niche creator. their trust is your launchpad.
6. you want ops → string together GPT-4o + Claude + Gumloop/Lindy/n8n agents
7. you want an office → kitchen table + noise-canceling headphones
8. you want exceptional advisors → binge 1000 hours of podcasts + you can DM anyone on the planet
9. you want momentum → ship something small today. the rest figures itself out.
No gatekeepers. No resumes. No permission needed.
You need consistency, taste, and internet access.
The startup school is open 24/7.
enrollment is free.
but shipping is the tuition.
There are no excuses anymore.
This tweet is a sharp reminder: if you’re still not starting your “dream business,” it’s on you — not your “busy schedule,” not “unadvanced technology.” You.
Ten years ago, startups needed gatekeepers — investors, offices, and months of capital burn. Today? You need a laptop, Wi-Fi, and consistency. No one’s stopping you from learning, building, or selling.
Distribution, tools, customers, capital — it’s all right there if you’re willing to move.
The internet doesn’t care about your credentials. It cares about what you create. Build momentum with tiny wins, daily. The new game rewards speed and scrappiness over pedigree.
In short: you don’t need an Ivy League MBA or a FAANG background. You need to move fast, think sharp, and build relentlessly.
4. Momentum Is Your Superpower ⚡
Start small.
But once the ball starts rolling?
Capitalize on your momentum.
Don't waste a single second.
Squeeze out every last drop.
0 → 1 is hard.
1 → 100 is easy.
Stay in motion.
This tweet is a reality check we didn’t know we needed. Getting started feels impossible. Taking that big step feels so daunting that so many of us quit even before we try. But trust me, once you cross that invisible line from nothing to something, your biggest risk isn’t failure, it’s slowing down.
The hardest part is always the beginning. Momentum compounds. Small wins lead to bigger wins. Every second counts once you’re moving.
It’s easy to get caught up in waiting for the “perfect moment” or the “perfect plan,” but the truth is — success doesn’t come from having everything figured out. It comes from relentless forward motion. So, stop overthinking and start building. Stay impatient. Stay aggressive.
Don’t let perfectionism paralyze you. Build before you lose the spark. The longer you wait, the harder it gets to take that first step. So, do what it takes and make your move today.
And those were our top 4 tweets of this week! Which one did you find most valuable? Drop your favorite in the comments, I’d love to know.
Now that we’ve read and absorbed some no-fluff, impactful tweets, let’s shift our focus to a startup that’s making waves in the defense space.
When you think of deep-tech in India, defense usually isn’t the first sector that comes to mind. But that’s exactly why it’s so exciting.
This week, we’re putting Vayudh under the spotlighting, a startup that’s proving you don’t need to be a decades-old defense giant to build world-class military tech.
From nano drones to swarm intelligence, they’re building the kind of tech that looks like it came out of a sci-fi movie — only, it’s 100% made in India. Let’s dive in. 👇
Spotlight on a Startup: Vayudh ✈️
India’s drone-tech leap is here — and it’s autonomous, agile, and all in-house.
Let’s be real: when you think of defense innovation, you probably don’t think of nimble startups. But that’s changing — fast.
A new wave of Indian deep-tech startups is stepping up to build powerful tools for the military, and one of the most exciting players in this space is Vayudh.
From nano drones that can possibly fit in the palm of your hand to next-gen swarming tech, this IIT-Delhi-born venture is building battlefield-ready systems that scream “Make in India,” but operate at global standards.
Founded by Tanmay Bunkar, Dr Sarita Ahlawat, and Anuj Barnwal, Vayudh’s origin story is rooted in over a decade of R&D. What started as a vision to make India self-reliant in defense innovation is now a serious player in military-grade UAVs.
Their combined passion for autonomous systems, indigenous tech, and national security is what fuels the company’s mission.
Wondering what they do (and why it’s different)? Vayudh develops nano drones and swarming technologies tailored for modern defense and surveillance needs. But they’re not just assembling parts, they’ve gone full stack.
Believe it or not, but everything from flight controllers to custom electronics is designed, built, and tested entirely in-house. That means zero dependencies on foreign tech.
Their standout product? Atri — India’s smallest surveillance drone, launched in 2025. Lightweight, compact, and disposable, Atri is designed for precision recon in tough terrains.
With future features like tube-launching and swarm integration on the horizon, this isn’t just a product, it’s a platform in the making.
Also worth noting: their swarm technology. Back in 2019, they pulled off a 10-drone synchronized flight demo during Army Day which was a huge leap for Indian drone swarms. The system ran flawlessly for 45 minutes.
It wasn’t just cool to watch — it signaled a new frontier in combat coordination and intelligence-gathering.
Who is it for? Vayudh’s drones are tailor-made for the Indian Armed Forces, paramilitary units, and homeland security agencies. These aren’t showpieces — they’ve been tested in extreme, high-altitude environments under Project Tawang. And they’ve held up.
But the applications go beyond the battlefield. Vayudh’s tech is also finding use in commercial sectors like industrial surveying, border patrol, and even drone shows.
The big deal here? They’re making India truly self-reliant in a space that’s historically been import-heavy. And with geopolitical tensions rising, that independence is more than just patriotic — it’s strategic.
The cash is flowing in too. In 2025, Vayudh raised $10 million, led by Dharana Capital, with participation from big names like Deepinder Goyal, Ajay Aggarwal, and Florintree Advisors.
The funds are being used to scale R&D, ramp up manufacturing, and speed up defense deployments.
Want to know where they're headed? Vayudh wants to redefine India’s defense readiness through indigenous deep-tech. Their vision is clear: dominate the skies with smart, autonomous systems that are 100% Made in India.
With over 300,000 autonomous flying hours already logged and a rapidly growing IP portfolio, they’re not just building drones — they’re building India’s defense backbone for the future.
If you’re tracking the rise of defense-tech in India, Vayudh is definitely a name you’ll want to remember.
What an exciting time it is for startups, right? From defense-tech pioneers like Vayudh to food brands rethinking how we treat indulgence, we’re in the middle of a real innovation wave.
But with all this disruption comes a new kind of responsibility, especially when it comes to what we’re putting into our bodies.
So, I’m someone who takes my protein intake seriously. I hit the gym regularly, track what I eat, and carefully read the labels.
And, when I saw an ad for Amul’s new “Protein Kulfi,” I was honestly thrilled. Because let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to indulge without guilt?
After Go Zero’s rise, it felt like more healthy dessert options were finally becoming mainstream. But then I did what I always do — I did some digging and read about it on the internet. And let’s just say, not everything that screams “protein” actually delivers it.
Keep reading to know more about how food is marketed to us and what we should be watching out for.
🍦Protein, Promises & the Ice Cream Illusion
When health claims sound better than they are.
Walk into any grocery store today, and you'll spot the “protein-packed” label slapped across snacks, cereals, drinks, and yes — even ice creams.
Protein has become the new buzzword of health marketing. And understandably so. As Indian consumers get more fitness-conscious, protein is finally getting its place at the table. What was once reserved for bodybuilders is now being sought after by everyday folks trying to eat “smarter.”
And now, even desserts are joining the protein party. Naturally, brands are jumping on the hype.
Case in point: Amul’s newly launched Protein Kulfi, which proudly claims 10g of protein per serving.
At first glance, it sounds like a fitness enthusiast’s dream. Dessert and protein? Sign me up. But let’s zoom in a little. While the kulfi does deliver more protein than a traditional one, it still comes with a generous serving of fat and sugar.
It's still an indulgent treat — just with added protein.
This is where the illusion creeps in. Sure, it's technically "high-protein" by regulatory standards. But that doesn’t automatically make it a healthy product. It’s still a dessert dressed in a protein halo.
This isn’t to single out Amul. They’re simply playing by the current rules of food marketing — chasing trends and slapping “health” on legacy indulgences. But it does raise a bigger question: are we mistaking protein presence for nutritional progress?
Because the debate here isn’t just about grams of protein. It’s about trust.
Consumers today are smarter than ever. They flip labels. They compare macros. They dissect products on Reddit. You can’t just drop a buzzword and expect them to blindly bite.
So what can we learn from this?
Protein is trending, and that’s a good thing. But the presence of one good nutrient doesn’t cancel out everything else.
Big brands have big responsibilities. When you’ve built trust over decades, you owe consumers not just clever marketing, but clarity.
In a world where everything is “zero sugar,” “gut-friendly,” or “high-protein,” the real winners will be brands that mean it, not just market it.
And as consumers? We’ve got the tools. Let’s read beyond the label.
And that brings us to the end of this edition of More than Buzzwords!
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