Menyala - Co-found

Our Ventures

Build companies like

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Vihang Patel

Founder & CEO

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Vihang Patel

Founder & CEO

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Vihang Patel

Founder & CEO

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Vihang Patel

Founder & CEO

Why Us

We give founders an unfair advantage

We're hands-on partners and builders who deliver more than advice. Skip the early hurdles and get everything you need including proven playbooks and ready resources to assemble a seed funding pitch in 24 weeks.

Network

We are partners who help early-stage founders succeed through:

Strategic advisory and thought partnership
Leadership coaching

Insider access to web3 communities and financial institutions for customer validation

Capital

We provide:

Pre-seed funding throughout the EIR Program
Potential seed funding upon program completion
Support in securing additional funding rounds

Talent

Our team of specialists can join your startup either full-time or part-time, bringing expertise in:

Product and design
Technology and engineering
Business strategy and go-to-market

Operations

We provide comprehensive operational support including:

HR and recruitment
Finance and fundraising
Legal services
A fully-equipped office space in Singapore

What We're Tracking

Our Focus Areas

AI

Aggregated Compute at the Edge

Traditional cloud-based AI systems struggle with high costs, latency, and privacy concerns, but aggregated compute at the edge can unlock cost-efficient, scalable AI solutions by leveraging latent compute from everyday devices.

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AI

APIs as Agents

Manual API integrations are breaking under exponential complexity while LLMs unlock a future of self-healing, autonomous integration layers transforming how software systems connect and evolve.

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AI

Robotics Data Collection

Robotics companies can't access enough real-world training data about physical object interactions to make AI-powered robots truly capable - creating infrastructure to collect and share this data could unlock the next wave of general-purpose robotics.

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Web3

Fintech

Alternative Investments Secondaries

Private markets face a critical tension between preserving valuable illiquidity features and meeting growing demands for flexible exits - solving this fundamental paradox could revolutionize how private capital markets function.

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AI

Web3

Agent Economy

AI agents lack the fundamental infrastructure to communicate and transact with each other effectively, but building these missing protocols could unlock an entirely new economic paradigm of autonomous AI collaboration.

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Web3

DePIN Distribution

DePIN networks are trapped in a growth deadlock where high hardware costs and poor distribution limit adoption but unlocking this bottleneck could unleash massive network value for millions of users.

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Fintech

Individualized Credit Bureau Scoring

Legacy credit systems create a paradoxical barrier to financial access while modern data streams and ML algorithms present opportunities for more inclusive, transparent credit assessment.

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Fintech

Programmable Privacy Layers for API Transactions

API complexity is overwhelming manual integration approaches as enterprises juggle 1000+ connections - autonomous LLM-powered integration layers could revolutionize how systems connect.

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Fintech

Real-Time Fraud Detection & Automated Response

Financial crime is outpacing siloed security systems as fraudsters exploit fragmented defenses across institutions - collaborative networks could enable collective immunity through real-time intelligence sharing.

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Fintech

Dynamic Personal Wealth Management & Retirement Planning

Traditional financial education fails to engage modern wealth holders through outdated formats but AI-powered personalization could bridge the gap between institutional knowledge and social-first learning preferences.

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Program Details

Our Process

While innovation is not a linear process, our 24-week zero-to-one program consists of 3 stages with checkpoints to hone in on the problem, solution, and business plan for seed funding to launch a new business.

Humanize

(8 weeks)

Dive deep into understanding real market needs. Our multidisciplinary team works with you to uncover insights through expert interviews, user research, and market analysis. Together, we'll map user journeys, build personas, and identify the most compelling problems worth solving.

Market Research

User Insights

Problem Discovery

Ideate

(8 weeks)

Transform insights into testable concepts. Through rapid iteration and creative workshops, we'll develop and refine solutions that resonate with users. Our structured approach helps you move from storyboards to screens, testing and improving at every step.

Concept Testing

Solution Design

Value Proposition

Validate

(8 weeks)

Build confidence in your solution through real-world testing. We'll help you create prototypes, run proof of concepts, and prove your concept works. Together, we'll develop a robust business plan, go-to-market strategy, and product roadmap to secure seed funding and launch your venture.

Product Roadmap

Business Planning

Launch Strategy

CANDIDATE Details

Who we look for

If you are a seasoned industry professional looking to make the founder leap, or a serial entrepreneur looking to improve their chances of success, Menyala is the place for you. We are looking for builders in the following areas:

Web3

Built for you, open to all

Fintech

Disrupting financial services infrastructure

AI

The AI revolution is here

Ready to build?

Join Menyala as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence

FAQs

🤝 Getting Started Together

Do I need a startup idea or a team to apply?

You do not need to have a startup idea or team to apply, but you will need to show a certain level of acumen and insight into the opportunity area being addressed.

How does the selection process work?

Menyala kicks off about 9-10 new projects annually, with about 6-7 projects having an EIR from the start. About every 6 weeks on average, we review all researched opportunities and potential EIRs to tackle them and decide which one makes the most sense for us to tackle next. We use a DVFSR framework to help us make this decision (desirability, viability, feasibility, strategic fit, right to win), with talent (EIR & staff) and network access driving right to win.

What resources will the studio provide (e.g., funding, office space, mentorship, back-office support)?

We provide support across 4 categories: 1. Capital: pathway to seed funding and follow-on fundraising support. 2. Talent: product & design, technology & engineering, and business & GTM. 3. Operations: office space in Singapore and support staff across HR, finance, legal, recruiting, and fundraising. 4. Network: access to financial institutions and web3 community of investors and builders.

Who will be part of the founding team, and how are team members chosen?

You will be paired with a Studio Partner liaison, have access to a multi-disciplinary team of builders (Venture Architects, Product Managers, Designers, Technologists, Engineers), and operational support (HR, finance, legal, recruiting, fundraising). You can also bring your own team members on contract until spun out as a seed funded venture to employ.

Where will an EIR need to be physically located? Do I need to move to Singapore? Does that change once the venture is launched?

While we admit EIRs from around the world into the program, we still find that nothing beats in-person collaboration during the early stage, ambiguous nature of zero-to-one venture building. We encourage as much co-location in Singapore during the 24 week program as possible, but will work together to figure out which hybrid balance works best. Once seed funded, we will spin out the venture as a new startup and incorporate wherever it makes the most sense, and have launched startups in SE Asia, North America, and Europe.

Will I get compensated while in the program?

Yes, you will be on contract during the project phase of the EIR Program with a modest monthly salary. This will be applied to your pre-seed budget along with any business travel expenses.

How many EIRs do you work with and will be in the EIR Program?

We are an intimate and hands-on venture studio who accepts and works with about 6-7 EIRs per year (about every 2 months). We have a small but growing community of EIRs still in the project phase and startup CEOs to connect with, but you will spend most of your time with our studio staff, network of experts, and potential customers.

💰 Funding & Ownership Journey

What level of initial capital will the studio provide, and how is it distributed?

Pre-seed funding for the project phase of the EIR Program is between $500k to $1.5M depending on various factors with capital being budgeted, utilized, and tracked for project staff, project expenses, and studio operating costs.

What is the plan for follow-on funding, and how much of a role will the studio play in fundraising?

We can issue upwards of $2M in seed funding and offer follow-on fundraising support in the form of our investor network, outreach, and pitch prep. We do NOT invest into existing startups, only those incubated at Menyala.

🌱 Building Success Together

What is expected at the end of the EIR Program to receive seed funding?

The end of the 24-week project phase of the EIR Program culminates with an investor pitch for seed funding and accompanying reference materials to highlight the breadth and depth of the work that went into the final pitch, along with a GTM plan on how the seed funding will be spent.

👥 Our Partnership & Support

How much time will studio partners spend supporting my venture, and how will their involvement change over time?

You will have access to all Studio Partners depending on your domain and functional needs (Technology & Engineering, Product & Design, Finance & Operations). During the 24-week project phase of the EIR Program, you will be paired with 1 of the Studio Partners as a liaison to all things Menyala. Once it becomes a seed funded venture, you will be paired with a Venture Partner for various needs including resources, network connections, strategic thought partnering, and provide in-depth leadership coaching (think Trillion Dollar Coach).