In this episode we talk with Nilay Parikh, the CEO and Founder of Arvist.AI. Nilay shares his journey from being a first-generation immigrant to building a company focused on leveraging AI and computer vision in supply chain operations management. The conversation delves into Nilay's background in aerospace engineering, the challenges and applications of additive manufacturing (3D printing), and the innovative solutions Arvist provides to enhance quality control and safety in warehousing and logistics. Nilay emphasizes the importance of utilizing existing data capture sources and technology to drive efficiency and reduce costs in the supply chain industry. In this conversation, he reflects on the early stages of his startup, particularly learning from skipping the customer validation process, highlights the significance of building a strong team, and his strategy of bootstrapping and getting a paying customer before seeking venture capital. He also discusses the technical aspects of their product, including the use of existing camera technology and computer vision, and offers valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, stressing the need for real-world experience in the industry they wish to enter.Notable soundbites:- Inside joke about Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing): "it's a solution looking for a problem."- "I want to get to at least one paying customer before we go out and raise any kind of capital... investor money is used to fuel growth, not to run the company."Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Arvist and Nilay's Background00:32 Nilay's Journey: From Aerospace to Supply Chain04:41 Understanding Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)08:35 The Challenges of Mainstream Adoption of 3D Printing09:55 The Role of AI at Arvist.AI12:28 Practical Applications of Arvist's Technology17:10 Enhancing Safety and Compliance with AI18:25 Streamlining Operations and Reducing Paperwork20:31 Lessons Learned While Building Arvist: Customer Discovery24:32 Building the Right Team for Success26:40 Bootstrapping vs. Venture Capital: A Financial Perspective27:42 Leveraging Existing Technology: Cameras and Computer Vision30:29 Actionable Warehouse Data From Security Cameras32:15 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Experience Over Education Surgere is the official sponsor of The Supply Chaney Podcast for 2025. Surgere’s singular focus is building AI-powered, frictionless supply chains that result in real time, end-to-end visibility with 99.9% accuracy for partners and customers.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related