Kshitij Pandey
TEDx Speaker | PM Modi Endorsed Innovator | Revolutionizing Police Drones
What does success look like for you as a startup founder?
When people are using the thing that I’m building. I want people to claim it. Success definitely has a monetary aspect, but more importantly, it’s about a lot of people using my product and having their lives changed. I haven’t experienced that in the past, but I’ve worked on things like ‘fuel purity level’ or looking for blood plasma during the pandemic, where I saw how much impact a solution could have. Even if it didn’t make a lot of money, the amount of impact was phenomenal.
What was going on in your life that made you first consider joining the residency? And what did that situation feel like for you, personally?
I was so devastated from my failures that I wanted to succeed. Crippay failed because of government intervention—we had to stop. That was a really tough time for me. It’s like I’m constantly reaching for something and getting to the point of failure again. I really wanted to take a break. Why I applied to Athena was really funny—I basically had my laptop on rent. I was almost out of money, and my friend recommended to me, ‘These guys are giving you $100 just for completing some milestones.’ I thought, ‘I’ll just do that.’ I was super honest about my application, described how I failed, and still, Rob really liked it. I always had chats with other VCs, and they always passed me up. Rob asked me to talk more about myself. That was phenomenal—somebody to listen to my story rather than my idea.
How did you first hear about Athena VC? And what made you think it might be the right fit for you?
I heard about Athena from a friend who searches across the internet. My initial thought was, ‘This sounds interesting,’ but I was hesitant. When I spoke to Rob, what really made me think this could be the right fit was how much he cared—not just about my idea, but about me as a founder. Rob’s trust and belief in me made a huge impact. He took time out of his busy schedule to dive deep into my story, offering thoughtful feedback on Crippay. That level of personal attention was what made me so inclined to join
Can you walk me through your daily life as part of the Athena residency?
The weekly updates are a major highlight for me. Every day starts with user conversations, sharing insights with the community, and building on ideas like drones, which I’m exploring now. My daily routine has become much more disciplined and directed than before. Writing the weekly updates forces me to reflect and structure my progress, which has been invaluable
Can you give me a specific example of a time working with the Athena team proved valuable to you? And what do you like best about being part of the Athena residency?
The weekly updates at Athena have been transformative for me. Before, I lacked discipline and didn’t have any clear direction in my work. Writing those updates forced me to reflect and gave me a sense of purpose. Rob’s trust and the community’s support made me feel like I wasn’t just building something—I was becoming better as an entrepreneur. It’s helped me pitch $100k LOIs for my new drone idea. The best part is that Rob has this idea of making Athena better than YCombinator. That was exciting.
If a peer asked you why they should choose Athena, what might you tell them?
I usually start by saying, ‘There’s this guy called Rob, and he really wants to help people build great startups.’ Then I tell them about the 6-month program, the weekly chats, and how Athena is different—it’s about building a community where you grow and sustain your product. I always highlight Rob’s personal trust and involvement, which makes all the difference.
What does success look like for you as a startup founder?
When people are using the thing that I’m building. I want people to claim it. Success definitely has a monetary aspect, but more importantly, it’s about a lot of people using my product and having their lives changed. I haven’t experienced that in the past, but I’ve worked on things like ‘fuel purity level’ or looking for blood plasma during the pandemic, where I saw how much impact a solution could have. Even if it didn’t make a lot of money, the amount of impact was phenomenal.
What was going on in your life that made you first consider joining the residency? And what did that situation feel like for you, personally?
I was so devastated from my failures that I wanted to succeed. Crippay failed because of government intervention—we had to stop. That was a really tough time for me. It’s like I’m constantly reaching for something and getting to the point of failure again. I really wanted to take a break. Why I applied to Athena was really funny—I basically had my laptop on rent. I was almost out of money, and my friend recommended to me, ‘These guys are giving you $100 just for completing some milestones.’ I thought, ‘I’ll just do that.’ I was super honest about my application, described how I failed, and still, Rob really liked it. I always had chats with other VCs, and they always passed me up. Rob asked me to talk more about myself. That was phenomenal—somebody to listen to my story rather than my idea.
How did you first hear about Athena VC? And what made you think it might be the right fit for you?
I heard about Athena from a friend who searches across the internet. My initial thought was, ‘This sounds interesting,’ but I was hesitant. When I spoke to Rob, what really made me think this could be the right fit was how much he cared—not just about my idea, but about me as a founder. Rob’s trust and belief in me made a huge impact. He took time out of his busy schedule to dive deep into my story, offering thoughtful feedback on Crippay. That level of personal attention was what made me so inclined to join
Can you walk me through your daily life as part of the Athena residency?
The weekly updates are a major highlight for me. Every day starts with user conversations, sharing insights with the community, and building on ideas like drones, which I’m exploring now. My daily routine has become much more disciplined and directed than before. Writing the weekly updates forces me to reflect and structure my progress, which has been invaluable
Can you give me a specific example of a time working with the Athena team proved valuable to you? And what do you like best about being part of the Athena residency?
The weekly updates at Athena have been transformative for me. Before, I lacked discipline and didn’t have any clear direction in my work. Writing those updates forced me to reflect and gave me a sense of purpose. Rob’s trust and the community’s support made me feel like I wasn’t just building something—I was becoming better as an entrepreneur. It’s helped me pitch $100k LOIs for my new drone idea. The best part is that Rob has this idea of making Athena better than YCombinator. That was exciting.
If a peer asked you why they should choose Athena, what might you tell them?
I usually start by saying, ‘There’s this guy called Rob, and he really wants to help people build great startups.’ Then I tell them about the 6-month program, the weekly chats, and how Athena is different—it’s about building a community where you grow and sustain your product. I always highlight Rob’s personal trust and involvement, which makes all the difference.
What does success look like for you as a startup founder?
When people are using the thing that I’m building. I want people to claim it. Success definitely has a monetary aspect, but more importantly, it’s about a lot of people using my product and having their lives changed. I haven’t experienced that in the past, but I’ve worked on things like ‘fuel purity level’ or looking for blood plasma during the pandemic, where I saw how much impact a solution could have. Even if it didn’t make a lot of money, the amount of impact was phenomenal.
What was going on in your life that made you first consider joining the residency? And what did that situation feel like for you, personally?
I was so devastated from my failures that I wanted to succeed. Crippay failed because of government intervention—we had to stop. That was a really tough time for me. It’s like I’m constantly reaching for something and getting to the point of failure again. I really wanted to take a break. Why I applied to Athena was really funny—I basically had my laptop on rent. I was almost out of money, and my friend recommended to me, ‘These guys are giving you $100 just for completing some milestones.’ I thought, ‘I’ll just do that.’ I was super honest about my application, described how I failed, and still, Rob really liked it. I always had chats with other VCs, and they always passed me up. Rob asked me to talk more about myself. That was phenomenal—somebody to listen to my story rather than my idea.
How did you first hear about Athena VC? And what made you think it might be the right fit for you?
I heard about Athena from a friend who searches across the internet. My initial thought was, ‘This sounds interesting,’ but I was hesitant. When I spoke to Rob, what really made me think this could be the right fit was how much he cared—not just about my idea, but about me as a founder. Rob’s trust and belief in me made a huge impact. He took time out of his busy schedule to dive deep into my story, offering thoughtful feedback on Crippay. That level of personal attention was what made me so inclined to join
Can you walk me through your daily life as part of the Athena residency?
The weekly updates are a major highlight for me. Every day starts with user conversations, sharing insights with the community, and building on ideas like drones, which I’m exploring now. My daily routine has become much more disciplined and directed than before. Writing the weekly updates forces me to reflect and structure my progress, which has been invaluable
Can you give me a specific example of a time working with the Athena team proved valuable to you? And what do you like best about being part of the Athena residency?
The weekly updates at Athena have been transformative for me. Before, I lacked discipline and didn’t have any clear direction in my work. Writing those updates forced me to reflect and gave me a sense of purpose. Rob’s trust and the community’s support made me feel like I wasn’t just building something—I was becoming better as an entrepreneur. It’s helped me pitch $100k LOIs for my new drone idea. The best part is that Rob has this idea of making Athena better than YCombinator. That was exciting.
If a peer asked you why they should choose Athena, what might you tell them?
I usually start by saying, ‘There’s this guy called Rob, and he really wants to help people build great startups.’ Then I tell them about the 6-month program, the weekly chats, and how Athena is different—it’s about building a community where you grow and sustain your product. I always highlight Rob’s personal trust and involvement, which makes all the difference.
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