Malhar Patil

Happy to announce that @flamappofficial has raised a seed round of $3.5M. Stoked to partner with @Inventusvc , SV Quad, Kwaish Ventures, @9UnicornsVC on our journey of building the world's first AR-based social media platform from India for the world.

“I was so impressed, I bought the company.” That was the tag line of a famous advertisement from the 1970s that starred Victor Kiam, owner of Remington Products. Fast forward to 2026 and I’m having my own “Victor Kiam” moment. Well, sort of. I’m pleased to announce that I am joining the advisory board of FlamAI, an exciting AI company that’s leveraging groundbreaking creative technology to revolutionize product engagement. FlamAI’s no-code tech can stream interactive 3D imagery on your phone with no download, app or website. This format is a game-changer for consumer engagement and conversion as major brands (Google, Samsung, Salesforce, YouTube + 100 enterprises) are discovering and the company is experiencing explosive growth (30x growth in ARR in last 12 months)! In the process of assembling the AI LUMAscape, we diligenced hundreds of companies at the intersection of AI and advertising and FlamAI stood out above all others. This is the only advisory board I have joined in the 15+ years running LUMA. I look forward to spending more time with Shourya Agarwal, FlamAI’s Co-Founder and CEO. I am joined by other industry OGs on the advisory board including: - Carolyn Everson, Board Director at Coca-Cola, Disney and Under Armor - Paul Woolmington, CEO of Canvas Worldwide - Tariq Hassan, ex CMO of McDonalds, Petco If this technology solution sounds interesting, please ping me.

Most people have no idea what it actually takes to be a founder. They talk about vision, grit, or passion. Those words are props. What you really sign up for is a life where every decision feels like it costs something real. You will spend years being misunderstood. By your team, your family, even the people you hire to help you. You will fail in public and still need to keep the energy up in private. Every founder lives with the weight of knowing that you can do everything right and still get crushed by luck, timing, or somebody else’s mistake. Founders aren’t braver than anyone else. They just get used to uncertainty, then stop waiting for clarity. Most of your wins won’t feel like wins at all. The first revenue will be too small. The first team will outgrow you or leave. The first product that feels right will barely matter to the market. You will doubt yourself in private, sometimes every week. The founders who last figure out how to keep moving while the ground shifts underneath them. Most outsiders want the founder badge but none of the scars. They want the upside, not the drag. The hardest part is sticking around after every plan gets blown up and you have to rebuild with less optimism and more scar tissue. What makes it work isn’t relentless hustle or some mythical trait. It’s learning to make peace with constant discomfort, and then making decisions anyway. If you need constant reassurance, you’ll give up before the real work begins. If you want everyone to like you, you’ll never make the calls that matter. If you can’t handle months where nothing feels certain, this life will eat you alive. But if you can hold your own in chaos, get better at being wrong, and still want to show up and try again, you just might have a shot at building something that matters. That’s what it actually takes. And nobody cares until you make it work.

As part of my unwavering commitment to serve our #Bandra community, and in the spirit of connecting with our people, I am rolling out an innovative way for residents to follow our initiatives. Powered by @flamappofficial, I hereby present a Digital Mixed Reality Calendar, where you can scan the QR Code and see the initiatives taken. We have distributed 25000 Calendars to our Bandra Residents as part of the program. The Calendar will be updated daily at 7pm. From Pratibhagan Library to Padel Park to Bandra Station & more, I have a lot of exciting things to share. You can see the calendar here: bit.ly/ashish-shelar Please share it with our fellow citizens and follow this thread for updates. #ApnaAshishHaiNa #Bandra #AshishShelar #BandraSalaarAshishShelar #Mumbai #BJP

STARTING NOW! See #ARRahman support #KamalaHarris2024 on TV Asia tonight 10/17 at 10PM PT. Don’t forget to scan the QR code for a special message from Kamala 👀

A second screen without the need for headsets! This is pretty neat! 👍 Got to know this is an Indian company. @flamappofficial #kamalaharris #ARRahman

Unveiling Flam's cutting-edge Mixed Reality Tech on the biggest stage of 'em all🚀 🇺🇸 Flam will be powering @KamalaHarris’ Presidential Campaign on Live Broadcast Television to the viewers in US. Our excitement knows no bound 🎉 #kamalaharris #uselections

78 years ago, we broke the shackles that had become a part of our identity. Ever since we've grown to be the India we are today with an indomitable spirit for innovation and a hunger for greatness. Let's write the future by repeating history. Happy Independence Day!

Thanks @CNBCTV18News for covering us. Listen to @shourya0714 talking about the future of immersive advertising and the next steps for @flamappofficial

We're on @Bollyhungama 🚀 Our Mixed Reality experience for @AJIOLife 's Heeramandi-inspired 'House of Ethnics' has been featured on @Bollyhungama Absolute pleasure working with @AJIOLife @NetflixIndia @bhansali_produc @SwiggyInstamart ✨

The campaign kickstarts with an innovative print campaign. @BritanniaIndLtd @doshiamitk @lakhaniamin @mindshare @RanveerOfficial @shourya0714 indiantelevision.com/mam/media-and-…

If this challenge is what you’re looking for, apply for the specific role by filling up the respective form. Post that, we will get in touch with you with the next steps. Cheers! 4/4

I am looking for someone who thrives for ownership and has an undivided obsession towards building something legendary. I can definitely promise loads of fun and learnings in this journey of building Flam. 3/4

Happy New Year everyone! 2024 is an exciting year for Flam as we intend to scale our product offerings globally. We are looking for people who are willing to be a part of our journey. I am currently hiring for the following roles who would directly work with me: 1/4

99% of early-stage Founders ... You don't have a sales problem, you have a no-product/market fit problem. Stop trying to solve this with more leads, and more sales bodies. Founders, you need to return to Head of Sales role.

most great things come from striking a balance between discipline and freedom

@adcock_brett @volodarik How strongly you believe this? Because if this happens, it is going to be crucial in planning the next steps for any impacted startup.

@volodarik You should be ok then - I believe a unlimited deposit guarantee is coming by Monday morning.

We are a Ukrainian startup that had all of our funds in SVB. Whatever happens on Monday, we should be prepared to move forward with just $250k from FDIC. Please, share this message. This will help us bring new clients and keep operating to support the engineers and startups. We have 400+ vetted engineers in Europe and Latam. Rates: $2k - $2.8k per week DM me if you are hiring. I'm happy to give 15% discount for first 4 weeks of work.

Startup Founders: Your first 10 customers are worth 10X the value they're paying. How? - future references/peer credibility - feedback to improve the product - insights on how to expand Treat them this way.

True that! It is bound to come in the future. AR glasses will be that product without which you cannot leave your house. If not tomorrow but in the coming years, this will be a reality.