Conifer co-founder Ankit Somani left Google to build something with more heart — and fewer rare-earth magnets.

Backed by a $20M seed round, Conifer is making electric motors that are clean, compact, and don’t rely on China-controlled materials. In this conversation, Ankit talks about the problem they’re solving, what it’s like building real hardware in a software-driven world, and why he’s telling his kids not to go to college.

We also get into the mindset side of entrepreneurship: parenting in the age of AI, staying grounded through spiritual practice, hiring for “high agency,” and handling the daily chaos of startup life.

This isn’t a pitch deck. It’s the real conversation founders actually want to hear.

Inside This Episode:

• From Google to hardware: Why Ankit left Big Tech to build with heart
• What Conifer is doing differently with rare-earth-free electric motors
• The overlooked environmental impact of small gas engines
• Why Ankit tells his kids they’re not going to college — and what he wants them to learn instead
• Hiring high-agency people: What actually stands out (hint: not your GPA)
• The fundraising surprises: How a cold pitch turned into a $20M seed round
• How he stays grounded through the chaos of startup life
• What parenting looks like in the age of AI (and Alexa bedtime routines)
• Building real company culture — especially when hardware teams need to be in person
• Is the Bay Area still worth it? Ankit pushes back on the media doom narrative

Chapters:

• 00:34 – Leaving Big Tech: Finding the “Heart” in Your Work
• 03:57 – Advice for Young Grads: Where Do You Fit In?
• 05:57 – Hiring: What Ankit Really Looks For (It’s Not Your GPA)
• 07:37 – Is College Still Worth It? (And How Ankit Met His Co-Founder)
• 09:20 – Building a Hardware Team: Why In-Person Matters
• 10:25 – Telling Your Startup’s Story Authentically
• 12:11 – More on Fundraising: The Power of a Cold Pitch
• 13:54 – The Bay Area: Still a Hotspot for Talent?
• 18:05 – Why Ankit Tells His Kids “You’re Not Going to College”
• 21:28 – The Problem Conifer is Solving (Those Noisy, Dirty Small Engines)
• 22:25 – Conifer’s Fix: Cleaner Motors, No Rare Earths & $20M Backing
• 25:29 – How Conifer Works with Big Brands (OEMs)
• 27:12 – Getting People to Go Electric: It’s More Than Just Being “Green”
• 29:33 – What We Can Learn from China’s Electric Vehicle Market
• 32:14 – New Tech: What’s Government’s Role vs. Market Competition?
• 36:29 – Keeping Up with AI and the Fast Pace of Change
• 40:43 – How Ankit Uses AI in His Daily Life and Work
• 43:23 – Parenting with Tech: Managing Screens and AI for Kids
• 46:10 – Staying Grounded as a Founder (The Bhagavad Gita)
• 47:52 – Riding the Startup Rollercoaster: Handling Highs and Lows
• 50:33 – Connecting with Ankit & Learning More About Conifer

Ankit Somani & Conifer