Ankit Somani | From Google to Conifer: Rare-Earth-Free Motors, $20M Seed, and Rethinking College | EP187

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 heartWhat Conifer is doing differently with rare-earth-free electric motorsThe overlooked environmental impact of small gas enginesWhy Ankit tells his kids they’re not going to college — and what he wants them to learn insteadHiring high-agency people: What actually stands out (hint: not your GPA)The fundraising surprises: How a cold pitch turned into a $20M seed roundHow he stays grounded through the chaos of startup lifeWhat parenting looks like in the age of AI (and Alexa bedtime routines)Building real company culture — especially when hardware teams need to be in personIs the Bay Area still worth it? Ankit pushes back on the media doom narrativeChapters:00:34 – Leaving Big Tech: Finding the “Heart” in Your Work03:57 – 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 Matters10:25 – Telling Your Startup’s Story Authentically12:11 – More on Fundraising: The Power of a Cold Pitch13:54 – 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 Backing25:29 – 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 Market32:14 – New Tech: What’s Government’s Role vs. Market Competition?36:29 – Keeping Up with AI and the Fast Pace of Change40:43 – How Ankit Uses AI in His Daily Life and Work43:23 – Parenting with Tech: Managing Screens and AI for Kids46:10 – Staying Grounded as a Founder (The Bhagavad Gita)47:52 – Riding the Startup Rollercoaster: Handling Highs and Lows50:33 – Connecting with Ankit & Learning More About ConiferAnkit Somani & ConiferConiferAnkit Somani on LinkedInTechCrunch: Conifer locks down $20M seed round for its drop-in electric hub motorRelated episodes: How Zac Townsend and Meanwhile Are Rebuilding a $1T IndustryFatherhood and Untangling Expectations with Vin InfanteAI Content Detection & Digital Ethics with Madeleine LambertEntrepreneur Perspectives is produced by QuietLoud Studios — a modern media network and a KazSource brand.Get in touch with Eric Kasimov: x.com/eric_kaz linkedin.com/in/erickasimovCredits: Music by Jess & Ricky: SoundCloudThe post Ankit Somani | From Google to Conifer: Rare-Earth-Free Motors, $20M Seed, and Rethinking College | EP187 appeared first on KazSource.