In this episode, Peeyush Upadhyay, Managing Partner of Pekamiar, sits down with Sanjay Varnwal, Co-founder & CEO of Spyne, to explore how they’re transforming automotive retail — from shaky smartphone photos on crowded lots to studio-quality images, 3D spins, immersive video, and AI-led digital retail.
Sanjay walks through Spyne’s hard pivot from a generic computer vision platform to a deep auto vertical, explaining why they consciously gave up 80% of their revenue to find true product–market fit, and how they scaled from India into the US and Europe, working with over 3,200 dealerships globally.
They talk about:
How dealers can shoot studio-like car visuals using just a smartphone
Why visuals dramatically change lead volume and conversions
Building proprietary computer vision & generative models for auto
Pivoting from multi-vertical to auto-only (and surviving the revenue dip)
Using conversational AI to capture leads 24/7
How to hire for new markets and build a US sales engine from India
What founders should really focus on before raising a Series A
If you’re building in AI, SaaS, or vertical software, or you’re a founder thinking about a painful but necessary pivot, this one is going to hit home.
Chapters
00:00: Introduction to Spine AI and Automotive Retail Transformation
02:53: The Impact of Visual Presentation on Car Sales
06:07: The Capture and Cleanup Process in Automotive Imaging
08:57: The Shift to Specialization in the Automotive Industry
11:44: Revenue Growth and Metrics for Success
14:53: Customer Success Stories and Engagement Strategies
17:52: Adapting to Market Changes and Technology Trends
20:47: Expanding into a Broader Digital Retail Platform
23:49: Fundraising and Future Growth Plans
26:18: Unlocking Funding Success
29:07: Navigating Market Challenges
30:30: Scaling and International Expansion
35:59: Hiring for Growth
42:34: Cultural Cohesion and Leadership
44:55: Future of AI in Auto Retail
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