In this episode of Founders’ Tales, Vivek Uppal, the Founder and CEO of Lappu AI, shares his journey from cybersecurity veteran to startup founder. After discovering that more than 60% of global domains are exposed to spoofing and phishing attacks, Vivek set out to build Lappu AI, an innovative email security platform that uses AI and public DNS data to detect and prevent these threats.

He talks about the emotional ups and downs of building a startup, including moments of technical failure followed by major customer wins. Vivek explains how AI-assisted coding tools helped his small team increase backend functionality thirtyfold in just a few months. He also reflects on how leadership training and coaching shaped him into a calmer and more focused founder, and why he values hiring people with true startup spirit who thrive under uncertainty and constant change.

If you are passionate about AI, cybersecurity, and entrepreneurship, this conversation offers valuable lessons on building technology-driven startups, developing resilience, and staying committed to solving real-world problems.