Why Most Startups Don’t Follow the Rules

What happens when startup dreams collide with legal landmines? Hi, I’m James, and In this episode of TiE Talks, I sit down with two powerhouse voices from the investor and legal world—Vijay Sambamurthi and Nicholas Cator. Vijay’s a seasoned lawyer who founded Lexington Law in India and now leads its Singapore office, while Nick is a consumer-focused investor who’s seen it all across India and Southeast Asia. We get personal about the darker side of fast-growing startups—from investor FOMO to the slippery slope of founder shortcuts. If you’ve ever raised funds, sat on a board, or just love a good behind-the-scenes story, you’ll want to hear this.

Discussion Points: Why Most Startups Don’t Follow the Rules

• Are founders cutting corners just to impress investors?
• Why does Southeast Asia struggle with exits while India surges ahead?
• What do startup frauds and superhero villains have in common?
• How do blue chip investors get it so wrong?
• Why founders say no to legal audits—and regret it later
• What basic hygiene investors should always demand but don’t
• How the media’s pump-and-dump culture is warping startup values
• Why the smartest investors are finally saying no to easy wins

Our Guest: Vijay Sambamurthi

Vijay Sambamurthi is the founder and managing partner of Lexygen, a leading Indian law firm headquartered in Bangalore, with pan-India coverage and international offices in Singapore.

Sambamurthi graduated from the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru in 1997, and has more than 27 years of experience advising blue-chip funds, startups and high-growth corporations on their legal needs and growth strategy. He regularly advises some of the market-leading names on their Indian transactions and operatio