Madhav Jha

Co-founder & CTO, Emergent

Search every verified Madhav Jha interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Madhav Jha, co-founder and CTO of Emergent, appeared on the Y Combinator podcast "The Lightcone" in March 2026 to discuss the company's growth and its AI platform for non-technical users. He stated that in eight months since launch, users had created over 7 million apps on Emergent, with that number doubling in the prior 45 days. Jha described the platform's primary users as small and medium business owners who previously relied on email, WhatsApp, and spreadsheets and would have hired a development shop for custom software. He also noted that Emergent's agent asks users clarifying questions before building and that the company has focused on improving design quality alongside functionality. In the interview, Jha expressed views on the broader software industry, saying that the current SaaS model needs to change. He argued that SaaS workflows will increasingly be consumed by agents, and that companies not pivoting to an agent-first approach may struggle to survive. He also highlighted the potential for AI to empower individuals to start businesses without venture funding, describing an "explosion" of one-person companies following their passions, and said Emergent aims to reduce the gap between ideas and reality.