Arnav Mishra, "Building an AI-Native Company: Databases, Distributed Systems, and other Founder Stories"

Abstract:
I co-founded Doss in 2022, just as the generative AI wave was beginning to reshape software. We’re building an AI-native ERP: the primary system of record for businesses ranging from small CPG brands to nearly every company in the Fortune 500. In this talk, I’ll explore the architectural bets we’ve made to account for the future of software, while continuing to serve customers today. I'll focus on three layers of that build: how we design structured data storage for humans and AI agents, how we orchestrate complex business logic across a distributed data layer, and how we build interfaces that give nontechnical users the flexibility and composability of traditional front-end code. Along the way, I’ll share how customer conversations, selling, and fundraising shape those technical decisions. Join me for an open conversation about the engineering tradeoffs and founder lessons from building an AI-native company from the ground up.

Bio:
Arnav Mishra ('18, B.S.-M.C.S., Computer Science) is the Co-Founder and CTO of DOSS, a suite of applications that helps brands manage the flow of goods, dollars and data into and out of their business. Arnav spent his early career as a founding software engineer at construction finance startup Siteline.