Prashant Mendki

Global VP @ Coupa Software, Stanford GSB LEAD Alumni, GTM Strategy Advisor, Interest in Connecting dots, Views are personal

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

Proud to work at @Coupa where we’re not just talking about #risk, we’re giving teams tools to act fast and smart. Download our #TariffResponse Checklist: your guide to navigating global trade risk in a protectionist environment. https://t.co/TyLt3SZ8X3

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

@hnshah As they say, if everyone agreeing, noone is thinking. The culture of openness is mostly talked about, not followed in most of the startup. How to receive and process feedback is art and science , they don't teach you that.

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

Proud to work at @Coupa where we’re not just talking about #risk, we’re giving teams tools to act fast and smart. Download our #TariffResponse Checklist: your guide to navigating global trade risk in a protectionist environment. https://t.co/TyLt3SZ8X3

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

In February 2025, at the @Coupa sales kickoff, I took the stage to share our partner success strategy. Next month, on May 12-15, we are in Vegas again for #Coupainspire, meeting industry leaders, customers, and partners sharing the roadmap to #multiplymargins. See you there.

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

I'm feeling #CoupaProud to see @Coupa named one of the 20 Hottest #AI Software Companies by #CRN. This recognition demonstrates how Coupa is helping organizations unlock tangible #Spend value by leveraging AI with its innovative platform.

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

Thank you, Latin America team, for engaging in productive conversations with partners in Sao Paulo, Brazil, this week. A growing region, dedicated partners, and a high-performing team are making @Coupa successful in the region. #PartnerSuccess

[Hiten Shah @hnshah]

The Age of AI Agents Has Already Begun

AI Assistants improve your workflow.
AI Agents replace it.

That leap is the difference between a better product and a new category.

But most people still don’t get the difference.

They’re adding AI features to their existing tools. A little auto-summary here. A chat window there. They call it a “copilot.” It feels helpful. It demos well.

And it’s exactly how they fall behind.

Because Assistants are the last step in an old era.
Agents are the first step in a new one.

The Last Era Was Built Around the User Interface

Think back to the last SaaS revolution.

It was all about who could create the best UI.

Clear dashboards. Easy configuration. Simpler onboarding.

The best SaaS companies weren’t smarter. They were just nicer to use.

That era is over.

Now everyone’s interface looks the same.
Your product isn’t competing on usability anymore.
It’s competing on agency.

The Assistant Trap

Here’s what most companies are doing right now:

Add a chatbot to their existing product.
Fine-tune some prompts for the most common tasks.
Ship an “AI copilot” feature.

And they stop there.

But if your AI still needs the user to ask it to do something, you're not building a smarter product. You're building a busier one.

You’re handing the user more power, but still making them do the work.

That’s not leverage. That’s delegation.

The Real Shift: From Tools to Teammates

An AI Assistant is like a great intern.
You tell it what to do, and it does it quickly.

An AI Agent is like a great operator.
It already knows what needs to get done, and it starts doing it before you even think to ask.

That’s the line.
Once crossed, the product stops being a tool you use and becomes a teammate you rely on.

And when that happens, your category doesn’t just evolve. It splits.

Here’s What Happens Next

The best startups in this next wave won’t just have fewer buttons.

They’ll have no interface at all.

You’ll log in and your campaign’s already optimized.
Your landing page is already deployed.
Your insights are already surfaced.

You’ll get the result without needing to know the prompt.

The product doesn’t wait.
It watches, learns, and acts.

Most SaaS Startups Are Repeating the Windows Phone Mistake

In 2007, Microsoft responded to the iPhone by... adding touch to Windows Mobile.

It was a “smart” move. It looked modern. It technically worked.

And it died.

Because the iPhone didn’t add touch, it rethought the operating system from scratch.

That’s the opportunity AI Agents give us now.

Not to bolt on features.
To reimagine the product’s foundation.

Build the Agent, or Become the Interface

Here’s the hard truth.

If your product isn’t evolving into an Agent, it’s on its way to becoming an API.

Someone else will build the Agent that sits on top of it.

And then you become the infrastructure.

Invisible. Replaceable. Forgotten.

That’s why this shift matters.

It’s not just about user experience.
It’s about existential risk.

The Takeaway

If your AI product still needs human prompts, it’s already behind.

Startups that win the next era won’t use the word “assistant” at all.

They’ll build systems that act, learn, and evolve without being told.

Because the next great products won’t ask the user what to do.

They’ll already be doing it.

[Forbes @Forbes]

Alumni of the Forbes Next Billion-Dollar Startups include Doordash, Duolingo, Rippling and Astera Labs. Who deserves to be on this year? Nominations are now open. https://t.co/gv6ZdFeEGB

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

Interesting take on software spend trend by @thomabravo if this holds true, then it's beginning of golden age for software - just different waves than what we saw so far, because of AI.

[Salvatore Babones @BabonesBhai]

It was a great pleasure talking to @AbhishekDedhe and his colleagues at the @SupportJPF about "Data and Democracy" this weekend. They have kindly made the seminar available online at: https://t.co/ZOXfmahrjE

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

@ProfBabones @AbhishekDedhe @SupportJPF Thanks Prof . Babones - it was insightful discussion for sure.

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

Building Student's Profile - Step by Step , by @pmendki https://t.co/RjANHvC8VR

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

Safety, Reach and Target Colleges, by @pmendki https://t.co/F0JM2EcliF

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

10th Grader - What to prepare for College? , by @pmendki https://t.co/6KI3EmNtG7

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

What are key elements of Student Profile, by @pmendki https://t.co/Dmx1JCSLYE

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

What are key elements of Student Profile, by @pmendki https://t.co/Dmx1JCSLYE

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

Building your college database, by @pmendki https://t.co/1Yauml8Xa7

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

Do I need a college consultant?, by @pmendki https://t.co/Y6v1GeeKdT

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

10th Grader - What to prepare for College? , by @pmendki https://t.co/6KI3EmNtG7

[Prashant Mendki @pmendki]

It's too competitive, will I get admission? , by @pmendki https://t.co/t9IK0ryHK2