Episode 21: From Research to Reinvention: Prayag Narula on Startups, Setbacks & AI Innovation

In this live episode recorded at UXDX NYC , Prayag Narula - cofounder and CEO of HeyMarvin - joins That Pivotal Moment of Change to share how a career rooted in research led to an unexpected but impactful journey through entrepreneurship.

From building a demand generation startup without any sales background to founding Marvin, an AI-powered research repository that helps teams analyze and activate insights, Prayag reflects on the lessons, pivots, and hard truths that shaped his path. He opens up about the realities of leadership - how it’s more about showing up and doing the work than holding a title—and how being “pushed out” of his first company became the catalyst for building something more aligned with his values.

The conversation dives deep into the evolving role of researchers in an AI-driven world. Prayag discusses why bias can’t be removed but should be transparently addressed, how synthetic users can be powerful tools in the right context (though never a replacement for real people), and why AI isn’t coming for your job - but might be coming for the entry-level stepping stones that teach judgment and taste.

With sharp insight and refreshing candor, Prayag offers a thoughtful look at what it means to lead, adapt, and stay human in the age of automation.