Omshiva

Shiva (omshiva.ai) is a Brazil-based community for entrepreneurs using artificial intelligence to build products and companies aimed at global markets. Its stated offering combines peer exchange among founders, free access to mentors across growth, software, security, finance, accounting, SEO, AI, sales, product and design, a partner network providing mentorship, credits, networking and potential investment, and a one-year development and investment program called Kalpa. The name references the Hindu deity of transformation; the site frames the Shiva Nataraja statue, with a figure symbolising ego beneath one foot, as a metaphor for the founder's journey, and presents an interactive "village" of fourteen areas as an alternative to a conventional website.

Most community interaction takes place in a Slack workspace and in two mandatory weekly online meetings: Thursdays at 20h dedicated to AI topics, and Sundays at 20h to review each founder's progress and challenges. The community also maintains a physical space in São Paulo, located next to the office of the investment fund Monashees, described as Shiva's main partner. Kalpa is positioned as an invitation-based selective process for founders who stand out through business progress and contribution to the community; it includes ongoing guidance, a monthly stipend intended to allow exclusive dedication to the startup and to cover AI and marketing costs, an immersion in Atibaia, a Demo Day and a roadshow in San Francisco. The site states that participation does not guarantee investment and that the financial support described in Kalpa is the monthly stipend.

Applications are open to any entrepreneur regardless of experience, background, sexual orientation, race or social condition, and applicants may still be employed elsewhere. Shiva generally prefers startups that have not yet raised investment but allows exceptions depending on prior terms. Applications are read by Shiva's CEO rather than screened by a language model, with a response by email within 30 days; application data is emailed to Shiva and not stored on the site."]

Founding story

The site's founder section states that the idea for Shiva came to Lucas Marques in a dream, and that he describes himself not as a founder of Shiva but as a founder "for" Shiva, positioning the project as service to entrepreneurs. Marques writes that he comes from a small rural area in the interior of Minas Gerais, was a partner at Méliuz from when the company operated out of his co-founder's apartment and left the operation two years after its IPO, then focused on the NGO Programadores do Amanhã and on studying AI before starting this project.

Business model

Shiva operates as a founder community with free access to mentors, partners and benefits for members, plus a physical space in São Paulo. Its Kalpa program is described as a one-year development and investment program that pays participating founders a monthly stipend; the site does not describe fees charged to members, and states there is no promise of investment.

Traction

The website describes an operating community with a Slack workspace, two mandatory weekly online meetings, free mentor access, partners and benefits, a physical space in São Paulo, and the Kalpa one-year program including a Demo Day and a San Francisco roadshow. No member counts, cohort sizes or financial figures are disclosed.