Arkam Ventures

What part of the venture capital process—from the first meeting to a successful exit—gives you the most personal energy and satisfaction? The first meeting with a founder gives me a window to potential and possibilities—after twenty years, this energy hasn't diminished. The venture business is a long game, and my heart breaks when founders do everything right but the world fails to recognize it. I get a lot of satisfaction from a succesful exit. It is an event where the interests of our LPs and founders align. It is validation for all the work, bringing some sense to the otherwise random order of the startup universe. Ten years from now, what kind of impact do you hope the companies you've backed will have on their respective industries or the world at large? When I drive down Hosur Road in Bangalore, I see the buildings of companies I've backed—Gupshup, MoEngage, IntrCity, Equitas with thousands working in them and millions of users globally. Arkam backs founders solving meaningful problems, defined by how many lives they impact or their ability to create new industries. Ten years from now, I'd like Arkam portfolio companies to illuminate the lives of millions of Indians and the world at large. Where do you go for inspiration when you're feeling stuck? Nowhere. I appreciate feeling stuck because it's essential for growth.

Beyond the deck and the numbers, what's the most important signal you look for during a first meeting with a founder? I simply try to understand how a founder thinks. Its amazing how much you can get by focusing on this - its the core of who they are as individuals and how they will operate through the ups and downs of building a successful business. There is no cookie cutter archetype here but as an investor its key for me to get a really good sense for the mindset of the individual we will partner with for a long period. You have been in three distinct careers - Wall Street Analyst, two start-ups, and now as an investor. What is one common lesson across them? Failing to see how much of one's personal success is due to the people and teams around them. Its very hard to list all attributes a successful leader or an iconic founder, but almost always, they have been fortunate have an amazing team that made them who they are. What is the most important value you want to embed in this firm's culture, and how do you actively cultivate it? Trust is a value that means a lot to me and is the operating system of a venture firm.