Backing resilient founders
Spotlight Strategic Partners is an early stage focused venture capital fund backing resilient founders building enduring businesses. Spotlight was created as a venture firm where the founder remains the protagonist. The firm invests early and supports companies as they grow, focusing on sectors such as AI, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, biotech, financial services, infrastructure, platforms, and consumer brands. In 2025, Rajesh Mane and Ankit Jain founded the firm, building on their investing work since 2015, first as angel investors and later as fund managers.
Ankit Jain
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Chartered Accountant (CA), B.Com (H.R. College of Commerce & Economics, Mumbai)
Ankit Jain is a venture capital investor with over 12 years of experience investing in and scaling high-growth technology startups across India. He has backed more than 100 startups, participated in 40+ successful exits, and worked closely with founders on fundraising, business development, market expansion, and strategic growth. Prior to co-founding Spotlight Strategic Partners, Mr. Jain was a Partner at 9Unicorns, where he played a key role in raising capital for the fund and led investments in several category-leading companies, including Renee Cosmetics, Zypp Electric, and VideoVerse. Earlier, he was a Founding Member of Venture Catalysts, where he helped build one of India's leading multi-stage venture capital platforms, investing across more than 100 startups and contributing to over 40 portfolio exits, including Pixis, Beardo, FYND, SuprDaily, and ConfirmTkt. At Spotlight Strategic Partners, Mr. Jain leads the firm's investment strategy, portfolio development, and investor relationships. He works closely with founders to support capital raising, commercial expansion, strategic partnerships, and long-term value creation. His investment philosophy focuses on partnering with exceptional entrepreneurs building category-defining businesses with strong fundamentals and global potential. Mr. Jain is a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA) and holds a Bachelor's degree in Commerce from H.R. College of Commerce & Economics, Mumbai.
Rajesh Mane
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Electronics Engineering (VJTI Mumbai); B.Sc. Banking & Finance programme (London School of Economics)
Rajesh Mane is an investor, entrepreneur, and ecosystem builder with over 15 years of experience investing in and supporting high-growth technology startups across India. Over the course of his career, he has evaluated more than 15,000 startups, backed some of India's fastest-growing companies, and helped founders scale their businesses across domestic and international markets. Prior to co-founding Spotlight Strategic Partners, Mr. Mane spent a decade with Venture Catalysts Group, where he played a pivotal role in expanding the firm's presence across 15 cities in India and international markets including Dubai and Hong Kong. He was instrumental in building the firm's investment platform, leading deal sourcing, market expansion, portfolio development, and strategic initiatives. As an Operating Partner at 9Unicorns, he led the end-to-end investment process, from evaluating thousands of opportunities to supporting investment committee decisions and portfolio value creation. Throughout his investment career, Mr. Mane has worked closely with founders across enterprise software, AI, fintech, consumer brands, deep technology, and digital platforms, supporting companies in fundraising, strategic partnerships, and international expansion. His portfolio includes leading startups such as Pixis, VideoVerse, Beardo, InShorts, Fynd, Renee Cosmetics, and several other category-defining businesses. Before venture capital, Mr. Mane built and exited multiple technology ventures. He co-founded Weekend Ventures, one of India's largest startup communities, supported by NASSCOM 10,000 Startups, Google for Entrepreneurs, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services. Earlier, he was part of the founding engineering team at Biosense Technologies, contributed to the development of one of the world's first non-invasive glucometer technologies, and co-founded Airpix Aerial Systems, one of India's earliest commercial drone companies. At Spotlight Strategic Partners, Mr. Mane leads the firm's investment strategy, portfolio construction, founder partnerships, and platform initiatives. He works closely with entrepreneurs to build globally competitive businesses while helping institutional and family office investors access India's next generation of category leaders. Mr. Mane studied Electronics Engineering from VJTI Mumbai (Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute), and has also studied Economics through the B.Sc. Banking & Finance programme at the London School of Economics, University of London.
Investments in securities markets are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing. Past performance is not indicative of future returns.
Yash Shankar
Investment Analyst
CFA Levels I and II completed, CFA Level III in progress; B.Com (Dr. G.R. Damodaran College of Arts and Science)
Yash Shankar is an investment professional with a background spanning venture capital, entrepreneurship, and public markets. His experience across company building, capital markets, and investment analysis enables him to evaluate businesses from both an operator's and an investor's perspective. At Spotlight Strategic Partners, Yash works closely with the investment team on deal sourcing, financial modelling, commercial due diligence, market research, and investment analysis across artificial intelligence, deep technology, fintech, enterprise software, and consumer businesses. He supports the firm's investment process from opportunity evaluation through portfolio development. Before joining Spotlight, Yash held product and business development responsibilities at Cloud Central, where he led product strategy and commercial initiatives, expanding the company's cloud-based communications platform across multiple enterprise sectors. Earlier, he founded Cabbie, a mobility platform serving boutique hotels and hospitality operators in Goa, and Capskale, an online finance community that brought together thousands of investors and market participants across India. Alongside his entrepreneurial experience, Yash has been actively involved in public markets and derivatives trading since 2018, developing expertise in market analysis, portfolio management, and macro-driven investment strategies. This combination of operational experience and market investing provides him with a broad perspective when evaluating emerging businesses and long-term investment opportunities. Yash is particularly interested in artificial intelligence, deep technology, fintech, and enterprise software, with a strong conviction that AI will fundamentally reshape industries, accelerate innovation, and create entirely new categories of global businesses over the coming decades. He has successfully completed Levels I and II of the CFA Program and is currently pursuing CFA Level III under the Private Markets pathway. He holds a Bachelor's degree in International Business (B.Com) from Dr. G.R. Damodaran College of Arts and Science and has completed a Summer Programme in Innovation Management at the London School of Economics.
Trishita Ghosh
Investment Analyst
LL.B. (O.P. Jindal Global University); Accredited Civil & Commercial Mediator
Trishita is an investment professional with a multidisciplinary background spanning venture capital, corporate law, and early-stage investing. Combining legal expertise with financial analysis, she brings a unique perspective to evaluating investment opportunities, structuring transactions, and supporting founders through every stage of the investment lifecycle. Prior to joining Spotlight Strategic Partners, Trishita served as an Investment and Legal Associate at ThinKuvate, a Singapore-headquartered investment firm, where she led end-to-end due diligence on early-stage technology companies across multiple sectors. She was responsible for evaluating investment opportunities, conducting commercial and legal diligence, preparing investment committee materials, negotiating transaction documents, and supporting portfolio investments from sourcing through execution. She also played an active role in investor relations and institutional fundraising initiatives. Earlier in her career, Trishita worked with the High Court of Bombay, assisting the Hon'ble Chief Justice and senior judges on matters involving taxation, insolvency, and complex commercial disputes. This experience developed her analytical approach to legal reasoning, governance, and risk assessment, capabilities that continue to strengthen her investment decision-making. At Spotlight Strategic Partners, Trishita focuses on evaluating early-stage investment opportunities, conducting investment due diligence, transaction execution, portfolio support, and market research. Her expertise spans venture investing, financial analysis, legal structuring, corporate governance, shareholder documentation, and founder engagement. Trishita is particularly interested in consumer brands, consumer technology, healthcare, renewable energy, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the creative economy. She believes the next generation of enduring businesses will be built at the intersection of technological innovation, strong governance, and long-term structural trends shaping global markets. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from O.P. Jindal Global University, where she was awarded the Savitri Jindal Scholarship. She is also an Accredited Civil & Commercial Mediator, bringing a balanced perspective to negotiation, stakeholder alignment, and complex transaction structuring.
Vinay Jain
Accelerator Manager
Master's and Bachelor's in Philosophy; certifications in Product Management and Startup Investment Readiness
Vinay Kumar Jain is a startup ecosystem operator with experience spanning venture building, acceleration, strategic partnerships, founder success, and ecosystem development. He has worked closely with entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, and government institutions to support the growth of high-potential startups across multiple sectors. At Spotlight Strategic Partners, he leads Launchpad, where he works with founders, investors, corporates, and ecosystem partners to help early-stage companies access capital, strategic networks, mentorship, and growth opportunities. Prior to Spotlight, Vinay was part of JITO Incubation and Innovation Foundation, where he progressed from Intern to Assistant Manager, leading initiatives across acceleration, partnerships, and government programs. During his tenure, he was responsible for driving accelerator programs, founder engagement, strategic partnerships, government initiatives, and investment readiness. His experience spans startup acceleration, venture partnerships, founder engagement, accelerator programs, ecosystem building, government initiatives, and technology-enabled operational excellence. He has also led large-scale entrepreneurial events and investor engagement programs while supporting founders through fundraising, investment readiness, and business growth. Vinay is particularly interested in artificial intelligence, fintech, deep technology, defence technology, sustainability, and digital consumer businesses, with a strong conviction that India's next generation of global companies will emerge from technology-led innovation solving both domestic and global challenges. He holds a Master's and Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, along with certifications in Product Management and Startup Investment Readiness.
Sneha Shivgunde
Accelerator Manager
Bachelor's in Computer Science and Business Systems (D.Y. Patil University); member of IET
Sneha is an accelerator professional with a background spanning startup operations, venture building, product strategy, and business development. Passionate about working with founders at the earliest stages, she focuses on helping entrepreneurs transform promising ideas into scalable businesses through structured mentorship, ecosystem access, and operational support. At Spotlight Strategic Partners, Sneha leads the firm's accelerator initiatives, working closely with founders through the Launchpad and accelerator programs. She supports entrepreneurs in refining business models, validating product-market fit, building go-to-market strategies, connecting with mentors and industry experts, and preparing for fundraising. She also works with ecosystem partners, corporates, and investors to create meaningful growth opportunities for portfolio companies. Prior to joining Spotlight, Sneha worked with multiple early-stage startups across electric mobility, enterprise technology, and supply chain operations. She began her startup journey at ZeroVolt, contributing to the launch of the company's first EV charging station while supporting product and customer experience initiatives. She later gained experience across business development, pre-sales, market analysis, procurement, forecasting, and operations, developing a strong understanding of the practical challenges faced by early-stage companies. Alongside her professional experience, Sneha has led several technology and entrepreneurship projects, including building a digital platform to help home-based food entrepreneurs scale their businesses and leading the design of ThermoSmart, an AI-driven thermal management system for data centres that received national recognition for innovation. Her combination of technical knowledge and operational experience enables her to work effectively with founders across diverse technology sectors. Sneha is particularly passionate about the zero-to-one stage of company building, where founders benefit most from strategic guidance, structured execution, and ecosystem support. She is especially interested in healthcare, women's health, artificial intelligence, enterprise technology, and climate innovation, believing that technology-driven businesses solving meaningful real-world problems will define the next generation of impactful companies. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Business Systems from D.Y. Patil University, graduating at the top of her class, and is a member of the Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET).
Nishi Patel
Compliance Executive
Ashwini Kakkar
BoardChairman & Board Member
PGDM (IIM Calcutta); MBA (INSEAD); B.E. Mechanical Engineering (NIT Kurukshetra)
Ashwini Kakkar is a distinguished business leader, entrepreneur, and corporate board professional with over 40 years of global leadership experience across travel, technology, financial services, and corporate governance. He serves as Chairman of Ambit, having been an Independent Director since 2005 and Chairman since 2013. Over his executive career, he has held leadership positions with Otis Elevator, Philips India, International General Electric, and Thomas Cook India, where he led operations across a region spanning from Singapore to Egypt while serving on the company's global board. As an entrepreneur, he has built and led several successful businesses, including Mercury Travels and Via.com, contributing significantly to the evolution of India's travel and technology sectors. He has extensive experience in scaling businesses, international expansion, strategic governance, mergers and acquisitions, and long-term value creation. Mr. Kakkar has served on the boards of numerous global companies and institutions and currently serves as Global Chairman of Action Against Hunger, one of the world's leading humanitarian organizations. In recognition of his contributions to international business and Indo-French relations, he was awarded the prestigious Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite by the Government of France. At Spotlight Strategic Partners, Mr. Kakkar serves as Chairman of the Advisory Board, providing strategic guidance on governance, institutional growth, global partnerships, and long-term value creation. Drawing on decades of boardroom leadership and executive experience, he helps shape the firm's strategic direction and supports its mission of building enduring, globally relevant investment platforms. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, a PGDM from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, and an MBA from INSEAD, France.
Sameer Sawhney
BoardBoard Member
Chartered Accountant; B.Com (University of Delhi)
Sameer Sawhney is a seasoned global banking executive, investor, and board advisor with over 30 years of experience across corporate banking, private credit, transaction banking, venture capital, and investment management in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership positions at ANZ, Standard Chartered Bank, and Greensill, where he led multi-billion-dollar institutional banking, trade finance, credit, and corporate banking businesses across Asia. As Managing Director and Regional CEO at ANZ, he was responsible for operations across Singapore, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, overseeing corporate banking, institutional relationships, and strategic growth initiatives. Following his banking career, Mr. Sawhney has focused on private credit, venture capital, and strategic investments, serving as Chief Investment Officer at S Cube Capital, Senior Managing Director and Co-Head APAC at Greensill, and as an advisor to emerging technology businesses and investment platforms. His expertise spans credit investing, structured finance, venture investing, capital markets, corporate strategy, and governance. At Spotlight Strategic Partners, Mr. Sawhney serves on the Investment Committee, bringing extensive experience in institutional investing, risk management, credit underwriting, and capital allocation. His global perspective and deep expertise in evaluating businesses and managing investment risk strengthen the firm's disciplined investment process and long-term value creation. Mr. Sawhney is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor's degree in Commerce from the University of Delhi.
Nandi Vardhan Mehta
BoardBoard Member
Chartered Accountant; B.Com (Jai Narain Vyas University)
Nandi Vardhan Mehta is a global finance executive, board director, and investor with over 20 years of experience across private equity, venture capital, family offices, corporate finance, and governance in the Middle East and India. He serves as Chief Financial Officer and Investment Committee Member at KAAF Investments LLC, the private investment office of the Kanoo family, where he supports disciplined capital allocation and portfolio oversight across a global multi-asset investment platform. He also serves on the Board of Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Group, a 140-year-old diversified business with a global presence across industrials, energy, shipping, logistics, travel, real estate, and investments. Previously, Mr. Mehta served as Chief Financial Officer of Freightworks, an Emirates Group company, and as Group CFO of Al Owais Group, leading finance transformation, corporate restructuring, governance, mergers and acquisitions, enterprise risk management, and business strategy across diversified businesses. Earlier in his career, he worked with KPMG and his family's retail and manufacturing business in India. Beyond his executive roles, Mr. Mehta is an active angel investor, startup mentor, and advisor to venture-backed companies. He has served on the advisory boards of leading venture capital firms and currently serves on the Governing Board of SAPNA, an India-based non-profit organization focused on education, healthcare, and community development. At Spotlight Strategic Partners, Mr. Mehta serves as a Board Member, providing strategic guidance on institutional governance, best global practices, financial strategy, and long-term value creation. His extensive experience across global investment platforms, family offices, and board leadership strengthens the firm's strategic direction and governance framework. Mr. Mehta is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor's degree in Commerce from Jai Narain Vyas University.
Arun Khehar
BoardBoard Member
Executive MBA in International Business (University of Edinburgh and Ecole des Ponts Business School); executive programs at London Business School
Arun Khehar is a global technology executive, board leader, and venture investor with over 40 years of experience building and scaling enterprise technology businesses across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. He previously served as Senior Vice President at Oracle Corporation, where he spent more than 25 years leading the company's Business Applications division across Eastern & Central Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and Africa. During his tenure, he managed a $700+ million business, led multicultural teams of over 1,000 professionals, and helped establish Oracle as the region's leading enterprise cloud applications provider. Earlier, he served as a Business Partner at Accenture Middle East, advising enterprises on cloud transformation, digital strategy, and large-scale technology adoption. Mr. Khehar has extensive experience in enterprise software, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, go-to-market strategy, and scaling technology businesses across more than 100 countries. Recognized by Forbes Middle East as one of the region's leading technology executives, he has also served on the boards of multiple companies, advising founders and leadership teams on growth, international expansion, and corporate strategy. At Spotlight Strategic Partners, Mr. Khehar serves as an Investment Committee Member, bringing deep expertise in enterprise technology, AI, software markets, global scaling, and strategic business development. His experience evaluating technology businesses and helping companies expand internationally provides valuable perspective to the firm's investment process and portfolio development. Mr. Khehar holds an Executive MBA in International Business from the University of Edinburgh and École des Ponts Business School, and has completed executive leadership programs at London Business School.
Anil Taneja
AdvisorStrategic Advisor
Degrees in Commerce, Business Management, and Cost & Management Accounting; executive programs from HarvardX and University of Helsinki
Anil Taneja is a venture capital advisor, startup mentor, and business strategist with over 25 years of experience across venture investing, corporate strategy, business development, and entrepreneurship. He has worked extensively with venture capital funds, founders, corporates, government institutions, and startup ecosystems to help businesses scale, raise capital, and build sustainable growth strategies. He currently serves as Operating Partner at Elev8 Venture Partners, a growth-stage venture capital fund, and as Business Advisor to Sayenvest Capital (UK), supporting investment strategy, fundraising, and portfolio development. Previously, he served as Vice President at Venture Catalysts, where he played an active role in strengthening India's startup ecosystem, supporting founders through fundraising, investment readiness, and business expansion. Prior to his venture capital career, Mr. Taneja held leadership roles with PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where he established the Uttarakhand state chapter and worked closely with government, industry leaders, and policymakers on entrepreneurship, MSME development, innovation, and startup policy. Earlier in his career, he held business leadership positions with ICICI, HDFC, and Reliance, gaining extensive experience in business development, financial services, marketing, and corporate strategy. Beyond his professional roles, Mr. Taneja is an active mentor, investor, and advisor to startups, incubators, accelerators, and academic institutions including leading IITs and IIMs. He regularly mentors entrepreneurs on fundraising, go-to-market strategy, business transformation, corporate governance, and scaling high-growth businesses. At Spotlight Strategic Partners, Mr. Taneja serves as a Strategic Advisor, providing guidance on startup ecosystem development, venture investing, founder engagement, strategic partnerships, and institutional growth. His deep experience across venture capital, corporate leadership, and public-private collaboration brings valuable strategic perspective to the firm's long-term development. Mr. Taneja holds degrees in Commerce, Business Management, and Cost & Management Accounting, and has completed executive programs in Technology Entrepreneurship from HarvardX and Artificial Intelligence from the University of Helsinki.
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