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GROWTH PARTNERS

Rishabh Mariwala,
Founder & Managing Partner, Sharrp Ventures
Rishabh Mariwala is the Founder and Managing Partner of Sharrp Ventures, focusing on long-term, growth-oriented investments across various sectors. Sharrp Ventures provides not just financial support but also strategic guidance and mentorship to its investee companies, leveraging the Mariwala family's extensive experience in consumer brands. Guided by the 'Passionate, Patient and Progressive' investment philosophy, he believes in allowing companies to grow sustainably without undue pressure for quick returns

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Mahavir Sharma,
General Partner, Swishin Ventures Chair and Co-Founder, RAIN Past Chair, TiE Global and TiE India Angels
Mahavir Pratap Sharma is a prominent figure in the Indian startup ecosystem, known for his roles as the Chair of TiE India Angels and Director of TiE India Foundation. He is a serial entrepreneur and has been actively involved in angel investing for over a decade. So far, he has invested in more than 17 early-stage startups.

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Nitika Khurana,
Chief Investments & Ops - Chandigarh Angels Network (CAN)
Nitika Mishra Khurana is a prominent figure in the Indian startup ecosystem, serving as the Chief Investments & Operations Officer at the Chandigarh Angels Network (CAN). Having been a successful founder herself, she is involved in angel investing, providing financial support and guidance to startups through CAN.

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Mitesh Shah,
Co-Founder, IP Ventures
Mitesh Shah is a notable angel investor and the co-founder of Inflection Point Ventures (IP Ventures), which he established in 2018. Having served as the CFO at Ola from 2013 to 2016 and then as the Head of Finance at BookMyShow from 2016 to 2020, he prides himself on providing not just capital but also strategic guidance to the companies he invests in. He has made over 90 angel investments, focusing on early-stage startups across various sectors.

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Amit Kumar,
Partner, ah! Ventures Fund
Amit Kumar is a co-founding partner at ah! Ventures Fund, a SEBI-registered Category I Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) that invests in early-stage, sector-agnostic startups in India. He has over 20 years of experience in venture capital, finance, and business scalability, and is the driving force behind the maiden fund of INR 150 crore at ah! Ventures.

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Anirudh Damani,
Managing Partner, Artha Ventures
Anirudh Damani is a prominent figure in the Indian venture capital landscape, serving as the Managing Partner of Artha Venture Fund (AVF), India's largest microVC fund house. Encompassing 120+ investments across India, his investments include OYO Rooms, Tala, Agnikul, Exotel, Purplle, Karza Technologies, Everest Fleet, and Daalchini. He is a frequent speaker on venture capital and entrepreneurship and believes that each village in India can become a center of economic growth through entrepreneurship and renewable energy initiatives.

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Chirag Gupta,
Managing Partners, 8X Ventures
Chirag Gupta is the Managing Partner at 8X Ventures, a deeptech-focused venture capital firm that invests in startups leading disruptive technological innovation globally. 8X Ventures focuses on sectors such as water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), Industry 4.0, advanced computing, biotech, and B2B enterprise SaaS. Chirag emphasizes investing in companies that create sustainable value for industries and economies.

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Prem Barthasarthy,
Managing Partner, Pontaq
Prem Kumar Barthasarathy is the Managing Partner of Pontaq, a UK-India innovation fund focused on cross-border investments and technology transfer between the UK and India. Pontaq has invested in over 100 companies across diverse sectors, enabling accelerated growth, reduced cost and increased revenue for the portfolio companies, whilst preserving founder's equity.

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Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma,
Co-founder, Venture Catalysts & 9Unicorns
Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma is a prominent figure in India's startup ecosystem, with over two decades of experience in helping startups grow and scale. Dr. Sharma has mentored over 200 startups, including successful ventures like BharatPe, Beardo, Fynd, and SuprDaily, in addition to being the co-founder and president of Venture Catalysts - India's first integrated incubator, ranked as the world’s 7th Largest Incubator and Early Stage Investor. He also co-founded 9Unicorns, a $70 million accelerator fund focused on early-stage startups. 9Unicorns aims to fund over 150 bold founders at the idea stage.

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Gaurav VK Singhvi
Co-Founder, EvolveX
Gaurav VK Singhvi is a versatile leader, excelling as a Super Angel, Business Strategist, Serial Entrepreneur, and Startup Mentor. From corporate roles to investment banking, his journey reflects resilience and visionary leadership. As the founder of GSV Group, he’s invested in 150+ startups and mentored 40+ entrepreneurs. He also co-founded Climate Detox and The Amore Hotel. As National Director of Corporateconnections® and Executive Director of BNI Greater Surat, he fosters global community growth while championing continuous personal and professional development.

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Rohit Jhunjhunwala

Rohit Jhunjhunwala, Partner at IN44 Capital, combines rigorous research and analysis with hands-on investment experience. With stints at JP Morgan Chase, CARE Ratings and BNY Mellon, he knows a good business opportunity when he sees one. At IN44 Capital, he champions a VC-inspired angel investing model, offering startups both capital and mentorship.

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Ashu Suyash

Ashu Suyash, Founder and CEO of Colossa Ventures, is a renowned financial leader with over three decades of rich and varied experience, including tenures as CEO of CRISIL and India head of Fidelity International. Her Colossa WomenFirst Fund secured ₹100 crore in its first round, targeting women-led startups across sectors, backed by SIDBI and prominent family offices.

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Jeenendra Bhandari, Chairman, JITO Incubation and Innovation Foundation (JIIF)

Jeenendra Bhandari, Chairman of JITO Incubation and Innovation Foundation (JIIF), is a Partner at MGB, a leading professional services firm. A CA and CPA from the USA, he has held key leadership roles, including Chairman of Young Indians (CII) and IMC’s Young Leaders Forum. A passionate mentor and investor, Jeenendra advises and invests in startups, helping them grow and succeed, while serving as an Independent Director for various companies. He brings deep knowledge and wisdom to the table. At JITO JIFF, he aims to empower investors and entrepreneurs with the tools, technology, insights and opportunities they need to grow sustainably.

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Rajnish Kapur

Rajnish Kapur, Managing Partner at IAN Fund, melds 30 years of tech leadership and startup grit. From founding eTravelIndia to steering innovation at MakeMyTrip, he now backs deeptech and SaaS ventures. Board roles at Astrome and Truemeds showcase his knack for scaling big ideas. Clearly a builder, and not just an investor.

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Param Patel

Param Patel, Founder & Managing Partner at Volt VC, brings a rich blend of entrepreneurial drive and investment expertise. From launching Gujarat’s first micro VC fund to pioneering India’s first tokenized AIF at GIFT City, he has consistently backed bold, consumer-centric startups at the pre-seed stage. With a foundation in chartered accountancy, law, and an MBA in entrepreneurship and tech, he navigates finance and innovation with equal finesse.

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Vikrant Varshney

Vikrant Varshney, Chief Risk Officer & Managing Partner at Risk Resources, has over two decades of leadership in enterprise risk management, business continuity, and security across global BFSI and ITES sectors. A Hall of Fame awardee and co-founder of SucSEED Venture Partners, he has driven early-stage investments alongside LetsVenture, AngelList, Hyderabad Angels, and 50K Network, and co-founded the IIIT Seed Fund at IIT Hyderabad for deep-tech and Risk & RegTech innovations. Through SucSEED, he has mentored and funded numerous deep-tech startups, reflecting his commitment to resilience, innovation, and strategic growth.

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Anand Lunia

Anand Lunia, Founding Partner at India Quotient, blends entrepreneurial insight with a sharp investing acumen. From co-founding Brainvisa to steering seed-stage bets in transformative Indian startups, he champions bold ideas that challenge convention. His portfolio spans consumer brands, fintech, and SaaS, underscoring his instinct for spotting the next big wave in India’s startup ecosystem. Clearly, a catalyst for innovation and growth.

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Pankaj Anand

Pankaj Anand, founder of The Santa Kidz, blends entrepreneurial vision with a commitment to sustainable, scalable ventures. From early childhood education to e-mobility and global learning platforms like OLOO Global, OLOO Electric, JET Ryyde, and Unschooled Global, his portfolio reflects innovation with impact. Driven by research-backed insights, he continues to create opportunities that foster growth for both communities and businesses.

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Past Seasons