Suhail Sameer

Co-lead a workshop (with Sumathi my business partner and Komal lath of Tute Consult) on branding and communication and why/how its' strategic & important for the portfolio companies of an early stage growth focused PE fund in Mumbai this noon. very interactive session. lots of takeaways. one of the biggest benefits of doing such workshops with founders and CXOs of growth companies is that you get to first hand understand their pain points and priorities. which makes you realize there is a long road ahead laden with great opportunity for those in PR & comms if we take off our hats and look at it from their perspective.

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Trifecta Capital has launched its largest venture debt fund yet, totaling a whopping ₹2,000 crore, with an additional ₹500 crore greenshoe option. This fund is sector-agnostic, targeting: ✅ Electric mobility ✅ SaaS ✅ Fintech ✅ Enterprise tech Founded in 2015 by Rahul Khanna and Nilesh Kothari, the firm has already invested in over 30 unicorns and numerous high-value companies like Zepto, Meesho, BlueStone, and Urban Company. While staying clear of riskier sectors such as cryptocurrencies, gaming, and P2P lending, Trifecta Capital has successfully deployed ₹6,000 crore from its three funds, including recycled capital. For enquiries, drop an email to [email protected] #VentureCapital #Investment #ElectricMobility #SaaS #Fintech #EnterpriseTech #Startups #Unicorns #TrifectaCapital #Funding #BusinessGrowth

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Disruption: The Key to Building Consumer Brands in India A founder's journey is akin to navigating uncharted waters, where every decision is a delicate balance between probabilities and possibilities. Sometimes, the founders are at the right place at the right time when disruptive waves are manifesting primarily in three formidable forms: regulatory, technological, and demographic. 1. Regulatory Disruption: Regulatory changes often appear as a vast blue ocean, promising untapped opportunities. Yet, one must tread carefully. The very nature of regulation implies that what is granted can be swiftly taken away. And many times, what is generally not specified also treads towards an eventual "No." 2. Technological Disruption: Technological advancements offer a compass for our voyage. Leveraging emerging technology platforms to create breakthroughs can unlock tremendous growth. 3. Demographic Disruption: India, a nation teeming with youth, stands at the precipice of never before seen disposable income that can be monetised digitally at scale. By meticulously segmenting markets, one can craft products and services that not only sell but seamlessly integrate into the lifestyle narratives of the emerging consuming class. At Endurance Capital, we work with early stage founders to be leaders in India's consumer revolution. As founders, the opportunity is immense. It's time to disrupt the old guard and innovate with an India-first approach. Let's craft consumer brands that aren't just loved but become a legacy for the generations to come. 🚀🇮🇳

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🚀 Breaking Ground with VC Grid: India's Venture Odyssey! 🚀 Thrilled to unveil VC Grid, a paradigm shift in venture syndication crafted exclusively for the visionary minds of family offices & UHNIs. With a formidable war chest of Rs 900 crore, VC Grid embarks on a mission to empower 100-120 startups over the next triennium, spanning diverse realms from agritech to financial frontiers, seeding each venture with an infusion ranging from INR 4-16 crore. Powered by the backing of esteemed Indian family offices, entrepreneurs, and UHNIs, VC Grid's helm is steered by Vansh Oberoi, a dynamic VC professional in early-stage investments with an illustrious six-year journey at Venture Catalysts alongside Sidhi Dalmia, former Goldman Sachs executive, captaining our venture towards new horizons. Already carving its mark, VC Grid has infused INR 40 crore into five trailblazing ventures, catalyzing an unprecedented INR 100 crore in follow-on funding. Notable among these are Autocracy Machinery Pvt Ltd, KisanKonnect Safe Foods and Ideal Insurance. But VC Grid isn't just about capital infusion; it's a beacon of collaborative innovation, fostering a nexus of expertise and domestic capital. Our mandate? Backing ventures grounded in research, profitability, and ESG principles, with an eye on delivering over 30% IRR. Join us on this exhilarating venture odyssey as we redefine the contours of India's startup landscape, one disruptive idea at a time! Venture Catalysts++ | India's 1st Multi-Stage VC, 9Unicorns, Anuj Golecha, Anil G Jain, Gaurav Jain, Vansh Oberoi, Sidhi Dalmia, Shreeyesh Chandgothia #VentureCatalysts #AngelInvestor #VC #IndianStartups #StartupFunding #SyndicateFund #FamilyOffices #IndianStartups #ESGInvesting https://lnkd.in/de65Wk9p

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Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) is on the rise globally, with India hosting over 150 CVCs. This trend reflects corporations' recognition of the innovation startups bring and their desire to stay competitive. By investing in startups, corporations gain access to innovation, value-adding technologies, and financial incentives. CVCs play strategic roles by investing in startups within their industries, offering benefits like industry networks and expertise, while also providing general support such as access to experienced professionals and relaxed return expectations. The significance of corporates investing in the startup ecosystem is continually growing globally, with many Southeast Asian corporations turning their attention to South Asia, particularly India. Read More Here: https://bit.ly/4a8vsTJ #Restaurants #Hospitality #Technology #Business #Innovation #AI #investing #venturecapital Branded Hospitality Ventures Noah Stern

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The process of getting deeper into the Indian start-up ecosystem as an angel investor and limited partner (2 new hats of mine since 2023) is well on its way. Today spent the day attending Ivycap day 2024 as a special attendee. getting to understand the dynamics of investing, assessing business models and plans, valuation and most importantly founders. should have started a bit earlier but then no regrets. these new hats are part of a larger connecting the dots am attempting.

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𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩. Most often, founders of early-stage startups feel that it is too early for them to start defining culture for their company. They feel that culture is something that needs to be built when the company matures. However, in this insightful session that Sandeep Sinha conducted for our portfolio companies, he emphasised the need and importance of creating a culture right at the onset of an entrepreneurial journey and at the very beginning of a startup's life. Read a summary of this insightful session on this link https://bit.ly/3ZRoYHv Sandeep Sinha Pankaj Bansal (पंकज बंसल) Karann Mittal

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Monday Momentum: Strategy #4: Preparing for a Successful Exit: Compelling Value Propositions: I was woken up this morning in Delhi with a friendly yet insistent string of bird chatter. This beautiful parrot was sitting on the ledge outside my window on the 19th floor and showing high interest in checking me out. Its distinct beauty and character is a perfect metaphor for today’s exit strategy: A strong value proposition is the heartbeat of your business—and a major factor that will attract buyers when the time comes to exit. To stand out, you need to present a valuable offer that clients simply cannot resist and strategically seize new opportunities. Tip 7: Develop an Irresistible Offer Create a value proposition so compelling that clients feel the impact from the start. Offer a free trial or a pilot program with clearly defined measurable success criteria. Demonstrating the tangible value you bring upfront builds trust and credibility, making it difficult for clients to walk away. Tip 8: Find Untapped Market Opportunities Look for the “white space” in the market—those unaddressed areas where your competitors aren’t focusing but where clients are seeking solutions. By filling these gaps, you make your business not only more valuable but indispensable. Buyers will recognize your ability to capitalize on these overlooked opportunities and will see huge potential for growth. By crafting a compelling value proposition and claiming untapped market opportunities, you create a business with undeniable appeal to both clients and future buyers. Ready to make your offer irresistible? #ExitStrategy #ValueProposition #BusinessGrowth #MarketOpportunities #Club33 #Entrepreneurship #BusinessSuccess #Leadership

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🚀 Swiggy Set to Make Waves with ₹11,300 Crore IPO: Key Details and Market Implications 🌐 Swiggy, India's food delivery giant, is set to go public with an IPO launching on November 6, 2024, aiming to raise around ₹11,327 crore (~$1.35B). Shares will be priced at ₹371-₹390 each (around $4.64), with trading expected to start on November 13, 2024. IPO Highlights: Price Range: ₹371-₹390 per share Funds Allocation: Expanding logistics and quick commerce operations This IPO is launching amidst rising tech-driven competition in India’s market. By securing capital, Swiggy plans to advance its quick commerce capabilities, aiming to gain a strategic edge over competitors like Zomato. Market Impact: Swiggy’s IPO offers a unique investment opportunity with strong growth potential, balancing between established dominance in food delivery and quick commerce expansion. Investor Insight: With a grey market premium around ₹25, sentiment is optimistic. As Swiggy steps into the public sphere, it's poised to redefine India's fast-paced delivery ecosystem. #IPO #SwiggyIPO #Investment https://lnkd.in/eyHRRPXh

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Game On, India: A VC Perspective on the Untapped Potential in Sportswear (Beyond Jerseys) 🇮🇳 The Indian sportswear market is poised for a major leap, fuelled by a growing passion for fitness and exploring the great outdoors. But let's talk beyond the ubiquitous cricket jerseys for a moment and delve into a hidden gem – the booming market for outdoor gear! 💸 A VC's Perspective: Why I am Bullish on Outdoor Sportswear in India As a Venture Capitalist, the Indian outdoor sportswear market presents a compelling investment opportunity for several reasons: 💹 High-Growth Market: The market is projected to reach a staggering USD 1.93 billion by 2029, with a growth rate exceeding 16% annually (source: Maximize Market Research). This significant growth trajectory signifies a large and rapidly expanding consumer base. 🥇 Untapped Potential: Unlike cricket jerseys, the outdoor segment lacks a centralized and organized retail experience. This fragmentation creates a prime opportunity for innovative brands and platforms to capture market share. 📯 Shifting Consumer Preferences: Growing participation in activities like running, cycling, trekking, and adventure travel is driving demand for specialized outdoor gear. Consumers are increasingly seeking high-quality, functional products that enhance their outdoor experiences. 🇮🇳 Rise of Domestic Brands: This market shift presents a golden opportunity for Indian brands to offer high-quality, affordable options alongside established international players. This approach can resonate with cost-conscious Indian consumers while fostering domestic innovation. 🦋 Experience-Driven Retail: The rise of experience-based travel and adventure sports opens doors for brands to connect with customers beyond just products. VCs are looking to invest in companies that curate a holistic outdoor experience, fostering brand loyalty and customer engagement. 🚵‍♂️ The REI Model for India? The current market lacks a comprehensive online or physical store similar to REI in the US or Outdoor Goat internationally. A platform that curates a selection of established international brands alongside promising domestic ones, offering expert advice and a focus on the entire outdoor experience, could revolutionize the Indian market. 🔊 Calling All Outdoor Enthusiasts and Industry Leaders! Share your thoughts in the comments. What exciting possibilities do you see in the Indian outdoor sportswear market? #sportswear #india #outdoors #entrepreneurship #marketresearch Khyati V Bhinde Joanne Kiara Fernandez Lakshmi Naga Potluri Abhay Vashistha Amisha Vashistha Garima Vashistha

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As an investor its fascinating to watch founders tackle a complex market, nail a sticky value proposition and figure out global GTM. When we met Shashank Bijapur Madhav Bhagat and Rohith Salim a couple of years back it was still early. In a short while Spotdraft has changed the way mid-market businesses leverage AI to make contract management more efficient and intelligent. The company has seen strong market pull by scaling to 400+ customers, 120% NRR, 85%+ gross margin while doubling revenue in each of the past three years. Here is their journey straight from the founders. SpotDraft Arkam Ventures

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We at LeapFrog Investments are strong believers in the India story for impact investments. As I mentioned to Jaden, India has a lot of potential. It’s not a five-year story, it’s hopefully a 25-year story.... the reasons being growth, depth of talent, digital public infrastructure, and the depth of capital markets. Thanks to Jaden Paul for the interview in Business Standard. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gyV-UTAv

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Climate change is accelerating rapidly, with emerging markets facing disproportionate risks despite contributing less to emissions. In India, climate tech startups have received investments exceeding $7 billion from 2018-2023, showcasing robust growth and innovation in sectors like Electrification, Renewables & Energy Storage, and Climate Adaptation/Mitigation. The climate tech evolution and growth in India has been bolstered by progressive government policies, technology innovation, ongoing infrastructure development and increased corporate adoption. At B Capital , Climate is a key pillar of our investment strategy, and we see India's climate investment landscape reaching a critical inflection point. We are excited to partner with visionary founders emerging from India, contributing to sustainable solutions and impactful change. Explore our thoughts on climate investments in India as part of an ongoing series and join us in shaping the future of climate technology together. Jeff Johnson Don Wood Deepanshu Pattanayak Karly Wentz https://lnkd.in/gjxyq_yp

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It is often said that Impact investing does not deliver financial returns. At C4D Partners, we are proving this wrong. Our Fund 1 has already achieved a 51% DPI on the India portfolio within 6 years of fund life, delivering a robust IRR. We’re not just about investing for impact, but also prioritizing strong, sustainable financial returns. We carefully select companies that are cash flow positive and demonstrate a clear path to profitability within a couple of years of our investment. This has enabled us to keep our mortality rate under 20%, lower than the industry average. Our approach - We invest in early-growth stage companies that are well-governed and on a clear path to positive cash flows, and be there for the long haul. Our approach comprises not just capital infusion, but active involvement in fostering a culture of transparency, operational excellence and sustainable value creation. We position our investments for sustainability and success in an ever-evolving market. If you’re a startup or investor interested in partnering with us, or just curious to learn more, let’s connect. Mirakle Couriers, Ecotasar, LabourNet, Saahas Zero Waste, Aarohan , 1BRIDGE, Ananya Finance, Freyr Energy Services Pvt Ltd #VentureCapital #Startups #SMEs #GrowthCapital #InvestmentStrategy #C4DPartners

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Thrilled to have participated in the Start-up Ecosystem & Investors Networking Meet at PHD House. Engaging in discussions about the critical role of fund managers and our approach to delivering substantial returns was truly energizing. It’s through such engagements that we continue to drive innovation and support the next generation of startups. I am excited to see the impact of these investments on the future of entrepreneurship. #Entrepreneurship #InvestorNetworking #StartupGrowth #StartupEcosystem

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As the foreign venture capital world shifts and changes, to me it is evident that the next generation of Indian companies are going to be built with the support of Indian capital. The emergence of strong domestic brands in the VC space is a great start. And most of them (including Rukam) have raised capital from Indian institutions and family offices. The focus of Indian family offices too towards investing in startups is a step in the right direction. No country in the world has or can build a large startup ecosystem without domestic capital. As someone rooted in the Indian milieu it is of course significantly easier to understand the risks and the opportunities of building in India. There aren’t inflated business plans because it’s pretty evident to anyone who has lived most of their lives here that these just won’t fly no matter what. Domestic VCs have a great opportunity to build an ecosystem that showcases the best-in-class way of doing business. The emergence of domestic VC brands is a good sign of the robustness of our ecosystem. The next step is to make deeper pools of LP capital available as well as other enabling policies to domestic VCs so that this gets bigger and bigger. The more risk capital available to our founders, the bigger the pie becomes for everyone. #rukamfounders #riseofdomestocvcs #domesticcapital

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Celebrating One Year at Elev8 Venture Partners! What started as humble beginnings at co-working spaces like Axilor and WeWork, has finally culminated into our second home at Elev8 VP. Exactly one year ago, we inaugurated our new office on 12th Main in Indiranagar, marking a significant milestone in our journey. Initially, I was hesitant about large offices or high rentals, especially on the high street. However, thanks to Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, Anuj Golecha, and Gaurav Jain, Anil G Jain, we took the plunge. We secured an office space that was more than I initially thought we could afford. Today, I can confidently say it was one of the best decisions for Elev8 Venture Partners. In the world of venture capital, office location and décor surprisingly play a crucial role, especially for a first-time fund. It's not about extravagance or lavish spending but about creating a welcoming, professional environment. Our beautifully done office, complete with lush plants, has greatly contributed to building a positive external perception. This perception & vibe, is our reality. Home is not built by bricks but by memories. Over the past year, we've made incredible strides. Our investments in IDfy and Astrotalk have been pivotal, marking the beginning of our journey to support high-quality tech companies at the growth stage. This journey wouldn’t have been possible without my incredible team, whose dedication and hard work have turned our office into a second home. Here’s to many more years of growth, innovation, and impactful investments. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey with Elev8 Venture Partners. #Elev8VP #Anniversary #VentureCapital #Investment #TechStartups #GrowthStage #Teamwork #Innovation #Success Divy Chopda, Ashwini Khemka, Aman Ahmed, Abhisekh Shah, Parth Doshi, Mayank Jajoo, Komal Vichoor, Zaveria Mohammad, Mitali Rai, Eric (Jung Ho) Yoo, Donghyun Kim

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We've been part of this journey with Vidur Kataria Sidhanth Madan & Radhika Mittal since the pre-seed round in 2020 (also closer to heart since this was the first deal from Fund II). The investment thesis for us was always very simple - we tried cooking Chinese food at home during Covid, and all that was available was "Ching's Secret Schezwan Fried Rice Masala" & it was surprising that the second most enjoyed cuisine in the country is Chinese & we have just one brand that catered to this audience. Then we ended tasting the Masterchow sauces & we were just floored to see the difference in quality and taste. Having said that, the thesis that we believed in, didn't ring a bell with a lot of folks that we spoke to in the last 4 years. These were the top reasons why VCs hesitated -> 1) Market size is not large enough - Our belief was that the market appeared to be small, because the only brand available thus far was Ching's. Then Ching's got sold to Tata for ~5500cr, then noone questioned the market size any more. 2) Products are too expensive - Their sauces which was the first category they got into - was priced at ~Rs.240. Lot of people thought that this was expensive for India. But that was just the first category, after that in just last 2 years the founders have innovated on the product (Cup Noodles, Ramen, Chilli oil) and made products cheaper (Masterchow Staples, Chowmein, Schezwan). But I'm glad we got some believers along the way in the form of Anicut Capital LLP & Surge. And now, Tanglin Venture Partners. The founders continue to surprise everyone & I believe they'll do so in the future as well! #startup #funding #fmcg https://lnkd.in/g2wdAvmx

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Excited to see Jio launching Jio Brain - the AI includes setting up data centers in Jamnagar, Gujarat, powered entirely by green energy. Encouraged to see Jio's dedication to achieving the world's most cost-effective AI inferencing, aiming to make AI applications more accessible and affordable than ever. This effort is more than just technological progress; it's a vital move towards sustainable development aligning well with RIL's (Reliance Industries Limited) focus on green fuels and AI solutions. At SenseAI Ventures, we view the continuous development and focus on enhancing India's AI infrastructure as mission critical to drive AI growth and initiatives like these are essential for nurturing a dynamic AI startup ecosystem in India. Read more about this transformative project here at The Times Of India: https://lnkd.in/gG2xiU-w #AIPlatfrom #AIInitiative #JioBrain #RelianceIndustries #Jio #GreenEnergy #AIStartups #SenseAIVentures #AI #TheTimesOfIndia #TOI

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