E7: Karan Mohla (Executive Director, Chiratae Ventures, formerly IDG Ventures)

Karan Mohla is Executive Director and Head of Consumer Media & Technology sector at Chiratae Ventures where he heads the sector focus and strategy on Consumer Media & Technology investments. He has been investing in Indian companies since 2009 and has over 15 years of experience in the technology industry across India and the US.

Prior to Chiratae Ventures, Karan worked with QVT Finance LP, a US based hedge fund and was a founding member of their Asia-Pacific practice. He earlier worked in the technology banking group at Jefferies & Company (formerly Broadview International) in Silicon Valley, where he advised several technology companies in Internet, Mobile and Enterprise Software on capital raising, M&A as well as strategic partnerships.

About Chiratae Ventures: Chiratae Ventures, formerly known as IDG Ventures was founded in 2006 by Sudhir Sethi and T.C. Meenakshisundaram, and has so far backed 76 companies including Flipkart, Myntra, FirstCry, XpressBees, Newgen, Lenskart, Manthan, NestAway, PolicyBazaar, and Yatra, among others. The firm rebranded itself in 2018 to signify its focus on staying agile and sharp, like a ‘Chiratae’, or leopard, in the ever changing startup ecosystem.

You can follow Karan on Twitter (@KaranMohla) and while you’re at it you can also follow our host, Akash Bhat (@bhatvakash)

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In this episode, we cover:

1. Covid-19 Impact on Investments and Venture Capital

2. Karan’s Background and Journey in VC

3. Evolution of Venture as an Asset Class in India

4. Exit Scenarios for VCs in India

5. Evolution of Business Models in India

6. Shift from Ad-based Model to Subscription-based Model

7. Rise of Digital Media Marketplaces in India

8. Purchasing Trends in Consumer Markets – Media, e-Commerce, Finance

9. Learnings from within Chiratae Ventures’ Portfolio

10. Where is the Next Big Innovation in Consumer Market going to come from?