EP#33 Anirudh Damani – The micro-VC investment model, cap table discipline by founders & learnings from investing in 85+ startups

In this episode, Anirudh Damani, Managing Partner @Artha Venture Fund, joins our host Digjay, to talk about his path to VC, investing in startups through his family office before starting his own fund, benefits & mechanics behind managing a micro VC fund, Artha’s investment thesis, fund allocation & deal sourcing strategies, and how founders can keep their cap tables clean in their initial funding rounds.

Artha Venture Fund is an early-stage sector agnostic fund that has been investing in start-ups since early 2012. Prior to launching the fund, Anirudh was an active angel investor in many early-stage startups. Anirudh also owns Artha Energy Resources and is the MD and CEO at Artha Group of Companies. He also serves as a member of the Advisory Board at Venture Catalysts. Anirudh holds a double major in economics and business administration from Austin College. You can connect with him here on Linkedin / Twitter

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Show notes –

1. (01:37) Anirudh’s background & path to VC

2. (07:55) Returning to India & investing in startups through his family office

3. (13:59) Difference between running a family office & a VC fund

4. (16:47) Benefits of managing a micro VC fund; Preference of managing multiple micro funds vs a single mega VC fund

5. (20:24) Artha’s investment thesis, fund allocation strategy & key investments

6. (28:02) Deal sourcing - Partnering with accelerators, referrals from portfolio founders & co-investors

7. (30:10) Why is it important for founders to keep their cap table clean?

8. (33:21) Learnings from investing in 85+ startups

9. (35:44) Rapid fire and closing remarks

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