EP#14 Brij Bhasin – How Limited Partners can add value to startups & the importance of raising ‘smart’ capital at initial rounds of funding

In this episode, Brij Bhasin, General Partner @Rebright Partners, joins our host Digjay, to talk about his path leading upto venture capital, how LPs can a play a role in collaborating with & supporting startups, how accelerators & micro VCs can help build a strong foundation for early-stage startups & why it is critical for founders to choose the right investor for their startups.

Rebright Partners is an early stage Japanese Venture Capital Fund investing across multiple domains in India & SEA. Brij leads the India investments for the firm. Prior to Rebright, Brij was a founding member with GSF (India’s first multi-city accelerator program for early-stage startups). He was also an advisor and part of the early team at Little Eye Labs which was acquired by Facebook in 2014. Brij has built world class technology products for over 12 years as part of several startups in India and US. He is a Computer Science graduate from the University of Minnesota, USA. You can reach out to him here on Linkedin / Twitter

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Show notes –

1. (01:18) Brij’s background & path leading upto Venture Capital

2. (02:44) Investment thesis & Vision at Rebright Partners

3. (04:08) Rebright’s unique model where Limited Partners (LPs) to co-invest or invest separate capital outside of the fund; How LPs are collaborating with portfolio startups, providing market access and forging strategic partnerships

4. (09:52) Scenarios where VCs can consider investing in pre-revenue startups

5. (11:53) Being an Entrepreneur in Residence at GSF accelerator & supporting startups in their 0 to 1 journey

6. (13:53) Why Brij recommends first time founders to go through an accelerator program & how it helps in building a strong foundation to scale your startup?

7. (18:33) How to differentiate between different types of capital & choosing the right VC for your startup?

8. (24:33) The promise of the maturing startup ecosystem in India

9. (26:08) Rapid fire and closing remarks