The Desi VC with Akash Bhat

In this episode, we sit down with ⁠Sheel Mohnot⁠, co-founder of ⁠Better Tomorrow Ventures⁠ (BTV), a San Francisco-based $350M AUM fund that leads pre-seed and seed rounds in fintech companies globally, typically writing first checks ranging from $500K to $4M. BTV also runs The Mint Accelerator, a program providing mentorship, resources, and community support for fintech founders. At its core, BTV invests for a better future, driven by the belief that fintech can genuinely improve people’s lives.Sheel is an operator-turned-investor. He built and sold FeeFighters, a Stripe-like payment gateway and processor product called Samurai, which was acquired by Groupon pre-launch in 2012, as well as Innovative Auctions. He also co-founded Thistle, a healthy meal delivery company that raised minimal VC funding and now employs over 500 people.In this episode, we dive deep with Sheel to uncover the lessons he’s learned from building and exiting two businesses, the profound influence of family on his journey as both a founder and now an investor, and why he believes seed-stage investing allows BTV to have the greatest impact. He shares candid insights about what it means to be the first call for his founders, the perks and challenges of being an operator-turned-investor, and the importance of portfolio diversification.Sheel also reflects on traits of an ideal investor, finding life’s purpose, and even tells a story about the time he smoked a cigarette just to close a deal as a founder.Whether you’re an aspiring investor, an entrepreneur, or just someone looking to grow as an individual, this episode is packed with stories, lessons, and actionable insights. It’s the perfect way to kick off the year—leaving you inspired and introspective!⌛ Timestamps: Episode trailer | 00:00 Family's influence on Sheel | 02:15 First encounter with Fintech | 04:44 Lessons from working in India | 05:43 Impression of India while growing up | 09:05 Correlation between family, values and investing | 11:57 Why VCs seek billion-dollar outcomes | 15:28 Importance of discipline in venture investing | 17:53 How does Sheel view himself? | 20:40 Value of approachability | 22:21 Importance of putting oneself ‘out there’ | 27:30 Hard problems, emerging markets & power of writing | 28:57 Dealing with imposter syndrome | 30:35 The hidden role of a VC | 34:10 Benefits of portfolio diversification | 38:09 Advantages Operator-turned-VCs hold over pure investors | 39:06 Traits of the ideal investor | 40:15 Finding life’s purpose | 45:17 Advice for indecisive founders | 47:12 Angel investing as a precursor to VC | 52:38 Key Learnings as a second time founder | 53:43 Story of smoking a cigarette to make a sale | 54:52 Insights from successful leaders & why startups fail | 57:09 Sheel’s fashion & style | 59:07🎥 Subscribe to see watch more unfiltered, unscripted conversations that will inspire, educate, and entertain!🔗 SUBSCRIBE on ⁠YouTube⁠🎧 Follow us on ⁠Spotify⁠📸 Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠🐦 Follow us on ⁠Twitter/X⁠💼 Follow us on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ 🎵 Follow us on ⁠TikTok⁠💌 BTS content on ⁠Substack

After 150 audio-only episodes on Spotify & Apple Podcasts, The Desi VC is finally stepping into the world of video! The first video episode drops on January 1st. Join host Akash Bhat every fortnight as he interviews: Top investors managing billion-dollar funds Serial entrepreneurs with multiple successful exits Operators who’ve built some of the most recognizable tech companies Get ready for: Candid stories of personal highs, lows, and the decisions that shaped these leaders' journeys Exclusive insights into venture capital & the art of building successful startups Playbooks & strategies for cracking the US market (founders, take notes!) Funny & relatable moments that show the human side of the industry’s best 🎥 Subscribe now to see unfiltered, unscripted conversations that will inspire, educate, and entertain! 🔗 SUBSCRIBE: https://youtube.com/thedesivc 🎧 Follow us on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/41OVDhM 📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/bhatvakash 🐦 Follow us on X: https://x.com/bhatvakash 💼 Follow us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/bhatakash 🎵 Follow us on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/thedesivc 💌 Sponsor The Desi VC Podcast: akash@thedesivc.com

Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl is the Founder & Managing Partner at Eternal Capital, a 120-crore fund investing in transformative startups across technology, healthcare, and consumer sectors in India. He is the former COO of BharatPe, and a leader with extensive experience in scaling businesses and driving operational excellence across Airtel, PayTM, and Fortis Hospitals, where he spearheaded growth and strategy initiatives. This is the first of a two-part series, with the second part coming out next week. Stay tuned! Episode Notes: Introduction (1:45) Dhruv’s transition from operator to investor (5:09) Insights from launching a new fund in India in 2024 (16:20) Developing investment skills and discipline as a venture fund manager (27:30) Strategies for fund managers to unlock capital for portfolio companies in later rounds (42:30) Perspectives of external vs domestic investors/LPs on India’s venture landscape (49:35) Social links Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhruv on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhruv⁠⁠ on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Desi VC on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on LinkedIn⁠⁠

Dhirendra Mahyavanshi is the Co-Founder of Turtlemint, an online insurance platform backed by Nexus Venture Partners, Peak XV, Jungle Ventures, GGV Capital, Blume Ventures among others. The company is on a mission to makes it easy to understand and buy insurance. Before founding this company he held leadership positions at Quikr and ICICI Lombard. He holds an MBA degree from The IIM Calcutta. . . . Episode Notes: Introduction (1:20) Early exposure to entrepreneurship (2:16) Influence of ICICI and Quikr roles on founding Turtlemint (5:15) Startups in the 2010s: parallels and differences (8:50) The inspiration behind starting Turtlemint (12:34) The Indian insurance landscape in 2014 and VC sentiment (17:05) Enhancing the insurance buying experience in India (21:20) Insurance purchasing patterns across India’s diverse tiers (24:24) The leadership journey at Turtlemint (28:25) Mental models and decision-making frameworks (33:38) Challenges in running Turtlemint (37:40) Dhirendra's vision for Turtlemint’s future (40:01) Influencing policy and regulation in India’s insurance sector (43:15) Reflections on the entrepreneurial journey (47:47) . . . Social links Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhirendra on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhirendra⁠⁠ on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Desi VC on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on LinkedIn⁠⁠

Archana Jahagirdar is the founder and managing partner of Rukam Capital, to find out. Set up in 2019, the Delhi-based venture capital firm invests in early-stage consumer products and services companies with significant growth potential. The VC has funded as many as 20+ startups, including noted brands such as Go DESi, Sleepy Owl Coffee, Burger Singh, BECO, The Indus Valley, Curefoods and more. . . . Episode Notes: Intro (1:25) Why did Archana venture into investing in startups? (2:51) The evolution of the Indian startup ecosystem (7:14) Why are Rukum’s LPs excited about India and the fund? (14:04) How do Indian LPs add value to portfolio companies? (17:50) Key learnings from portfolio founders (22:08) Essential practices for every founder (31:19) Rukam Capital: Investment focus and thesis (41:15) . . . Social links Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Archana on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Archana⁠⁠ on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Desi VC on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Anshuman Singh is the Co-founder of ⁠Scaler⁠, an edtech company designed to upskill college graduates and young software engineers in advanced computer science topics. The company has raised $55M from Lightrock, Peak XV Partners and Tiger Global Management, at a valuation of $700M. Before Scaler, Anshuman had co-founded InterviewBit, a platform aimed at helping software engineers prepare for technical interviews. During this time, he noticed that many talented individuals were struggling with the practical skills required to excel in real-world tech jobs, despite holding degrees in computer science. This realization laid the groundwork for Scaler. . . . Episode Notes: Introduction (1:20) Shifts in EdTech: A Founder’s Perspective (2:35) The Inspiration Behind Scaler (6:40) Crafting a World-Class Curriculum (14:48) Navigating Challenges as a VC-Backed Startup (21:10) Building Brand Advocacy and Community (25:19) Preparing Talent for an Evolving Workforce (31:20) Today’s Student and Their Approach to Learning (35:49) Surprising Insights About EdTech in India (44:55) Key Learnings as a Founder and Leader of Scaler (50:11) Advice for Aspiring EdTech Founders (53:25) . . . Social links Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Anshuman on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Anshuman Singh on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Desi VC on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠

Sagar Kochhar is the Co-founder of Rebel Foods, and CEO of Eatsure. After completing his engineering degree from NIT Kurukshetra and an MBA from SCMHRD Pune, he began as a design engineer with Larsen & Toubro, then moved to Perfetti Van Melle and Vodafone in marketing roles. At Rebel Foods, he initially joined as Sr. VP of Operations, playing a crucial role in building brands from scratch to multi-million-dollar valuations. Since becoming Group CMO in 2016, Sagar has led brand growth across geographies, focusing on innovative campaigns and community engagement to strengthen brand equity and deliver memorable consumer experiences. In 2020, he launched and became the CEO of Eatsure, a food delivery platform and brand created by Rebel Foods that focuses on providing safe, quality-assured food from a curated selection of restaurant brands. It’s known for its "100% Safe Food Guarantee," where every meal is prepared following strict hygiene and safety protocols. Eatsure's app aggregates multiple brands under one platform, offering a wide variety of cuisines through a virtual food court concept. It also uses technology to track and assure quality across Rebel Foods’ cloud kitchens, enabling customers to order from different brands in one single order. . . . Episode Notes: The journey of Rebel Foods: From inception to today (2:50) Cracking the cloud kitchen business model (24:11) Insights from Sagar on India's evolving food consumption habits (31:45) Leveraging technology and AI to drive Rebel Foods' operations (43:13) Leadership transformation throughout the company’s growth (52:55) . . . Social links Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sagar on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sagar on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Desi VC on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

⁠Karthik Prabhakar⁠ is the Managing Partner at ⁠PeerCapital⁠, an early-stage investment fund in India focused on seed to Series A rounds. Karthik has been a part of the Indian tech ecosystem since 2005, with a wealth of experience in venture capital, product development, and marketing. Prior to PeerCapital, Karthik was the Managing Director at Chiratae Ventures (formerly known as IDG Ventures). . . . Episode Notes: What still excites Karthik about India today (2:35) Staying ahead of trends as an investor (5:11) India’s trajectory over the next 10-15 years (10:18) Karthik’s evolution as an investor from the beginning to now (17:40) How to build a strong network in venture capital (21:20) Building a world-class institution in venture capital (26:40) Measuring the factors that contribute to a VC fund’s brand (31:30) The importance of branding for a VC fund (33:45) PeerCapital’s success in building a brand (40:22) How to genuinely add value as an investor (46:46) Is competition beneficial for a VC fund? (54:30) Why gaming is a focus area for PeerCapital (57:05) Top 3 lessons from Karthik’s investing career (1:03:35) . . . Social links Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Karthik on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Karthik on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Desi VC on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

⁠Aditya Nambiar⁠ is the co-founder of ⁠Fennel⁠, a modern feature engineering platform that enables you to author, compute, store, serve, monitor, and govern both real-time and batch ML features, backed by Foundational Capital. Before diving into entrepreneurship, Aditya built products at Google and Facebook, and is an IIT-B alumnus. . . . Episode notes: Introduction (1:40) Why choose entrepreneurship? (2:32) The mindset shift: Small teams solving big problems vs. hyper-focused challenges (9:05) When is a product truly ready to ship? (12:10) What does it take for someone transitioning from big tech to thrive in startups? (16:44) Beyond technical skills: What to look for in an early startup hire (21:08) The personal impact of startup life on founders (25:51) Key learnings from building a startup (32:58) Aditya’s life purpose (36:05) How to enjoy the process of pursuing your purpose (38:25) . . . Social links Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aditya on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aditya on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Desi VC on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on LinkedIn⁠⁠

Mayuresh Raut is the Co-founder & Managing Partner of Seafund, investing in pre-Series A startups in India with investments in companies such as Wigzo, Inc42, Zippee, ClooTrack among others. SEA Fund’s mission is to help the next set of technical founders, with small amounts of early capital in getting to market to build efficient and scalable businesses. He is an Engineer and an MBA and is an alumnus of Virginia Tech and INSEAD, has over 21 years of leadership experience with global clients in Manufacturing, Construction & Analytics in Financial Services & Healthcare and has been investing in startups for over 10 years. . . . Episode Notes: Why pursue a career in venture capital? (2:33) What excites investors about India today compared to when they first started? (4:24) Improving policy-making: How India has evolved (10:24) Areas where India can excel on the global stage (18:55) Adopting a long-term perspective on investing (32:15) Accelerating India's middle-class growth and GDP (36:17) Cultivating the next generation of top entrepreneurs (43:35) India's trajectory over the next decade (52:13) . . . Social links Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mayuresh on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mayuresh on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Desi VC on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on LinkedIn⁠