The Grand Masters of FinTech Capital – Top 100

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The Grand Masters of FinTech Capital – Top 100 celebrates the investors shaping India’s fintech and financial services revolution at its most critical inflection point. As finance becomes the backbone of the digital economy, these principals, vice presidents, and senior leaders are doing far more than deploying capital—they are partnering with founders, influencing strategy, strengthening governance, and helping build resilient, category-defining institutions. With backgrounds spanning entrepreneurship, investment banking, consulting, and operations, this cohort brings a rare blend of global perspective and India-first insight. Together, they represent the judgment, conviction, and long-term thinking driving the next generation of fintech innovation and scale.

 

  • Aakanksha Sharma (Principal, General Catalyst India): Aakanksha Sharma is a Principal at General Catalyst India, where she invests across fintech and consumer companies at multiple stages. With nearly 12 years of experience in investing and financial services, she has previously held senior roles at Venture Highway and IvyCap Ventures. Her career began in investment banking, spanning M&A and capital restructuring mandates across the US and Europe.

 

  • Aashna Singh (Vice President, Sorin Investments): Aashna Singh is Vice President at Sorin Investments, an early-stage venture fund backing technology-led businesses across fintech, healthtech, climate and SaaS. She brings global operating and investing experience from Amazon Clinic, AWS, Evolv Ventures and Deutsche Bank. Aashna combines deep financial rigor with a strong founder-first mindset.
  • Abhisekh Shah (Principal, Elev8 Venture Partners): Abhisekh Shah is a Principal at Elev8 Venture Partners, focusing on growth-stage investments in high-performing Indian technology companies. With over a decade of entrepreneurial and investing experience, he has led marquee deals including growth rounds in Smallcase and Snapmint. His background spans private equity, fund-of-funds and startup leadership roles.

 

  • Abhishek Kumar (Principal, UNLEASH Capital Partners): Abhishek Kumar is a Principal at UNLEASH Capital Partners, with a sharp focus on fintech investments. His career spans investment banking at EY and Nomura, venture capital roles, and corporate banking at State Bank of India. A seasoned finance professional and active angel investor, he brings deep expertise in M&A, restructuring and financial markets.
  • Abhishek Mishra (Principal, Arkam Ventures): Abhishek Mishra is a Principal at Arkam Ventures and a former entrepreneur with firsthand startup-building experience. A two-time founder turned investor, he partners closely with early-stage teams to build category-defining companies. His approach is grounded in conviction, resilience and long-term value creation.

 

  • Abhishek Singh (Principal, Riverwalk Holdings): Abhishek Singh is a Principal at Riverwalk Holdings, where he leads early-stage investments across fintech, advanced manufacturing and application SaaS. With prior consulting experience at Samagra and L.E.K. Consulting, he brings a strong execution and diligence lens. He also founded a SaaS-focused founder community to democratize startup learnings.

 

  • Adithya Bharadwaj (Principal, Anicut Capital): Adithya Bharadwaj is a Principal at Anicut Capital, specializing in growth equity investments across consumer brands and technology services. With over 14 years of experience, he plays a key role in sourcing, deal execution, portfolio management and exits. He actively represents Anicut on the boards of portfolio companies.

 

  • Akshay Chiripal (Vice Principal, Bertelsmann India Investments): Akshay Chiripal is Vice Principal at Bertelsmann India Investments, where he leads investments across fintech, B2B commerce, logistics, climate tech and agritech. He has spearheaded multiple Series A and B transactions and brings extensive experience across the full venture lifecycle. Previously, he was part of Asha Ventures and Brand Capital.

 

  • Aniketh MJ (Vice President, IvyCap Ventures): Aniketh MJ is Vice President at IvyCap Ventures, bringing over a decade of cross-functional experience across venture capital, startups, family offices and global investment banking. He has worked closely with companies across growth stages and geographies. His career blends strategic insight with hands-on operational exposure.

 

  • Anirudh Iyer (Vice President, Xeed Ventures): Anirudh Iyer is Vice President at Xeed Ventures, where he partners with pre-seed and seed-stage founders building tech-first businesses. He actively supports portfolio companies across fintech, SaaS and consumer tech. Known for his founder-centric approach, he focuses on long-term value creation from day zero.

 

  • Ankit Garg (Principal, Info Edge Ventures): Ankit Garg backs early-stage founders building category-defining technology businesses from India for the world. With a sharp focus on applied AI, vertical SaaS, and new-age consumer experiences, he partners with teams creating compounding, long-term value. His investing philosophy centers on world-class product thinking rooted in Indian realities.

 

  • Anoushka Bhatia (Vice President, Evolvence Equity Partners): Anoushka Bhatia brings over a decade of experience across venture capital, corporate development, and investment banking. At Evolvence, she focuses on funds, co-investments, and investor relations, having previously played a pivotal role in scaling Dunzo and managing large fundraising rounds. A CFA charterholder, she blends financial rigor with operator insight.
  • Anurag Begwani (Vice President, Bessemer Venture Partners): Anurag Begwani invests across seed to growth-stage tech-enabled businesses spanning fintech, consumer internet, healthtech, and SaaS. With prior experience at Temasek and Lighthouse Funds, he brings a cross-stage investment lens and deep financial expertise. A Chartered Accountant by training, he combines analytical depth with sectoral breadth.
  • Anuvrat Jain (Principal, Lightspeed India): A founding member of Lightspeed’s India and Southeast Asia Growth team, Anuvrat Jain focuses on Series B to buyout-stage investments across fintech, consumer tech, and SaaS. With prior stints at ChrysCapital and global investment banking roles, he views investing as a catalyst for long-term industry transformation. His approach blends scale, patience, and conviction.
  • Arjit Johri (Vice President, MarsShot Ventures): Arjit Johri manages MarsShot Ventures, an early-stage, sector-agnostic investment initiative by the Razorpay founders. Drawing from experience across Bharat Innovation Fund, CIIE.CO, and EY, he actively advises founders on fundraising, strategy, and growth. MarsShot’s operator-led model reflects lessons learned from scaling Razorpay firsthand.
  • Arjun Gandhi (Principal, Nexus Venture Partners): Arjun Gandhi backs founders building B2B software and AI companies across the stack, from infrastructure to applications. Having worked at BCG before joining Nexus in 2018, he brings strategic clarity to early-stage investing. His portfolio reflects a strong conviction in product-led, globally scalable technology businesses.
  • Ashray Iyengar (Principal, Elevation Capital): Ashray Iyengar focuses on growth-stage investments in consumer tech and fintech, drawing heavily from his operator experience at CRED. An IIT Bombay alumnus, he blends product, business, and strategy perspectives to partner empathetically with founders. His investing philosophy centers on identifying high-leverage inputs that drive outsized outcomes.

 

  • Ashwini Joshi (Principal, EM VC): Ashwini Joshi is an early-stage fintech investor with deep roots in financial services innovation. Prior to EM VC, he helped build ICICI Securities’ fintech incubation and investment initiatives. An IIM Indore graduate, he is particularly interested in the intersection of behavioral finance and emerging technologies.
  • Asumi Shah (Vice President, Growtheum Capital Partners): Asumi Shah brings a strong private equity and investment banking background to her role at Growtheum Capital Partners. With prior experience at The Carlyle Group, Citi, and Deutsche Bank, she combines technical depth with growth-stage investing expertise. She holds degrees from VJTI and IIM Ahmedabad.
  • Bhavesh Sharma (Principal, YourNest VC): An operator-turned-investor, Bhavesh Sharma backs deeptech founders building IP-led, globally scalable technologies. Having scaled Better.com from startup to IPO and driven early growth at Zomato, he brings rare execution insight to venture investing. A London Business School alumnus, he focuses on strengthening India’s position in the global innovation economy.

 

 

  • Bhavik Mehta (Principal, Roots Ventures): Bhavik Mehta brings over a decade of experience across Indian equities, portfolio management, and early-stage venture investing. Having previously managed $50 million at Brescon Family Office and worked with Kalaari Capital’s seed fund Kstart, he blends public and private market insights seamlessly. A CA, CFA, and FRM charterholder, Bhavik is also a visiting faculty at Edupristine, shaping future finance professionals.
  • Chinmay Marulkar (Vice President, BLinC Invest): With over 12 years across corporate finance, M&A, and investments, Chinmay Marulkar has advised and executed complex transactions at Duff & Phelps and Housing.com. A Chartered Accountant by training, he brings sharp execution rigor to growth investments. Beyond finance, he is a passionate cricket follower with an eye on every match.

 

  • Chinmaya Golecha (Principal, Peak XV Partners): Chinmaya Golecha is a Principal at Peak XV Partners, where he focuses on backing high-potential technology startups across stages. Known for his structured investment thinking and founder-first approach, he plays a key role in identifying and scaling category-defining companies within the firm’s India and Southeast Asia portfolio.

 

  • Deepanshu Pattanayak (Principal, B Capital): Deepanshu Pattanayak focuses on early- and growth-stage investments across SaaS, fintech, consumer tech, climate, and deep tech in South and Southeast Asia. Prior to B Capital, he was a Principal at Pravega Ventures and a consultant at Bain & Company. An IIT Kharagpur and IIM Bangalore alumnus, he brings strong analytical depth to venture investing.
  • Deepanshu Sidhanti (Principal, Beams Fintech Fund): Deepanshu Sidhanti plays a central role in deal sourcing, evaluation, and portfolio monitoring at Beams Fintech Fund. With hands-on operating experience scaling a consumer startup to 250,000 users, he combines execution insight with investment judgment. He is deeply passionate about building fintech products aligned with India’s regulatory and financial infrastructure.
  • Dhairen Tohliani (Associate Vice President, Z47): Dhairen Tohliani brings experience across venture, structured debt, and MSME lending, with a focus on seed to Series B fintech and financial services investments. At Z47, he works with a platform managing over $3 billion in AUM, supporting founders through capital-efficient growth journeys.
  • Dimple Mirchandani (Principal, Inflection Point Ventures): With over 17 years in finance leadership roles across Reliance, Fortum, and Campus Shoes, Dimple Mirchandani brings deep operational and governance expertise to venture investing. At Inflection Point Ventures, she leads the CAT-1 Angel Fund and GIFT City Fund, overseeing fund operations, compliance, and investor relations with precision.

 

  • Gavesh Yerasani (Associate Vice President, Ascent Capital): Gavesh Yerasani has over a decade of experience across private equity, investment banking, and technology-led investments. At Ascent Capital, he actively works on fund investments, portfolio monitoring, and sector research, while also supporting fundraising. A Guinness World Record holder, he pairs analytical rigor with extraordinary discipline.
  • Harsh Gupta (Principal, Flourish Ventures): Harsh Gupta leads India investments at Flourish Ventures, a global $850 million fintech fund focused on financial inclusion and resilience. With prior experience in venture debt at InnoVen and Alteria Capital, he actively partners with mission-driven fintech founders. A Chartered Accountant, Harsh is a prominent voice in fintech, climate, and embedded finance discussions.
  • Ishan Sinha (Vice President, Athera Venture Partners): Ishan Sinha is a Vice President at Athera Venture Partners, where he works across sourcing, investing, and exits in consumer tech, enterprise software, and deeptech. Previously a Senior Consultant at Bain & Company, he brings strong strategic and operational expertise to venture investing. An IIM Bangalore alumnus, he serves as Board Observer across multiple portfolio companies.

 

  • Jasdeep Singh Bhatia (Senior Vice President, Alteria Capital): Jasdeep Singh Bhatia is a senior venture debt leader at Alteria Capital, where he drives structured finance solutions for high-growth startups across fintech, consumer, climate, and B2B sectors. He currently leads the Consumer & Climate vertical, backing category-defining companies with capital aligned to founder journeys. With prior experience at Northern Arc Capital and EY’s restructuring practice, he brings deep expertise in deal structuring and risk-led investing.

 

  • Jivesh Madan (Vice President, Shastra VC): Jivesh Madan is a Vice President at Shastra VC, leading investments across deep-tech, climate, aerospace, semiconductors, and next-generation financial platforms. An IIT Delhi alumnus, he combines sharp technical diligence with global consulting experience from Nomura and Mastercard Advisors. His portfolio reflects a strong conviction in capital-intensive, innovation-led businesses shaping India’s strategic future.

 

  • Joseph Sebastian (Vice President, Blume Ventures): Joseph Sebastian is a Vice President at Blume Ventures, investing across fintech, logistics, healthtech, and mobility. With a background spanning Citibank, entrepreneurship, and impact investing at Omidyar Network India, he brings a rare blend of operator and investor insight. Joseph plays a key role in backing scalable fintech and infrastructure-led startups from early stages.
  • Joslin Jose (Vice President, PeerCapital): Joslin Jose is a Vice President at PeerCapital with six years of early-stage investing experience across India, the US, and emerging markets. Previously with Village Capital and Atrium Angels, she has evaluated startups across financial services, healthcare, education, and sustainability. She is also the founder of 2255, a collaborative VC community based in Kerala.

 

  • Karan Seth (Principal, JSW Ventures): Karan Seth is a Principal at JSW Ventures, leading early-stage investments across India and the US with a focus on AI, fintech, and B2B platforms. Formerly with InnoVen Capital and KPMG, he brings over a decade of experience across venture, M&A, and alternative investments. Karan has played a key role in backing high-growth fintech and technology-led businesses across stages.
  • Kartik Mehta (Vice President – Investments, WaterBridge Ventures): Kartik Mehta is a Vice President at WaterBridge Ventures, focusing on early-stage investments across fintech, agritech, and B2B manufacturing. Passionate about building for Bharat, he works closely with founders scaling tech-enabled businesses with large societal impact. Kartik brings a strong public markets lens to early-stage venture investing.

 

  • Kartikey Gupta (Principal, Kedaara Capital): Kartikey Gupta is a Principal at Kedaara Capital, evaluating investments across consumer, financial services, healthcare, and industrials. A former BCG consultant and IIM Ahmedabad Gold Medalist, he brings deep analytical rigor to large-scale growth and buyout investing. His work spans strategy, diligence, and long-term value creation in India’s private markets.
  • Krunali Shah Pinjani (Principal, A91 Partners): Krunali Shah Pinjani is a Principal at A91 Partners, where she partners with fast-growing, enduring businesses across consumer and technology-led sectors. She focuses on backing founders building scalable, profitable companies with long-term moats. Her work reflects A91’s disciplined, fundamentals-driven investment philosophy.
  • Madhusudan Rajagopalan (Principal, Tata Capital Growth Fund): Madhusudan Rajagopalan is a Principal at Tata Capital Growth Fund, leading investments in financial services and manufacturing. With a background in investment banking and private equity, he has managed and exited multiple portfolio companies. A CA, CFA, and PhD, Madhu is known for his intuitive, problem-solving approach to deal-making.
  • Manish Deepak (Principal, Faering Capital): Manish Deepak is a Principal at Faering Capital, focusing on long-term investments in high-quality Indian businesses. An IIM Calcutta alumnus with an engineering background, he brings strong financial and operational insight to private equity investing. His work emphasizes disciplined capital allocation and sustainable value creation.

 

 

  • Mayank Kachhwaha (Principal, The Fundamentum Partnership): A seasoned fintech operator-turned-investor, Mayank co-founded IndiaLends and helped scale it to 10 million users and profitability. With deep expertise across credit underwriting, risk analytics, and consumer finance, he brings over 14 years of fintech experience. An IIT Madras alumnus, he blends founder empathy with data-driven capital allocation.

 

  • Mohit Daryanani (Vice President, General Atlantic): Mohit focuses on growth equity investments in financial services at General Atlantic. Prior to this, he worked with Citigroup in London within the TMT investment banking team. He brings a strong global perspective on scaling fintech and financial platforms.
  • Monika K. (VP, Investments, Samara Capital): Monika brings a cross-functional investing lens shaped by private equity, investment banking, and corporate strategy roles. Her experience spans Samara Capital, FirstMeridian, Avendus, and Flipkart, with a strong focus on financial services, healthcare, and consumer-led businesses.

 

  • Nagu Chidambaram (Vice President, Insight Partners): Nagu is a growth-stage investor at Insight Partners with a portfolio spanning global fintech and SaaS leaders including CRED, Slice, Yubi, and GCash. A Wharton graduate, he brings analytical rigor and operational insight to scaling technology-first businesses worldwide.

 

  • Naveen Jain (Vice President, Atrium): Naveen focuses on investments across fintech, climate, and logistics. He backs companies addressing structural gaps with technology-led business models. His approach combines scalability with sustainability. He works closely with founders building long-term, impact-oriented enterprises.
  • Nikhil Kookada (Principal, Norwest Venture Partners India): Nikhil leads fintech and financial services investments at Norwest Venture Partners in India. With over 15 years of experience across private equity and investment banking, he has advised multiple category leaders. His portfolio includes OfBusiness, Oxyzo, and Five Star. He supports founders through growth, governance, and scale.
  • Nikhil Mishra (Vice President, Warmup Ventures): Nikhil focuses on pre-seed to pre-Series A investments across sectors. He works closely with founders at the earliest stages of company building. An IIT alumnus, he brings strong analytical and execution capabilities. His approach is rooted in long-term founder partnerships.
  • Pankaj Agarwal (Vice President, Prime Venture Partners): Pankaj blends hands-on operator experience with early-stage venture investing. He has worked across ride-hailing, internet commerce, and fintech startups. A Kellogg MBA, he strongly believes in technology-first solutions. He backs founders tackling large, systemic problems.
  • Pavel Gurianov (Principal, FinSight Ventures): Pavel invests in fintech and B2B SaaS across the US, India, and Mexico. He joined FinSight in 2018 and plays a key role in portfolio coverage and deal screening. With prior experience at EY transaction advisory, he brings strong financial diligence. He supports companies through disciplined, growth-focused capital.

 

  • Poonam K Khandelwal (Principal, 100Unicorns): A Chartered Accountant and ecosystem builder, Poonam is a prominent angel investor in India. She has played a key role in expanding startup investing beyond metro cities. With 40+ investments across fintech, deeptech, and D2C, she actively mentors early-stage founders. Her work focuses on democratizing access to capital and networks.
  • Pranav Sanghvi (Principal, Merak Ventures): Pranav Sanghvi is a Principal at Merak Ventures, where he backs early-stage B2B tech and fintech-adjacent companies solving complex, real-world problems. With prior experience building and investing through family office platforms, he brings a founder-first lens to venture investing. His journey spans early venture capital, private networks, and operating exposure, giving him a holistic view of scale. At Merak, he focuses on capital-efficient innovation with long-term impact.
  • Praneeth Kannah (Principal, Astir Ventures): Praneeth Kannah is a Principal at Astir Ventures, focused on early-stage investments across technology-driven startups. He works closely with founders at the idea and validation stage, supporting them through product-market fit and early scaling. His investment approach emphasizes disciplined execution and long-term value creation. He actively engages with emerging fintech and enterprise tech themes.

 

  • Priyank Mahajan (Principal, BEENEXT): Priyank Mahajan is a Principal at BEENEXT, leading growth-stage investments across India and Southeast Asia. He partners with founders building scalable fintech and technology-enabled businesses across emerging markets. Known for his cross-border perspective, Priyank brings deep insight into platform scale, network effects, and regional expansion. His work reflects BEENEXT’s operator-driven investment philosophy.

 

  • Pulkit Mehrotra (Vice President, Unicorn India Ventures): Pulkit Mehrotra is Vice President at Unicorn India Ventures, blending strong operating experience with early-stage investing. Having worked across fintech and e-commerce startups, he brings hands-on expertise in product strategy, GTM, and operations. His prior roles at WaterBridge Ventures and JP Morgan add institutional depth to his investment lens. He actively supports founders tackling structural challenges through technology.

 

  • Rahul Sanghavi (Principal, EvolutionX Debt Capital): Rahul Sanghavi is an Investment Principal at EvolutionX Debt Capital, with over two decades of experience across private equity, venture debt, and consulting. He specializes in structured capital solutions for growth-stage technology and fintech companies. Previously part of leadership teams at SeaLink Capital and Standard Chartered PE, Rahul brings global capital markets expertise. His focus lies in enabling sustainable scale without equity dilution.
  • Rajalakshmi Vaidyanathan (Principal, TVS Capital Funds): Rajalakshmi Vaidyanathan is a Principal at TVS Capital Funds, bringing over a decade of experience across debt, equity, and capital markets. With leadership roles spanning L&T Financial Services and SBI Capital Markets, she brings deep financial services expertise. She focuses on backing scalable fintech and financial services platforms. Her approach combines institutional rigor with growth-oriented execution.

 

  • Rhea Sthalekar (Vice President, Capria Ventures): Rhea Sthalekar is Vice President at Capria Ventures, a Global South–focused fund investing in applied AI across fintech, jobtech, and enterprise SaaS. She leads deal sourcing, diligence, and portfolio engagement, working closely with founders on growth acceleration. Her investment focus lies at the intersection of AI and financial inclusion. Rhea brings strong analytical depth from her prior investing experience.

 

  • Richard Pinto (Principal, 3one4Capital): Richard Pinto is Principal and Head of Portfolio Management & Finance at 3one4 Capital, overseeing financial strategy across 70+ portfolio companies. He plays a critical role in financial diligence, fund performance, and capital efficiency for tech and fintech startups. With a Big Four background, Richard bridges governance with growth. He is deeply involved in strengthening founders’ financial systems at scale.

 

  • Ritika Goyal (Principal, Filter Capital): Ritika Goyal is a Principal at Filter Capital, leading SaaS and fintech-led tech services investments at the growth equity stage. With prior experience at HighRadius, Matrix Partners, and BCG, she brings a rare blend of investing, strategy, and operator insight. She partners closely with founders navigating inflection-point growth. Her work focuses on building category-defining financial technology platforms.

 

  • Saharsh Sharma (Vice President, Chiratae Ventures): Saharsh Sharma is Vice President at Chiratae Ventures, where he leads early-stage investments from Seed to Series A. His portfolio spans fintech, consumer tech, EVs, and B2B platforms. Known for spotting disruptive business models early, he works hands-on with founders through scale-up phases. His investment thesis centers on tech-enabled transformation across consumer and financial ecosystems.

 

 

  • Sahib S. Maker (Vice President, Apis Partners): Sahib S. Maker is a Vice President at Apis Partners, where he focuses on investing in scalable financial services businesses across emerging markets. A member of the Global Shapers Community—an initiative of the World Economic Forum—he represents a new generation of finance leaders committed to impact-driven capital. His work reflects a blend of global perspective and community-first thinking. Sahib brings strong execution depth to fintech and financial inclusion themes.

 

  • Sayantan Sarkar (Principal, Stellaris Venture Partners): Sayantan Sarkar is a Principal at Stellaris Venture Partners, investing across AI, SaaS, fintech, and infrastructure-led businesses. A former founder, he co-founded Capzest, a blue-collar lending platform that was successfully acquired, giving him first-hand entrepreneurial insight. Prior to Stellaris, he led product at Bettr Credit and began his career at Deutsche Bank. An IIT Kharagpur graduate, Sayantan brings an operator’s lens to early-stage investing.

 

  • Shashank Sabesan (Principal, Tanglin Venture Partners): Shashank Sabesan is a Principal at Tanglin Venture Partners, focusing on early-stage investments across India and Southeast Asia. With nearly a decade of experience spanning venture capital, consulting, finance, and technology, he brings strong strategic rigor to investing. Prior to VC, he worked at Bain & Company, advising clients on transformation and growth initiatives. An IIM Bangalore alumnus, Shashank combines analytical depth with founder-first execution.
  • Shiven Tandon (Principal, July Ventures): Shiven Tandon is a Principal at July Ventures, where he works across the full investment lifecycle—from deal evaluation to portfolio support and exits. A second-generation entrepreneur, he previously scaled family-run businesses across financial services and enabled multiple exits. At July Ventures, he focuses on B2B technology investments across fintech, logistics, clean tech, and healthcare. Shiven is also an active mentor and educator, sharing practical insights with India’s next generation of founders.
  • Shobhit Gupta (Principal, Avataar Ventures): Shobhit Gupta is a Principal at Avataar Ventures, a $500M+ growth-stage fund partnering with category-leading SaaS and tech-enabled businesses. With 16 years of experience across consulting, startups, enterprise tech, and investing, he brings a rare operator-investor toolkit. He actively supports portfolio companies on go-to-market strategy, scaling, and profitability. A Texas A&M alumnus, Shobhit plays a key role in Avataar’s growth platform initiatives.
  • Shreyans Singh (Principal, WestBridge Capital): Shreyans Singh is a Principal at WestBridge Capital, backing enduring businesses with a long-term, fundamentals-driven approach. He works closely with founders across growth and scale phases, supporting strategy, governance, and execution. At WestBridge, Shreyans focuses on building category leaders with strong unit economics. His investing philosophy is rooted in patience, discipline, and founder partnership.

 

  • Shruti Singhal (Vice President, Multiply Ventures): Shruti Singhal is Vice President at Multiply Ventures, a thesis-driven early-stage fund focused on consumer and fintech startups. She brings extensive experience across investment banking, private equity, angel investing, and entrepreneurship. Previously associated with Indian Angel Network, she has led M&A, fundraising, and growth initiatives. An MBA graduate from Thunderbird School of Global Management, Shruti is deeply committed to nurturing early-stage innovation.

 

  • Siddharth Shah (Principal, Siana Capital): Siddharth Shah is a Principal at Siana Capital, investing in Pre-A and Series A deep science and technology companies. His experience spans public and private markets, including roles at Solidarity and Malpani Ventures. Siddharth specializes in AI, green chemistry, agritech, manufacturing IoT, and B2B SaaS. A trained risk professional and active investment writer, he brings long-term, cycle-aware capital thinking to venture investing.

 

  • Simran Furtado (Associate Vice President, ThinKuvate): Simran Furtado is an Associate Vice President at ThinKuvate, where she focuses on sourcing and evaluating high-potential investment opportunities. She plays a key role in research, startup assessment, and ecosystem engagement. Her work supports early-stage founders in shaping scalable and fundable businesses. Simran contributes actively to building the next pipeline of innovation-led startups.
  • Sridhar Sirugudi (Principal, Pravega Ventures): Sridhar Sirugudi is a Principal at Pravega Ventures, driving investments across fintech and enterprise technology in India. He has led investments in notable platforms such as Grayquest, CashInvoice, SalarySe, and Gyandhan. An IIM Calcutta alumnus with an engineering background from NIT Warangal, Sridhar blends consulting, analytics, and operator experience. He works closely with portfolio companies to build scalable, impact-driven financial infrastructure.
  • Suhani Doshi (Vice President, Mela Ventures): Suhani Doshi brings a rare blend of public-market rigor and venture intuition to early-stage investing. With over a decade of experience across ICICI Bank, Edelweiss Mutual Fund, and Deutsche Bank, she evaluates startups through the dual lens of valuation discipline and long-term resilience. At Mela Ventures, she partners closely with founders across B2B, fintech, insurtech, defence, and deeptech at pivotal growth moments.

 

  • Tejas Panchal (Vice President- Investments, OTP Ventures): Tejas Panchal is a founder-first investor fascinated by grit, resilience, and comeback stories. Having worked closely with startups at LetsVenture and Propell Fund, he brings a 360-degree perspective spanning finance, strategy, operations, and product. A Chartered Accountant and MBA, Tejas combines analytical depth with entrepreneurial empathy in backing early-stage businesses.
  • TT Venkatraghavan (Associate Director, Lok Capital): TT Venkatraghavan leads financial services investments at Lok Capital, drawing from a unique mix of consulting, operating, and investing experience. Formerly with Bain & Company (New York) and a founding team member at Asha Impact, he has worked hands-on across strategy, treasury, and GTM roles. TT is deeply passionate about helping financial services founders build from zero to one.

 

  • Varun Telaprolu (Principal, Warburg Pincus LLC): Varun Telaprolu is a Principal at Warburg Pincus, focused on India investments across high-growth sectors. Previously at Apax Partners, he brings strong global private equity experience with a sharp eye for scale and sector depth. An IIT Delhi graduate with an MBA from Wharton, Varun blends technical grounding with global investment judgment.

 

  • Venkatraman Iyer (Senior Vice President, ChrysCapital): Venkatraman Iyer is a seasoned tax and regulatory expert with over 15 years across Big 4 and Tier-1 advisory firms. At ChrysCapital, he plays a critical role in fund structuring, tax diligence, and regulatory strategy. A Chartered Accountant, Venkat brings deep expertise at the intersection of finance, compliance, and private equity operations.

 

  • Vidhi Jain (Vice President, CDM Capital): Vidhi Jain is part of the investment leadership at CDM Capital, where she focuses on identifying high-conviction opportunities in growth-stage businesses. Known for her analytical approach and founder engagement, she combines financial rigor with a sharp understanding of evolving market dynamics across technology-driven sectors.
  • Vishakha Gupta (Principal, Stride Ventures): Vishakha Gupta is a Principal at Stride Ventures, where she works closely with fast-scaling startups on venture debt solutions. She plays a key role in evaluating growth capital structures and supporting founders through disciplined financing. Her work sits at the intersection of capital efficiency and sustainable scale.
  • Vishal Aman (VP Investments, Ankur Capital): An operator-turned-investor, Vishal Aman leads early-stage investments across fintech and frontier technologies at Ankur Capital. With prior leadership roles at OkCredit and Belong.co, he brings hands-on operating insight to portfolio support. Vishal is known for backing founders building deep, technology-led businesses from the ground up.
  • Vishesh Sharma (Principal, Jungle Ventures): Vishesh Sharma brings experience across private equity, venture capital, and management consulting to his role at Jungle Ventures. Having previously worked with True North, Accel India, and BCG, he evaluates businesses with strong sectoral and execution depth. An IIT Bombay and Harvard Business School alumnus, Vishesh focuses on scalable fintech, SaaS, and consumer tech opportunities.

 

  • Vishnu Das (Principal, Celesta Capital): Vishnu Das is a Principal at Celesta Capital, backing globally scalable technology companies from India and the US. With over a decade of experience across investment banking, equity research, and venture investing, he has supported capital raises across fintech, biotech, and climate sectors. At Celesta, he focuses on deep tech platforms shaping the future of industries.

 

The leaders featured in The Grand Masters of FinTech Capital – Top 100 represent the quiet force behind India’s fintech momentum—investors who combine capital with conviction, and scale with responsibility. As the ecosystem matures, their role is evolving from funders to true partners in institution-building, shaping how financial services are designed, governed, and trusted. Through cycles of growth, regulation, and reinvention, this cohort will continue to influence which ideas endure, which founders break through, and how India’s fintech story is written over the long term.

–Authored and edited by Sandhya Bharti

Disclaimer

The Grand Masters of FinTech Capital– Top 100 is an editorial feature curated by Indian Startup Times to spotlight influential investors actively shaping India’s fintech ecosystem.

The individuals featured in this list have been selected based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative editorial parameters, including:

  • Active involvement in the fintech sector
  • Investments made in Indian fintech startups
  • Track record of fintech deals, with approximately 4–5 fintech investments closed since 2025
  • Market reputation, sectoral insight, and long-term contribution to fintech innovation
  • Observed influence on capital formation and ecosystem development

It is important to note that:

  • This list is not exhaustive and does not include all investors participating in India’s fintech ecosystem.
  • It is not a ranking, nor does it reflect comparative performance or returns.
  • This feature does not constitute investment advice, endorsement, or solicitation of any kind.
  • Inclusion is based on publicly available information, disclosed investments, industry signals, and editorial judgment at the time of publication.
  • Investment counts and deal activity are indicative and compiled to the best of our knowledge as of 2025 onward.

The intent of this editorial is to recognize capital allocators and ecosystem enablers driving innovation, financial inclusion, and digital transformation within India’s fintech landscape—not to provide financial recommendations or commercial promotion.

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