Archives: Damani Talks
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Episode 75: From MakeMyTrip to DeepTech – India’s OG VC Story
What does it take to spot India’s startup wave a decade before it arrived, back the country’s earliest unicorns, and then pivot to building a climate-tech fund for the next generation? In this episode of #DamaniTalks, in conversation with Sandeep Singhal, one of the true OGs of venture capital in India. From a small-town upbringing…
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Episode 74: From Jaipur’s Looms to India’s Cap Tables | Mahavir Pratap Sharma
What does it take to go from selling carpets in Jaipur to becoming the first Asian Chair of TiE Global and now raising a $20M venture fund? In Episode 74 of #DamaniTalks, we are in conversation with Mahavir Pratap Sharma – an ecosystem builder, serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and now GP at Swishin Ventures. From…
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Episode 73: From Ranger Life to Risk Capital | Vineet Rai
What does it take to build India’s pioneering impact-investing platform from a ₹5,000 bank balance, a cold email, and sheer conviction? In Episode 73 of #DamaniTalks, we delve deep into the ‘Aavishkaar’ story with Founder & Vice Chairman, Vineet Rai – from launching Intellecap and backing India’s earliest microfinance pioneers to buying a troubled NBFC…
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Episode 71: Million-Dollar Stock to Backing Indian Startups | Sandeep Murthy
In Episode 71 of #DamaniTalks, Anirudh A. Damani converses with Sandeep Murthy, Founding Partner at Lightbox, and one of the earliest champions of long-term, product-first startups in India. From his formative years under Barry Diller to funding Cleartrip and shaping India’s consumer internet story, Sandeep reflects on 25 years of backing bold ideas before they were cool –…
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Episode 70: The Legacy behind Vasmol, Streax & Streax Professional | Manish Chhabra
What does it take to build a ₹1,200 crore empire from a 1-bedroom home, no formal business training, and a handful of door-to-door sales? In Episode 70 of #DamaniTalks, we go behind the scenes of one of India’s most iconic personal care journeys with Manish Chhabra, Executive Chairman of HRIPL, makers of Super Vasmol, Streax…
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Episode 69: The VC Who Helped Build Aadhaar | Sanjay Swamy
Sanjay Swamy, Managing Partner at Prime Venture Partners, is one of the earliest believers in India’s startup ecosystem and someone who’s helped shape it from the ground up. From helping build AADHAAR, co-founding ZipDial, and backing iconic startups through Prime Venture Partners, Sanjay’s journey is anything but conventional. His lens on trust, timing, and doing…