Board of Advisors
Major General Mandip Singh
Major General Mandip Singh
With 38 years in the Indian Army, Major General Mandip Singh is a 3rd-generation soldier having served in the Regiment of Artillery. The President of India has conferred the Distinguished Service Decorations of the Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal to him. He has served as Dean of the Army War College, Indian Army’s premier institution and as Senior Fellow at the Institute of Defence Studies & Analyses (IDSA), a leading think tank of India’s Ministry of Defence. His expertise is in operational art, strategic planning, leadership and emerging technologies and served.
Today, Major General officiates at three strategic think tanks and one incubator – Visiting Fellow at Mercator Institute of China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin, Senior Fellow at Centre for Land & Warfare Studies (CLAWS), and Distinguished Fellow at United Services Institute (USI), both in New Delhi, and Advisor of Technology Business Incubation Foundation at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar. He is also President of Strategic Alliances at DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations Limited and has been instrumental in scaling the startup to become India’s first listed drone company within 18 months.
Today, Major General officiates at three strategic think tanks and one incubator – Visiting Fellow at Mercator Institute of China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin, Senior Fellow at Centre for Land & Warfare Studies (CLAWS), and Distinguished Fellow at United Services Institute (USI), both in New Delhi, and Advisor of Technology Business Incubation Foundation at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar. He is also President of Strategic Alliances at DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations Limited and has been instrumental in scaling the startup to become India’s first listed drone company within 18 months.
Shivani Kapoor
Shivani Kapoor
A serial entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience and an IIT-Delhi alumnus, Shivani Kapoor brings global experience spanning continents and diverse verticals. She is a thought leader in EdTech, 21st Century Skills and Entrepreneurship.
Presently, a Co-Founder of ThinkStartup, Shivani is on a nation-building mission to unleash entrepreneurial potential in India’s youth as well as inspiring them to become job creators of tomorrow. Her last venture, Intellitots Learning has gone through a successful acquisition. She is a mentor to several women-led startups as well. In her corporate career, Shivani has managed diverse portfolios globally and has upscaled organizations from the ground up.
Shivani’s new-age thinking, skills and spirit coupled with her global experience and mission-driven vision will nurture entrepreneurs and the entire startup ecosystem.
Dr. Tony Parmar
Dr. Tony Parmar
Dr. Tony Parmar is a distinguished pharma professional with over 34 years experience wherein he has been leading enterprises in India and internationally. Having been closely associated with World Health Organization (WHO) and several other global healthcare agencies, he has been engaged with several startups and businesses.
Dr. Tony Parmar has wide-ranging expertise in Cardiology, Diabetology, Oncology, Pain Management, Gynaecology, Nutraceuticals, Ortho, Critical Care, Nuclear Medicine and Manufacturing. Having worked with J&J, Wockhardt, Eli Lily, Dabur, Zydus Group, Jubiliant Life Sciences, he brings depth of Pharma sector expertise coupled with understanding business and corporate strategy including mergers & acquisitions.
Dr. Tony Parmar is an author of two books – a recently launched book titled ‘Shades of Life: One Destination, Multiple Approaches. What’s yours?’ and another on the Indian Healthcare industry in 2021.
Amit Jain
Amit Jain
With over 25 years experience as a Chartered Accountant, Amit Jain has worked in two of the Big 4 accounting firms (Ernst & Young and DSP Merrill Lynch), leading investment banks, mid-market investment funds, private equity, M&A, etc. Most recently, he has been at Mountainia, in a corporate leadership role at Softbank & OYO-funded PropTech venture driving the joint venture business. Amit has been in senior leadership roles leading functional teams. with large institutions, family offices and startups.
Amit has vast experience leading investment funds of GTI Capital and Elephant Capital. He is also an active member of the investor consortium encouraging National Stock Exchange for a public listing.
Amit has served on the Board & Committees of various investee companies including SAMHI, Sandhar, Airworks, WebEngage, Brattle Foods, ACK Media, to name a few.
Amit’s deep expertise across investments, portfolio management and business-building makes him a strategic value creator.
Avdhesh Maheshwari
Avdhesh Maheshwari
A 20 year veteran, Avdhesh Maheshwari is an accomplished business leader with experience in varied industries – engineering, infrastructure, construction, mining, marine, etc. Renowned for his vision, innovative thinking and commitment to excellence, he is a pioneer and entrepreneur since 1995.
As Founder & Managing Director of Panchvaktram Engineering, and Director of Panchsheel Fasteners, Avdhesh has been nurturing businesses, scaling startups, generating wealth and partnering globally for growth.
Avdhesh has been instrumental in providing strategic direction to ensure astounding success for his businesses. Under his leadership, Panchvaktram Engineering has experienced significant growth, establishing itself as a leader in the industry. Both companies, Panckvaktram Engineering and Panckvaktram Fasteners cater to diverse sectors such as Construction, Automotive, Ports, Tunneling and Oil & Gas etc.
Ritesh Khandelwal
Ritesh Khandelwal
Ritesh Khandelwal brings over 25 years of leadership experience in Corporate Banking and Corporate Treasury across geographies. An accomplished Chartered Accountant and an expert in deal origination and execution, his proficiency lies in international trade supply chain solutions, working capital management, corporate treasury & debt product and, cash management.
Having held senior positions with international financial institutions such as Bank of America, Mashreq Bank and Doha Bank, he currently officiates as the Assistant Global Treasurer with US-based Vialto Partners, a portfolio company of Clayton, Dublier & Rice.
With specialization in business transformation, strategy, setting up global operations and managing large-scale initiatives, Ritesh brings wealth of knowledge and expertise for the startup ecosystem.
Sandeep Aggarwal
Sandeep Aggarwal
Over 25 years of industry experience has proven Sandeep Aggarwal is an enterprising finance leader, influential communicator and value creator. A result-oriented Chartered Accountant, he is recognized for setting up and transforming businesses & organizations, steering complex transitions, scaling up revenue growth and maximizing cost efficiency.
Currently, Sandeep is a Senior Vice President & Global Corporate Controller at US-based Vialto Partners, a portfolio company of Clayton, Dublier & Rice. Previously, Sandeep has worked across a spectrum of industries ranging from Consulting & Professional Services, IT/ITeS services, to GICs of global corporations, Insurance & Outsourcing, Telecom Industry, to name a few.
Areas of Sandeep’s expertise include Business Strategy & Transformation, Operations Planning, Global Shared Services, Business Finance & Operations, Mergers & Acquisitions, Financial Controllership, Risk & Compliance, Direct & Indirect taxes, etc.
Namit Vijh
Namit Vijh
Namit Vijh is pioneering innovation and people-centric leadership in the hospitality industry. With two decades of experience, he is renowned to drive tremendous growth and transformation. He is an astute trendspotter and forward-thinking strategist.
As the Area General Manager for Central India at Radisson Hotel Group and the General Manager at Radisson Gurugram Udyog Vihar currently, Namit is spearheading the digital transformation of guest experiences for which he has received industry recognition. He is setting new standards in the hospitality industry with his innovative strategies and unwavering commitment to excellence.
An inspiring leader with an entrepreneurial spirit, Namit brings solid expertise of the services industry. In his pursuit of excellence, he is dedicated to advancing the industry with digitalization and sustainability at its core.
Rakshit Kejriwal
Rakshit Kejriwal
Global EdTech platform creator with 24 years experience, Rakshit Kejriwal has scaled entrepreneurial ventures. A US-based Chartered Accountant with an MBA from Columbia Business School, New York, he is an expert in investment banking, mergers & acquisitions consulting, operations and scaling business.
At present, Rakshit is Global President at Phillips Education, providing education and certifications in Advanced Manufacturing such as 3D printing, Robotics, Automation, IoT, and Machining. He is also driving grassroot level Manufacturing Technology education in partnership with several Governments and Fortune-listed enterprises.
Earlier, Rakshit has co-founded and successfully exited a Consumer startup ‘Slay Coffee” which was funded by marquee investors and bought out by Sequoia-funded Rebel Foods. He has rich experience at global giants — Wells Fargo Securities, KPMG and Ernst & Young. A TEDx speaker, Rakshit is passionate about coaching Ivy League aspirants, and mentoring startups.
Rakshit is a powerhouse with his global prowess in building and scaling entrepreneurial ventures, fund-raising, investment banking, Mergers and Acquisitions, investor relations. He also brings unique perspectives with his experience of having raised capital from angel & venture funds across geographies.
Gaurav Kakkar
Gaurav Kakkar
Gaurav Kakkar, a globally-recognized Chartered Accountant, deftly straddles the disciplines of business, finance and regulatory affairs to support enterprises and entrepreneurs. With 18+ years of experience, his expertise is in business management, building startups, audits and advisories for ERP / IPO / ESG, enterprise management across governance, risk, cybersecurity, IT, etc.
Today, Gaurav is Advisory Partner at Moore Qatar. Prior to this, he has served as Managing Director of Taeknizon’s operations across Singapore, UAE, Qatar, USA and India.
Gaurav Kakkar, a globally-recognized Chartered Accountant, deftly straddles the disciplines of business, finance and regulatory affairs to support enterprises and entrepreneurs. With 18+ years of experience, his expertise is in business management, building startups, audits and advisories for ERP / IPO / ESG, enterprise management across governance, risk, cybersecurity, IT, etc.
Today, Gaurav is Advisory Partner at Moore Qatar. Prior to this, he has served as Managing Director of Taeknizon’s operations across Singapore, UAE, Qatar, USA and India.
Gaurav Kakkar, a globally-recognized Chartered Accountant, deftly straddles the disciplines of business, finance and regulatory affairs to support enterprises and entrepreneurs. With 18+ years of experience, his expertise is in business management, building startups, audits and advisories for ERP / IPO / ESG, enterprise management across governance, risk, cybersecurity, IT, etc.
Today, Gaurav is Advisory Partner at Moore Qatar. Prior to this, he has served as Managing Director of Taeknizon’s operations across Singapore, UAE, Qatar, USA and India.
With Gaurav’s vast and rich expertise in managing startups and businesses responsibly worldwide, he will be enabling and empowering the entire new ecosystem.
Rishab Jain
Rishab Jain
Rishab brings over 20 years of hands-on experience in shaping technology strategy and leading digital transformation across E-commerce, SaaS, and enterprise environments. He is known for his ability to turn technical vision into business results. Rishab thrives at the intersection of innovation and execution.
Throughout his career, he has built and led high-performing engineering teams, designed scalable cloud architectures, and championed agile and DevOps practices. His leadership extends to cybersecurity, data analytics, and AI/ML integration, ensuring that organizations not only keep pace with change but stay ahead of it. His inclusion ensures all of this in the most optimized and cost-effective manner.
Rishab holds a degree in B.Tech (Computer Science), his journey includes serving as the Chief Technology Officer at Join Ventures Solutions, and earlier roles at SaffronTech, Sourcefuse Technologies, and Infoedge India Ltd.
Rishab is excited to help our portfolio companies harness technology for growth, resilience, and lasting competitive advantage.
Sameer Jain
Sameer Jain
Sameer Jain is a seasoned entrepreneur and Investment banker with more than ten years of comprehensive experience spanning investment banking, entrepreneurial ventures, and audit services. He currently serves as Assistant Vice President at Merisis Advisors, where he drives fundraising initiatives and merger & acquisition transactions for financial services clients.
His previous leadership positions include senior roles at Abans Holdings and ALCOR Fund, where he orchestrated capital acquisition strategies and provided strategic counsel to rapidly expanding enterprises, with particular expertise in technology and BFSI sectors.
As an entrepreneur, Sameer has achieved two successful business exits: The_Faark, a direct-to-consumer artisanal bag company, and Moustache Solution, a technology-driven laundry service platform that was successfully acquired by Euroclean. These entrepreneurial experiences have honed his expertise in scaling operations, optimizing capital utilization, and managing investor relationships.
His professional foundation was established through roles in statutory auditing and financial reporting at EY and SKP Group, where he conducted comprehensive audits for private equity funds, hedge funds, mutual funds, and private enterprises. This experience provided him with extensive knowledge in regulatory compliance, tax auditing, limited scope reviews, and financial reporting requirements.
As a Chartered Accountant, Sameer combines rigorous analytical capabilities with entrepreneurial vision and transaction execution expertise, delivering exceptional value across all professional engagements.
Nilesh Kumar
Nilesh Kumar
A distinguished Chartered Financial Analyst from Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT-D), Nilesh Kumar has over three decades of experience. With a proven track record across sectors and geographies in managing large-scale engineering and IT projects highlights his depth of expertise. His two-decade tenure in the IT industry highlights his proficiency in providing ERP and IT solutions, along with revenue generation for large organizations.
Currently, Nilesh spearheads a thriving startup, EX10 Systems, delivering IT consulting services to companies in US and Europe.
Nilesh brings a unique blend of engineering prowess and financial acumen, coupled with extensive experience in the IT sector, positions him as a valuable asset in the venture capital landscape, capable of driving innovation and growth for emerging enterprises.