Introduction
Artificial Intelligence and cybersecurity are no longer niche sectors. They are the technological backbone of the digital economy, transforming industries ranging from finance and healthcare to manufacturing, retail, defence, and enterprise software. As organizations increasingly embrace AI-powered innovation and confront evolving cyber threats, venture capital has become a critical catalyst in identifying, funding, and scaling the next generation of disruptive startups. Behind every breakthrough founder is often an investor who recognizes transformative potential long before the market does.
The “AI & Cybersecurity VC Power List – Top 100” celebrates the venture capitalists who are shaping India’s AI and cybersecurity innovation landscape through visionary investments, strategic mentorship, and long-term ecosystem building. From early-stage deep tech specialists to growth-stage investors backing enterprise AI, cybersecurity, semiconductors, quantum computing, robotics, and cloud infrastructure, these leaders are enabling founders to build globally competitive technology companies. Their conviction, expertise, and commitment continue to accelerate India’s emergence as a global hub for AI-driven innovation and cyber resilience.
Agam Gupta, Principal, Sea Fund: With a strong foundation in venture capital, direct investments, and startup operations, Agam Gupta is focused on backing India’s next generation of deeptech innovators. At Sea Fund, he combines global experience with hands-on operational insight to identify transformative technologies. His founder-first approach and strategic perspective make him a key enabler of high-impact AI and technology ventures.
Ajay Anand, Partner, Anicut Capital: Ajay Anand has played a pivotal role in shaping India’s early-stage investment ecosystem through his expertise in seed investing, deal structuring, and founder mentorship. At Anicut Capital, he leads early-stage investments with a hands-on approach that helps startups scale successfully. His extensive experience in nurturing founders has made him a respected force in the venture capital landscape.
Ajay Modi, Director Investments, Piper Serica Angel Fund: Ajay Modi is a seasoned venture investor driving investments across deeptech, fintech, and emerging technologies at Piper Serica Angel Fund. He has led fund management, investment decisions, and portfolio growth while working closely with founders on governance and long-term strategy. His disciplined investment approach continues to support innovation-led startups with strong growth potential.
Akarsh Shrivastava, Partner, General Catalyst India: Akarsh Shrivastava is a leading venture investor focused on AI, SaaS, manufacturing, and frontier technologies. At General Catalyst India, he partners with ambitious founders building category-defining businesses while leveraging deep expertise in strategy and business operations. His commitment to transformative innovation makes him a key contributor to India’s AI ecosystem.
Amit Chand, Founder and Managing Partner, BYT Capital: Amit Chand is dedicated to backing frontier deeptech companies that bridge science, engineering, and commercial innovation. Through BYT Capital, he supports founders developing breakthrough technologies with long-term impact. With decades of leadership across investing and entrepreneurship, he continues to champion the growth of India’s deep technology ecosystem.
Amrut Rajkarne, Vice President, Nexus Venture Partners: Amrut Rajkarne focuses on investing in full-stack AI and frontier technologies spanning AI infrastructure, models, data, and intelligent agents. At Nexus Venture Partners, he actively backs pioneering startups shaping the future of artificial intelligence. His blend of investment expertise and technical understanding positions him at the forefront of AI innovation.
Anirudh A D., Managing Partner, Artha Venture Fund: Anirudh A D. leads Artha Venture Fund with a strong focus on early-stage technology startups and sustainable innovation. Under his leadership, the fund has built a distinguished portfolio while pioneering a unique investment model that fuels startup growth through renewable energy assets. His long-term vision continues to strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem.
Anirudh Garg, Partner, BEENEXT: Anirudh Garg is a prominent early-stage investor backing disruptive technology startups across India and Southeast Asia. At BEENEXT, he focuses on identifying founders building scalable businesses across AI, deeptech, enterprise software, and emerging technologies. His experience across venture capital and startup strategy enables him to support high-impact innovation from inception to scale.
Ankur Dubey, Principal, Capria Ventures India: Ankur Dubey specializes in investing in Applied AI and technology-driven startups addressing opportunities across the Global South. At Capria Ventures India, he brings extensive experience in venture investing, venture building, and healthcare innovation. His strategic investment approach continues to accelerate startups solving real-world challenges through technology.
Anush Prem, Principal, Inflexor Ventures: Anush Prem combines deep technical expertise with entrepreneurial and venture investing experience to back technology-first founders. At Inflexor Ventures, he focuses on identifying scalable AI and deeptech startups while helping founders navigate technology, security, and product growth. His operator-led perspective makes him a valuable partner for next-generation innovation.
Anvesh Ramineni, Venture Partner, Endiya Partners: Anvesh Ramineni brings extensive global investment experience across AI, cybersecurity, SaaS, and deeptech. At Endiya Partners, he leads Series A investments while supporting high-growth technology companies. Having backed several category-leading startups, he continues to play a pivotal role in advancing innovation across India’s AI and cybersecurity ecosystem.
Ashutosh Sharma, India Head – Investments and M&A, Prosus Ventures: Ashutosh Sharma is a seasoned venture investor leading India investments and M&A at Prosus Ventures. With a portfolio spanning some of India’s most successful technology companies, he has consistently backed category-defining startups. His strategic investment vision continues to shape the country’s AI and technology innovation landscape.
Ashwin Kannan, Vice President, Z47: Ashwin Kannan focuses on early-stage investments across enterprise AI, software, and cybersecurity at Z47. Combining experience in technology, consulting, and security architecture, he partners with founders building globally scalable technology businesses. His expertise makes him a key investor driving the next generation of AI innovation.
Aswani Chaitanya N, Partner, Capital-A: Aswani Chaitanya N is an entrepreneur-turned-investor who brings deep operational and technology expertise to venture capital. At Capital-A, he partners with founders to build and scale innovative startups by combining investor insight with firsthand entrepreneurial experience. His founder-centric approach continues to empower emerging technology ventures.
Bhargavi V., Founder & Partner, Java Capital: Bhargavi V. is a leading deeptech investor focused on semiconductors, cybersecurity, physical AI, and space technology. As Founding Partner at Java Capital, she has backed numerous early-stage startups while helping founders navigate their critical growth journey. Her commitment to sovereign technology and cross-border innovation makes her a prominent force in the venture ecosystem.
Bhavish Sood, General Partner, Modular Capital: Bhavish Sood combines experience as an operator, strategist, and venture capitalist to support high-potential software startups. At Modular Capital, he works closely with founders to scale technology businesses through practical guidance and long-term partnership. His expertise continues to strengthen India’s growing software and AI ecosystem.
Brij Singh, Venture Partner, Rebright Partners India: Brij Singh is an experienced technology entrepreneur and venture investor with a strong track record of building and backing innovative startups. At Rebright Partners India, he focuses on early-stage technology investments while leveraging decades of product development and startup expertise. His contributions have played a significant role in nurturing India’s innovation ecosystem.
Chirag Ginglani, Associate Vice President, Singularity AMC: Chirag Ginglani specializes in growth-stage investments across deeptech, semiconductors, defence, enterprise software, and emerging technologies. At Singularity AMC, he identifies scalable businesses and partners with founders driving transformative innovation. His diverse investment experience continues to strengthen India’s deep technology ecosystem.
Chirag Gupta, Managing Partner, 8X Ventures: Chirag Gupta leads 8X Ventures with a strong focus on backing disruptive deeptech startups that redefine industries. Drawing on extensive experience across venture capital, consulting, and startup strategy, he actively supports founders building sustainable technology businesses. His commitment to deep technology innovation has made him a key enabler of the ecosystem.
Deepak Sharma, Managing Partner, India Accelerator: Deepak Sharma is a seasoned venture capitalist and operator driving investments in AI, cybersecurity, semiconductors, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing. As Managing Partner, he leads early-stage deep tech investments while helping founders scale through capital, strategic guidance, and industry connections. His portfolio includes numerous high-growth AI and technology startups across Seed and Series A stages. With extensive experience spanning technology leadership, consulting, and venture building, he plays a key role in strengthening India’s deep tech ecosystem.
Deepanshu Pattanayak, Principal, B Capital: Deepanshu Pattanayak is an early-stage investor focused on SaaS, fintech, healthtech, climate, and deeptech startups. At B Capital, he partners with ambitious founders building scalable technology businesses across South and Southeast Asia. His strong investment expertise and founder-first approach continue to fuel innovation across emerging sectors.
Deepesh Agarwal, Partner, Silverneedle Ventures: Deepesh Agarwal is the Co-Founder and Partner at Silverneedle Ventures, where he invests in Enterprise SaaS, AI/ML, robotics, automation, blockchain, and other deep-tech innovations. With extensive experience in analytics, product development, and digital transformation, he actively mentors founders while helping build scalable technology businesses. His focus on innovation and ecosystem development has positioned him as a strong supporter of India’s AI-driven startup landscape.
Dhanush Ram, Investment Principal, Speciale Invest: Dhanush Ram is a prominent early-stage investor focused on AI, deeptech, developer tools, and enterprise infrastructure. At Speciale Invest, he has backed multiple breakthrough startups and contributed to several successful exits across the AI ecosystem. With an entrepreneurial mindset and a founder-first approach, he continues to champion category-defining technology ventures.
Gaurav Chaturvedi, Partner, Kae Capital: Gaurav Chaturvedi is an entrepreneur-turned-investor who brings invaluable founder experience to early-stage venture investing. At Kae Capital, he focuses on backing technology startups across SaaS, B2B, AI, and emerging technologies. His hands-on mentorship and deep understanding of startup scaling make him a trusted partner for ambitious founders.
Gaurav Ranjan, Principal, Prime Venture Partners: Gaurav Ranjan specializes in early-stage investments across AI, SaaS, gaming, and digital marketplaces. At Prime Venture Partners, he works closely with founders to identify scalable business opportunities and accelerate growth. His strong blend of operational and investment expertise enables him to support category-leading technology startups.
Harshal Gupta, Principal, Arali Ventures: Harshal Gupta is a seed-stage investor dedicated to enterprise software, AI, and B2B technology startups. At Arali Ventures, he has led investments in innovative companies building secure AI, geospatial intelligence, and software automation solutions. His product-led perspective and close collaboration with founders continue to drive high-impact technology innovation.
Hemant Mohapatra, Partner, Lightspeed Venture Partners: Hemant Mohapatra is a globally recognized venture capitalist investing across AI, enterprise software, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and frontier technologies. At Lightspeed Venture Partners, he has backed several category-defining startups while leveraging experience from Andreessen Horowitz, Google, and AMD. His global outlook and deep technical expertise continue to shape the future of innovation.
Ishan Sinha, Vice President, Athera Venture Partners: Ishan Sinha focuses on early-stage investments across software, AI, and deeptech at Athera Venture Partners. He plays an active role in sourcing investments, supporting portfolio companies, and working closely with founders building transformative technologies. His engineering background and strategic expertise make him a valuable partner for innovation-led startups.
Jayraj Bharat P., Associate Vice President, Kalaari Capital: Jayraj Bharat P. is an early-stage venture investor focused on AI, SaaS, and technology-driven startups. At Kalaari Capital, he works closely with visionary entrepreneurs to identify disruptive innovations and help them scale into market leaders. His analytical approach and deep understanding of emerging technologies continue to strengthen India’s startup ecosystem.
Jivesh Madan, Principal, Shastra VC: Jivesh Madan is a deeptech investor backing breakthrough innovations across AI, semiconductors, defence, aerospace, and climate technologies. At Shastra VC, he has led investments in pioneering startups developing cutting-edge technologies with global impact. His multidisciplinary expertise enables him to identify and nurture the next generation of frontier technology companies.
Kalpana Sindhu, Partner, 1Crowd: Kalpana Sindhu is a seasoned venture investor with a strong focus on deeptech and technology-led startups. At 1Crowd, she combines decades of leadership across global financial institutions with strategic mentoring to help founders scale resilient businesses. Her expertise in investment strategy, governance, and value creation makes her a key contributor to India’s innovation ecosystem.
Karthik Bhat, Founder and Managing Partner, Force Ventures India: Karthik Bhat is an experienced venture investor backing early-stage technology startups through equity and venture debt. At Force Ventures India, he supports founders with strategic capital and deep expertise gained across private equity, investment banking, and startup finance. His disciplined investment approach continues to fuel the growth of innovative technology businesses.
Karthik Prabhakar, Managing Partner, PeerCapital: Karthik Prabhakar is a seasoned venture capitalist with over two decades of experience spanning engineering, product leadership, and venture investing. At PeerCapital, he backs seed-stage startups leveraging AI and technology to solve complex real-world problems. Having led investments and successful exits across high-growth companies, he is known for his founder-first mindset and strategic approach to building enduring technology businesses.
Kavish Kothari, Partner, Elev8 Venture Partners: Kavish Kothari is a growth-stage technology investor with extensive experience across venture capital, private equity, and investment banking. At Elev8 Venture Partners, he focuses on identifying and supporting high-potential technology companies through their scaling journey. His strong investment acumen and deep understanding of technology markets make him a valuable partner for ambitious founders.
Kondapalli Bhargav Teja, Sr Investment Manager, Flipkart Ventures: A seasoned venture investor focused on AI, deeptech, and consumer internet startups, Bhargav leads early and growth-stage investments at Flipkart Ventures. He evaluates high-potential technology companies, drives investment strategy, and actively supports a portfolio of 25+ startups. With prior experience in venture investing at Brand Capital and M&A valuations at EY, he brings deep expertise in financial modelling, deal execution, and long-term value creation. His investment approach combines rigorous research with a strong founder-first philosophy.
Krishna M., AI Partner, Elevation Capital: Krishna M. is an accomplished entrepreneur, AI leader, and investor dedicated to building the next generation of enterprise AI companies. At Elevation Capital, he partners with founders creating global AI businesses, drawing on his experience at Meta, Cohesity, and successful startups. His unique blend of technical expertise, operating experience, and investment insight makes him a driving force in the AI ecosystem.
Kunal Phalak, Vice President, WestBridge Capital: Kunal Phalak is an early-stage AI investor focused on backing application and infrastructure layer AI startups. At WestBridge Capital, he leads Series A and growth-stage investments while working closely with founders throughout their scaling journey. With experience as both an entrepreneur and investor, he brings a strong operator’s perspective to building category-defining AI companies.
Madhav Tandan, Partner, Orios Venture Partners: Madhav Tandan is an experienced venture investor with a strong track record of backing technology startups across fintech, SaaS, and emerging sectors. At Orios Venture Partners, he partners with early-stage founders to help build scalable, innovation-driven businesses. His background in investment banking and venture capital enables him to support entrepreneurs with strategic growth and long-term value creation.
Madhur Makkar, Principal, RTP Global: Madhur Makkar focuses on early-stage investments across AI, SaaS, enterprise software, and consumer technology in India and Southeast Asia. At RTP Global, he has backed several high-growth startups shaping the future of AI and digital innovation. His combination of data science experience and investment expertise enables him to identify promising founders at an early stage.
Madhusmita (Simmi) Das, Partner, Leo Capital: Madhusmita (Simmi) Das is an early-stage investor dedicated to backing founders building transformative AI companies. At Leo Capital, she partners with entrepreneurs developing cutting-edge AI solutions while drawing on her experience across venture capital, corporate innovation, and entrepreneurship. Her global perspective and operator mindset make her a strong ally for technology founders.
Manik Pasricha, Vice President, Titan Capital: Manik Pasricha is an entrepreneur-turned-investor focused on AI, fintech, and deeptech startups. At Titan Capital, he works closely with founders to identify breakthrough opportunities and navigate the challenges of building technology-led businesses. His background in AI, data science, consulting, and entrepreneurship brings a well-rounded perspective to early-stage investing.
Manish Gupta, General Partner, growX ventures: Manish Gupta is a deeptech investor backing breakthrough innovations across AI, cybersecurity, robotics, semiconductors, defence, and space technology. At growX ventures, he supports founders solving complex industrial and scientific challenges through emerging technologies. His long-standing commitment to frontier innovation has helped accelerate India’s deeptech startup ecosystem.
Mihir Jha, Managing Partner, PointOne Capital: Mihir Jha is an early-stage venture investor dedicated to supporting technology startups from the pre-seed stage. At PointOne Capital, he works closely with founders building scalable, innovation-led businesses across sectors. With experience spanning startup investing, operations, and engineering, he brings practical insights that help entrepreneurs navigate their growth journey.
Murali Krishna Gunturu, Partner, Inflexor Ventures: Murali Krishna Gunturu is a founding member of Inflexor Ventures, where he focuses on identifying and backing high-potential technology startups from Pre-Series A to Series A. With deep expertise in finance, portfolio management, and venture investing, he combines analytical rigor with a founder-first approach. His strategic insights continue to strengthen India’s early-stage AI and technology ecosystem.
Nanika Kakkar, Partner, Cornerstone Ventures: Nanika Kakkar is a technology investor focused on Applied AI, enterprise SaaS, and next-generation business solutions. At Cornerstone Ventures, she has backed innovative startups across AI, machine learning, analytics, and cybersecurity while actively supporting portfolio growth. Her experience across venture investing and strategic technology partnerships makes her a key contributor to India’s innovation ecosystem.
Natasha Malpani, Founder & GP, Boundless Ventures: Natasha Malpani is an early-stage investor backing AI-native founders building transformative companies across frontier technologies. Through Boundless Ventures, she partners with entrepreneurs from the first cheque through long-term growth, leveraging her experience across venture capital, media, and entrepreneurship. Her founder-centric approach is helping shape the next generation of AI innovation.
Navjeet Kumar, Principal, Pentathlon Ventures: Navjeet Kumar is an early-stage technology investor focused on SaaS, enterprise technology, AI, and deeptech startups. At Pentathlon Ventures, he partners with founders to help build scalable businesses through capital, strategic guidance, and ecosystem support. His strong technical background and investment expertise make him a valuable catalyst for emerging technology ventures.
Nawaz Naviwala, Vice President – Investments, Evolvence Equity Partners: Nawaz Naviwala is an experienced investment professional with expertise across venture capital, private equity, and fund investments. At Evolvence Equity Partners, he plays a key role in evaluating investments, portfolio management, and investor relations across technology-focused opportunities. His disciplined investment approach contributes to the growth of innovative businesses in India’s startup ecosystem.
Neetin Agrawal, Principal, Pavestone VC: Neetin Agrawal is a founder-turned-investor with extensive experience across deeptech, enterprise technology, and venture capital. At Pavestone VC, he leverages his entrepreneurial background to identify and support high-potential technology startups. His expertise in product strategy, venture scaling, and deeptech innovation makes him a trusted partner for ambitious founders.
Nirmal Shah, Partner, GSF Accelerator: Nirmal Shah is an early-stage venture investor focused on deeptech, AI, SaaS, fintech, and enterprise technology startups. At GSF Accelerator, he partners with founders from the earliest stages, providing strategic guidance beyond capital. With decades of operating and entrepreneurial experience, he is committed to helping technology companies scale with purpose and long-term vision.
Nitin Sharma, Partner, Antler India: Nitin Sharma is one of India’s leading early-stage venture capitalists, known for backing founders at the ideation stage across AI, deeptech, digital infrastructure, and frontier technologies. At Antler India, he has been an early believer in more than 100 startups, helping entrepreneurs build globally competitive companies. His long-standing commitment to identifying transformative technology trends continues to shape the startup ecosystem.
Pankaj Mitra, Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners: Pankaj Mitra is a seasoned technology investor specializing in Enterprise AI and cybersecurity. At Bessemer Venture Partners, he partners with founders building next-generation enterprise software while drawing on extensive experience across venture investing, M&A, product strategy, and corporate innovation. His deep industry expertise positions him at the forefront of AI and cybersecurity investing.
Prachi Singh, Vice President, Portfolio Management, Exfinity Venture Partners: Prachi Singh is an operator-turned-venture capitalist focused on AI, deeptech, cybersecurity, and enterprise technology. At Exfinity Venture Partners, she works closely with founders to drive portfolio value creation, strategic partnerships, follow-on funding, and global expansion. Her hands-on approach and expertise across the India-US innovation corridor make her a strong partner for scaling technology startups.
Prasanna Krishnamoorthy, Partner, Upekkha: Prasanna Krishnamoorthy is a leading advocate for India’s B2B AI ecosystem, helping founders build globally competitive AI businesses. At Upekkha, he focuses on Vertical AI and AI-driven SaaS startups, combining founder coaching with structured growth strategies. His expertise in product, growth, and global market expansion has made him a trusted partner for early-stage AI entrepreneurs.
Prayank Swaroop, Investment Principal, Accel: Prayank Swaroop is a seasoned venture investor at Accel, specializing in cybersecurity, developer tools, SaaS, and enterprise technology. With a background spanning engineering, product management, and product marketing, he brings deep technical insight to early-stage investing. He is passionate about partnering with founders building category-defining technology companies.
Preeti Nellore Sampat, Partner, Eximius Ventures: Preeti Nellore Sampat is an early-stage venture capitalist focused on AI, enterprise software, consumer technology, and deeptech startups. At Eximius Ventures, she leverages her experience as an entrepreneur, operator, and investor to support ambitious founders building global technology companies. Her cross-border perspective strengthens innovation across the India-US startup ecosystem.
Pushpak Kedia, Vice President, Peak XV Partners: Pushpak Kedia is an early-stage investor at Peak XV Partners with a strong focus on enterprise AI and consumer internet startups. He works closely with founders from the earliest stages, helping transform bold ideas into scalable businesses. His thoughtful investment approach and passion for AI innovation make him a valuable partner for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Rahul Agarwalla, Managing Partner, SenseAI Ventures: Rahul Agarwalla is a three-time entrepreneur turned venture capitalist dedicated to backing AI-first startups. As Managing Partner at SenseAI Ventures, he supports founders beyond capital with product strategy, go-to-market guidance, and ecosystem connections. His entrepreneurial experience and deep focus on artificial intelligence have helped nurture several promising AI companies.
Rahul Joshi, Vice President, Gruhas: Rahul Joshi is an investment professional with expertise spanning venture investing, startup ecosystems, and strategic finance. At Gruhas, he works with high-growth startups while leveraging his experience across private equity, investment banking, and entrepreneurship. His founder-centric perspective enables him to support innovative businesses through their growth journey.
Rishabh Katiyar, Partner, Info Edge Ventures: Rishabh Katiyar leads growth-stage investments at Info Edge Ventures, focusing on enterprise AI, AI infrastructure, consumer AI, deeptech, and fintech infrastructure. He has backed several category-leading technology companies across multiple investment stages. His investment expertise and long-term approach continue to drive innovation in India’s technology ecosystem.
Rishabh Singh, Managing Partner, Aeravti Ventures: Rishabh Singh is a lifelong entrepreneur and venture investor committed to supporting visionary founders building transformative businesses. As Managing Partner at Aeravti Ventures, he backs early-stage startups with strategic guidance and long-term partnership. His entrepreneurial mindset and active involvement with portfolio companies help accelerate innovation across emerging sectors.
Saharsh Sharma, Vice President, Chiratae Ventures: Saharsh Sharma is an early-stage venture investor focused on consumer technology and new-age startups. At Chiratae Ventures, he partners with founders from Seed to Series A, drawing on his experience as both an entrepreneur and investor. His hands-on approach helps ambitious startups navigate growth and scale successfully.
Sahil Makkar, Partner, India Quotient: Sahil Makkar is a pre-seed and seed-stage investor at India Quotient, backing founders solving complex problems across AI, SaaS, fintech, and consumer technology. He works across the entire investment lifecycle, from thesis building and deal sourcing to portfolio support and value creation. His combination of investing and technology experience enables him to identify and nurture high-potential startups from day one.
Samarth Pandey, Principal – Investments, Soonicorn Ventures: A key investor at Soonicorn Ventures, Samarth Pandey focuses on backing technology-driven startups from Seed to Series A. With expertise in investment banking, valuation, fundraising, and due diligence, he has evaluated hundreds of early-stage ventures across SaaS, ClimateTech, HealthTech, EV, and emerging technologies. His strong financial acumen and founder-focused approach make him an active contributor to India’s evolving innovation ecosystem.
Sandipan Mondal, Investor, Yali Capital: Sandipan Mondal is a deep-tech investor at Yali Capital, focusing on Seed to Series A startups across AI, robotics, semiconductors, aerospace, defence, and life sciences. A two-time founder with a successful exit to Samsung, he combines entrepreneurial experience with investment expertise to help breakthrough technologies scale into impactful businesses. He is also an active angel investor supporting India’s next generation of deep-tech innovators.
Sanil Sachar, Partner, Huddle Ventures: As the Founding Partner of Huddle Ventures, Sanil Sachar backs high-potential pre-seed and seed-stage startups with a strong focus on product, growth, and fundraising. He manages an AUM of approximately $40 million and actively supports over 35 portfolio companies as an investor and board advisor. An entrepreneur, angel investor, and bestselling author, he brings valuable operating experience to the venture ecosystem. His founder-first approach has helped scale innovative startups across diverse technology sectors.
Sapna Goyal, Principal, WaterBridge Ventures: Sapna Goyal is a Principal at WaterBridge Ventures, leading investments in AI and DeepTech startups from Seed to Pre-Series A. Bringing over 14 years of investing experience across venture capital, growth equity, and strategic investments, she partners closely with founders building transformative technology businesses. Her expertise spans AI, enterprise technology, and long-term value creation across India’s startup ecosystem.
Sathya Nellore Sampat, General Partner, BoldCap Ventures: Sathya Nellore Sampat is the General Partner at BoldCap Ventures, a fund exclusively focused on backing AI-native founders building global software companies. A former entrepreneur whose startup was backed by MongoDB, he combines founder experience with deep investment expertise across AI, enterprise software, and emerging technologies. His portfolio reflects a strong commitment to supporting technically driven startups with global ambitions.
Sethu Chidambaram, Venture Partner, Together Fund: Sethu Chidambaram is a Venture Partner at Together Fund, investing in ambitious early-stage AI startups. Backed by extensive leadership experience at Freshworks and BankBazaar, he brings deep expertise in revenue operations, growth strategy, and scaling technology businesses. His operator-first perspective enables him to support founders in building sustainable, high-growth AI companies.
Sheetal Bahl, Founding Partner, Merak Ventures: A pioneering early-stage investor, Sheetal Bahl has been backing deep technology and enterprise startups since 2012. As Founding Partner at Merak Ventures, he focuses on AI, ClimateTech, Enterprise SaaS, and breakthrough technologies with global potential. His portfolio spans cutting-edge companies across space, robotics, mobility, and advanced AI. With a multidisciplinary background in technology, consulting, and entrepreneurship, he is known for supporting founders building transformative innovation.
Shirsti Garg, Founding Partner, CapitalOven: Shirsti Garg is the Founding Partner at CapitalOven, investing in technology-first startups from Pre-Seed to Series A. She focuses on AI, Generative AI, machine learning, and emerging technologies while partnering with founders to build scalable businesses. With a background spanning finance, venture investing, and founder advisory, she champions long-term value creation through strategic guidance and early-stage support.
Shiven Tandon, Principal, July Ventures: Shiven Tandon is a Principal at July Ventures, backing globally scalable B2B technology startups across fintech, healthcare, supply chain, logistics, and sustainability. A former entrepreneur and business leader, he brings extensive experience in strategy, investments, and business scaling. His founder-centric approach helps early-stage companies navigate growth while building enduring technology businesses.
Shree Vardhan Saraf, Vice President, Sorin Investments: Shree Vardhan Saraf is Vice President at Sorin Investments, where he focuses on AI infrastructure, Vertical AI, and AI services. With prior experience spanning enterprise sales, GTM strategy, and growth equity investing, he brings a unique operator-investor perspective to supporting AI startups. His expertise lies in helping enterprise technology companies scale through strategic growth and market execution.
Shubham Sandeep, Partner, Pi Ventures: Shubham Sandeep is a Partner at Pi Ventures, leading investments in cutting-edge AI and deep technology startups across quantum computing, robotics, blockchain, biotech, and advanced materials. A former entrepreneur with successful exits in clean energy, he combines founder experience with strong venture investing expertise. His background in AI, sustainability, and frontier technologies enables him to back startups solving complex global challenges. He actively supports visionary founders building the next generation of deep tech innovations.
Siddharth Shah, Principal, Siana Capital: Siddharth Shah is Principal at Siana Capital, where he invests in Pre-Series A and Series A deep science and technology startups. His portfolio spans AI, space technology, oncology, fintech, virtual reality, advanced manufacturing, and specialty chemicals. With experience across venture capital, family office investing, and public equity markets, he brings a disciplined investment approach backed by rigorous due diligence. He focuses on supporting science-led startups with long-term growth potential.
Soaib Grewal, Partner & Head of Ecosystem, Activate: Soaib Grewal is Partner & Head of Ecosystem at Activate, investing in early-stage AI startups with a strong focus on consumer AI and application-layer technologies. A four-time venture capitalist and three-time founder, he has backed category-defining startups including Pocket FM, ClassPlus, Blue Tokai, and several AI-native companies. His expertise spans product strategy, design, founder mentoring, and ecosystem building. He works closely with ambitious founders from the earliest stages of their entrepreneurial journey.
Suhani Doshi, Vice President of Investment, Mela Ventures: Suhani Doshi is Vice President of Investment at Mela Ventures, focusing on B2B technology, enterprise software, fintech, defence, deep tech, and AI-driven businesses. With over a decade of experience across public and private markets, she combines valuation discipline with strategic investment insights. Her background at ICICI Bank, Edelweiss, and Deutsche Bank strengthens her ability to identify resilient, high-growth startups. She partners with founders to help scale technology-led businesses with long-term potential.
Varun Telaprolu, Principal, Warburg Pincus LLC: Varun Telaprolu is Principal at Warburg Pincus, where he focuses on investments across India’s technology and high-growth sectors. With prior experience at Apax Partners, Marshall Wace, Rothschild, and Deloitte, he brings deep expertise in private equity, investment banking, and technology investing. His strong analytical background enables him to evaluate and support transformative businesses. He plays a key role in identifying scalable companies driving innovation in India.
Veenu Choudhary, Director, Investment, Vertex Ventures SEA & India: Veenu Choudhary is Director of Investments at Vertex Ventures SEA & India, focusing on AI, SaaS, and B2B technology startups. Previously an investor at Kae Capital and an operator at DevRev, he combines venture investing with hands-on go-to-market experience. He has backed several high-growth AI and enterprise software companies while actively supporting founders in scaling their businesses. His expertise spans early-stage investing, product-led growth, and technology commercialization.
Vinay Jain, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Upsparks: Vinay Jain is Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Upsparks, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in technology-driven startups. A successful entrepreneur turned investor, he previously co-founded Solutions Infini, which scaled globally before its acquisition by Kaleyra. He actively mentors founders while supporting startups with capital, operational guidance, and strategic growth. His experience in building and scaling businesses makes him a valuable partner for emerging technology ventures.
Vipul Arora, Principal – Portfolio & Investments, YourNest Venture Capital: Vipul Arora is Principal of Portfolio & Investments at YourNest Venture Capital, where he oversees investment execution, portfolio growth, compliance, and post-investment monitoring. With more than a decade at YourNest, he has played a key role in supporting early-stage technology startups through their growth journeys. His background in transaction advisory and financial due diligence at Ernst & Young strengthens his investment expertise. He specializes in helping portfolio companies build sustainable long-term value.
Vishal Katariya, VP, Ankur Capital: Vishal Katariya is Vice President at Ankur Capital, leading investments in deep science and technology startups across climate tech, energy transition, semiconductors, and biotechnology. A scientist-turned-investor with a PhD in quantum information, he brings strong technical expertise to evaluating IP-led innovations. He has led investments from sourcing through due diligence while supporting founders on strategy and commercialization. He also contributes significantly to India’s deep science startup ecosystem through research and community initiatives.
Vishnu Rajeev, Investment Partner, Speciale Invest: Vishnu Rajeev is Investment Partner at Speciale Invest, focusing on deep science and technology startups spanning AI, energy storage, climate tech, advanced materials, and drug discovery. With extensive experience across venture capital, cleantech investing, and innovation ecosystems, he has backed several breakthrough science-led companies. He actively works with founders as an investor and board member to accelerate commercialization and business growth. His expertise bridges deep technology with long-term value creation.
Conclusion
The individuals featured in the AI & Cybersecurity VC Power List – Top 100 represent far more than investors. They are ecosystem builders, strategic partners, and long-term enablers of technological innovation. By backing ambitious founders, supporting breakthrough research, and championing frontier technologies, they are helping shape the future of AI, cybersecurity, and deep technology not only in India but on the global stage.
As artificial intelligence and cybersecurity continue to redefine the way businesses operate and societies function, the role of visionary venture capitalists will become even more significant. This recognition celebrates their contribution to building resilient, intelligent, and globally impactful startups, while inspiring the next generation of founders and investors to push the boundaries of innovation.
Disclaimer
This editorial, “AI & Cybersecurity VC Power List – Top 100,” has been curated through independent research, industry analysis, and publicly available information sourced from company websites, professional profiles, media publications, interviews, venture firm disclosures, and other credible public resources available at the time of compilation. The individuals featured represent a diverse cross-section of venture capital professionals actively supporting innovation across artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, enterprise software, deep technology, cloud infrastructure, semiconductors, quantum computing, robotics, and other emerging technology sectors. This editorial is not intended to serve as an exhaustive or definitive list of all venture capital professionals operating within the AI and cybersecurity ecosystem.
The selection process follows a structured editorial methodology, with the primary emphasis placed on each individual’s demonstrated involvement in investing, supporting, or enabling startups operating in AI, cybersecurity, and closely related frontier technology domains. The featured professionals hold a wide range of roles and seniority levels, including Founding Partners, Managing Partners, General Partners, Partners, Principals, Vice Presidents, Directors, Investment Managers, and other investment leadership positions. Their inclusion is based on the relevance of their investment focus, portfolio, and contribution to the AI and cybersecurity ecosystem rather than designation, organisational hierarchy, or seniority.
The profiles in this editorial are arranged in alphabetical order and do not constitute a ranking. The sequence of appearance should not be interpreted as a reflection of investment performance, influence, seniority, fund size, experience, portfolio success, or any comparative assessment among the featured individuals.
All information presented has been compiled from publicly available sources believed to be reliable. However, given the rapidly evolving nature of the venture capital and technology landscape, professional roles, investment theses, portfolio companies, organisational affiliations, and achievements may change over time. While every reasonable effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information, there may be inadvertent errors, omissions, or changes that occur after publication.
The inclusion of any individual, venture capital firm, or organisation in this editorial is intended solely for recognition and informational purposes. It should not be construed as an endorsement, recommendation, investment advice, affiliation, or validation of any investment strategy, fund performance, portfolio company, technology, or future outcome.
We remain committed to maintaining fairness, transparency, and editorial integrity throughout our recognition initiatives. If any corrections, updates, or clarifications are required, we welcome constructive feedback and may consider appropriate revisions in future editions.
