India’s alternative investment space is growing faster than ever. New funds, strategies, and products are entering the market, but truly institutional, risk-managed frameworks are still rare. That gap is exactly where Creencia sees its opportunity.
Founded by Amandeep Singh Uberoi, Founder & CIO, Creencia recently launched its maiden investment fund with ₹100 crore in assets under management. In this conversation with Indian Startup Times, Uberoi speaks candidly about why India needs more discipline in investing, how global hedge fund ideas must be reshaped for Indian markets, and what real, long-term success looks like in capital management.
Why Discipline Still Matters in Indian Markets
For Uberoi, the starting point was simple observation. While global family offices and institutions rely heavily on hedge-fund-style, risk-managed strategies, Indian investors continue to depend largely on long-only, directional bets.
“Indian markets are deep, liquid, and highly efficient,” he says. “But the way capital is managed here hasn’t evolved at the same pace.”
Creencia was built to change that. Its focus is not on predicting markets, but on designing strategies that can survive different market cycles, with capital preservation and drawdown control at the core. Direction-neutral, risk-first investing, Uberoi believes, offers investors a far more stable and predictable experience over time.
Global Ideas, Reworked for Indian Reality
While Creencia draws inspiration from global hedge fund frameworks, Uberoi is quick to point out that these models can’t simply be copied and pasted into India.
Indian indices behave differently. Liquidity shifts quickly, volatility can spike without warning, and events often drive sharp, short-term moves. “Our systems are built specifically for Indian market realities,” he explains.
By combining global best practices with local data, regulatory awareness, and on-ground execution constraints, Creencia aims to build strategies that are both disciplined and flexible, able to adapt without losing structure.
Controlling Risk While Growing Capital
One of Creencia’s key objectives is to keep drawdowns below 5%, even as it looks to grow assets over time. That balance is maintained through strict exposure limits, volatility-adjusted position sizing, continuous monitoring, and layered hedging.
But growth, Uberoi insists, is not rushed. “We onboard capital only when we’re confident it can be deployed without compromising execution quality or risk controls.”
Instead of scaling fast, Creencia follows a partnership-led model, choosing alignment and long-term trust over aggressive expansion.
Trust Is Built Through Process, Not Promises
With backing from family offices, UHNIs, and seasoned investors, Creencia places transparency at the centre of its relationships. Clear reporting, defined risk frameworks, and honest expectation-setting are non-negotiable.
“In a competitive environment, credibility isn’t built through marketing,” Uberoi says. “It’s built through process, discipline, and consistency over time.”
Technology With Human Oversight
At Creencia, technology plays a critical role, but it doesn’t operate alone. Algorithms handle data analysis, risk modelling, and execution with speed and precision. Human judgment steps in where context, interpretation, and adaptability matter most.
“Algorithms take care of the ‘how’,” Uberoi explains. “Humans decide the ‘why’.”
This balance, he believes, is essential to ensure technology strengthens decision-making rather than replacing it.
Lessons From the Journey and the Road Ahead
Looking back, Uberoi says the most important lesson he’s learned is that discipline beats brilliance. Markets reward consistency, patience, and strong systems far more than occasional bold calls.
For aspiring investment entrepreneurs, his advice is straightforward: focus on depth before scale, build strong risk frameworks early, and don’t chase growth at the cost of credibility.
When asked how he defines success for Creencia over the next 3–5 years, Uberoi looks beyond asset size. “Consistency, credibility, and institutional maturity matter more than numbers,” he says.
Ultimately, the goal is to build a platform that compounds not just capital, but trust over the long term.
Interview conducted by Arushi Agarwal
