A $2Billion Japanese Fund Investing in Indian Startups | Ep19 Anjani Bansal, Global Brains Corporation with Shrishti Sahu
Learn what excites global investors about The India Opportunity
Hello everyone, welcome to The India Opportunity Show where you get a front-row seat to people building India’s future. We talk about unlocking the potential of the country with founders, investors, creators, and successful leaders from different fields to bring you real-life stories and behind-the-scenes of what it takes to be at the forefront of building the India Story.
The 19th episode of The India Opportunity Show is out now! You can watch it on YouTube or listen to it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Our guest today is Anjani, Partner and India head at Global Brain Corporation, a venture capital firm based out of Japan. They have close to $2 billion in assets under management and a phenomenal track record of investments in over 350 companies, 35 IPO's and 71 mergers and acquisitions. Their India portfolio includes over 12 companies. They've invested in companies like Airmeet, Satsure and Lokal. And they continue to invest up to $4 million in startups from Seed till Series B. Previously Anjani was at the Gates Foundation for nine years as their India head where he led private sector investments focused on impact. He's also worked in banking at Fidelity and Morgan Stanley on the derivative trading side. So much to learn from a global leader like Anjani who's had a fantastic career investing in the private sector. We've covered a lot of interesting topics in this conversation. Everything from his experience of working with Bill Gates to the Japanese economy and in depth about his investing philosophy and his experience of investing in India as well. I really look forward to sharing Anjani's story with you all today.
Takeaways
Early childhood experiences and influences can shape a career path.
Working in banking provides valuable lessons in professionalism and attention to detail.
Books can have a profound impact on one's perspective and career choices.
Foundations offer unique opportunities to work on large-scale impact projects.
Investing in companies that contribute to increasing income is a key focus in India.
The Japanese economy is resilient despite recent market volatility.
India offers a bright investment opportunity with its growing digitization and domestic demand.
Foreign inflows into India are increasing, including interest from corporate investors.
Late-stage funding challenges exist globally, not just in India.
Interest from corporate investors is filling the gap in late-stage funding in India. The Indian ecosystem is maturing, but still faces challenges such as the lack of early-stage patient capital and limited public R&D spending.
The convergence of private equity and venture capital is mitigating the lack of late-stage investing in India.
Governance and corporate issues impact the sentiment of global LPs investing in India, and accountability and collaboration between investors and founders are crucial.
Investment philosophy should value experienced founders, attention to detail, and respect for competitors.
Deep tech and AI have great potential in India, but more resources and patient capital are needed.
Failures teach humility and the importance of trusting instincts.
The personal mission is to positively influence lives and contribute to impact investing.
Chapters
00:00 Early Childhood Influences and Career Path
05:12 Lessons Learned in Banking and Foundation Work
15:12 Investing in Companies that Increase Income in India
28:43 The Japanese Economy and the Indian Market
40:31 Challenges and Opportunities in Late-Stage Funding
42:14 The Maturing Indian Ecosystem and Its Challenges
44:51 The Convergence of Private Equity and Venture Capital
48:27 The Impact of Governance and Corporate Issues on Global LPs
52:54 Investment Philosophy: Experienced Founders, Attention to Detail, and Respect for Competitors
59:49 The Potential of Deep Tech and AI in India
01:02:11 Lessons from Failures: Humility and Trusting Instincts
01:07:37 A Personal Mission: Positive Influence and Impact Investing
Follow Anjani here: LinkedIn
Follow Shrishti here: LinkedIn Twitter
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Disclaimer: The content presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Viewers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.