THE JOURNEY
1 Launched in 2008 as Inventus India, Athera Venture Partners has deployed about ₹1,200 crore so far
2 The firm believes in identifying opportunities early, and its team engages with the early-stage ecosystem
3 Athera lays a strong emphasis on technology and novel solutions that a company can bring
4 Among its successes are firms like PB Fintech, where it saw returns of 21.3x, and redBus (12.4x returns)
5 The exits are through public listings, as in the case of PB Fintech; and M&As, like with the sale of redBus The firm invests across a host of sectors, the primary requirement being a tech-first approach
VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM Athera Venture Partners’ office is tucked away in a small lane in Bengaluru’s Domlur area. It is housed in a modest building, and the set-up is spartan, a sharp contrast to the VC landscape, where firms are generally known to be more ostentatious.
In many ways, the set-up is emblematic of Athera’s functional approach of focussing its attention on picking the right companies to invest in, something it prides itself on, and paying as little heed to other things as possible.
In the large, austere conference room, which just has some wood panelling, the firm’s four General Partners gather for a freewheeling chat. Soft-spoken Samir Kumar, 62, his tone firm, speaks of how he and his colleagues—General Partners Parag Dhol (56), Rutvik Doshi (48), and Rajiv Mehta (46)—look at a business plan. “Of course, over time, that process has been fine-tuned, but at the core, we look at a 10x return.” That is ambitious on any given day, but it’s something that Athera, which translates to journey in Sanskrit, has gotten better at.
This story is from the September 29, 2024 edition of Business Today India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 29, 2024 edition of Business Today India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
"Moving to cloud helped us grow❞
What was the problem you were grappling with?
She's Got Time
MORE WOMEN ARE BECOMING WATCH CONNOISSEURS, SEEKING OUT BOTH JEWELLED AND TECHNICAL WATCHES FOR THEIR STYLE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP
RISING STAR
PARUL GULATI IS a name that's been steadily gaining prominence in the Indian entertainment industry after she appeared on season 2 of Shark Tank in 2023. She has become a multifaceted personality who effortlessly transitions between acting and entrepreneurship.
Building on a Legacy
WHEN ZAHABIYA KHORAKIWALA stepped into her role as Managing Director of Wockhardt Hospitals over a decade ago, she confronted formidable challenges that have since turned into achievements.
LEADER IN INNOVATION
AS FEDEX'S PRESIDENT (Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Africa), Kami Viswanathan has a lot on her plate.
WAITING IN THE WINGS
Here are those who missed out as they have not yet completed a year in office; they'll be strong contenders in 2025
A DECENT PROPOSAL
IN TODAY'S WORLD OF TRYING TO CREATE AN EQUITABLE SPACE, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR HOUSEHOLDS. WOMEN ARE ENCOURAGED TO HAVE THEIR OWN SAVINGS POOL AND INVESTMENT ROUTINE. GIVEN THIS, HOW SHOULD FUTURE BRIDES APPROACH FINANCIAL PLANNING?
Women and the STEM Bias
EMPOWERING WOMEN IN STEM WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT INDIVIDUALS, BUT ALSO STRENGTHEN THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY, DRIVING INNOVATION AND PROGRESS.
ROCKET WOMEN
WOMEN IN INDIA ARE NOT ONLY VENTURING INTO SPACE BUT ARE ALSO STARTING TO SPEARHEAD THE COUNTRY'S EFFORTS IN THE GLOBAL SPACE RACE.
ONE STEP FORWARD
THE NUMBER OF WOMEN INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS IS GROWING STEADILY, BUT IT'S A LONG WAY FROM GENDER PARITY. MUCH MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO BREAK THE GLASS CEILING IN BOARDROOMS.