Balancing The Old And The New

The fourth generation scion of the Singhania family, Akshaypat Singhania is all set to invest in startups, and shape the business with an eye on the future. Entrepreneur spoke to the Mumbaibased industrialist about the deployment of Rs 100 crore fund.

- Punita Sabharwal

What led to your interest in startups?

I hail from one of India’s premier business families. The family environment was a natural catalyst, drawing me toward businesses, their creation and creating value for not just business stakeholders but also for society. There is no particular moment that led me on the path that I took but in today’s environment startups are the ones coming up with great ideas for this age. That is why I want to back them, not just with money but also mentoring.

How many and what kind of startups are you looking to invest in?

Ideally, my ticket size for investment would be between $2-4 million per startup. However, it is not the number of startups that I invest in which is important but the quality, uniqueness and earning capacity of the business. For the time being I have set aside Rs 100 crore and I am focusing mainly on lifestyle, F&B, healthcare, media and entertainment.