The world of angel investors, those who back start-ups with some early capital, is male-dominated. Chennai is no exception. In the second of the series, Sangeetha Kandavel profiles six women angel investors who are active through the Chennai Angels network, in the belief that backing a venture with timely resources and mentorship can make a huge difference:
Lakshmi Potluri
A co-founder of online lifestyle store jabong.com, Lakshmi Potluri has an MBA from Columbia Business School and a master’s in computer science from the University of Texas. The consumer space interests her. “I can relate to that space,” she says. Lakshmi has already invested into three ventures – Traveling Spoon (which seeks to connect travellers with authentic local cuisine), Velvetcase.com (an online marketplace for fine jewellery), and Everest Edusys (which is into experiential science education for children). Earlier, at IBM, where she was a consultant, she filed for 22 technology patents.
“ I am from Chennai and I wanted to be a part of the start-up ecosystem in this region. There are high quality entrepreneurs here but don’t know the source of funding. ”
Padma Chandrasekaran
A founding member of one of India’s earliest Internet companies, Sify Ltd, Padma Chandrasekaran took to angel investing in 2012. She has already invested in five ventures. Biotech, health and clean energy are the sectors that interest her. She wants women from smaller cities and towns to get into this space, and is working toward spreading the message. For Padma, Tamil Nadu is unique. She says, “There are more entrepreneurs with physical businesses here.” Ms. Padma did her graduation in statistics before passing out of IIM Ahmedabad’s post-graduate programme.
“ Tamil Nadu has a variety of options to invest in, from restaurants to logistics. I see if the space is large, and then the sector, and invest. ”
Shobana Anand
Shobana Anand has till now made an investment in telecom space, and is exploring some fresh business ideas from youngsters. After passing out of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, she spent over two decades working in the financial sector in banking, credit rating and consulting realms. “Looking at new businesses and evaluating them is what I always did, and that’s why I can relate to,” she says. As an investor, Ms. Shobana is also interested in the service sector and finance business.
“ I got interested in joining this club after seeing people like Lakshmi Narayanan and Gopal Srinivasan (who are part of Chennai Angels). Good and passionate youngsters who want support, that interests me. ”
Arudathi Krishna
Arundathi Krishna, a board member and Deputy Managing Director of TVS group’s auto component manufacturer Sundram Fasteners, has recently invested in a consumer-focussed venture. She believes that with the number of start-ups shooting up, the need for the right kind of funding has become very important. “It’s time Indian entrepreneurs are supported,” says Ms. Arundathi. An MBA from the University of Michigan, she did a variety of roles within the group, including being managing director of Upasana Engineering, a maker of dies and tools.
“ The ideas that come out of technology and retail space in India are excellent. And many of the ideas are emerging out of college students. ”
Hemu Ramaiah
Chennai’s book lovers would know Hemu Ramaiah as the founder of book chain Landmark, which she later sold to the Tatas. Hemu has invested in three ventures recently, with the latest one being a food mobile app. “There are plenty of ideas out there today. Even now I just got out of a session with some young entrepreneurs and I am eager to fund them,” she says. Ms. Hemu’s other entrepreneurial efforts include distribution company Westland Books, design firm Ifrieze Design Solutions, and consultancy Shop 4 Solutions.
“ Today, there are people who can boost youngsters, put their ideas together. There are mentors who are specialised in a particular space. ”
Sandhya Subramanyam
Sandhya Subramanyam, a director at diagnostic centre Ehrlich Laboratory Pvt Ltd, is the latest to join the angel network. She is already evaluating an opportunity. “I’m in the process of investing, and I’m studying the finer details,” she says. Her interests as an investor are in the healthcare sector. Ms. Sandhya graduated in manufacturing engineering from Anna University and then went on to do a master’s in business and information technology from Boston University. She has over a decade of experience in healthcare consulting.
“ I feel energised to work with youngsters. There is a lot of activity happening in the healthcare space in Tamil Nadu. ”
(The investors have preferred to describe the companies they have invested in rather than name them.)
