Are you ready for a future where electric vehicles are the norm? In this episode, we chat with Akshay, co-founder of Kazam, who’s on a mission to revolutionize how we think about EVs and energy. From leasing EVs to building cutting-edge charging infrastructure, Akshay shares his journey of tackling India’s EV challenges and scaling solutions globally. Discover how his startup is making EV adoption easier and why he believes energy management is the next big frontier. Tune in to learn how the EV landscape is changing—and what it means for you!

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) "Why lease an EV? Akshay's unexpected take."
(03:00) "The game-changing rise of two- and three-wheelers in India."
(05:30) "EV economics: How the math works for fleets."
(07:30) "The future of EVs: Lessons from your smartphone."
(11:30) "What’s holding back mass EV adoption? The real challenges."
(15:30) "Will India hit its bold EV targets by 2030?"
(19:00) "Why charging anxiety is more about perception than reality."
(23:30) "Public vs. private EV charging: Surprising insights."
(29:00) "Can EVs become the ultimate digital assets?"
(36:00) "India’s EV edge: Why the grid is ready."

Akshay Shekhar
Founder, Kazam
Akshay Shekhar is the co-founder and CEO of Kazam, India's largest EV charging company. Prior to this, Akshay built an AR startup and worked at consumer goods companies PepsiCo and Godrej Consumer.

Kazam operates in 5000+ pin codes with its software and hardware solutions being used by OEMs, E-Commerce fleet operators and even Charge Point Operators. The startup's vision is to ultimately create a shareable carbon credit pool for the entire EV value chain.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/akshayshekhar/

Rahul Thayyalamkandy
Director of Comms & Community, Vertex Ventures SEA & India

Rahul Thayyalamkandy joined the SEA/India team as the Director of Communication & Community in 2024 and is based in Singapore.

Before joining Vertex, Rahul served as a Product Manager at BLOCK71, an incubator and joint venture of NUS Enterprise and Singtel Innov8, where he developed scalable services for portfolio startups and designed mentorship programs. He also gained experience as a Summer Associate at Cocoon Capital, working with the Managing Partner on investment deals.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/

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Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India is a pioneer in investing in tech start-ups in this region and has helped to build a number of unicorns. In this podcast, we seek to share and uncover the Hard Truth - raw, unfiltered insights and venture capital knowledge from across Southeast Asia and India. Tune in to learn from leading founders, innovators, venture capitalists, and industry experts in the region and gain industry insights from those in the know.

If you like what you hear, please follow or subscribe to the show so you don’t miss out on any of our upcoming discussions.

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Follow us to get notified whenever new episodes are shared.

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For more information, please visit: https://www.vertexventures.sg

What motivated Achitha Jacob to shift her focus from a career in a Fortune 500 healthcare company to founding Proactive for Her, and how does she envision the impact of her work on women's health in India?

Join us as we delve into the journey of Achitha Jacob, the founder of Proactive for Her. Discover how Achitha's passion for women's health led her to build a platform empowering Indian women to prioritize their own well-being. From overcoming challenges to fostering a thriving company culture, Achitha's story is a testament to resilience, determination, and the transformative power of putting oneself first. Click here for the transcript.

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) What is Proactive For Her?
(05:28) Why did I drop out of Harvard?
(06:54) What were the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial journey?
(13:28) Online or offline business?
(17:37) How has the journey with Vertex been?
(18:49) How did I build education and awareness in this space?
(22:41) Are women willing to invest in their health?
(25:52) What does it take to be successful as a single founder?
(29:38) What's the difference between being a leader and a manager?
(33:46) How resilience helped me get through the difficult times
(39:37) Closing

Our Guest: Achitha Jacob
Achitha Jacob is the founder of Proactive For Her. Proactive For Her is an omni-channel women’s health clinic offering judgement-free, personalised, and confidential healthcare solutions. They address the health concerns of Indian women across their lifetime – from puberty to menopause and beyond. Their services are available online, at home, and at their Bangalore clinics. Be it spreading awareness about annual check-ups to include pap smears and cancer screening, cervical cancer vaccination (HPV vaccination), STI/STD screening or helping women take that leap of faith and book their first gynaecology consultation, they want to empower every Indian woman to take charge of her own health and wellness journey.

Proactive has helped 50,000+ women learn more about their sexual and menstrual health and access quality medical care. Young and old(er) women love that Proactive is able to provide them a safe space to address their sexual, menstrual & reproductive health concerns. They have done extensive work on extremely niche and taboo topics like vaginismus, a condition which is not very well understood in India.

An alumnus of IIT-Bombay, Achitha dropped out of Harvard Business School to build Proactive For Her. She has previously worked with Fortune 500 healthcare companies and healthcare startups.
Website: https://www.proactiveforher.com

Elise Tan
Elise Tan is the Director of Communications and Community at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India. Prior to joining Vertex, she had extensive experience in investor relations and partnerships at global venture funds and accelerators with more than $100m in AUM. Elise also currently runs a Southeast Asia-based startup community of nearly 800 entrepreneurs called the Asia Startup network and actively supports their startup journey through panels, meet-ups, and mentoring programs.

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Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India is a pioneer in investing in tech start-ups in this region and has helped to build a number of unicorns. In this podcast, we seek to share and uncover the Hard Truth - raw, unfiltered insights and venture capital knowledge from across Southeast Asia and India. Tune in to learn from leading founders, innovators, venture capitalists, and industry experts in the region and to gain industry insights from those in the know.

If you like what you hear, please click follow or subscribe and share it with entrepreneurs or investors in your circle so we can all grow, succeed and build the future of SEA and India together.

Imagine building a global tech powerhouse from scratch. That's the story of Guan Dian, cofounder, CMO and APAC GM of Patsnap, a pioneer in AI-powered patent search and analytics. From humble beginnings in China to leading a global tech team, Guan Dian's story is one of resilience, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of service excellence.

Tune in to hear how Guan Dian transformed Patsnap from a small startup into a dominant force in the tech industry through her visionary leadership and strategic partnerships. Discover how she navigated cutthroat competition, industry disruption, and even global pandemics to propel Patsnap to success. Click here for the transcript

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) Introduction
(02:26) What is Guan Dian's role in Patsnap?
(04:39) Why did Dian leave her "cushy job" to join a startup?
(09:08) What have been some remarkable challenges in the journey?
(13:23) How Dian realized that she has been pitching to the wrong people
(18:23) Advice for female founders
(21:54) Showing resilience at the face of adversity
(25:21) What were some sacrifices Dian had to make along the way?
(27:50) How did Patsnap meet Vertex?
(31:39) How has Patsnap incorporated AI into their system?
(42:12) Future of Patsnap

OUR GUEST: Guan Dian
Guan Dian is the co-founder, CMO, APAC GM of Patsnap - a leading provider of research and development (R&D) analytics with AI-powered technology and machine learning. The company has grown from a small four-person operation to international prominence in the highly competitive field of patent analytics. Today Patsnap enables more than 12,000 customers in more than 50 countries to access market, technology, and competitive intelligence as well as patent insights to take products from ideation to commercialization. In her current role at Patsnap, Guan leads the company's Asia Pacific business.

Guan has over a decade of experience in the tech industry. Guan started their career as a software engineer at MooWee.
Guan Dian has a background in management science and engineering from Stanford University, and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Management Information Systems from the National University of Singapore. She was part of the 2016 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia and 2021 Tatler’s Asia’s Most Influential.

Elise Tan
Elise Tan is the Director of Communications and Community at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India. Prior to joining Vertex, she had extensive experience in investor relations and partnerships at global venture funds and accelerators with more than $100m in AUM. Elise also currently runs a Southeast Asia-based startup community of nearly 800 entrepreneurs called the Asia Startup network and actively supports their startup journey through panels, meet-ups, and mentoring programs.

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Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India is a pioneer in investing in tech start-ups in this region and has helped to build a number of unicorns. In this podcast, we seek to share and uncover the Hard Truth - raw, unfiltered insights and venture capital knowledge from across Southeast Asia and India. Tune in to learn from leading founders, innovators, venture capitalists, and industry experts in the region and to gain industry insights from those in the know.

If you like what you hear, please click follow or subscribe and share it with entrepreneurs or investors in your circle so we can all grow, succeed and build the future of SEA and India together.

What does it take to go from an idea to owning the Southeast Asia Parenting space? In this episode, we have a conversation with Roshni Mahtani Cheung, the founder and CEO of The Parentinc, a pioneering parent-tech leader renowned for owning the largest content-community-commerce online platform for parents in the region. The Parentinc recently made waves with the acquisition of Mothers Work in Singapore, marking their foray into physical retail.
Roshni reflects on the challenges of balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, the importance of a supportive community, and the transformative power of building a business rooted in authentic passion. Get ready for a conversation that goes beyond tech and into the heart of female leadership and resilience!

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) Introduction
(02:13) I'm an accidental entrepreneur
(05:19) Parenting needs a community that's passionate yet open to change
(08:40) Media monetization cannot grow to be a scalable business
(16:34) How do you decide when to buy & when to build?
(20:37) Be ready to commit 15 to 20 years of your life to the entrepreneur journey
(23:12) Vertex is not just a team, it's a family
(27:31) Hard Truths for female founders
(30:31) Female Founders’ network of 2,000 female founders across Asia
(33:04) Regaining confidence in female founders after the Elizabeth Holmes incident
(41:31) Future plans for the Parentinc
For the full transcript of this episode, click here.

OUR GUEST: Roshni Mahtani
Roshni Mahtani is the Group CEO and founder of TheParentinc - the company behind TheAsianParent, Mama’s Choice and Webtretho. Her company reaches 25 million parents on a monthly basis. To put that in perspective, 7/10 digital pregnancies in South East Asia use her platform to help raise happy, healthy and confident children.
Roshni is also actively involved in the start-up community. She is currently one of the judges at Mediacorp’s business reality show, the “Big Spark”. In 2015, she co founded the Female Founders Network, a group of over 3,500 female founders across Asia.
Besides her interest in the start-up world, Roshni is also an Executive Producer of Untouchable: Children of God – A docu movie about young girls in the brothels of India and how they are sold and trafficked from Nepal.
She’s also an Obama Leader for the APAC 2019/2020 batch.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/roshnimahtani/

Elise Tan
Elise Tan is the Director of Communications and Community at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India. Prior to joining Vertex, she had extensive experience in investor relations and partnerships at global venture funds and accelerators with more than $100m in AUM. Elise also currently runs a Southeast Asia-based startup community of nearly 800 entrepreneurs called the Asia Startup network and actively supports their startup journey through panels, meet-ups, and mentoring programs.

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Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India is a pioneer in investing in tech start-ups in this region and has helped to build a number of unicorns. In this podcast, we seek to share and uncover the Hard Truth - raw, unfiltered insights and venture capital knowledge from across Southeast Asia and India. Tune in to learn from leading founders, innovators, venture capitalists, and industry experts in the region and to gain industry insights from those in the know.
If you like what you hear, please click follow or subscribe and share it with entrepreneurs or investors in your circle so we can all grow, succeed and build the future of SEA and India together.

Join host Elise Tan in this special episode of the Hard Truths by Vertex podcast, as she sits down with member of the PayPal mafia, Jack Selby, venture investor and independent film director. Discover the untold stories of PayPal's early days, including the merger with X.com and the birth of the pioneering digital payment giant.

Jack shares valuable insights on the current investment landscape, exploring business cycles, and the hard truths for both early-stage founders and investors. Plus, delve into the fascinating world of independent filmmaking and learn why Jack finds it a refreshing departure from the routine of tech and finance. Tune in now!

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) Introduction
(02:51) How did PayPal know about Vertex Ventures in Singapore?
(03:56) Comparing 2000s and now, what has evolved in the area of startup and venture investment?
(09:10) What strategies were implemented to make the PayPal & X.com merger work?
(10:53) What led to the substantial growth of PayPal?
(12:17) Hard truths for early-stage founders and investors
(17:25) Opinions about portfolio value creators
(18:50) What are the emerging trends of 2024?
(22:51) How are filmmaking and investing similar?
For the full transcript, click here.

OUR GUEST: Jack R. Selby
Jack R. Selby is the managing director at Thiel Capital. He is a former managing director at Clarium Capital Management LLC.

Prior to Clarium, Mr. Selby served as a Corporate Officer and Senior Vice President of PayPal, Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL). Mr.Selby was an original member of the founding PayPal team, and served in a variety of roles during his tenure at the company, including the management of PayPal’s international operations.

Prior to PayPal, Mr.Selby worked for GFTA Analytics GmbH, a Dusseldorf-based financial consulting company which provides foreign exchange solutions to financial institutions, multi-national corporations, governments, central banks and institutional investors.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackselby/

Elise Tan
Elise Tan is the Director of Communications and Community at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India. Prior to joining Vertex, she had extensive experience in investor relations and partnerships at global venture funds and accelerators with more than $100m in AUM. Elise also currently runs a Southeast Asia-based startup community of nearly 800 entrepreneurs called the Asia Startup network and actively supports their startup journey through panels, meet-ups, and mentoring programs.

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Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India is a pioneer in investing in tech start-ups in this region and has helped to build a number of unicorns. In this podcast, we seek to share and uncover the Hard Truth - raw, unfiltered insights and venture capital knowledge from across Southeast Asia and India. Tune in to learn from leading founders, innovators, venture capitalists, and industry experts in the region and to gain industry insights from those in the know.

If you like what you hear, please click follow or subscribe and share it with entrepreneurs or investors in your circle so we can all grow, succeed and build the future of SEA and India together.

In this episode, Nikhil Marwaha, Senior Executive Director, shares his extensive investment journey spanning early and later-stage companies in sectors like consumer, B2B enterprise, and healthcare. Learn about his experiences with growth equity funds, insights into venture investing, and the exciting trends in the Indian startup ecosystem. Based in Gurgaon, he sees a different set but nevertheless exciting venture opportunities.
Stay tuned for discussions on emerging themes, including enterprise B2B SaaS, manufacturing in India, and the rise of electric vehicles in India. Discover the unique stories of Vertex's portfolio companies, such as Ace Turtle, Certa and Pilgrim, and gain valuable advice for early-stage entrepreneurs navigating the dynamic Indian market!

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) Introduction and Background
(01:28) Investment Experience and Transition to Venture Capital
(06:27) Overview of the Indian Startup Ecosystem
(10:11) Key Investment Trends in India
(14:45) Metrics and Assessments for Venture Capital Investing
(20:54) Vertex Portfolio Companies in India
(23:14) Ace Turtle and Progress in Consumer Segment
(25:21) Advice for Early Stage Entrepreneurs in India
(30:21) Market Sizing and Challenges in India
(32:00) Exciting Areas in Venture Capital for 2024

For the full transcript, click here.

OUR GUESTS: Nikhil MARWAHA, Senior Executive Director
Nikhil Marwaha joined Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India Team in 2023 and is based in Gurgaon, New Delhi. Prior to Vertex, Nikhil was a Director for Investments at Avendus Future Leaders Fund (Avendus FLF), a US$200M growth equity fund sponsored by Avendus, a leading Indian investment bank, where he led investments across consumer, digital technology & healthcare. Prior to Avendus, Nikhil was a Co-Founder & Principal at MegaDelta, a US$200M secondary fund, where he was on the Board of multiple companies and led exits worth ~US$100M.
https://www.vertexventures.sg/#team

Elise Tan

Elise Tan is the Director of Communications and Community at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India. Prior to joining Vertex, she had extensive experience in investor relations and partnerships at global venture funds and accelerators with more than $100m in AUM. Elise also currently runs a Southeast Asia-based startup community of nearly 800 entrepreneurs called the Asia Startup network and actively supports their startup journey through panels, meet-ups, and mentoring programs.

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Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India is a pioneer in investing in tech start-ups in this region and has helped to build a number of unicorns. In this podcast, we seek to share and uncover the Hard Truth - raw, unfiltered insights and venture capital knowledge from across Southeast Asia and India. Tune in to learn from leading founders, innovators, venture capitalists, and industry experts in the region and to gain industry insights from those in the know.

If you like what you hear, please click follow or subscribe and share it with entrepreneurs or investors in your circle so we can all grow, succeed and build the future of SEA and India together.

In this episode of Hard Truths by Vertex podcast, Chan Yip Pang, Executive Director at Vertex Ventures SEA & India, explores the Malaysian startup ecosystem, delving into his journey and the three phases of Malaysian tech development. The conversation covers notable investments, the strengths of the Malaysian ecosystem, and Vertex's investment thesis, offering insights for ambitious founders in Southeast Asia. Join Chan Yip and host Elise Tan as they discuss hard truths and valuable advice for entrepreneurs aiming to make their mark in the Malaysian startup scene.

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) Journey from an electrician's son to a VC investor
(05:16) The 3 phases of Malaysian tech development
(10:49) The most notable investments in Malaysia - Grab and PatSnap
(12:12) The advantage of Malaysian Ecosystem - Hungry founders, lower operating costs
(15:48) The Vertex investment thesis for Malaysia - invest in ambitious founders
(16:41) Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs - get started with your idea now to tap into capital and opportunities
(19:31) The exit opportunities for Malaysian companies
(20:52) Advice for entrepreneurs - focus on what you can control
(23:17) How to reach out to Vertex Ventures SEA and India?

For the full transcript, click here:

Our Guest: Chan Yip Pang
Chan Yip Pang is Executive Director at Vertex Ventures SEA & India. He focuses on Pre-A, Series A and Series B investments in Fintech, Consumer and Enterprise Software.

Prior to joining Vertex, Chan Yip was the Asia Pacific Investment Director in Experian Ventures (the corporate venture arm of one of the largest credit information firms globally) where he focused on financial inclusion for the next billion users. He was also part of the M&A team and has worked on key acquisitions for the company. In addition, he represented Experian as board of director/observer in several portfolio companies.
Follow him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chanyip/

Elise Tan

Elise Tan is the Director of Communications and Community at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India. Prior to joining Vertex, she had extensive experience in investor relations and partnerships at global venture funds and accelerators with more than $100m in AUM. Elise also currently runs a Southeast Asia-based startup community of nearly 800 entrepreneurs called the Asia Startup network and actively supports their startup journey through panels, meet-ups, and mentoring programs.

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Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India is a pioneer in investing in tech start-ups in this region and has helped to build a number of unicorns. In this podcast, we seek to share and uncover the Hard Truth - raw, unfiltered insights and venture capital knowledge from across Southeast Asia and India. Tune in to learn from leading founders, innovators, venture capitalists, and industry experts in the region and to gain industry insights from those in the know.

If you like what you hear, please click follow or subscribe and share it with entrepreneurs or investors in your circle so we can all grow, succeed and build the future of SEA and India together.

Indonesia is the largest market in Southeast Asia but with a nascent startup ecosystem, how can entrepreneurs navigate rapid growth while ensuring bottom-line profitability? In this episode, Gary Khoeng shares insights on Indonesia's startup landscape. Covering topics across profitability, unit economics, and internal governance, Gary provides a pragmatic understanding for navigating the challenges of the evolving market. This episode offers key considerations for those aiming to tap into Indonesia's startup opportunities within the broader Southeast Asian context. Tune in now!

In This Episode
(00:00) Starting the Vertex Journey
(04:57) Growth of Fintech in Indonesia
(09:37) What are some notable trends in the Indonesian ecosystem?
(11:57) Advice for investing in the Indonesian market
(12:58) How to reach out to Vertex for funding?
(16:51) How does Vertex support its portfolio companies
(24:15) At what point should the startup business aim to be profitable?
(28:51) Advice for first time founders

For the full transcript, click here:

Gary Khoeng
Gary Khoeng is a Partner of Investment at Vertex Ventures Southeast East Asia and India and is the first to set up the team in Indonesia. He has spent most of his career in financial services and management consulting at the Boston Consulting Group in Jakarta before joining Vertex. At BCG, he covered both banks and FMCG clients across South East Asia. Prior to BCG, Gary worked at Citigroup’s Institutional Clients Group in New York, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
Follow him at https://id.linkedin.com/in/garykhoeng

Elise Tan
Elise Tan is the Director of Communications and Community at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India. Prior to joining Vertex, she had extensive experience in investor relations and partnerships at global venture funds and accelerators with more than $100m in AUM. Elise also currently runs a Southeast Asia-based startup community of nearly 800 entrepreneurs called the Asia Startup network and actively supports their startup journey through panels, meet-ups, and mentoring programs.
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Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India is a pioneer in investing in tech start-ups in this region and has helped to build a number of unicorns. In this podcast, we seek to share and uncover the Hard Truth - raw, unfiltered insights and venture capital knowledge from across Southeast Asia and India. Tune in to learn from leading founders, innovators, venture capitalists, and industry experts in the region and to gain industry insights from those in the know.
If you like what you hear, please click follow or subscribe and share it with entrepreneurs or investors in your circle so we can all grow, succeed and build the future of SEA and India together.