A passionate musician turned Investor meet Pranav Sanghvi, Principal at Merak Ventures, an early-stage B2B Tech VC Fund and a TedX speaker.

Born & brought up in Bombay, Pranav was a passionate musician under the stage name One&One. Across his music career, Pranav played at numerous Indian and international music festivals.

Coming from a business family, Pranav highlighted that he got the opportunity to learn the how real businesses were built & scaled, a skill that eventually helped him break into the Indian venture capital ecosystem.

In 2020, Pranav switched to a career in investments with the MABS Family Office & spent the next few years building a portfolio that now has over 20 early-stage businesses across different sectors.

This experience, coupled with a keen interest in meeting with and learning from early-stage Founders, led him to pursuing a long-term career in venture capital.

Pranav joined Merak in late 2022 & has been with the firm for almost 2 years now.

Merak Ventures is a sector-agnostic venture capital fund that invests in early-stage B2B and emerging technology companies that are solving hard, real world problems and creating large-scale impact.

The firm’s investment focus spans across all B2B and Tech first or tech-enabled early-stage businesses across different sectors.

Investment Ticket Size:
• First cheque: USD 0.5-1.5 million (approx. INR 5 crores)
• Sweet spot: USD 1 million

During a recent conversation, Pranav emphasised the importance of storytelling when pitching to investors.

As an early-stage investor, his primary responsibility is to back meaningful businesses and generate promising financial returns for their investors.

If you have an innovative idea that addresses a significant real-world problem, consider reaching out to Pranav Sanghvi
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Key Takeaways from My Interaction with Pranav Sanghvi:
✅ As an investor, Focus on financial returns while solving real-world problems
✅ Insights into investing in emerging technologies and sectors with high growth potential
✅ Strategies for identifying and nurturing early-stage startups

A special thanks to eChai Ventures , Draper Startup House and the amazing co-hosts Mansi Baheti and moderator Tanya Mary and Nivin Joseph for organizing such an insightful event.

The eChai Effect - In Their Words

“I have no hesitation in saying that my association with eChai has been a gateway into the startup ecosystem. Through this platform, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with many young and dynamic entrepreneurs. These interactions have been immensely enriching - I’ve learned a great deal and have always tried to offer guidance whenever approached. It’s a truly symbiotic relationship that I deeply value, and it wouldn’t have been possible without eChai.”
Syed Nadeem Jafri - Founder, Hearty Mart
Syed Nadeem Jafri
Founder, Hearty Mart
"For me, eChai is a second home. I've been associated with it since the early days, when it was already setting a different tone for how startup communities could work. As a traditional business owner entering the new-age D2C space, eChai supported me in every direction. Over the years, it became my window to the startup world — and also gave me lifelong friends who continue to show up, for business and beyond."
Pankaj Bhimani - Founder, 58miles
Pankaj Bhimani
Founder, 58miles
"The eChai platform has been super valuable for me - it has helped me gain a deeper understanding of domains in the startup and tech ecosystem. What stands out most is the celebration of knowledge, professional growth, and entrepreneurship - it’s one of the best for the Indian ecosystem. Along the way, I’ve also been fortunate to make some great friendships and connections too."
Shalin (Shawn) Parikh - Founder, MyCPE One
Shalin (Shawn) Parikh
Founder, MyCPE One

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