Welcome to another episode of the Excluto Podcast! In this episode, we are excited to have Arjit Johri, Vice President at Mars Shot Ventures, join us for an insightful conversation about venture capital (VC) investments and the Indian startup ecosystem.
In this episode, we cover:
1. Introduction & Journey Till Now: Arjit Johri shares his personal and professional journey, highlighting key milestones and experiences that have shaped his career.
2. Story Behind the Name Mars Shot: Discover the intriguing story and inspiration behind the name “Mars Shot” and what it symbolizes for the venture.
3. Differences in Approach: Arjit discusses the unique approach of Mars Shot Ventures compared to other funds he has worked with, emphasizing their distinctive strategies and philosophies.
4. Strategic Investments with Razorpay in Mind: Explore whether Mars Shot Ventures makes strategic investments with Razorpay in mind and how it influences their investment decisions.
5. Investor Mindset: Arjit provides valuable advice on the mindset investors should adopt before investing in venture capital funds, offering practical tips and insights.
6. Closing Remarks: Current and Future Scenario of the Indian Startup Ecosystem: We wrap up the episode with Arjit’s thoughts on the current state and future prospects of the Indian startup ecosystem.
“So, I think everybody agrees that starting a company is a very lonely journey. Even if you have employees, co-founders, investors, mentors, etc. You’re like a lone ranger that you feel every day. You wake up, you go to work, you’re like, you know, I have to do something. You have to stay motivated, figure out long-term vision, etc. So I think the team thought, and this is our thought process today, that can we be… friends on the cap table? Can we be a non-formal sounding board for founders whenever they want to discuss things which are going great, of course, but especially when things are not going great, right? In times of trouble, in times of doubt, in times when there’s a lot of concern around any aspect of business, right?”
-Arjit Johari