Athera Venture Partners (formerly Inventus India)

We are excited to partner with HDFC Capital Advisors Limited, HDFC Mutual Fund and HDFC Bank for the 4th edition of HDFC Tech Innovators. The platform continues with its mission of recognizing trailblazers driving India’s innovation story across Consumer Tech | Defense & Space Tech | Fintech | New Age Tech | Proptech | Sustainability Tech. The 4th edition of HDFC Tech Innovators will also recognize emerging women founders driving transformative change. If your startup is poised to drive India’s next wave of innovation, this is your chance to unlock the next level of growth. Apply Now! https://lnkd.in/de-dYrRm Rutvik Doshi | Rajiv Mehta | Parag Dhol | Samir Kumar | Ishan Sinha | Anshu Pandey | Tanya Sequeira | Kaushik A #HDFCTechInnovators #StartupChallenge #IndiaInnovates #HDFCCapital #HDFCMutualFund #HDFCBank #TechForIndia #WomenInTech #StartupIndia #InnovationAwards

Parag Dhol has watched India’s venture story unfold from its very beginning. In our recent Odyssey issue, he looks back on three+ decades of tech IPOs in India - from Infosys to Urban Company - and discusses the promises and pitfalls of public market listing. In this conversation, he spoke about: • Why IPO readiness still rests on growth, governance, and clear differentiation. • How public markets enforce discipline while private ones chase sentiment. • Where the next wave of tech IPOs will come from Check out highlights from the conversation below, and read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/dpfuheam #VentureCapital #IndianStartups #IPO #DeepTech

🚨 In our latest issue of Odyssey, we're Getting Meta again.This time, we looked at the Indian tech IPO journey, through conversations with - Parag Dhol, about 3 decades of taking companies from early investments to exits, the clashing incentives over valuations, and what makes for a successful listing - Krishnakumar Natarajan, on growing Mindtree in a competitive IT services market, their landmark IPO, and growing the company in the public eye - Alok Bansal, on Policybazaar.com's journey from startup to listing, and adapting new business models to Indian public markets Read the issue at: https://lnkd.in/dbbNcyqX Samir Kumar | Rutvik Doshi | Rajiv Mehta | Anshu Pandey | Ishan Sinha | Tanya Sequeira | Kaushik A

Last week, we joined Microsoft Azure and LinkedIn for a session with early-stage founders. As part of the agenda, Ishan and Anshu from the team hosted an “𝐀𝐌𝐀 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚” - an open conversation where founders could bring their most pressing questions on fundraising and the venture landscape. The discussion ranged from: 💡 understanding the impact and trade offs of equity dilution, 💡 to timing a fundraise, 💡 to how VCs look at early traction, 💡 and finally, finding the the right investors. For us, these sessions are about more than just Q&A. They’re about breaking down the myths around venture capital, creating clarity for founders at the start of their journey and giving back to the ecosystem. A big thank you to the teams at Azure, Microsoft for Startups (Sajan Nair and team) and LinkedIn for bringing together such an engaged founder community - and to the founders for their candid questions. At Athera, we’ve always believed our role goes beyond capital. It’s about being partners, sounding boards, and enablers as companies scale. This AMA was one more step in that direction. Parag Dhol | Samir Kumar | Rajiv Mehta | Rutvik Doshi | Tanya Sequeira | Kaushik A | Ishan Sinha | Anshu Pandey

🤖 What if your closest confidant was an AI? For thousands of young Indians, that’s already a reality. In our August issue of Odyssey, Rohan Chaudhary, Co-founder of rumik.ai, shares what it takes to build an AI companion that users treat like a friend. He spoke about: - Why memory—both short-term and long-term—is the foundation for genuine AI companionship. - The safeguards Rumik has built to ensure conversations stay safe, reflective, and balanced. - How AI companions could soon become mainstream and regulated, with profound implications for intimacy and technology. 📖 Check out the highlights below, and read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/dNkBTZ-3 Rajiv Mehta | Parag Dhol | Samir Kumar | Rutvik Doshi | Tanya Sequeira | Kaushik A | Ishan Sinha | Anshu Pandey

Yesterday, we made our second move with 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚’𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭, our annual chess tournament + VC mixer, in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). What started as a simple idea last year has turned into one of the most fun ways to bring the ecosystem together. Unlike the usual drinks-and-dinner format, this one gave everyone a solid 30 minutes across the board (literally!) with each opponent- plenty of time to size up moves, trade banter, and discover surprising new sides of familiar faces. The energy in the room was contagious - so much so that players were still replaying their games and analyzing others long after the final round was done. After 5 intense rounds, Viraj from Premji Invest emerged victorious 🏆, with last year’s champion Sudarshan of z21 Ventures handing over the trophy in a perfect passing of the baton. The final table was stacked with incredible performances from Sohil, Ramesh, Parth and Rahul - who all missed the crown by just a sliver! A huge thank you to Raman and AWS for partnering with us to make this happen. We’re already looking forward to next year, when we return for 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚’𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭- 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞. Until then, may your gambits always pay off. ♟️ Rajiv Mehta | Samir Kumar | Parag Dhol | Rutvik Doshi | Ishan Sinha | Tanya Sequeira | Kaushik A | Anshu Pandey

🎙️ India’s next billion internet users aren’t swiping on dating apps—they’re discovering each other in safe, audio-first spaces. In our August edition of Odyssey, bhanu pratap singh tanwar, Co-founder of FRND, explains how his team is reinventing social discovery for this demographic. He spoke about - Why first-time internet users need safe, moderated spaces before they can build relationships online. - How FRND uses RJs and AI moderation to create trust and foster meaningful audio-first conversations. - His ambition to build a “Meta for social interaction”—a portfolio of products taking users from group chats to companionship and beyond. 📖 Check out highlights from the conversation below, and read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/dPCsfeZ2 Rajiv Mehta | Parag Dhol | Samir Kumar | Rutvik Doshi | Tanya Sequeira | Kaushik A | Ishan Sinha | Anshu Pandey

💍 Did you know that less than 10% of Indian marriages are love marriages? The rest are still arranged—but the way people find partners is changing. In our August issue of Odyssey, Murugavel Janakiraman, CEO of BharatMatrimony.com, reflects on 25 years of reshaping how Indians find life partners while staying rooted in tradition. He spoke about: - How arranged marriages are evolving into collaborative matchmaking, with youngsters leading the search but families still involved. - Why BharatMatrimony built a multi-brand ecosystem—from Telugu and ReddyMatrimony to Divorcee and DoctorsMatrimony. - New experiments like Jodii for non-degree holders and Luv.com for intent-driven dating, expanding what community and compatibility mean in India. 📖 Check out the highlights from our conversation below, and read the full conversation at https://lnkd.in/dTV8b55w Rajiv Mehta | Parag Dhol | Samir Kumar | Rutvik Doshi | Tanya Sequeira | Kaushik A | Ishan Sinha | Anshu Pandey

🚀 Out now, the August issue of Odyssey, which explores how technology is reshaping intimacy, relationships, and companionship in India. - Tradition & Modernity in Marriage: Murugavel Janakiraman, CEO of BharatMatrimony.com, on how arranged marriages are evolving, why collaborative matchmaking is the new norm, and how his company is experimenting with new formats from Jodii to Luv.com. - #SocialDiscovery for the Next Billion: Bhanu Tanwar, Co-founder of FRND, on creating safe digital spaces for first-time internet users, building trust through audio-first interactions, and meeting users along their social journey. - #AI and Companionship: Rohan Chaudhury, CEO of Rumik, on designing AI companions with memory, safeguards, and empathy—and why companionship may soon be one of AI’s most personal frontiers. 📖 Read the full issue at https://lnkd.in/dzQQ3rWF Rajiv Mehta | Rutvik Doshi | Parag Dhol | Samir Kumar | Anshu Pandey | Ishan Sinha | Tanya Sequeira | Kaushik A

Parag sums it up well. Wishing Pixxel , Tricog Health and Ati Motors continued success.