Chiratae adds Puneet Pushkarna to SEA Regional Advisory Board

Bangalore: Chiratae Ventures, a leading venture capital firm, announces the appointment of Mr. Puneet Pushkarna to its esteemed Regional Advisory Board, reinforcing its commitment to the Southeast Asia (SEA) market.

The announcement comes soon after Chiratae’s significant milestone -its active portfolio companies surpass $650 million in revenue. Companies focusing on SEA or headquartered now contribute about 45% of the total international revenue across the company’s diverse portfolio. Companies such as Active.ai, Kristala.ai, and Lenskart have driven growth in the SEA market, with Lenskart’s strategic acquisition of Japan’s Own Days last year as a recent highlight.

Given the growing significance of SEA as an investor base and a burgeoning market, Chiratae Ventures has been active in the region, particularly in Singapore and Japan. The appointment of Puneet Pushkarna to the Regional Advisory Board reinforces Chiratae’s dedication to its growth and success in SEA. Puneet will provide strategic guidance to Chiratae’s international operations in this role.

Sudhir Sethi, Founder and Chairman of Chiratae Ventures, shared, “With a strong foothold in the SEA market and our portfolio companies, either focusing on the region or being headquartered there, contributing over 45% of the total revenue, we are thrilled to welcome Puneet Pushkarna to our Regional Advisory Board. Puneet’s addition further bolsters our already formidable Advisory Board, whose collective efforts have significantly established Chiratae as one of India’s premier venture capital funds. His exceptional expertise and diverse background will undoubtedly guide our ventures to even greater heights within the Asian market while fostering stronger connections with our esteemed investors.”

Puneet Pushkarna brings a wealth of experience, currently serving as a General Partner at Solmark, a prominent private equity fund based in Singapore. Throughout his career, Puneet has excelled in nurturing and scaling companies in the competitive global landscape. He previously held the position of President at Headstrong, driving transformative initiatives in the Capital Markets domain through cutting-edge digital technology services. Additionally, Puneet co-founded TechSpan, backed by the prestigious institution Goldman Sachs, where he successfully led business solutions consulting and design thinking ventures, earning recognition as one of the fastest-growing companies in Silicon Valley.

Beyond his business acumen, Puneet is deeply involved in various Boards and Advisory Boards, including his role as Chairman of Core Committee, RIE2025, National Research Foundation, Singapore, Chairman Emeritus of TiE Singapore, and as a Board member of IIM Nagpur and Industry Advisory Board of SP Jain School of Management. Additionally, Puneet serves as a Catalyst at SMART (Singapore MIT Alliance for Research & Technology) and actively engages in philanthropic efforts, supporting initiatives such as the Indian Foundation for the Arts (IFA), the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS), and the South Asian Heart Society.

Puneet Pushkarna shared his excitement for the new role, adding, “I am honoured to join Chiratae Ventures and contribute to the growth of the platform they have built over close to two decades and its dynamic portfolio in Asia region. There are strong benefits for the Asian block to partner, invest and grow exponentially by understanding each other’s strengths and hope to bridge the gap. The Indian model of solving for population-scale problems using technology-led business models has relevance for the larger region and hoping to help Chiratae and its portfolio expand its regional footprint”

Anoop Menon, Principal-Investments who also leads Investor Relations in the East Asian region, says, “With the changing geo-political environment and India’s blistering economic growth, India has become a strong contender for increased investments and business partnership within Asia. Along with this, there is a strong need to contextualise the India narrative by a leader who has seen both sides closely, and Puneet helps us do that. Having him on our Advisory Board provides a valuable sounding board for our team and founders as we navigate the markets in Singapore, Japan, and other regions of Asia Pacific.”

Chiratae Ventures, recently announced the final close of its first Growth fund at $122 M, oversubscribed by 34% and is in the market for its next flagship Venture capital fund. It will continue looking to cement its presence in SEA and the larger Asian region, and Puneet will help strengthen the firm’s position as a leader in the Venture capital landscape.

About Chiratae Ventures:
Chiratae Ventures is a 16-year-old Indian technology venture capital fund advisor, having advised funds that collectively (across six funds) have $1.1 Bn AUM, 130+ investments, 48 exits, 8 Unicorns, 3 IPOs and a track record of having returned capital to LPs in each of the last 12 years. The funds advised by Chiratae Ventures have investments across sectors such as Consumer-Tech, SaaS, Fintech, and Healthtech and have been early backers of companies such as Bizongo, Fibe, FirstCry, Flipkart, Lenskart, Myntra, Pixis, PolicyBazaar and Uniphore, amongst many others.