Ashish Agrawal
- Venture
“Optimism is a wonderful medicine. In small doses, it brings cheer. In large doses, it can bend the future.”
Backstory
My parents are both doctors, so are both my sisters. I am in constant fear of being the black sheep of the family.
Growing up, I was fascinated by stars. The Summer Triangle, Orion and Ursa Major are my go-to formations in the night sky. Looking at stars helps fuel my imagination while also grounding me with a reminder of our relative scale in the universe. At 15, I had the opportunity to represent India at the International Astronomy Olympiad, and was thrilled to bring home a gold medal for the country. Over time, I found astronomy too distant from actual applications and moved towards computer science in university, at IIT Kanpur.
I had my first brush with entrepreneurship as a founder, starting a company in my last year of university. We tried a few things, including VAS applications built in partnership with telecom operators and an Uber for autorickshaws in Kanpur and Delhi. The startup eventually closed, but I walked away with an appreciation of how hard building a company is and with deep respect for anyone starting one. I am humbled, every day, by the entrepreneurs I meet and work with.
On the lookout for
The entrepreneurs we partner with have unique perspectives on the industries they operate in. I frequently ask – ‘What secret do you know?’ Very often, the answers are eye opening.
At Peak XV, we don’t have a set archetype for a successful founder. I’ve been privileged to support the founders of Groww, Leap, Progcap, and I do see some commonalities – passion to solve a specific problem, customer obsession and boundless energy – as well as the ability to inspire and take people along in their journey.
One of the most attractive qualities in a founder is long term orientation. The best entrepreneurs are charting multi decadal journeys to transform their industries. We are thrilled to get a chance to partner with them.
Get in touch with AshishPersonal Side
FOODIE / TRAVEL / RUNNING / MUSIC
Press & Media
Current Companies
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Axio (formerly Capital Float) is an online lending platform serving startups and small businesses.Partnered In
2015
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BlinkIt is an on-demand delivery service that connects consumers with local merchants in the neighbourhood.Partnered In
2014
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Clarisights is a no-code platform which streamlines reporting for sophisticated performance marketing teams.Partnered In
2021
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Eduvanz provides low-cost, smart loans to finance skill-based educational training.Partnered In
2019
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GoKwik is an e-commerce enablement company on a mission to democratize shopping experience and increase GMV realization for D2C and e-commerce businesses.Partnered In
2021
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Groww leverages technology and expert financial knowledge to make investing extremely simple and rewarding.Partnered In
2019
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Leap Finance offers modern financial products and services that help Indian students pursue a global career.Partnered In
2020
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LightMetrics is a video telematics startup serving commercial vehicle fleets around the world.Partnered In
2023
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numberz AR is a secure, cloud-based, enterprise solution that enhances the working capital of the businesses by significantly improving the speed, efficiency and effectiveness of collections.Partnered In
2017
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PagarBook aims to build a Human Capital Platform for Indian SMEs.Partnered In
2020
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PayGlocal is a fintech startup solving for global payments acceptance.Partnered In
2021
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Progcap is a financing technology firm that provides fast and flexible collateral-free working capital to retailers in smaller towns and cities.Partnered In
2019
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Stanza Living is a tech-enabled, community living company offering dedicated solutions for students and working professionals across 10+ cities in India.Partnered In
2018
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Toddle is an education SaaS startup on a mission to help teachers do their best work.Partnered In
2022
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Toplyne helps sales teams at product-led companies convert their freemium users within minutes through a no-code platform.Partnered In
2021
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Zefo is a managed marketplace for consumers to buy and sell used products across multiple categories.Partnered In
2016