The Team

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Stride Asset Management. He spent over two decades across leading Indian banks, working closely with startups and new-economy businesses, before founding the firm in 2018.

He founded Stride against prevailing market logic. India’s fastest-growing companies were being financed almost entirely through equity, selling ownership to fund growth that credit could have funded. Venture debt was largely untested as an institutional asset class. He was among the first to build it at scale, having begun developing debt solutions for startups during his banking career.

He has since backed more than 200 companies across sectors and stages, and has extended the platform into private credit, late-stage co-investment and growth equity. In 2025, he was named to The Economic Times 40 Under Forty, recognising his contribution to India’s entrepreneurial and venture ecosystem.

His approach to building Stride has been shaped by a broader view of capital: that financing is only one part of the relationship.

Akhil Gupta serves as an Advisor to Stride, bringing over three decades of experience in building one of India's most successful global enterprises.

He served as Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, where he was a key architect of Bharti Airtel's growth from its early days into one of the world's leading telecom and digital services companies. He was instrumental in the company's 2002 IPO and the $10.7 billion acquisition of Zain Africa, one of the largest outbound transactions by an Indian company.

He pioneered initiatives that became global industry benchmarks, including Bharti's outsourcing partnerships with IBM and Ericsson and the creation of Indus Towers, one of the world's largest telecom tower companies, both documented as case studies at Harvard Business School. He also led the induction of institutional investors including Warburg Pincus, Temasek, KKR, and Qatar Foundation Endowment into the group.

He is a Chartered Accountant and an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

Martin Gilbert serves as an Advisor to Stride, bringing four decades of experience in building and leading global asset management businesses.

He co-founded Aberdeen Asset Management in 1983 and served as Chief Executive Officer until 2017, building the firm into one of the world's leading independent asset managers with over £300 billion in assets under management. Following the 2017 merger with Standard Life, which created the UK's largest asset management company and the second largest in Europe, he served as Co-Chief Executive Officer and subsequently Vice Chairman of Standard Life Aberdeen.

He is Chairman of Revolut, one of the world's leading fintech companies. He previously served as Deputy Chairman of Sky plc, Chairman of FirstGroup, and Chairman of the UK Prudential Regulation Authority's Practitioner Panel.

He holds an LLB and an MA in Accountancy from the University of Aberdeen.

Apoorva Sharma, Managing Partner at Stride Ventures, is a pioneering figure in venture debt financing. With over 11 years of experience in the lending ecosystem, she oversees critical functions like fund raising, investor relations, and deal sourcing. Apoorva's leadership has led to groundbreaking deals across sectors like FinTech, Consumer, B2B commerce, and HealthTech. She holds the distinction of being one of the first Indian women to hold the position of Managing Partner at a venture debt fund. Apoorva's professional journey began at HSBC, where she contributed to debt capital markets and successful bond issuances. Later, at Xander Finance, she played a key role in deal sourcing and structuring investments across various sectors. Her academic credentials include post-graduation in management from the Indian Institute of Management Shillong and the prestigious CFA charter holder designation. At Stride Ventures, Apoorva's strategic acumen and financial expertise drive venture debt financing and strategic partnerships.

Fariha currently serves as the Partner, GCC & Global Capital Formation at Stride Ventures, leveraging 21 years of experience across finance, insurance, and government in the US, Europe, and APAC regions. In this role, she oversees fundraising and global investor relations for INR and USD funds, while also serving on the Alumni Board of Harvard Business School and the HBS Club of India Board. Previously, Fariha held the position of Chief Strategy Officer at Toffee Insurance, driving strategic partnerships to enhance company revenue and long-term value.

She also played a key role in investment fundraising and investor relations. Prior to that, she was the Founding Director at The Common Room, a platform for new entrepreneurs, and served as Advisor for India at the Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry, facilitating FDI from India to Turkey. With a background in underwriting at AIG Global Marine and Energy and Zurich Insurance Services in New York City, Fariha managed multi-billion dollar portfolios for US clients with international property and mega-reinsurance placements. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Quantitative Economics from Mount Holyoke College and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

Christopher Dix is Managing Director, with experience across investment banking and venture capital, focused on technology investments and capital markets across global and emerging markets.

He began his career at J.P. Morgan, where he spent over a decade in TMT Investment Banking, working across M&A, debt, and equity transactions, as well as private equity coverage. He subsequently served as Head of MENAP and Global Capital Director at Antler, where he built and scaled early-stage investment platforms across multiple geographies. Most recently, he was an Investment Partner at BECO Capital, one of the leading venture capital funds in the MENA region, where he backed high-growth technology companies and partnered closely with founders.

Rajit Uboweja, a Forbes India 30 Under 30 honoree (Class of 2025), is a Partner at Stride Ventures, where he leads end-to-end deal management, investor relations, and strategic partnerships with venture capital firms, banks, and other financial institutions. With a proven track record in investments spanning seed to pre-IPO stages, he specialises in the Consumer, B2B Commerce, Fintech, and Cleantech sectors. Rajit holds a postgraduate degree in management from the Indian School of Business and began his career in Nomura’s investment banking division, executing M&A and equity advisory transactions across the EMEA and Japan regions.

Ravneet Mann currently serves as Partner, UK at Stride Ventures, leveraging 20 years of experience across finance, consulting, and government in the US, Europe, and APAC regions. In this role, she oversees fundraising and investments for the fund while driving Stride’s global expansion and international networks with a purposeful profit mindset. Previously, as Vice President at Invest India, Ravneet led investment promotion and facilitation initiatives to attract FDI into India, spearheading multiple public–private engagements at prominent global platforms as part of the national outreach strategy. Earlier in her career, she held roles at DSP Merrill Lynch and Essex Lake Group in New York, focusing on financial strategy and business transformation. Ravneet holds a Bachelor’s degree with Honours in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, and an MBA from the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.

Pankaj brings over 17 years of experience in finance and taxation, with significant exposure to the private equity, venture capital, and real estate sectors. Prior to joining Stride Ventures, he served as Assistant Vice President at Rising Straits Capital, where he led the business finance and operational finance functions for the group’s India and overseas entities.

Earlier in his career, Pankaj spent over eight years with Big Four firms Ernst & Young (EY) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where he was part of the tax and regulatory teams.

He is a Chartered Accountant (May 2006 batch) and holds a B.Com (Hons) degree from Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, University of Delhi.

Karan Mehta is a Partner at Circulus, bringing over 15 years of experience across investment banking, private markets, and sustainability-focused investing. His expertise spans climate technology, emerging markets, and growth-stage investing, with a strong track record of partnering with businesses through their growth and value creation journeys.

Prior to joining Stride, Karan was Investment Director at Green Frontier Capital, where he led investments and worked closely with portfolio companies through active board and observer roles. Earlier, he was part of responsAbility Investments, driving investments and restructuring mandates across South and Southeast Asia, including India, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the UAE.

Karan is a CFA Charterholder and holds a Master's in Financial Economics from Cardiff University. He brings deep experience in evaluating investment opportunities, scaling businesses, and supporting founders building mission-driven companies with long-term impact.

Varun brings over 16 years of experience across Investment Banking and Asset Management, working with Goldman Sachs. He has strong expertise in debt and equity investing through a quality research frame    

work and deal execution capabilities in emerging markets (India/Southeast Asia/LatAm). Varun has successfully led teams in the banking and asset management functions while overseeing hiring, training, and mentoring of new hires. Varun is also an active angel investor in the Indian startup ecosystem.

Emmanuel Suraj is an experienced Investment Strategist with over 12 years in equity, credit, and hybrid investing. Currently an Associate Partner at Stride Asset Management, he specialises in managing investments across venture capital, private credit, special situations, and global alternatives.

With a strong background in analysing financial and operational performance, Emmanuel’s expertise spans both Indian and global capital markets. Known for his analytical skills and market insights, he brings a wealth of knowledge to his role, making informed investment decisions to drive success.

Amit is an accomplished general management, HR, and transformation leader with extensive experience guiding leadership teams and organizations through strategic change. He has worked across diverse businesses and industry sectors, bringing a commercial and pragmatic approach to organizational transformation, talent strategy, leadership development, organizational design, compensation and benefits, culture building, employee experience, and talent management.

His experience beyond HR enables him to provide strategic counsel on the intersection of business priorities and people imperatives, helping organizations build capabilities and implement solutions that create measurable business impact. He is passionate about driving positive change, fostering high-performing cultures, and designing people strategies that support long-term growth in an increasingly digital and collaborative world.

Amit holds an engineering degree and an MBA from the University of Mumbai.

With over three decades of experience across venture capital, private equity, corporate finance, and technology, Natarajan Ranganathan brings deep expertise in investment strategy, governance, and business transformation. He has worked closely with founders, investors, and management teams to help businesses scale through disciplined capital allocation, operational excellence, and strong governance.

Over the course of his career, he has managed large investment portfolios, supported fundraising and due diligence, and served on the boards of numerous high-growth companies across sectors. His experience spans venture capital, fund management, financial leadership, and strategic advisory, making him a trusted partner to businesses navigating growth and institutionalization.

At Stride's Co-Investment Platform, he brings his extensive experience in evaluating opportunities, supporting portfolio companies, and partnering with founders to build enduring, institution-ready businesses.

Swathi serves as Director - Investments at Stride. She brings 16+ years of experience spanning private credit investing, corporate research, portfolio strategy and risk-led business scaling. She brings a differentiated combination of institutional investing discipline and hands-on execution experience built through leadership roles at Navi Finserv Limited and ICRA Limited.

At Navi, she played a key role during the company's scale up phase across multiple strategic mandates including private credit investments, retail portfolio credit strategy and fundraising. Her ability to combine strategic judgment with execution capabilities has been central to delivering outcomes in a high-growth entrepreneurial environment. Prior to Navi, Swathi spent almost a decade at ICRA Limited building deep expertise in assessing mid and large entities across sectors such as financial services, pharma, automotive and technology.

She is a Certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM) and holds an MBA in Finance from NMIMS, Mumbai.

Manikandan currently serves as Director, Risk at Stride. With nearly fifteen years of experience, he has built deep expertise in credit risk management, deal origination and structuring, negotiations, and portfolio monitoring.

Over the course of his career, he has worked across both investments and risk functions, managing diverse portfolios spanning startups, SMEs, supply chain, mid-markets, large corporates, and project finance. He is a certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM) and has also completed certifications in blockchain and machine learning, further strengthening his technical and analytical skill set.

Harvinder is a Director and Head of Origination at Stride Ventures, where he leads origination strategy, builds partnerships across the startup and investor ecosystem, and identifies high-potential companies aligned with Stride's vision. With over 20 years of experience across banking, payments, and fintech, Harvinder has worked at the intersection of banking, fintech, and digital payments, launching new products, building teams, and turning ideas into scalable growth stories.

Prior to joining Stride Ventures, he held leadership roles at HSBC, Yes Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank, alongside senior positions at Cashfree Payments and Zaakpay, where he led payment gateway and merchant business lines. His work spans investment sourcing, relationship management, and business development within the venture and startup ecosystem, with a track record of identifying promising opportunities and enabling founders with growth capital at critical stages.

Kholoud is a Director on the GCC team at Stride, where she leads investment sourcing, evaluation, and execution across high-growth sectors in the region. With experience across venture capital, impact investing, and emerging technology markets, Kholoud has built and managed robust deal pipelines and helped shape investment strategy in dynamic ecosystems.

Prior to joining Stride, she held investment roles at Nuwa Capital, Impact46, and the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute, contributing to multi-million-dollar deployments, portfolio oversight, and strategic growth initiatives across early- and growth-stage companies. Her work spans technology, climate-tech, and scalable business models in Saudi Arabia and globally.

Kholoud holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from King Saud University.

Vikram has over thirteen years of experience in debt capital markets, fintech lending, financial inclusion and structured finance.

As Director - Fintech, Agri and Micro Finance Lending at Northern Arc Capital, he managed key relationships with 31 partners across sectors ranging from small unrated fintechs to large AA- rated NBFCs. He onboarded 19 new partners for Northern Arc and led the foray into new sectors like Gold loan financing, BNPL and Revenue Based Financing.

After moving to the UK, Vikram has worked with Prodigy Finance, an international Fintech company based in London. He was part of the Capital Markets team, raising funds via private securitisation structures and public rated ABS transactions. He spearheaded the India liability strategy for the team.

He is a postgraduate from IMT, Ghaziabad.

Dhruv Mehra is a Chartered Accountant with 12+ years of experience across global capital formation, investor relations, private markets, corporate finance, strategy and business transformation.

He serves as Director – Global Investor Relations & Capital Formation at Stride AMC, where he leads the development of the firm’s global capital formation platform across India, the GCC, the UK and other international markets. His role spans institutional investor relationships, cross-border distribution, investor engagement, reporting, onboarding and strategic capital-raising initiatives across private market strategies.

Over five years with the Stride ecosystem, Dhruv has worked closely with founders and senior leadership across equity fundraising, venture debt, strategic investments, acquisitions, governance, financial planning and investor relations.

Previously, he worked with Grant Thornton India, Wipro Limited and Unilodgers Inc., gaining experience across audit, FP&A and finance controllership. His professional interests include private markets, institutional capital, venture debt, private credit and alternative investments.

Yojit Grover is a Director in the Investment Team, along with heading the Co-Investments Vertical in India. He comes with 14 years of experience across investment banking, capital raising, corporate lending and structured finance, with specialised expertise in the financial services sector.

He began his career with Royal Bank of Scotland, wherein he was responsible for underwriting the financial institutions portfolio of the bank within the Central Eastern and European Region. Post that, he worked with Northern Arc Capital, wherein he built the organisations’ Fintech portfolio from scratch to c. 2,000crs+ portfolio with zero delinquencies. Most recently, he was heading the capital raising vertical (debt + equity) for slice, one of the fastest growing consumer lending Unicorns in India (which has now transitioned into the First Fintech Bank in India).

Namit Mathur is a Director at Stride, specializing in co-investments and strategic capital allocation. He brings nearly a decade of experience across venture capital, private credit, mergers & acquisitions, and corporate strategy. Based in the GCC, he works closely with the regional ecosystem to identify and execute compelling private market opportunities while supporting strategic capital partnerships. Earlier in his career, he has evaluated and executed investments across consumer, fintech, Vertical AI, robotics, automotive and healthcare.

Namit is a Chartered Accountant and holds an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University.

Abhilasha is an investor with a decade of experience in the Venture Capital and Private Equity space in India. She currently serves as Director for Equity Investments.

Prior to this, Abhilasha was Vice President at Sistema Asia Fund for ~6 years, where she was responsible for the full investment lifecycle, including deal sourcing, execution, portfolio management, and exits. Her investment focus was on growth-stage, sector-agnostic companies, with several of her portfolio companies experiencing substantial growth scaling from valuations in the low hundreds of millions to multi-billion-dollars, ultimately generating strong returns for the fund.

Earlier in her career, Abhilasha worked with Brand Capital, the investment arm of the Times Group, which manages assets exceeding $2 billion. There, she focused on investments in consumer businesses across various stages, from seed funding to late-stage & private equity investments.

Abhilasha holds a PGDM from IIM Ahmedabad and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science.

Purvasha Mansharamani is the Legal Head at Stride Ventures, where she leads the legal and compliance function across the fund's operations in India, Southeast Asia, the GCC, and the UK. She oversees all legal, regulatory, and governance matters for the fund, working closely with the investment team, portfolio companies, external counsel, and regulators across jurisdictions.

With close to a decade of experience across leading law firms and in-house roles, Purvasha brings deep expertise in venture financing, fund structuring, cross-border transactions, and risk management. Her advisory work spans debt structuring, equity participation rights, investor relations, and complex commercial contracts, alongside strategic partnerships, co-investments, and exit strategies.

Prior to Stride, she practiced with prestigious law firms across private equity, venture capital, M&A, and general corporate advisory, and managed IP and trademark portfolios for Fortune 500 companies and high-growth startups.

Purvasha combines the rigor of private practice with the agility of in-house counsel, bringing a pragmatic, commercially grounded approach to legal practice in high-growth markets.

Pushpesh Dindorkar is a senior compliance professional with over 11 years of experience in financial services, specialising in regulatory compliance and fund governance across alternative investment platforms. At Stride Ventures, he leads the firm’s compliance function across multiple jurisdictions, overseeing regulatory obligations and licensing frameworks for the firm’s fund structures in India, the UK, and the GCC.

He is responsible for ensuring adherence to applicable regulatory regimes, managing regulatory interactions, and strengthening governance frameworks across the firm’s investment platforms. Pushpesh has extensive experience in regulatory compliance relating to Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), portfolio management services, and cross-border fund structures. Prior to joining Stride Ventures, Pushpesh held compliance roles at leading financial institutions including JM Financial Limited, Nuvama Asset Management Limited, Avendus Capital, and Blacksoil Capital, where he worked on regulatory compliance, fund governance, and investment management regulatory frameworks.

Pushpesh is a qualified Company Secretary and holds a degree in Law (LLB), along with a Post Graduate Diploma in Business and Corporate Laws from Symbiosis University.

Divya Sharma is the Head, Communications at Stride Ventures, based in Gurugram. With over a decade of experience in marketing and strategy, she currently leads the communications and strategy efforts at Stride Ventures.

Previously, she was a Senior Manager at POPxo within the Good Glamm Group, focusing on partnerships and public relations. Divya also played a pivotal role at WedMeGood, where as a founding member, she was instrumental in vendor relations and strategic business development. Prior to that, she was a Program Manager at IndusInd Bank, developing initiatives for high net worth clients.

Kriti Sachdeva serves as Assistant Vice President – Human Resources at Stride Ventures, Gurugram. With over a decade of experience in talent acquisition and human resources, she leads the firm’s talent management and acquisition functions.

She completed her MBA in HR and Marketing as a scholarship student from IILM, Lodhi Road. Born and brought up in Delhi, she did her schooling from St. Thomas' School and is currently based in Jaipur.

She has previously worked with one of the oldest and leading search firms - ABC Consultants; she was responsible for Business Development, Search, Client Management, and Execution of mandates and additional responsibility of leading Employee Engagement for the Delhi office. Kriti started her career with a boutique firm, responsible for hiring for Corporate banking clients.

Kriti holds experience working with various corporate clients and has executed searches across the automotive, engineering services, aerospace and defence, banking, insurance, and shared services sectors. She is skilled in human resources consulting, executive search, customer relationship management, industry mapping, career transition projects, and market research.

Sumit is a Chartered Accountant, having qualified in 2018, and a graduate of the University of Delhi. In addition to his academic credentials, he has pursued supplementary certifications in financial modelling and valuation, as well as ACET.

He brings five years of professional experience, including his tenure at Ernst & Young (E&Y), where he was part of the Assurance team serving financial services clients, including non-banking financial companies and international banks, among others. In 2022, Sumit embarked on an entrepreneurial journey as Co-founder of GoScool, an innovative ride-sharing platform tailored specifically for children.

Currently, at Stride, he is a member of the Finance team, where he applies his financial expertise to ensure alignment with business objectives. His contributions help streamline financial processes and support strategic decision-making.

Neelashi has extensive experience in trade and investment strategy across business and government domains. She was previously leading investment facilitation in the consumer goods sector and outreach for Europe under the Government of India’s flagship Make in India initiative at Invest India. Prior to that, she was responsible for executing India’s strategic economic partnerships globally and was also the founding member of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform at NITI Aayog.

She also co-founded Whiter Slates, a startup enabling talent mapping and discovery in the creator economy landscape. Neelashi is an alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi and the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is a contemporary poet and published author of the books Sleepwalking and Tease.

Kshitij serves as a Principal in the Special Situations team at Stride.

He spearheaded the build-out of the special situations fund focused on turnarounds and value creation across India's mid-market. With nearly a decade of investing experience across private markets, he has sourced and executed deals across 20+ transactions, serving as operating lead on portfolio companies.

Kshitij is a CFA charterholder and economics graduate from Delhi University.

Vishakha is an investments professional at Stride Ventures who closely engages with startups across consumer, fintech, EV and mobility. Earlier she was in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs, where she specialised in debt markets.

She holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Indore, and a B.Com (Hons) from Shri Ram College of Commerce.

Niranjan brings over three years of experience in the investment domain, having begun his career in listed equities before transitioning to venture debt. He holds both a Chartered Accountant qualification and an MBA, and focuses on B2B, consumer, fintech, and allied sectors at Stride Ventures.

Prafful serves as a Principal in the Legal team.

Prior to joining Stride, he worked with leading law firms Khaitan & Co. and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, where he developed extensive experience in Banking & Finance and advised clients on a wide range of complex financing transactions. His primary area of practice is Banking & Finance.

He advises the firm across various aspects of debt financing transactions, with a focus on transaction structuring, drafting and negotiation of financing and security documentation, and execution. His experience includes advising both borrowers and lenders on sophisticated and bespoke financing structures, with a keen focus on navigating complex legal and commercial considerations.

Prafful graduated from Amity Law School, Noida, in 2019 with a B.Com. (Hons.) LL.B. degree.

Deepak Narang is a Principal at Stride's Co-Investment Platform, bringing nearly a decade of experience in credit evaluation, client engagement, and investment analysis. He has worked across financial services, new-age businesses, and manufacturing, developing deep expertise in assessing credit risk, sector dynamics, and business fundamentals.

Prior to joining Stride, Deepak held roles at ICRA Ltd., J.P. Morgan, Fidelity, and most recently, Oxyzo Financial Services, where he advised on credit and financing solutions for businesses. His experience spans credit underwriting, stakeholder management, and evaluating companies across diverse sectors.

Radhika is a finance professional with a well-rounded background across venture debt, mid-market lending, corporate banking, and audit. In her previous role as AVP at Northern Arc Capital, Radhika was part of the Emerging Corporates Investment team.

A Chartered Accountant by qualification, she brings structured problem-solving coupled with financial acumen to her role in the Founder’s Office. Her interest in organisational systems and people intelligence adds a nuanced lens to decision-making, execution, and scale.

Gaurang is the AVP - Legal at Stride Asset Management, where he brings deep expertise in fund formation, venture debt, and M&A to the firm's legal function. With a career spanning private equity, venture capital, and regulatory advisory, he has advised on transactions and fund structures across India, Singapore, and the United States.

Prior to joining Stride Asset Management, he held legal roles at Angel One and ran his own independent legal practice, LegalG. He also spent close to three years at Algo Legal as Senior Associate, where he led M&A transactions worth over USD 70 million and helped establish a USD 150 million plus fund in Singapore using the variable capital company structure, securing investments from GIC, Sequoia Capital, and Cendana Capital.

Earlier in his career, he was Manager - Legal at IIMA Ventures, where he set up the legal framework for the startup incubator and helped establish the USD 100 million Bharat Innovation Fund, and worked as an Associate at Ikigai Law, advising on prominent private equity and venture capital investments and contributing to India's regulatory frameworks for securities and drone technology.