The Team

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Stride Asset Management. He spent over 16 years 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, recognizing 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.