We are back with the 11th edition of The Economic Times Startup Awards. As we approach the main event, here are the nominees in one of the eight categories: Midas Touch.
The award will recognise the most lucrative exit in the year. The decision will be made based on the volume of deals as well as the size of the exit.
Here are the nominees:
Investor Name: Ashish Agrawal
Role: Managing director
Investment Firm: Peak XV Partners
Based In: Bengaluru
Key Investments: Groww, Progcap, Stanza Living, Leap Finance
Investment Strategy: An IIT-Kanpur alumnus, Agrawal joined Peak XV Partners (then Sequoia Capital) back in 2013 as an analyst; he was elevated to managing director in 2021. His biggest bet has been Groww, one of the largest wealthtech startups in the country. He manages fintech, software and consumer internet investments at the firm.
Investor Name: Pranav Pai
Role: Managing partner
Investment Firm: 3one4 Capital
Based In: Bengaluru
Key Investments: Licious, Darwinbox, Jupiter, Open
Investment Strategy: After returning from the US, Pai started 3one4 Capital in 2016 with his brother Siddarth, aiming to invest in startups that were solving India-centric problems and were not clones of Chinese or American ventures. He took early bets in HR-tech startup Darwinbox, meat delivery startup Licious and others, where his early positions have resulted in major gains.
Investor Name: Shailesh Lakhani
Role: Former managing director
Investment Firm: Peak XV Partners
Based In: Bengaluru
Key Investments: Ixigo, Truecaller, Healthkart, Zetwerk, Minimalist
Investment Strategy: Having spent over 18 years at Peak XV Partners before he quit in February 2025, Lakhani had made early bets in multiple companies, out of which three have already gone public and the fourth has filed its IPO papers. As one of the longest-serving MDs at Peak XV, Lakhani has been an early identifier of trends before they became mainstream with VCs.
Investor Name: TCM Sundaram
Role: Founder and vice chairman
Investment Firm: Chiratae Ventures
Based In: Bengaluru
Key Investments: Lenskart, Policybazaar, CloudCherry
Investment Strategy: Sundaram has been a venture capitalist since 1999, at a time when the term VC was practically unheard of in India. Popularly known as TCM in the industry, his early bets with Lenskart, Policybazaar and CloudCherry have held the domestic fund in good stead in terms of returns to limited partners. Lenskart is described as one of Sundaram’s ‘forever bets’.
The award will recognise the most lucrative exit in the year. The decision will be made based on the volume of deals as well as the size of the exit.
Here are the nominees:
Investor Name: Ashish Agrawal
Ashish Agrawal
Role: Managing director
Investment Firm: Peak XV Partners
Based In: Bengaluru
Key Investments: Groww, Progcap, Stanza Living, Leap Finance
Investment Strategy: An IIT-Kanpur alumnus, Agrawal joined Peak XV Partners (then Sequoia Capital) back in 2013 as an analyst; he was elevated to managing director in 2021. His biggest bet has been Groww, one of the largest wealthtech startups in the country. He manages fintech, software and consumer internet investments at the firm.
Investor Name: Pranav Pai
Pranav Pai
Role: Managing partner
Investment Firm: 3one4 Capital
Based In: Bengaluru
Key Investments: Licious, Darwinbox, Jupiter, Open
Investment Strategy: After returning from the US, Pai started 3one4 Capital in 2016 with his brother Siddarth, aiming to invest in startups that were solving India-centric problems and were not clones of Chinese or American ventures. He took early bets in HR-tech startup Darwinbox, meat delivery startup Licious and others, where his early positions have resulted in major gains.
Investor Name: Shailesh Lakhani
Shailesh Lakhani
Role: Former managing director
Investment Firm: Peak XV Partners
Based In: Bengaluru
Key Investments: Ixigo, Truecaller, Healthkart, Zetwerk, Minimalist
Investment Strategy: Having spent over 18 years at Peak XV Partners before he quit in February 2025, Lakhani had made early bets in multiple companies, out of which three have already gone public and the fourth has filed its IPO papers. As one of the longest-serving MDs at Peak XV, Lakhani has been an early identifier of trends before they became mainstream with VCs.
Investor Name: TCM Sundaram
TCM Sundaram
Role: Founder and vice chairman
Investment Firm: Chiratae Ventures
Based In: Bengaluru
Key Investments: Lenskart, Policybazaar, CloudCherry
Investment Strategy: Sundaram has been a venture capitalist since 1999, at a time when the term VC was practically unheard of in India. Popularly known as TCM in the industry, his early bets with Lenskart, Policybazaar and CloudCherry have held the domestic fund in good stead in terms of returns to limited partners. Lenskart is described as one of Sundaram’s ‘forever bets’.
