Why I Left a PE Fund to Start a Micro VC Fund

I’ve always been super inspired by entrepreneurs and the impact they create in the world. Coming from a business family, I was lucky to have exposure to this from a very early age. In fact, I remember being an 8-year-old accompanying my uncle to farm suppliers and packaging factories, fascinated by their supply chain system, and making frequent trips with my father as he went on setting up manufacturing units. I knew right away that I wanted to create a similar but bigger impact. To equip myself with skills and the network to pull it off, I moved to the US in 2010. My time in the US not only gave me exposure, but also my much valued financial independence and the courage to take this untrodden path.

In 2010, Austin was an exciting place to be. Every other day there were new companies setting up shop. I wanted to get in on it and started interning with great investors who gave me an opportunity to speak with 100+ founders. After that experience, I knew that in the long-term, I wanted to work with entrepreneurs, but in the short-term, I tried my luck at Wall Street jobs to save for my long-term vision. Even then, I’d spend every spare minute to read up on innovations and brainstorm with new founders.

After almost a decade of doing this as a side hustle, I quit my high-paying Wall Street job to pursue my passion full-time. I returned to India, where I could connect with local problems and make a lasting impact. I studied and talked to entrepreneurs and found that the large amount of capital that had flowed in recent years hadn’t quite reached early-stage companies.

Only 1/10 startups raise funds to see another year. Angel rounds are chaotic, investors lead founders without intending to invest, and as we know, connections and pedigree matter. But these don’t make a company.

This is why we started an early-stage micro venture fund: to support game changers without fluff.

At Eximius Ventures, our DNA is of a founder’s. We’re not your typical armchair VC, but just a bunch of friendly peer investors.

• We’d rather learn about your passion and your plan over a glass of wine.
• If we like each other, we’re ready to take the next step.
• While we’re only a phone call away, we’ll not ping you every week for updates.
• You need not have all the answers; just ask us the right questions. We’ll hustle to get you what you need.

We believe in easing your fundraising journey rather than making fundraising feel like a tough battle won. In short, think of us as an extension to your founding team rather than high maintenance investors.