E55: Sameer Nath (Managing Partner, Truescale Capital)

The Desi VC: Indian Venture Capital | Angel Investors | Startups | VC

Sameer is Managing Partner of TrueScale Capital and Iron Pillar India Fund I. He has 22 years of experience in venture investing, entrepreneurship, Tech M&A, investment banking, capital markets exits, strategy consulting and leadership across geographies. Sameer was a Managing Director and senior investment banker at Citigroup, where he had a successful 15-year career.

TrueScale Capital brings in a wealth of specialist growth expertise to the Indian Venture ecosystem. This is boosted with skills and leadership experience honed across technology investing, entrepreneurship, technology M&A and IPOs, investment banking and equity research.

In this episode, we will cover:

1. Why Truescale Capital (4:00)

2. How does Sameer view early-stage investors and what does he make of later-stage investors entering the pre-seed / seed stage space? (9:58)

3. What should startups raising B rounds look for from their investors (13:48)

4. Will more later-stage investors push their portfolio for exits as the Indian ecosystem matures in the coming years (19:27)

5. Are domestic investors still weary about investing in the B and C stage? (25:55)

6. Lessons learned in the five and a half years in venture (32:20)

7. Portfolio construction at Series B (36:33)

8. Biases that exist at growth stage investing (41:00)

9. Thoughts around valuations at Series B (45:40)

10. Balancing expectations: growth at all costs or being founder-friendly with growth (58:22)

11. Value-add vs proactive outreach from founders (1:05:19)

12. What changes would Sameer like to see both at the early-stages and later in India (1:22:15)