Get All Access for $5/mo

Dr Ritesh Malik wants to create founder-driven seed initiatives With over 45 investments till date, Dr Ritesh Malik, Founder and CEO, Innov8, now wants to focus on the robotics, SaaS, networking and mobility sectors..

By Punita Sabharwal

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Entrepreneur India

In his thirst to promote entrepreneurship, Dr Ritesh Malik has not only provided co-working space to start-ups through his venture Innov8 started in 2012, he has also invested in 45+ startups so far since 2013. Talking about his aim as an investor, he clearly states, "Create India's most founder-friendly founder-driven seed initiative to back founders irrespective of the outcomes, usually investors hang in companies between 4 to 5 years in their investment cycles. As this is my personal capital, I don't have pressure from LP's top return; the capital is giving me the edge of taking wild risks and consistently backing founders."

Being a founder himself, he understands the loneliness of the journey. In his words, "I have committed many mistakes as a founder, I spend a lot of time with founders I back to make sure those mistakes aren't repeated also, I learn so much from these visionary founders." His investments include the likes of Josh Talks, Sheroes, Drivezy, and Tapchief. With a vision of promoting entrepreneurship in India, he started his own angel funding venture in 2015 called "Project Guerrilla', which brings a premiere India based accelerator and incubation centre to the country.

Most of the start-ups he has been a part of have raised follow-on rounds. His investee company QDesk got acquired by JLL. Sharing one of his major misses, Malik says, "The biggest one was Unacademy, this is the challenge when you don't have a fund. I am a poor founder who invests whatever he earns back into the ecosystem. When Gaurav and Roman came for raising funds, I had an option of either investing into Unacademy or investing more into Innov8, I chose the latter, which paid as well, but I regret not being a part of Unacademy. Gaurav and Roman in the course of time have become great friends.

(This article was first published in the November 2019 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine. To subscribe, click here)

Punita Sabharwal

Entrepreneur Staff

Managing Editor, Entrepreneur India

Business News

Here's What the CPI Report Means for Your Wallet, According to JPMorgan and EY Experts

Most experts agree that there will be another rate cut next week.

Leadership

Why Your AI Strategy Will Fail Without the Right Talent in Place

Using fractional AI experts through specialized platforms allows companies to access top talent cost-effectively, drive innovation and scale agile strategies for growth.

Business News

Apple Is Adding ChatGPT to iPhones This Week. Here's How It Works.

ChatGPT will take over questions that Siri can't answer.

Science & Technology

Use This Framework to Successfully Integrate AI Into Your Business Operations

Here's how to ensure both innovation and compliance when using AI in your organization.

Growing a Business

How to Spot Trends and Anticipate Market Shifts Before Your Competition

Discover how to identify disruptive trends before your competitors by mastering the art of anticipating market shifts. Learn strategies for staying ahead and gaining a competitive edge in business.