From Jaipur’s Looms to India’s Cap Tables | Mahavir Pratap Sharma | Episode 74 | скачать в хорошем качестве

From Jaipur’s Looms to India’s Cap Tables | Mahavir Pratap Sharma | Episode 74 |

What does it take to go from selling carpets in Jaipur to becoming the first Asian Chair of TiE Global and now raising a $20M venture fund? In Episode 74 of #DamaniTalks, we are in conversation with Mahavir Pratap Sharma - an ecosystem builder, serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and now GP at Swishin Ventures. From his mother’s pioneering carpet business in the 1970s, to six years in America building a wholesale rugs and gems trade, to co-founding RAIN (Rajasthan Angel Innovators Network), Mahavir’s journey is one of constant reinvention. Along the way, he has backed 40+ startups, chaired TiE Global, and helped shape Rajasthan into a vibrant node in India’s startup map. Today, with Swishin Ventures, he’s institutionalizing that journey - launching a SEBI-licensed $20M fund to back seed-to-Series A startups solving for Tier-II and Tier-III India. His thesis: 51% of India’s startups are based in these cities, but they get less than 4% of VC capital. That imbalance is the opportunity. Highlights: Growing up in Jaipur’s carpet business, learning negotiation from his mother, and his take on ambition vs. conservatism Six years in the US: summer camps, basketball coaching, cold calls to carpet and jewelry buyers, and building his own import-wholesale venture Returning to India and expanding into carpets, jewelry, events, and communications TiE Rajasthan: from reluctant member to global chair - and how a Jaipur retreat made him a household name in the ecosystem Co-founding RAIN in 2012 to plug Rajasthan’s funding gap First exits: Capacita Connect (3.5x), Hotify (4.5x) - and the confidence to go full-time into startups The Swishin Ventures playbook: seed-to-Series A, $200K–500K first cheques, consumer tech, BFSI, healthcare, and deep tech Why Tier-II/III founders are his bet for India’s next decade of unicorns Whether you’re a founder seeking your first cheque, an angel navigating misses and exits, or an operator wondering how ecosystems get built, this episode is packed with candid lessons on risk, resilience, and reinvention. Chapters 04:07 – Carpets, childhood in Jaipur, and a mother’s influence 12:21 – First trip to the US, coaching basketball, and selling rugs 23:39 – Diversifying into jewelry, cold calling jewelers across America 29:24 – Event management, Jaipur Virasat Foundation, and discovering management chops 32:06 – TiE Rajasthan, the Jaipur retreat, and entry into global circles 35:05 – First pitches (Razorpay, Zostel) and early mistakes in angel investing 40:02 – The exits that changed everything and pushed him full-time into startups 45:04 – Starting Swishin Ventures: thesis, strategy, and why Tier-II/III India 52:41 – What Mahavir looks for in founders approaching Swishin 56:15 – The dream: fund after fund, 100 enduring companies, and a legacy of wealth creation More about our Guest Linkedin -   / mahavir-pratap-sharma-26476915   Learn more about your host, Anirudh A. Damani: Website: https://www.showmedamani.com Instagram:   / showmedamani   LinkedIn:   / showmedamani   X: https://x.com/showmedamani WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Valx... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xtO07c...