Sujit Kunte: Supporting Indian Investee Companies Solving Real-World P

Hi everyone, Spiffy here, your one and only interplanetary journalist reporting from Planet Earth. I’m thrilled to be talking to Sujit Kunte who is the Principal and Head of India for Spiral Ventures. Let’s see what he is doing to make a positive impact in the world.

Spiffy: Welcome to the blog, Sujit! Let’s jump right in. What challenge is Spiral Ventures addressing?

Sujit: Thanks for having me, Spiffy, glad to be here. Spiral Ventures is a Japanese venture capital fund, headquartered in Singapore, which invests in early-stage startups in Southeast Asia and India. Our focus is on companies solving real-world problems, which impact the society at large. I am in charge of identifying new investment opportunities and growth of our investee companies in India.

Spiffy: What motivated you to do it?

Sujit: Startups have been at the forefront of using technology and new business models, and making peoples’ lives better. It is really satisfying to work together with such high-energy teams in their missions and contribute in whatever way possible. Also, I have been a passionate supporter of a Japan-India collaboration, in terms of innovation and talent. My work is my way of being a small part of this collaboration.

Spiffy: How is Spiral Ventures working towards a more equitable world?

Sujit: Besides investment, we provide access to Southeast Asia and Japan markets to our investees and also assist business development together with Japanese corporations. Our team helps startups get listed on major stock exchanges, currently in Japan and soon in the US. This not only generates employment in multiple regions, but also enables successful business solutions to transcend borders and impact the lives of many more people.

Spiffy: That’s awesome! Do you want to share a recent company initiative and the impact that it makes?

Sujit: We believe that inclusive growth is the key for developing countries, including India. In the last few years, there have been great strides in digital infrastructure. However, use of digital products and services is still largely restricted to major cities and towns. We are actively looking to back businesses which distribute these digital products and services to the larger population, through our investments.

Spiffy: Tell me about a startup or project you’ve worked with that exemplifies the impact you’re striving to make.

Sujit: One of our investees, NirogStreet supports practitioners of Ayurveda (Indian traditional medical system) through technology, in order to strengthen their practice. Ayurveda is gaining importance as a complementary therapy, and we believe that it is not just for India but for the world. NirogStreet is leading efforts to make Ayurveda a larger part of the mainstream healthcare system and we are supporting NirogStreet in its efforts to become a global brand.

Spiffy: Thanks for speaking with me today, Sujit—it’s been an honor!

At Spiral Ventures, Sujit Kunte identifies new investment opportunities and contributes to investee growth in India. He has previously worked at Dream Incubator and Nomura Securities, across India, Singapore, and Japan. Sujit holds a BE from VJTI, Mumbai in Computer Engineering and an MBA from INSEAD. He is fluent in Japanese. (First published on the Ladderworks website on January 11, 2022)

Spiffy Mail