What’s happening?

GCV Connect: India

Speakers & Agenda

Speaking

  • Srini Vudayagiri

    Srini Vudayagiri

    President, The Times of India & Head, Brand Capital & Brand Estate

    LinkedIn
  • Swapna Gupta

    Swapna Gupta

    Partner, Avaana Climate and Sustainability Fund, Avaana Capital

    LinkedIn
  • Ravi Jain

    Ravi Jain

    Investment Director, TDK Ventures

    LinkedIn
  • Yoko Fukata

    Yoko Fukata

    Director & Head of India, Sony Ventures

    LinkedIn
  • Gani Subramaniam

    Gani Subramaniam

    Founding Managing Partner, Yali Capital

    LinkedIn
  • Sophia Nadur

    Sophia Nadur

    Managing Director - Asia & Middle East, bp Ventures

    LinkedIn
  • Ankit Mehta

    Ankit Mehta

    CEO, IdeaForge Technology

    LinkedIn
  • Vishnu Rajeev

    Vishnu Rajeev

    Investment Principal, Speciale Invest

    LinkedIn
  • Shelly Mittal

    Shelly Mittal

    Venture Partner, India, Chrysalix Venture Capital

    LinkedIn
  • Nicolas Sauvage

    Nicolas Sauvage

    President, TDK Ventures

    LinkedIn

Thursday, September 4

14:00

Guests arrive

14:30

Welcome remarks from GCV

Charlie Hayward, Deputy Managing Director, GCV 

14:35

Welcome remarks from TDK Ventures

Ravi Jain, Investment Director, TDK Ventures 

14:40

Opening fireside chat: From apps to atoms – the new frontier of Indian innovation

  • India’s venture ecosystem’s transformation from consumer to deeptech

  • Discover emerging opportunities in AI, energy, semiconductors and mobility

  • India’s engineering talent and digital foundations

  • What this shift means for investors eyeing long-term opportunities in India

Nicolas Sauvage, President, TDK Ventures 

Ravi Jain, Investment Director, TDK Ventures 

15:15

Panel: Patient capital – how CVCs are outlasting the boom-and-bust cycle

  • The strategic edge: Why corporate VCs are uniquely positioned in today’s market

  • From funding to partnerships: Aligning incentives and vision between startups and corporates

  • Resilience in the downturn: Are CVCs better equipped to weather volatility?

  • Scaling smart: Case studies of successful CVC-backed startups in India

Srini Vudayagiri, President, The Times of India; Head, Brand Capital & Brand Estate 

Yoko Fukata, Director & Head of India, Sony Ventures 

Moderator: Vishnu Rajeev, Investment Principal, Speciale Invest 

16:00 Networking break

16:30

Panel: From lab to listing – Deeptech startups’ journey from ideation to IPO

  • India is a global hub for deeptech innovation, from AI to drones

  • IdeaForge’s breakthrough: Lessons from one of India’s first deeptech IPOs 

  • Beyond funding: What global investors must understand to succeed in India’s deeptech ecosystem

  • Building local capacity: Why long-term presence and cultural fluency matter 

Gani Subramaniam, Founding Managing Partner, Yali Capital

Ankit Mehta, CEO, IdeaForge Technology

Moderator: Ravi Jain, Investment Director, TDK Ventures 

17:15

Panel: Purpose at scale – climate, impact and the next billion

  • India's climate and social challenges are sparking global-scale solutions

  • Partnering with local CVCs, VCs and startups for ecosystem access

  • Can impact and profitability coexist in India’s evolving VC ecosystem?

  • Why now – corporates must lead with both capital and conscience  

Swapna Gupta, Partner, Avaana Climate and Sustainability Fund, Avaana Capital

Sophia Nadur, Managing Director - Asia & Middle East, bp Ventures 

Moderator: Shelly Mittal, Venture Partner, India, Chrysalix Venture Capital 

17:50

Closing remarks from GCV

Charlie Hayward, Deputy Managing Director, GCV 

17:55

Closing remarks from TDK Ventures

Ravi Jain, Investment Director, TDK Ventures

18:00 Networking reception