Angels To Watch

Krishnan Ganesh: This serial entrepreneur needs no introduction. Ganesh has recently sold his latest start-up – an education-cum-consumer Internet services firm TutorVista Global – to British media group Pearson Plc. at a valuation of nearly Rs 1,000 crore. Fresh from this sale, Ganesh has started aggressively putting money into start-ups, which also include a company e-tailing grocery items, among others.

Naveen Tewari: The 34-year-old founder of the world's largest independent mobile advertising network has come far over the past four years. InMobi, formerly mKhoj, started out as a local mobile search firm but now competes with the likes of Google and Apple in mobile advertising. He has already invested RupeeStreet Financial Services Pvt Ltd, which runs the website Moneysights.com, and Mettl, an online assessment and testing platform.

Sanjay Kamlani: Kamlani is the co-founder and currently the co-CEO of LPO Pangea3, which was acquired by Thomson Reuters in 2010. Pangea3 follows Kamlani's first entrepreneurial venture OfficeTiger that pioneered the BPO space and was acquired by R.R. Donnelly in 2006. Part of Mumbai Angels, he has recently started looking at investments.

Hemu Ramaiah: Ramaiah is the founder and former CEO of the book store chain Landmark, which was acquired Tata Group's Trent in 2005. She has also set up the e-commerce venture called landmarkonthenet.com that sells movies, music, toys, etc., besides books.

Naru Narayanan: Narayanan has had an interesting career in the Indian food & beverages space, although it is not the typical profile of an angel investor. He has worked with Coca Cola Export Corporation and Nestle Products, and promoted confectionery firm Gum India Ltd and the masala dosa franchising firm Indian Food Fermentations. He has also worked with Rediffusion Advertising and held the position of a director with 20:20 MEDIA. Part of Chennai Angels, he is actively looking to deploy capital now.

Hemant Kanakia: Kanakia has worked with companies like Bell Labs and AT&T before founding Torrent Networking, which was acquired by Ericsson for $450 million in 1999. He later joined the venture firm Columbia Capital LLC, focusing on telecommunications and technology space. He has now moved to India and is planning to make investments here in technology space from his own investment fund, Kanakia Ventures LLC.

Deep Kalra: Kalra is the founder & CEO of MakeMyTrip.com, India's largest online travel company which was listed on NASDAQ last year and touched a market capitalisaton of $1 billion. Kalra has recently invested as an angel in ZOVI.com, an online apparel and accessories retailer.

Srini Koppolu: Koppolu is a Microsoft veteran who worked with the company for 21 years and played a crucial role in the development of Office 95 and Office 97. He moved to India in 1998 to set up Microsoft India Development Center (MSIDC), an innovation hub for the firm with 1,500 employees. Part of Hyderabad Angels, he quit Microsoft last year and has invested in companies like Identis Technologies and SETU Software.