Hi there! I am Soumitra, based in SF and a venture investor, operator, and founder in the US-India corridor for ~15 years now.
Professional arc ➡ VC @ IDG Ventures/ Chiratae, Director – Global Expansion @ Alibaba Group, Founder & CEO @ Workomo, Operator-Angel in 25+ startups over the last decade.
Investment track record ➡ Paytm (IPO), Newgen (IPO), Uniphore (Unicorn), Xpressbees (Unicorn), OpenSea (Unicorn), Phenom (Unicorn), Yulu (Series B), and LetsVenture (Series B).
I am also an active blogger and podcaster at “An Operator’s Blog”.
Investment Thesis
I write up to $300k checks into early-stage startups and make decisions quickly.
I follow a 3-pronged, US-India cross-border investment strategy:
- “Global Indian” founders – (a) based in India and building for the world, and (b) Indian diaspora in the US
- “Non-incremental” startups – high likelihood of strong competitive differentiation and category leadership
- “Grit” as the key founder characteristic
I invest in both US and India-based legal entities.
Sectors
Operators Studio only invests in technology startups. Focus sectors include:
- AI – enterprise software, healthcare, vertical software, cybersecurity
- Deeptech – hardware-based, including space, defense, aerospace, mobility, robotics, climate, energy
- ‘Cross-border’ Consumer-tech & Fintech – India-to-the-world
Supporting Founders
Post-investment, my mission is to be the “hardest working investor on the cap table”. I actively support portfolio founders in finding product-market-fit, US go-to-market, and raising follow-on rounds from the best investors both in Silicon Valley and India.
During this partnership, I typically end up becoming a “Whatsappable Confidant” that the Founder can lean on while working through ongoing operating challenges, as well as making decisions at strategic inflection points of the company.
The Fund is backed by world-class founders, operators, and investors in the US-India corridor. They help support and evangelize the portfolio companies.
TLDR: When Operators Studio backs you, you get immediately plugged into an athletic community of the highest-quality operating expertise and relationships that I have painstakingly nurtured over the last 15 years.
Portfolio
(1) AI
*Exited | AI-driven virtual clinics New York Co-investors: Arali Ventures |
*Series A | AI agents to drive profitable growth for restaurant & retail San Francisco Co-investors: Nyca, Base10, Afore |
*Series A | Voice AI agents for front office automation in US healthcare New York Co-investors: Blume, Together Fund |
*Multiple uprounds | AI for designers San Francisco Co-investors: Multiple Tier 1 VCs |
 | Enterprise AI platform for connected machines Bangalore Co-investors: YourNest |
 | AI for drone autonomy Pune Co-investors: Lavni Ventures, DeVC |
 | Pre-construction operating system San Francisco Co-investors: Construction-tech VC |
 | Enterprise AI for behavioral health practices San Francisco Co-investors: Counterpart, GreyMatter |
 | System of Intelligence for revenue teams San Francisco Co-investors: Z5 Capital |
 | Inbound AI SDR San Francisco Co-investors: Village Global |
 | AI ads engine for performance marketing San Francisco Co-investors: Wing, SPC |
 | AI security posture management San Francisco Co-investors: Seed VCs |
 | Agentic platform for automating enterprise workflows San Francisco Co-investors: Tier 1 VC |
 | AI agents for optimizing marketing funnels Bangalore Co-investors: Bitkraft, SPC |
 | AI for cognitive & communicative impairments San Francisco Co-investors: Angels |
(2) Deeptech
 | Smart baby crib San Francisco Co-investors: CRV, Footwork |
 | Autonomy for trucking Toronto/ San Francisco Co-investors: Twin Ventures, DeVC |
 | Motors & controllers for electric mobility Gurgaon Co-investors: Rainmatter |
 | In-orbit servicing and life extension of sattelites Bangalore Co-investors: Pi Ventures |
 | Affordable launch vehicles for small satellites Pune Co-investors: JITO, LetsVenture |
 | Remote operations retrofit for excavators San Francisco Co-investors: YCombinator, Blast |
 | Physical AI robotics-as-a-service Bangalore Co-investors: 8X, TurboStart |
 | Autonomous, amphibious airplanes Bangalore Co-investors: Inuka, Antler India |
 | Climate-resilient indoor air purification system San Francisco Co-investors: Angels |
 | Anti-drone defense system Gurgaon Co-investors: General Catalyst, AUM Ventures |
 | Compact EV cabs & battery swaps Gurgaon Co-investors: IIMA Ventures |
(3) Consumer-tech & Fintech
*Series A | India cross-border B2B payments Bangalore Co-investors: Elevation Capital |
 | AI-powered English learning app Bangalore Co-investors: Lightspeed, Shunwei |
 | Online robotics classes & kits for kids Bangalore Co-investors: Inflection Point Ventures |
 | Gaming universe for Gen Z Bangalore Co-investors: PeerCapital, Picus |
 | Helping global employees manage & diversify their US-based RSUs Bangalore Co-investors: Antler India |