Event Speakers

Archana Jahagirdar CEO & Co-Founder, Rukam Capital

As the Founder and Managing Partner of Rukam Capital, an early-stage consumer-focused VC fund, Archana Jahagirdar stands out as one of the few solo women General Partners in the venture capital ecosystem, both in India and globally. Archana is a vocal advocate for India's entrepreneurial ecosystem, leveraging her unique blend of creative storytelling and data-driven insight to drive meaningful change in the startup landscape. As an "accidental VC" who built her career on a foundation of journalism and storytelling, Archana brings a fresh perspective to startup investments, ensuring that every founder's story gets the attention it deserves. Whether through Startup Table with AJ* or her contributions on global platforms, Archana’s work is driven by a singular mission: to create spaces where innovation thrives, challenges are overcome collectively, and growth is shared. Her goal is to create a platform that encourages collaboration, celebrates innovation, and highlights India's entrepreneurial spirit. Archana has also been a key organizer of New Delhi Slush’d, India’s licensed version of Slush Helsinki and has also co-led the Indian startup delegation at Latitude 59 in Estonia. As a venture capitalist, Archana’s investments go beyond business ventures; she is committed to empowering India to lead the world in innovation, inclusivity, and impact. In addition to this, Archana established the Bootstrap Incubation and Advisory Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering a vibrant community for early-stage startup founders, investors, industry experts, and business enthusiasts. Early Career and Contributions Before founding Rukam Capital, Archana excelled in deal sourcing, setting up accelerators, and collaborating with the Indian Angel Network. Her early stage investing expertise is demonstrated in brands like Go DESi, Sleepy Owl Coffee, BECO, The Indus Valley, Curefoods, etc. Her transactional acumen is matched by her ability to scale portfolio companies and foster relationships with tier-1 funds.