Lightspeed Venture Partners, a prominent player in the venture capital arena, has elevated its commitment to the Indian and Southeast Asian markets by bringing on board industry stalwarts Vivek Gambhir and Kevin Aluwi as venture partners. This strategic move is poised to accelerate Lightspeed’s influence and further fuel its investments in burgeoning startups across the region.
With over three decades of diverse experience, Vivek Gambhir is a seasoned leader who has previously held the position of Chief Executive at Godrej Consumer Products, a leading home and personal care company. His role as Chief Strategy Officer of the Godrej Group showcased his acumen in shaping business strategies for a conglomerate. More recently, Gambhir served as the CEO of boAt, a prominent audio products and wearables brand, and holds board positions in consumer startups such as Mamaearth and Magicpin.
Kevin Aluwi, former CEO of Indonesian on-demand service giant Gojek, brings expertise in marketing, product development, and scaling operations. Aluwi’s tenure at Gojek, where he navigated the complexities of the on-demand food and transportation sector, positions him as a valuable asset for Lightspeed as it continues to identify and support high-potential startups.
Bejul Somaia, a partner at Lightspeed, emphasized the collaborative role Gambhir and Aluwi would play in their capacity as Venture Partners. He stated, “In their roles as Venture Partners, they will be collaborating with founders, shaping their journeys, and contributing to the growth and development of our portfolio companies in the region.”
Lightspeed Venture Partners has a robust track record, investing in approximately 100 companies in India and Southeast Asia. The firm invests in diverse sectors such as enterprise software, fintech, consumer goods, and e-commerce. In April of the previous year, Lightspeed raised an impressive $500 million for its fourth fund dedicated to India and Southeast Asia, following a $275 million raise for its third India fund in 2020. The recent appointments of Gambhir and Aluwi signal Lightspeed’s commitment to leveraging their extensive industry insights to identify and nurture the next wave of disruptive startups in these dynamic markets.
