Shyam Menon
Founder of Bharat Innovations Fund
Shyam Menon
Founder of Bharat Innovations Fund
Bangalore Urban, Karnataka
Overview
Work Experience
Partner & Co-founder
2017 - Current
Bharat Innovation Fund focuses on series A investments in India based deeptech (IP led) startups operating in the healthcare, cleantech, agtech, fintech and digital tech sectors. https://bharat.fund/ Our portfolio includes 1) Entropik - Enterprise Saas - Emotion AI for Consumer Insights and Experience testing https://entropiktech.com/ 2) Detect Technologies - IOT system for monitoring pipeline integrity/intelligent drones for inspecting industrial structures using ML https://www.detecttechnologies.com/ 3) Credi Vidya - AI and big data powered credit scoring, helps lenders underwrite first time borrowers profitably. https://creditvidya.com/ 4) Vphrase - Enterprise Saas - AI tool using NLG, business insights and collaboration https://www.vphrase.com/ 5) Playshifu - AR and computer vision enabled smart phygital toys https://www.playshifu.com/ 6) Zumutor -Cutting edge immuno-oncology company in the space of targeted NK cell therapeutics https://www.zumutor.com/ 7) FireCompass - SaaS platform for Continuous Automated Red Teaming (CART) and Attack Surface Management (ASM) https://www.firecompass.com/ Bharat Inclusion Seed Fund 1) Kaleidofin - Develops intuitive and tailored financial products(savings, insurance etc..) for the underserved population in India. https://kaleidofin.com/ 2) Setu - API infrastructure to help you reimagine financial products for the next billion users https://setu.co/ 3) Riscovery - Omnichannel insurance in a box distribution channel https://www.riskcovry.com/ 4) Pariksha - India's largest vernacular test preparation app for govt exams inlcuding daily tests, mock tests etc.. https://www.pariksha.co/ 5) Mymobiforce - AI Enabled Crowd-Sourcing Platform which connects Business with On-Demand Workforce https://www.mymobiforce.com/ 6) Manch - The SaaS based ZERO coding digital transformation platform enables capture and authentication of third party information. https://www.manchtech.com/
Infuse Ventures - Cofounder and Investment Director
2012
Investment Director/Cofounder at Infuse Ventures, an early stage sustainability focussed venture capital fund based in Bangalore and Ahmedabad, India hosted by the Center for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) of IIM Ahmedabad. We strive to identify, invest in and work with passionate entrepreneurs focussed on building innovative, scalable businesses in the energy, water, waste management, agriculture and transportation sectors in India/Asia. As part of ecosystem building efforts, we host Powestart, an annual capacity building bootcamp and accelerator for very early stage cleantech start-ups and aspiring entrepreneur at CIIE, IIMA http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/infuse-venture-gets-commitment-of-110-cr-for-cleantech-startups/article5805926.ece Our Portfolio 1) Ecolibrium Energy - Energy Management http://www.ecolibriumenergy.com/ 2) ReConnect Energy - Renewable Energy Services http://www.reconnectenergy.com/ 3) Revive Electronic Waste - Electronic Waste Management http://www.revive-ewaste.com/ 4) Tessol - Thermal Energy Storage Solutions www.tessol.in/ 5) Surya Power Magic - Solar based Irrigation Solutions http://www.suryapowermagic.com/ 6) Altizon - Industrial Internet of Things www.altizon.com/ 7) Glowship - Energy and environment related product marketplace www.glowship.com 8) GIIBS - Geothermal HVAC and LED lighting www.gibbs.in 9) Proklean - Bio derived chemicals used in leather and textile indutries http://proviera.com/ 10) Ezysolare - Online solar services marketplace https://www.ezysolare.com/ 11) Fourth Partner Energy - A full services Renewable Energy Services Company(RESCO) providing Solar Design, Engineering, Installation, O&M for Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Systems. http://www.fourthpartner.co/ 12) Silvan - Innovative home automation solutions provider, B2B and B2C www.silvan.co.in 13) CKers - Market maker debt capital provider that invests in areas related to energy and resource sustainability
Investment Manager - Energy & Environment Group
2011 - 2012
Responsible for exploring opportunities to build an integrated energy services business integrating supply and demand side energy efficiency solutions catering to the needs of the commercial buildings space in India and APAC countries. • Evaluated multiple prevalent and new business models active in the energy efficiency and water management sector while developing the model to be used in this venture. • Assessed the market potential for the proposed energy services business in Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, India, Australia and Srilanka. • Sourced and evaluated investment and acquisition opportunities in APAC region inline with the above developed strategy. • Mapped and developed new financial models to offer commercial building energy efficiency services in South and South East Asian countries. • Developed the organizational structure and identified the core management team. • Evaluated cleantech investment opportunities for the family office.
Investment Manager, Energy Venture Capital
2007 - 2010
Responsible for deal origination, technical and business due diligence, deal structuring and negotiation, portfolio management including business development and restructuring, exit negotiations and fund raising. Reported to the General Partner of the fund. • Sourced, evaluated (technical, commercial and business due diligence) and managed over 150 deals that fit the early stage cleantech investment mandate in Europe and Asia. • Sectors evaluated included high efficiency energy storage and conversion technologies, emissions control & industrial/commercial energy efficiency technologies, smart grid technologies, low carbon fuel production technologies. • Led initial and subsequent investment rounds (total - $20 mill) and served as shadow board member in three portfolio companies. • Evaluated alternative energy investment potential in Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda) and Asia (India, Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines). • Member of an internal advisory committee at Shell UK’s Future Fuels and CO2 group – identification of low carbon energy technologies with commercialization potential.
Clean Energy/Carbon Finance Consultant
2005 - 2007
Consultant, Energy, Water and Transport Group (Jan 2007-Dec 2007) Responsible for investment appraisal, techno-economic modeling to evaluate power sector investment requirements and energy usage/greenhouse gas impact analysis of low carbon transportation technology penetration scenarios in India and China. Clean development mechanism (CDM) methodology development as part of transportation sector carbon finance initiatives targeting the developing countries. Reported to the Head of Transportation Group in Washington. • Contributed to CDM methodology development for transportation (bus rapid transit) and industrial energy efficiency sectors. • Led the research and coauthored the report on ‘Reduction of CO2 emissions from Land Transport in India’, a project done in conjunction with the World Resource Institute in Washington DC. Consultant, Development Economics Research Group (Dec 2005-Dec 2006) • Developed and evaluated low carbon power sector investment scenarios under alternative greenhouse gas emission scenarios for India, China and EU. • Co-authored the chapter on 'Rise of India and China-Local and Global Emissions' in book 'Dancing with the Giants' released by the World Bank in January 2007.
Consultant, China Energy Group
2004 - 2005
Responsible for analysis of oil, coal, natural gas and electricity demand in transportation and industry sectors in China, supply constraints, potential transportation bottlenecks (adequacy of existing rail and port infrastructure) and vulnerability of areas due to reduced coal availability. • Collected data and assessed fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emission rates of the Chinese transportation sector to forecast future oil consumption and impact of various energy policy interventions. • Co-authored the report ‘China’s Energy Future to 2020’, published by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, May 2006.
Research Engineer
2003 - 2004
Acumentrics is a leading producer of rugged UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for military and industrial power conditioning and backup power supplies, and Solid Oxide Fuel Cell based generators of efficient power for remote, military and residential applications. Research Engineer • Materials research leading to 20% increased conductivity of the ceramic electrodes used in tubular solid oxide fuel cells. • Failure mode analysis and quality control of tubular solid oxide fuel cells returning from field operations.
Materials Research Engineer
2002 - 2003
FCE makes Direct FuelCell® stationary power plants providing clean, efficient baseload power to utilities, industrial operations, universities and municipal water treatment facilities worldwide. They have over 180 megawatts of capacity using fuels including biogas from wastewater treatment as well as clean natural gas. Materials Research Engineer • Improved porosity properties of electrolyte substrates and the tape casting process used in preparing electrolyte substrates for stationary power molten carbonate fuel cells (250 KW modules) used in distributed generation applications.
Research Engineer (Nanotechnology)
2001 - 2002
Presently called Nanocerox, we developed mixed metal oxide nano ceramic powder with patented Flame Spray Pyrolysis process which is used as raw materials for products requiring transparency, durability and heat resistance for use in industrial, military, medical and aerospace applications, as well as for use as additives in the chemical processing industry. Materials Research Engineer • Optimized the production process of nanoceramic fuel cell electrode materials using the Flame Spray Pyrolysis technology developed at University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
Education
PhD - Discontinued
2004 - 2006
Master of Science
2000 - 2002
BS
1995 - 1999
High School
1983 - 1993