Ishpreet Singh Gandhi

Founder & Managing Partner at Stride Ventures

Panelist

Ishpreet Singh Gandhi, the visionary behind Stride Ventures and StrideOne, has a profound passion for the vibrant startup ecosystem. He is always keen to connect with ambitious entrepreneurs and empower their transformative ideas on a daily basis. Under his leadership, Stride is re-imagining financial solutions for startups to truly empower the enterprising ambitions of India, by enabling inclusive and exponential growth in the startup ecosystem. Stride has emerged as a founder-friendly financial institution sanctioning over $1.3Bn to new-age businesses in India by seamlessly aligning its offerings with the unique needs of founders, Stride has become the go-to partner for budding businesses.

Back in 2015, when the start-up landscape in India was at a nascent stage, as a banker, Ishpreet pioneered the first-ever debt solutions for startups in India. In 2018, Ishpreet founded Stride Ventures, leaving his secure job to drive the penetration of Venture Debt as a founder-friendly alternative to equity. Under Ishpreet's leadership, Stride Ventures has nurtured an exceptional team that has achieved tremendous success, solidifying the firm's position as the most active and trusted lender for startups. The fund boasts of a well-diversified portfolio of 150+ companies across various sectors. It has demonstrated industry-leading returns with best-in-class asset quality and portfolio of market leaders like Zepto, Infra.Market, Udaan, Zetwerk, Upstox, Spinny, Slice, Sugar Cosmetics, Ather, Rebel Foods, Perfios, Moneyview, Ola Electric, among others. The firm has consecutively received multiple prestigious awards including the Venture Debt Fund of the Year, for its role in spearheading alternative funding in India.

In 2021, Ishpreet observed the shifting dynamics of the ecosystem, perceiving the demand for refined and customised financial solutions for the entire startup value chain. This pivotal realisation marked the birth of StrideOne, a dynamic and innovative platform that swiftly responds to the evolving banking needs of entrepreneurs. It caters to the huge demand for tailor-made short-term solutions for growth-stage businesses and MSMEs. Enabling democratisation of credit across sectors, the platform has achieved tremendous growth in the first year of operations, disbursing more than INR 3500 Cr to over 5000+ borrowers. StrideOne delivers an end-to-end digital lending experience to all stakeholders in the startup ecosystem, utilising tech-enabled underwriting to achieve this goal.

The annual editions of industry-first reports like The Venture Debt Report and the Startup Economy Report are a testament to Stride's resolve to enhance the startup ecosystem. These initiatives aim to enhance the understanding of venture debt and lending solutions, ultimately empowering the ecosystem with valuable insights. With a steadfast commitment to innovation and a pioneering spirit, Stride remains firmly positioned at the forefront, delivering groundbreaking debt solutions that fuel the soaring growth of Indian startups.