Rajesh Mane

I invest in early-stage technology and consumer companies and have spent the last decade working closely with founders from the idea stage to meaningful scale.

I cofounded Spotlight Strategic Partners, where we back companies at an early stage & stay deeply involved through the earliest phases of company building. My work is focused on identifying large problem statements, supporting exceptional founders, and helping them build long-term, defensible businesses in India’s fast-changing market.

Before Spotlight, I was a ​founding ​member at 100Unicorns, where I helped manage its maiden fund, invested across tech and consumer, and supported companies like VideoVerse, Ethereal Machines, Zypp Electric, Wiom, Flam, LegalPay, NeoDocs, Renee Cosmetics, IGP and many more. As an Operating Partner there, I also helped run D Day and ProStar, two programs designed to back high-potential founders from ​$​2M to $50M in growth stage capital.

My investing journey began at Venture Catalysts, India’s first integrated incubator, where I spent five years building the early-stage ecosystem across India and MENA. I was part of the founding team and worked across investments in BharatPe, Confirmtkt, Beardo, Fynd, Innov8, SuprDaily, Vahanalytics, HomeCapital and over ​1​50+ startups. Many of these companies went on to become category creators and several delivered successful exits.

Before venture capital, I worked across multiple companies and also built Weekend Ventures, one of India’s earliest communities for aspiring founders. It was a simple idea that allowed people to use ​w​eekends to build ideas with structure and mentorship at a time when the word startup was not mainstream. Across several years, the program hosted more than ​1​20+ events and helped over ​10,000+ founders test and launch projects.

I grew up in Mumbai in a humble family of five siblings and developed a love for machines and tools very early in life. That curiosity eventually led me to pursue engineering and later complete my education in the United Kingdom. I hold a degree from the London School of Economics, where I focused on ​​Economics & Finance studies.

Today, my work is guided by two themes that matter deeply to me. I believe India is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for founders, and I believe inclusion through technology will define the country’s next decade. The most fulfilling part of my career has been watching founders grow from two-person teams to companies that employ thousands.

If you are building something meaningful and want to connect, reach me at​ rajesh@spotlightsp.com