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Debleena Das
Director : Matrix Partners India
Debleena Das is the Director of Human Capital at Z47 (formerly known as Matrix Partners India), a venture capital firm focusing on investments in Indian enterprises and consumer markets.12 With over 15 years of experience in human resources and talent management, Debleena has worked with prominent companies such as Google, Flipkart, and InMobi before joining Z47.2
In her role at Z47, Debleena is responsible for:
- Talent acquisition and management for Z47 portfolio companies1
- Implementing internal processes for employee-related functions1
- Network and community development within the startup ecosystem1
- Facilitating partnerships with tech giants like GCP and AWS1
- Contributing to internal learning and development initiatives1
Debleena holds a master's degree in psychology and an MBA specializing in human resources.1 She is known for her expertise in areas such as talent acquisition, leadership hiring, talent management, company culture establishment, and organization design.1
Throughout her career, Debleena has received several awards and recognitions, including:
- Winner of the 2015 All India Talent Acquisition Leadership League Awards in Social Hiring3
- Best Hacker at Flipkart's Recruiter Hackathon in September 20143
- SpotR award at InMobi in February 20153
- Ace Award for Leadership Hiring at Flipkart in September 20143
Debleena is passionate about the "Founders First" principle and is dedicated to supporting startup founders in their journey from "zero to infinity" by providing comprehensive human resources assistance.2
Highlights
It was amazing to meet some brightest minds in the start-up ecosystem, who are building incredible technology companies in Google Cloud Startup Growth Days Event on29th August at Google India Bangalore office.
Thank you Google for the invitation to speak alongside an outstanding lineup of speakers. I felt humbled and honoured to discuss on some of the valuable insights we practice at Z47 (fka Matrix Partners India) - on how to attract and retain top talent and creating a high-performing team that drives business success. Rajat Agarwal Rupali Sharma Prajwal Kumar Tanya Dutta
Here are the key take aways from the evening. Attracting A-Players in Your Start-Up, with Extreme Hiring:
📣 A-players are high-impact individuals who drive startup growth. They are self-motivated, aligned with the founder's vision, and turn strategy into tangible results, pushing the company towards success and profitability. 📣 A-Players bring some key traits to the table: 📣 Passionate Culture Champions: They embody and promote the company’s values. 📣 Intelligent and Self-Driven: They take initiative and lead their own success. Vision-Aligned and Proactive: They anticipate challenges and pursue long-term goals. 📣 Relentlessly Persistent: They overcome obstacles and get the job done. 📣 Lead by Example: They set high standards for the team.
Like Vikram Vaidyanathan shared on the Z47 podcast, attracting A-players requires an "extreme hiring" approach. Building a startup is like launching a rocket—every component must align for liftoff, and continuous boosters (A-players) are needed to reach new heights.
▶ Build a Strong Hiring Culture Early: Make hiring a top priority. Leaders must dedicate time and resources to bring in the right talent. ▶ Hire Quickly for Key Roles: Momentum in hiring drives company growth. Encourage your team to attract top performers. ▶ Focus on Core DNA Over Skills: For leadership roles, prioritize intrinsic qualities and cultural fit over specific skills. ▶ Mitigate Risks Proactively: Understand no hire is perfect. Use extensive referencing, psychometric tests, and market insights. ▶ Adopt a Comprehensive Talent Strategy: Hire a talent acquisition expert and leverage RPOs or agencies to identify top talent early.
Finally, how to keep your A-Players:
✔ Invest in Their Growth: Engage in regular discussions about their career aspirations and development. ✔ Have ‘Journey Conversations’: Align on financial goals, career progression, and continuous learning. ✔ Commit to Mutual Success: Create a culture that values both individual and company achievements.
By embracing extreme hiring and building a culture that attracts and retains A-players, startups can drive sustained growth and success. What are your mantras to hire & keep A-Players in your startups?
#GoogleCloudStartupGrowthDays #TalentAcquisition #TeamBuilding #GoogleCloud #GoogleForStartups
It’s almost time for the Google Cloud Startup Growth Days Event, and I’m excited to be a part of it.
I’ll be speaking alongside an outstanding lineup of speakers from Roopan Aulakh, Managing Director, pi Ventures, Sachin Sinha, Founder & CEO, BangDB, Anshuman Agarwal, Co-founder Increff and more.
At this forum I’ll be discussing the importance of hiring A-Players in today's competitive market on Thursday, 29th of August. Let's deliberate and exchange valuable insights on how to attract and retain top talent, creating a high-performing team that drives business success.
Rashi Agrawal Karan Kumar
#GoogleCloudStartupGrowthDays #TalentAcquisition #TeamBuilding #GoogleCloud #GoogleForStartups
