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Nakul Mandan

Investor and Partner in the Venture Capital and Tech Industry

Nakul Mandan is the Founder and Partner at Audacious Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco.3 He founded Audacious Ventures in May 2020 with a mission to partner with ambitious founders in technology and help them achieve their most audacious goals.23

Professional Background

Prior to founding Audacious Ventures, Nakul had an extensive career in venture capital:

  • Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners (June 2014 - May 2020)2
  • Venture Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners (May 2020 - Present)2
  • Vice President at Battery Ventures (2009 - 2014)1
  • Associate at Blue River Capital (2006 - 2009)2
  • Analyst at Deutsche Bank (2005 - 2006)2

Investment Focus

Nakul has led investments in several category-defining startups across various sectors:

  • SaaS: Gainsight, People.ai, WorkOS, 6Sense, Tome
  • Marketplaces: Multiverse, BuildingConnected
  • Creator Economy: Superpeer3

His investment philosophy focuses on two key ingredients: large markets and A+ teams.3

Education

  • MBA from Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (2003 - 2005)
  • B.Tech. from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (1999 - 2003)2

Recent Developments

In April 2024, Audacious Ventures raised $150 million for its fund.5

Nakul's approach to venture capital is shaped by his own experience as an outsider who built a successful career in Silicon Valley through determination and hustle.4 He believes that hunger and ambition are more important factors for success than experience when evaluating founders.34

Highlights

Feb 26 · twitter

Start of a trendline? Are we ready for this brave new world?

Feb 24 · twitter

lol. Well played.

Jun 18 · nakulmandan.com
Thoughts that inform my investment thinking these days…
Apr 2 · bizjournals.com
San Francisco VC firm Audacious Ventures raises $150 million

Related Questions

What are some of the most successful investments made by Nakul Mandan?
How did Nakul Mandan transition from Deutsche Bank to venture capital?
What is the investment strategy at Audacious Ventures?
Who are some of the notable companies in Nakul Mandan's portfolio?
What makes Nakul Mandan's approach to investing unique?
Nakul Mandan
Nakul Mandan, photo 1
Nakul Mandan, photo 2
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Experience

Founder and Partner at Audacious Ventures, Venture Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners
Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners (June 2014 - May 2020), Associate at Blue River Capital, Analyst at Deutsche Bank

Education

B.Tech. from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (1999 - 2003), MBA from Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (2003 - 2005)

Location

San Francisco Bay Area