Key Takeaways
- • Bessemer Venture Partners appointed Mayank Khanduja as a partner in its India practice, marking a strategic hire to strengthen early-stage investment capacity in the region following his 15-year tenure at Elevation Capital.
- • Khanduja will focus on seed and Series A investments across consumer technology, gaming, healthcare, artificial intelligence, and deeptech from Bessemer's Bengaluru office, joining existing India partners Vishal Gupta and Anant Vidur Puri.
- • Bessemer closed its second India-focused fund at $350 million in March 2025, nearly three years after its first $220 million India vehicle raised in 2021, with over 80% of the firm's India investments concentrated in early-stage deals.
- • Khanduja brings proven early-stage expertise from Elevation Capital, where he led investments in portfolio companies including ShareChat, NoBroker, PlaySimple Games, Loop Health, and MOC Cancer Care across consumer, gaming, healthcare, and deeptech sectors.
- • The hire is part of Bessemer's broader India expansion strategy, following the 2025 appointment of Pankaj Mitra (former Cisco Investments executive) as a partner focused on enterprise technology, AI, and cybersecurity.
Summary
Bessemer Venture Partners has appointed Mayank Khanduja as a partner in its India practice, bolstering the US-based venture capital firm's early-stage investment capabilities in one of Asia's largest startup ecosystems. Khanduja, based in Bengaluru, will concentrate on seed and Series A rounds across consumer technology, gaming, healthcare, artificial intelligence, and deeptech sectors. The hire underscores Bessemer's commitment to deepening its footprint in India and staffing its regional team with seasoned investors.
Khanduja joins Bessemer after spending nearly 15 years at Elevation Capital, where he rose to partner status in 2020 before stepping down in January 2026. Prior to Elevation, he worked at McKinsey & Co, bringing both strategic consulting experience and deep venture capital expertise to his new role. His track record at Elevation includes participation in notable investments such as ShareChat (social commerce), NoBroker (real estate), PlaySimple Games (gaming), Atlys (travel), AppsForBharat (consumer services), Loop Health and MOC Cancer Care (healthcare), and Jeh Aerospace and PierSight (deeptech and aerospace). At Bessemer, Khanduja will collaborate with existing India partners Vishal Gupta and Anant Vidur Puri.
The appointment reflects Bessemer's accelerating India strategy. In March 2025, the firm closed its second India-dedicated fund at $350 million, more than three years after raising its inaugural India vehicle of $220 million in 2021. Both funds target early-stage companies, with the second vehicle specifically focused on AI-enabled services, SaaS, fintech, digital health, consumer brands, and cybersecurity. Bessemer disclosed that over 80% of its India investments during the preceding five years concentrated on early-stage deals, demonstrating institutional conviction around seed and Series A opportunities in the market.
This hire complements Bessemer's broader geographic and sectoral expansion efforts. The firm appointed Pankaj Mitra, a former Cisco Investments executive, as a partner in 2025 to lead enterprise technology, AI, and cybersecurity investments. Khanduja holds an MBA from IIM Calcutta and an engineering degree from IP University, credentials that align with Bessemer's focus on technology-driven investment opportunities in emerging markets.
Khanduja joins Bessemer after spending nearly 15 years at Elevation Capital, where he rose to partner status in 2020 before stepping down in January 2026. Prior to Elevation, he worked at McKinsey & Co, bringing both strategic consulting experience and deep venture capital expertise to his new role. His track record at Elevation includes participation in notable investments such as ShareChat (social commerce), NoBroker (real estate), PlaySimple Games (gaming), Atlys (travel), AppsForBharat (consumer services), Loop Health and MOC Cancer Care (healthcare), and Jeh Aerospace and PierSight (deeptech and aerospace). At Bessemer, Khanduja will collaborate with existing India partners Vishal Gupta and Anant Vidur Puri.
The appointment reflects Bessemer's accelerating India strategy. In March 2025, the firm closed its second India-dedicated fund at $350 million, more than three years after raising its inaugural India vehicle of $220 million in 2021. Both funds target early-stage companies, with the second vehicle specifically focused on AI-enabled services, SaaS, fintech, digital health, consumer brands, and cybersecurity. Bessemer disclosed that over 80% of its India investments during the preceding five years concentrated on early-stage deals, demonstrating institutional conviction around seed and Series A opportunities in the market.
This hire complements Bessemer's broader geographic and sectoral expansion efforts. The firm appointed Pankaj Mitra, a former Cisco Investments executive, as a partner in 2025 to lead enterprise technology, AI, and cybersecurity investments. Khanduja holds an MBA from IIM Calcutta and an engineering degree from IP University, credentials that align with Bessemer's focus on technology-driven investment opportunities in emerging markets.
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