Propelling Indian entrepreneurs to global success.

Escape Velocity is an early-stage venture firm focused on helping Indian entrepreneurs conquer the global market with their bold ideas. We invest at pre-seed to series A in technology businesses that exhibit potential to become category leaders.

Portfolio

Shailesh was a senior executive at the forefront of key innovations across many of the most essential and well-known digital services today helping lead the launch of Google Maps, Google Earth, YouTube, and Twitter around the world. He has spent the past decade working with dozens of entrepreneurs as an investor and advisor and was recently a partner at TPG running their Growth and social impact fund "The Rise Fund" across India and Southeast Asia.

Some of his investments include Moglix, Nykaa, Livspace, Spinny, Omaze, Iterative Scopes, Kristal.ai, Ula, Sun Mobility, BigSpring and Rephrase.ai.

He was awarded the prestigious Founders Award for the launch of Google Maps and Google Earth. As MD, Google India, Businessweek recognized him as one of the 100 most powerful leaders in India. Shailesh served on the boards of JLL, a global real estate services company and STX, an independent Hollywood studio.

Shailesh holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, a BS in Economics from The Wharton School and a BA in History with Honors both from the University of Pennsylvania.

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Madhav is a seasoned venture investor having spent over 10 years investing in India’s startup ecosystem including 8 years at Omidyar, where he was responsible for sourcing, evaluating and managing investments in emerging tech. Prior to that, he spent 7 years in tech investment banking across multiple geographies with Citigroup and Credit Suisse.

At Omidyar, he led investments in DealShare, FarMart, Bijak, IntrCity, Scripbox, Otipy, IndusOS, etc. His other investments include GOAT Brands, CityMall, Raena, Loop Health, IDFy, ScanPay, etc.

Madhav holds an M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Oxford.

Shailesh Rao

Founder & Co-managing Partner

Madhav Tandan

Founder & Co-managing Partner

Shailesh Rao

Founder & Co-managing Partner

Shailesh was a senior executive at the forefront of key innovations across many of the most essential and well-known digital services today helping lead the launch of Google Maps, Google Earth, YouTube, and Twitter around the world. He has spent the past decade working with dozens of entrepreneurs as an investor and advisor and was recently a partner at TPG running their Growth and social impact fund “The Rise Fund” across India and Southeast Asia.

Some of his investments include Moglix, Nykaa, Livspace, Spinny, Omaze, Iterative Scopes, Kristal.ai, Ula, Sun Mobility, BigSpring and Rephrase.ai.

He was awarded the prestigious Founders Award for the launch of Google Maps and Google Earth. As MD, Google India, Businessweek recognized him as one of the 100 most powerful leaders in India. Shailesh served on the boards of JLL, a global real estate services company and STX, an independent Hollywood studio.

Shailesh holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, a BS in Economics from The Wharton School and a BA in History with Honors both from the University of Pennsylvania.

Madhav Tandan

Founder & Co-managing Partner

Madhav is a seasoned venture investor having spent over 10 years investing in India’s startup ecosystem including 8 years at Omidyar, where he was part of the emerging tech team. Prior to that, he spent 7 years in tech investment banking across multiple geographies with Citigroup and Credit Suisse.

At Omidyar, he led investments in DealShare, FarMart, Bijak, IntrCity, Scripbox, Otipy, IndusOS, etc. His other investments include GOAT Brands, CityMall, Raena, Loop Health, IDFy, ScanPay, etc.

Madhav holds an M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Oxford.

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