About The Chennai Angels

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Invested over
INR 150 Cr across
80+ start-ups

TCA is one of the leading Angel Investment Groups in India. TCA’s network consists of elite leaders that have successfully built, run and in many cases exited enterprises across multiple domains and industries.

TCA funds scalable startups that have gained market traction and are in the early revenue stage; provided they solve a critical problem for consumers or businesses, using a unique solution.

TCA’s investing members and portfolio investments are not limited by geography. Unusually for an angel investing group, TCA has a diversified portfolio that goes well beyond a restrictive tech focus, reflecting the diversity of its members’ interests. TCA portfolio companies benefit from the collective expertise and rolodex of its members.

Key areas of investment focus for TCA include Agritech & Sustainability, Electric Vehicles, Deep Science & Technology, Healthtech, Fintech, D2C and Web 3.0.

Inception

Aspiring entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas often fumble to translate thoughts into commercially viable ventures. These teething troubles could be attributed to inadequate awareness in taking ideas forward or paucity of funds. In an effort to help these young minds, a group of prominent successful entrepreneurs came forward to form a consortium called The Chennai Entrepreneurship Trust Fund in Nov 2007, which is now The Chennai Angels (TCA).

Our Role Today

Besides providing capital, TCA members act as mentors for those venturing into the business world. TCA has among its members several Venture Capitalists who are available to partner TCA on larger outlays. Along with high quality mentoring, investors are able to handhold the entrepreneur through the life cycle of fundraising and open doors to customers and partners of very high order.

TCA Portfolio

We’ve been a part of their growth journey.

About
The Chennai Angels

Founded in 2007, The Chennai Angels (TCA) is one of India’s most active and trusted angel networks, bringing together 150+ seasoned investors with a shared passion for nurturing innovation. Over the years, we’ve invested over ₹193 Cr across 177+ deals, backing 99+ promising startups across diverse sectors. With ₹139+ Cr in successful exits, our track record reflects not just smart capital, but strategic mentorship and long-term partnership. At TCA, we don’t just invest in startups — we support and empower founders to build enduring businesses.

Mission

Connect founders with capital, mentorship, and strategic growth support.

Vision

Empowering startups to build impactful, enduring businesses with purpose.

Value

We champion entrepreneurs with empathy, insight, and unwavering support.

Our Board of Directors & Executive Committee

Gopal Srinivasan

Board of Directors

A seasoned entrepreneur and chairman driving mid-cap Indian business transformation through private equity and strategic mentorship.

Founding Chairman of TVS Electronics; Director in TVS group companies and former Great Lakes board member.
Ex-Chairman of CII Tamil Nadu and National PE & VC Committees, with 25+ years of industry leadership.
Active angel investor and mentor with Chennai Angels and TiE.
Holds B.Com from Loyola and MBA from University of Michigan.

Lakshmi Narayanan N

Board of Directors

A veteran technology leader with deep expertise in corporate governance, strategy, and customer engagement across global markets.

Founding member and ex-Vice Chairman of Cognizant, shaping its delivery model.
Past Chairman of NASSCOM; former U.S.-India Business Council board member.
30+ years of leadership across Europe, India, and the US.
Active in education and inclusive growth via Cognizant Foundation and nonprofits.

Ramaraj R

Board of Directors

Serial entrepreneur and internet pioneer, best known for co-founding Sify and mentoring India’s next generation of leaders.

Co-founder & former CEO of Sify, India’s first Internet company listed on NASDAQ.
Senior Advisor at Elevar Advisors; serves on IIM Calcutta’s Board of Governors.
Founding Board Member of ICANN; ex-Trustee, TiE Global & Olympic Gold Quest.
Recipient of CII Lifetime Achievement Award; co-founded Coaching Foundation of India.

Shankar V

Board of Directors & Head of Executive Committee

Founder of CAMS, now investor and startup ecosystem builder through Acsys and The Chennai Angels.

Founded and exited CAMS, India’s largest listed Registrar & Transfer Agent
Leads Acsys Investments, his family office focused on early-stage investing
Actively mentors and supports startups across sectors
Heads the Executive Committee at The Chennai Angels

Rajeev Mecheri

Executive Committee Member

Serial entrepreneur and angel investor with deep expertise in building and scaling tech ventures globally.

Co-founder of Invicara & TwinIt, focused on Digital Twin technologies.
Built and exited a leading security and automation firm to Siemens.
Founding President of EO Chennai; ex-Regional Chair, YPO South Asia.
Alumnus of Loyola College and Chicago Booth; active in TiE Chennai; Executive Committee Member of The Chennai Angels

Mahalingam K

Executive Committee Member

A versatile entrepreneur and investor with expertise in automotive retail, financial services, real estate, and environmental solutions.

Heads TSM Group’s pre-owned car dealership network in South India.
Pioneered third-party financial product distribution with major partners.
Leads 100+ real estate projects via Shreyas Investments and Qualitas.
Chairman of Enzotech Solutions; Executive Committee Member of The Chennai Angels.

Ramkumar L

Executive Committee Member

Seasoned business leader and angel investor, with deep expertise in manufacturing, corporate strategy, and startup mentorship.

Former MD of Tube Investments of India; 25+ years leading businesses across industrial sectors.
Independent Director on boards of Shanthi Gears and Igarashi Motors; on Governing Board of IIM Bodhgaya.
Active angel investor and mentor with The Chennai Angels and IITM Incubation Cell.
Past President of Madras Management Association; awarded Business Leader of the Year by Loyola Alumni Association.

Chandu Nair

Executive Committee Member

Seasoned entrepreneur and investor with over 30 years of cross-sectoral experience in building, scaling, and advising knowledge-driven ventures.

Co-founded and grew Scope e-Knowledge Center to 1,000+ employees.
Hands-on experience with angel, VC, and strategic funding; two successful exits.
Active mentor through TiE Chennai and other advisory platforms.
PGDM from IIM Ahmedabad; frequent speaker and visiting faculty.

Ramakrishnan K (Ramki)

Executive Committee Member

A veteran investment banker with nearly three decades of experience across corporate finance and investment banking.

Co-founded and helped scale Spark Capital into a full-service mid-market investment bank.
Led investment banking for South India at ICICI Securities.
Holds leadership roles at The Chennai Angels, Madras Chamber, and Madras Management Association.
Founding Fellow of Chennai International Centre; qualified in Mechanical Engineering and Management.

Elango P

Executive Committee Member

Veteran oil & gas executive with over 28 years of leadership experience in upstream operations and strategic industry transformation.

Former CEO & Whole-Time Director at Cairn India, scaling crude oil production to 30% of India’s output.
Began career at ONGC in 1985; strong operational and business expertise across energy value chain.
Leading exploration and production growth at HOEC since 2015.
Recipient of Platts Asia CEO finalist, Oil Industry Safety Award, and Golden Peacock Award.

Reji Joseph

Executive Committee Member

Turnaround expert and investor, blending sharp corporate finance skills with a passion for art and social impact.

Experienced leader in strategy, M&A, turnarounds, and corporate finance with international exposure.
Former CEO of Al Anwar Holdings, led a major turnaround and recognized among Oman’s top 100 CEOs in 2016.
Previously Director of Corporate Finance at KPMG; now an investor, advisor, and social worker in Chennai. Alumnii of Loyola.
Accomplished artist with exhibitions globally; Executive committee member in The Chennai Angels; active in MMA, and VP of TiE Chennai.

Harikumar S

Executive Committee Member

A specialist provider of award-winning eLearning solutions for global enterprises.

Leads Origin Learning, serving Fortune 500 clients like GE, HP, and VMware; recipient of multiple Brandon Hall and CLO awards.
Brings 30+ years of experience across eLearning, education, publishing, and software industries.
Previously held senior roles at Manipal Group, Thomson Learning, Sify, and Brilliant’s.
Holds a Master’s in Commerce; passionate about education, technology, philosophy, and gardening.

Mridula Ramesh

Executive Committee Member

An author, climatetech investor, and sustainability advocate pioneering solutions in waste, water, and climate resilience.

Founded Sundaram Climate Institute, focused on waste and water management solutions.
Angel investor in nearly 30 climate tech startups.
Executive Director at Sundaram Textiles; ex-McKinsey consultant (Silicon Valley).
Board trustee at WWF India; climate writer for top Indian publications.

The Chennai Angels Secretariat Team

Sai Shanmukha Yadavalli

Vice President

Darshan Kumar

Asst. Vice President

Kaushik Srikanth

Manager Partnerships

Udith Chatrani

Investment Analyst

Tracy Chatelier

Manager Marketing

Sai Suraj

Investment Analyst