Canaan Partners appoints Rahul Khanna as MD

Venture Capital firm, Canaan Partners, appoints Rahul Khanna as managing director of Canaan India. With over 15 years of international experience, Khanna will lead new investments in early-stage, India-based technology companies in the consumer internet, mobile, software, and managed services industries.

Alok Mittal, managing director of Canaan India said, “Rahul’s expertise includes identifying early-stage technology startups with the potential to become global leaders, as well as offering entrepreneurs hands-on guidance and access to his deep network of financing, business development and operational partners.” Khanna’s appointment expands Canaan Partners’ long-established local presence in the Indian technology sector, where startups are building global customer bases to become worldwide leaders.

“Canaan Partners understands the startup economy in India and successfully connects Indian technology companies with partners and markets worldwide for global success,” says Khanna.

Prior to joining Canaan India, Khanna was founding director of Clearstone Venture Advisors, the India advisory practice of the global early-stage venture firm Clearstone Venture Partners. Khanna also served as area director (Asia Pacific) for Sonim Technologies, a venture-backed startup providing mobile voice over internet protocol (VOIP) technology to global operators. He has also worked with Airflash, a California-based mobile startup.

Canaan invests in local technology startups and connects them to international markets through access to Canaan Partner’s global network of customers and advisors. Canaan India’s current investments include BharatMatrimony, Cellcast, iYogi Holdings, MotorExchange and UnitedLex.