Sadev Ventures appoints Ishan Kansal as co-founder, managing partner

The move comes as the early-stage investment firm targets ₹1,000 crore in funds under management over the next 12-24 months

Sadev Ventures, the early-stage venture capital fund founded by former BharatPe chief operating officer (COO) Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl, has appointed Ishan Kansal as co-founder and managing partner. Kansal is expected to join the firm in early June 2026 and will be based in Bengaluru, signalling Sadev’s expansion plans as it prepares to establish its second office in India.

 

“By integrating Ishan into our leadership, Sadev is substantially bolstering its capacity to identify extraordinary founders, evaluate companies through a pragmatic, operator-focused lens, and furnish critical support as they navigate the essential 0-to-1 and 1-to-10 stages of growth,” said Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl, founder and managing partner, Sadev Ventures.

 

 

An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore, Kansal brings experience across consumer internet, fintech, insurtech, and investment banking, having worked across both operating and growth-stage startup environments.

 

He joins Sadev Ventures from home services startup Snabbit, where he served as head of product, leading product, data, and design for the brand.

 

Prior to Snabbit, Kansal spent nearly six years at CRED as part of its early team. Earlier in his career, he worked with Paytm and Deutsche Bank across India and Asia-Pacific (APAC) markets.

 

Kansal’s appointment comes during a significant growth phase for Sadev Ventures. The firm is targeting Rs 1,000 crore in funds under management over the next 18-24 months, alongside plans to launch its second equity fund and formally enter the venture debt space.

 

Founded in 2024, Sadev Ventures currently manages a corpus of Rs 240 crore and backs early-stage founders building enduring businesses in and from India. Notable investments include Asaya, Bidso, Atomgrid, Cleevo, Vama, Gladful, Prosperr and Liquide.

 

The firm’s limited partner (LP) base includes MakeMyTrip founder Deep Kalra, Fixderma founder Shaily Mehrotra, Kotak Mahindra Bank chief marketing officer (CMO) Rohit Bhasin, BharatPe chief executive officer (CEO) Nalin Negi, and OTP Ventures’ Suhail Sameer, Saurabh Vashishtha, and Kunal Suri.