A B Chakravarthy
Co-Chief Executive Officer
A B Chakravarthy, known as Chakra, is a distinguished impact investment professional. As the India Country Director at Upaya for three years, he expertly guided Upaya’s portfolio of 19 active investments through a successful post-COVID recovery, driving job creation for those who lost their livelihoods during the pandemic. Under his leadership, the team added 8 more impactful companies to the portfolio, resulting in a notable surge in dignified jobs from 24,811 in June 2021 to 42,487 by March 2024—a remarkable increase of over 70%. The portfolio companies also experienced a substantial fundraising boost of $24.2 million, a 6x increase, enhancing Upaya’s portfolio to a total follow-on multiple of 15.4x (in USD) in a short span of time.
Chakra also spearheaded successful exits from several investments, demonstrating the efficacy of Upaya’s pioneering Pool of Recoverable Grants (PRG) model. He has been instrumental in building strategic industry partnerships and has contributed to thought leadership by participating in international and national task forces and working groups focused on Small & Growing Businesses (SGBs), gender, and climate action. Additionally, he serves as an Investment Committee (IC) Member in institutions engaged in early-stage investing.
In his previous roles, Chakra led impact investments across various sectors for a family office, an early-stage VC firm, and an incubator.
With over 15+ years of experience in investing in early-stage enterprises in emerging markets, his expertise spans sectors such as agritech, circularity, climate, health tech, livelihoods, water and sanitation, and technology for development. He has actively supported startup founders through regular advisory sessions, contributing to their companies' growth and success. Apart from that, he mentors young investment professionals fostering their development and professional growth. Chakra holds a B.Tech from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and an M.Sc. (ICT-ARD) from DA-IICT.
Coming from a rural and farming background and equipped with agricultural education, Chakra intimately understands the challenges faced by the underserved communities. He has successfully brought business solutions to these problems through his expertise in startup investing. He firmly believes that robust business models centered around impact are the most efficient and rapid means to enhance the income and well-being of underserved communities.