Azhar has been part of the startup ecosystem for over 4 years now as an entrepreneur, incubator/accelerator, and investor. Having started his entrepreneurial venture right out of college, Azhar built a profitable QSR business in the Hubballi Dharwad region and has also been a micro angel, investing & supporting growth of interesting non-metro-focused businesses that are sustainable and cash positive.

He joins us from Deshpande Startups where he built a strong understanding of non-metro-based startups across multiple sectors. At Arali Ventures, Azhar will be part of the investment team looking at B2B commerce/marketplaces, SME tech, and AgriTech. He will also be part of our ecosystem development efforts and lead the charge in sourcing deal flow from Tier 2 & Tier 3 towns.

In his free time, Azhar likes exploring archaeological sites and collecting fountain pens & mechanical watches. He also happens to be an avid astronomy buff!