Find out what an investor will say before you meet one.
Send your deck and your numbers. An operator scores your business on the five areas we use to pick our own portfolio, then tells you in writing what would change the answer.
Built for founders who have customers but not yet a story investors believe.
This fits if you:
- Sell a product today, whether a consumer brand, a D2C label, an MSME or an early tech startup
- Have early revenue or users, even if small
- Want someone to find the weak spot before an investor does
This is not for you if you:
- Have an idea but no product
- Want capital only, not feedback
- Need someone to sell for you
How the evaluation works
You send your deck and numbers. Revenue, customers, pricing, and what you have already tried.
An operator scores your business on five weighted areas. Every number you share is tagged verified or claimed.
A sparring call with that operator. You hear the reasoning, and you push back.
Your written note, in three lines: what was strong, what held it back, what would change the answer.
We score evidence, not polish. A beautiful deck with no numbers scores lower than a plain one with real customers.
The same five areas we use to pick our portfolio.
No hidden criteria. This is the scorecard.
| Area | Weight | What a 5 looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Founder | 30% | Deep knowledge of the problem, visible speed, takes hard feedback well |
| Problem and customer | 20% | A specific buyer who pays something today and has a reason to switch |
| Evidence of traction | 20% | Verified revenue or usage, growing month on month |
| Business model | 15% | Clear pricing and a grip on unit economics |
| Fit with Gorkha Ventures | 15% | Your biggest constraint sits where our operators are strongest |
Example: a skincare brand selling in Dehradun
Strong: Repeat buyers in two local stores, and the founder knows each one by name.
Held back: Pricing does not cover the cost of the second channel.
Would change the answer: Three months of contribution margin per unit, tracked and shown.
Weighted scores of 3.8 and above are considered for the accelerator.
Three steps. Only the first one is open to everyone.
Pitch Evaluation
For: any founder with a product.
You get: the scorecard, a 45-minute sparring call, and a three-line written note.
Price: Pricing announced soon
Investor introductions: none.
Operator Sprint
For: founders whose evaluation shows one clear constraint worth fixing first.
You get: 6 to 8 weeks on that one constraint, one matched operator, and a weekly five-line check-in.
Price: Shared after your evaluation
Entry: by invitation after evaluation.
Investor introductions: none.
The Accelerator
For: 2 to 3 companies per cycle, selected from evaluations.
You get: weekly operator time on your biggest constraint, readiness work on your deck, metrics and data room, and introductions to investors in our network.
What we ask: Shared with selected founders
Entry: selection only. Not for sale.
We don't sell access to investors. We get you ready for them.
No fee buys an introduction. Our investor mentors take our calls because we only send them companies we would back ourselves. Introductions go to accelerator companies only, and every one is double opt-in: the investor agrees before we share your name.
Matched on your problem, not on a famous name.
Your evaluation names your biggest constraint. We match you with the operator who has solved it before.
Selling, growth and revenue
Saurabh Bhatnagar
Co-Founder, FlexiFunnels
Jyoti Malhotra
Co-Founder, SoJo Marketing
Abhineet Kumar
Co-Founder, Rockethealth
Brand and design
Divya Tak
Founder, Joyus Studio
Operations and scale
Saurabh Saxena
Managing Partner, Gorkha Ventures
Dhrupad Shrivastava
Founder, Dumpum
Preeti Kumbhaj
Chief of Staff, OneLeap
Capital and investor readiness
Bhavik Rasyara
Managing Partner, Pravah Capital
Bindu Reddy
Investor, Dexter Capital
Gaurav Agrawal
Founder and CEO, Ascendra Advisors
Product, technology and AI
Abhimanyu Saxena
Co-Founder, Scaler
Mudit Goel
Head of AI Product, CommerceIQ
Parminder Singh
Founder, Redscope.AI
Shubham Pandey
Founder, OneLeap
Apurv Singh Baghel
Group Manager, NEC Corp
Vibhu Rishi
Senior Product Manager, McAfee
Leadership and strategy
Dr. Srishty P. Gajbhiye
Chief Emotional Architect, Jaagr Mind
Dr. Rajneesh Negi
Founder and Director, PMT India / Ganga Net
Two of our council members lead companies in our first batch, OneLeap and FlexiFunnels. They are not involved in scoring companies that compete with their own.
From submission to written note
Frequently asked questions
Is my deck confidential?
Yes. Your deck and numbers are used only for your evaluation. Nothing about your company appears in any Gorkha Ventures content without your written consent.
Does paying for an evaluation improve my score?
No. The fee covers operator time. The score comes from your evidence.
What if my score is low?
You get the same three lines as everyone else, including what would change the answer. Many founders come back after fixing it, and you can reapply.
Can a score get me investor introductions?
Only through the accelerator. A high score makes you eligible for selection. It does not buy an introduction.