Jalak (juh’ luck ), n., 1 Hindi.  Glimpse.  2 U.S.  A venture capitalist of Indian descent born in Nairobi Kenya, raised in rural New Jersey but a wandering spirit that has lived in, worked in or visited close to 40 countries.  In my travels and business dealings I have discovered more commonality than differences in human beings, from the aspiring women entrepreneurs I trained in Tanzania, the seasoned and successful entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, the farmer in rural India or an artist in Burma.  Of course it is the nuances that make each culture and individual unique and which makes this world an interesting place to spend some time — and these are observations I plan on sharing with all of you.

When my dreams of becoming a professional ballerina were dashed when I was injured at the age of 15 I turned to my love of writing and global travel and contemplated a career in international journalism.  However once I took my first econ class at Wharton as an undergrad I was intrigued by how much sense I could make of the world through those demand and supply curves (little did I know…) and I embarked on a career that combined my interests in media, technology, business, education, and “third world” development…an ironic term today as the world balance of power shifts before our eyes.

So I’ve started microfinance programs, consulted for charter schools throughout the country, advised large telcos and media companies on mergers and acquisitions, helped launch a web 1.0 startup and spearheaded the formation of a seed fund, and my passion continues to be working with early stage entrepreneurs to help develop their ideas so that their innovations can make a (hopefully) positive impact on the way we all live our lives in the future.

For a more “official” bio go to my Bio page.

— Jalak Jobanputra, August 2008