About Me

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

11 Replies to “About Me”

  • Hello – I like your blog and share many of your views on VC investment and the wider entrepreneurial community. If you re ever in London, drop by for a coffee some time. Everyone at Octopus Ventures is passionate about business, entrepreneurs and enterprise. We invest in early stage companies in the UK currently. Speak soon, Alliott

  • Thanks Alliott, look forward to meeting you soon in London (or NYC if you make it out here first!).

  • Nice meeting you through your above “About Me” Page. Please feel free to check out my blog and post categories on various subjects and issues. I am also interested in joint venture partnerships- Parenting & Education

  • Hi Jalak
    I write a newsletter called Tribe Desi (TribeDesi.com) and wanted to chat with you regarding featuring some of your content. Please email me when you get a chance.
    Thanks
    Raj

  • I just got to see your profile on Linkedin, I do not know any venture capitalist in my network and would like to add you to my network. I have couple of websites that i would like to work on and need inputs and guidance from experienced VC’s like you.

  • Hi,
    I am from Worldwide Investor Network based in NYC. I enjoyed reading your blog and was truly inspired by your drive to success and your work.

    Hope to see you at some of our events. Let me know if you would like to get involved with us in any ways.

    Best wishes,
    Lin

  • Jalak

    Your approach to life, let alone business, is both remarkable and refreshing. I would like to meet you, network, and figure out if we can help each other. I am in NYC often. Cannot find your email address here, but now you have mine.

Comments are closed for this post.