KONGLO

We are ...

… an investment and consulting services firm

… a trusted partner for fast growing companies

…a global community of investors and subject matter experts

Our journey started in 2001 as batch mates at NIT Calicut, a leading engineering institution in Kerala, India. After engineering our corporate careers took us along different paths around the globe but the desire to work together and build something of value remained intact.  

In 2013, this desire finally took shape as Konglo Ventures. 

Investing, the first step

Konglo cuts its first angel investment cheque in the pre-seed round of CareStack (a practice management software provider in the US dental market). A decade on, we have successfully invested in over 20 start-ups (and achieved 4 exits). Along the way, we brought together like-minded investors in the form of an informal angel network. As a result, our investment exposure and impact grew and we were able to diversify across company stages, sectors and geographies. Konglo is today the leading angel network from Kerala. Learn more 

Consulting, the natural next step

We take a high-intent approach to investing, and work closely with investee companies to support them where we can (e.g., follow-on rounds, shaping business strategy, business development support). Our ability to impact also comes from the highly engaged community that brings together experience and skill-sets from various sectors, domains and geographies. Besides our portfolio companies, we have also provided advisory and consulting services to other firms on an ongoing basis. With our consulting vertical, the intention is to support companies across the lifecycle (be it 0-1,1-10 or 10-100). Learn more

The name Konglo is from a desire to leave an imprint across a multitude of sectors, like a business conglomerate (albeit a loosely-stitched one in this case).

The letter K also signifies our roots in our home state of Kerala in India.

Our Core Team

Vinod Jose

Founding Partner
USA

>15 years of experience in international strategy consulting (10 countries) in natural resources and industrial goods with expertise in growth strategy and GtM

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Vineet Mohan

Founding Partner
INDIA

>14 years of experience in international banking (ex HSBC) with expertise in coverage, payments, market expansion, near/offshoring, and project management 

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Vaisakh Shankar

Partner
india

>12 years of experience in corporate strategy and management consulting (ex McKinsey) with expertise in  market research and storytelling

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Vinod has over 15 years of experience in international management consulting and technology in the US, India, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, working with private equity funds, corporates, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices, primarily in the natural resources (mining & metals, water) and industrial goods sectors. His expertise includes assisting entrepreneurs and business leaders in developing their growth strategies and go-to-market approaches, conducting asset due diligence (buy side and sell side), performing market and feasibility studies, and developing business cases.

Vinod began his career with Accenture and subsequently worked with SDI Management Consulting in Germany, as well as 21Diamonds, a technology startup in Munich funded by Rocket Internet, where he was part of the core team that scaled operations across Europe within a year. Since 2012, he has been part of the Singular Group, an international boutique consulting firm based in Switzerland, where he has delivered over 35 consulting projects. In 2020, he joined Amane Advisors, the leading consulting and advisory firm focused on the global water sector. He has led and delivered over 30 growth strategy and due diligence projects for strategic players and investors in the North American water and wastewater sector. He left Amane when the firm was acquired by Roland Berger in February 2024.

He is also an active investor in technology startups in India and the US since 2013. As the co-founder of Konglo Ventures, an angel network with more than 80 global investors, he has syndicated over $7 million into more than 20 portfolio investments and secured four successful exits, including two strategic divestments. He has a deep network in the Indian startup ecosystem, which includes entrepreneurs, investors, subject matter experts, mentors, legal, and tax advisors. In 2023, he launched a $4 million micro VC fund called Callapina Capital, focused on early-stage Indian startups.

He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Calicut, India, and an MBA from the European Business School, Germany. He lives near Philadelphia, USA, with his family.

15 years of banking, payments, client management and project execution across 3 continents, alongside a decade of successful angel investing.

Professional highlights,

a) Building & operating at-scale: Established hubs for ‘Payments’ business in UK and India; As Regional Head, led 70-member implementation team to project manage & deliver solutions for Corporate & FI clients ($k deals, $m income)

b) B2B Client Management and Sales: Managed (and sold to) diverse client groups (SME, start-ups, corporates, banks, NBFC, Fintechs) across roles

c) Front & Back-office Leadership: Held roles spanning, a) Business Development ($m new income); b) Product & Partnerships (GTM solutions with Banks & Fintechs); c) Implementation & Account Management

d) Program Management: Executed strategic bank projects to setup, a) A centralised operating model for Implementation & Client Service; b) Contingency routing (via other banks) for Payments; c) Global L&D academy

e) International stints: In USA (NYC, San Francisco), UK (London, Edinburgh, Leeds), Hong Kong besides India

Entrepreneurial efforts,

a) Co-founded ’Konglo Ventures’, a prominent angel investor community from Kerala

b) Highly engaged community (75+ members, 15 countries) of CXOs, Founders, Operators, Professionals

c) Invested $m in 20+ companies (as a syndicate), 4 exits

Vaisakh Shankar is a ex-Mckinsey consultant (SFO,VAN) and former strategy exec at AB Volvo (India), currently freelancing as a part-time independent consultant while pursuing a full-time career in the arts. At Mckinsey, Vaisakh served clients across banking, automotive, entertainment and tech, setting up PMO and transformation roadmap for compliance remediation, post-merger expansion, data transformation etc. and did a stint at Mckinsey’s innovation bootcamp (Fuel).

Prior to Mckinsey, Vaisakh spent 8+ years leading strategy for multiple business units of AB Volvo in India, working on initiatives such as defining JV governance structure, developing GTM strategy for multiple brands and product lines, developing 3-year rolling business plans and PMO for review and due diligence for strategic investments. He led Volvo India’s electromobility program in India, resulting in the launch of the first electric hybrid bus in the country.

Presently, Vaisakh takes up consulting engagements as an indepedent professional on a part-time basis. He developed the go-to-market strategy for a European housing industry supplier’s India operations, including market segmentation, defining new governance and operating model and revamped sales management process, helping turn EBITDA from red to green. He also helped develop strategic positioning and future roadmap for a pre-Series A startup in the construction sector, leading to a round of investment by a strategic investor ($3M).

Vaisakh holds an MBA from UC Berkeley, Haas school of Business and a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Calicut, India. He lives in Kochi, Kerala