About

Author, Angel Investor, Mentor, Fund Advisor

Nagaraja (Naga) Prakasam is a versatile and passionate leader with 3 decades of global experience (decade in the USA, rest in India). Retired at 41, enjoys as a Farmer Growing startups across the country. Being a lead angel investor, invested in 33 start-ups in 65+ rounds, lead 16 deals in which Uniphore become Unicorn with 120x return, served 12 boards, seen 8 exits, 3 write-offs.

Author of “BackToBharat – In search of a sustainable future” book that addresses the present economic dilemma for Indian entrepreneurs and consumers, looking at the past and present situation of both India and the developed world to find a way forward. BtB received the prestigious GLF-WWF Honours Book Award 2024 at the Green Literature Festival.

Spearheaded Impact thinking in Indian Angel Network and co-founded IAN Impact. His personal mantra is “Start-ups should focus on India’s strength – People, Problems, Tech (PPT)”.

Lead Uniphore that was rejected by 25 investors, served its board 6 years, with his Angel touch today it has achieved $2.5B valuation giving 120x return.

Believing in hands on approach, through Bharat Darshan traveled extensively in rural areas across 28 states/UTs understanding the need first hand. Sought after as thought leader in the impact space and inspiring many students through his lectures and speeches across 110+ colleges throughout the country. Featured by Forbes magazine as Social investor engineering social change. Delivered C.K.Prahalad memorial lecture at WorldCoCreationDay. Chaired “Green Revolution 2.0 – Food Security and the role of innovation” at 10^th CII Innovation Summit. Spoke at launch of Bank of Innovations and Ideas (BII) by Ministry of Rural Development along with Dr. Abdul Kalam. Awarded “Successful Person 2015/Vetri Tamilar” by Sangam4, Chennai. Proud to join CMs of Rajasthan and Assam to unveil state startup policy.

Advisor, Partner at Acumen – New York based $100M impact venture fund. Served as an independent director in one of its portfolio company, Guardian – a micro finance venture working in Water and Sanitation.

Co-Founder, Chairman of Nativelead Foundation (NLF) – enables entrepreneurship in non-metros of Tamil Nadu, with the vision to Enable, Nurture, Incubate, Invest (Native Angels). Nativelead grown into 242 angels in Madurai, Trichy, Coimbatore, Erode, Tuticorin, Karur, Tirunelveli with 21 investments, touching 120+ startups, 37+ colleges. Recognizing this unique initiative Nativelead CEO has been appointed to lead the newly formed Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission (TANSIM). Nativelead’ Startup Tamil Nadu event has been transitioned to TN government. Replicated Nativelead model in Malabar area of Kerala as MiZone/Malabar Angels.

Advisor, 1st Resident Mentor, serving over a decade at NSRCEL, IIMB; Investment and Co-incubation Committee, IIT Madras Incubator; Mentor at CIIE, IIMA; Investment Committee StartupTN SC/ST Fund.

Along with Principle Scientific Advisor (PSA) Office to GoI, conceptualized and advised to build KisanMitr – national digital platform to make Atmanirbhar Farmer. Steering that into next level as RutagE Smart Village Center (RSVC); NITI Aayog Consultation Group member, Science, Technology and Innovation Sector headed by Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog. Member of NABARD round table on Agri Entrepreneurship. Karnataka State Agri Council Member by Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture (ICFA).

Expert jury Panel: Govt. of India National Entrepreneurship Award, Govt. of Karnataka Elevate, Govt. of TamiNadu TanSEED, Forbes 30 under 30, Acumen Fellowship. Delivered Master class at Titan Design Impact Movement

Advisor – Craft Catapult, CIIE; VIT – TBI; Cultural IP Rights Initiative (CIPRI); 3i Mobility – Shell Foundation-World Research Institute (WRI); Grameena Incubation Center by Bhagavatula Charitable Trust (BCT).

33 Investments: GoodEarth, Yali Mobility, FASGO, Wheatgrass, E-Sandhai, Bversity, Mivipro, Sina Mobility, Boson Water, Rural Basket, Uzhavarbhumi (exited), Farmers Fresh Zone, Carbon Masters, Nativespecial (partial exit), Neurosynaptic, Lumiere Organic, Guardian (exited), SP Robotic Works (Series A), Saahas Zero Waste (series A), Freshworld (series A), Uniphore ($400M series E, partial exit, 120x), GoCoOp (series A), Happy Hens, Rain Stock (exited), Sattva Consulting, GramVaani (merged with OnMobile), Consure (series A) , Orangescape (exited), Gamiana (exited), Stayzilla (exited), UnBxd (exited), Druva (unicorn), Solaron (exited).

Indian Institute of Management (IIMB) case study on 3 of his portfolio GoCoOp, Saahas Zero Waste and Freshworld are now published in Harvard Business Publishing and taught in colleges all over the world.

Served as President of Atlanta and San Diego Chapters for the Association for India’s Development (AID). AID received Times of India Social Impact award in 2011 from the Prime Minister. The movie Swades was inspired by AID.

Earlier in his career, as President of CDC Software (world’s 12^th largest enterprise software company) South & Southeast Asia, managed sales and India Engineering Centre of Excellence. During the 16 years tenure, grew from Systems Engineer to President involved in growing the company from $50M to $400M with ups and downs. At the age of 35, youngest executive to be given country head responsibilities. Intrapreneurial culture that he inculcated made the company to be shortlisted for prestigious NExT Practices Award for “Promoting Innovation & Entrepreneurship” by NASSCOM.

As a globetrotter traveled 26 countries now resides in Bangalore. Naga holds a B.E. degree from Thiagarajar College of Engineering, India. An MBA degree from the San Diego/Kennesaw State University, United States.