Vani Kola: Founder of Kalaari Capital and her success story

In today’s time, women are also opening new startups along with men. Vani Kola is a big name among women entrepreneurs. Vani Kola is an Indian venture capitalist. She is the founder and managing director of Kalaari Capital. She was listed as one of the most powerful women in Indian business by Fortune India in 2014. According to Vani Kola, women need to avoid ‘self-doubt’ and ‘impostor syndrome’ to be successful in business and life.

Career and life of Vani Kola

Vani Kola was born in 1964 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana), India. Vani completed his graduation from Osmania University with a degree in Electrical Engineering. She did his master’s degree from Arizona State University, USA.

She then began working in the technology sector with well-known companies such as Control Data Corporation and Consilium Inc. After working as an employee for almost 12 years, Vani started her first business venture in 1996. Installed Rightworks.

Four years later, She sold 53 per cent share of Writeworks to Internet Capital Group. She started in 2001 with another company NthOrbit.

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Her journey as a venture capitalist began in 2006. After much research, Vani collaborated with Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur Vinod Dham and Kuar Shiralagi, former head of Intel Capital India. She launched a $189 million in fund backed by New Enterprise Associates (NEA). The venture was named NEA Indo US Venture Partners.

After successful operation for 4 years, NEA decided to exit this joint venture and enter the Indian market directly. In 2011, Kola rebranded the firm with Shiralagi and renamed it Kalaari Rajdhani. After parting ways with Dham, she raised another $440 million, making Kalaari India’s second largest firm by assets and the largest company run by a woman.

What is Kalaari Capital

Kalaari Capitan is an investment company that invests in startups or other companies. The firm has invested in several online companies such as Dream11, Urban Ladder, Snapdeal and Myntra.