UVC: Aloke Bajpai from ixigo on dealing with a crisis like COVID, how startups can create a great work culture, how late stage fundraising is different from seed & series A, and how startups should think about going for IPO
Understanding VC is a deep dive on how Venture Capitalists work. In this episode, I talk to Aloke Bajpai, Co-Founder & Group CEO of ixigo on dealing with a crisis like COVID, how startups can create a great work culture, and key qualities required for a startup leader. He also shares how late stage fundraising is different from Seed & Series A, challenges they faced while raising their first round of investment, and how startups should think about going for IPO. He also shares his thoughts on the qualities of startups he likes to invest in, and an interesting instance where a VC made a big impact for ixigo.
Aloke Bajpai is the Co-Founder & Group CEO of ixigo. A travel industry veteran, he has worked in various product and technology roles at Amadeus, France, prior to launching ixigo in 2007. A big supporter of entrepreneurship, Aloke is a key investor and advisor for several startups and accelerators. Aloke is an IIT Kanpur alumnus and an MBA from INSEAD.
Key Takeaways
- Aloke shares the struggles of getting ixigo off the ground and also the challenges they faced while raising their first round of investment
- How positive customer feedback and growth for their key metrics kept them going even when things were hard
- How startups can deal with a crisis like COVID and come out of it stronger
- ixigo’s work culture, how it was shaped and how startups can build a great company culture
- Aloke shares how his leadership has evolved over time learning from mistakes and key qualities that are quintessential for a startup leader
- An interesting instance where a VC made a big impact for ixigo
- How late stage fundraising is different from Seed and Series A
- How startups should think about going for IPO
- Startups Aloke likes to back and why
Aloke Bajpai
Group CEO & Co-founder, ixigo
Aloke Bajpai is the Co-Founder & Group CEO of ixigo. A travel industry veteran, he has worked in various product and technology roles at Amadeus, France, prior to launching ixigo in 2007. A big supporter of entrepreneurship, Aloke is a key investor and advisor for several startups and accelerators. Aloke is an IIT Kanpur alumnus and an MBA from INSEAD.
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