The Worst Part Of Being An Investor

Bangalore: Generally entrepreneurs have to make a choice between their families and the business, have to spend long hours travelling, have to make a convincing business plan in order to get financed by investors, and add to it the fact that after an investor steps in the pressure to scale the company increases many folds. But there is a totally different story on the other side of the table. Investors put in their money, time, and efforts into companies which they feel would twinkle and increase the returns to them by several times. But all is not hunky dory in an investor’s life. In a candid chat with siliconindia, few investors talk about what they feel is ‘the worst part of being an investor.’

Sameer Kanwar, General Partner, Basil Partners

“I feel the worst part of being an investor, is to divest from a portfolio company, given the time horizon of the funds. The general time span for a fund is 3-7 years. But even if we see tremendous growth prospects and are passionate about the business, but due to the structuring of the funds, we have to divest from the company,” says Sameer Kanwar, General Partner, Basil Partners. He also adds,” As an investor, you are a part of the growth of the company from the scratch, but our roles compels us to always remain an advisor rather than being a part of the operating growth story of the company.”

Sameer Kanwar is the General Partner at Basil Partners, a venture capital fund. It focuses on either Indian/Asian companies seeking to expand into global markets or U.S./European companies with an India/Asia centric offshore based model. It typically invests in the range of $1 million-$5 million per investment. Its portfolio companies include CIGNEX, GAVS, Neev Technologies, Karmic Lifesciences, SDG, ITConvergence, Endeavour, and Netscribes.