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Pradeesh Thomas

Pradeesh Thomas

CEO, AlphaVista Services
San Francisco

About Me

I am currently the co-founder & CEO of AlphaVista, a US Based Special Education Services Company. I am an entrepreneur and angel investor in the field of education, special education & healthcare businesses in the US & India. I have more than 5 years experience in Executive Leadership including C Level Officer, Advisor & Board Member in Healthcare & Education industry.

Portfolio Companies

  • Preferr - Acquired by NIIT 
  • My CEU Store - Company in which I am an angel investor currently & mentoring a first time entrepreneur 
  • My Health Jobs - A healthcare job site

My Criteria for Investing in Startups

First is team and second are idea and the market it is addressing.

Attributes I Look for in an Entrepreneur

I prefer companies with 2-3 founders with a good mix of technology and sales skills. I look for entrepreneurs who have a great knowledge about the industry they are addressing.

Common Mistakes Startups Make and How to Avoid Them
  • They try to do too many things rather than focusing on one core idea
  • They have a lack of Market Research Data
  • They do not invite a good advisory team who are industry experts
I would advice entrepreneurs to focus on the core product idea and execute efficiently.
Most Popular Types of Businesses in India at the Moment
  • Consumer Business focusing middle class & upper is a good area to focus.
  • My experience is healthcare & Education. I strongly feel business in this areas will have long term success and have several short term struggles to gain momentum.
Thoughts on Being a First Angel and Offerings to an Angel Investor
I am very open on mentoring & giving angel money if the entrepreneurs are very passionate and ready to take a big risk. I always prefer people with a good experience in the field.
I strongly feel 10 – 20 % is a good angel % you can give away for angel money & experience of the investor and his involvement and connect for the growth of the business.
It is up to entrepreneur whether he wants to give the board seat. It is always good for an entrepreneur to get the angel into the board which will help him in a lot of great decisions.