IIMA Angel Network kicked off by Alumni London chapter

IIMA Angel Network kicked off at "London Launchpad" by IIMA Alumni London chapter on 15 August 2018. We aim to help, mentors and assist growing startups by leveraging the community. Please sign up here or join us here. Look forward to connecting soon!

IIMA Alumni London

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad’s (IIMA) London Chapter is 400 strong. It is formed with the aims of networking in the community, building the brand for IIMA and its alumni, as well as philanthropy.

It is one of the most active alumni chapters of an Indian institution in the UK, and regularly organizes events such as Fireside Chats and Topical Panel Discussions. We have, in the past, hosted illustrious leaders from business, sport, policy, academia and government. These include Dr. Raghuram Rajan, Ivan Menezes, Harish Salve, Dr. Salil Shetty, Dr. SY Quraishi, Karun Chandhok and Rt Hon Sajid Javid amongst others. Details of all the events are on our website. The Chapter is chaired by Swastik Nigam, a former investment banker, and angel investor and currently in the early days of starting up a fintech firm.

In last few months, the Chapter has been focused on kindling the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in London. On the 15th of August 2018, at the London Launchpad event the Chapter hosted 4 start-ups - all by IIMA Alumni in the UK. We also announced the launch of the IIMA Angel Network, which will be a valuable support system to high growth start-ups, bringing the community to offer mentoring and support, thus opening a new avenue in the Chapter’s growth.

The IIMA Angel Network

The IIMA Angel Network has attracted much interest in its early days from angel investors, experienced corporate executives and innovative start-ups. It will be be guided by the IIMA Alumni London Chapter and led by Somil Goyal and Balram Pal, both PGP 1997.

Somil is COO of a global blockchain firm Adjoint, advisor at an international machine learning company MachineOS, trustee at leading London arts organisations (Iniva and Chisenhale), and member of North American Energy Standards Board. Balram is a senior leader in a leading global technology business Tech Mahindra. Both are angel investors and advisors to several start up projects.

Early soundings have highlighted the community’s desire to engage in three areas:

1. Disruptive technology,
2. Climate change, and
3. Sustainable development.

Reflecting the wishes of the community, we aim to engage with start-ups creating an impact locally in London, the UK-India corridor, as well as international business. However, the Network is non-prescriptive and will provide a platform for high-growth start-ups that wish to engage with the community.

IIMA alumni are leaders across sectors driven by a vision of excellence, leadership and high performance. This vision is best achieved by collaboration. Hence the Network welcomes interested angels beyond IIMA alumni. Please reach out to us through one of the following routes. 

Contact details

Linkedin group: IIMA Angel Network

Eventbrite: Invitation

About Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

Established in 1961, the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) is recognized globally for excellence in management education. One of the top management schools in the world, IIMA educates leaders of the enterprises. The Institute’s strategic priorities include: strengthening connection with its various constituencies, including academics, practitioners, alumni, and the community; nurturing a high-performance work environment of stretch, autonomy, and teamwork; and strategic growth while maintaining emphasis on quality. The flagship Post Graduate Programme (PGP) is ranked 19th in the Financial Times Masters in Management Ranking 2018.