SESSION SPEAKERS

Ruchira Shukla

Synapses Venture Capital Fund

Co-Founder & Managing Partner

Ruchira Shukla is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Synapses, a VC Fund focused on STEM-led innovations for Climate change mitigation and adaptation. Previously, Ruchira was the South Asia Regional Lead for Disruptive Technology Investments at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank Group. She led IFC’s investments in early-stage technology businesses as well as VC Funds and represented IFC on the boards of several startups and LP advisory committees. Her investments include Upgrad, Blackbuck, Bizongo, Tata1mg, Medgenome, Byju’s, and several others. Also, as the Global Lead for the HealthTech business at IFC, Ms. Shukla led IFC’s investments and interventions in the HealthTech industry across emerging markets. Ms. Shukla also ran IFC’s South Asia business in Technology, Media and Telecom, and has previously worked with organizations such as Boston Consulting Group and Lehman Brothers. She has over 25 years of experience across venture capital and private equity investing, strategy consulting, and investment banking across Asia, US and Europe. Her sector focus spans consumer internet, enterprise technologies, B2B eCommerce, HealthTech, Edutech and eLogistics, with a keen interest in business models that leverage emerging technologies such as Web 3.0, AI, IoT and blockchain to disrupt traditional spaces. Ruchira studied at IIT Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad in India. She also graduated as Palmer Scholar from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. She enjoys Indian classical music and herbal teas.