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Key people at Garuda.
Garuda Robotics is a Singapore-based technology company that develops autonomous aerial robots and integrated artificial intelligence systems for the commercial drone sector. The organization designs proprietary hardware and software solutions, including the Cerana UAV Series multicopters, which are specifically engineered to facilitate complex urban operations, infrastructure inspections, and data collection. These aerial platforms and accompanying artificial intelligence applications are utilized by various global enterprises and government agencies seeking to digitalize and optimize their operational workflows. The company primarily serves institutional clients operating within the agriculture, architecture, commercial construction, and energy sectors, providing specialized hardware to modernize traditional industry practices. Financial backing for the enterprise has been provided by early-stage venture capital investors, most notably including the investment firm Hustle Fund. Garuda Robotics was officially founded in 2013 by founders Mark Yong and Jiin Joo Ong.
Key people at Garuda.
Garuda Ventures is a B2B-focused, pre-seed and seed-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco, California, investing in ambitious founders building software solutions for various industries, particularly in SaaS, software, fintech, edtech, and commerce infrastructure.[1][2][6][7] Founded in 2017 (with some sources noting 2018), the firm emphasizes early-stage support through capital and strategic guidance from operators-turned-investors, having made 28 investments, including recent ones like Flexpoint (Series A, May 2025) and Archive Intel ($1.5M extension).[1][6] Its mission centers on backing founders from "a deck and a dream" to industry leaders, with a single fund closed in July 2023, and it has achieved 3 portfolio exits while prioritizing quick, independent decisions on bold ideas.[1][7]
Garuda's investment philosophy favors contrarian bets on founders reasoning from future trends, often as the first check, without waiting for round momentum.[6][8] Key sectors include information technology (7 investments), SaaS (6), health care (5), and software (5), mainly in the US (21 deals) with some in the UK.[5] It impacts the startup ecosystem by providing hands-on operating support, founder networks, customer introductions, and collaborative problem-solving, as evidenced by testimonials from backed founders at Canva, Noyo, and WoFlow.[6]
Garuda Ventures was founded in 2017 in San Francisco by operators-turned-investors, including Co-founder and General Partners Rishi Taparia and Arpan Punyani, alongside Co-founder and Venture Partner James Richards.[1][6][7] The team draws from experience building companies from inception to IPO, aiming to share lessons and help founders avoid pitfalls.[6] Evolutionarily, it started as a pre-seed/seed firm targeting B2B software, with peak activity around 2022 (high deal volume) and continued momentum into 2025, shifting focus to global early-stage startups in SaaS and related tech while maintaining a lean, decisive model.[1][5][7]
Pivotal early traction includes investments in high-profile startups like Canva (where partner Rishi was an early backer) and NexGenT, establishing credibility in health care and edtech.[5][6] The firm's single fund closed in July 2023, enabling sustained deal flow with 25-28 total investments and 2 leads.[1][5][7]
Garuda Ventures rides the wave of AI-driven B2B software and compliance tools, backing scalable solutions amid regulatory pressures in fintech and health care—e.g., Archive Intel's AI archiving for financial institutions.[1][5] Timing aligns with post-2022 recovery in seed funding, where operator VCs like Garuda thrive by de-risking bold bets in a market favoring efficient, high-conviction investors over mega-funds.[5][8] Market forces like rising SaaS adoption (6 investments) and US tech dominance (21 US deals) favor its focus, while global reach (e.g., UK) taps underserved early-stage opportunities.[3][5]
It influences the ecosystem by humanizing VC for first-time founders, accelerating "deck to dominance" paths, and validating contrarian ideas that shape trends like enterprise AI and commerce infra.[6][8]
Garuda Ventures is poised for expansion with its operator edge in a seed market demanding speed and substance, likely doubling down on AI/SaaS amid 2025's Series A follow-ons like Flexpoint.[1] Trends like regulatory tech and health software will propel its portfolio, with potential for more exits as 2022-2025 vintages mature.[5] Influence may evolve toward larger follow-ons or a second fund, solidifying its role as the go-to for bold founders—echoing its core promise of turning dreams into industry leaders through fearless, hands-on backing.[6][7][8]
