Water Conservation to Venture Capital Through Arranged Marriage

Lochan Alagh, co-founder of VC Nest, shares her journey from India to Silicon Valley, her work with nonprofits, and her transition into entrepreneurship and venture capital. She explains how VC Nest is addressing gaps in the VC ecosystem by supporting emerging fund managers through collaboration, networking, education, and thought leadership. Lochan emphasizes the need to prioritize founder support over just maximizing returns, fostering a healthier venture capital landscape.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

[1:51] Lochan’s inspiring journey from India to Silicon Valley

[9:19] How venture capital drives innovation

[12:19] Key challenges for emerging fund managers: fundraising, deal sourcing, and increasing competition

[17:56] The pillars of VC Nest: focused events, curated VC-startup mixers, educational series, and thought leadership

[22:50] Emerging fund managers are identifying future unicorns but still struggle with institutional backing (TechCrunch: 30 out of 34 unicorns were funded by emerging managers).

The nonprofit organizations Lochan is passionate about: IIT Bay Area Alumni Association, Overseas Volunteer for a Better India (OVBI)

About Lochan Alagh

Lochan Alagh is the co-founder and managing partner at VC Nest, a platform dedicated to supporting emerging venture capital fund managers and innovative startups. Before VC Nest, Lochan served as Executive Director at FalconX, where she fostered global innovation by forging strategic partnerships with accelerators and helping B2B startups establish a presence in Silicon Valley. She is also the Vice President of the IIT Roorkee Alumni Association (Bay Area Chapter), where she focuses on strengthening the alumni community. Previously, she led business strategy and operations at Cloud Harmonics, a rapidly growing startup, until its acquisition by Ingram Micro. Passionate about community service, Lochan is involved with nonprofits such as Overseas Volunteer for a Better India, working on water conservation initiatives, and New Leaders Council, which trains young progressives to become civic leaders. Additionally, she serves as a board member and secretary for the IIT Bay Area Alumni Association (2022-2024).

About VC Nest

VC Nest is a Silicon Valley-based platform designed to empower emerging venture capital fund managers and foster the growth of the VC-startup ecosystem. It offers a range of resources, including networking opportunities, educational events, and fundraising support to help fund managers thrive. With a focus on collaboration and knowledge sharing, VC Nest provides fund managers with insider strategies on fundraising, access to Fund of Funds, and connections with fellow VCs. Additionally, it offers technology infrastructure, portfolio startup workstations, and actionable insights to dr