In the world of tech and startups, South Asian women are an invisible minority. According to a study done by the Ascent Group, Asian Americans are the least likely group to be promoted into management, or running companies and this number gets even direr when looking specifically at South Asian women. In the world of venture capital, only 1 in every 400 venture capital investors are South Asian women. The first step in even making a dent in solving this problem is to celebrate the work of those who are succeeding every day, and in doing so, inspire others to join this world.

This is exactly what we hope to accomplish with the Neythri FoundHerFundHer spotlight. With this series, we are excited to amplify the work of indomitable, inspiring individuals in the world of startups and venture capital who have been excluded from the spotlight for far too long. These spotlights are refreshing and candid, enabling us to build community through shared experiences, and take away tactical pieces of advice to apply to our own careers. 

Our first guest is none other than Priya Saiprasad, Partner at Mayfield, a storied venture capital firm with more than $2.5B under management in early & growth stage investments enterprise and consumer technology companies. Notable portfolio companies include Amgen, Genentech, Compaq, Lyft, Marketo, and Quantum among many others. Priya is also a Founding Limited Partner at the Neythri Futures Fund. 

Priya joined the partnership at Mayfield almost 2 years ago, having most recently been a founding member of M12 Ventures leading investments in AI and analytics-enabled software companies. She was also a part of Square’s Corporate Development & Strategy team and started her career as an Investment Banking Analyst at UBS. Her prior investments include Workboard, Go1, Skedulo, Element AI (acquired by ServiceNow), and Bonsai (acquired by Microsoft). Priya was also recognized in the 2019 Forbes 30 under 30 venture capital list and holds a B.S. in Business Administration and graduated with the highest honors from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. 

Read on to learn more about her story: 

What does being a South Asian investor mean to you?

I had a non-traditional childhood; while I was born in Chennai, my family and I moved to 12 different countries before I turned 12. Growing up in an environment where we were immigrants in multiple countries and exposed to a plethora of cultures, languages and people, I developed a core set of values that have come to define my investing style and the way I engage with entrepreneurs. Here are the values: 1) empathy, 2) trust & integrity, 3) perseverance & resilience, 4) unquestionable work ethic, and 5) karma & paying it forward. 

What is one thing you wish you would have known when starting out?

I am a hyper-planner and thought I could plan out every part of my career path post-college. However, I’ve realized that some of the best opportunities come in the most serendipitous ways. As long as you work hard, surround yourself with excellent people and mentors, and have a consistent curiosity for knowledge, you’re on the right path. 

Do you have any fundraising advice for 1st time founders? 

The relationship between an investor and an entrepreneur can make or break companies. Optimize for the “who” (investor and fund) and make sure that your values align. Fundraising is a two-sided process to really get to know one another — take advantage of that and don’t rush the process. After all, investor/entrepreneur relationships are said to last longer than the average marriage! 

What would you like to be known for? 

• A thoughtful software investor who identifies new groundbreaking categories and partners with incredible entrepreneurs paving the path for those categories. 
• A true confidant and the first phone call an entrepreneur makes when things go poorly.  
• A reliable and caring daughter, wife, sister, friend, and pet-mom. 

Who are the people you admire and believe are accomplishing great things right now? 

Indra Nooyi (former CEO and Chairperson of PepsiCo) was my role model growing up. It was inspiring to see what’s possible out of a woman born in a middle class Tamil family in Chennai. Over time, I’ve been inspired by so many others (CEOs, operating executives, venture capitalists, philanthropists, etc) but Indra will always hold a special place in my heart for helping me dream big. 

What value do you think Neythri provides, and what do you hope to see more of? 

Neythri brings together a community of driven and highly accomplished South Asian women — frankly, this is a community I wish I had while growing up. The power of “we” is truly heightened by the amount of meaningful relationships and introductions that sprout from this network of diverse and inspiring women. I’d love to see this network continue to grow and serve as a meaningful competitive differentiation for each and every single Neythri member over time. 

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Author Bio:

Dhana is an angel investor and a product executive with deep expertise in AI, digital retail and consumer tech. Dhana is the co-founder of Veratempo, a product management and data analytics company. Dhana is a regular speaker at tech events and is a strong advocate for women in technology. She has been the founding member of Silicon Valley Girls in Tech and sits on the advisory boards of the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center & OhmniLabs.