Renuka Pullat, Partner & CEO at SRAM Ventures

A brief about the company

The SRAM & MRAM Group was founded in 1995. The Group’s core strengths are commodities trading, including metals, agro-products, renewable and non-renewable energy resources, information technology, and semiconductors. 

SRAM Ventures was established in 2019 with a primary focus to invest in start-ups in the D2C space, Senior Care and Retirement Centres, and Entertainment and Content creation with strategic real estate investments aligned with the above goals in the area of studio set-ups, Sound stages, and Community Living Facilities for different sectors and age groups.

Mission & Vision

Vision: To make key strategic investments in high-growth areas of consumer business verticals and become a trusted financial partner for entrepreneurs while optimising returns for stakeholders and contributing to the economy's growth. 

Mission: We are a venture capital firm focused on supporting visionary founders both at the seed- and early stages as well as the late stage of company formation and growth.

Our team actively works with founders to develop products, target markets, and accelerate growth.

Tell us about yourself, your industry, and your brand.

SRAM Ventures' core strength is its people. In the seed stage, we seek ambitious ideas with a good chance of success. Our goal is to build good teams. Based on the industry and other relevant business factors, we either invest small capital at an early stage or lead large rounds for scale and growth. 

We invest in teams that develop world-class products and solutions that are urgently needed.  Our investment strategy is focused on identifying underserved or undervalued areas that can be explosively grown in the 'Now'.

What has been your experience in the business industry?

A serial entrepreneur, I founded Kria Entertainment in the US and Siren Media Company in Cambodia.

I began my career financing and producing Bollywood films in Mumbai and later moved to Los Angeles to work on independent films. My contributions to the financing and distribution of Bollywood films have been significant.

Having produced and distributed many major commercial Indian films and independent films in Hollywood, I have extensive experience in feature film development.

I am the Executive Producer of a number of films that have had theatrical releases and premiered at many prestigious Film Festivals around the world. 

I developed and sold a B2C start-up in the celebrity engagement space in 2021 and is currently a partner and CEO at SRAM Ventures - Investing in start-ups and developing businesses under the SRAM Group umbrella to make it a leader in that space.

I graduated from the University of Bombay with a BA in Economics and Statistics and completed MBA  from Seton Hall University, USA.

Can you share with us your leadership style and how you motivate your team?

My leadership style is on the authoritative side which (I have seen) tends to motivate and inspire my team. I provide overall direction and guidance but take the time to understand my colleagues and staff at a more personal level and also value their feedback which gives them a sense of accomplishment.

I also do not like to micro-manage and have full faith in my team members to execute their duties by giving them the right support and guidance. In terms of competition, I believe that it is a driver for personal growth. I am inspired by strong leaders in their respective fields and try to learn as much as I can from different management styles and strategies

What have been some of your biggest challenges as a businesswoman, and how have you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges I faced starting out was to create an authoritative first impression. I was stereotyped by my youth and gender and not immediately recognized as a serious entrepreneur.

Building a successful marketing strategy, client pipeline, sales process, cash flow system, product, etc., is all the result of shrugging off minor issues

and doing the work that needed to be done. Perseverance in the face of petty gossip and jealousy (yes, that’s a thing) helped lead the way.

The milestones achieved along the way have been a number of film projects that were funded and released; some went on to premiere at major film festivals in the US.

I was featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal very early on in my career as someone making waves in the Film production space in Silicon Valley. The fire in my belly keeps me on course to achieve my big dreams, one day at a time. 

Can you discuss a time when you had to make a difficult decision and how you approached it?

When faced with a challenge, I break the problem down into multiple components that require astute decision-making. My strength is my critical thinking skills and the ability to evaluate and make judgments quickly.

I go with my gut feeling which is based on my past experience and a mix of research, analysis, and exploration of new ideas which informs my perspective.

One of the most difficult decisions I had to face was the fact that I had gone into partnership with the wrong person for a Film distribution company in the mid-2000’s.

Just a three-month evaluation made it clear that the only way ahead was to shut the company down because of the initial wrong judgment that was made.

It was a complicated matter but the cut was clean and quick and that enabled me to move ahead with other projects even though my initial investment was lost. 

How do you stay current on industry developments and trends?

I read as much as I can, watch relevant business news and listen to business podcasts on my daily walks which helps me stay abreast of new developments.

I engage with my friends and acquaintances and talk to them about current trends in their industries and that gives me insight into areas outside of my purview.

How do you prioritize and manage your workload in a fast-paced environment?

My priority is always my health and mental well-being first and foremost. I exercise daily and eat well and that helps me stay focused on the important business tasks at hand.

What’s the most important thing you’re working on right now, and how are you making it happen?

I have invested in a Nutraceutical D2C venture based in India and have plans to develop it into a full-fledged line of Health and Wellness products as that market is poised to take off as awareness develops in the target segment.

What does the future hold for yourself and your organization? 

I am also in the process of setting up an Entertainment Fund to invest in new content as well as ancillary industries related to the field.

Have you drawn professional inspiration from other women? Tell us about someone who has inspired you.

I take inspiration from business people who have revolutionary ideas and transformed those concepts and executed them successfully, regardless of gender. Melanie Perkins of Canva and Falguni Nayar of Nykaa are particularly inspirational when it comes to women business leaders. 

Enlighten us on a piece of advice you would like to offer to young entrepreneurs. Kindly share? 

My advice to young entrepreneurs would be to stay informed and curious and become as knowledgeable as possible in both the micro and macro aspects of their field.

Persistence is key and perseverance will always pay off in the long run.

A serial entrepreneur, Renuka has founded Kria Entertainment in the US and Siren Media Company in Cambodia. She started her career in the financing and production of Bollywood Films and progressed to independent films in LA after moving to California.

She has played key roles in raising financing and distribution of Bollywood films globally. She has an extensive background in the development of feature films, having produced and distributed many major commercial Indian films and Independent films in Hollywood. 

She is the Executive Producer of a number of films that have had theatrical releases and premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival. She developed and sold a B2C start-up in the celebrity engagement space in 2021 and is currently leading a team to develop the venture under the SRAM Group umbrella to make it a merchandising powerhouse. 

Renuka graduated from the University of Bombay with a BA in Economics and Statistics and has an MBA from Seton Hall University, USA.