Welcome to our ‘Fund in Focus’ series where we profile our member VC funds, underscore their investment philosophy, and highlight some of their interesting work. In this exclusive chat with Abhishek Agarwal, Founder & MD, Rockstud Capital, opined about the firm’s unique investment philosophy, governance-led fund structuring, and their flagship Yuva Bharat Fund. Abhishek reflects on his journey from public markets to early-stage VC, emphasizing disciplined execution, founder-first investing, and policy-aligned thematic bets. With deep conviction in India’s youth-driven growth story, Rockstud is backing high-impact ventures across DefenceTech, consumer brands, AI, and green innovation—grounded in fundamentals, shaped by insights, and built for Bharat’s future.
Fund In Focus: From Broking Floors to Bharat’s Future: Abhishek Agarwal’s Rocksolid VC Playbook
Abhishek Agarwal, Founder & MD,Rockstud Capital
Spokesperson: Abhishek Agarwal, Founder & MD,Rockstud Capital
1. You’ve had a remarkable journey—from equities and institutional research to setting up Rockstud Capital. What key lessons from your time in public markets and broking have stayed with you as a venture capital investor?
My journey across public equities, institutional research, and broking deeply shaped my lens as a VC. The discipline of valuation, the importance of corporate governance, and the necessity of consistent execution are core principles I’ve carried forward. In public markets, you’re taught to analyze with a long-term mindset but execute with agility. That balance has become central to how we assess early-stage companies—combining a macro understanding with micro conviction. The cyclical nature of markets also taught me patience and timing, two attributes that are extremely valuable when building a venture portfolio.
2. What does “Rockstud” mean to you personally, and how does that philosophy shape the firm’s approach to investing?
“Rockstud” to me stands for resilience, precision, and edge. It’s inspired by the idea of being solid like a rock and sharp like a stud—grounded in fundamentals yet bold in execution. That’s the lens we apply to both our partnerships and investments. We back founders who have a strong core, are unshaken by volatility, and have a differentiated approach to solving large problems. Our investment philosophy is to be active yet not intrusive, providing the right mix of capital, counsel, and connectivity.
3. From a fund operations standpoint, what makes Rockstud’s approach to compliance, governance, and fund structuring unique compared to other domestic funds?
We’ve built Rockstud with an institutional DNA from day one. As a SEBI-registered fund operating across AIFs and PMS platforms, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of compliance. Our fund structuring is designed for transparency and investor-first alignment—whether it’s fee structures, conflict management, or reporting. We've digitized a significant portion of our fund administration and reporting infrastructure to enable seamless, real-time collaboration across stakeholders—both internal teams and external partners—enhancing transparency, efficiency, and decision-making at every level. Internally, we operate with a strong governance layer—every deal goes through a structured IC process with risk mitigation frameworks in place.
4. Rockstud Capital’s Yuva Bharat Fund stands out with its demographic and thematic focus. Can you walk us through the ‘aha moment’ when this idea clicked for you?
The Yuva Bharat theme wasn’t born overnight—it was the result of years of research, observation, and pattern recognition. We started by mapping macroeconomic trends with demographic data and emerging consumption patterns. What stood out was India’s youth bulge—a massive population of young Indians entering the workforce who are digitally native, aspirational, and increasingly entrepreneurial. We also noticed critical shifts happening in parallel:
1). Digital infrastructure (like UPI, Aadhaar, and ONDC) was reaching scale.
2).Policy tailwinds like Atma Nirbhar Bharat, PLI schemes, and Green Planet were nudging innovation inward.
3). Consumer behavior was evolving—toward health, convenience, design, and identity.
We realized that this convergence—demographics + digital + domestic innovation—was not just a trend. It was a generational opportunity.
That’s when the Yuva Bharat thesis clicked. We weren’t just looking at sectors—we were looking at the India of the next decade. A country driven by its youth, reshaping how it consumes, learns, works, and builds. And we wanted a fund that would not only invest in that vision but amplify it.
5. With such a wide sectoral lens—from DefenceTech to HealthTech—how does the fund evaluate early-stage opportunities without spreading too thin?
We’re thematic, not opportunistic. The Fund is anchored by our core investment theme, Yuva Bharat, which aligns with India's growth story and covers sectors that will define our nation’s future:
- Industry 4.0: Accelerating India's self-reliance in manufacturing with cutting-edge technology.
- National Security: Developing indigenous technologies to mitigate emerging security threats.
- Rising Aspirations: Tapping into India’s position as the world’s third-largest consumer market.
- Healthy Lifestyle: Prioritizing investments in health, wellness, and overall well-being.
- Green Planet:Supporting ventures aimed at achieving net-zero and energy transformation goals.
6. The Fund leans into emerging government initiatives like Atma Nirbhar Bharat and PLI. How critical is policy alignment in your investment decisions?
Policy acts as a catalytic layer in our investment decisions. Atma Nirbhar Bharat, PLI, and other reforms aren’t just slogans—they are massive capital and structural allocators. For early-stage companies, being in sync with policy gives them a tailwind in scaling and even securing funding or contracts. We track policy moves closely and integrate them into our thematic research. However, we invest where fundamentals make sense—policy alignment is a bonus, not a substitute
7. What are some standout portfolio companies that best represent the Yuva Bharat thesis? What made them compelling to you?
Several of our portfolio companies bring the Yuva Bharat thesis to life in powerful ways.. For instance, Palette Brands—they’re redefining what modern Indian consumers expect from home and lifestyle products. . With a digital-first distribution model and a sharp eye for functional design, they’ve tapped into the aspirations of a young, urban demographic that values both aesthetics and utility. Then there’s Expertia AI, which sits right at the intersection of India’s talent economy and the future of work. Their proprietary AI engine is addressing a deep-rooted inefficiency in hiring, enabling faster, smarter talent discovery—especially in mid-market and fast-growing businesses.
8. You recently led rounds in companies like Expertia AI and Palette Brands. What were the key signals that convinced you of their potential?
In Expertia AI, we saw a team with strong tech depth building a platform that could disrupt legacy hiring models. Their agentic platform had real IP, fast onboarding, and scalable distribution. For Palette, it was the clarity in brand vision and the ability to create distinct verticals—like Ember Cookware or Totem Accessories—each with a scalable identity and margins. In both cases, it was founder clarity, velocity of execution, and market timing that sealed the deal.
9. As India enters its “techade”, what white spaces do you see that are still undercapitalized or underexplored by VC investors?
Several. DefenceTech and dual-use technologies still lack early-stage capital despite a growing strategic need. Similarly, sectors like climate infra, agri-supply chains, and vernacular ed-tech need more patient capital and focused expertise. MSME digitization, especially in non-metro Tier 2/3 India, is another white space. We also believe in the rise of cross-border SaaS from India—especially tools that leverage AI for productivity and compliance use cases. These are areas where Rockstud is keenly looking to deploy.
10. What advice would you give to first-time fund managers or emerging GPs in India today?
Build your fund like a startup. Nail your differentiation, stay lean, and build trust with LPs. Execution matters more than intent. Have an investor-first mindset—transparency, reporting, and communication should be world-class. Stay patient and don’t chase trends. Instead, develop your circle of competence, own it, and build a community around it. And most importantly, never compromise on founder quality—it’s the single most predictive factor for long-term returns.