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Rajat Khare The venture capitalist shaping AI and deep-tech investment

Rajat Khare is a venture capitalist with a focus on investing in the middle of sustainability, deep-tech engineering and industrial AI that is practical

By Andrew HillmanPublished 4 months ago 4 min read
Rajat Khare

Rajat Khare is a venture capitalist with a focus on investing in the middle of sustainability, deep-tech engineering and industrial AI that is practical. Based in Europe however active in global market, Rajat Khare invests in ventures that address real-world problems such as improving inspections of infrastructure by using AI-analyzed video to accelerate the deployment of clean technology -- and while emphasizing ethics, governance and the measurable impact on society. His work represents an entirely new breed of investor: tech-savvy and focused on the long-term horizons that high technology requires.

From technical origins to capital Stewardship

Khare's experience is scientific and research-driven and research-driven, which makes him credible in evaluating complicated engineering teams as well as businesses that require capital. This technical background informs his investment strategy and he prefers entrepreneurs who can articulate not just the potential market but also the engineering plan manufacturing capabilities, as well as the regulation to scale.

Khare founded Boundary Holding as a vehicle to invest in deep-tech companies that meet the needs of our society such as medical technology industrial automation as well as clean energy solutions, among other long-lead, heavy-duty hardware businesses. Instead of pursuing quick sales to consumers Khare is looking for long-lasting and sustainable platforms, which require the patient and expertise of their domain as well as delivering results as well as tangible social advantages.

A investment philosophy based on engineering and impact

Khare's thesis is easy to understand, yet it is rigorous:

  1. Technical depth first. He is looking for teams that have the technical expertise to tackle difficult problems, those that require system thinking, prototyping and thorough testing.
  2. Impact equals defensibility. Technology that addresses compliance and safety or sustainability are more resistant to commoditization and usually benefit from regulatory tailwinds.
  3. Governance and the quality of founders are important. ESG and governance issues aren't just a side-issue They are essential to the selection of investments and the creation of value over time.
  4. Patient capital is essential. The development of deep tech will require longer timeframes and support for scale-up not just capital for seed.

This combo places Khare to invest in businesses that can convert technological innovation into long-lasting commercial results.

Short-video AI as well as the industrial pivot

One area in which Khare's ideas come to life is in short-video AI that can be used for remote inspections. In contrast to the highly-publicized generative models, this app is an immediate operational productivity tool drones and mobile equipment technicians record brief, standardized clips that are then analysed using computer-generated models that detect imperfections, measure wear or record the compliance.

What is the significance of this:

  1. Operational ROI is evident and quick. The benefits of avoiding closures, travel and quicker remediation are immediately visible and provide a compelling offer to industrial buyers.
  2. Sustainability and safety. Remote inspections cut the risk of exposure for humans to dangerous surroundings and reduce emissions from travel.
  3. Auditability. Geotagged, timestamped videos create an auditable trail that regulators and insurance companies.
  4. Data scale builds better models. Every inspection includes marked examples, improving the detection capabilities, and also allowing the use of predictive maintenance.

Rajat Khare considers these systems to be the first, tangible examples of AI in heavy industryapplications that can undermine the confidence (and the cost of) for more extensive, riskier AI deployments.

Climate-aligned and clean tech investing

In close proximity to the AI research is his focus on sustainable technology and clean energy. Khare views AI as a powerful catalyst for solutions to climate change that optimize grid efficiency, increasing renewable asset performance through automated inspections or enabling circular economy technologies through more efficient sorting and material tracking.

It is important to note that Khare defines clean tech as deep technology: the sector requires rigor in engineering and long build cycles along with integration to industrial supply chains. This fits with his tolerant and impact-oriented capital strategy. He also stresses the significance of the government: well-planned incentives and procurement programs are able to help to reduce the risk of industrial-scale investments as well as stimulate private capital.

India talent, India, and the need for brain-drain

Khare frequently cites talent as a key element in National AI strategies. India has a large share of engineering talent in the world -however, it is also facing an ongoing brain drain as engineers move to research labs and businesses in the United States. For Khare changing or reducing this flow is not an issue of sentimentality, but essential in the event that India intends to transform from exporter of talent to the originator of platforms and products.

The recommendations he offers include:

Make investments in research infrastructure and computing. Local GPU labs and clusters continue to the work going in-country, and allow teams to create models competitive.

Develop career paths such as fellowships, industry-university relationships, and attractive young-career research positions that are competitive with overseas opportunities.

Encourage deep-tech commercialization with procurement incubators, capital, and procurement that can withstand longer time frames.

Make use of India's multilingual advantages to create local-specific AI products that global competitors can't easily duplicate.

In Khare's opinion using the right combination of technological skills and local problem sets policies can allow India to play a major role in applying AI which benefits huge populations.

Analysis

About the Creator

Andrew Hillman

Andrew Hillman is a well-respected motivational business investor with over 30 years of experience in the field. His expertise lies in coaching, budgeting, and leadership.

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