Deepank is a Partner at S45, where he is focused on bridging the gap in India's capital markets and empowering the next generation of high-growth businesses. With 14 years of experience spanning investment banking, private equity, quick commerce, fintech, supply chain management, and actuarial sciences, he brings a deep understanding of capital markets, scaling businesses, and financial innovation.
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A B.Tech graduate from IIT Delhi and a postgraduate in finance from ESCP Europe, Paris (Grand École), Deepank has held pivotal roles at Blinkit, 1Mg, BNP Paribas, and Alcazar Capital. He is also the founder of Dexif, a fintech startup that raised $5 million in its seed round last year, establishing itself as a key player in wealth-tech and structured finance solutions.
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The Mission Behind S45
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“The real superheroes of our nation are the founders of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)—businesses that contribute 30% of India's GDP and provide livelihoods to over 110 million people."
India is home to exceptional entrepreneurs who have built efficient, scalable businesses, often bootstrapped, ready to expand beyond borders. Yet, many struggle to secure structured capital market support—the missing piece that could unlock their full potential.
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Not every company is built to be a unicorn, but there are countless businesses poised to scale to $100–200 million enterprises, evolving into India's next blue-chip giants.
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A Personal Journey to a Larger Mission
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This mission is deeply personal. While scaling one of my ventures, we identified key growth levers and expanded 10x, reaching $60 million ARR. Yet, we faced significant challenges:
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    -     Not “tech-first” enough for new-age VCs.
     -     Not "big enough" for institutional investors.
     -     Not willing to dilute ownership for private equity.
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However, with the right capital backing and strategic focus, we overcame these obstacles and unlocked exponential growth.
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Enabling 1,000 Entrepreneurs
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Through S45, my goal is clear: to empower 1,000 entrepreneurs like me over the next 4–5 years, giving them the capital, strategic direction, and operational backing they need to scale and thrive.
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India’s economic future isn’t just about creating more unicorns—it’s about building a robust ecosystem of sustainable, high-growth companies. At S45, we are here to make that happen.

Tushar is a Partner at S45, bringing 16+ years of experience across finance, technology, blockchain, and manufacturing. His career has been shaped by a deep understanding of capital markets, entrepreneurship, and emerging technologies, making him a valuable partner for businesses looking to scale efficiently.
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He currently co-leads the fixed-income business at Dexif Securities, where he and Deepank are working to solve structural inefficiencies in India's debt capital markets. In a short span, Dexif has emerged as a leading player, collaborating with some of India’s most respected financial institutions and banks.
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A firm believer in the economic impact of capital markets, Tushar started his career at JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley in London, navigating the 2008 global financial crisis firsthand. He later worked as a market-maker in index derivatives, first for European hedge funds and then in India.
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His early recognition of disruptive technologies led him to the blockchain space in 2014, where he collaborated on Bitcoin applications with the founders of Chess.com, well before crypto became mainstream.
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Beyond finance and technology, Tushar is a strong advocate for the Make in India movement. He built and ran a vertically integrated D2C consumer brand with in-house manufacturing, gaining hands-on experience in cash flow management, workforce operations, supplier relationships, marketing, and customer acquisition. This experience has deepened his understanding of what it truly takes to build and scale a business from the ground up.
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At S45, Tushar focuses on bridging the gap between capital, strategy, and sustainable growth, offering patient, practical, and strategic insights to entrepreneurs. His multi-sector expertise allows him to work closely with high-potential businesses, helping them navigate challenges and scale effectively in competitive markets.

Pankaj is a Partner at S45, bringing over 22 years of experience in capital markets, merchant banking, and corporate advisory. A Company Secretary by qualification, he began his career with Dolphin Laboratories before transitioning into merchant banking at Microsec India Limited in 2003.
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Throughout his career, he has played an instrumental role in over 16 Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) on the main board, executed 25+ takeovers, and led numerous rights issues, buybacks, mergers, and demergers, successfully listing companies across various exchanges.
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Pankaj has worked closely with some of East India’s largest listed corporates, including Ramkrishna Forgings, Rupa Limited, Emami, Haldia Petrochemicals, and Centuryply. More recently, he was part of the Investor Relations team at Shyam Metallics and Energy Limited, gaining deep insights into corporate growth strategies and market dynamics.
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Over the years, he has closely observed the factors that drive long-term growth and stability, as well as the missteps that have led once-promising companies to decline. His expertise lies in advising mid-sized companies on capital raising, M&A strategy, and long-term value creation. He has been instrumental in facilitating equity raises through private equity and public markets, helping businesses unlock new opportunities for scale and expansion.
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With a strong belief in empowering passionate, high-potential founders, Pankaj has joined forces to build S45, with a vision to reshape the capital landscape for India’s small and mid-sized enterprises. At S45, he focuses on guiding businesses through strategic growth initiatives, identifying acquisition targets, and unlocking capital market access to fuel sustainable expansion.

Aman is a Partner at S45, where he focuses on investing in and scaling high-growth businesses. His journey has been shaped by a deep entrepreneurial and operational background, having built, scaled, and advised companies across fintech, consumer tech, and enterprise technology.
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He founded SayF during his pre-final year at IIT Delhi, growing it into a venture-backed company that grew into a multi-million dollar business footprint. Following this, he worked directly with the founders of a Bay Area-based SaaS startup backed by Khosla Ventures, driving strategic initiatives and growth operations.
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His experience spans building from scratch, navigating fundraising, establishing growth levers, and executing at scale. Through these ventures, Aman developed a firsthand understanding of operational challenges, capital efficiency, and sustainable growth strategies.
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Perspectives & Principles
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Having grown up in an Indian Army household, adaptability and resilience have been core to my approach. Over the years, a few guiding principles have shaped how he thinks and operate:
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     -     It's often better to make a poor decision quickly than the best decision too late
     -     Prioritize people in everything you do; It pays off in the long run
     -     Majority advices are just a series of Barnum–Forer effect
     -     Always bet on yourself & don't forget your roots
     -     Life is too short to work on things that are purposeless
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At S45: Partnering with Founders for Growth
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As a Partner at S45, his focus is on empowering ambitious entrepreneurs—providing capital, strategic direction, and operational support to help them scale efficiently and build enduring businesses. Having been a founder myself, he understands the nuances of fundraising, product-market fit, and navigating growth challenges. He works closely with entrepreneurs to help them unlock strategic opportunities, optimize execution, and create long-term value.
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Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, meeting interesting people, breaking down long-form essays, and reading non-fiction.