Growing up in a South Indian family, you quickly realize there are two career paths laid out before you: Engineer or Doctor. It seems my parents had a fondness for engineers because, like my two older siblings, I was destined for the engineering life. I chose Mechatronics as my field of study. Why? Because, quite frankly, it has a certain allure to it. Though I wasn't the sharpest tool in the academic shed, I managed to find my true passion in an unexpected place.

Sophomore year rolled around, and I discovered tech fests. I was immediately drawn to these events, attending every single one I could find. The excitement of building stuff and competing against others was exhilarating. Plus, the ODs (official leaves) meant I could skip classes without facing the wrath of my professors. As Steve Jobs once said, "The only way to do great work is to love what you do," and it was at these tech fests that I found my calling.

One fateful day, I stumbled upon a startup pitch event organized by "Forge Accelerator." I pitched an idea and was thrilled to be selected for their 7-day bootcamp. What followed was a transformative experience that introduced me to the exhilarating world of startups. It was like that famous Archimedes moment when he exclaimed, "Eureka!" – I knew I had found my purpose.

During my sophomore year break, I interned with Forge Accelerator and absorbed all the knowledge I could on building a startup. It was there that I discovered Y Combinator and Kauffman Fellows. I enrolled in the YC startup school, and much like Benjamin Franklin's quote, "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest," the knowledge I gained from YC far exceeded what I learned in college.

Fast forward to my final year, and I found myself working on a top-secret, industry-sponsored startup idea at Forge (don't worry, I'll spill the beans when we meet in person). As graduation approached, I had to make a crucial decision about my future. I decided to follow my heart and continue working at Forge, where I knew I'd be surrounded by the most innovative startups and brilliant minds.

My time at Forge was nothing short of amazing. I worked on Open Innovation programs with Fortune 500 companies, gaining access to their top executives. As I soaked in the wisdom of these business leaders, I knew I wanted to break into the world of venture capital (VC). So, with determination and grit, I hustled and networked my way into the VC sphere, eventually landing a position at Inflexor.

I've been with Inflexor for two years now, and every day presents new learning opportunities. As I work toward my next goal of starting my own fund, I'm reminded of the quote by Robert Frost, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." With a series of side hustles, I hope to catch the attention of LPs who will invest in my vision.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If you'd like to chat, feel free to DM me @pavithran_pc