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Sharan Makhija
SM
Sharan Makhija
Senior Director, Investments (Venture Capital, Lead - South East Asia) at Singtel Innov8
· Singapore
Check size
Undisclosed
Lead stage
Early
Deals tracked
1
Sectors
Multi-sector
South East Asia
Asia
Australia
Africa
About Sharan
Sharan Makhija is Senior Director of Investments at Singtel Innov8, the US$350 million corporate venture capital fund and fully owned subsidiary of Singtel Group. Based in Southeast Asia, he leads the region's investment strategy with a focus on AI and enterprise technology. Makhija actively sources and deploys capital across Series A and Series B rounds, supporting emerging technology platforms scaling across Asia-Pacific and globally
Investment thesis
Strategic venture capital partner connecting startups with Singtel Group's regional presence and global telecommunications ecosystem
Singtel Innov8 is the corporate venture capital fund of Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel), Asia's leading communications technology group. As Senior Director of Investments leading Southeast Asia, Sharan Makhija deploys capital from an evergreen $350 million fund to invest in and partner with startups that offer promising innovations applicable to Singtel Group's diverse telecommunications and digital business needs. The fund leverages Singtel Group's presence across 21 countries in Asia, Australia, and Africa—serving over 770 million mobile customers—to help portfolio companies expand regionally beyond their home markets. Innov8 connects startups with Singtel Group operations and telecommunications partners globally via Innov8 Sparks, combining strategic capital with operational integration and network access
Investment philosophy
Singtel Innov8 invests in and partners with startups with promising innovations and possible applications for Singtel Group's diverse business needs. By leveraging Singtel Group's presence across 21 countries in Asia, Australia and Africa with a total combined reach of over 770 million mobile customers and partnerships with local and global stakeholders, Innov8 helps startups grow and go beyond their home markets.
Investment focus
Makhija invests in AI-driven enterprise solutions and emerging technologies at Series A and Series B stages, with particular emphasis on voice-based AI, large language models (LLMs), and scalable software platforms across Southeast Asia and the broader Asia-Pacific region
Areas of expertise
Notable portfolio
Singtel Announces
Notable deals
WIZ.AI – Voice-based enterprise AI platform, Series B (Nov 2025)
viAct – AI company, Series A $7.3M (May 2025)
Frequently asked
Does Sharan Makhija invest at early stage?
Yes. They focus on early-stage companies.
Their geographic focus includes South East Asia, Asia, Australia.
What is their typical check size?
Check size is not publicly disclosed. They currently invest through Singtel Innov8.
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