Prem Thangaraj Nadar is the Co-founder of Aarya Holdings, a startup advisory and investment platform that helps entrepreneurs raise capital, execute mergers and acquisitions, and expand into international markets.
A startup enthusiast since his college days, Prem began by organising startup networking and investor pitch events before launching Aarya Holdings as a full-service platform supporting companies from the seed stage to private equity and acquisition.
Today, he works with startups, investors, and global businesses to bridge the gap between talent and resources. The services include M&A advisory, international market entry, strategic partnerships, and fundraising, both equity and debt.
He is on a mission to democratise resources for entrepreneurs to enable them to achieve their full potential. Prem adds,
“We also assist companies with cross-border expansion and acquiring grassroots-level innovations, which often are hard to scout. If a company in the UAE or Singapore wants to enter the Indian market, we guide them through that. Likewise, if an Indian company wants to explore foreign markets, we help them expand. We work closely with our clients to understand their products and requirements, advise them on the best geographical jurisdiction, and manage everything from incorporation to team building and sales setup. We also help them raise funds, both equity and debt.”
The Founding Vision
Prem’s interest in the startup ecosystem began during his college days when his dad would force him to read The Economic Times, where he came across articles about multi-million & billion-dollar fund-raising & acquisitions.
This piqued his interest and made him realise the immense potential in this industry. Rather than simply building a company, he wanted to work at the centre of these transformative deals by helping startups grow, raise capital, and achieve successful exits. So in a way, his dad’s forced habit to read became a life-changing moment years later.
As he entered the ecosystem, however, Prem noticed a different reality. He realised that while entrepreneurial talent was abundant, access to investors, mentors and growth opportunities was often limited to a small circle. There was a huge barrier.
Many promising founders struggled because they lacked the right connections and resources. Talent is everywhere, but resources are not. He has been striving to bridge this gap between talent and resources since his entry into entrepreneurship.
Standing Out
Aarya Holdings differentiates itself by offering end-to-end advisory across the entire startup lifecycle rather than specialising in a single stage of growth. Prem explains,
“How we differ is that most of these companies focus on a specific stage. We are sector- and stage-agnostic. Some competitors focus strictly on early-stage, while others focus only on late-stage. We encompass all stages. That is a major differentiator for us. Additionally, we handle M&A alongside fundraising. Offering all these services under one roof is something not many players do.”
Building Against the Odds
Building Aarya was not without its challenges. Having worked in the startup ecosystem since 2017, Prem experienced first-hand the barriers that many founders face. One of the biggest obstacles was gaining access to the right network of investors, corporates, and strategic partners. For an emerging advisory firm, building credibility and establishing relationships with decision-makers required persistence and consistent execution.
Prem also believes the Indian startup ecosystem faces a huge shortage of quality mentors and investors with good risk appetite. While entrepreneurial talent is abundant, the homegrown capital, supportive ecosystem, and proper guidance are missing. Entrepreneurs here are still forced to look outside India for investments, which makes the journey of new entrepreneurs with no foreign connection or family background more gruelling. Also, the right guidance from quality mentors is negligible, making their journey excruciatingly difficult.
Building Momentum
One of Prem’s earliest successes came with the acquisition of his first venture, Startup Cruise, by a larger startup ecosystem organisation, validating his work in building entrepreneurial communities. Since then, he has helped startups secure critical funding, including successfully helping an agritech company raise its pre-Series A round in a highly competitive investment landscape. With a glint of excitement, he shares,
“Raising seed funding for one of his startups Jungle Lakes based on just an idea was a major achievement, especially considering global statistics which state that only 3% to 4% of companies secure angel/seed funding.”
Prem was also felicitated among the Top Entrepreneurs by his alma mater in both 2019 and 2022. Beyond business, he served as the Entrepreneurship Development Director (Jt) of the Rotaract District 3142 for 2 years, leading entrepreneurship and community development initiatives. It was at Rotaract that he found his 1st investor, which led to the formation of his other company, Jungle Lakes. That investment jump-started his entrepreneurial journey and paved the way for many future achievements. He acknowledges that Rotaract and the new investor played a pivotal part in his journey. His work has also been featured internationally in FoundersLair, a Singapore-based publication, and Rotaract’s official publication.
The Next Chapter
Prem further shares that his vision is to build the world’s largest open startup ecosystem by removing barriers that prevent entrepreneurs from accessing capital, mentorship, and growth opportunities. His motto for his whole life has been to democratise resources.
His long-term mission is to create and build a startup studio/venture factory building several companies simultaneously to make this world a better place for every living being.
To support this vision, he is creating a global network of founders, investors, mentors, and service providers to collaborate more effectively. He highlights,
“We are developing this specialised network to facilitate collaboration and resource sharing regardless of geographic location. The main motto is to identify grassroots-level innovations, which often fall outside the purview of mainstream media, and help them with the required resources to foster their growth irrespective of their geography.”
Prem also hopes to encourage greater participation from Indian high-net-worth individuals in startup investing, helping unlock more domestic capital for entrepreneurs. By strengthening both the digital infrastructure and investment ecosystem, he aims to make India a more self-reliant and globally competitive startup ecosystem.
Founder Insights
Prem has learned that talent alone is not sufficient to build a successful business. While technical expertise and product knowledge are important, he argues that access to the right network and resources is all the difference between success and failure in the business world.
His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to actively place themselves in ecosystems that foster innovation and collaboration. He asserts that with the internet, the world has become closer, so it’s crucial to make the most of it, have a good digital identity, cut out those accounts that drain you, and follow only those who uplift you or are suited to your future. As he signs off, he says,
“You know Botswana has the world’s biggest lions. Why? Because they have access to the world’s biggest buffaloes to feed upon. It shows that even if you are a lion, you need the best resources to grow. There is no substitute for being in the right location. You can be the most talented person in your field, but if you are in the wrong location that doesn’t reward your talent, then you’ll struggle lifelong. 90% of your success comes from upgrading your network instead of your skills. You cannot choose where you are born, but you can choose to move to an ecosystem that values and rewards your talent. If you are a cricketer, you have to be in India; if you are a tech entrepreneur, strive to get to tech hubs like Silicon Valley, London, China, or Singapore. If you are in fashion, head to Paris or Milan. Surround yourself with resourceful, ambitious people. As Jeff Bezos says, ‘Life is too short to hang around resourceless people.’”
