People
Friendly folks with experience in early stage impact investing and disability inclusion
Founders
Arun Gore
Arun Gore is a seasoned executive with 45+ years of leadership experience in impact investing, operations and telecommunications. Arun served as President & CEO of Gray Ghost Ventures (GGV) which is a pioneer in impact investing with responsibility for investments, investor relations, reporting and operations. As General Partner of the fund, he led a team of professionals that made investments in South East Asia and Africa and across a range of sectors including mobile financial services, clean energy, healthcare etc. Arun has served on several boards, including Range Networks, bKash Limited, and MKopa as well as Chair of Board at Racemi. Prior to GGV, Arun held key roles including as CFO of Cook Inlet T-Mobile and having founded a consulting practice specializing in building international operations. Arun has a degree in Accountancy and an MBA in Finance. He is fluent in English, Tamil, Hindi, Marathi, and Telugu, and is an avid sports fan.
Shashaank Awasthi
Shashaank Awasthi has 27+ years of experience in financial services at ABN AMRO Bank NV and Gray Ghost Ventures and 12 years+ in disability inclusion as Co-founder of v-shesh which is recognized by a National Award from President of India. Shashaank has served on the committee for formulation of inclusive education policy at India’s National Institute of Open Schooling and has contributed to reports commissioned by BII, JICA and an MFI in Cambodia.
Researchers
Manvi Ahuja
Manvi Ahuja has an education in Business Management and Psychology (Honours) and worked at Worldview Education, Ernst & Young India, and Mash Project Foundation prior to Anyssa. Manvi is fluent in Hindi, English, and Punjabi and tracks trends about markets and businesses targeting under served consumers.
Srishti Garodia
Srishti Garodia has a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and worked with persons with disabilities to access training and jobs. Srishti is fluent in English and Hindi and understands Bangla and wants her lived experience to contribute to better design and delivery of products and services particularly to persons with visual impairment.
Advisors
Sig Mosley
Widely regarded as “The Godfather of Angel Investing” Sig Mosley is Managing Partner of Mosley Ventures, a venture fund investing in early stage technology startups in the Southeast, Venture Partner in Zane Venture Fund and advisor to Silicon Road Ventures. Sig has been inducted into Georgia Technology Hall of Fame (2007) and has received Lifetime Achievement awards from TiE (2011) and Atlanta Business Chronicle (2018).
Ross Mason
Ross Mason has a 25 year career as an entrepreneur, angel, and venture capital investor and is former Chairman of Georgia Department of Community Health Board (annual budget of $11.2 billion). On August 2, 2007, Ross broke his neck in a bicycle accident and was paralyzed from his collarbones down. Prior to his accident, Ross was actively involved in triathlons, wreck, cave, and ice diving, surfing, rock and ice climbing. He is now committed to bringing that same drive, passion, and spirit of adventure to serving others through the work of High Impact Network of Responsible Innovators (HINRI) which he created in 2004.
Katsuo Matsumoto
Katsuo Matsumoto serves as vice president at Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), where he leads projects focused on driving economic development, infrastructure growth, and sustainability across South and Southeast Asia. His commitment to fostering bilateral partnerships and advancing inclusive growth has strengthened Japan’s role in global development. Matsumoto San has personally supported setting up of micro enterprises by persons with disabilities in India, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Madhavi Latha
Madhavi Latha has 30+ years experience in Commercial Banking at Standard Chartered Bank and State Bank of Hyderabad,. Madhavi has been deeply involved in para-sports as a para-sportsperson, founder of 2 para-sports organisations that included 300+ swimmers and 700+ wheelchair basketball players, part of US Government’s Sports Visitor Program and serving on the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Selection Committee. She is also a published author and co-director of films about inclusion and is now bringing her experience in Banking and inclusion to disability inclusion as a sector.