Ishpreet Gandhi

Ishpreet Singh Gandhi, the visionary Founder of Stride, was most recently inducted into The Economic Times 40 Under 40- class of 2025, for his pioneering contribution to the startup and venture ecosystem. Under his leadership, Stride has evolved into a global financial powerhouse comprising an AMC that supports credit and equity strategies to serve the evolving needs of entrepreneurs worldwide.A passionate believer in the potential of innovation-led enterprises, Ishpreet is deeply committed to empowering ambitious founders and fuelling transformative ideas. With his guidance, Stride is reimagining financial solutions for startups across the globe - enabling inclusive and exponential growth in the new-age economy. The institution has enabled over $1.6 billion in credit to emerging businesses worldwide, cementing its position as a founder-first financial partner for high-growth startups.In 2015, when India’s startup ecosystem was still nascent, Ishpreet, then a banker, pioneered the country’s first-ever venture debt solutions, laying the foundation for a new era of alternative financing. Building on this vision, he founded Stride Ventures in 2018, leaving behind a successful banking career to create a founder-friendly venture debt platform. Under his leadership, Stride Ventures has become one of the most active and trusted lenders in the startup ecosystem, with a portfolio of 200+ companies and 20 unicorns spanning diverse sectors. Its portfolio includes market leaders such as Zepto, Infra.Market, Zetwerk, Spinny, Slice, Ather Energy, Rebel Foods, Perfios, Moneyview, Ola Electric, Glance, Bluestone, Erad, BRKZ, among others.Today, Stride operates across India, South East Asia, GCC, UK and Europe, and has been honoured with multiple accolades, including being named Venture Debt Fund of the Year by Venture Intelligence for four consecutive years and Best Overall Performance by IVCA, for its pioneering role in alternative financing.Stride’s annual Global Venture Debt Report stands as further testimony to Ishpreet’s commitment to thought leadership and ecosystem development. Through these initiatives, Stride continues to widen the horizons of venture debt and alternative financing models, fostering knowledge-sharing and transparency within the global startup community.With an unwavering commitment to innovation, sustainability, and entrepreneurship, Ishpreet Singh Gandhi continues to redefine how finance can empower founders, accelerate ecosystems, and build a more inclusive global economy.