When Ratan Tata backs a startup, it’s all about intuition and founders’ judgement

Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of the Tata Group, turned angel investor post his retirement from the salt-to-steel conglomerate in 2012. “Contrary to common belief, my pockets are not so deep, so what I had to do was perhaps take greater personal risks than I might have under different circumstances,” Tata said during a fireside chat with Sudhir Sethi, founder and chairman of Chiratae Ventures, on Oct. 15. During the course of the evening, where he was facilitated with a lifetime achievement award by the VC firm, Tata revealed some of his tricks when it comes to funding nascent firms.