I'm a VC in the world's fastest-growing economy. I look for 5 traits in first-time founders.

Rajiv Srivatsa

• Antler India plans to invest in 120 startups over four years with a $75 million fund.
• The firm runs cohorts for individual founders and teams, selecting 100 from up to 5,000 applicants.
• Key traits for founders include execution, grit, customer obsession, communication, and ambition.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rajiv Srivatsa, a partner at Antler India, a pre-seed venture capital firm based in Bengaluru.