Ishtaarth leads Accel Atoms, our pre-seed program, and joined the firm in 2023. He holds over 70 national and international creative & strategy awards, and is a graduate of Loyola College, Chennai and Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai.
Get to know Ishtaarth
What was your first job?
My first job was at D. E. Shaw & Co., the hedge fund, in the Investor Relations group. I worked on fund reporting and communications with its LPs from around the world. This was my first experience at a talent-dense organisation, and set me up with tools to compound constantly in the company of truly incredible colleagues.
What’s the most impactful piece of advice you’ve received?
My former boss, Gautam Reghunath, founder of the creative agency Talented, once told me, “motivations can change”. This simple statement stays with me, as it encourages adapting to new contexts with a growth mindset.
Who most inspires you?
I am inspired by beauty. The saying goes, ‘The world is a museum of passion projects,’ and all passion projects that endure are common in that they are guided by a devotion to beauty.