100X.VC: How Shashank Randev is Redefining Early-Stage Investing with iSAFE

January 9, 2026 11 min read

In the traditional venture capital world, the "Seed Round" is often a complex, high-friction process of valuation debates and legal heavy-lifting. Shashank Randev, Founder VC at 100X.VC, is simplifying the math. By pioneering the iSAFE (India Simple Agreement for Future Equity) model, Shashank and his team are ensuring that Indian founders can focus on building their product rather than wrestling with cap tables. With a unique "batch-based" approach to investing, 100X.VC is providing the high-velocity capital needed to turn India's next generation of "Problem-Obsessed" founders into market leaders.

Shashank Randev’s perspective on venture capital is shaped by years of "founder-side" experience. Before becoming a VC, he was a key part of several high-growth startups, giving him a front-row seat to the challenges of fundraising and execution. In 2019, alongside marquee investor Sanjay Mehta and co-founders Ninad Karpe, Yagnesh Sanghrajka, and Vatsal Kanakiya, he launched 100X.VC. Their mission was disruptive: to be the first institutional check for startups using a standardized, fast-track investment model that empowers rather than encumbers.

The iSAFE Revolution

Inspired by the Silicon Valley SAFE notes, iSAFE (India Simple Agreement for Future Equity) allows startups to raise capital without the immediate need for a precise valuation. In the Indian context, these are structured as Compulsorily Convertible Preference Shares (CCPS), allowing founders to secure funding quickly while deferring the valuation conversation to a subsequent priced round.

The Problem: The "Valuation Trap" for Seed Startups

For an early-stage founder, deciding the "price" of a company that is only an MVP or a prototype is nearly impossible. Traditional VC deals require intense negotiation over equity percentage and valuation, which can take months—time that a startup simply doesn't have. Many great ideas die because the founders spend 70% of their time fundraising and only 30% building.

"We saw that founders were getting bogged down in legalities," Shashank explains. "In the seed stage, the focus should be on unit economics and customer validation. We wanted to create a 'Standardized Agreement' so that the funding could happen in weeks, not months."

The Solution: High-Velocity "Batch" Investing

100X.VC operates on a batch model (e.g., Class 01, Class 02), where they invest in 20-24 companies simultaneously. This creates a "community effect" where founders can learn from each other while receiving mentorship from the 100X.VC leadership team.

The 100X Founder Journey

Pitch Confidence: Founders show clear progress, month-over-month growth, and a deep obsession with the problem.
iSAFE Signing: Funding is disbursed using the simplified iSAFE model, deferring the valuation debate.
Monthly Reviews: Continuous support through structured review meetings focused on "Economic Profit" and unit economics.
VC Pitch Day: 100X.VC prepares the startup for their next round, introducing them to a large community of downstream investors.

"Don't build a company just to raise money. Build it to solve a problem so deeply that customers are willing to pay for it. The funding should be an exit point for your validation, not the starting point of your idea." — Shashank Randev

What Investors Really Look For

When Shashank evaluates a founder, he isn't just looking at a spreadsheet. He is looking for **Persistence, Adaptability, and High Energy**. He believes that in the early stages, the product will inevitably change (pivot), but the founder's ability to "shrug off the fall" and keep moving forward is the only true predictor of success.

"An ideal founder takes input from the customer but maintains a long-term vision," Shashank notes. "They understand that they don't know everything. They are willing to mentally wrestle with their team to find the best path forward."

100X.VC Scale & Strategy

Batch-Based Investing: Funding 20-24 startups per cycle.
iSAFE Pioneer: The first firm to standardize simplified seed funding in India.
Sector Agnostic: Heavy focus on Tech-enabled, Agritech, Healthcare, and D2C.
Founder-First Mentorship: Monthly reviews focused on sustainable unit economics rather than just 'burn.'

Lessons in Fundraising: "When" to Raise

One of Shashank’s most critical pieces of advice is knowing *when* to approach a VC. He warns that raising money on just a "PowerPoint idea" is becoming increasingly difficult. To get the best terms, founders should wait until they have built an MVP and have at least a few months of transaction data or customer feedback.

"Your pitch shouldn't be about the money you need; it should be about the milestones you've already achieved with your own hustle," he reflects. "Show us that you have a repeatable strategy for distribution. That is what generates 100X returns."

Founder's Lesson: Complementary Skills

Shashank emphasizes that a founding team should have a "Right Mix." "You need one person who owns the Business and Operations and another who owns the Technology. If you can't build it or you can't sell it, you don't have a startup."

The Future: Globalizing Bharat's Innovation

Shashank’s vision for 100X.VC is to act as the primary catalyst for India's "Tech-Enabled Renaissance." He sees massive potential in social commerce, manufacturing, and agritech, where India's large population provides a unique scale for innovative products. For Shashank, the goal is to prove that Indian startups aren't just "clones" of global models, but original solutions built for the world's most complex market.

100X.VC is proving that the future of venture capital is fast, transparent, and founder-focused. By removing the friction of the early round, Shashank Randev and his team are ensuring that for the next generation of Indian unicorns, the road to 100X starts today.

About the Guest

Shashank Randev is a Founder VC at 100X.VC. With a background as an executive and founding member at multiple high-growth startups, Shashank brings a unique "operator-investor" perspective to the venture capital space. Under his leadership, 100X.VC has become a leading force in early-stage investing in India, pioneering the iSAFE model and funding over 100+ startups across various sectors. He is a passionate advocate for founder education and sustainable startup growth.

100X.VC is a leading early-stage venture fund in India that invests in startups using the iSAFE investment model. By simplifying the fundraising process and providing deep mentorship through a batch-based approach, the firm helps founders scale their businesses and prepare for institutional series-A funding.