Devdutt Yellurkar brings a rare sales-and-operations background to venture capital, having run worldwide sales at Mphasis and served as Chief Strategy Officer at Sterling Commerce before becoming a VC, which gives him an operator-first perspective that's uncommon among investors who typically come from banking or consulting. He co-founded Propeller VC with a mission focused on ocean and climate technology, pairing his venture experience with domain experts including climate scientists and oceanographers to create a distinctive combination of classic SaaS investing with deep expertise in ocean health and climate-driven innovation.

• A strong focus on developer-first tools and the API economy. He frequently champions companies that build infrastructure for software engineers, celebrating major product updates and platform expansions from portfolio companies like Postman and Kong.
• Appreciates resilience and the ability to pivot when the market demands it. He wrote a detailed thread praising a founder who transitioned a company from a consumer social network to a profitable enterprise messaging API after the initial ad-based model failed.
• Enthusiasm for modernizing physical retail through artificial intelligence. He has shown specific interest in computer vision and automation technology that transforms convenience stores and corner shops, cheering on the rollout of checkout-free shopping experiences.
• Keeps a close watch on innovation emerging from India, particularly regarding industrial tech and logistics. He broke down the vertical integration of the Tata Group’s electric vehicle supply chain and praised initiatives aimed at upgrading small urban corner stores.
• Support for climate science and deep tech partnerships. He expressed excitement about collaborating with oceanographers and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to work on environmental challenges.
• Enjoys outdoor activities and sports. He has shared photos from hiking trips on the John Muir Trail and celebrated significant victories for the Boston Red Sox.