Before joining 2am VC, Hershel Mehta built his own investing track record through Mehta Ventures, making early personal checks into companies like Zepto, OYO, and CoinDCX, while his background in accounting and his time as a California CPA give him a grounded, fundamentals-first way of looking at deals; his belief in India as an investment destination goes back years, shown in writing as early as 2018, and he sees his own experience as a first-generation Indian American as a real personal advantage in connecting global investors with Indian founders. He talks a lot about founder psychology, encouraging founders to seek validation from customers rather than investors, and his interests range widely across areas like blockchain, cannabis, alternative proteins, electric aviation, and creator tools, with a habit of pointing to overlooked opportunities such as tier-2 and tier-3 India or franchise-led quick commerce, and even in tough funding markets, he offers specific, grounded observations—like the shortage of lead investors at the pre-seed stage—rather than general market talk.