Ratan Manehani came to venture capital after working in corporate innovation, scaling tech companies, and private equity, giving him a background that's different from most VCs, and he applies that experience by digging deep into the actual mechanics of a business—like gross margins, close rates, and churn—rather than just looking at the big picture. He's also known for pushing R136 Ventures to use AI in its own day-to-day work, from screening deals to monitoring portfolio companies, arguing that firms have a limited window to adapt before falling behind.
About their Fund
R136 Ventures was founded by Victor Orlovski, who says he helped build one of the first mobile banking systems in 2003, later scaled digital banking to 45 million daily users, and led what he calls the world's first financial super app in 2013; the fund invests in later-stage startups—from late Series A/B through Series C+, with checks of $2M–$20M—focusing on scaling operations, sales, and hiring rather than early-stage ideas, and it connects founders across Silicon Valley, Israel, and the Middle East. R136 is also known for standing by its portfolio companies during tough markets, and it runs its own podcast, Ventures from the Valley, hosted by partners Victor, Ratan, and Tom, which covers topics like embedded finance, AI in trading, and blockchain infrastructure that closely mirror its investment focus.
















.jpeg)







.jpeg)











































































.png)
























































































































.jpeg)









.jpeg)




















































































.jpeg)