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Raghav Menon

Corporate finance and M&A advisor for founders

Capital decisions,made with a clear head.

I help founders and boards raise capital, buy and sell companies, and build the finance function that keeps them honest. Independent advice, with no product to sell you.

Schedule a conversationSee transactions

Trusted by founders and boards across Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru

  • CFA Charterholder
  • FRM
  • MBA, Finance

How I work

Advice that onlyanswers to you.

I spent eleven years in investment banking and corporate development before starting my own practice. I work with a small number of companies at a time, so every mandate gets my full attention, from the first model to the closing call. I am paid for advice, never for selling a product, so the only number I care about is the one that is right for you.
  • Fee-only, no commissions
  • Five mandates at a time
  • Founder and board friendly
Read my approach
Raghav Menon

Why founders call me

Raising money should feellike a plan, not a gamble.

Most founders I meet have a good business and a messy story about it. The numbers live in three spreadsheets, the deck promises one thing and the model another, and nobody has asked the questions an investor will ask first. That is the problem I solve: one clear model, one honest story, and a process that ends with a term sheet you understand.

What I can help with

Corporate finance acrossthe whole life of a company.

  • Fundraising

    Equity and venture debt rounds from seed to Series C: model, deck, data room, investor list and negotiation.

  • Mergers and acquisitions

    Buy-side and sell-side mandates: valuation, diligence, structuring and the hundred details before closing.

  • Financial planning

    Budgets, rolling forecasts and unit economics your leadership team actually uses on Monday morning.

  • Board reporting

    A monthly board pack that tells the truth early, so your board helps instead of asking for more slides.

Selected transactions

Deals I haveworked on.

  • Kestrel Foods

    Series B fundraise

    ₹320 Cr

    Consumer brands

    Lead adviser2025

  • Brightline Health

    Sale to a listed hospital group

    ₹1,150 Cr

    Healthcare

    Sell-side adviser2024

  • Tarang Logistics

    Venture debt facility

    ₹85 Cr

    Logistics

    Debt adviser2024

  • Nimbus Learning

    Acquisition of a test prep platform

    ₹210 Cr

    Education

    Buy-side adviser2023

  • Orchard Retail

    Pre-IPO round

    ₹540 Cr

    Retail

    Financial adviser2023

  • Copperleaf Energy

    Joint venture with a utility

    ₹400 Cr

    Clean energy

    Transaction adviser2022

Transactions completed as part of advisory teams. Company names used with permission; amounts rounded.

How we get started

Four steps from first callto a plan you can act on.

No long onboarding and no paperwork before we have even spoken.

  1. Discovery call

    Thirty minutes to understand where the company is and whether I am the right person to help.

  2. Diagnostic

    A two week look at your numbers, your model and your story, written up plainly.

  3. The plan

    A written plan with timelines, the investors or buyers to talk to, and what it will cost.

  4. Execution

    I run the process with you until the money is in the bank or the deal is closed.

By the numbers

A practice built quietly.

Years in corporate finance
12+
In transactions advised
₹4,800 Cr
Mandates closed
35
Sectors covered
9

Client perspectives

What founders say.

Every one of these came unasked, from people I have worked with.

  • "For the first time our model, our deck and our story said the same thing. The round closed in nine weeks."
    Ishaan K., Founder, consumer brand
  • "Raghav thinks like an owner. He talked us out of a deal that looked good on paper and was right to."
    Meera S., CEO, healthcare company
  • "Our board pack went from forty slides to eight pages, and our board meetings got better overnight."
    Aditya R., CFO, logistics startup
  • "Calm, precise and always a step ahead of the buyer's bankers. Worth every rupee."
    Farah N., Co-founder, edtech company
  • "He explained venture debt so clearly that our whole leadership team understood the trade-off."
    Karan V., Founder, clean energy company
  • "The diligence prep alone saved us a month and a very awkward conversation."
    Lakshmi P., COO, retail chain

Common questions

What people askbefore reaching out.

Who do you usually work with?

Founder-led companies from about ₹20 crore to ₹1,000 crore in revenue, and the boards and investors around them.

How are you paid?

A monthly retainer for ongoing work, and a success fee on transactions, agreed in writing before we start. No commissions from anyone else.

Do you give investment advice?

No. I advise companies on corporate finance. I do not recommend securities or manage money for individuals.

How is this different from a big bank?

You get a senior adviser on every call, not a pitch team that disappears after the mandate is signed.

How do we get started?

Send a short note below. I reply within two working days and we set up a thirty minute call.

Start a conversation

You have worked too hard to leave capital to chance.

Tell me where the company is and what you are planning. I reply within two working days.