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Encore Operating Partners
Hari Padmanabhan's Encore Operating Partners runs a cross-border venture studio and real estate platform spanning Dubai and India.
Encore Operating Partners
The firm invests in Indian and Middle Eastern companies in non-competing sectors, forming partnerships and acquiring equity to expand into GCC, ME, and Africa markets.
General information
Firm type
Generalist
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Middle East
Country
United Arab Emirates
City
Dubai
Corporate office
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Principals
Hari Padmanabhan
Executive Chairman and Founder
Sribaschha Joshi
Co-Founder
Maninder Bhandary
Co-Founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Encore Operating Partners?
Executive Chairman and Founder Hari Padmanabhan leads investment decisions, supported by co-founders Sribaschha Joshi and Maninder Bhandary. The firm operates a lean structure where principals directly source, diligence, and manage portfolio positions. Padmanabhan's concurrent board roles at Tricolor Investments and IGTPL further concentrate decision authority with him.
How does Encore source its deal flow?
Deal flow originates through founder networks in India's TiE chapters—specifically Coimbatore and Delhi-NCR—and through Padmanabhan's Dubai-based relationships in infrastructure and technology circles. His role on the Technical Committee of Det Norske Veritas provides additional industrial and maritime sector connectivity. The firm does not publicly describe a formalized institutional sourcing process.
Is Encore structured as a venture capital fund or an operating company?
Encore more closely resembles an operator-investor model than a traditional venture capital fund. It takes strategic, often long-duration positions and embeds operating expertise—exemplified by its partnership with Suhas Gopinath at Globals ITeS—rather than following a fixed fund lifecycle with defined exit horizons. It does not appear to manage third-party limited partner capital in a commingled fund structure.
Does Encore participate only in direct deals, or does it invest via funds?
Based on public record, Encore executes direct equity investments and strategic partnerships, not fund-of-funds commitments. Its disclosed positions—including Globals ITeS and White Lotus Group Projects—are held directly. The firm has not publicized any in-house commingled investment vehicle.
What investment stages does Encore target?
The firm targets early-stage companies, specifically seed and start-up phases, according to its stated strategy. These positions appear concentrated in enterprise software, though the firm has not disclosed a formal stage-bound check size. Real estate investments operate outside a stage framework, focusing on development projects in India.
Which geographies does Encore focus on?
Encore concentrates on India and the United Arab Emirates, with its headquarters in Dubai and real estate and technology holdings predominantly in India. The firm's principals maintain dual operational presence across both markets, and its co-investor and board networks reflect this cross-border orientation.
Does Encore maintain philanthropic structures alongside its investment activities?
Yes. Encore's principals support Coimbatore Community Welfare Initiatives, which operates separately from the firm's investment entities. Details on the foundation's governance, asset base, or programmatic spending are not publicly disclosed, but its existence indicates a formalized philanthropic effort based in the founders' home region.
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