Mango Bites 🥭

Any of y’all make it out to the Ambani wedding? 👀 

If, like me, you're bummed that your invitation seems to have been lost in the mail, fret not! We're bringing you the next best thing next week.

Mango and Gather NYC are collaborating to host a happy hour for South Asians in Product (sorry if I raised your hopes for a sec). Open to anyone working as a PM, in product analytics, or any adjacent fields, sign up for an evening of great drinks, conversation, and company!

PS: Thank you so much to those who made it out for the Desi Investor Dinner!!

Upcoming Mango Events 🎇

Register on the links below!

• South Asians in Product HH (7/25) - Come through if you work in product management, product analytics, or an adjacent field

• Mango x TechWalk (8/14) - A mid-day walk through Central Park with incredible Desi co-hosts

• The Mango Summer Picnic (8/26) - A summer Central Park social open to everyone!

The Scene 🪔

Other South Asian events I’m keeping an eye on in and around the city

Cool Desis Doing Cool Thing 🐘

Highlighting people in our community making strides in diverse fields!

Ankit Agarwal is an investor with A7 Ventures, his family office, based in NYC. A7V invests in early stage companies, is an active LP in venture funds, and incubates new companies. Previously, he founded, scaled and exited Micello, a global geospatial software platform. Outside of work, he enjoys the local salsa/bachata scene, playing the guitar and running. 

Why do you do what you do?
I built my first software company, Micello, while still in college, focusing on product-led growth and go-to-market strategies. After exiting to HERE Technologies, the largest enterprise mapping company, I launched A7V to invest in tech, funds, and incubate new ideas.

I love investing in early-stage tech companies that challenge the status quo. Recently, I've been particularly focused on consumer health companies like Wally Health, which provides dental services for the uninsured; Leda Health, which supports victims of sexual violence; and Nest Collaborative, which offers lactation support for new parents. Since 2019, I've been involved with over 75 companies and support various venture funds as a limited partner.

I love "business hacking"—identifying problems, diving deep, and building solutions from scratch. This led me to co-found HappyBoards, New York City's on-demand cheese and charcuterie delivery service. I also recently launched DateMeDocs, reimagining the South Asian dating experience with intentionality.

Ultimately, I do what I do because I’m obsessed with the -1 to 0 phase of company building and creating the underlying systems to scale from 0 to 1 and beyond.

What does your Desi identity mean to you, and how has it influenced your journey?
I grew up in The Netherlands and the San Francisco Bay Area, and also went to school in India for a year. I’ve been lucky to experience and be exposed to different cultures. And, like many in our generation, feel the identity tension between East and West. I feel grounded and rooted through spirituality and philosophy.

What advice do you have for those entering your field?
Experience and knowledge compound dramatically as you grow in your professional career. Keep learning and putting yourself out there. Seek new experiences, even if they aren't directly related to your field. Steve Jobs said in his 2005 Stanford speech, “You cannot connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.” Keep creating more dots.

Also, reading is one of the best investments. You can learn in minutes what took the author weeks to figure out.

Ankit’s favs 🌟 
🎬 Bollywood Movie: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
🍛 Desi Eat: Palak Paneer
🌶️ NYC Restaurant:  HappyBoards 🧀 and Anixi 

Special giveaway for the Mango community – text “MANGO” to (757) 798-8095 to receive a $15 gift card to HappyBoards 🧀

Meme Bazaar 👳🏽‍♀️

Random Stuff 💃

• Want to sponsor an event or host something with me? Get in touch!!

• Have a friend who’d want to be on this newsletter? Sign up for Mango Bites here!!