Rakesh Kapoor’s Post

“All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow.” Matt Chitharanjan Rajat Agarwal Lakshay Bansal Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters

🚀 Welcoming Lakshay Bansal to 12 Flags 🌟 I am thrilled to announce the newest member of the growing 12 Flags family. Welcome aboard, Lakshay! 🎉 As we celebrate this exciting addition to our team, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on a question I often encounter: What qualities do we look for in our team members, beyond the usual criteria of education and experience? For me, the cornerstone of any exceptional individual is non-negotiable—Integrity. Integrity is about doing the right thing, even when it's hard. It means putting your hand up when you’ve made a mistake. It means being transparent at all times. It means you do as you say, and say as you do. Integrity forms the bedrock of trust and collaboration within our company. This is how we want to operate with our partners too. Beyond integrity, there are three indispensable qualities that I look for: * Being Switched On: My absolute favourite! These types of individuals are always "at it." They have relentless energy. Ordinary targets don’t really motivate them. They don’t wait to be told what to do. They are the first to put their hand up. They have emotional resilience. They know, from time to time they have to swallow the bitter pill, and yet they have the hunger and determination to keep “at it”
 * Getting Stuff Done: you can always count on these people to get the job done. They never complain about how hard the task is, or make excuses. These people don’t need a follow up on what was asked from them. They surprise you with just what and how much they achieve. You want these people in your team because they also set the standards of what great looks like * Humility: "Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less." This quote perfectly encapsulates the essence of humility. If you want to be a lifelong learner, you have to put your ego to one side. You have to stop believing you have all the answers. Your self interest needs to be subservient to the goals of the collective. At 12 Flags our mission is clear—to support founders and management teams embodying these attributes. We believe in cultivating a business that thrives on integrity, is switched on, gets stuff done, and embraces humility. I invite you to share your thoughts. What are your must-have attributes when building a team? Your feedback is invaluable as we continue to foster a culture of excellence at 12 Flags . Check out at www.12Flags.com for more #integrity #hunger #humility Rajat Agarwal 12 Flags

Very excited to welcome Rajat Agarwal to the 12 Flags investment team. Rajat brings a proven track record across investment banking and Private Equity in blue chip firms, together with a fantastic academic background. We are looking for investment professionals who are ready to take the plunge in a start-up. The bar, as you can imagine, has already been set.

I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Founder & CEO at 12 Flags!

I hail from the iconic North Indian town of Bareilly, immortalized in Hindi songs that vividly describe interesting occurances that happen in its bustling bazaars! My life changed at the age of 13 when my parents sent me to one of India's premier institutions, The Modern School on Barakhamba Road in New Delhi. Now, nearly five decades later, life has spun its wheel full circle. I start a fresh student journey, this time as an investor and partner. I hope this is as transformative and fulfilling as the one five decades ago. Drawing inspiration from Bara (12) khamba (Poles or Flags) road, I am excited to introduce the 12 Flags Group, an India focussed investment platform that aims to empower entrepreneurs whose ikigai connects with ours - to build transformative products, services and experiences for people. India stands tall with its rich heritage, unique identity, and diverse culture. It is imperative that the needs and tastes of modern India are met by homegrown companies that are not mere replicas of Western models. At 12 Flags, we hold steadfast to principles of originality, transparency, authenticity, customer obsession and responsibility in our investments. I believe that the sector-agnostic PE/VC model doesn't always work for early-stage businesses. Beyond capital infusion, these need three additional layers of support. 1) Scaling from "1 to 100": This phase demands distinct capabilities from the initial "0 to 1" journey - ranging from go-to-market to supply chain excellence. Most investment firms lack the brand building DNA and hands-on operational experience. 2) Long-term mindset: Dettol Soap took nearly 7-8 years to gain consumer acceptance. Building brands is a painstaking, trial and error exercise. You need ingenuity and craft, not just money. You also need patience. The influx of cheap capital has had the unintended consequence of misallocation of capital, unsustainable P&Ls and flawed business models. 3) To be a great company you need to be a “good” one: Recent years have highlighted governance concerns among prominent Indian startups. It is natural that many founders lack the experience to deal with governance aspects. Regrettably, their boards also lack seasoned voices to adequately challenge management teams. For me, 12 Flags encapsulates my ikigai—a platform to infuse patient capital, operational acumen, financial discipline, and governance structure into crafting the next generation of innovative, consumer centric and ethically sound companies in India. We dont walk this path alone. We are proud to be backed by some of the world's most astute institutions, united by a shared passion for innovative businesses that shape a brighter future for India. As we step onto this path, we extend an invitation to entrepreneurs, innovators, and like minded people to join us in our mission to build Brands For India. I can’t wait to be on the road once again Visit www.12flags.com

1948 was an important year in history. A year of tragedy, as the world lost a great leader in Mahatma Gandhi. A year of triumph too, as an iconic health institution was created. Today marks the 75th anniversary of the National Health Service England (NHS). When it was established, the NHS was the world’s first “health for all” system - free at the point of delivery. During this time, the NHS has delivered many medical “firsts” - more recently the first genome sequencing for critically ill babies. If you ask people, which organisation they would be most proud to work for, or indeed which organisation is most purposeful, the NHS ranks the highest. I was honoured to attend a special service at the Wesminister Abbey, attended by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, several politicians and the leadership of the NHS. It was poignant and inspiring at the same time. The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle said it well. “We celebrate 75 years of public witness to the common good. Born of the radical conviction that we must care for one another, the National Health Service sets before us all the better angels of our nature” I thank all the staff, volunteers and partners for their dedication, loyalty, selflessness and service.

I am so saddened by the news that Her Majesty The Queen has passed away earlier today In a world where many global leaders have divided their own countries or in some cases waged war on others, she stood out. A role model for peace, she inspired us all to serve with courage, dignity and humility. There hasn’t been a world leader like her, there never will be. For me she was Elizabeth THE Great My heartfelt condolences are with the Royal Family at this time Rest In Peace, Your Majesty. Our Queen

Looking forward to talk with a world wide audience of the brilliant students and Alumni of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) - one of the foremost engineering universities in the world