On Wednesday, May 8, Ishaan Preet Singh, one of the founders of ed-tech company FrontRow, announced his return to venture capital firm Lightspeed India as an investor. Singh shared these updates in a LinkedIn post, stating that he will be focusing on investing in early-stage companies in areas such as consumer internet and artificial intelligence (AI) as part of his role at the firm.
“I’ve had an unusual year. I took some time off for the first time ever. I did an eating and drinking tour through Europe. I got (a bit) healthier. I binged more content than ever before. I also spent a few months helping build a foundational model company in San Francisco,” Singh said in a LinkedIn post.
Returning to his role at Lightspeed, a venture capital firm known for its support of successful startups such as Nest and Snapchat, Singh intends to utilize his background as a co-founder of a startup to make investments in consumer and AI companies.
After reflecting on his time at FrontRow, he realized his aptitude for investing and his enthusiasm for the initial stages of startup growth. He also discovered his passion for the “zero to one” phase, where concepts come to life, while assisting his friends with their own companies.
This, combined with a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by founders gained during his time at FrontRow, motivated his decision to resume investing.
“There’s nothing I’m more drawn to or excited by than working with early-stage founders and looking forward to doing this every day,” the post added. “India’s IT services and BPO market have been mainstays of our growth, but they will look dramatically different. I’ve spent the last few months working on AI, and not only is all the hype real, but I’d say it’s not hyped enough. AI demos are viral today, but AI services will be an integral part of our lives 10 years later,” Singh’s post.
He continued, “India is incredibly exciting without even getting into the energy transition we’re going through, the rise of global consumer products from India, the amazing consumer brands getting created, the growth of FinTech, and more!”
FrontRow, a startup that offers hobby learning experiences led by celebrities, has received a total investment of $18 million from prominent investors in three funding rounds.
These investors include Peak XV Partners (formerly known as Sequoia Capital), Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Eight Roads Ventures. However, in 2023, the company was forced to close down due to its inability to find a profitable market for its product.
It faced various challenges, such as high marketing expenses exceeding revenue, and a low rate of course completion. Despite making significant efforts to address these issues, such as downsizing and focusing on improving financial performance, the company ultimately realized that it could not sustainably grow the business and was forced to shut down.
