Pooja Sikka: Launching the first mental health fund in partnership with the NHS

Pooja Sikka: Launching the first mental health fund in partnership with the NHS

Author: JBM, James Mitra March 26, 2025 Duration: 48:53
In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, our final episode of our VC feature series, we’re joined by Pooja Sikka, General Partner at KHP Ventures.  KHP Ventures is a collaboration between King’s College London, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The fund offers equity investments with Healthcare expertise for groundbreaking MedTech and digital startups.  In today’s episode, you’ll find out more about Pooja’s squiggly career into Venture, and KHP’s brand new mental health immersion programme.  📚 Episode Chapters:  ➡️ A career in Healthcare  [04:00] ➡️ Pooja’s squiggly journey into Venture [08:30]  ➡️ Opportunities in Healthcare [14:35]  ➡️ Building strong relationships with Founders [20:00]  ➡️ The crucial skill of spotting talent [25:00]  ➡️ Launching a new Mental Health fund [30:00]  ➡️ Advice for Mental Health startup Founders [38:00]  ➡️ The importance of authenticity in pitching [44:00]  ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  🎧 You may also enjoy:  Vegard Medbø: Building a portfolio valued at $4.8B with Antler  George Robson: Becoming a Partner at Sequoia at the age of 25 Molly Alter: Starting early in VC & building a transatlantic focus in vertical AI with Northzone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wondered what a conversation with a truly groundbreaking founder or an elite performer actually sounds like? 40 Minute Mentor captures exactly that, offering intimate, structured dialogues designed to unpack the real journeys behind extraordinary success. Hosted by James Mitra, this podcast operates on a simple but powerful premise: profound insight doesn't require hours of your time. Each episode is a focused, forty-minute session with a different leader, from purpose-driven entrepreneurs building unique companies to Olympic athletes who have mastered their craft. The conversations move beyond theory, delving into the pivotal decisions, personal challenges, and practical lessons that have shaped their paths. You'll hear not just about their triumphs, but the resilience required during setbacks, providing a honest look at what building a brilliant career or venture genuinely entails. As one of the UK's prominent business podcasts, it serves as a direct source of mentorship, aiming to elevate ambitions by sharing these powerful career narratives. Tune in for a regular dose of inspiration and actionable wisdom, all within the span of a single commute or workout.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

40 Minute Mentor
Podcast Episodes
Duncan Clark on staying purpose-driven in a $42 billion company [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:05
Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is Duncan Clark, Head of EMEA at Canva, the world-leading visual-communication platform on a mission to empower the world to design. Before joining Canva, Duncan co-founded Flourish, the data-sto…