S3E1 | Will India hit its EV Targets? | Akshay Shekhar from Kazam

Are you ready for a future where electric vehicles are the norm? In this episode of Hard Truths By Vertex, we chat with Akshay, co-founder of Kazam, who’s on a mission to revolutionize how we think about EVs and energy. From leasing EVs to building cutting-edge charging infrastructure, Akshay shares his journey of tackling India’s EV challenges and scaling solutions globally. Discover how his startup is making EV adoption easier and why he believes energy management is the next big frontier. Tune in to learn how the EV landscape is changing—and what it means for you!

Discussion Topics:

• “Why lease an EV? Akshay’s unexpected take.”
• “The game-changing rise of two- and three-wheelers in India.”
• “EV economics: How the math works for fleets.”
• “The future of EVs: Lessons from your smartphone.”
• “What’s holding back mass EV adoption? The real challenges.”
• “Will India hit its bold EV targets by 2030?”
• “Why charging anxiety is more about perception than reality.”
• “Public vs. private EV charging: Surprising insights.”
• “Can EVs become the ultimate digital assets?”
• “India’s EV edge: Why the grid is ready.”

Our Guest: Akshay Shekhar

Akshay Shekhar is the co-founder and CEO of Kazam, India’s largest EV charging company. Prior to this, Akshay built an AR startup and worked at consumer goods companies PepsiCo and Godrej Consumer. 

Kazam operates in 5000+ pin codes with its software and hardware solutions being used by OEMs, E-Commerce fleet operators and even Charge Point Operators. The startup’s vision is to ultimately create a shareable carbon credit pool for the entire EV value chain.

Rahul Thayyalamkandy
Director of Comms & Community, Vertex Ventures SEA & India

Rahul Thayyalamkandy joined the SEA/India team as the Director of Communication & Community in 2024 and is based in Singapore.

Before joining Vertex, Rahul served as a Product Manager at BLOCK71, an incubator and joint venture of NUS Enterprise and Singtel Innov8, where he developed scalable services for portfolio startups and designed mentorship programs. He also gained experience as a Summer Associate at Cocoon Capital, working with the Managing Partner on investment deals.