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Former Tesla India director Prashanth Menon joins Venttup as strategic advisor
MaaS startup taps global leader to drive scale-up and expansion plans
KOCHI: Venttup has appointed Prashanth R. Menon, former India director at Tesla, as strategic advisor to steer its next phase of growth and global expansion.
Menon brings over two decades of experience across strategy, operations and business transformation. At Tesla, he played a key role in shaping the company’s India entry strategy and building its operations across multiple verticals, while also serving as chairman of the board for Tesla India.
In his new role, he will work closely with Venttup’s leadership team to drive scale-up strategy, strengthen operational efficiency and profitability, and support investor engagement and global market expansion.
Welcoming the appointment, Venttup co-founder and ceo sandeep nair said, “We are excited to welcome Prashanth R. Menon to Venttup. His deep global experience in strategy and transformation, combined with his leadership in scaling global organisations, will help us accelerate our journey towards building a world-class manufacturing startup from India.”
Before his India stint, Menon served as director advisory at Tesla in the US, where he led global teams focused on revenue growth, productivity improvement and cost optimisation. Earlier, he worked with EY, advising senior executives on corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, supply chain and operational integration.
Sharing his perspective, Venttup strategic advisor prashanth r. menon said, “I am impressed by the outlook and the energy of the Venttup leadership team, and their vision to build a sustainable and local supply chain to fulfil global needs. Venttup has a promising business model aligned with the Government of India’s Make in India initiative.”
Backing the move, Unicorn India Ventures managing partner bhaskar majumdar said, “A warm welcome to Mr Menon to the Venttup advisory team. His deep industry experience and understanding of global supply chain dynamics will significantly strengthen Venttup’s scale-up strategy and growth journey.”
With this appointment, Venttup is sharpening its focus on building a scalable, globally competitive manufacturing platform, signalling its ambitions to play a larger role in India’s growing deep-tech ecosystem.
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Nissan, Avis roll out Rs 9,399 leasing plans for Magnite, GRAVITE
Partnership targets corporate mobility with flexible, asset-light solutions
GURUGRAM: Nissan Motor India has partnered with Avis India to introduce leasing and subscription-based mobility solutions, targeting the growing demand for flexible and asset-light transport options among corporate customers.
Under the partnership, vehicles including the Nissan Magnite and the all-new Nissan GRAVITE will be available through structured leasing and subscription plans. Rentals start at Rs 9,399 per month, with flexible tenures of up to 60 months and usage capped at 50,000 km.
The offering is designed as an end-to-end solution, with Avis India handling the complete lease lifecycle, including procurement, registration, maintenance, insurance and end-of-term services. The aim is to provide enterprises with predictable cost structures while reducing the burden of asset ownership.
Commenting on the development, Nissan Motor India managing director Saurabh Vatsa said, “This partnership reinforces Nissan’s long-term commitment to the Indian market through strategic, customer-centric initiatives that deliver greater value by expanding accessible and flexible mobility solutions.”
He added, Nissan Motor India managing director Saurabh Vatsa said, “By collaborating with Avis India, we are enabling a seamless leasing ecosystem that supports the evolving needs of corporate customers seeking efficient and scalable mobility.”
Echoing the sentiment, Avis India managing director Aman Naagar said, “This partnership strengthens our relationships with key manufacturers and aligns with our focus on building scalable and structured platforms for enterprise clients.”
The collaboration reflects a broader shift in corporate mobility preferences, where businesses are increasingly opting for subscription-led models over ownership. By combining Nissan’s vehicle portfolio with Avis India’s operational capabilities, the companies are positioning themselves to tap into India’s evolving mobility landscape with solutions that prioritise flexibility, efficiency and scale.
