Anish Sinha : For the average migrant to Australia, even one with a successful business background, a logical first step might be joining a local company to learn the ropes of a new business ecosystem. But as Anish Sinha admits, he’s never been one to pause or hesitate.
Instead, he decided to take a chance on himself, and co-founded a start-up within a year of moving to Australia in 2019.
Today, insurance tech start-up upcover is Australia’s fastest insurance for small business owners, and recently announced a successful $4.7 million raise with the support of early-stage venture capital firms Antler Australia and Betterlabs.
Anish Sinha – A Journey of Entrepreneurial Prowess
Anish Sinha’s journey to entrepreneurship and co-founding upcover is a testament to his unwavering determination and innovative spirit. His resume speaks volumes about his diverse experiences and expertise.
An alum of one of India’s most prestigious engineering schools BITS Pilani and India’s oldest business school XLRI Jamshedpur, Anish’s resume also includes three years in the equities division of Goldman Sachs.
But what truly sets Anish Sinha apart is his willingness to embrace new challenges and his belief in the power of a “blank slate.” His decision to move to Sydney was not just a geographical change; it was a transformational leap into a world of limitless possibilities.
“One thing that stood out from that conversation was being reminded we focus too much on how other people perceive us. Moving to Sydney, I could be anything I wanted to be, beyond labels of an engineer or a businessman. He reminded me that’s my superpower,” Anish grinned.
In fact, he’s found the Australian tech ecosystem has only welcomed these superpowers, and upcover’s own team boasts of diverse talent across countries like Iran, Nigeria, Italy, and India, which he views as “an immense tech talent pool.”
Empowering Small Businesses with upcover
Anish Sinha’s vision for upcover extends beyond personal success. With backing from industry heavyweights, upcover’s mission is to simplify and democratise this heavily regulated yet stagnant industry. Their quick, jargon-free insurance is intended to be affordable and accessible and is specifically tailored for Australian small businesses.
Following major hacks on Optus and Medibank in the last few months, they also recently announced the launch of Cyber & Privacy Liability Insurance to protect small businesses from cybercrime, which has been well-received.
Amid all this success, Anish Sinha is quick to credit the talent and experience of his co-founder and upcover CEO Skye Theodorou.
“We met as entrepreneurs-in-residence at early stage VC Antler in Sydney. Skye had immense knowledge about the Australian insurance space while I came to the table with experience in building and scaling a business. In India, I was part of the leadership team of Nearbuy, that expanded into eight Indian cities and grew to 10 million users, and led product development, analytics, and operations to onboard more than 80,000 partners,” he elaborates.
A Heartfelt Commitment to Philanthropy
For Anish Sinha, whose family hails from Delhi, the ties to India have remained close over the years.
During the brutal COVID wave in 2021, he launched Medical Oxygen for All (MOFA) with his wife Anchal Goel to fly out oxygen cylinders to India.
“We were a volunteer group of 25 people across India, Australia, and the UK, and we were able to raise $2 million through friends and networks,” he recalled.
“It was an incredible effort! We delivered Oxygen Concentrators and BiPaP ventilators to around 80 districts in India, including many parts of the northeast that were facing logistical issues in getting supplies. This was only possible because of generous donors who backed us.”
Inspiration and Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Anish Sinha’s journey from Goldman Sachs to upcover is nothing short of inspirational. When asked about his role models and inspirations, he mentions historical figures like Mahatma Gandhi and contemporary leaders like Barack Obama. In the business world, he looks up to visionaries like J. R. D Tata and Steve Jobs.
Anish Sinha & His Advice
His advice for young Asian Australians making their way in the corporate world is simple yet profound: “There’s no quick recipe for success but it’s important to always put yourself out there. I find there’s a lot of value in seeking out people who are dissimilar to you because there’s a lot of perspective to be gained from different, even uncomfortable, conversations.”
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