Pieter Kemps is set to leave Peak XV Partners and its seed-stage accelerator, Surge, after more than ten years at the firm, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Kemps, who began his tenure in Singapore and later moved to the Netherlands, is stepping down to explore entrepreneurial opportunities in the European Union.

Peak XV Partners, formerly known as Sequoia Capital India & SEA, has seen several senior departures in recent months.

Kemps has primarily overseen the firm’s Southeast Asia portfolio, including investments in companies such as Singapore-based Horizon Quantum Computing.

The Surge accelerator will continue to be led by Rajan Anandan and Shailendra Singh, with Aaditya Sood as venture partner.

Peak XV declined to comment on the recent changes.

Earlier this year, managing directors Abheek Anand and Shailesh Lakhani, and vice president Suraj Agarwalla, also left the company.

.source-ref{font-size:0.85em;color:#666;display:block;margin-top:1em;}a.ask-tia-citation-link:hover{color:#11628d !important;background:#e9f6f5 !important;border-color:#11628d !important;text-decoration:none !important;}@media only screen and (min-width:768px){a.ask-tia-citation-link{font-size:11px !important;}}

🔗 Source: YourStory

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Senior VC departures reflect broader industry transformation challenges

Kemps’ exit continues a pattern of senior-level departures hitting major venture capital firms across the industry.

The trend extends beyond Peak XV, with notable exits from firms like Sequoia and Andreessen Horowitz, as many senior partners cite slow decision-making processes and shifts toward asset management as key frustrations1.

Peak XV has been particularly affected since its Sequoia split, with Managing Directors Abheek Anand and Shailesh Lakhani departing in February, followed by VP Suraj Agarwalla in May2.

These departures reflect the structural challenges VC firms face when transitioning from founder-led cultures to larger asset management models.

The concentration of capital in fewer, larger firms has created organizational friction that pushes experienced investors toward smaller, specialized funds where they can maintain more direct control over investment strategies1.

2️⃣ Management turnover doesn’t necessarily derail VC performance in strong markets

Despite the wave of senior departures, Peak XV has demonstrated resilience with approximately $1.2 billion in exits since separating from Sequoia Capital3.

The firm successfully facilitated public offerings for portfolio companies including Zomato and Mamaearth, benefiting from India’s favorable IPO environment where firms raised about $9 billion in 20243.

This performance suggests that while individual departures create short-term uncertainty, established VC firms with diversified portfolios—Peak XV manages over 400 companies including 50+ unicorns—can maintain operational momentum3.

The firm’s continued success with its Surge accelerator program, now launching its eleventh cohort, indicates that institutional processes and deal flow can persist through leadership transitions.

Peak XV’s ability to attract strong pipeline companies like Wakefit, Pine Labs, and Groww for future public offerings demonstrates that portfolio companies remain confident despite management changes.

Recent Peak XV developments

……