Building a Legacy Across Borders and Sectors: SPJ Alumni Spotlight with Anant Kapur

My journey has been anything but conventional. I started out as a BBA student at SP Jain Global, chasing curiosity and purpose across three continents — Singapore, Dubai, and Sydney. This experience shaped me into a truly global thinker, and more importantly, a grounded human being. Post-SP Jain Global, I entered the corporate world with Deloitte Australia where I was promoted four times in 2.5 years, eventually leading a team of 27 in the Investment Banking division.

But it was during COVID, in the silence and uncertainty, that a different clarity emerged. I realised India needed sustainable deep-tech solutions. This clarity led to the birth of a group of companies focused on solving real-world problems in water, health, biotech, and sustainability, all underpinned by breakthrough technologies like nanobubbles, aerodynamics, and vacuum science.

Today, I lead and nurture eight companies, and now, we’re launching our ninth venture — IOTA Industries — a mission-critical company focused on government and global tender-based projects for the water sector. It offers turnkey solutions including tech-enabled water treatment systems, value engineering, supply-installation-commissioning (SIC), and long-term operations & maintenance (O&M) across both Federal and State levels.

Your journey at Deloitte Australia is exemplary. What are the major learnings you can share that led to your being promoted four times?

Deloitte taught me discipline, delivery under pressure, and the power of communication. Handling Australia’s Big 4 Banks at the highest level meant knowing the numbers inside-out, but also reading the room, listening deeply, and responding precisely.

The key was consistency. I showed up day and night, owned outcomes, and always asked, “What more can I do?” Promotions weren’t the goal — impact was. The promotions followed.

After making Senior Partner in the Investment Banking Division, what insights can you provide from your experience handling Australia’s Big 4 Banks? Where do you anticipate the industry headed in the near future?

The Big 4 taught me that while capital is abundant, trust is rare. Relationship management — not just data analysis — often decided deals. We’re heading into an era where ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) metrics will become as vital as financial ratios. AI, blockchain, and climate tech will redefine banking, and institutions that adapt will thrive.

What provoked the shift into deep tech? What sparked your interest in this field?

It started with water. Watching rural communities struggle with access to clean water while advanced aeration solutions existed globally was a wake-up call. The science behind nanobubbles, invisible but transformative, fascinated me. I dove into R&D, worked with experts at Oxford, IITs, and MIT, and what began as curiosity became purpose.

Deep tech isn’t just a business. It’s a bridge between science and society. That’s what drew me in — its power to solve at scale.

What is the potential of deep tech for a country like India? What developments do you foresee taking place in this sector?

India is on the cusp of a deep-tech revolution. With its scale, scientific talent, and urgent challenges (like water scarcity and healthcare access), the country is perfectly positioned to become a deep-tech powerhouse.

In the next 5 – 10 years, I foresee:

• Scalable healthcare solutions using nanobubbles nanotechnology
• Climate-positive industrial technologies
• Zero Waste, Zero Impact water purification systems
• Deep tech entering Tier II & III cities via public-private partnerships

IOTA Industries are being born out of this very vision — taking innovation to the grassroots via institutional projects.

Could you explain in detail your venture into nanobubble nanotechnology and advanced aero & vacuum technologies? What kind of real-world problems do you see this tech solving?

Our nanobubble tech is engineered to solve problems across water, health, and energy sectors:

• In water, it drastically improves oxygen transfer, accelerating purification and crop yield.
• In pharma and biotech, it enables novel targeted drug delivery and disease diagnostics.
• In waste treatment, it powers energy-efficient, chemical-free aeration.
  
  Our advanced aero & vacuum division works on high-efficiency air handling, gas flow dynamics, and industrial sustainability — critical for semiconductors, medical manufacturing, and biotech labs.

You are now leading a group of 8+ companies. How do you manage your time across ventures while staying grounded?

Honestly? It’s a juggle. But I treat each company like a child — each with its own rhythm, needs, and dreams. My job is to give them time, attention, and vision. I follow a structured approach: daily impact dashboards, core leadership huddles, and hands-on site visits. But above all — I listen. That keeps me humble and human.

We’re building brick by brick, day by day — not for headlines, but for legacy.

You mentioned that you hold patents related to your solutions. Could you elaborate on these innovations?

We’ve filed multiple Indian patents and have six international ones in the pipeline.

These cover:

• Nanobubble generation modules
• Targeted delivery systems for cancer & stroke therapy
• Ultra-low-pressure aeration for industrial applications
• Energy recovery through vacuum-tech integration
  
   Our IP is not just tech — it’s defensible impact. We’re also part of international patent pools and consortiums pushing the frontier forward.

How would you summarise your major takeaways from your journey at SP Jain Global? How did your experiences here prepare you for the career path you’ve undertaken?

SP Jain Global gave me the world as a classroom.
Singapore instilled systems thinking.
Dubai taught me hustle and boldness.
Sydney brought me clarity and structure.

The true gift, though, was adaptability. Whether I’m on a rural site in Karnataka or at a UN conference, I draw on what SP Jain Global taught me — think global, act grounded.

What advice do you have for young students and alumni who wish for a similar career trajectory as yours?

Don’t chase titles. Chase impact.
Be the hardest worker in every room, but also the kindest.
Say yes to the scary stuff — that’s where growth is.
Build for the long-term. Legacy > Likes.
And lastly — whatever you do, do it with full heart and full accountability. That’s where real leadership lies.

Closing Thoughts:

From Deloitte to Deep Tech. From global boardrooms to rural farms. From SP Jain to leading 8+ ventures — and now, launching IOTA Industries to take Indian engineering to the world stage — it’s been a humbling ride.

And we’re just getting started.