Avnish Bajaj knows what it takes to run a high-growth, high-pressure company in good times as well as bad times. In late 1999 he was living in the U.S. and noticed the success of then–nascent eBay. He returned to India that year to start a similar Internet auction site called Baazee.com.

As the Internet bubble began to burst the following year, the Baazee story quickly went from one of multiplying revenue to one of holding on tight for a bumpy roller coaster ride. The management team stuck together, refocused the business and its cost structure, and moved quickly to acquire two competitors just as the market was turning.

As a result, Baazee grew into a healthy business in spite of the turbulent market, and ultimately sold to eBay in 2004 for $55 million. Avnish continued to run eBay India for a year and a half. The lessons he took from running a business in a rapidly changing and challenging environment have proven to be invaluable. Avnish’s additional experiences at Apple and eBay have given him a deep appreciation for the myriad of issues a leader has to deal with in creating and running successful enterprises.

Avnish attended the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, where he graduated with a degree in Computer Science and Engineering. He then completed a Masters degree in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in the U.S. and joined Apple Computer as a Software Engineer. During his three and-a-half years at Apple (during which time the company had four CEOs), Avnish developed an interest in management and left Apple to complete a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. While at Harvard, Avnish interned with McKinsey and Co.

After graduating from Harvard, Avnish joined Goldman Sachs in their investment banking team during the dot com bubble days where he was exposed to a number of compelling business ideas that ultimately led to the formation of Baazee.

Today Avnish is looking to invest in companies run by great leaders who are focused on capitalizing on the exponential growth rates of the domestic Indian market.

“Avnish was one of the key reasons we selected Matrix Partners to invest in our company. He is the perfect blend of a professional and an entrepreneur. Having exposure to both of those worlds is very important for a business like ours, which needs to continuously evolve. Avnish’s easy accessibility and focused approach have helped us make challenging decisions without losing time.”

Navin Surya, CEO, ItzCash

“If you are given one wish as an entrepreneur, it should be to build your company alongside the absolute best people you can find. And by that logic, if you are given one wish to pick your investor, the number you want to dial is of someone like Avnish. He is more than just a financial investor, and has been a trusted sounding board when I need to make nail-biting decisions about my company. He understands entrepreneurs, as well as all the variables they face, because he has been one himself.”

Pranay Chulet, CEO, Quikr