Vandana Tolani: Building Bridges Between Entrepreneurs, Capital & Global Opportunity

Some journeys are defined by a single breakthrough. Others are built through years of experience, difficult decisions, reinvention, and the courage to begin again. Vandana Tolani’s journey belongs to the latter.

With more than 25 years of experience in investment banking and advisory, nearly 15 years spent working across Singapore and Jakarta, and experience spanning investors, family offices, entrepreneurs and businesses across markets, Vandana has built a career shaped by global exposure and a deep understanding of what it takes to build a business.

But her most meaningful chapter began when she returned to India.

From Global Finance to a New Beginning

Vandana began her professional journey in investment banking, eventually building an international career across Singapore and Jakarta. Working closely with family offices, investors, entrepreneurs and businesses gave her a broad perspective on capital, markets and business growth.

Yet beyond financial models and transactions, those years taught her something more personal: behind every business plan is an entrepreneur taking a significant personal risk to build something they believe in.

When Vandana returned to India, she noticed a gap in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. There were promising founders with strong ideas and businesses, but many struggled to become truly investor-ready.

They needed more than capital. They needed help presenting their story, developing appropriate financial models, understanding valuation and finding investors who genuinely understood their vision.

That observation became the foundation for Convanto.

Vandana set out to build an investment banking platform that could connect entrepreneurs with the right capital while bringing the professionalism, international exposure and market understanding she had developed overseas to businesses in India and beyond.

Building Convanto From the Ground Up

Creating a company from scratch was far from simple.

There was no established platform waiting for Vandana when she began. She had to build credibility, relationships, a team and a business one step at a time.

Her journey became even more demanding because she was building as a woman entrepreneur while also raising two children as a single mother.

Managing motherhood, financial responsibilities and entrepreneurship required discipline and constant commitment. There were periods when personal and professional responsibilities demanded her attention simultaneously, leaving little room for pause.

But these experiences shaped the way she approached both business and life.

They taught her persistence, empathy, independence and the importance of continuing to work toward a goal even when the outcome was uncertain.

Over time, Convanto grew into a platform that became part of hundreds of entrepreneurial journeys. Today, the firm has worked with more than 450 companies across 45 countries and supported five VC funds.

For Vandana, however, the numbers tell only part of the story.

The real reward lies in being able to contribute to the journeys of founders who began with an idea and continued building despite uncertainty, rejection and difficult business cycles.

The Lessons Hidden in Difficult Phases

Vandana's professional journey has not been without setbacks.

Returning to India after nearly 15 years overseas meant rebuilding much of the professional ecosystem she had developed internationally. Starting Convanto meant establishing a brand and creating relationships from the ground up.

Investment banking itself brought another layer of uncertainty. Deals could take months of work and still fail to close. Clients could change their plans. Investors could say no. Business cycles could shift unexpectedly.

Then came COVID, creating an unprecedented environment for businesses around the world and requiring Vandana to rethink and adapt both personally and professionally.

Through these experiences, she learned to separate individual setbacks from the larger journey.

A rejection did not have to define the next opportunity. A failed deal did not erase months of learning. A difficult period did not mean the journey had reached its end.

Her approach remained consistent: keep learning, maintain relationships, work hard and continue showing up.

For Vandana, one of life's most important lessons has been that while circumstances cannot always be controlled, the decision to continue can.

Looking back, she believes many of the moments she once viewed as setbacks ultimately prepared her for the next stage of her life.

A Career Beyond Transactions

While investment banking has been central to Vandana's professional identity, her influence has extended beyond transactions and advisory work.

She has become a speaker and mentor, sharing her experiences with young professionals, entrepreneurs and students.

Being invited to speak on the TEDx platform became an important milestone. Over the years, she has also delivered more than 350 talks across colleges, business forums, podcasts and industry platforms.

For Vandana, speaking is another way of contributing to the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Her message comes from experience—not simply from financial markets, but from building a company, managing uncertainty and balancing professional ambition with personal responsibility.

She believes that entrepreneurs need more than funding. They need the right guidance, relationships, perspective and access to opportunities that can help them move their businesses forward.

Milestones That Reflect the Journey

Among the achievements Vandana values most is the creation of Convanto itself.

Building a boutique investment banking firm that has worked with more than 450 companies across 45 countries represents years of professional experience translated into an institution of her own.

Her more than 25-year career in investment banking and advisory, including nearly 15 years in Singapore and Jakarta, remains another defining milestone.

Her TEDx appearance and more than 350 speaking engagements have allowed her to share her experiences with a much wider audience.

She has also received several professional recognitions, including being named among the Top 10 Women Leaders in Wealth Management and receiving an award from Dr. Kiran Bedi for Best Financial Institution Supporting Startups. Across different platforms, she has received recognition on seven occasions.

Yet perhaps the achievement closest to her heart is also the most personal: building a demanding career and entrepreneurial venture while raising two children as a single mother.

For Vandana, success cannot be measured only through awards, transactions or numbers. It is also reflected in the people whose journeys are positively affected and the example created for those who come next.

The Next Chapter

Vandana believes there is always another level to reach.

Her vision for Convanto now extends toward larger and more complex transactions, including Series C, Series D and Series E funding rounds. She wants to strengthen Convanto's position as a globally recognised investment banking name for growth-stage companies.

Expanding the firm's international footprint is another important part of the road ahead.

Her ambition is to create stronger bridges between Indian businesses and global capital markets, with a growing presence across markets including the US, UK, Singapore and Dubai.

Personally, she continues to set goals that challenge conventional expectations. One of her aspirations is to see her journey and work recognised on the cover or front page of Forbes someday-not merely as a symbol of recognition, but as a reflection of how far a person can travel by starting from scratch and continuing to build.

She also hopes to mentor more entrepreneurs, encourage more women to enter finance and entrepreneurship, and share her experiences with the next generation through speaking and mentorship.

Building More Than a Business

Vandana Tolani's story is ultimately about building bridges.

Bridges between entrepreneurs and investors. Between ideas and capital. Between global experience and Indian opportunity. And between ambition and the resources required to turn ambition into action.

From international investment banking to founding Convanto, from rebuilding her career in India to working with hundreds of companies across the world, her journey reflects the possibilities that emerge when experience is combined with purpose.

And despite everything she has already built, Vandana believes she is only getting started.

The next chapter is about larger transactions, a stronger global presence, meaningful mentorship and a legacy that extends beyond one individual.

For a woman who has spent decades understanding capital, perhaps her most valuable investment has always been in people—the entrepreneurs who dare to begin, the businesses that continue to grow, and the possibilities that emerge when the right opportunity meets the right ambition.