Appurv Gupta Is A Funny Guy. But he's Dead Serious About His Investments New Delhi-based stand-up comedian Appurv Gupta aka Guptaji is a popular name, thanks to his solo shows and the subsequent social media videos on myriad topics such as Maggi, biryani, tea and Tinder.

New Delhi-based stand-up comedian Appurv Gupta aka Guptaji is a popular name, thanks to his solo shows and the subsequent social media videos on myriad topics such as Maggi, biryani, tea and Tinder which have garnered over 300 million views on the internet. But there's another side to the funny man which you may not be aware about - Gupta is an angel investor in start-ups and an entrepreneur.

"Covid was a major reason for me getting involved into entrepreneurship and investing in start-ups. As comedians our shows were getting cancelled and I realized that you should not have only one source of income. Secondly, I had a lot of free time on my hands and started increasing my financial knowledge. For example, till then I only had fixed deposits, but started to become aware about diversification, which included investing in the share market, crypto and also start-ups," Gupta told us during an Instagram Live.

But isn't investing in start-ups risky?

Gupta agrees to this notion, but explained that one of his indicators for choosing a start-up is if he feels it fills a gap in the Indian market. If we were to template his investment mantra, it involves investing in companies working in the sphere of Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, 3D printing or any new innovations that push the boundaries technologically and solve current problems we face on a day to day basis. His increasing financial knowledge also led to him hosting a show on financial literacy, which taught the staid subjects with his trademark dose of humour.

SEE VIDEO: Comedian Appurv Gupta Opens Up On Investments And More

Gupta's investments include some fascinating platforms, such as the ones listed below:

1.Nimo Planet: A smart glass for professionals. A 6 screen personal computer which you can wear just like any other specs.
2. Ohi: An instant social network, it lets you free your personality in cafes to connect with people around keeping your comfort zone intact.
3. HYPD: A platform which turns creator into creatorprenuer. Where they can create their own store, curate their favourite products, turn their content purchasable, and get paid every time someone buys something from their store.
4, Clapingo: A unique platform where anyone can practice conversations live with various tutors across the country. This is a judgment-free space where people can freely speak with a diverse set of people from different backgrounds.
5. Culture X: CreatorX is India's biggest creator ad-engine. They empower creators to monetize better with the use of technology and commerce.
6. ElecBits: They are creating the digital and physical infrastructure for next-gen hardware unicorns.
7. The Confidento: A confidence building platform where anyone can boost confidence with the help of public speaking.

However, a talk on Gupta would be incomplete without mentioning his recent endeavours in the comedy space. Post specials such as Kaafi Wild Hai and Best of GuptaJi, his new special is called 'Genuinely'! where he takes the audience on a hilarious ride through his personal journey. Changes that took place since his very first video, understanding the opposite gender, what weird things the pandemic brought along re-living friendships and more.

The author can be reached at bkabir@entrepreneurindia.com and Instagram.com/kabirsinghbhandari