At the 2025 Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit in Riyadh, Aarthi Ramamurthy made headlines by announcing Schema Ventures, her new $20 million solo GP fund. This bold move marks a new chapter in her career, where she transitions from tech product builder and media host to venture capital investor. Schema Ventures is focused on early-stage founders—especially those often overlooked by traditional VC—who are building the backbone of the digital world: developer tools and infrastructure.
The event itself was historic. As Fortune’s first-ever women’s leadership summit held in the Middle East, it brought together over 150 women leaders from 35 countries. Saudi Arabia’s rising momentum in women’s empowerment, driven by Vision 2030, was on full display. Prominent figures like Princess Haifa Mohammed Al Saud and Adwa Al-Arifi joined business icons and policymakers to discuss the future of global leadership. And amid this backdrop, Ramamurthy stepped forward to shine a spotlight on the next generation of underestimated innovators.
What makes Schema Ventures stand out isn’t just its focus—it’s the people behind it. Ramamurthy has secured support from some of Silicon Valley’s most respected names, including Marc Andreessen, Elad Gil, Garry Tan, Charlie Songhurst, Gokul Rajaram, Leo Polovets, and Lachy Groom. Y Combinator’s fund-of-funds is also on board. In a venture landscape where raising capital as a solo GP is still an uphill climb, this lineup sends a powerful signal: Schema Ventures has real momentum.
From Builder to Backer: Ramamurthy’s Journey to Schema
Aarthi Ramamurthy brings a rare blend of product vision, founder empathy, and cultural fluency. Originally from Chennai, India, she began her career as a software engineer at Microsoft before taking on leadership roles at Netflix and Meta. She also founded Lumoid, a YC-backed startup that let consumers try tech gadgets before buying—blending hardware accessibility with user-centric design. Her resume alone gives her deep insight into the needs of early-stage founders.
But her journey didn’t stop with tech. In recent years, Ramamurthy became a familiar voice in Silicon Valley through The Good Time Show, which she co-hosts with her husband, Sriram Krishnan. From Elon Musk to Mark Zuckerberg, the show has featured some of tech’s most influential figures, evolving from a Clubhouse experiment to a widely followed podcast. That platform cemented her reputation as a connector—someone who not only listens but amplifies.
Now, she’s turning that lens outward. With Schema Ventures, Ramamurthy isn’t just commenting on tech—she’s shaping its future.
Schema’s Investment Thesis: Collaborative Capital for Founders Who Don’t “Fit the Mold”
Schema Ventures isn’t chasing trends. It’s focused on early bets in unglamorous but essential categories like developer tools, backend infrastructure, and productivity software. These are sectors where Ramamurthy’s experience gives her an edge—and where many investors shy away due to lack of immediate glamour.
Instead of leading big rounds, Schema writes what Ramamurthy calls “collaborative checks”—investments that bring more than money to the table. It’s about conviction, insight, and long-term partnership.
Schema has already backed three early movers:
- Cosmic Robotics: Building robotic solutions to automate solar panel upkeep and boost clean energy efficiency.
- Confido Health: Tackling messy back-office operations in healthcare—a space ripe for transformation.
- Powerhouse: Delivering workflow automation tools designed specifically for legal firms.
Each reflects Schema’s broader goal: to back outsiders who are building the invisible engines of modern systems. These founders often have no pedigree, no co-founder, and sometimes not even a pitch deck—just deep conviction and technical insight.
In her own words, Ramamurthy summed up Schema’s mission on LinkedIn:
“I grew up an outsider. My story—figuring it out without a roadmap—is the blueprint for Schema. Schema backs exceptional outsiders: founders building from lived experience, not proximity or pedigree.”
Her own journey is living proof of what’s possible when someone gets a shot without fitting the mold. Now, she’s creating that opportunity for others.
A Global Moment for Women in Tech—And a Signal of What’s to Come
Ramamurthy’s announcement at the Riyadh Summit couldn’t be more timely. Women’s participation in Saudi Arabia’s tech industry has jumped to 28%, outpacing Europe’s 19%. Meanwhile, nearly half of the Kingdom’s SMEs are now owned by women. Vision 2030 reforms are reshaping the landscape—and Ramamurthy is helping ensure capital flows toward the founders powering this shift.
Still, challenges remain. Globally, female-led VC firms receive just 3% of venture funding. Schema Ventures challenges that status quo by putting power and capital directly into the hands of a woman with lived startup experience, an unmatched network, and a sharp thesis.
With Schema Ventures, Aarthi Ramamurthy is doing more than launching a fund. She’s reframing what venture capital can be: accessible, collaborative, and built on lived experience. It’s a bet not just on software infrastructure, but on human infrastructure too.
