Want to know Venture Capitalist in India ? Well you have landed on the right article
Hey, have you ever approached a private investor for your startup firm or business model? Have you ever raised a fund in exchange for equity for your startup? If not, this is the right time for entrepreneurs to grab one.
Startups can approach venture capitalist firms to raise their funds and start their impactful dream business in no time. Once the startup reaches its growth stage, the most significant thing entrepreneurs need to focus on their business with reliable investors.
But many startup owners juggle between multiple fundraising options and whom to approach. Another challenge that entrepreneurs and startup founders face is which venture capitalist firms hover over.
Small investing companies and indie investors might come to these startups witnessing their growth, but those might not be that reliable.
For solving these multiple challenges startup founders face, this article brings you the top 25 reliable and well-known venture capitalist firms in India whom the founders can reach for fundraising.
What is a venture capitalist?
A venture capitalist (VC) can be an investment firm or an indie capitalist who invests in a business venture. Most of the venture capital comes from managed firms driven by investors.
These private equity investors provide finances to startups or small companies that want to expand against equity percentages or higher return rates.
Such a capitalist firm has limited partnership & has a committee that performs the tasks to make calculated investment decisions.
Venture capitalists do not fund those startups that are on the outset. They take a close background check & invest in firms that are at a stage to commercialize their idea or business model.
How to raise venture capital for your startup?
Some particular pointers need to be followed while raising funds for your startup through venture capital.
- Do homework to know your venture capital firms or whom you are approaching.
- Sketch out a powerful business idea.
- Create a unique and foolproof business model and revenue-generating approach.
- Prepare your pitch and practice with fluency.
- Approach all prominent and recognized venture capital firms confidently yet politely.
- Speak clearly with supporting statements with research facts.
- Express your ideas through clear communication.
- Estimate and demonstrate your value propositions.
Top 25 Active and Prominent Venture Capitalist in India
Entrepreneurs and financial wizards run all the venture capitalist firms in India and get recognized by SEBI. They are most suitable for fundraising in small and medium-sized businesses.
Here is a list of the top Venture Capital firms in India , one can approach to raise the fund for their business.
1. Helion Venture Partners
About the Company: Helion Venture Partners is an Indian-focused 605 million USD VC firm , one of the best venture capital examples in India.
That provides funding to early startups and mid-sized consumer service and technology-powered businesses.
It also participates in multiple funding rounds and private equity seed in association with other venture partners.
It invests in various sectors like outsourcing business, smartphones,
And retail services, internet-driven startups, healthcare, education, and financial services. It has its global presence across different cities like Port Louis Town, Bangalore, etc.
Investment Structure: This Venture capitalist firm usually invests between 2 million USD to 10 million USD on each venture that has revenue of less than 10 million USD.
Startups funded: MakemyTrip, Komli, NetAmbit, PubMatic, Yepme, TAXI For Sure, etc.
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2. Accel Partners
About the Company: It is one of the oldest venture capital firms, founded in 1983.
It has its global presence across London, various states of India, New York, Palo Alto, and China.
It has been funding various companies for the past three decades. It can invest in multiple stages of the business
And has supported hundreds of companies that are internet technology-driven businesses.
Apart from internet business, other domains where it invests are software, mobile, consumer service, etc.
Investment Structure: It has an investment bracket between 0.5 million USD and 50 million USD.
The investment amount entirely depends on the type of business model & the nature of the company.
Startups funded: Myntra, Flipkart, Zansaar, Freshdesk, Book My Show, BabyOye, Probe,
CommonFloor, etc.
It has also funded many multinational companies like Facebook, Slack, Spotify, Vox Media, Lynda.com, Jet.com, Cloudera, etc.
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3. Blume Ventures
At no.3 in our list of venture capitalist companies in India we have Blume Ventures
About the Company: Blume Ventures is another top venture capital firm that got established in 2011.
Organizations often call it "Founder's VC."
It has more than a decade of experience in funding for startups, early-stage seeds, medium-grown ventures, Pre-series A, Series B, etc.
They also have another division called the "Blume Venture Advisor."
It offers mentoring and guidance support to impending founders and entrepreneurs. It is one of the best venture capital firms that fund Indian businesses and startups.
Karthik Reddy and Sanjay Nath are the two individuals who started this venture capital firm with a mission to reimagine the funding for Indian startups.
This VC firm focuses on industries like internet or software-based companies, mobile applications, telecommunications equipment, consumer internet sectors, data infrastructure, media, R&D firms.
Investment Structure: At the seed stage, they invest 0.05 million to 0.3 million USD. The follow-on investments bracket ranges between 0.5 million to 1.5 million USD.
Startups funded: Exotel, EKI Communications, Carbon Clean Solutions, Audio Compass, Printo, etc.
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4. Sequoia Capital India
About the Company: Sequoia Capital India is an Indian affiliated branch of Sequoia Capital headquartered in Menlo Park, California.
They mainly focus and invest in the technology industry.
Other industrial sectors it shows interest in funding are energy, consumer, healthcare, financial, outsourcing, etc.
This VC firm has specialization in investing in early-stage, mid-sized,
And growing or expansion businesses, startup seed, public, and growth-stage companies. It has already funded numerous Indian startups that make million-dollar revenue.
It has its global presence across Southeast Asia, Israel, and China, other than USA and India.
Investment Structure: Their investment bracket lies between 100,000 USD to 1 million at the seed stage.
For the early stage, the investment bracket lies between 1 million to 10 million USD and 10 million to 100 million for the growth stage.
Startups funded: JustDial, Knowlarity, Zomato, iYogi, Groupon, Practo, bankbazaar.com, etc.
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5. Nexus Venture Partners
About the Company: It is a well-known Silicon Valley and Mumbai-based venture capital firm
And is the first India-USA joint venture company.
It has been investing in early and growth-stage startups across US and India since 2006.
It shows investment interest in a broad spectrum of industries like mobile companies, media, Big Data analytics,
And outsourcing industries, energy, agri-business, storage, hardware and infrastructure, cloud, data security, internet-based companies, the rural sector, consumer business, and technology.
Investment Structure: The firm's investment bracket lies between 0.5 million USD to 10 million for early growth stage companies & goes up to 0.5 million for seed investment.
Startups funded: WhiteHat Jr, Rapido, Delhivery, Zomato, Unacademy, Jumbotail, Druva, Bolo App, Pratilipi, etc.
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6. Inventus Capital Partners
About the Company: With the dream of making all entrepreneurs successful,
This venture capital firm has created some successful Unicorns.
It shows investment interest in a broad spectrum of industries like hotels,
And restaurants and leisure, healthcare, consumers, internet-based businesses, Telecommunications, And media, Information Technology (IT), hardware and equipment, retail sectors, etc.
It is another prominent venture capital firm that invests predominantly in Indian startups.
Investment Structure: The firm's investment bracket lies between 1.0 million USD to 2 million for the first round of funding and can increase to 0.25 million to 10 million USD for growing businesses.
Startups funded: Policy Bazaar.com, CBazaar, Farfaria, Insta Health Solutions, etc.
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7. IDG Ventures
About the Company: IDG Ventures (India-specific name), also known as Chiratae Ventures,
It is another well-known venture capital firm that vibrates nicely with the Indian ventures and their investment ecosystem.
It has a global network with multiple technology ventures.
This Indian-focused venture capital firm holds a specialty in funding early-stage startups,
Along with growth & expansion-stage businesses. Apart from technology, it shows investment interest in various industries like medical devices,
And clean-tech, IP-led Businesses, healthcare, consumer services, media, internet-based businesses, etc.
Investment Structure: The firm's investment bracket lies between 1 million USD to 10 million for the first round of funding.
Startups funded: Myntra.com, Zivame, Yatra.com, Ozone Media, FirstCry, iProf, etc.
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8. Fidelity Growth Partners
About the Company: The Fidelity Growth Partners India is an affiliated branch of Fidelity International Limited
Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, the United States.
Fidelity Growth Partners India works as a private equity firm for investing in startups, early-stage, and late-stage businesses.
Since 2008, it has invested in several industrial sectors healthcare, technology, life sciences, consumer business, manufacturing.
Investment Structure: The firm's investment bracket lies between 10 million USD to 50 million for a minority stake/equity percentage in the business.
Startups funded: Yebhi, Netmagic, etc.
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9. Naspers
About the Company: It is one of the top multinational media groups that started as a public limited liability company in 1913.
In Sept. 1994, it got listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
It primarily focuses on investing in communication, e-commerce, content, communities, technology, and print media companies.
It has its global presence in South Africa, Central & Eastern Europe, Russia, India, China, Thailand, Brazil, and the Netherlands.
Investment Structure: Although it does not have a fixed investment bracket and is flexible, it shows prior interest in all stages of a company's life.
Startups funded: Flipkart, OLX, etc.
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10. Jungle Ventures
About the Company: Another leading multinational entrepreneur-backed venture capital firm helps startups
And small businesses with funding to help them scale across the Asia Pacific.
Apart from Indian startups, it also funds global startups and ventures pertinent to Asia Pacific markets.
It has its global presence across countries like the USA, Malaysia, India, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, and the Philippines.
It shows investment interest in a broad spectrum of technology-driven industries like digital media, e-commerce, analytics, SaaS, Big Data, Fintech, etc.
Investment Structure: It does not have any fixed investment bracket but usually does seed funding & early-stage funding.
Startups funded: Milaap, Ekstop, Zipdial, Pokkt, etc.
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11. Steadview Capital
About the Company: This Hong Kong-based asset management firm is another venture capital fund provider
That makes full-fledged long-term investments across diverse industries other than technology-driven startups.
It is one of the best venture capital firms for Indian startups and small-sized businesses.
It gives funding to early-stage ventures, growth-stage firms, post-IPO, and other companies that plan for expansion.
Investment Structure: It does not have any fixed investment bracket but usually does early-stage and late-stage funding.
Startups funded: Flipkart, Olacabs, Urban Ladder, Saavn, etc.
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12. Zodius Capital
About the Company: Zodius Capital is a well-known venture capital firm that invests in market-defining,
And high-growth, India-centric, disruptive businesses, and startup firms. Since 2011, it helps in the developing companies every six months.
They work intensively with the startups and their respective teams to "speed up" and "shape up" for unprecedented development and profitability.
It shows investment interest in various industries like Big Data, education, digital media, data analytics, commerce, etc.
Investment Structure: It does not have a fixed investment bracket but funds startups and high-performing companies.
Startups funded: Culture Machine, BigBasket, etc.
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13. Qualcomm Ventures
About the Company: Qualcomm Venture is the affiliated branch of the well-known semiconductor
And software development company Qualcomm Inc. headquartered in San Diego, California.
It is among the fortune 500 company that has branches across the globe.
It shows investment interest in different domains and industries like the cloud, consumer app business, software & hardware business, enterprise, healthcare, IoT, infrastructure, etc.
Investment Structure: It does not have a fixed investment bracket but funds startups and mid-sized ventures.
Startups funded: Portea, Appsdaily, FitBit, Capillary, NQ Mobile Deck, etc.
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14. Warburg Pincus
About the Company: It is a global leading New York-based growth investment firm with over 80 billion USD in assets under its management.
It has been in the private equity investment since 1966. It has its global presence across countries like Europe,
And the United States, Brazil, India, Southeast Asia, and China.
It shows prior investment interest in industries like healthcare, industrial
And services, energy, consumer, financial sectors, real estate, telecommunications, tech, media, etc.
Since this venture capital firm invests at different growth stages, it is one of the ideal VC firms that Indian startup founders can approach.
Investment Structure: Although it does not have a fixed investment bracket, it shows prior interest in growth investing & has built many ventures at different growth stages.
Startups funded: Biba, Quikr, Lemon Tree, etc.
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15. Canaan Partners
About the Company: It is another global venture capital firm that holds expertise in early-stage venture funding
Or invests in visionaries and founders with transformative ideas or business models.
Apart from early-stage, this VC firm also invests in various other stages of development,
And startups, seed financings, early-stage investments, and growth.
It has its headquarters in Westport, Connecticut, United States.
Investment Structure: Its investment bracket lies between 0.5 million USD to 80 million in its portfolio companies. Also, it prefers to close the investment funnel within 7-10 years.
Startups funded: Bharat Matrimony, mCARBON, Happiest minds, Naaptol, CarTrade, Surewaves, iYogi, etc.
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16. SAIF Partners
About the Company: It is another global venture capital firm
That helps fund Asia-specific companies to grow their company from the idea stage to IPO.
It has specializations in private equity and venture capital and has been investing in India since 2001.
Investment Structure: It has an investment bracket between 10 million USD and 100 million USD in a single round.
For multiple financing rounds, the investment bracket lies between 200,000 to 500,000 USD for early-stage ventures and between 30 million and 35 million USD for mature unregistered companies.
Startups funded: Paytm, Network18, Justdial.com, Book My Show, HomeShop18, etc.
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17. Ascent Capital Advisors
About the Company: It is one of the most experienced India-focused autonomous private equity venture capital firms
That bring 175+ years of combined experience.
The firm has provided growth capital to more than 100 companies.
It has built many game-changing ventures across multiple sectors like Fintech, Edtech, BFSI, Pharma, Healthcare, SaaS, IT, etc.
Investment Structure: It has an investment bracket between 10 million USD and 30 million USD.
Startups funded: KIMS, Bigbasket.com, etc.
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18. Axon Partners Group
About the Company: Axon Partners Group is an international consulting
And investment firm having an in-depth understanding of the global emerging market.
Founded in 2006, this has excellent business advisors across diverse sectors impacted by technology.
It has a global presence in Spain, India, and Latam.
It has its headquarters in Madrid and has offices across Brussels, Bogotá, MedellÃn, Istanbul, Seville, and Riyadh.
It shows prior investment interest in enterprises such as game development, telecommunications, software-based services, biotechnology, security solutions, etc.
Investment Structure: It has an investment bracket between 100,000K to 25 million USD for companies in the growth stage. It also funds ventures for seed capital and international expansion.
Startups funded: ByHours.com, iYogi, Hot Hotels, etc.
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19. Bain Capital Private Equity
About the Company: This private equity is a Boston, Massachusetts-based venture capital firm
That has pioneered the value-added investment strategy globally.
Apart from funding, it renders deep vertical expertise
And can partner with global management experts to accelerate an idea to business growth through analytics, strategic resources, techniques.
It shows investment interest in industries like retail and dining, consumer, Telecommunication, industrial and energy sectors, technology, Financial and business services, healthcare, and media.
It is also well-known for investing in various Indian companies and startups.
Investment Structure: It has an investment bracket between 5 million USD and 1 billion USD for various industries.
Startups funded: BMC Software, BPL, ASIMCO, Atento, Biglobe, etc.
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20. Basil Partners
About the Company: It is another global venture capital investment firm based out of Singapore
That focuses on niche technologies, disrupting the IT space with its unique ideas and services.
It focuses on financing either Indian or Asian ventures that have the potential to expand in global markets or the US and European-specific companies with an India or Asia-centric offshoring business model.
Investment Structure: It has an investment bracket between 1 million USD and 5 million with least revenue of 5 million USD.
Startups funded: Karmic LifeSciences, Endeavour Software Technologies, etc.
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21. Battery Ventures
About the Company: Battery Ventures is another global name with over 30 years of experience in venture capital funding.
Founded in 1983, this Boston, Silicon Valley-based VC firm practices a research-focused and collaborative investing style.
It makes private equity investments across the global market.
Apart from Boston, it has offices in London, Tel Aviv, San Francisco, New York, Israel, and Menlo Park.
This technology-driven investment firm has deep pockets and inclines in niche industries like retail, industrial technologies, digital media, e-commerce, software services, and infrastructure.
It is an excellent choice for Indian ventures to raise funds and seek guidance from this VC firm.
Investment Structure: Although it does not have a fixed investment bracket and is flexible, it shows prior interest in all stages of a company's life.
It becomes creative when it comes to finding an alternative source for money or syndicating with other ventures.
Startups funded: AppDynamics, HackerRank, etc.
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22. Bessemer Venture Partners
About the Company: It is one of the oldest venture capital firms headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States.
Founded in 1911, this American venture capital firm operates and invests in various companies and startups across the globe
And has over 10 billion USD under financial management globally.
It has its global presence with offices in Redwood City, San Francisco
And Boston, New York City, India, Israel, and London. It shows investment interest in niche industries like cloud computing, financial services, mobile, clean technology, and cybersecurity.
Investment Structure: It has an investment bracket between 75,000 USD and 66 million USD.
Companies funded: Shopify, Snapdeal, Pinterest, OnMobile, Wix, DocuSign, Procore, Yelp, Bumble, Skype, Twilio, Canva,
And Periscope, Pager Duty, Discord, Box, Mindbody, Fiverr, RocketLab, Blue Apron, Lifelock, and Piazza.
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23. Catamaran Investment Pvt. Ltd.
About the Company: Catamaran Investment Pvt. Ltd. acts as a catalyst for innovating
And revolutionizing small startups to enterprises in India. N. R. Narayana Murthy is the founder of this venture capital firm.
Founded in 2010, this Bengaluru, India-based venture capital firm manages over 1 billion USD assets.
It invests in bold ideas and innovations for passionate entrepreneurs through VC/PE portfolio across multiple stages to prepare a successful enterprise.
It has previously worked with many respected Fortune 500 companies. It shows investment interest in diverse industries like finance, internet, e-commerce, etc.
Investment Structure: Although it does not have a fixed investment bracket and is flexible, it shows prior interest in all stages of a company's life.
Startups funded: SKS Microfinance, Bigshoebazaar, Yebhi, etc.
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24. Forum Synergies (India) PE Fund
About the Company: Founded in 2008 is another well-known venture capital firm headquartered in Bengaluru, India.
Their vision is to build unique, private equity fund-directed, investor-focused funding model in India.
It engages with investees closely with a robust strategy and business model for rendering superior value for investors.
It shows investment interest in diverse industries like Automotive, Electronic Hardware, healthcare, technology, electrical equipment, and medical devices & instruments, pharma, biotechnology, chemical engineering, etc.
Apart from investing in startups and businesses and helping achieve a global scale, the VC firm also focuses on sustainability, environment, and social goals.
Investment Structure: It has an investment bracket between 2 and 10 million USD in firms with revenues between 3 and 50 million USD.
Startups funded: Ola, Zomato, TaxiForSure, Quikr, Housing, Freecharge, Commonfloor, etc.
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25. Fulcrum Venture India
About the Company: Fulcrum Venture India is another early-growth investment company and a private equity investment firm
That pivots its interests toward SME business opportunities.
They believe that investments in startups and businesses are nothing less than a long-term partnership.
According to them, "Trust" is their most valuable investment in a business relationship.
They prefer to fund those organizations where the entrepreneurs are like-minded & the entire business model has solid objectives and principles.
According to their website, they've invested 5% in the technology industry, 15% in the consumer and healthcare industry each, and 65% in the pharmaceutical industry.
This VC firm shows prior investment interest in diverse industries like financial services, education, healthcare, technology, niche retail, and FMCG.
It is another reputable venture capital firm that Indian startups and small businesses can approach for raising funds.
Investment Structure: It has an investment bracket between 6.44 million USD and 20 million USD in different stages of the business development.
Startups funded: Swaas Systems, Shield Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., Congruent Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
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Conclusion
We hope the comprehension has given you a clear idea of the various venture capitalist firms that invest in Indian startups and small businesses. The percentage growth of venture capital investment in Indian startups is remarkable.
Because of these ventures and their strategic investment and guidance, Indian corporations can open up new avenues and expansions in different sectors.
The series of funding & guidance towards a strategic approach in distinct businesses looks quite promising.
If you are looking to raise funds for your venture, this article has listed the top 25 best venture capital firms you can approach according to the niche, investment bracket, and stage at which they fund the business.
I hope you liked our article on Venture capitalist in India, if you have any comments or suggestions do share them in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Question
Q1. How can I find a venture capitalist in India?
Over the past decade, Indian startups have grown from a few small technology & BPO companies to thousands of innovative multinational ventures.
As you can see from the list, numerous companies that were startups have now grown to large MNCs. Venture capital firms are backing these ideas in large enterprises.
If you want to find a venture capital firm that can fund your business, you need to Google them or go through the list provided in this article.
According to your niche, amount of money required, business stage, and business model, you can pick whom to approach for raising funds.
Q2. What is VC in India?
In India and other parts of the world, a venture capitalist (VC) is an investment firm or an indie capitalist person who has the financial strength to invest in different ventures.
These private equity investors provide financial help to startups, business guidance, strategic support, and technical support to expand their business against agreed equity percentages or higher return rates.
In India, many venture capital firms invest in the growth & business expansion stages. Some of them invests in different niches, while other have fixed industrial expertize.
Sequoia Capital India, Accel Partners, Catamaran Investment Pvt. Ltd., Basil Partners, IDG Ventures, etc., are some well-known Venture Capital (VC) firms in India.
These VC firms do not fund startups that are on the outset or do not have clear objectives or business strategies.
Before investing, every VC firm take a close background check & then invest in Indian firms that are at a potential to commercialize their idea or business model.
Q3. How much does a venture capitalist earn in India?
The earnings of venture capital firms largely depend on the type of company they are investing, the investment return they have agreed upon, And the revenue growth of the companies they have partnered with by funding them.
All these factors remain dynamic throughout the year, and thus, the earning of venture capital also varies significantly.
Q4. What is the salary of venture capitalist?
Despite the massive reputation, not all venture capital enjoys the same level of salary in India. Usually, Venture Capital (VC) has four levels:
- The Analyst
- The Associate
- The Principal
- The Partner
- The analysts working in Venture Capital (VC) firms in India usually get a salary of around INR 10 lacs to 15 lacs annually.
- For the Venture Capital (VC) associate, the salary will reach a new slab of between 20 lacs to 30 lacs annually.
- The principal venture capital receives a primary salary of 30 lacs to Rs. 50 lacs annually.
- The Venture Capital partners take the largest salary chunk that usually remains more than 60 lacs.
