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Since 2016, Venture Catalysts has been on a mission to strengthen India’s startup ecosystem.
Venture Catalyst co-founder and managing director Apoorva Ranjan Sharma said the company launched in 2016 as Asia’s first integrated incubator, with an aim to support early-stage and idea-stage startups in India and increase the innovation quotient in the country’s startup ecosystem.
“Over the years, Venture Catalyst has also evolved and launched innovative, industry-agnostic funds under our umbrella organisation, Venture Catalyst, including 100Unicorns, Beams Fintech, Spyre, Elev8 and VC Grid,” Ranjan said.
The Mumbai-based company claims to have invested in over 500 startups (till March 2024) in the last eight years, covering over 650 districts across India and diversifying into over 40 sectors.
“Despite global macro-economic challenges, we have experienced remarkable growth thanks to our unwavering belief in the potential of Indian startups,” Ranjan said.
He also highlighted that the total estimated investment has exceeded $250 million, helping to create over 20,000 jobs and boosting entrepreneurship in non-urban areas. “Today, over 50 percent of our startups come from tier 2, 3 and 4 cities, up from less than 10 percent in 2016,” he added.
Venture Catalysts’ investment thesis focuses on fostering innovation and supporting founders addressing fundamental problems, especially in semi-urban and rural areas.
Commenting on the investment theme, Ranjan said, “We are committed to investing with a purpose, and we not only provide financial support but also networking opportunities and mentorship. We are particularly interested in supporting diverse startups, including women-led businesses and those based in semi-urban and rural areas, to ensure a level playing field for all entrepreneurs.”
The company’s thesis also focuses on tier 2-5 startups, moonshot ideas, AI, solo founder backing and investing in high potential startups.
Sharma expects India’s AI-focused startup ecosystem to flourish in various sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, agritech, space tech, animal husbandry, defence and EVs in FY24-25.
Ranjan stressed that the firm plans to provide continued support to innovative start-ups with a focus on technology, fintech and real estate. The priority will be to take sound investment decisions to ensure the growth and success of portfolio companies with a focus on minimizing failure rates.
One notable success story is ConfirmTkt, an online train booking platform founded by Sripad Vaidya and Dinesh Kumar Kotha. “Venture Catalysts supported ConfirmTkt from conception to its acquisition by ixigo, which recently went public in an IPO for INR 7,400 crore,” says Ranjan.
fact:
- Portfolio size: Over 500
- Average ticket size: US$500,000 to US$2,000,000
- Total Finishes: 190+
- Total assets under management: Invested $450 million across various funds, including the 100Unicorns Accelerator Fund ($100 million) and the Elev8 Technology Fund ($200 million)
