Very recently, NASSCOM has presented an overview on the ascendancy of Funding for startups. The report states that India has been positioned as a global startup hub attracting Investors and Venture Capital Firms.
‘Funding’ is probably the word that draws more attention, drives energy and enthusiasm among startups, its ecosystem and work culture. A lot of Venture Capital firms in India are preferring to support startups with investment and funding. This has empowered the rise and growth of startups in our country. It has quite a great response on the country’s economy.
Ideally, before embarking on a startup journey, one should have a clear understanding about a few terminologies – Venture Capital, Venture Capitalist, Venture Capital Firm. For all those who tried googling these terms and failed to understand, the below explanation can help you.
Venture Capital and Venture Capitalists – Know these terms
A startup idea demonstrating high growth potential and profits in the emerging stage, seek investment or funding from companies in the form of equities. This fund that contributes to the capital of a new venture is referred to as ‘Venture Capital’.
The person who invests in the equities of startups is called a ‘Venture Capitalist’.
A congregation of Venture Capitalists kicks off Venture Capital firms in India and across the globe. Today, a myriad of startups in India are linchpinned by Venture Capital firms to churn huge revenue.
If you are a startup enthusiast and looking for investment or funding support, the below list of Venture Capital firms in India might be a major shot in your arm.
Sequoia Capital India
Established in 2000, Sequoia Capital India Advisors Private Limited has been providing financial assistance to various startups with diverse categories. Since inception, the company’s focus has been on Consumer, Finance and Health startups. This Venture Capital firm caters to startup funding irrespective of the growth stage of the business. Companies like JustDial, Practo and bankbazaar.com have been funded by Sequoia Capital India.
If your startup is in the seed stage, Sequoia invests from $100,000 to $1 million. For startups in the early and growth stages, this Venture Capital firm can support with investment from $1 million to $100 million.
Accel Partners
Accel Partners was founded in 1983 in Palo Alto. The firm started benefitting Indian companies in 2008. Currently, it has its footprints across the American and Asian geographies.
They are yet another multi-stage investment Venture Capital firm that funded various startups across India. Some of the Indian startups funded by Accel Partners are Firstcry, Freshworks, BookMyShow, Flipkart and Myntra.
If you are a Consumer or Internet based startup, you can rely on Accel Partners for funding between $0.5 Million to 50 Million.
Axilor Ventures
Axilor Ventures is a Venture Capital firm established in 2014 in India. The firm focuses on supporting the development of startups through funding in seed and early stages. Axilor Ventures have also provided Pre-Seed Investment to a bunch of entrepreneurs.
The company is also actively involved in Startup Accelerator Programs and is supporting startups through Mentorship Programs. Companies like Pipecandy, Survaider and Petoo have been financially-backed by Axilor Ventures.
SAIF Partners
SAIF Partners is a Private Equity Firm that started its investments in Indian companies since 2001. The firm also specializes in Venture Capital with investments in Hongkong and China. They cater to funding of startups and companies at various stages.
IT, ITes, Finance, Consumer and Internet Services are some of the startup sectors being invested by SAIF Partners. Some of their investments have also been made with mature ventures. The investment range of SAIF Partners is from $10 million to $35 million.
SoftBank Capital
SoftBank Capital is headquartered in the US and managed by Masayoshi Son. The Venture Capital firm that began its investment in Indian companies like Ola, Flipkart and Snapdeal. Startups of Biotechnology, Saas and Internet based startups are the core interests of SoftBank Capital for funding. This Venture Capital firm has also invested in Alibaba.com, an advanced e-commerce company in China.
Naspers
Naspers is an international company with primary operations in Internet, Communications, Gaming, Entertainment and E-commerce sectors. Established in South Africa, the firm has branched out across Asian and European Countries. The company supports Internet and Media startups with investments. OLX and Flipkart are their beneficiaries in India.
Catamaran Investment Private Limited
Catamaran Investment Private Limited is a Venture Capitalist and Private Equity firm established in India in 2010. It is owned by Mr. N.R. Narayana Murthy, the co-founder and CEO of Infosys. The company has invested in startups like Innoviti, Acko, Cloudtail and PaperBoat.
Kalaari Capital
With interest towards investing in tech savvy companies that provide services to India and global market, Kalaari Capital was formed in Bengaluru in India. Currently, they have invested in E-commerce and Internet companies like Snapdeal, Urban Ladder and Zivame.
Companies that are capable of acquiring new markets and providing modern solutions attract Kalaari Capital. This Venture Capital firm is ready to invest from $1Million to $5Million in technologically inclined companies.
Nexus Venture Partners
Nexus Venture Partners was established in 2006 in India. The firm aids funding support to startups in India and USA across sectors. Indian startups like Housing, Snapdeal and Delhivery have been bolstered by this Venture Capital firm.
With a wide area of investment interest like Data and Cyber Security, Internet & Media, Agribusiness and Technology, Nexus Venture Partners have supported entrepreneurs and companies in the early growth stage. At present, the funding range of this firm varies from $0.5 Million to $10Million.
Lightspeed Venture Partners
Lightspeed Venture Partners is an American Venture Capital firm. The company’s rallying point is investment in technology and consumer space businesses. Blockchain is one of the companies that bank on Lightspeed Venture Partners for investment. This company has made investments ready up to $25Million for enterprises in India.
To venture out your new startup idea, the economic conditions of our country might be dynamic. But the amount of support any startup could get from third party investors is immense.
When the investment and investors are all geared up, are you ready with your million-dollar startup idea?