- IIMA Ventures, formerly IIMA-CIIE, has been a key player in early-stage venture capital in India for over 15 years, funding over 350 startups and focusing on emerging sectors.
- The firm’s investment thesis revolves around supporting entrepreneurs in deep tech, digital inclusion, and climate tech spaces by providing initial institutional funding.
- They have an active portfolio of over 100 companies across various stages, with investments ranging from $25,000 to $3 million, targeting sectors like space tech, healthcare, AI, and financial services.
- The Bharat Inclusion Initiative (BII) incubates innovations in the inclusive tech space and aims to support 35-40 startups with capital, advisory, and market access solutions over the next few years.
- IIMA Ventures takes a long-term view, typically investing for 5-6 years, and has had over 40 profitable exits, including companies like Ideaforge, Riskcovry, and Fourth Partner.
Funding Tomorrow’s Tech Titans
In the ever-evolving landscape of technology and innovation, the role of funding in nurturing and supporting tech startups cannot be overstated. Securing adequate funding is often a crucial milestone for startups looking to scale their operations and make a significant impact in their respective industries. In India, organizations like IIMA Ventures have been at the forefront of early-stage venture capital, providing vital support to over 350 startups and paving the way for the next generation of tech titans.
Investing in Innovation: IIMA Ventures’ Approach
IIMA Ventures, formerly known as IIMA-CIIE, has been a key player in the Indian startup ecosystem for more than 15 years. With a focus on early-stage investments, the firm has positioned itself as a preferred partner for startups right from their inception. Priyanka Agarwal Chopra, Managing Partner at IIMA Ventures, emphasizes the firm’s commitment to backing entrepreneurs developing disruptive solutions across emerging sectors.
At IIMA Ventures, the active portfolio includes over 100 companies spanning the pre-seed, seed, and early-growth stages. The firm has allocated approximately $16-18 million from its balance sheet to invest in over 300 startups at the pre-seed and seed stages. Moreover, around 40 companies at the early growth stage have benefited from IIMA Ventures’ total assets under management of $100 million.
Related Video
Focus on Deep Tech and Innovation
One of the key focus areas for IIMA Ventures is investing in deep tech, digital inclusion, and climate tech spaces. By being the foundational investor for entrepreneurs in these sectors, the firm plays a crucial role in fueling their growth journeys. IIMA Ventures provides ventures with their first institutional cheque at the early stage, supporting them through their balance sheet at the pre-seed and seed stages, and through their venture capital funds at the early-growth stage.
As an early entrant in the startup support ecosystem, IIMA Ventures engages with startups at various stages, from incubation and acceleration to providing seed and venture capital. The Bharat Inclusion Initiative (BII) launched in 2018 is a notable platform-centric intervention by IIMA Ventures in the inclusive tech space. Over the years, BII has nurtured innovations, accelerated startups, and seed-invested in promising ventures like Jai Kisan, Riskcovry, Kaleidofin, Finarkein, and Kosh.
Future Prospects and Investment Strategy
Looking ahead, IIMA Ventures is bullish on emerging opportunities in sectors such as space tech, defense, healthcare, biotech, AI, semiconductors, robotics, digital therapeutics, financial services, and industrial decarbonization. The firm plans to invest in 30-35 startups in these sectors in the coming year, taking a long-term view of typically 5-6 years for their investments.
In terms of funding, IIMA Ventures offers cheque sizes ranging from $25,000 to $200,000 for startups at the pre-seed and seed stages. For companies at the early-growth stage, larger investments between $1-3 million are provided through the Bharat Fund platform. The firm boasts of over 40 profitable exits, including successful companies like Ideaforge, Riskcovry, Fourth Partner, Guvi, Biosense, Salesken, and Barrix.
IIMA Ventures continues to play a pivotal role in funding and supporting the growth of tech startups in India. With a keen eye on innovation and a commitment to backing disruptive solutions, the firm is well-positioned to fuel the success of tomorrow’s tech titans.
Links to additional Resources: