- best venture capital firms in india, list of venture capital firms in india, top 20 venture capital firms in india
Introduction: What constitutes a "Top" VC Firm
From what I have learned from the startup ecosystem of India, the top venture capital companies in India share three characteristics:
- Deal-making muscle: how big and how often investments they make.
- Track record of success: portfolio firms that became unicorns or had big exits.
- Domain expertise: deep knowledge in core domains—fintech, SaaS, healthtech, consumer, ag-tech, and more.
Consider Accel India, for example: I recall when they invested in Freshworks when it employed just six individuals. Freshworks now has 2,500+ individuals and is worth billions of dollars. Or Peak XV Partners (previously Sequoia India), which placed early bets on Zomato and BYJU'S and went on to create two of India's most well-known successful companies. When you are considering such figures, you know you are considering a leading investor.
Also Read: Top Venture Capital Firms in India: 2025 Guide
Evaluation Criteria: What I Look For
When I rank the top 20 venture capital firms in India, here is how I rank them:
- Ticket size and fund size: Can they do a ₹5 crore seed round? A ₹500 crore growth raise?
- Unicorns and exit valuations: Many billion-dollar success stories reveal much.
- Sector focus and thesis: How specialized are they? Do they have industry guides?
- Geographic scope: local HQs versus foreign offices—does that expand your market?
- Founder feedback: I've talked to peers who firmly believe in receiving direct assistance or being brought to key customers.
In that context, here are the best of 2025—starting with ten veterans who have built India's ecosystem, and then ten new entrants to watch out for.
Top 20 Venture Capital Companies in India
| Sr no | VC Firm | Headquarters | Stages | Key Investments & Successes (Unicorns/Exits) | Sector Focus | Why They're Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India) | Bangalore & Mumbai | Seed to Growth | Zomato, BYJU'S, Unacademy, Dailyhunt (400+ investments, 50+ unicorns, 23 IPO exits) | Broad (Tech, Consumer, etc.) | Long-term playbook, "Surge" accelerator, building startups from scratch to IPO. |
| 2 | Accel India | Bengaluru (Global HQ: Palo Alto) | Seed → Growth | Flipkart, Swiggy, Freshworks, Vedantu ($650M+ India fund) | Broad (Tech, SaaS, Consumer) | Strong belief in founders from very early stages (e.g., Freshworks with 6 people). |
| 3 | Blume Ventures | Mumbai | Seed to Early | Meesho, Purplle | Healthtech, Consumer-tech, AI/ML | Best at spotting early winners, empowering women entrepreneurs. |
| 4 | Nexus Venture Partners | Menlo Park (USA) and Mumbai | Seed to Growth | Postman, Delhivery, Druva ($2.6B AUM) | Broad (Tech, Enterprise) | Global presence (US-India), helps with global expansion. |
| 5 | Matrix Partners India | Bengaluru and Gurgaon (Global HQ: Boston) | Seed → Early-Growth | Razorpay, Ola Electric, Practo, DailyHunt ($1B+ AUM) | B2B SaaS, Consumer, Fintech | Strong in B2B SaaS, Consumer, Fintech; supported Razorpay from new to processing billions. |
| 6 | Kalaari Capital | Bangalore | Seed to Early | Myntra, Cure.fit, Snapdeal | Fashion-tech, Health-tech | Founder-friendly, strong backing and networks in specific sectors. |
| 7 | Lightspeed India Partners | Bangalore (US HQ: Santa Monica) | Start-up → Growth | Byju’s, Oyo, Udaan, ShareChat, Dunzo, Lenskart ($1B+ India fund) | Consumer, SaaS, Marketplaces | Impressive ability to pivot between diverse sectors with mastery. |
| 8 | Elevation Capital (SAIF Partners) | NCR (Gurgaon) | Seed → Series A | Paytm, ShareChat, Urban Company | Consumer Internet | Deep understanding of consumer internet, strong relationships in Delhi/North India. |
| 9 | Norwest Venture Partners | Palo Alto and Mumbai | All stages | Swiggy, Slice, Dunzo (Multi-billion $ funds) | Broad (Tech, Consumer) | US behemoth with deep Indian roots, cross-border experience facilitates international expansion. |
| 10 | VenturEast | Kolkata & Bangalore | Initial → Development | Portea, Acko | Life Sciences, Technology, Insurtech | One of India's longest-running VCs, longevity and sector expertise provide a distinctive advantage. |
Also Read: VC Funding in India: How to Raise Capital in 2025
List of venture capital firms in india (11-20)
These ten new entrants are gaining momentum quickly:
| Sr no | VC Firm | Headquarters | Stages | Key Investments / Focus | Noteworthy Attributes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Venture Highway | Bangalore | Early-stage | Meesho, ShareChat, Cars24 | Reputed for hands-on advice. |
| 12 | Kae Capital | Mumbai/Bangalore | Seed | HealthKart, Porter, Zetwerk | 14 exits out of 82 bets. |
| 13 | Ankur Capital | Mumbai/Bangalore | Seed | Rupifi, BigHaat, CropIn | Deeptech & ag-tech focus, impact focus. |
| 14 | Omidyar Network India | Mumbai | All stages | 1mg, Quikr, Doubtnut | Philanthropic VC with a mission. |
| 15 | Orios Venture Partners | Gurugram | Seed | Ixigo, Country Delight, PharmEasy | Fintech & consumer focus. |
| 16 | IvyCap Ventures | Mumbai | Early | Purplle, Fazlani Biotech | Supported by successful Indian entrepreneurs. |
| 17 | Lightbox Ventures | Mumbai | Growth | Dunzo, Rebel Foods, Furlenco | ~$450 million AUM. |
| 18 | Artha India Ventures | Chennai | Seed | Exotel, Instasafe, VPhrase | Fintech, travel, blockchain focus. |
| 19 | Gemba Capital | Bangalore | Micro-VC | Plum, Clickpost | Extremely early, high potential startup investment thrust. |
| 20 | Endiya Partners | Hyderabad | Early | Darwinbox, Bharat Biotech, Cult.fit | Deeptech & digital health; drawing from Hyderabad's tech talent. |
All of these firms have proven they can back tomorrow's unicorns. I'm keeping a close eye on how Venture Highway and Kae sharpen their theses—and how Endiya is drawing from Hyderabad's deep technology talent pool.
Visual Insights (Simplified)
Portfolio Unicorn Highlights
Also Read: Venture Capitalists in Delhi: Top Investors & Funding Networks
Investment Stage Focus (Illustrative)
Common Sector Focus Areas
How to Approach & Pitch These Companies
From a personal founder background, this is how you differentiate yourself when you make contact:
Key Steps to Pitching:
- Study their thesis: Read their social posts and website. Know whether they enjoy fintech, edtech or ag-tech.
- Warm introductions rather than cold calls: Leverage alumni networks, angel groups, or shared founders to obtain referrals.
- Build a next-generation deck: Problem → Solution → Market size → Traction → Team → Ask. 10 slides max.
- Lead with numbers: Begin your initial sentence with MRR, user growth, or a large pilot customer.
- Keep it personal: "Just as you supported [PortfolioCo] before, we're addressing [Niche]…" shows you've put effort into it.
- Check in once or twice: A gentle reminder after a week is fine; don't send all 20 at once.
FAQs
Who are India's top 20 venture capital funds?
The top ten companies are Peak XV, Accel India, Blume, Nexus, Matrix, Kalaari, Lightspeed, Elevation, Norwest, and VenturEast. They also have fast-rising companies such as Venture Highway, Kae, Ankur, Omidyar Network, Orios, IvyCap, Lightbox, Artha India, Gemba, and Endiya.
What is a "top" VC?
From my viewpoint, it’s a mix of big funds being managed, many successful companies, strong knowledge in the field, and support that helps founders.
How do I pitch them?
Get a warm reception, customize your approach to their interests, start with bold numbers, and make your presentation brief and compelling. (Refer to the 'Key Steps to Pitching' section for more details).
Are these VCs investing outside Bangalore?
Definitely. Though many have headquarters in Bangalore, Mumbai or Delhi, they all have wide networks, international offices or offshore investment teams—so your location is never a hindrance. Many actively invest across India and globally.
How frequently is this list updated?
The ecosystem keeps growing year by year. New funds emerge, and some grow. But the initial group of Peak XV, Accel, Blume, Nexus, and Matrix have endured ten years and beyond, showing consistent leadership.
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