Shrishti Sahu

A significant milestone for Venture Catalysts' latest fund, VC Grid. Our team at VC Grid is making waves in the startup ecosystem with its recent investment in Ideal Insurance, a leading insure tech platform. In  collaboration with family offices and high net-worth individuals, VC Grid has contributed to an impressive pre-series funding round of Rs 8 crore, totaling a $1 million investment. This funding round also saw participation from industry veterans such as Sagar Daryani of Wow! Momo and Artha Group, among others. Founded by Rahul Agarwal, CA Ravi Kothari, and Rahul Mohata, Ideal Insurance is poised to capitalize on India's burgeoning insurance market, expected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2030.With ambitious targets of achieving a premium collection surpassing Rs 1,100 crore and an EBITDA of Rs 33 crore within the next two years, Ideal Insurance is now gearing up for its next phase of growth. To support this expansion, Ideal Insurance is seeking to raise $10 million at a valuation ranging from $70-90 million. Exciting times lie ahead as we continue to champion innovation and growth in the startup landscape! Venture Catalysts++ | India's 1st Multi-Stage VC, 9Unicorns, Anuj Golecha, Anil G Jain, Gaurav Jain, Vansh Oberoi, Sidhi Dalmia, Shreeyesh Chandgothia, Anusha Bhat #VentureCatalysts #AngelInvestor #VC #IndianStartups #StartupInvesting #InsureTech #VCGrid #IdealInsurance #StartupFunding https://lnkd.in/dRThdKp2

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Only TWO days left to apply for the RippleX Fellowship program! If you are a student/dropout/recent grad building a b2b software company in Canada/US, this is the program for you. In our last batch we had some amazing mentors like: - Braden Ream (CEO, Voiceflow): Mastering storytelling and navigating selling into enterprises - Rahul Parmar (Prev. Senior Director of Sales, Drata): Sales 101 – Converting pilots to real revenue, creating urgency among buyers, and best practices to manage a sales process - Nicholas Chepesiuk (CEO, OnCall Virtual Care, now part of Qualifacts): Striving towards product-market fit, utilizing creative outbound strategies, and the importance of building trust with customers in the early days - Justin Sky (CEO, Rose Rocket): Identifying venture-scale markets, learning when to pivot, and building strong organizational culture - Josh Gray (CEO, Artemis): Conducting customer validation, segmenting your ICP, and advice for young founders Apply here: https://lnkd.in/e2iAu6vi

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You Failed to raise VC funding because: Any decent VC, when they evaluate Start-ups, they look at the following primary criterion- 1. People (Founders & the Team) - You are expected to be slightly Flexible, & someone who knows their industry in and out. 2. The Product - When we say product, it's also about the Sensibility, Price, and PMF. 3. The Stage - Always remember "No one wants to invest in someone who wants to build at their money". 4. Transparency and Genuineness - No one wants to touch a book that's manipulated, and someone who has touched will always make others cautious (Point to be continued) In Simple way, it's like going on a Date with Out of the League individual, which means ,You have to leave no stones unturned! Reason? Let me tell you how VCs side looks like: - 1000 applications, - 100 make sense, - 10 seem interesting to talk to, - 1 is worth Investing!! Stay there, don't pick your Jaws yet! Out of every 100 Investments - - 90 do not give any returns over next 5 to 7 years - 6 to 7 give decent returns - 2 to 3 give Extra ordinary returns - But, only 1 becomes a Unicorn, which gives enormously high returns! Now, for you to be able to get an Investment from the VCs, you'll have to convince: 1. Why you are in the top 10% in every stage? 2. Why you will give the best returns in next 10 years? 3. Why are you the best person to invest in? Now, getting back to our Point 4, of Transparency and Genuineness: In the world of VCs or Investments in General, there is a Triangle. - The Bottom line, has millions of people, not everyone knows everyone else. - The Middle line, has thousands of people, most of them know most of them. - The Top line, has only a few Hundreds, and everyone knows every-single-one! So if you mess with someone here....... I leave that for you to imagine. If I were a VC, I'd consider "People" having the highest weightage amongst all. Cheers to People!! #VCFunding #Venturecapitalist #people #Investmentthesis

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If you're into podcasts, check out "Startup Talks," organized by Startup Thamizha Official. I had the pleasure of speaking alongside Rohit Jhunjhunwala, Prem Kumar Barthasarathy, and Chirag Gupta, with Arun Natarajan as our host. The conversation covered the emphasis on deep tech and climate tech investments in Tamil Nadu. 🎧 [https://lnkd.in/gRyherUd] #TransitionVC #Investor #InvestorInsights

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V3 Ventures Deal Announcement: Creme Castle - A tech first driven assembly line bakery for Bharat! 🔥 While I was evaluating this file, a lot of people said - bakery? There are 100s of home bakers. How is this scalable? I would have agreed, until I met Pranjay Mittal, who brought innovation from IIT-D, FMS and CarDekho Group to his mom’s humble bakery in Noida. You might remember their Shark Tank episode where his mom famously said, “Main neend mein baking kar sakti hu” 😊 That passion is exactly what we want in founders! From a small bakery in Noida to now clocking monthly sales of over 1 Cr, Creme Castle is disrupting the $12.6 billion Indian bakery industry. 🎂 Here is why we invested… ✅Changing consumer behavior from mithai → cakes & desserts India is a land of festivals and no festival is complete without mithai. However, cakes & desserts are now taking center stage in these celebrations. as the Gen Z takes over. We all know India is trading up. So, there's a growing demand for Tiramisu in Tier 2 and 3. But, we’re lacking a player. ✅The Assembly Line Model: And, we need a player that’s standardized. The biggest problem with F&B is that when you order from the 2nd and 3rd outlet - the product isn’t as good. This is the most unique part of Creme Castle. Cakes are made in 3 components in a central kitchen - base (sponge), icing and customization. At spoke kitchen it’s only about putting these parts together - thus ensuring quality! ✅This industry is regionalized and heavily fragmented: Think about it, growing up, we all had cakes from our favorite local bakery. Every city has one, but when we moved for college or work - it wasn’t there. Cakes have a nostalgia factor associated with it and so making this change is hard. With all of this Creme Castle is can offer something India hasn’t seen before: - 100% customized cakes in just 2 hours - World's highest # of flavor profiles to choose from They have >10 Lakh loyal customers with a 60% repeat rate and we’re all geared up to expand from NCR to Jaipur and Chandigarh! We’re excited to back the mother-son duo of Veena and Pranjay to disrupt India’s cake market 🎂 What’s do you order cake? PS: Delhi-NCR folks, give us a try. Even available on Blinkit! #india #investment #startup #investor #entrepreneur

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Early stage startup founders: Don’t reach out to investors until you've done this! 1: Grants 2: Raised from Family & Friends 3: Raised though platform (CSOP) 4: Got a loan a subsidized interest rate (MUDRA, CGTMSE, PMEGP etc.) 5: Award money (Competition) If you have done all this, investors will most likely welcome you. Thoughts? Happy to learn. --------------------------------- 🗒️ Building: Entie | Find Investors, Cofounders, & Startups. 📈 Scaling: Meticulous B-Plans (Project Reports & Pitch Decks) ⭕ Follow: Yogesh Thite ⚡ Tags: #Startups #BusinessDating #Networking ---------------------------------

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𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬: 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐕𝐂𝐬 #FamilyOffices and investment connoisseurs, the time is ripe to embark on a journey into the #unlisted space and startup ecosystem that promises unparalleled growth, returns, and innovation. As the Indian #startup landscape continues to soar, partnering with venture capital (VC) firms has emerged as a strategic opportunity that you cannot afford to overlook. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: - India's startup ecosystem has given birth to 108 unicorns, 100+ soonicorns, and over 60K startups, attracting a staggering 9.5K+ investors (as of 2022). - Indian family offices and UHNIs have emerged as the top source for domestic capital in the VC ecosystem, contributing nearly 60% of the domestic capital raised in 2022. - According to J.P. Morgan, family offices allocate a substantial 46% of their total portfolio to alternative investments, including venture capital. 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬: VC firms have consistently delivered impressive returns for their limited partners (LPs). Notably in some VC firms, 90% of funds were initially allocated to public markets, with only 10% invested in the unlisted segment, including venture capital and angel funds. Over time, this allocation has shifted to a 60:40 split, with 40% now dedicated to unlisted equity investments. For instance, an early-stage fund recently closed its largest India-dedicated fund with around 40% of the capital coming from Indian LPs. Another fund, saw a remarkable 50% of its capital inflow from Indian family offices. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐕𝐂 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐬: 1. Unparalleled Deal Flow: VC firms possess extensive networks and industry expertise, providing unparalleled access to a curated pipeline of high-potential startups across diverse sectors. 2. Co-Investment Opportunities: As an LP in a VC fund, family offices gain exclusive co-investment rights, enabling them to participate in promising deals alongside experienced investment teams. 3. Sector Expertise: VC firms often specialize in specific sectors, offering family offices access to deep domain knowledge, industry dynamics, and emerging trends. 4. Engaging the Next Generation: Investing in this new asset class opens up conversations and engaging discussions with the younger generation of the family office, bringing a fresh outlook to building the next wave of wealth creation. Let's connect on and collectively shape the future of #entrepreneurship and innovation in India. Sakshi Vora Jenny Mehta #FamilyOffice #VentureCapital #StartupEcosystem #AlternativeInvestments #InnovationLeaders

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Well put, Rohit Goyal I don't think there is any political party that is rabidly "anti-startup", so there will be general continuity in #economicpolicy as it related to the #earlystage ecosystem. If the incumbent has been policy-friendly. and they retain power, then there will be assured continuity and even amplification of pro-startup policies. Money flowing into startups has both a #macroeconomic and #microeconomic element. The macro picture seems to be pricing in a return of the ruling BJP (as evinced by #publicmarkets performance today). The micro picture relates to how policies support startups and #innovations versus other asset classes - stocks, bonds, #realestate, gold etc. Better the policies, lesser the startup risk; lesser the risk premium, lower the #WACC. Lower the WACC, higher the valuations. Accompanied by an increase in the inward money flow #startupindia #VC #VentureCapital

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The evolution of India's alternative investment fund (#AIF) ecosystem has been remarkable. Just 5-6 years ago, there were fewer than 150 AIFs, especially in the VC scenario. Today, we have more than 1000, including micro-VCs, angel funds, and Category 1 and 2 funds. It's fascinating to observe the amount of money and dry powder available in the country. A noteworthy trend is increasing domestic participation in AIFs. Previously, 10-15% of the money was raised domestically, with the rest from overseas sources. However, this balance is rapidly shifting, with domestic #fundraising gaining momentum. The diverse range of funds and increasing domestic participation reflects the maturity of the Indian #investment landscape. It also signals rapidly growing #investor confidence in India's economic potential.

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Deep-engaged, startup specific mentoring is what startups get in the Caret Accelerator. Of course, apart from capital. So, if you are a startup disrupting mobility, distribution (supply chain) or employment/employability, apply soon. Applications close next week. (Shortlisting process has commenced. Over 400 applications in already.)

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Launching a Bigger & Faster Antler Residency 5 today! - With a special new Agreement for Rolling Capital (ARC) committing $500k (Rs. 4 Cr) for all our future investments - And a formal launch of the Antler Forward program and Antler Spotlight to help founders post investment build their first MVP and get momentum for their rolling seed raise from micro-VCs / VCs Here are the next level details - Bigger - We are launching the Antler ARC (Agreement for Rolling Capital) where we commit $500k (Rs. 4 Cr) to every single investment via Residency (Individuals or Teams) - The first $250k (Rs. 2 Cr) comes in upfront for 9%. We also commit to investing an additional $250K in the next 9 months, matching 50% of the funds raised by the startup from other micro-VCs, syndicates and VCs. This helps the startup raise upto $1Mn within the first 6-9 months while maintaining the core discipline of frugality. The ARC is designed in a way to be a Win-Win for the founders most importantly, and for the ecosystem in general. We are also committing to make 20 new investments in the next 6 months - that's $10Mn from our $75Mn Antler India fund - hence doubling our investment pace! (Link to more details of the ARC + Link to an AMA later today - in the comments section) Faster - in addition to our bi-annual 'Residency for Individuals' where we help stellar individuals with ideas find co-founders and clarity for venture scale, we have now made our 'Residency for Teams' rolling! That means, you can come in as a team with strong conviction of an idea or a particular problem statement that you are looking to solve, and we will work with you within just a 4 week period to help you understand the venture fundability of the idea and give you the same ARC commitment of $500k super-fast! Post investment, we will also help you with your Seed raise via our newly announced Antler Forward program as well as a phenomenally planned Antler Spotlight event which saw the who's who of the micro-VC, syndicate and VC ecosystem, for a strong seed raise within just 6 months! (Link to apply for the Residency - also in the Comments section) Of course, if you are still figuring out the space or idea that you want to build for and solving for all the ambiguities in the head during your -1 to 0 phase as you take the first steps towards becoming a founder, our Next 100 content our exclusive 'Before Day Zero' community of potential builders already numbering almost 350+ super smart individuals is waiting for you! (Links for both Next 100 and Before Day Zero Community - also in the Comments section) To summarise, if you have just started building, or looking to be a builder in the coming 6 months, there's no better place than Antler to look towards! (PS - if you had typed 'Build' in response to our last post, you will get an email from us in the next 48-72 hours) With Nitin Sharma and the entire Antler India team

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Valuation is a buzzword that the industry and I myself have touched upon multiple times. It is a major driver for most startups today. And startups have seen a huge boom over the past decade in this country. Valuation and startups seemed like a match made in heaven, until recently. Developments have highlighted the perils of prioritizing high valuations over sustainable growth and robust corporate governance. A famous ed-tech startup, once valued at $22 billion, aimed to transform education with its innovative and fresh approach to education. Despite this, its valuation plummeted by 99% due to weak governance. Similarly, another fintech startup faced severe restrictions from the RBI due to non-compliance issues, causing its stock price to tumble. These stories are not isolated. Multiple other startups have faltered due to poor governance practices. The drive for rapid growth and headline-grabbing valuations often leads to disregarding regulations and industry governance standards. The result? Disruptions and breakdowns that could have been avoided with better governance. Corporate governance lapses are not limited to startups. Large traditional organizations have also suffered due to similar issues. The common thread is a lack of transparency, accountability, and responsible management. For sustainable success, Indian founders must prioritize good governance. VCs should guide their portfolio companies to value ethical practices while also focusing on valuations. A positive reputation for ethical conduct and effective governance enhances brand value, and market competitiveness, and ensures long-term success. Chasing high valuations at the expense of good governance is a recipe for disaster. Good corporate governance and a focus on building value is the key to build a more resilient startup ecosystem. #startups #valuation #valuationrace

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Crunchbase "state of the union" article on YTD funding for 2024. Per crunchbase, "First-quarter startup investment globally had its second-worst quarter since 2018." There is some good news though for AI and Healthcare as they emerge as the front-runners in the funding race- Security related software, however, was just a third of what it was circa 2021. While the article paints a bleak picture of the tech sector I have heard speculation from a myriad of PC and consulting companies that the second half of 2024 is poised for tremendous growth as PE and VC will look to take their money off the sidelines and put it back to work. I, along with many of you (I imagine), are hoping they are right this time. https://lnkd.in/empVt7-w

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What happens when a Founder leaves after raising funds or for some reason can't continue? What Happens to Investor Money in that case? This is a genuine concern, and the answer lies in a term you might find in your term sheet - Reverse Vesting. Reverse vesting happens when founders already own their shares from day one but agree that the company can buy back these shares at a nominal price if they leave early. Typically this reverse vesting is of four-year period with a One-year Cliff. So if any founder leaves before one year(cliff), he has to sell all his shares to the company at nominal prices. This is generally a good practice to prevent startups from failing because of cofounder issues or early founder exits. Share your thoughts, and ask doubts about anything related to startups

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B. Incube and Wadhwani Foundation are excited to announce 12-week LiftOff Program for 2024. This program is tailored to assist startups with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) in building a compelling value proposition and establishing a sustainable and scalable business model.  Why You Should Apply:  -Set Your Goals for Sustainable Growth: Establish clear and achievable objectives for long-term success. -Strengthen Your Business: Leverage the expertise of WEN faculty, members, and tools to fortify your business strategy. -Learn from the Best: Gain insights from Indian startup case studies and fireside chats with seasoned entrepreneurs. -Prepare for Your Investor Pitch: Participate in a professional pitch clinic designed to refine your presentation skills. -Pitch Live to Fund Agencies: Present your business to commercial investors and funding agencies. -Secure Funding on Your Terms: Close your subsequent funding rounds with favorable conditions.  Program Highlights:  -Expert Guidance: Receive valuable resources and mentorship from industry experts. -Interactive Learning: Engage in hands-on learning experiences through case studies and live discussions. -Investor Readiness: Develop a polished pitch and present it to potential investors. Important Details: Application Deadline: June 9, 2024 Program Duration: 12 weeks Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your startup to new heights. Apply now and take the next step towards achieving sustainable growth and securing funding for your business. To know more visit: https://lnkd.in/dNwWGmc9 Join our structured program today and turn your business vision into reality! #aiilsg #bincube #startupindia #startupcommunity #startupecosystem #startups #startupfounders #incubationprogram #entrepreneurship #scaleup #bilaspurcity #bilaspursmartcity #chhattisgarh #hamarbilaspur

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Rajan Anandan, Managing Director at Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India) shared two simple methods that can help founders to find whether they have achieved Product-Market Fit (PMF) 👇 The First is "Retention Curve" - "The retention curve is what percentage of your users keep coming back over some time while using your product/service." Essentially, there are 3 kinds of retention curves, and you should plot this curve by day, week, or month, once you launch your product. 1. Declining Curve (dark grey line), let's say you’ve launched a consumer internet app on day 0, and every week your retention rate declines by 10%, which essentially means that by the end of 3rd month, all your initial users would have churned, then that's a declining curve, which indicates that you don’t have a product-market fit. 2. Flattening Curve (orange line) is actually good, although it kind of varies depending upon the category (Health-Tech, EdTech, etc.,) but generically speaking if the retention curve flattens between 20%-40% that could be quite good. 3. Finally the best one is the Smiling Retention Curve (green line), which means that retention drops but then as time goes on you keep reactivating users, which indicates that you're getting close to your product-market fit. Another question that founder should think is - 2. Do Customers Love Product? Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a metric that organizations use to measure customer loyalty toward their brand, product or service. NPS works by asking your customers a single question: "How likely are you to recommend our products/services to others?" NPS = % Promoters (score 9-10) - % Detractors (score 0-6) If the magic score is = 70% or more, then you have an amazing product-market fit. But if the number declines to 40% or below, then you don’t have it. It's that simple! What do you think of these two methods? 🚀 Check out my free newsletter for insights: https://lnkd.in/dKZQKHg2 . #startup #fundraising #venturecapital #funding #fundraising #founders #founderjourney #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #founderstories #startuptips #sharktankindia #siliconvalley #startups #vc #vcfund #vcfunding #funding #startups #pmf #product #sequoiacapital

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After hosting 150+ founders in Mumbai, we are back in Namma ‘luru to host 400+ founders in a single day. Yes, you heard that right - 400+ founders under a single venue👇🏼 As we try to impact 1,000 founders outside the GrowthX® community this year, the revenue impact on their companies is insane - a single day of masterclass plus panel discussion setting has an extremely high ROI for founders solving pure DHANDA. So what should you expect? 1/ Intense learning session (120 mins) You will design a low CAC distribution channel for your product. Followed by a session where you will learn how to build, retain and run growth teams & attract top talent. 2/ Founder focused fireside chat (60 mins) Growing revenue is a lonely battle, hear from Saurabh, Sudarshan, Arvind & Rasik who’ve overcome the struggle and built a sustainable revenue pipeline for their respective companies. Listen to their wins, losses & exchange notes in this in-person episode of "Off the record" 3/ Founder exclusive networking mixer. Speak to a diverse selection of Seed to Series B+ founders. Learn how they are cracking revenue led growth and exchange notes on actionable frameworks that have worked for them. Get priceless advice from founders who have been in the trenches & tried things. If you are a founder struggling to plan the revenue roadmap for the next 1 year, don’t miss out on this one. This is going to be a game changer. Link to register is in the comments 👇🏼

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Managing a VC fund is not as easy or glamorous as it might seem. While there are opportunities, there are also many challenges. Here's a candid conversation with Dr. Srikanth Sundararajan general partner at VenturEast Investing since 1997! Dr. Sundararajan has experience in both the US and Indian startup ecosystems and has witnessed the evolution of the venture capital industry. He shares valuable insights on how to improve the investment landscape, focusing on policy and regulatory changes. Link to the video in the first comment. #venturecapital Excluto

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We are pulling together names for the roles in our ecosystem and would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on these proposed titles and their descriptions: 1. Venture Contributor - Actively engages in various projects within the collective, contributing skills and knowledge to propel ventures forward. 2. Venture Coach - Provides holistic guidance and hands-on support, helping entrepreneurs develop their skills, refine their strategies, and navigate challenges within the ecosystem. 3. Venture Advisor - Offers strategic insights and expert advice, focusing on specific challenges and opportunities to optimize venture outcomes. 4. Venture Angel - Invests resources and capital in promising ventures, supporting growth and scalability through financial backing and strategic guidance. 5. Venture Visionary - Identifies future trends and opportunities, guiding the collective's strategic direction and ensuring long-term relevance and impact. 6. Venture Architect - Designs and structures business models and systems, ensuring that ventures are built on a solid, scalable foundation. 7. Venture Innovator - Drives innovation and creative problem-solving, pushing the boundaries of what is possible within the venture ecosystem. 8. Venture Operator - Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring that ventures operate smoothly and efficiently, maintaining stability and continuity. 9. Venture Growth Strategist - Focuses on scaling ventures and expanding their market reach, developing and implementing growth strategies to maximize impact. 10. Venture Scout - Scouts for new talent and investment opportunities, expanding the collective's resources and capabilities through strategic additions. 11. Ecosystem Integrator - Facilitates the integration of various initiatives and resources within the ecosystem, enhancing synergy and collaborative potential. 12. Ecosystem Evangelist - Advocates for the venture collective's vision and values, promoting its initiatives both within and outside the community to garner support and recognition. 13. Cross-Border Specialist - Specializes in extending the collective's reach into international markets, navigating diverse regulatory environments and cultural landscapes. 14. Venture Resident Entrepreneur - Serves as a seasoned entrepreneur within the collective, leveraging deep industry knowledge and entrepreneurial experience to incubate new ideas, mentor upcoming founders, and drive strategic initiatives. This role focuses on turning innovative concepts into scalable businesses, offering a blend of leadership, mentorship, and hands-on development support. Your insights are invaluable as we refine these roles to better support our collective goals. Looking forward to your thoughts!

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