Equentis Wealth Advisory Services has unveiled its inaugural Category I Alternative Investment Fund (AIF), the Equentis Angel Fund, with an ambitious target corpus of Rs 500 crore (approximately $60 million). The fund aims to fuel the growth of early-stage, high-potential startups in India, focusing primarily on Pre-Series A and Bridge-to-Series A rounds. Investments will range between Rs 4–10 crore ($500K–$1.2 million), offering crucial growth capital to startups at a critical stage of their journey.
Focus on High-Growth Startups with Strong Market Potential
The Equentis Angel Fund will concentrate on startups operating in sectors such as defense, consumer technology, deep tech, logistics technology, fintech, and artificial intelligence (AI). These industries are viewed as pivotal to India’s economic future, with the fund targeting companies poised to scale and achieve significant growth in the coming years.
A key criterion for investment will be a strong total addressable market (TAM) of at least Rs 8,000 crore ($1 billion), signaling the vast potential for long-term success. The fund’s leadership believes that companies with a solid growth trajectory in these high-demand sectors will be best positioned to generate returns for investors.
Ambitious Investment Plan Over the Next Two Years
Over the next 18-24 months, the Equentis Angel Fund plans to invest in 40-50 startups, providing capital to accelerate their business scaling efforts. By focusing on companies in the Pre-Series A and Bridge-to-Series A stages, Equentis hopes to position itself as a key player in supporting India’s dynamic startup ecosystem, which has shown incredible resilience and growth potential.
According to market research, India now boasts over 128,000 startups, making it the third-largest startup ecosystem globally. In 2024 alone, startups in India have already raised over $10 billion, with projections indicating that the total capital raised will exceed $15 billion by the end of the year. The rise of Angel Funds, including Category I AIFs and venture capital funds (VCFs), is contributing to this wave of growth, with approximately $1 billion in commitments to Angel Funds alone.
First Investment in Yatnavat (OORJAA)
Equentis has already made its first investment under the new fund in Yatnavat, a company operating under the brand OORJAA. This marks the beginning of the fund’s mission to identify and nurture the next generation of high-impact, innovative startups across India.
With its strategic focus and robust capital backing, the Equentis Angel Fund is poised to become a leading force in the Indian venture capital space, helping startups achieve their growth ambitions while contributing to the country’s economic development.
