9Unicorns Launches ProStar, an Exclusive Fundraising Event for Growth-Stage Companies

• ByStartupStory     |    July 27, 2023

Early-stage accelerator 9Unicorns has unveiled ProStar, a pioneering three-part fundraising event, in collaboration with JM Financial. ProStar aims to establish a robust support ecosystem and platform for growth-stage companies, facilitating capital raising from prominent Indian and global private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) funds. The inaugural event is set to take place in Bengaluru on August 1-2, followed by subsequent sessions in Singapore and the United States.

ProStar is an exclusive fundraising event specifically designed for growth-stage portfolio startups and companies from Venture Catalysts++ and 9Unicorns. The selected participants will have the opportunity to raise significant funding, ranging from $25 million to $100 million, from renowned global investors.

The three-phased event will commence in Bengaluru on August 1-2, where it will be conducted in association with the digital and tech investment banking team of JM Financial. The two-day event will witness growth-stage companies and senior investment team members from PE and growth-stage venture capital funds engaging in pre-scheduled, focused fundraise meetings.

Having previously achieved remarkable success with D-Day, an event that raised $3-10 million for Series A-stage portfolio companies, 9Unicorns is now committed to empowering growth-stage companies through ProStar. The Venture Catalysts group has successfully nurtured and created over 100 “soonicorns,” and ProStar is poised to act as a catalyst, propelling these soonicorns towards the unicorn status.

Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, Founder and MD of 9Unicorns and Venture Catalysts++, expressed the company’s vision, stating, “Through ProStar, we’re now focused on helping 15+ of our growth-stage startups raise strategic investments. ProStar is enabling a support ecosystem and platform for growth-stage companies to raise capital from global investors. With ProStar, we aim to create an exclusive network of big PE and VC firms making big-ticket investments in demonstrated successful startups.”

Ankit Jain, Partner at 9Unicorns Accelerator Fund, emphasized the significance of creating platforms like ProStar, stating, “As India is becoming an epicentre for the venture ecosystem, creating fundraising platforms like ProStar for growth-stage companies will further strengthen access to India opportunities for global investors.”

Abhishek Bhagat, Managing Director of Digital and Technology Investment Banking at JM Financial, hailed the event’s importance, remarking, “Growth-stage startups are the real proxy for the development of the venture ecosystem of the country. Our association with 9Unicorns for ProStar is a crucial step for the India venture ecosystem to reinforce confidence among global private equity and venture funds in Indian growth-stage opportunities!”

ProStar has garnered immense interest, with thirty-plus growth-stage funds, marquee private equity funds, sovereign funds, and corporate groups eagerly joining the event in Bengaluru.

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