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Antler Expands India Portfolio with 30 Startups in 2024, Totaling 80 Companies

• ByStartupStory     |    December 4, 2024

Global early-stage venture capital firm Antler has significantly strengthened its presence in India by investing in 30 startups in 2024, bringing its total portfolio in the country to 80 companies. These investments were made through Antler’s inaugural India fund, which stands at $75 million. The startups span diverse sectors, including AI, consumer technology, fintech, deep tech, health, and climate.

The new additions to Antler’s India portfolio were selected from a pool of over 25,000 founders who engaged with Antler’s platform throughout 2024. This growing portfolio reflects Antler’s belief in India’s rising prominence as a hub for global innovation.

Rajiv Srivatsa, Partner at Antler India, expressed his excitement about the caliber of Indian startups emerging from the platform. “We’re seeing exceptional founding teams emerge from India’s talent pool, many of whom have deep expertise in AI, and emerging technologies. What’s particularly exciting is that these founders are not just building for India, but are leveraging India’s talent to solve global problems,” he said.

The 30 startups in the latest cohort include companies across a wide range of industries. Notable names in the portfolio include Bizup, a wholesale marketplace for fashion retail; Cautio, which offers AI-powered dashcam solutions; and Freshcon, a company that simplifies home cooking with ready-to-cook staples. Other innovative startups include HireBound, focusing on AI-driven recruitment, and Infer.so, which is developing voice bots for the insurance and lending industries.

The cohort also features Meine Electric, a pioneer in renewable energy through aluminium-air fuel cell technology, and Sustvest, which is building a fintech-led solar energy platform. Financial innovation and sustainable mobility are also well represented with startups like Keeper, Maximize Money, and Milo Drive. Meanwhile, Wonder is providing interactive audio solutions for children, and Namma Yatri is working to transform mobility through driver-focused platforms.

Several other startups in the portfolio are focused on reimagining traditional sectors. Proof of Skill is rethinking job credentialing, while Storefox.ai aims to revolutionize offline retail intelligence. Additionally, Interface Labs is a workplace automation studio, and Kubo Care offers health monitoring solutions.

In his comments, Rajiv Srivatsa highlighted the firm’s belief in the future of Indian startups: “Our investment pace reflects both the quality of the founders we’re meeting and our conviction that the next wave of global technology companies will emerge from India. We’ve invested in 30 companies this year, many of which were born in our Residency programme, where founders had the opportunity to validate their ideas, build strong teams, and get early customer traction before raising their first check.”

Some of the startups within Antler’s portfolio are currently operating in stealth mode, keeping their innovations under wraps as they prepare for market entry.

Antler’s next Residency cohort in India is scheduled to begin in February 2025. The venture capital firm operates in 30 cities worldwide, including Bengaluru, Austin, London, and Tokyo, and has backed over 1,300 startups globally. Looking ahead, Antler plans to support more than 6,000 startups by 2030.

Rajiv Srivatsa and Nitin Sharma, both general partners at Antler India, are also the co-founders of the Antler India Fund, which has been instrumental in driving the firm’s expansion and success in the Indian market.

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