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Entrepreneur and Investor Neeraj Tyagi, Co-Founder of We Founder Circle, Passes Away at

• ByStartupStory     |    August 18, 2025

The Indian startup ecosystem is mourning the loss of entrepreneur and investor Neeraj Tyagi, who passed away on Saturday, August 16, at the age of around 50, as reported by Moneycontrol.

Tyagi was a prominent voice in India’s early-stage ecosystem. He co-founded We Founder Circle (WFC), Avinya Ventures, and Invstt, playing a key role in strengthening India’s angel investing network. At WFC, Tyagi helped build one of the country’s most active angel networks, facilitating over 100 startup deals in the past three years.

Beyond institutional platforms, Tyagi was also a prolific angel investor with over 60 personal investments, including early bets on BluSmart, Rooter, Zypp Electric, Oben Electric, Anveshan, ClearDekho, and HealthySure. His LinkedIn profile further highlighted investments in Garuda Aerospace, Hesa, and Rooter.gg, underscoring his interest in EVs, drones, and rural fintech.

Tributes poured in from across the ecosystem. Pee Safe founder Vikas Bagaria wrote: “I woke up today to the heartbreaking news of the untimely passing of Neeraj Tyagi, the founder of We Founder Circle.”

Infynit founder Ritesh Jain added: “Deeply saddened by the sudden passing of dear friend Neeraj Tyagi. Hard to believe—we spoke just days ago, and I still remember him saying ‘life is too fragile.’”

Before launching his own platforms, Tyagi served as Managing Partner at Venture Catalysts, where he contributed to fundraising for more than 200 companies. Earlier, he also ran a content production business that worked with Microsoft, Google, Network18, and Whirlpool.

Tyagi frequently spoke at startup events and academic institutions and had completed executive education at MIT Sloan, leaving behind a legacy of mentorship and ecosystem development.

His passing marks a significant loss to India’s entrepreneurial community.

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