A Junior VC Closes Rs 100 Crore Fund for Startups in India

A Junior VC (AJVC), founded by Aviral Bhatnagar, has successfully finalised its first fund, amounting to Rs 100 crore, targeted at investing in pre-seed startups across India. Aviral Bhatnagar previously worked as an investor at the early-stage investment company Venture Highway, leaving just before the firm was acquired by General Catalyst, a firm based in Silicon Valley, in June 2024.

This new fund from AJVC is set to invest in 12 to 15 pre-seed startups each year, with a keen interest in burgeoning sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), software-as-a-service (SaaS), and consumer technology.

The fund enjoys robust backing from domestic sources, including Indian family offices, founders of renowned Indian tech unicorns, and senior leaders from prominent investment firms, who are serving as limited partners.

AJVC adheres to a traditional investment model, providing Rs 1.5 crore in exchange for a 9% equity interest in startups. Up to now, the firm has allocated funds to nine pre-seed stage startups that span various sectors, including AI, B2B, consumer brands, and consumer technology. Remarkably, some of these startups are located in regions such as Assam and Jharkhand.