Info Edge Leads Investment in AI and DeepTech Startups

Info Edge has positioned itself as a pioneer in the support of artificial intelligence and deeptech startups in India. The parent company of Naukri.com has invested over Rs 1,000 crore in 54 companies since 2020, as highlighted in a recent communication to shareholders.

Investment Breakdown

The company has allocated Rs 614 crore to 28 AI startups, while Rs 455 crore has been directed toward 30 deeptech firms through its various investment platforms, including Redstart Labs, Capital 2B, and Info Edge Ventures funds.

Valuation of Portfolios

Currently, the valuation of Info Edge’s AI portfolio stands at Rs 1,268 crore, representing a 2.1X return on the invested capital and an estimated gross internal rate of return (IRR) of approximately 31%. In contrast, the deeptech portfolio is valued at Rs 559 crore, yielding a 1.2X return and an estimated gross IRR of 15%.

Early Investments in AI

Many of these investments were made ahead of the global surge in AI funding, allowing Info Edge to support startups in the early phases of product development and intellectual property generation.

Key Players in the AI Portfolio

Among the startups in Info Edge’s AI portfolio are Aftershoot, Attentive AI, Gnani.ai, Lumiq, Phot.ai, Pascal AI, and Kris@Work. These companies span various sectors, including enterprise AI, consumer AI, AI infrastructure, and vertical SaaS applications. According to Info Edge, 15 out of the 28 AI startups have successfully secured follow-on funding from investors such as Insight Partners, Peak XV, SIG, and Vertex.

DeepTech Portfolio Insights

The deeptech investments encompass areas like robotics, semiconductors, spacetech, biotech, advanced manufacturing, and electric mobility. Notable investments include Unbox Robotics, ePlane, Manastu Space, Bharat Semi, Botsync, Matter Motors, and Avammune. Additionally, 13 of the 30 deeptech companies have attracted external funding from institutional investors and sovereign initiatives.

Support from Government Initiatives

Several portfolio companies have also benefited from government programmes. For example, the Voice AI startup Gnani.ai received GPU compute credits valued at Rs 177 crore under the IndiaAI Mission. Similarly, the spacetech startup Manastu Space and the electric air mobility firm ePlane were allocated Rs 115 crore and Rs 285 crore, respectively, from the government’s Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) scheme.

Overall Investment Impact

In total, Info Edge and its associated funds have invested nearly Rs 4,900 crore across 135 startups. The overall portfolio is now valued at approximately Rs 41,300 crore, with a significant portion of this value yet to be realised. The company has reiterated its preference for IPOs as the main exit strategy, citing successful outcomes in cases like Eternal and PB Fintech.