The Visionary Investors Behind India’s Startup Boom in 2024

Startup Investors Who Made a Remarkable Impact on the Indian Startup Ecosystem in 2024

In 2024, a multitude of investors played a pivotal role in shaping the Indian startup ecosystem. These firms contributed significantly to the growth of emerging startups across sectors, providing crucial funding to help them scale. Below are some of the top investors who made a remarkable impact this year.

Stride Ventures

Stride Ventures, a prominent venture debt firm, saw immense activity in 2024, being involved in 76 funding rounds. Some of the notable startups backed by Stride Ventures included Ola Electric (electric mobility), BlueStone (jewelry), PharmEasy (digital pharmacy), and Ather Energy (electric two-wheelers). Founded in 2019 by Ishpreet Gandhi, Stride Ventures continues to focus on diverse sectors such as fintech, healthtech, mobility, agritech, and energy solutions. The firm’s success reflects its strategy of empowering businesses with the capital needed to thrive in a competitive landscape.

AngelList India

AngelList India played an instrumental role in the startup scene by participating in 120 deals in 2024, marking the highest deal count in India’s rapidly growing startup ecosystem. This year, AngelList backed several high-potential startups, including Ambak (fintech), Boba Bhai (bubble tea), The Hosteller (traveltech), and WorkHack (deeptech). Founded by Naval Ravikant in 2009, AngelList pioneered the rolling fund concept in 2020, revolutionizing how venture capital operates by offering an efficient funding model for new investors. It introduced its India-focused angel fund in 2019 to back the country's most promising startups.

Stride Ventures

Stride Ventures emerged as a key player, having invested in 76 startups in 2024. The venture debt firm made notable contributions to Ola Electric, BlueStone, PharmEasy, Lohum Cleantech, and Ather Energy. Founded in 2019, Stride Ventures has quickly grown into one of the most active firms in India's startup ecosystem, focusing on a range of sectors, including fintech, mobility, agritech, and healthtech.

Alteria Capital

Alteria Capital, a Mumbai-based venture debt firm, was involved in 73 deals in 2024, supporting innovative startups like Ola Electric, OneCard (fintech), and Rebel Foods (cloud kitchens). Established in 2017, Alteria Capital provides venture debt to startups backed by large venture capital firms. With a diverse portfolio that spans sectors like fintech, AI, mobility, and consumer tech, Alteria continues to be a major player in the Indian startup funding landscape.

DeVC

DeVC, an early-stage venture capital firm, closed 60 deals in 2024. It provided capital to companies such as Terractive (activewear), KILRR (instant marinades), and Felicity Games (gaming). Founded in 2022, DeVC focuses on angel, seed, and pre-seed investments across a variety of industries, including tech, B2B, and consumer goods. With an investment range of $50K to $500K, DeVC has already backed over 70 startups and continues to be a vital part of India's evolving startup ecosystem.

100X.VC

Founded in 2019, 100X.VC closed 54 deals in 2024, continuing to support a diverse portfolio of startups in industries like cleantech, fintech, retail tech, and B2B SaaS. Some of its investments include The Naturik Co (breakfast brand), Zafo Technologies (B2B marketplace), and Zircle (cleantech). In October, the firm announced a new cohort of startups, investing $160K in each of them through iSAFE notes. 100X.VC’s sector-agnostic approach and focus on early-stage startups have made it one of the most influential VC firms in India.

Blume Ventures

Blume Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm, was involved in 58 deals in 2024. The Mumbai-based firm invested in companies such as Interview Kickstart (job prep), Optimo (MSME lending), Clientell (AI SaaS), and Bambrew (sustainable packaging). Since its inception in 2011, Blume has become known for its investments in sectors like AI, agritech, fintech, healthtech, and edtech. Blume Ventures’ portfolio includes companies like Unacademy (edtech) and Purplle (ecommerce).

Trifecta Capital

Trifecta Capital, a well-established venture debt firm, participated in 55 deals in 2024, backing notable companies like Kaleidofin (fintech) and KISSHT (digital lending). Founded in 2014 by Rahul Khanna and Nilesh Kothari, Trifecta specializes in non-dilutive financing for early-stage and growth-stage startups. With over 160 investments in startups such as Atomberg and BigBasket, Trifecta continues to be a key provider of growth capital for promising Indian startups.

ah! Ventures

Mumbai-based ah! Ventures participated in 51 deals in 2024, providing funding to startups like Plan B (ecommerce), CredoHire (HRtech), and Urban Farms (agritech). Founded by Harshod Lahoti and Abhijeet Kumar, ah! Ventures has been actively investing in early-stage companies across various sectors. In 2022, the firm set up an angel fund with a corpus of INR 100 Cr to further support startups in their initial stages.

InnoVen Capital

InnoVen Capital, another leading venture debt firm, participated in 48 deals in 2024. Some of its key investments included BlueStone (jewelry), Ather Energy (EVs), and BharatPe (fintech). A joint venture between Temasek and United Overseas Bank, InnoVen has backed over 120 startups since its inception in 2015. With a focus on providing flexible financing solutions to early and growth-stage companies, InnoVen continues to play a crucial role in the Indian startup ecosystem.

Inflection Point Ventures

Inflection Point Ventures (IPV) also made waves in 2024 by announcing 48 deals. The platform, founded in 2018, backed emerging startups in sectors like EV ride-hailing, D2C goods, and beauty tech. IPV connects over 18,000 angel investors with startups, helping them raise crucial capital at the early stages. With a wide network of investors, IPV has funded over 210 deals and continues to support startups with high-growth potential.

Conclusion

The startup ecosystem in India has flourished in 2024, thanks to the significant contributions of these venture debt and angel investment firms. From providing seed capital to backing emerging tech startups, their investments have not only fueled growth but have also paved the way for innovation across sectors. As we look ahead, these investors will undoubtedly continue to play a crucial role in shaping the future of India’s entrepreneurial landscape.

Information has been sourced from various web sources.