The VC Wire · 2026 Reference Guide
India VC Landscape Cheat Sheet
Everything a founder needs to know — on one page
Top 25 Active VCs in India (2026)
| # | Firm | Stage Focus | Typical Check Size | Key Sectors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sequoia Capital India (Peak XV) | Seed → Growth | $0.5M – $100M+ | Consumer, SaaS, Fintech |
| 2 | Accel India | Seed → Series B | $0.5M – $30M | SaaS, Consumer, Infra |
| 3 | Lightspeed India | Seed → Series B | $1M – $30M | Enterprise, Consumer, Health |
| 4 | Elevation Capital | Seed → Series B | $1M – $25M | Consumer, SaaS, Fintech |
| 5 | Matrix Partners India (Z47) | Seed → Series A | $0.5M – $15M | Fintech, SaaS, Consumer |
| 6 | Nexus Venture Partners | Seed → Series B | $0.5M – $20M | Deep Tech, SaaS, Agri |
| 7 | Blume Ventures | Pre-Seed → Seed | $0.2M – $3M | Sector Agnostic |
| 8 | India Quotient | Pre-Seed → Seed | $0.1M – $2M | Bharat-first, Consumer |
| 9 | Chiratae Ventures | Seed → Series B | $1M – $15M | Enterprise, Health, Consumer |
| 10 | Kalaari Capital | Seed → Series A | $0.5M – $10M | Consumer, Gaming, Health |
| 11 | 3one4 Capital | Seed → Series A | $0.5M – $8M | SaaS, Climate, Deep Tech |
| 12 | Stellaris Venture Partners | Seed → Series A | $0.5M – $8M | SaaS, Fintech, Health |
| 13 | Jungle Ventures | Series A → B | $5M – $30M | SaaS, Fintech, Consumer |
| 14 | Tiger Global | Series A → Growth | $10M – $100M+ | Tech, Consumer, Fintech |
| 15 | Bessemer Venture Partners | Series A → Growth | $5M – $50M | SaaS, Cloud, Consumer |
| 16 | Omnivore Partners | Seed → Series A | $0.5M – $5M | Agri, Food, Climate |
| 17 | Venture Highway | Seed | $0.2M – $3M | Consumer, SaaS |
| 18 | Arkam Ventures | Seed → Series A | $0.5M – $5M | Bharat, Fintech, Health |
| 19 | WaterBridge Ventures | Pre-Seed → Seed | $0.1M – $2M | Sector Agnostic |
| 20 | Fireside Ventures | Seed → Series A | $0.5M – $5M | Consumer Brands, D2C |
| 21 | Iron Pillar | Series B → Growth | $10M – $40M | SaaS, Enterprise |
| 22 | Fundamentum Partnership | Series B → C | $10M – $30M | Fintech, Health, Logistics |
| 23 | A91 Partners | Series B → Growth | $10M – $40M | Consumer, Fintech, SaaS |
| 24 | Pravega Ventures | Seed | $0.2M – $2M | Deep Tech, Climate |
| 25 | Antler India | Pre-Seed | $0.1M – $0.5M | Sector Agnostic, Day-0 |
The Fundraising Timeline
Month 1–2: Preparation
Build data room, refine pitch deck (12–15 slides), prepare financial model, create target investor list of 50–80 firms
Month 2–3: Warm Intros & First Meetings
Activate network for warm introductions, send teaser decks, schedule 3–5 meetings per week
Month 3–4: Deep Dives & Partner Meetings
Second meetings with interested firms, partner-level presentations, reference checks begin
Month 4–5: Term Sheets & Negotiation
Receive term sheets, negotiate valuation and terms, select lead investor, coordinate co-investors
Month 5–6: Due Diligence & Close
Legal DD, SHA/SSA drafting, board composition, funds wire — celebrate 🎉
Key Terms Glossary
Company’s value before the new investment. Post-money = pre-money + investment amount.
Reduction in existing shareholders’ ownership percentage when new shares are issued to investors.
Investor’s right to get paid first (usually 1x their investment) before common shareholders in an exit event.
Protection that adjusts investor’s conversion price if a future round is at a lower valuation (down round).
Shares reserved for employee stock options, typically 10–15% of post-money. Usually created pre-investment (dilutes founders).
Allows majority shareholders to force minority holders to join in a sale of the company.
Existing investors’ right to participate in future rounds before new investors, maintaining their ownership.
Simple Agreement for Future Equity — converts to shares at next priced round. No interest, no maturity date.
Spreadsheet showing all shareholders, their ownership percentages, and how they change across funding rounds.
Lead investors typically get a board seat. Early-stage boards: 3 seats (1 founder, 1 investor, 1 independent).
Stage-by-Stage Funding Guide
🌱 Pre-Seed ($50K – $500K)
What you need: Idea + founding team + early prototype/MVP
Who funds: Angel investors, accelerators (Y Combinator, Antler, 100X.VC), friends & family
Typical dilution: 10–15%
🌿 Seed ($500K – $3M)
What you need: Working product + early traction (users, revenue, or strong engagement metrics)
Who funds: Seed-stage VCs (Blume, India Quotient, WaterBridge, Venture Highway)
Typical dilution: 15–25%
🚀 Series A ($3M – $15M)
What you need: Product-market fit + repeatable growth engine + $1M+ ARR (for SaaS) or strong unit economics
Who funds: Accel, Elevation, Lightspeed, Matrix/Z47, Stellaris
Typical dilution: 20–30%
📈 Series B ($15M – $50M)
What you need: Proven scale + strong revenue growth + clear path to profitability or market dominance
Who funds: Peak XV, Tiger Global, Bessemer, Iron Pillar, A91 Partners
Typical dilution: 15–25%
🏆 Series C+ & Growth ($50M+)
What you need: Market leadership + international expansion potential + IPO-readiness trajectory
Who funds: Growth funds (General Atlantic, Temasek, GIC), crossover funds, late-stage VCs
Typical dilution: 10–20%
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