Global early-stage venture capital firm has bolstered its presence in India by investing in 30 startups in 2024, taking its total portfolio in the country to 80 companies.
These investments were made through Antler’s maiden India fund of $75 million.
The startups span sectors such as AI, consumer technology, fintech, deeptech, health, and climate. These portfolio companies were chosen from over 25,000 founders who engaged with Antler’s platform in 2024.
“We’re seeing exceptional founding teams emerge from India’s talent pool, many of whom have deep expertise in AI, and emerging technologies. What’s particularly exciting is that these founders are not just building for India, but are leveraging India’s talent to solve global problems,” said Rajiv Srivatsa, Partner at Antler India.
“Our investment pace reflects both the quality of the founders we’re meeting and our conviction that the next wave of global technology companies will emerge from India. We’ve invested in 30 companies this year, many of which were born in our Residency programme, where founders had the opportunity to validate their ideas, build strong teams, and get early customer traction before raising their first check,” he added.
Notable additions to the portfolio include Bizup, a wholesale marketplace for fashion retail; Cautio, which provides AI-powered dashcam solutions; and Freshcon, which simplifies home cooking with ready-to-cook staples.
Other startups include HireBound, which focuses on AI-driven recruitment and Infer.so, which is developing voice bots for the insurance and lending industries. Meine Electric is pioneering renewable energy through aluminium-air fuel cell technology, while Sustvest is building a fintech-led solar energy platform.
Startups such as Keeper, Maximize Money, and Milo Drive focus on financial innovation and sustainable mobility, while Wonder provides interactive audio solutions for children. Companies like Namma Yatri are working to transform mobility through driver-focused platforms, and TradeFace is fostering hyperlocal marketplaces.
The cohort also includes Proof of Skill, which is reimagining job credentialing, and Storefox.ai, aimed at revolutionising offline retail intelligence. Interface Labs is a workplace automation studio, while Kubo Care offers health monitoring solutions.
According to Antler, some of its portfolio companies are operating in stealth mode.
Antler’s next Residency cohort in India is scheduled to commence in February 2025.
Globally, Antler operates in 30 cities, including Bengaluru, Austin, London, and Tokyo, and has backed over 1,300 startups to date. The firm aims to support more than 6,000 startups by 2030.
Rajiv Srivatsa and Nitin Sharma are general partners at Antler in India and co-founders of the Antler India Fund.
