Nurturing the Next Wave of India-Centric Startups: WEH Ventures As of now, WEH Ventures has made 27 investments, mainly in pre-seed and seed-stage startups.
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WEH Ventures' investment thesis focuses on backing founders who tackle meaningful, India-centric challenges.
Deepak Gupta, General Partner, WEH Ventures, says, "We believe India is a country with a vast trove of opportunities, and our purpose is to back compelling founders trying to solve meaningful India-centric problems. Some of these ideas are complex, and some may be simple. Irrespective, we strive hard to increase the probability of success for our portfolio."
Since 2017, Gupta and his team at WEH Ventures have been dedicated to providing early-stage support to help startups reach critical milestones and scale effectively. This approach has enabled them to tap into India's deepening digital penetration and emerging opportunities.
"With the deepening digital penetration across the country, we are witnessing an increasing number of India-specific opportunities that are being addressed by Indian founders. We are well-positioned to support these visionary entrepreneurs and their innovative solutions," says Gupta.
"We've backed a lot of companies that are 'non-obvious' when we invest but have been hailed as 'category-creating' later," he adds.
Pratilipi (stories platform), smallcase (low-cost investing platform), Sri Mandir (spiritual platform), Jar (savings platform for Bharat), MasterChow (a new-age Asian ready-to-cook brand), and Animall (a cattle trading platform) are some of the portfolio companies of the Mumbai-based platform.
Gupta highlights that AppsForBharat, Jar, NOTO, SusVest, and Unbox Robotics are a few of their most well-known companies.
According to Gupta, their portfolio construction is relatively selective; each deal for them is an exposure with the potential to move the needle on a fund. They strive to be responsible stewards of their investors' capital.
Additionally, Gupta doesn't believe in evaluating founders through a checklist. "They don't have to be from an IIT/IIM or an alumnus of a Unicorn or be a part-resident in Third Wave HSR. We believe that the team above all should be truly passionate about the problem they are solving, willing to strive through the ups and downs over many years, and self-aware of the skills they don't possess," he comments.
As of now, WEH Ventures has made 27 investments, mainly in pre-seed and seed-stage startups.
Looking ahead to FY 2024–25, Gupta notes an increase in high-quality founders launching new ventures, reflecting a growing entrepreneurial spirit in India. WEH Ventures plans to continue its steady investment pace, supporting visionary entrepreneurs.
The firm's comprehensive support includes onboarding investors, sourcing key hires, guiding business direction, assisting with M&A activities, and resolving founder conflicts.
"This holistic approach has empowered our portfolio companies' founders to drive their companies forward and achieve remarkable growth," Gupta concludes.
Facts:
- Portfolio Size: 27
- Average Ticket Size: Around INR 3 Cr
- Total Exits: 3
- Total Assets Under Management: INR 135 Cr
