Stellaris Venture Partners Closes USD 300 Mn Fund III to Drive Early-Stage Investments The new fund will focus on seed and Series A investments, supporting 25–30 startups over the next three years. This addition raises Stellaris' total assets under management (AUM) to over USD 600 million.
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Bengaluru-based venture capital firm Stellaris Venture Partners has successfully closed its third fund at USD 300 million, marking a significant milestone in its journey.
The new fund will focus on seed and Series A investments, supporting 25–30 startups over the next three years. This addition raises Stellaris' total assets under management (AUM) to over USD 600 million.
The latest fund attracted participation from existing Limited Partners (LPs) and new global investors, including university endowments, foundations, pension funds, and prominent funds of funds. Previously, Stellaris raised USD 225 million for Fund II in August 2021.
Founded in 2017 by Ritesh Banglani, Alok Goyal, and Rahul Chowdhri, all former partners of Helion Ventures, Stellaris has backed 44 startups across two funds.
The firm has been an early supporter of successful brands like Mamaearth, which recently went public, and Whatfix, a digital adoption platform that raised USD 125 million in a Series E round. Its diverse portfolio includes consumer brands like Nestasia and Zouk, as well as fintech platform Kiwi, among others.
Stellaris' investment thesis focuses on sectors such as consumer tech, AI, SaaS, and financial services, while also exploring opportunities in B2B commerce, education, mobility, and healthcare.
Speaking about the new fund, Rahul Chowdhri said, "We're excited to back founders using technology to solve deep problems in large markets. Our team, consisting of former entrepreneurs and business builders, brings deep expertise and global networks in key sectors to support our portfolio companies throughout their journey."
Ritesh Banglani highlighted the rising investor interest in India, attributing it to factors like public digital infrastructure, smartphone adoption, and a vibrant startup ecosystem. "India's startup ecosystem has transformed, with a 4x growth in deal flow and an increase in repeat entrepreneurs," he added.
The firm also announced leadership updates. Naman Lahoty was promoted to Partner, Chetan GMS was named CFO, and Praseedha Premnath was elevated to General Counsel. Additionally, Vardhan Dharnidharka, an AI/ML specialist formerly based in New York, joined as Principal.
