Bessemer Raises $350M for India-Focused Fund, Expands Early-Stage Investments

Bessemer Venture Partners has launched its second India-focused fund, raising $350 million to back early-stage startups. The fund will invest in companies across fintech, digital health, SaaS, cybersecurity, direct-to-consumer brands, artificial intelligence, and AI-enabled services.

With a presence in India since 2006, Bessemer aims to back promising founders from their initial stages through growth phases. 

Over the past five years, more than 80% of Bessemer’s investments in India have been in early-stage startups with a strong focus on nurturing young companies. Since establishing its India presence in 2006, the firm has backed over 80 startups, helping them scale and navigate industry shifts. Bessemer follows a roadmap-driven investment strategy, identifying promising sectors early and supporting founders with long-term capital and strategic insights.

Bessemer’s first India-focused fund has supported startups including Pepper Content, MoveInSync, Shopdeck, Zopper, Vetic, and Boldfit. Its wider portfolio features leading companies such as Swiggy, BigBasket, Urban Company, Livspace, and Perfios. The firm has also contributed to the growth of high-potential businesses, with nine of its India portfolio companies successfully going public.

Vishal Gupta, Partner and Managing Director at Bessemer’s Bengaluru office emphasized the firm’s plans for India’s startup ecosystem. He stated that the new fund will help entrepreneurs build and scale technology-driven businesses. He highlighted that Bessemer provides deep sector expertise, a global network, and hands-on guidance beyond the capital to support founders in their growth journey.

Anant Vidur Puri, Partner at Bessemer, pointed to AI’s increasing influence in India’s startup landscape, noting that the country is emerging as a hub for AI-driven innovation. He expressed confidence that the new fund will enable Bessemer to back entrepreneurs who are driving India’s next phase of digital transformation.

With a strong history of supporting startups from inception to growth, Bessemer has backed over 300 companies across enterprise, consumer, and healthcare sectors, leading to 145 IPOs. Its global portfolio features well-known names such as LinkedIn, Shopify, Twilio, DocuSign, Fiverr, Yelp, Pinterest, Wix, ServiceTitan, and Toast, managing assets worth more than $18 billion.