• Niro

  Participated · Series B · May 2024

  Niro provides fixed lending solutions that enable consumer internet platforms to embed customised credit offerings to drive revenue growth. It has partnerships with Aditya Birla Capital, IDFC First Bank, Muthoot Finance, and PayU Finance to offer loans ranging from INR 50,000 to INR 7 lakh with disbursals within 24 hours. The startup says it has disbursed over INR 900 crore and maintains an outstanding loan book of INR 600 crore. In FY23 Niro recorded operating revenue of INR 9.5 crore and a net loss of INR 23.8 crore. Founded in 2021 and based in Bengaluru, Niro operates in a competitive market that includes KrediBee, MoneyTap, and BankBazaar. The company is considering increasing its current pre-Series B raise if it attracts additional investors. Niro is an embedded consumer-lending platform that enables consumer internet platforms to become providers of competitive, frictionless credit and other financial products. Founded in 2021 and based in Bangalore, it integrates with consumer internet companies such as Snapdeal, Quikr, and Housing.com. Since launching less than 16 months ago the company says it has seen rapid validation and partner-driven growth. Niro plans to use its Series A proceeds to expand its partner footprint, broaden product offerings, enhance risk analytics capabilities, and bolster its technology layer. The company closed a Series A totalling ₹90 crore ($11M) comprising $8.5M in equity and $2.5M in venture debt. Earlier, Niro raised a $3.5M seed round in October 2021 led by Elevar Equity.

• Thinker

  Participated · Series A · Mar 2024

  Thinker builds robotic hands centered on a proprietary "proximity-sensing" sensor technology that recognizes object position and shape non‑contact and at high speed. The company sells the TK-01 proximity sensor—which uses infrared diffuse emission and reception—to enable detection tasks difficult for cameras or conventional light sensors, including mirror and transparent objects. Thinker is also developing a next-generation robot hand, the Think Hand F, which integrates the TK-01 and a spring‑based floating mechanism to allow flexible finger joints and adaptive grasping. The technology also simplifies robot teaching, reducing on-site operator workload. Following a Series A extension, the company plans to hire technical talent and further improve sensor performance while accelerating productization and market expansion of Think Hand F. Financially, the recent Series A addition brings the Series A total to ¥370M and the company’s cumulative funding to ¥470M.

• Virohan

  Participated · Series B · Feb 2024

  Founded in 2018, Virohan provides a technology-enabled platform that designs and delivers undergraduate programs in Optometry, Medical Lab Technology, Operation Theatre Technology, Physiotherapy, Radiology and related fields. The company collaborates with universities across India to ensure curricula are aligned with industry requirements, aiming to bridge the shortage of skilled allied healthcare professionals. Virohan’s software-driven approach focuses on standardized content, digital assessments and analytics to improve learning outcomes and employability. Looking ahead, the company targets impacting one million aspiring healthcare professionals and partnering with more than 100 universities by 2030. The newly secured capital will be allocated toward product innovation, operational efficiency improvements, and talent acquisition, all intended to accelerate the path to profitability. Although revenue or user numbers were not disclosed, management emphasizes scalability through university partnerships and curriculum expansion.

• Aquaconnect

  Participated · Series A · Dec 2022

  Aquaconnect operates a full-stack aquaculture platform combining farm advisory, access to feed and other inputs, marketplace commerce, streamlined logistics, and formal credit to retail partners and seafood buyers. The company has pioneered use of AI and satellite remote sensing to bring transparency and efficiency to the aquaculture value chain and enables market linkage to domestic and international buyers. Aquaconnect reported 4x revenue growth in the last fiscal year. It has recently expanded its footprint into West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam. Using the new funding, the company plans to double its Aqua Partner network, strengthen post-harvest linkage solutions, and expand its product portfolio with farmer-focused innovations and formal credit services. These moves are intended to deepen impact within farming communities and scale its phygital approach across major aquaculture production states. Aquaconnect is a full-stack aquaculture input and outputs platform that serves fish and shrimp smallholder farmers across India. Its mobile app provides advisory services, water-quality and aquatic-health management, embedded fintech to connect farmers with formal banks, a marketplace for inputs, and an “Aquabazaar” that matches farmers with buyers. The company uses AI and satellite remote sensing and operates a phygital distribution network to increase productivity and improve market linkages, predictability, and transparency in the aquaculture value chain. Aquaconnect works with over 60,000 farmers and has scaled across six major aquaculture-producing states, including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu. Founded in 2017, the company will use its new capital to expand its product portfolio for both pre-harvest and post-harvest services. Its current financing position includes a $15.0M Series A led by Lok Capital, alongside strategic and debt investors. Aquaconnect is a Chennai-based aquaculture startup that digitalizes the seafood production value chain for smallholder fish and shrimp farmers. Its mobile app provides tech-based tools, expert advisory, predictive pond-management software, and access to financial products. Through its Aquastore marketplace farmers can buy inputs, arrange delivery, work with financial services and certification bodies, and sell traceable produce to global buyers. The company also operates physical touchpoints called AquaHUBs for face-to-face support. Aquaconnect says it works with more than 30,000 producers across Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu. Founded in 2017, the startup aims to scale its fintech offering and increase the volume of seafood exports it handles following a recent fundraise. Aquaconnect operates an AI-enabled platform (including the FarmMOJO mobile app) that combines predictive SaaS tools with a network and omnichannel marketplace for shrimp and fish farmers. The platform links farmers to certification bodies, banks, insurers and other parts of the export ecosystem such as feed producers, labs, equipment manufacturers, hatcheries, processors and exporters. FarmMOJO uses AI and predictive analytics to help farmers increase revenues, reduce costs and manage disease risk. The company currently serves roughly 3,000 farmers across India and Indonesia and targets rapid expansion in South and Southeast Asia. With the new funding Aquaconnect plans team expansion, deep tech improvements to its app, launch of new SaaS tools and increased marketplace fulfillment and monetization. Founded in 2017 and based in Chennai, the startup focuses on India’s $7.1 billion aquaculture sector and aims to reach 15,000 farmers by December 2020.

• Wikia

  Participated · Series D · Aug 2014

  Wikia is a user-generated publishing site started by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales that hosts fan communities across many interests. Its core product is a network of community-run wikis linking to video, games, TV, movies, music, comics, anime, books and more, with simple navigation reminiscent of Wikipedia. The company reports 120 million global unique monthly users, about 34 million pages across 200 languages and roughly 400,000 fan communities, and has passed 1.8 billion pageviews (up from 1 billion at the last round). Wikia's business model centers on advertising and syndication partnerships with premium publishers such as Warner Bros., Carbine Studios, IGN, IDG, Roddenberry Entertainment and Sony. The $15M Series D will fund expansion into Japan and other Asian markets where strategic investors bring media and Japanese business experience. Wikia has raised $39.8M since its 2006 founding and says this round doubles its valuation, though the valuation was not disclosed. Wikia provides a collaborative media platform that lets users form new communities or contribute to over 250,000 existing communities focused on topics such as video games, entertainment, and lifestyle. Launched in 2006 by Jimmy Wales and Angela Beesley and led by CEO Craig Palmer, the company is based in San Francisco. Wikia closed just over $10m in a Series C to fund growth and product development. The company said it will use the proceeds to accelerate mobile and video initiatives, drive continued community and user growth, and evaluate strategic acquisitions. In 2013 Wikia plans to expand its platform and launch integrated mobile, tablet, and video capabilities to enable multi-screen engagement and contribution. The company has raised $25m in total since inception. Wikia is a for-profit sister site of Wikipedia. TechCrunch reports it received a second round of funding entirely from Amazon for an undisclosed amount. Around the same time Wikia announced the acquisition of ArmchairGM, an online sports community, for $2 million in cash and Wikia stock. Company leadership said the funding and acquisition were "frankly very separate events" but that the acquisition would have been difficult without Amazon's money. Earlier in March the company raised $4 million from Bessemer Venture Partners and Omidyar Network, with participation from angel investors Dan Gillmor, Reid Hoffman, Joichi Ito, and Mitch Kapor. No valuation, terms of the new financing, or operating metrics were disclosed in the article. Wikia is positioned as the for-profit counterpart to Wikipedia, emphasizing opinion-driven content rather than strictly verifiable facts. Its content focus includes travel guides, political opinions and other subjective material. Gil Penchina, formerly eBay’s Vice President and GM of International, left eBay to become Wikia’s CEO. The article notes Penchina discussed his decision to leave and his plans for Wikia in a TalkCrunch podcast. Financially, Wikia announced a $4 million venture round in March 2006. The piece frames Wikia’s approach as complementary to Wikipedia but oriented toward commercial, opinion-based content.

No current team members are available.