BAT VC Announces Entry Into India With $100 Million Fund For AI & SaaS Startups

New York-based venture capital firm BAT VC has announced its entry into the Indian market, revealing plans to invest up to $100 million through its second fund focused on India-linked startups in AI, DeepTech, FinTech, and B2B SaaS sectors.

Building on the success of its previous fund, which included early investments in companies like Wand AI, StockGro, Nickelytics (acquired), Accern (acquired), and Uptiq AI, BAT VC aims to leverage India’s fast-growing technology ecosystem.

India’s AI sector is expanding at 32% annually and will likely reach $23 billion by 2027.

The country boasts over 4,50,000 AI and machine learning professionals and a vibrant ecosystem poised for global growth.

Simultaneously, India’s enterprise SaaS market has grown to $8.7 billion, with a 35% compound annual growth rate, double the global average.

Cross-border AI investments between the US and India surged 180% to $4.7 billion in 2023, indicating strong momentum.

The new India-focused initiative will be led by BAT VC’s three General Partners:

• Manish Maheshwari, former Twitter India head and ex-Flipkart executive, whose AI startup Fanory.ai was recently acquired.
• Aditya Mishra, a successful entrepreneur with prior roles at Yahoo!, Accenture, EY, and others.
• Ravi Metta, former CTO of Finastra and a seasoned product engineering leader at Intuit.

Statements From BAT VC Leaders

Manish Maheshwari, General Partner and India Head at BAT VC, stated, “My move to Bengaluru underscores our conviction in India’s potential to lead the next wave of AI-driven global growth.”

“We aim to back Indian founders building globally relevant AI products, supported by capital and perspective from both the US and India,” asserted Aditya Mishra, Managing Director and General Partner.

Ravi Metta, General Partner, however, noted, “Our technical depth enables us to identify high-impact AI startups early and guide them through global scale-up.”

India’s startup ecosystem has witnessed substantial growth over the past five years, with funding doubling to $27 billion.

The number of scaled startups generating over $10 million in revenue has tripled, while public tech exits have surpassed $36 billion.

Rapid advancements in fintech, SaaS, and digital innovation largely fuel this expansion.

Despite this growth, India currently attracts only 5% of global venture capital funding, while representing nearly 20% of the world’s population, presenting a substantial opportunity for investors.

BAT VC has drawn strong interest from institutional investors and family offices in both the US and India, reflecting growing global confidence in India as a major venture capital destination amid rising China-related risks.

The launch of Fund II signals BAT VC’s conviction that India is no longer just a frontier market but a core focus for forward-looking global investors.

For more information, visit https://www.bat-vc.com

(DISCLAIMER: The above press release is supplied by VMPL. Bharat Express News Network does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy or content of this material.)

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