Ah! Ventures
 ah! Ventures Logo | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Venture capital, Financial services |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder | Harshad Lahoti, Abhijeet Kumar |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | India, United States, United Kingdom |
Key people | Harshad Lahoti (CEO), Abhijeet Kumar (COO) |
| Services | Venture capital, Angel investing, Fundraising platform, Startup incubation |
| Website | www |
ah! Ventures, is an Indian venture capital firm and fundraising platform headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Founded in 2009 by Harshad Lahoti and Abhijeet Kumar, ah! Ventures focuses on early-stage and pre-Series A startups, providing angel investing, venture capital, and a curated fundraising platform for startups seeking up to $10 million. The firm operates across sectors, including technology, healthcare, edtech, and consumer goods, and has a network of over 3,000 investors and 62,000+ entrepreneurs. ah! Ventures manages a SEBI-registered Category I AIF-VCF-Angel Fund with a target corpus of ₹100 crore (~$14 million).[1][2][3]
History
ah! Ventures was established by Harshad Lahoti, a former investment banker, and Abhijeet Kumar, an entrepreneur, to bridge the funding gap for early-stage startups in India. The firm began as an angel investment network and launched its fundraising platform in 2010, connecting startups with investors. In 2018, ah! Ventures introduced its SEBI-registered Angel Fund to formalize its investment activities.[4][5]
The firm gained prominence during India’s startup boom, facilitating over 100 deals by 2021. It expanded its presence to the United States and United Kingdom, targeting Indian startups with global ambitions.[6] In 2022, ah! Ventures reported a monthly pipeline of 600+ business plans, making it one of India’s largest startup investment platforms.[7]
Investments
ah! Ventures has invested in over 100 startups across sectors like edtech, healthcare, fintech, and consumer tech. Notable investments include:
- Eduncle: An edtech platform for competitive exam preparation, backed in 2022.[8]
- Edvizo: An edtech startup focused on coaching institute discovery, funded in 2021.[9]
- NirogStreet: A healthcare platform for Ayurvedic doctors, supported in 2020.[10]
- Clovia: A lingerie D2C brand, part of its early portfolio.[11]
The firm typically invests ₹3–5 crore per startup, focusing on pre-Series A rounds with global potential.[12]
Funds
ah! Ventures manages the following fund:
- ah! Ventures Angel Fund: A SEBI-registered Category I AIF-VCF-Angel Fund launched in 2018, with a target corpus of ₹100 crore (~$14 million) and a green shoe option of ₹50 crore (~$6 million). The fund invests in early-stage startups with global ambitions, typically in rounds of ₹3–5 crore.[13]
The firm also operates a fundraising platform, connecting startups with its network of 3,000+ investors.[14]
Funding
As a venture capital firm, ah! Ventures does not typically raise external funding for itself but manages funds for investments. The details of its managed fund are:[15][16]
| Fund Name | Year | Amount | Investor Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| ah! Ventures Angel Fund | 2018 | ₹100 crore (~$14 million) | SEBI-registered, multiple angel investors |
Legal Entity Details
ah! Ventures operates as a private limited company with the following details:[17]
- Legal Name: ah! Ventures India Private Limited
- Foundation Date: 6 May 2010
- Registrar of Companies (ROC): ROC Mumbai
- Corporate Identification Number (CIN): U74999MH2010PTC202815
- Registered Address: 301, 3rd Floor, Boston House, Suren Road, Andheri East, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India - 400093
- Company Status: Active
Reception
ah! Ventures is recognized as India’s largest fundraising platform for early-stage startups, praised for its sector-agnostic approach and extensive investor network.[18] Its portfolio companies, like Clovia and NirogStreet, have achieved significant exits or growth, enhancing its reputation.[19] However, some startups have noted the platform’s high selectivity, with only 1–2% of applicants securing funding.[20]
Future Plans
ah! Ventures plans to expand its Angel Fund to ₹150 crore by 2026 and increase investments in women-led startups. The firm is also exploring AI-driven tools to enhance its fundraising platform and aims to support startups in emerging sectors like climate tech and deep tech.[21][22]
References
- ↑ "ah! Ventures - Crunchbase Investor Profile". Crunchbase. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures - Company Profile". Tracxn. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "Home". ah! Ventures. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures Launches Angel Fund". VCCircle. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures Fund". ah! Ventures Fund. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures' Global Expansion". The Economic Times. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures: Empowering Startups". YourStory. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "Mumbai Angels Network backs edtech startup Eduncle". Entrackr. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "Edtech startup Edvizo raises $150,000". VCCircle. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "NirogStreet Raises Funding". Financial Express. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures' Portfolio". The Hindu BusinessLine. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures Fund Strategy". ah! Ventures Fund. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures Angel Fund". Livemint. 15 September 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures - Crunchbase Investor Profile". Crunchbase. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures Launches Angel Fund". VCCircle. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures - Company Profile". Tracxn. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures India Private Limited". Zauba Corp. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures: India's Startup Funding Leader". Business Standard. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures' Success Stories". Deccan Herald. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "Challenges with ah! Ventures". The New Indian Express. 15 March 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures' Future Plans". Hindustan Times. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ↑ "ah! Ventures to Focus on Climate Tech". Telegraph India. 20 January 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2025.