A Junior VC (AJVC), the pre-seed venture capital firm founded by Aviral Bhatnagar, has announced the final close of its maiden fund with commitments exceeding ₹200 crore, more than double its original ₹100 crore target.
The fund, which had reached its first close at ₹100 crore in March 2024, is focused on supporting startups at the pre-seed stage across India. Despite being significantly oversubscribed, AJVC chose to remain disciplined and capped the final close at nearly ₹165 crore.
Since launch, AJVC has quickly positioned itself among the most active pre-seed investors in India, reviewing over 11,000 founder applications and investing in 25 startups within a year. It now plans to back 60–70 additional startups in AI and consumer technology over the coming years. Its pipeline spans over 50 cities, 6,000 colleges, and 4,000 companies, reflecting India’s growing founder base.
“We are deeply grateful to our LPs for their trust. India is witnessing an unprecedented wave of first-time entrepreneurs. Meeting their ambition requires venture capital to operate at an entirely new velocity,” said Aviral Bhatnagar, Founder of AJVC and former investor at Venture Highway.
Beyond capital, AJVC differentiates itself with a 600,000-strong community network, structured resources worth ₹4 crore, and founder-focused programs designed to accelerate customer acquisition and peer learning.
Recent investments from the fund include Nuyug, a jewellery brand focused on celebration-wear, and Mithila Foods, an FMCG venture developing Bihar-inspired food products.
By: Arushi Agarwal
