Early-stage accelerator 888 VC has rolled out a ₹175 crore investment fund to back the next wave of AI, deep tech, and sustainability-driven startups. The new fund is designed to support founders solving India-centric challenges with global potential, especially in ecosystems like the UAE, the US, and other high-growth markets.
The firm plans to deploy capital over the next three years, with average ticket sizes between ₹2 crore and ₹4 crore, targeting companies that can scale internationally.
Alongside the fund, 888 VC introduced GRO8, a cross-border investment and mentorship platform aimed at filling critical gaps in the early-stage ecosystem. GRO8 will provide capital access, strategic mentorship, and global market connections, positioning itself as the region’s largest platform of its kind.
The timing of this launch aligns with sectoral tailwinds:
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AI startups in India are projected to exceed $17B by 2027.
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Deep tech investments have surged 2.5X in three years, driven by enterprise SaaS and frontier innovation.
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Sustainability ventures attracted $2.5B in 2024 alone.
Founded by Rohit Bafna, 888 VC has already evaluated over 500 startups, funded 20+ ventures, and deployed more than $12M in syndicated capital, building a portfolio now valued at over $500M.
With the new fund, 888 VC is looking to become a catalyst for category-defining companies that can scale across borders while driving measurable impact in AI, deep tech, and sustainability.
By: Arushi Agarwal
