A Junior VC (AJVC), founded by Aviral Bhatnagar, has raised its first fund of Rs 100 crore to back pre-seed startups in India.
Bhatnagar, previously an investor at Venture Highway, started AJVC after leaving the firm ahead of its acquisition by General Catalyst in June 2024.
With this fund, AJVC aims to invest in 12-15 startups annually, focusing on sectors like artificial intelligence (AI), software-as-a-service (SaaS), and consumer technology.
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The fund is primarily backed by Indian capital, including family offices, tech unicorn founders, and senior executives from investment firms.
AJVC follows a structured investment approach, offering Rs 1.5 crore for a 9% equity stake.
The firm has already backed nine startups across AI, B2B, consumer brands, and consumer technology, including ventures from regions like Assam and Jharkhand.
India’s startup ecosystem is experiencing a surge in micro-VCs, which are playing a crucial role in addressing the early-stage funding gap.
Pre-seed funding has become increasingly vital, providing startups with the necessary capital to develop and scale their ideas.
