888VC, a cross-border investment platform, has started its first Alternate Investment Fund (AIF) worth INR 175 crore (around $19 million).
The fund will be used to support new startups in AI, deep tech, and sustainability. It aims to help founders who are solving local problems but also have the potential to make an impact worldwide.
Over the next three years, 888VC plans to invest ₹2–4 crore in each startup, mainly focusing on Indian companies that can grow globally in markets like the UAE, the US, and other high-growth regions.
Rohit Bafna, Founder and CEO of 888VC, said, “India is rapidly becoming the epicentre of next-gen innovation. As per recent data, AI startups in India are projected to cross $17 billion by 2027; deep tech funding is said to have grown 2.5X in the last 3 years, driven by enterprise SaaS and frontier technologies, and sustainability startups have attracted approximately $2.5 billion in 2024 alone, reflecting a global shift towards climate-conscious investments.”
888VC, started and led by Rohit Bafna, is based in Bengaluru. It is an early-stage investment platform that works both as a venture capital firm and a startup accelerator, helping new businesses grow.
888VC says it has invested $12 million in 20 startups through its accelerator fund. The total value of these startups has now grown to more than $500 million.
Some of the companies it has supported include EcoRatings (a cleantech startup), Sanfe (a women’s hygiene D2C brand), and Finly (a SaaS startup).
In February 2025, 888VC registered its first Indian Alternate Investment Fund (AIF) with SEBI as a Category I fund. This type of fund supports businesses that are socially or economically useful and also gets some regulatory benefits.
The launch of 888VC’s first AIF is important for India’s deeptech sector, which is getting more attention but still receives less early-stage funding compared to areas like ecommerce and fintech.
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