IIT Madras Launches INR 200 Cr Alumni-Backed VC Fund to Boost Startups The fund will primarily focus on pre-Series A and Series A investments, targeting early-stage ventures, especially those incubated at IIT Madras.
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The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has launched a dedicated INR 200-crore venture capital fund aimed at supporting startups emerging from the institute's vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Dubbed the 'IITM Alumni Fund', the initiative was unveiled during the institute's flagship alumni meet, Sangam 2025, held recently in Bengaluru.
The fund will primarily focus on pre-Series A and Series A investments, targeting early-stage ventures, especially those incubated at IIT Madras. Functioning as an independent legal entity, the fund will adopt standard venture capital governance structures and will attract investors from among IIT Madras alumni and high-net-worth individuals.
"In our first fund, we want to raise INR 200 crore through the IITM Alumni Fund. All of you—our alumni—can invest in this fund to help IITM startups and yourselves," said Professor V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras. "This fund will also help accelerate our vision of Start-up Shatam, where we aim to incubate 100 deep-tech startups every year."
The launch comes at a time when IIT Madras' startup ecosystem is witnessing rapid growth. The IIT Madras Incubation Cell has already supported over 500 startups, boasting a combined valuation of over INR 50,000 crore (USD 6 billion) and generating more than 11,000 jobs. Among its notable successes is Ather Energy, the first incubated startup to go public, and Uniphore, a conversational AI unicorn.
"We are at the cusp of an entrepreneurship revolution at IITM," said Professor Ashwin Mahalingam, Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations. "A focused Series A-level VC fund, with investors from our own alumni and well-wishers, is exactly what is going to scale the exciting startups coming out of our ecosystem."
The IITM Alumni Fund is expected to play a pivotal role in fueling the next wave of innovation from one of India's premier technical institutions, strengthening the bridge between alumni capital and campus-born innovation.
