Startup funding rises to over $1 billion in January-February, 'mature' companies tap growth cap

CHENNAI: 'Growth-PE' stage companies are seeing traction from private equity-venture capital (PE-VC) investors. The early trend, which is likely to continue for the rest of CY2025, reflects upon a shift to mitigate risk amid market uncertainties.

Data released by research firm Venture Intelligence estimates that Growth-PE stage companies have doubled their PE-VC investments to nearly $1.1 billion in Jan and Feb of CY2025 against $594 million during the same period last year (CY2024). The PE investments exclude those from the real estate sector.

"In the past couple of months, there has been a pick up in PE-VC investments in mature startups and companies floated by larger groups that have chosen to tap PE-VC investors for growth capital. For instance, startups such as Infra.Market, Leap Finance, Captain Fresh and Rapido have attracted growth capital. Akasa Air and Neuberg Diagnostics are examples of larger business groups partnering PE investors for growth capital," Arun Natarajan, founder, Venture Intelligence told TOI.

The Growth-PE segment comprises Seed to Series D investments above $20 million into companies that are less than 10 years old or Series E to Series F of institutional investments into firms that are not more than a decade old.

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