Eximius Ventures, a venture capital (VC) firm focused on pre-seed investments, has announced the launch of its second fund. The new fund, called Fund II, aims to raise $30 million to support early-stage startups in India.
Focus on Early-Stage Startups
Fund II will invest in 25 to 30 startups across sectors such as fintech, artificial intelligence (AI), software-as-a-service (SaaS), frontier tech, and consumer tech. Each startup will receive an initial investment of $500,000. Half of the fund’s total corpus will be reserved for follow-on investments to further support the most promising companies in its portfolio.
Eximius Ventures has already invested in four startups from Fund II. These startups operate in consumer tech and AI/SaaS sectors. The firm either led or co-led these investments alongside other major institutional investors.
Commitment to Innovation
At a time when funding for startups has become more selective, Eximius Ventures is focusing on bold and innovative ideas. Pearl Agarwal, the founder and managing partner of Eximius Ventures, said the firm avoids the “spray and pray” approach. Instead, it aims to back startups with strong, well-thought-out ideas and unique perspectives.
“Our goal is to bridge the gap for founders seeking their first institutional funding. With Fund II, we want to accelerate growth and build long-term partnerships with visionary entrepreneurs,” Agarwal added.
Eximius Ventures Team
Eximius Ventures is led by Pearl Agarwal and Preeti Sampat, who bring over 25 years of combined global investment experience. The firm has a team of eight members, each focusing on specific sectors to identify the best opportunities.
The investment committee also includes experts with more than 40 years of experience in operations and finance. This expertise helps the firm identify and support startups with the potential to scale and succeed.
Diverse Sources of Capital
Fund II follows the success of Eximius Ventures’ first fund, which raised $10 million in 2021. The new fund will draw investments from a diverse group of limited partners (LPs). These include high net-worth individuals (HNIs), founder-investors, family offices, and corporate venture companies (CVCs) from Japan and other countries.
Eximius Ventures plans to invest in startups led by experienced entrepreneurs and operators who use first-principle thinking and demonstrate strong execution capabilities. By focusing on large markets and innovative solutions, the firm aims to drive momentum in India’s growing startup ecosystem.
