Next Bharat Ventures Launches INR 2K Crore Impact Venture Fund

Next Bharat Ventures IFSC Private limited today announced the launch of its second fund of INR 2000 crore, making it among the largest impact-focused venture fund in India. This second corpus will enable Next Bharat to significantly expand its support towards “Impact Entrepreneurs” building to improve quality of life and sustainable livelihoods across rural India and migrated and urban marginalised communities.

Next Bharat Ventures is a 2-year-old entity that is focussed on sectors like agriculture, rural supply chains, financial inclusion, healthcare, rural mobility, and AI for social good. The initiative aligns closely with India's national priorities under Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047, supporting locally built enterprises that create employment, improve farmer incomes, strengthen rural value chains, and promote women-led entrepreneurship.

This launch builds on the success of Next Bharat’s first INR 340 crore fund, which demonstrated the viability of a long-term, patient-capital approach to nurturing rural entrepreneurs solving real problems for billions of Indians in rural and informal economies. To date, Next Bharat has supported more than 50 impact startups, investing in over 20 of them through capital, mentorship, and ecosystem support. Several of these startups have also begun business pilots with companies in Japan.

Speaking on the fund announcement, Vipul Jindal Nath, Founder and CEO, Next Bharat Ventures, an IIT Hyderabad Alum, said, "Our first fund is proof that impact and business can co-exist, and that strong businesses can be built and scaled around livelihoods and improved quality of life. Our impact founders are innovators working on grassroot level transformation while ensuring business output, with over 90% of our portfolio companies already heading towards profitability in their early years.

I encourage all the aspiring founders to build their next startup which not only creates commercial value but also deeply solves a social problem of our rural and informal communities, because that’s the heart of India. If you are able to create a big enough impact, I guarantee the commercial returns will follow.”

Toshihiro Suzuki, Representative Director & President of Suzuki Motor Corporation said, “Japan's investment in India has always been rooted in a shared belief in India's potential, and nowhere is that more evident than in our four-decade partnership. The most important legacy is not the cars themselves, but the enterprises born from it - ordinary shops that became major dealerships, repair workshops that became auto-parts suppliers, and a single supplier that gave rise to entire SME ecosystems. In this way, we created an estimated 3,000-plus entrepreneurs across India, each a homegrown engine of local jobs and income. With Fund II, we are deepening this commitment, and we are honoured to walk this path with the Government of India toward a truly Atmanirbhar Bharat”

Established in 2024, Next Bharat Ventures goes beyond capital to offering an end-to-end support ecosystem to founders. Its flagship ten-day residency programme supports early-stage entrepreneurs with mentorship, networks, and equity investments ranging from INR 1–5 crore to help them scale into sustainable enterprises. Complementing this is the Why Club, a founder-led community launched by Next Bharat that fosters collaboration, funding, and long-term support to help impact entrepreneurs sustain and grow their ventures.

The INR 2000 crore second fund substantially expands Next Bharat’s investment capacity. Over the years, Next Bharat has invested in several promising rural startups including MeMeraki – an authentic Indian folk art marketplace; E-Bik – a rural mobility brand that provides affordable e-mobility kits for cycles and rickshaws; SGB Agro – a brand that offers affordable mechanisation for small-holding farmers; and Atypical Advantage – India’s largest PwD livelihood platform; many of which have grown into successful brands and enterprises delivering both commercial success and meaningful impact to the communities they serve.