Merak launches $100 million fund for early-stage startups

Early-stage venture capital firm Merak Ventures on Monday announced the launch of a new fund with a target corpus of $100 million. The VC firm plans to invest in 18-20 startups over the next three to four years.

Merak, cofounded by Manu Rikhye and Sheetal Bahl, will invest in B2B and emerging technology companies. While the fund will continue to be sector-neutral, some investment themes that it will actively pursue are insurtech, enterprise SaaS, and climatetech (which includes agritech, mobility, carbon, climate finance, and digital solutions).

“The genesis of Merak is our success and learning while managing a fund, and the sustained confidence of our investors. There are passionate founders who want to solve real world problems and we want to empower them, not just with capital but as a mentor-partner,” Rikhye, Partner, Merak Ventures, said.


The Delhi-NCR based VC firm will also provide active support in strategy, business development, and fundraising by systematically utilizing broader networks of a portfolio, LPs, industry connects, and fund relationships to ultimately deliver more value for all stakeholders.

“Merak is the culmination of a decade of thinking, learning, and investing in the Indian startup ecosystem. It represents our strong belief that financial gains and impact, whether on industry, people, or the planet, are not mutually exclusive. And it is built on the foundation of our passions – B2B and emerging technologies, and our values: boldness, empathy, fun,” Bahl, Partner, Merak Ventures said.